Zhanxian (Immortal Executioner)

All of the wood attributed ingredients and herbs, regardless of whether they were of the first wood or the second wood, began to grow frantically almost at the same time, as if they had been catalyzed. Within a short period of time, they were as lush as those which had been growing in the medicine garden for hundreds of years.

During this violent vibration, the space of the medicine garden, while appearing slow, was actually expanding quickly. The originally many hundred hectares of space had expanded to two to three times under this great change.

In the large open space surrounding the medicinal farm, faintly observable, small streams appeared out of nowhere, converged at the medicinal farms and afterwards flowed in another direction. Nobody would know from where this stream came and to where it would go, but it had already turned into running water.

This turn of events made Yang Chen quite surprised. Although he knew that the medicine garden was incomplete, it could still be refined a step farther to increase the grade, but he hadn’t anticipated that just planting the Penglai Divine Wood branches would attain this kind of result, this was totally out of his expectations.

The first wood attribute was unusually powerful, the grove of trees which were originally nourished by the thunder pomegranate was completely ignored by Yang Chen, who took the thunder pomegranate and placed it beside the Penglai Divine Wood. Having the nourishment of the Penglai Divine Wood’s first wood qi, he believed that its efficacy would be several times better.

What was even more of a surprise was that, during the change in the medicine garden just few moment ago, the maturity of almost all herbs was increased by a hundred years. Leaving aside the herbs which had already matured for a thousand years, just these several ordinary herbs that he had purchased from the market had matured by a hundred years and turned into very low grade treasures, which was really out of his expectations.

But this kind of change was not without any cost: the bottle which had been filled with Spirit Power had been able to fulfill the Spirit Power requirements of the medicine garden for five hundred years, but now first the absorption by the Penglai Divine Wood and then the transformation of the medicine garden had consumed at least eighty percent of this Spirit Power. Finding a region like the underground spirit vein in the Immortal Falling Well, where the Spirit Power was plentiful was indeed not a simple matter.

Despite this, Yang Chen was still extremely delighted. If the Spirit Power started to run out, in the worst case he would have to use those top grade Spirit Stones, but they were also able to make the transformation of the medicine garden even more perfect, so this kind of thing was certainly an opportunity which could only be found by luck and not by seeking. Apparently, in the future it would be essential for him to look for some divine objects of each attribute to replenish the medicine garden, only then would the medicine garden become even more perfect.

In short, the sudden urge to come to the mountain god’s temple was the cause of many pleasant surprises for him. After properly finishing all of this, he immediately recalled all of the information he had received at the XianTai Stage and checked if he hadn’t forgotten anything. He started his journey again, excited by the expectation of finally reuniting with his master.

The brief interludes on his journey allowed Yang Chen to relax a lot. The people who wanted to assassinate him secretly would be extremely depressed. His speed while returning to the Pure Yang Palace was also quicker by a lot. After three days, Yang Chen had arrived at the foot of Meiqing mountain and in less than half a day, Yang Chen had returned to Nine Earth Manor.

The Merit Transferring Disciple of the Nine Earth Manor was not Chu Heng now, instead he had been replaced by another senior disciple whom Yang Chen was not very familiar with. Seeing Yang Chen, he greeted him with a few sentences and extreme admiration on his face. Even when Yang Chen asked to have one of his servants lead him to the inner Pure Yang Palace, he generously agreed.

Going to the Nine Earth Manor was also in order to take along his own four servants. Among the four, Shen Da had already stepped from the fourth qi layer to the seventh qi layer in the seven years Yang Chen was gone. Rising one layer in approximately two years, couldn’t be considered as too inferior. The teachings he had received before he became Yang Chen’s servant had possibly not gotten through to him, so he had wasted many years and eventually ended up as a servant.

Ho Lin, Yuan Ting, and Gu Qin were a little bit weaker, but all of them also had a cultivation of the sixth qi layer. Ho Lin was especially impressive, previously under Yang Chen’s teaching by examples, her technique of controlling the fire had been brought to the point of perfection, although compared to Yang Chen of those days, it was still inferior, but it was nonetheless quite decent. She had moreover become very skilled in refining the yang qi pill and was at the point of practicing the refining of the xun qi pill and the foundation stage pill.

These four servants were quite handy to use for Yang Chen, and since they had been beaten by Yang Chen and agreed to be his servants, they had never been disloyal, serving him with all of their hearts. The inner disciples were also allowed to have their own servants, so naturally Yang Chen would still employ the same people.

A huge palace resided in the deepest parts of Meiqing Mountain, which was encircled by thousands of scattered small courtyards, this was the only real location of the Pure Yang Palace and also was the place where all inner disciples could come.

The Merit Transferring Disciple of the Nine Earth manor had already notified the Pure Yang Palace. When Yang Chen had lead the four people to the door that symbolized the area for inner sect disciples of the Pure Yang Palace, at first glance he saw four people waiting for him outside of the gatehouse.

