The Emperor of Zongmen Workers is here

Qiongyun Peak towers into the clouds, shrouded in mist. Atop it stands an exquisitely elegant pavilion, known as Tingfengzhu. At that moment, from within the pavilion emanated a rapid and chaotic flute sound. The sound was as fierce as a violent storm, yet as mournful as a weeping blood, as if narrating the unspeakable pain and sorrow deep within its owner's heart.

"Southwest..." Feng Jingchen murmured softly, his eyes filled with confusion and sadness. He stood quietly before the pavilion, his slender figure appearing a little frail in the breeze. His snow-white robe fluttered gently in the breeze, and the jade flute he clutched trembled slightly, as if sharing his deep sorrow.

Not far away, Li Qingtong was attending a sect meeting, but she was acutely aware of her beloved disciple's absent-mindedness. Her brow furrowed slightly, her gaze fixed on the lone figure in the distance, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This promising young disciple had always been exceptionally intelligent and hardworking, but why was he so distraught now? Perhaps it was the memories of his childhood that had brought him to his senses...

Li Qingtong cleared his throat and called softly, "Jingchen."

Feng Jingchen, lost in his own thoughts, shuddered upon hearing the call, instantly breaking free from the vortex of memories. He quickly regained consciousness, a look of panic on his face, and then he respectfully bowed to Li Qingtong and whispered, "Master."

"The Bamboo Realm won't open for another six months, but to be absolutely certain, you'll depart three months in advance. I'll go and inform the other uncles, and have them give thorough instructions to their disciples." Li Qingtong cast his gaze upon the disciple before him, whose brows were furrowed and his face was filled with worry. He couldn't help but sigh softly. He walked over to him, gently patted his shoulder, and said earnestly, "I know you still find it difficult to let go of the past. Now that you've reached adulthood, it's better for you to go and explore it yourself, to put an end to this worldly entanglement once and for all, and never let it disturb your spiritual aspirations."

Feng Jingchen heard this, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly, revealing a heartbreaking smile. For a long time, he had always believed that he had hidden his inner feelings impeccably. But in front of his master, all his false pretenses crumbled in an instant, leaving nothing to hide. He slowly raised his head, his eyes fixed on Li Qingtong before him, and a subtle hint of gratitude flashed through his depths. Immediately, he bowed cautiously, bowing deeply and reverently to Li Qingtong, and then said in a gentle but firm tone, "Thank you for your advice and guidance, Master."

Li Qingtong gently raised her head and nodded in acknowledgement. Her voice was calm and firm as she spoke, "This is as it should be. I've told you many times that we cultivators cultivate in this life. The karmic connections of this life are severed in this life, and the calamities of this life are overcome in this life. If you don't cultivate the Tao in your next life, your reincarnation will no longer be you."

Li Qingtong had never considered this disciple a burden or a nuisance. Whether it was saving his life or carefully raising and teaching him later, she had never felt the slightest bit of annoyance.

She knew full well that Feng Jingchen and she had an indissoluble bond, so how could she shirk her responsibilities because of a momentary affliction? "Legend has it that in our Dongxu Realm, gods descend to earth to transcend tribulations. They only attain enlightenment in their final life, and that is the end of the tribulation. If they can't transcend it, they continue to transcend it in the next life. You see, even gods risk not being able to transcend it, let alone us mortals?" Then she turned and walked away.

The cause and effect between Feng Jingchen and me has already been planted, so how can I deny my responsibility just because of the trouble?

"Disciple, I've realized it." Feng Jingchen couldn't help but murmur with a wry smile after hearing this... Yes, even gods have tribulations they can't overcome, so how could I? Besides, having met such a good master was already far better than most people in the Dongxu Realm. Why was I still so tormented by the past? It was time to overcome the tribulations of my childhood...

Feng Jingchen stood still, his gaze fixed on his master's receding figure. His heart felt like a whirlwind of emotions, a tangle of unspeakable emotions. He took a deep breath, turned resolutely, and cast his gaze toward the rolling hills in the distance. He saw clouds and mist swirling between the mountains, like a thin veil gently enveloping the earth, creating a dreamlike, enchanting feeling.

