This humble Taoist priest, Qianhe, begins his quest for immortality by slaying demons and monsters.

Chapter 125 Things have changed, people are gone, finally arriving at the Ghost Cave Clan

At this moment, Shi Jian also came up and greeted Qian Yuan Zhenren and Liu Guang Zhenren.

After finishing, he finally took a closer look at Hua Ling, who was standing next to Liu Guang Zhenren.

Shi Jian had no idea about Hua Ling's identity, since Shi Jian and Zhong Bai had already gone down the mountain to guard a region when Hua Ling became a disciple of Maoshan.

but……

Hua Ling's gaze towards Zhong Bai held a deeper meaning. Even though Shi Jian didn't quite understand love and romance, he knew that Hua Ling had a special feeling for Zhong Bai.

Of course, Shi Jian didn't care about this. After all, his junior brother Qianhe was now a Taoist disciple of Maoshan. Not to mention that he was handsome and dashing, like a banished immortal.

Just based on his identity as a Taoist priest from Maoshan, how could he not attract the attention of women wherever he went?
After exchanging pleasantries, Master Liuguang finally got down to business.

"Junior Nephew Zhong Bai, is he a member of the Ghost Cave clan?"

Liu Guang Zhenren pointed to Lan Ze, who was standing still, and Zhong Bai nodded in agreement.

“That’s right, Uncle Master, he is a member of the Ghost Cave Clan, but the situation of the Ghost Cave Clan is somewhat complicated now.”

"Your master has already told me about this. It's all fate's doing. If I had known about the Ghost Cave Clan's location a decade or so earlier, things wouldn't have turned out this way... Sigh, never mind, why say such useless things? Let's just take it one step at a time."

"Haha, relax, Senior Brother Liuguang. Maybe the Ghost Emperor Divine Flower didn't condense any demonic energy, and its medicinal properties have become even more potent."

Master Qian Yuan flicked his whisk, clearly indicating that no one could say for sure about this matter.

"I hope it will turn out as my junior brother said!"

Finally, Liuguang Zhenren smiled. Yes, you only know whether you succeed or not after you get it.

"Lan Ze, come and lead the way. You can rest assured that we have promised you. As long as your Ghost Cave clan has no ulterior motives, we, the orthodox Maoshan sect, will not bother to exterminate you."

In the past two days, Zhong Bai has figured out Lan Ze's name and his identity in the Ghost Cave Clan.

The Ghost Cave Clan has a population of only a few hundred, less than a thousand. The most authoritative person in the clan is the High Priest, who, according to Lan Ze, possesses the strength of the Foundation Establishment realm.

Below them are the elders of the four major clans, who are basically all at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Lan Ze himself was the captain of the Ghost Cave Clan's guards.

He was considered a high-ranking member of the Ghost Cave Clan.

Having received Zhong Bai's definite answer, Lan Ze led the way with a somewhat apprehensive feeling.

The group headed towards the Ghost Cave Clan!
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Along the way, Zhong Bai walked in front and kept pace with Lan Ze, while Hua Ling and Shi Jian followed behind Zhong Bai. As for Liu Guang Zhenren and Qian Yuan Zhenren, they were at the back of the group.

Seeing Hua Ling glancing at Zhong Bai from time to time, Master Qian Yuan smiled.

"Senior Brother Liuguang, it seems that the disciple you've painstakingly cultivated might have taken a liking to Zhong Bai. Tsk tsk tsk, look at the way he looks at you all the time, hehe, that's interesting."

Master Liuguang also carefully observed Master Qianyuan's teasing throughout the journey.

“Junior Brother Qian Yuan, Hua Ling knew Zhong Bai back then.”

Perhaps Hua Ling did indeed have her eye on Junior Nephew Zhong Bai in the past, but now, Senior Brother thinks it's not as you guessed.

I know my disciple well. Hua Ling might have some feelings for her junior disciple Zhong Bai.

But Hua Ling seems to have become more focused on cultivation these past few years.

Master Qian Yuan rolled his eyes, then shook his head with a smile, "Senior Brother Liu Guang, we're both over a hundred years old, how could you possibly guess what young people are doing?"

As he spoke, Master Qian Yuan saw Hua Ling quicken her pace and arrive directly beside Zhong Bai.

"Wow! Look! Senior Brother Liuguang, Hua Ling is pretty bold, she followed us directly!"

