Longevity Begins From Raising Disciples

Amidst the horrified gazes of the onlookers, the hexagonal bronze ground ahead unexpectedly shimmered with lights of various colors!

”Boom!”

A tile about ten zhang away from them lit up with a blinding red light, and a pillar of fire shot up, capable of melting a Foundation Establishment Cultivator into a pool of blood!

”Sizzle——”

A tile glowing with blue light released a blade of air.

”Clang!”

A tile shining with silver light summoned thunder.

Amidst these deadly traps, only a few bronze tiles without any glowing light were safe landing spots.

Even more terrifying, the lights representing life and death reshuffled and changed positions completely randomly every three breaths!

”Is this... the Heaven’s Secret Killing Array?!”

Taoist Zhong Jinliu recognized the array at a glance, his face turning pale.

”What is the Heaven’s Secret Killing Array?” Su Qingdai forcibly suppressed her nausea and asked tremblingly.

”A deadly array that purely tests a cultivator’s luck.”

Taoist Zhong Jinliu swallowed, his voice trembling,

”The array has no safe exit. Traps trigger randomly, and each change reshapes the paths of life and death. One wrong step, and you’re dead with no way to retreat, even a Golden Core True Man would likely fall here.”

”Senior Sister...”

Qing Jun’s little face fell,

”This seems even more dangerous than that pervert with the broken fan. This... this is entirely based on luck, isn’t it!? Why is there such a bizarre killing array in the cultivation world?”

”It’s not bizarre at all.”

Taoist Zhong Jinliu sighed,

”The Cultivation Realm, especially a thousand years ago, placed significant importance on the concepts of luck and destiny. Songyang Sect even attempted to grasp this elusive fortune.”

”For instance... if fortune truly exists in the world, then investing numerous talented cultivators into the Heaven’s Secret Killing Array would naturally allow those with fortune to survive...”

”Isn’t that treating human lives like grass?!”

Su Qingdai felt a chill run down her spine.

No wonder Songyang Sect is called the Demon Path; this is truly sinister!

”Well... it is said that the founder of Songyang was exceptionally obsessed with the notion of fortune. Moreover, the founder viewed life as insignificant.”

Taoist Zhong Jinliu recounted,

”Back then, the Seven True Masters of Songyang and the Emperor were all selected from the Heaven’s Secret Killing Array. While the Seven True Masters seem to have survived by mere luck, that Emperor supposedly truly carried an air of destiny. In the end, the entire Cultivation Realm believed the Emperor was destined for Divinity Transformation. Only the founder didn’t think so... and facts proved him right as the Emperor died prematurely without achieving Tao. Such is the foresight of the founder.”

Emperor, as a title, was how the later generations of Songyang referred to her.

Outside, she was also known by many titles, such as the Demoness, the Demon Monarch, etc.

”Divinity Transformation... is it really that difficult?” The young girl asked curiously, ”I’ve heard countless legends of Divinity Transformation, and there are even accounts of Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarchs in the Cultivation Realm.”

”Truth and lies, who can truly discern? Anyway, I’ve never seen it; I only believe what I have seen.”

Taoist Zhong Jinliu shrugged, never believing that the current Cultivation Realm has a Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarch.

Even in legends, where some holy land supposedly shelters an ancient Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarch, he ridicules it.

The reason is simple.

If he were a Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarch, invincible and with nearly endless lifespan, why hide and remain anonymous? There’s simply no need.

Back in the day, even the half-step Divinity Transformation Emperor could throw the world into chaos, so why hasn’t a celestial monarch ended her?

As a result, even now, the people of Ruins Country dare not completely eradicate the remnants of Songyang, fearing mutual destruction.

”Heaven’s Demon... Emperor...”

Zhiwei listened quietly, recalling the wisp of remnant soul she encountered in Songyang Cave Heaven.

Even such a renowned figure ended in such misery at the end of her road? Ultimately becoming her master’s puppet?

She pondered silently, ”I can’t help but feel uneasy; perhaps I should persuade my master to abandon Qingzhi?”

But all these thoughts must wait until after the Cave Heaven ends.

Zhiwei declared seriously, ”Though the Heaven’s Secret Killing Array is dangerous, as long as we don’t step into it, we will be fine. Moreover, the more perilous this place is, the safer we are, just needing to wait for the Cave Heaven to end.”