Three were male and one was female. They were, Du Qian, Shangguan Feng, Wang Yuan and Gongsun Ling. The first inner disciple with whom Yang Chen had made friends, and two people who were originally the managers of the Ye Xiu Manor, who had reached foundation stage with his help. And then Gongsun Ling who had befriended him at the Heavenly Stairs. At this moment, all four of them had a smile on their face, waiting for Yang Chen’s arrival.

“Junior disciple Yang, congratulations!”

Du Qian was the first one to talk, directly addressing Yang Chen as junior disciple. As long as they had become inner disciples, they had to follow the rules of seniority between masters and disciples. Du Qian and Yang Chen were theoretically disciples of the same generation, the same as Shangguan Feng, Wang Yuan and Gongsun Ling, who had also become inner disciples within the last ten years, so they were all fellow disciples.

“It has only been ten years from the day you entered the sect to reaching the foundation stage, junior disciple Yang, only heaven defying geniuses are like this.”

Du Qian said to praise him, but he immediately glanced at Gongsun Ling, who was standing on the side with a smile on her face and quickly added:

“In the past hundred years, both you and Gongsun Ling have become inner disciples within ten years. My Pure Yang Palace’s future seems promising!”

“Senior Disciple is wrongfully praising!”

Yang Chen modestly cupped his hands to make his salutations towards these four people. If not for anything else, then just for coming to welcome him at the door.

“Junior disciple’s famous name has already spread to each and every sect! Who is praising wrongfully?” But Du Qian burst into laughter and patted Yang Chen’s shoulder, saying without any formality:

“If I require any kind of elixir in the future, I will come to you for help, you must not decline me!”

Hearing this, Yang Chen immediately realized why Du Qian had said those words. Apparently the news of him participating in the refining of the Heaven Seizing Pill had already circulated in the past few months, otherwise Du Qian would never say so.

Du Qian still hadn’t reached the ground when over at the side, Gongsun Ling’s voice followed without any formality:

“Junior disciple Yang, you haven’t waited for me at the Immortal Falling Well! In the future, you are responsible for making my elixirs!”

“Not a problem! Senior apprentice sister!”

Yang Chen replied with a smile and then cupped his hands towards Gongsun Ling and said:

“Congratulations, senior apprentice sister!”

Gongsun Ling had entered the foundation stage long ago when compared to Yang Chen. Only two years after Yang Chen had entered the Immortal Falling Well, she had already succeeded in building her foundation. She had made good preparations at the qi layer and at the time when she climbed the Heavenly Stairs, she was only at the seventh qi layer, but after going through the Heavenly Stairs assembly, within the brief period of two years, she had made breakthroughs like a hot knife cutting through butter and entered the foundation stage.

The current cultivation speed of Gongsun Ling coincided with the cultivation speed which Yang Chen remembered from his past life, but Yang Chen knew that the tragedy in the future would not happen now. With Yang Chen here, he would absolutely not allow those events of his previous life to happen again. Originally Yang Chen had agreed to wait for her at the Immortal Falling Well, but currently he had come out three years earlier, so it was only fair that Gongsun Ling was overcharging him for her requirement of pills.

It had already been ten years since Shangguan Feng had become an inner disciple, Wang Yuan had entered around the same time as Gongsun Ling, and for the time being they were at the initial foundation stage, at the same stage of laying the foundation. Only after this stage would they be allowed to go out and train. These two people were absolutely rejoicing to wait for Yang Chen at the door.

Needless to say, there was not much to be said since everyone was well aware of the situation. Currently the four people had said all of this because of their friendly relations or perhaps affection as fellow disciples. The reason why Yang Chen had chosen to come to the Pure Yang Palace again after rebirth, apart from his master, was precisely because of these fellow disciples. Although currently he had not met with several of those fellow disciples, he was convinced that he would get plenty of opportunities in the future.

The four people leading Yang Chen and his four servants entered the gatehouse and walked over to that main palace hall of the Pure Yang Palace. That big palace hall was not the loftiest, but was the region directly facing against the gatehouse. Appearing completely dignified, on top of the door, a horizontally inscribed board was hanging, on which three words were written in flamboyant calligraphy: “Cheng En Hall”.

Yang Chen knew that this Cheng En Hall was the location for formally choosing a master after becoming an inner disciple in the Pure Yang Palace, so that he was immediately brought here after he had just become an inner disciple was perfectly normal.

Looking at the distant Cheng En Hall, Yang Chen’s heart could not help but start to beat rapidly. When he thought that his master could be waiting for him within the Cheng En Hall, Yang Chen had a sensation of nostalgia.

Before he could reach the Cheng En Hall, Yang Chen saw two of his friends sitting on either side, as if waiting for him. Sitting next to each other were the Medicine Hall’s hall master Zhu Chen Tao and Pure Yang Palace’s Foreign Affair Hall’s Hall Master Xu Cheng Xin, both looking at Yang Chen with faces full of smiles.

These two people were JieDan experts so nominally speaking, they already were Yang Chen’s uncle masters, naturally they could not go and welcome him at the gate. Waiting inside of the gatehouse was already giving a lot of face to him.