The fact that Master Qian Yuan looked like he was just watching the show surprised Master Liu Guang.

He couldn't help but press his temples. "I say, Junior Brother Qian Yuan, how can you, as their master, be so... irresponsible? Junior Nephew Zhong Bai is a disciple of Maoshan, destined to inherit the position of Maoshan Sect Leader. Do you really think they have a chance?"

"Harmful!

Senior Brother Liuguang, you don't understand. Zhong Bai isn't the leader of Maoshan yet. As his master, I support whatever he wants to do and whatever decisions he makes. So what if he's the leader of Maoshan? If Zhong Bai doesn't want to be the leader of Maoshan, then he can just give it up.

"Since becoming the leader of Maoshan Sect, my senior brother has been incredibly meticulous and attentive to every detail."

Master Qian Yuan was very open-minded about this matter. In any case, the most important thing was not whether or not he became the leader of Maoshan, but his own strength.

Just like Uncle Ming Wanqian of the Sutra Repository, although he is not the leader of Maoshan, his influence in Maoshan is definitely not weak, and that is enough.

"Alright, alright, Junior Brother Qian Yuan, what you say makes sense. I won't argue with you."

"Yes, yes, no need to argue. We two old folks will just watch the show. Look, look! Hua Ling has spoken!"

In an instant, both of them looked at Hua Ling and Shi Jian.

......................................................

"Senior Brother Qianhe, it's been eight years since we last met, hasn't it?"

This was the first thing Hua Ling said after getting close to Zhong Bai, and Zhong Bai responded with a smile.

"Yes, it's been eight years. Junior Sister Hua Ling has grown from an innocent girl into a Maoshan disciple."

"The changes in eight years are indeed quite significant..."

After Hua Ling finished speaking, she stopped talking to Zhong Bai and continued, "Eight years ago, Hua Ling parted ways with my two senior brothers. Now, eight years have passed, and things have changed. I really don't know how my two senior brothers are doing."

When Hua Ling mentioned Partridge Whistle and the old foreigner, Zhong Bai could only remain silent.

He couldn't very well tell Hua Ling directly that his senior brother, Partridge Whistle, was very depressed, and that his second senior brother, Old Foreigner, had already died, could he?

Perhaps Partridge Whistle's failure to visit Hua Ling at Maoshan for eight years wasn't because he truly lacked the opportunity, but rather because he didn't want to disturb Hua Ling's peaceful cultivation life.

In no time, Hua Ling moved from Zhong Bai's side to the middle of the group.

This scene was clearly witnessed by both Master Qian Yuan and Master Liu Guang.

"Hey! Junior Brother Qian Yuan, it seems that Nephew Zhong Bai doesn't like my disciple Hua Ling. No, why should he? Hua Ling is not only beautiful, but also kind-hearted. Hmph, it must be because you put too much pressure on Nephew Zhong Bai, making him unable to accept anything else."

Upon hearing what Master Liuguang said, a glint of light flashed in Master Qianyuan's eyes. He then shook his head and said, "Senior Brother Liuguang, please don't slander your junior brother. Back then, your junior brother did want Zhong Bai to successfully establish his foundation as soon as possible."

But as you later realized, Zhong Bai's cultivation speed was so fast, could your junior brother possibly put any pressure on him?

The two began to discuss and analyze.

This was exactly what Master Qian Yuan wanted.

He was genuinely worried that the journey to the Ghost Cave Clan would end with Liuguang Zhenren witnessing the Ghost Emperor's Divine Flower being corrupted by demonic energy.

So they tried all sorts of ways to distract Liuguang Zhenren.

His painstaking efforts and good intentions were known only to himself.

In just over half a day, they arrived deep in western Hunan.

Ahead lay a continuous range of mountains, with an endless dense forest obscuring the road ahead.

"Master Chizuru, he's just ahead!"

Lan Ze pointed ahead to Zhong Bai, indicating that they were almost at the Ghost Cave Clan's territory.

Zhong Bai nodded, then turned to look at his master and his senior brother Liu Guang.

“Master, Uncle Master, the Ghost Cave Clan is not far ahead. Although I have successfully established my foundation, I am not confident in my ability to reach the Ghost Emperor Divine Flower Clan.”

Therefore... we'll need Master and Uncle-Master to be here to oversee things later."

