A Helping Hand

Kang Dabao hadn't seen He Yuanhe for a long time. When He Yuanbing died, he was on a mission from the Stone Mountain Sect to hunt demons in Pu Prefecture and hadn't returned. The last time he saw him was probably at He Dezong's funeral.

After He Yuanhe entered, he left Jin Shilun behind, stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said in a hoarse voice, "Yuanhe greets Uncle."

"Please sit down, please sit down, Shilun," Sect Leader Kang Da said with a smile, gesturing for the two young men to sit down.

He said softly, "Nephew, you have come from afar; it must be tiring. If matters within the sect are not urgent, then please stay a few more days. Your uncle should be arriving soon; you can then take the opportunity to show your filial piety."

He Yuanhe respectfully replied, "Uncle is right, but I still have duties to Yuanhe. I specifically asked my master for leave this time, and I cannot stay for long."

Who is your teacher?

"My master is Huang Ming, the head of the Flying Snow Peak of the Stone Mountain Sect. He is skilled in water-based Daoist arts and proficient in the principles of Yin and Yang."

He Yuanhe mentioned his mentor, his tone became even more respectful. Kang Dabao frowned upon hearing this and simply asked, "When did you become his disciple, my dear nephew?"

"My nephew became a disciple of my master last winter."

Sect Leader Kang Da nodded calmly, thinking to himself, "That explains it."

With the departure of the Daoist Black Shoes, it seemed that even the Sect Leader Kang Da had lost his standing in the eyes of Bian Hu, the head of the Stone Mountain Sect. The latter's previously friendly and warm demeanor seemed to have vanished completely.

Otherwise, Kang Dabao had personally invited He Yuanhe to take on the position of his True Disciple. If Bian Hu still valued the relationship between Kang Dabao and Chongming Sect, he wouldn't have assigned He Yuanhe an unknown early-stage True Cultivator as his mentor.

However, the one sent by the Stone Mountain Sect was indeed a proper Foundation Establishment, and no matter how you looked at it, Sect Leader Kang Da couldn't find anything wrong with him. He had no choice but to temporarily suppress his slight dissatisfaction and turn to He Yuanhe to say:

"I have long admired your master, but our connection is too shallow for us to meet. Therefore, I would like to trouble you, my dear nephew, to take a letter to Fellow Daoist Huang on your return journey to show my sincerity."

The words were spoken so directly, how could the latter not understand? He could only say repeatedly, "Thank you, Uncle."

"You must be quite tired from your journey, my dear nephew. Let Anle take you to rest for a few days. We can talk again when your uncle arrives tonight."

As soon as Kang Dabao finished speaking, the two men below the hall rose again to acknowledge him. The former nodded slightly as a greeting and walked towards the back of the council hall.

Seeing his master leave, Jin Shilun led He Yuanhe out of the hall. He knew that He Yuanhe must have come to ask for something, but he didn't ask too many questions. He just chatted and joked with her on the way, and soon led her to the small courtyard where He Yuanyi was.

In the past, when Chongming Sect was in dire straits, the entire sect had to live in a cramped little courtyard. Later, when it was slightly restored, everyone in the sect, regardless of rank, could be allocated a courtyard to practice in seclusion.

Later, once all the regulations were finalized, only inner disciple and above, or those with long-term duties, were allocated a courtyard for cultivation.

This courtyard is not small in size, and there is a spiritual soil area within it, about one-tenth of an acre in size. If the owner is a little diligent, he can plant some Spirit Plant to supplement his income, which can be considered a kind of hidden benefit that Chongming Sect gives to its outstanding disciples.

However, this spiritual soil was not fertile at first, and could only grow some low-value white alfalfa. Without some effort, it would be difficult to make much money.

Therefore, some inner disciple who are not well-liked and cannot find Master Jia's help will often fill in this spiritual land, place puppets and golden figures on it, and make it a training ground, which is quite good.

He Yuanyi inherited the He Household's shrewdness and resourcefulness. With the help of his Lineage, he was also quite wealthy, which helped him maintain good relationships with many fellow practitioners who also cultivated the Dao of Farming.