Feng Jingchen clenched his fists, silently vowing to muster the courage to face his past and break free from the shackles that bound his soul. Just then, a gentle breeze blew by, bringing with it the fresh scent of the mountains. It gently ruffled Feng Jingchen's hair, sending it flying. He slowly closed his eyes, letting his heart absorb the breeze. In a trance, he seemed to hear the gentle whispers of nature, a stirring inspiration and a warm comfort.

After Li Qingtong returned to the sect's main hall, he unhesitatingly took out his brand-new sect token and summoned the ninety-ninth generation of Wuliang Sect disciples to an emergency meeting. A moment later, figures appeared in the hall one after another, all with expressions of confusion on their faces.

"What's wrong, Senior Sister? Is there something important that hasn't been explained yet?" Jiang Qingwu asked, a puzzled look on her face. Everyone's eyes turned to Li Qingtong, whose shadowy figure bowed respectfully before slowly saying, "My fellow disciples, this meeting is not initiated by me as the Sect Master, but as a teacher, and I would like to ask for your assistance."

Upon hearing this, Shi Chenbai immediately interrupted, responding, "Alas, Fifth Junior Sister, we're all brothers and sisters from the same sect. Why be so polite? I'm exhausted dealing with all those people's complicated formalities out there. Please don't try to be so polite with us!" His tone held a hint of dissatisfaction, clearly aversion to such overly formal attitudes. Fellow disciples of the Wuliang Sect were as close as brothers; helping each other in times of trouble was a matter of course, no need for such formalities.

"Hmm." Shi An, who had been silent until then, nodded gently, agreeing with Shi Chenbai's point. For him, simple and clear words were enough, without excessive embellishment.

"That's right, Junior Sister. We really don't need all this red tape between us," Lin Feixue echoed. Her gentle voice was like a spring breeze, making people feel particularly kind.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall grew relaxed. Everyone understood that no matter what happened, they would unite and face it together. Li Qingtong, looking at this close-knit group of fellow disciples, felt a surge of gratitude and trust.

"That's right," Pei Yi and Jiang Qingwu quickly echoed, deeply agreeing with their second senior brother's words. However, at this moment, Li Qinglian, who was standing beside them, showed dissatisfaction and shouted loudly, "No way, Li Qingtong, you treat me like this too?!"

Li Qingtong was originally very touched by everyone's support, but when she heard Li Qinglian's words, her expression instantly became complicated. She couldn't help but feel annoyed in her heart, ah ah ah, as expected, this guy Li Qinglian always makes people so upset!

Fortunately, she quickly composed herself and continued, "Jingchen has been stuck in the late Jindan stage for over a decade. Today, at the sect meeting, he lost consciousness for a moment when he heard that the Youhuang Secret Realm was located in the southwest. I saw it all. After careful consideration, I believe his inability to break through the bottleneck of the late Jindan stage may be related to a childhood experience. Therefore, I suggest departing three months in advance for this trip to the Youhuang Secret Realm so that Jingchen can fully let go of the past." After saying this, Li Qingtong paused for a moment, then solemnly bowed to everyone present and sincerely requested, "I hope you will agree to this humble request."

"Senior Sister! This is nothing! I absolutely agree with it!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Qingwu took the lead in expressing her opinion without hesitation. Her voice was clear and loud, as if she was afraid that others would not know her position. "Let alone now, even if we set off immediately, I will not hesitate!"

"Feng Ci naturally has no objection." Shi Chen's face was as gloomy as water, but his tone was extremely firm.

"Yun Sheng has no problem either." Lin Feixue nodded slightly and said softly.

"As for me, Mu Ci and Xiao Xiu are also fine." Shi An responded with a smile, his eyes revealing full trust in his disciples.