Du Qian and the other people hastily fell on their knees and greeted their uncle masters. Yang Chen did the same and so did the four servants behind Yang Chen, but they greeted them as elders. Although they were servants, they were also disciples of the Pure Yang Palace.

“Good young fellow, in the few years I have not seen you, you have surprisingly engaged in such an extraordinary matter!”

Zhu Chen Tao and Yang Chen could be considered to be close with each other, as soon as they had paid their respects, he immediately stood up and grabbed Yang Chen and burst out laughing. While repeatedly patting Yang Chen’s shoulder, he praised him in a loud voice.

“Uncle Master praises me too much!”

Yang Chen said carefully, accompanying it with a smile.

“What too much praise? That Heaven Seizing Pill is something even this old man has only heard about. I would usually not even dare to think about it, but you have actually refined it successfully! Ha ha! In the future, let me see who dares to say that my Pure Yang Palace does not have a pill concocting master!”

Zhu Chen Tao hadn’t stopped laughing and with one hand he continued patting Yang Chen, seemingly without any intention to stop.

“These past few months a countless number of people have come to my Pure Yang Palace, seeking advice. Ha Ha Ha! You have certainly done a great service for our Pure Yang Palace!”

It seemed that the Pure Yang Palace’s power and fame had greatly risen in these past few years, otherwise Elder Xu Cheng Xin would not have that sort of glow on his face. The consequence of a large number of people coming to ask for advice was that Xu Cheng Xin’s position, when compared to before, had risen by a lot. This foreign affair hall’s hall master indicated to Yang Chen that he was completely satisfied.

“Because of you, the number of outer disciples of my Pure Yang Palace have increased several times this year. Even Ye Xiu Manor is entirely unable to take care of them.”

Xu Cheng Xin’s smile was somewhat different from Zhu Chen Tao: because of his happiness, both of his eyes had almost narrowed to a line.

“This time, you have earned great credit, I have already reported this to the Palace Master, to evaluate your merit and bestow a reward!”

“This junior only had some good luck, that’s all.”

Even though they had praised him so much, Yang Chen did not care about claiming credit for himself and only replied modestly.

“Good luck?”

Zhu Chen Tao was startled, but soon afterwards he burst out laughing again:

“Naturally your luck was good, if not, why had Elder Wu come looking for you and not for me? Why did you go to the Immortal Falling Well not early and not late, and instead right at the time when Elder Wu was refining the Heaven Seizing Pill and you still happened to be fancied by Elder Wu? This was your chance, other people wanted it too, but couldn’t snatch it!”

What Zhu Chen Tao said was reasonable, Yang Chen only smiled while hearing this and did not say anything. Zhu Chen Tao laughed for a good moment, and then he turned his head to look towards the Cheng En Hall and suddenly turned his head to look at Yang Chen and solemnly asked:

“Yang Chen, pay respects to this old man as your master. This old man wants to make you his first successor disciple, what do you say?”

He had no choice other than to say this: Yang Chen had successfully refined the Heaven Seizing Pill, which made Zhu Chen Tao even more determined to accept him as a disciple. But last time at the Nine Earth Manor, he had spoken about this with Yang Chen and at that time Yang Chen had used the excuse that it was not according to the rules and declined him. Zhu Chen Tao had seemingly realized his meaning, but he still wanted to fight for it again. There was nothing to be done about it, a person able to refine the Heaven Seizing Pill at the foundation stage was indeed someone a lot of people would crave for.

“Many thanks, Uncle Master for this honor!”

Yang Chen still hadn’t changed his decision. What a joke, even when the Greatest Supreme Elder had asked him to be his last disciple at that time, Yang Chen hadn’t agreed! How could he change it for Zhu Chen Tao?

“Uncle Master, even after I choose a master, I will still remain a disciple of the Pure Yang Palace and will still constantly come to Uncle Master to ask for advice!”

It appeared as if he hadn’t replied to Zhu Chen Tao’s words, but everyone there clearly understood that Yang Chen had tactfully declined him.

“Alas!”

Zhu Chen Tao shook his head while sighing and glanced towards the Cheng En Hall again. Lightly patting Yang Chen’s shoulder, he said:

“Go!”

Under everyone’s gazes, Yang Chen started walking towards the Cheng En Hall. This journey was unusually difficult, even making Yang Chen tremble with excitement. His master was waiting in there for him! Once he thought of this, Yang Chen became impatient and then apprehensive, afraid that the one who appeared would not be his master.

He was moving towards the gate of the receiving favour hall step by step. Nothing on the inside could be seen from the outside, everything was shrouded in darkness and Yang Chen did not use Spiritual Awareness to probe.

Stopping at the gate, Yang Chen’s breathing became hurried, he could hear the sound of his heart beating:

Thump Thump

His step had stopped for few breaths, when a familiar voice appeared from inside:

“What are you distracted about? Come in!”

Just from hearing this voice, Yang Chen couldn’t help the rim of his eyes from turning red, but his heart was almost about to explode!