"It's alright, Junior Nephew Zhong Bai, please continue forward!"

Zhong Bai nodded, and then the group of them passed through a bamboo forest and arrived at a canyon cave.

"Master Chizuru, you'll arrive once you pass through this cave."

As the saying goes, skill breeds boldness, and Zhong Bai was not worried that Lan Ze, a member of the Ghost Cave tribe, would deceive him.

That would only bring disaster upon their Ghost Cave Clan, since Zhong Bai has never been a soft-hearted person.

As soon as Zhong Bai approached the cave, he smelled a strong stench of corpses, indicating that the Ghost Cave people also knew how to raise corpses.

However, Zhong Bai and his companions were not afraid. As soon as they passed through the cave, they saw rows of canyons with countless coffins hanging in front of them.

Seeing Zhong Bai's gaze sweeping over the coffins on the cliff face, Lan Ze began to explain.

“Master Qianhe, these coffins do not belong to our Ghost Cave clan, but are the tombs of a family called Guanshan Taibao from hundreds of years ago.”

However, the location they chose was extremely well-hidden, so it was subsequently occupied by our Ghost Cave tribe after they relocated there.

Upon hearing the name Guanshan Taibao, Zhong Bai's expression immediately turned strange. If he remembered correctly, the Partridge Whistle he had bumped into a few days ago had said that he was looking for Guanshan Taibao's family cemetery.

"Let's keep moving forward..."

After a moment's thought, Zhong Bai decided to continue forward.

Some of the coffins on the surrounding cliffs emitted a corpse aura, clearly indicating that the corpses inside had already stiffened. Although Zhong Bai was tempted by them, his priority was to reach the Ghost Cave Clan, so he had to put them aside for the time being.

"Understood, Master Qianhe!"

Further ahead, you reach an open area, a valley surrounded by mountains.

Lan Ze, who had been leading the way, also stopped and looked ahead with a serious expression.

"Master Qianhe, this is where our Ghost Cave Clan is located. However, because our clansmen are cursed, they cannot leave the village."

The Ghost Emperor's Divine Flower is located on the altar in the center of the village!

"Next, I'll have to trouble Master Chizuru and the other seniors!"

Taking a deep breath, Lan Ze could only silently pray that the two experts from Maoshan could resolve the Ghost Emperor Divine Flower; otherwise, he truly didn't know what to do.

Zhong Bai's expression turned solemn as he looked at Qian Yuan Zhenren and Liu Guang Zhenren behind him, then said, "Master, Uncle-Master, what should we do now..."

Upon hearing Zhong Bai's question, True Man Qian Yuan and True Man Liu Guang nodded, and then both used their divine senses to look ahead.

However, they soon opened their eyes, their consciousness blocked by an invisible force, and they were unable to know the specific situation in the village ahead.

"Since we can't investigate, let's just go in. I refuse to believe that this Ghost Emperor Divine Flower can turn the world upside down!"

The confidence of the Flowing Light Immortal was unparalleled, and at this moment, it was revealed in his aura.

With a Foundation Establishment Perfection realm plus a Foundation Establishment Peak True Person like Qian Yuan, it can be said that there are few places in the world that can make them feel fear.

The group eventually entered the village.

As soon as they stepped inside, Zhong Bai sensed a strange power creeping towards them.

He let out a cold snort, and his blood and qi surged forth, instantly expelling the strange power from within a radius of dozens of meters.

"This is the curse power of the Ghost Emperor Divine Flower. It can actually control the curse on its own. It seems that the fact that the Ghost Emperor Divine Flower has developed self-awareness is true."

Master Liuguang, being a man of great experience, immediately recognized the source of this strange power.

“Hua Ling, Shi Jian, you two should get closer to Zhong Bai. Although this curse can be forcibly removed, it will still take some effort. Zhong Bai’s terrifying blood energy can completely block the curse.”

As for us two old men, these curses cannot befall us.

"Disciple understands!"

"Shi Jian understands!"

Hua Ling and Shi Jian both consciously moved closer to Zhong Bai, and even Lan Ze, a member of the Ghost Cave clan, unconsciously moved closer to Zhong Bai.

Upon arriving in the village, Zhong Bai's first impression was of the quiet, deathly silence.

Lan Ze, who was already feeling uneasy, suddenly turned pale.

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(End of this chapter)