Because of this relationship, the spiritual land in He Yuanyi's courtyard is much more vibrant than that in the other disciples' courtyards.

On the sunny side, several Flame Stem Grasses were planted, spaced far apart; on the other side, where the sun was less intense, two Silver Horn Ginsengs were planted. These Spirit Plant require considerable soil sustenance and therefore could not be planted too densely.

Flame Stem Grass matures faster and sells for five to six Spirit Stones each; it can be sold after two and a half years of growth.

Silver Horn Ginseng matures once every six years, and when the market is good, it can sell for twenty Spirit Stone stones per plant. However, it cannot be propagated, and after each harvest, ginseng seeds must be purchased again.

Barring any disasters, He Yuanyi's initial investment in this spiritual field should be recouped within a single cycle. The annual income, when averaged out, would be a considerable supplement for an inner disciple.

He Yuanyi had received news of his cousin's impending arrival yesterday and had been waiting at the courtyard gate for a long time. Upon seeing him, he hurriedly came forward to greet him, "Cousin, you've arrived."

"It's been many years since we last met. Yuanyi, you've already reached the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining! That's even faster progress than when your father wrote last time. Truly impressive."

He Yuanhe also knew that Chongming Sect had very strict rules. Disciples had to break through to the Late Qi Refinement before the age of forty and pass the advancement trial before they could become True Disciple.

These conditions are even more stringent than those of long-established sects like Stone Mountain Sect. However, He Yuanyi has only been a disciple of Double Brightness Sect for fifteen or sixteen years, and is only twenty-five years old. Therefore, the probability of him becoming True Disciple is not small.

The two brothers were reunited, and Jin Shilun was happy for them.

With the Sect Leader Kang Da's birthday approaching, almost all the senior disciples of the Chongming Sect were present unless they had urgent matters to attend to. Jin Shilun took the He Yuanyi's fellow disciples over for a banquet to welcome He Yuanhe, who had traveled from afar.

Ye Pingshui, the disciple in the Artifact Hall the Ye Pingshui who is usually the busiest, was the first to come over carrying a jar of spirit wine.

Years have passed, and that simple-minded, impoverished boy has become a genuine First-Tier Middle-Grade craftsman. Although he wasn't included in the True Disciple, his solid skills have earned him considerable prestige among his fellow disciples.

Ye Yaoling brought her newly accepted apprentice with her. The apprentice, though young, lacked a bit of romance. Wearing a veil, she followed closely behind her master, not daring to lift her head even slightly.

On such occasions, Wei Gu, as always, would come with his unfortunate brother Mo Ku. It was thanks to the former, the top array master of the Chongming Sect, that Mo Ku, the only outer disciple with little skill, did not fall too far behind the core members of the sects in the academy.

Although Wei Gu was not True Disciple and was not accepted into any elder's tutelage, the moment he appeared, the eyes of his fellow disciples in the courtyard were involuntarily drawn to him.

The reason is simple: First-Tier Supreme-Grade top-grade array master is already qualified to be a leading figure in Cloud Horn Prefecture. As the only junior among them who is currently expected to break through to the Second Tier Hundred Arts, Wei Gu naturally deserves their respect.

Ming Zhe still couldn't rest, and his Double Brightness Caravan remained outside, not yet returned.

Zhou Xinran and Mo'er each brought their own children to the hospital;

Yuan Changsheng and Zhang Le arrived one after the other, the latter bringing a jar of the recently popular 'Plain Snow Honey' to entertain the guests. After Song Cheng finished his duties and entered the courtyard with Liu Ya, three or four more inner and outer disciples who had been disciples for a longer time came in.

Once everyone arrived, the Spiritual Qi in He Yuanyi's courtyard seemed to thicken even more.

But afterward, the sounds of clinking glasses and elegant music blended together, creating a lively and enjoyable banquet where both host and guests were having a great time.

He Yuanhe couldn't resist the urging and drank cup after cup of the mellow spirit wine too quickly. Even with his Qi Refinement Ninth Layer Refining cultivation, he didn't have time to sober up, and the rising alcohol vapor in his stomach almost made him squint.