"Well, since everyone is so straightforward, I won't say any more. I will go and put some pressure on that kid Su Chen and make sure he shortens his training cycle as much as possible." As soon as Li Qinglian finished speaking, he decisively cut off the spiritual connection, turned around and left in a hurry, ready to put pressure on his cheap apprentice.

"I know you don't care about these tedious formalities, but the proper formalities must be observed." Li Qingtong bowed deeply and expressed his sincere gratitude. "I sincerely thank all my fellow brothers and sisters for their support and understanding."

At the summit of Yaofeng Peak, Yishui lay in its center. The tranquil and peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a sudden voice: "Su Chen!!!!" Su Chen, immersed in a medical text, exploring the mysteries of pharmacology, was startled. He knew without hesitation that this must be the cry of his impatient master. Sure enough, before he even saw his master, the urgent and resounding voice reached his ears.

"What's wrong, Master?" Su Chen quickly put down the book in his hand, walked out of the room quickly, and headed towards the direction where the voice came from.

Li Qinglian arrived in a hurry, his face filled with anxiety. He began with a startling statement: "I want to give you more training! Your junior uncle possesses an innate spiritual body and successfully established his foundation at the age of two. Although you started late, you are also a prodigy with an innate Taoist body! Don't drag it out for another four months. I demand that you memorize all these medical texts and complete your foundation building in just two months!"

Li Qinglian spoke very quickly, as if he was afraid that even a second of delay would affect Su Chen's progress. He stared at his apprentice, who looked stunned, as if trying to convey his firm determination and expectation with his eyes.

"Ah? Master, are you serious? Junior uncle is extremely talented! Master, you must think twice before you act!" Su Chen was frightened and his face turned pale. He originally thought that he had enough time to prepare, but he didn't expect that the master would suddenly make such a harsh request. This was simply forcing him to do something he was not prepared for!

However, Li Qinglian remained unmoved. He crossed his arms across his chest, put on a serious look, and slowly said, "Disciple, this is a training plan that your master has formulated specifically for you after careful consideration based on your specific situation. Believe in yourself, you can do it! Come on!" When he said the last two words, Li Qinglian deliberately emphasized his tone, secretly proud of himself - the word "come on" was learned from the lovely little junior sister, and it was really appropriate to use it to motivate disciples!

"Tsk - Master, you wouldn't have come here to trick me just because our sect has decided to leave for Youhuang Realm ahead of schedule!" Su Chen looked at Li Qinglian in front of him with helplessness on his face. He was really amused that Li Qinglian had found such a childish excuse. This was because he noticed the dark look in the eldest senior brother's eyes during the sect meeting. It must be because of the eldest senior brother's matter.

Li Qinglian, who was guessed, smiled lightly without blushing, and a hint of cunning flashed in his eyes: "You guess? But right now, you'd better concentrate on your cultivation." Before he finished speaking, he disappeared in an instant, just like when he came.

Looking at the empty room, Su Chen could only shake his head helplessly. It seemed that he would have to study hard like he did when he was reciting scriptures.

Meanwhile, Li Qinglian, back in the alchemy room, seemed to be nonchalantly waving his folding fan, but his mind was actually far away. He absentmindedly tended to the alchemy furnace, which required no attention at all, while memories of the past kept surfacing in his mind.

Since childhood, he had been particularly fond of his younger sister. In his eyes, everything she possessed was beautiful and sweet; everything she did was flawless. As a child, he had successfully tricked her into exchanging names with him; as an adult, he had cleverly tricked her into becoming the leader of the Wuliang Sect. Looking back now, Li Qinglian felt a deep sense of satisfaction at how well his younger sister had performed as a teacher.

He still remembered how, when they were raising Feng Jingchen together, he even wished he could switch places with Feng Jingchen and experience firsthand the feeling of being cared for and looked after by a sister. That kind of meticulous, attentive care was something he, as a brother, had never experienced before! Thinking of this, Li Qinglian couldn't help but laugh out loud, muttering to himself, "Haha, my sister is truly the best! Whether as a teacher or in other roles, she's excelled!"