Just then, a young man with a dignified appearance stepped in and greeted the crowd with a laugh, "Is it so lively today?"

Upon Zhou Xinran's expression immediately changed. She quickly rushed to his side and gently scolded, "Your injuries haven't even healed yet, how come you've already come out of seclusion?!"

"Don't worry, sister, it's nothing," Duan Anle replied with a smile, then gently patted Zhou Xinran's hand to comfort her.

Jin Shilun's previously relaxed and cheerful expression turned serious, and he hurriedly asked, "How is Second Senior Brother's injury?!"

Not only did the two of them react this way, but the joyful atmosphere in the room also froze when Duan Anle arrived. Apart from He Yuanhe, who was unaware of the situation and looked somewhat bewildered, everyone else looked worried.

Before the Duan Anle Year, Duan Anle used the Merit Points bestowed upon him by the Sect Leader Kang Da to exchange for a Void -Void-Colored Azure Origin Fruit from the sect's treasury to attempt Foundation Establishment. The elders all felt that with his temperament and foundation, Foundation Establishment should be quite possible.

Unexpectedly, Duan Anle broke through his cultivation in less than a month, emerging barely alive. Fortunately, his injuries were not as severe as Pei Yi's, who had also failed, and he would recover in four or five years.

Just look at the fates of the Shan Household's heir who died a violent death and Pei Yi, and you'll know that even though Duan Anle will have to waste a lot of time, he's already considered lucky among cultivators who failed the Foundation Establishment stage.

Duan Anle, being a composed and steady person, did not show any signs of dejection or frustration. However, he spent his days in seclusion in his quiet room, healing his injuries and taking medicine to nourish his spiritual energy. He rarely came out, which caused his fellow disciples in the hall great concern.

Duan Anle could see the worry in Jin Shilun's eyes, but he just smiled and said, "My injuries were mostly healed yesterday, but I can't circulate my qi or fight. I went to pay my respects to Martial Uncle Pei this morning, and after I offer him a cup of wine at Master's birthday banquet, I can return to my quiet room to heal. It shouldn't be a problem."

"How could Master bear to drink this cup of wine from you?" Zhou Xinran heartache, but Duan Anle only smiled. He walked around Jin Shilun in front of him, strolled to He Yuanhe, and bowed, saying, "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Brother. You are indeed as dashing as ever."

By this time, the latter had already learned what had happened from He Yuanyi had come to explain. Seeing Duan Anle dragging his ailing body to see him, how could he not be moved? He immediately said in a hoarse voice, "Brother, you've had a hard time these past few days. It should be me who comes to visit you."

Duan Anle's smile remained unchanged; looking at his sincere and warm smile, how could an ordinary person tell that this was only his second meeting with He Yuanhe?

He took an empty cup, filled it with honey nectar, and then raised the cup in a toast. "We're brothers, why talk about such things?"

"These words sound familiar," Jin Shilun thought, seeing Duan Anle's appearance, he felt that the latter was becoming more and more like his master.

He Yuanhe's drinking party didn't end until evening. It wasn't that the younger generation had all had their fill of fun, but rather that He Degong, who had rushed back from another county to celebrate the Sect Leader Kang Da, had heard the news and quickly pulled his nephew He Yuanhe, away from the lively scene.

Sect Leader Kang Da was waiting for the uncle and nephew to pay their respects together; how could they delay even for a moment?

When He Degong and his nephew visited Kang Dabao this time, the latter didn't exchange many pleasantries, but went straight to the point. "Nephew, what brings you here this time? Please speak frankly. Your father and I are true sworn brothers, so you don't need to be coy. Just tell me directly."

He Yuanhe had been given a hangover pill by He Degong before he arrived, so he was perfectly sober at this moment. He glanced back at He Degong, and seeing the latter nod in acknowledgment, he then began to speak:

"To be honest, Uncle, the reason Yuanhe has come to visit this time is indeed to obtain Foundation Establishment spiritual item from the sect in order to facilitate his Foundation Establishment. I have come specifically to ask you for help."

"What do you mean?" Sect Leader Kang Da's gaze sharpened as he looked at He Yuanhe. Those small eyes had seen countless Foundation Establishment killed, and even if there was no killing intent in them at this moment, He Yuanhe felt that he would have a hard time withstanding them.

He Degong then stepped forward on behalf of his nephew, saying, "Brother, please don't be offended. It was Yuanhe who didn't explain clearly. Back then, it was thanks to your protection and blessings that Yuanhe was able to become True Disciple of the Stone Mountain Sect. According to the rules of the Stone Mountain Sect, True Disciple can use their Merit Points within the sect to compete for Foundation Establishment spiritual items from the treasury."

"But is there a shortage of Merit Points?" Kang Dabao was about to generously donate when He Degong objected:

"No, that's not it. Although the Merit Points for that spiritual object was considerable, the He Household and Yuanhe still managed to collect it over the years. It's just... it's just that we paid the Merit Points first, but another family of True Disciple intercepted it and didn't even return the Merit Points. This is really a bit..."

Sect Leader Kang Da's expression changed again, and he said, "I've always heard that the Stone Mountain Sect has a good reputation, so why are they starting to snatch their own disciples? Once this news gets out, does this False Core sect still have any shame?!"

He Degong's bitter expression deepened, and he bowed again, saying:

"That True Disciple is deeply rooted in the Stone Mountain Sect, and they did use some underhanded methods to win us over. We were also a bit too eager for quick success, which is why we fell into their trap."

In any case, at least on the surface, their contracts for use are complete, and the rationale can be roughly explained. Even if they were to be spoken of, outsiders might not necessarily believe them.

Brother, Degong is incompetent, and you know the He Household's situation. This amount of Merit Points exchanged for Spirit Stone is indeed considerable, and it's truly impossible for them to repay it. Ah, Brother, the He Household can simply accept the return of the spirit items and Merit Points, even if the amount is small, it won't matter."

Sect Leader Kang Da did not immediately agree, but turned to He Yuanhe and asked, "Nephew, have you considered asking your master to intervene?" The latter respectfully replied, "That family is very powerful and deeply entrenched, and my master is still relatively young; indeed, he is willing but unable to help."

"Hmm," Kang Dabao didn't agree immediately as the He Household and nephew had expected. After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke, "I can't help with this matter."

However, before the He Household and nephew could even show their disappointment, Sect Leader Kang Da produced another item.

"Five-Pattern Heavy Peak Stone?!" He Yuanhe exclaimed in surprise. This was a rare Higher Vehicle spiritual item even within the Stone Mountain Sect, far superior to the one that had been stolen from him by trickery.

Kang Dabao shook his head again, then stuffed the Five-Pattern Heavy Peak Stone into He Yuanhe's arms before saying:

"Now that the Stone Mountain Sect is all-powerful and thriving in Pu Prefecture, I, as an outsider, should not get too involved with them, lest Bian Hu find out and take his anger out on Yuanhe."

This Five-Pattern Heavy Peak Stone is indeed compatible with the Cultivation Method you are practicing, Yuanhe. You should use it first, so as not to delay your cultivation.

The Shan Household head, Sect Leader Kang Da Shiwen, had just returned the spiritual object, but Shan Shiwen immediately gave it away again. He didn't seem to mind, after all, the Shan Household still owed a spiritual object of equal value to the Yi Wood Green Willow Heart.

"Don't tell the Third about this yet, lest it cause further trouble."

The He Household and nephew were flushed red, clearly still affected by the joy of acquiring the spiritual object. They only reacted after hearing Kang Dabao's words and responded repeatedly.

"Also, which family stole the Yuanhe spirit item?"

"It's the Bian Household," He Degong squeezed out the words through gritted teeth. Kang Dabao's heart sank, but he continued, "I've got it, I've got it. We'll definitely make them pay it back someday."

He muttered to himself, "I just don't know when it will be possible to make the trip. I can't afford to provoke a powerful, False Core family just for a few thousand Spirit Stone."