”Junior Sister Lu is right. Once the Cave Heaven ends, Luo Xiao’s spirit will spontaneously expel outsiders and transmit us out. Then, in the outside world, with the True Masters of All Sects assisting, even the Huayue cultivators wouldn’t dare overstep their bounds!”

Taoist Zhong Jinliu took a deep breath, sitting cross-legged, slowly adjusting his breath.

Qing Jun, on the other hand, clenched her fist aggressively: ”You big fat sheep, these Huayue cultivators are too arrogant! Once we get out, you better have Spirit Treasure Sect deploy the Hunyuan Grand Array and kill them all!”

”That... that might not be feasible.”

Taoist Zhong Jinliu forced a smile,

”First, the struggle within the Cave Heaven doesn’t reach the outside. Second, although our Yan Kingdom doesn’t fear the Ruins Country... we also don’t want to rashly engage in war to avoid massive casualties.”

Loose Cultivator Chen Shu scoffed: ”Ultimately, the Five Sects of Yan Kingdom have long lost their spine, choosing to endure again and again!”

His expression darkened as he spoke.

This world... it’s precisely because the Five Sects of Yan Kingdom endure that they could establish sects, while those like him, remnants of the legacy, have to survive precariously, mingling among the rogue cultivators.

Even now, in the Formless Ghost Collection, few true legacy descendants remain; most are inducted from rogue cultivators, progressively brainwashed.

Taoist Zhong Jinliu remained silent, glancing at Zhiwei, solemnly saying:

”Junior Sister Lu, to avoid the Huayue cultivators becoming desperate, after leaving the Cave Heaven, it’s best if you seek shelter with Spirit Treasure Sect. True Man Dongshan has eyes from Yan Kingdom’s True Masters on him, but there’s no one watching those Huayue cultivators.”

”You’ve seen their strength. As far as I know, Instructor Chen from your sect is just a sixth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator and is absolutely no match for the Huayue cultivators.”

”Though Spirit Treasure Sect has many leaning toward Huayue Mansion, there are also those aligned with Yan Kingdom, like my father and master-grandfather, both late period Foundation Establishment cultivators, with my master-grandfather nearly reaching Perfection in Foundation Establishment! In terms of strength, my master-grandfather is on par with the Lord of Hunyuan City.”

In strict terms, there’s no such realm as Foundation Establishment Perfection; it’s a distinction from Fake Pill cultivators.

Fake Pill cultivators, unable to form a core, settle for creating a Fake Pill instead.

A Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator is naturally one prepared to break through to the Golden Core stage, like Xu Family’s patriarch Xu Henshan, who is in this state.

Listening to Taoist Zhong Jinliu’s words, Zhiwei and the others had varied expressions.

Su Qingdai nodded repeatedly from the side.

Although Taoist Zhong Jinliu was cunning, he often helped them and didn’t hesitate to take them along when fleeing, making him seem reasonable.

And right now, those in Huayue Mansion were almost deranged, and there’s bound to be retaliation after leaving.

Even if Instructor Chen is renowned, he’s ultimately just a sixth-layer Foundation Establishment; how could he protect these few girls?

Seeking shelter with Spirit Treasure Sect is indeed the most prudent choice.

As for herself...

The leading teacher from Medicine King Valley is Su Xuan Ge, already in the late period of Foundation Establishment. Additionally, to prevent their female disciples from being bullied, their sect dispatched many Medicine King cultivators to assist, presumably not fearing He Qinyuan.

As for Lingyin Sect, they’ve only sent over Chen Ye... Although there’s also support from Hunyuan’s Herb Pavilion people, their cultivation is mediocre, rendering them useless.

But.

”Thank you, Taoist Zhong, for your kind offer.”

Zhiwei slightly frowned with some displeasure,

”The safety of our fellow sisters will be decided by our master, so there’s no need to trouble Spirit Treasure Sect.”

Qing Jun also pouted, muttering to herself: ”Exactly, exactly, master is very powerful. That flowery whatever He Qinyuan, master can swat a few to death with a single slap...”

”Uh... uh...”

Su Qingdai scratched her head, unable to resist saying,

”Such a big issue deserves thorough consideration by the three junior sisters. Both Taoist Zhong and Taoist Chen Shu and I are sixth-layer Foundation Establishment, the distinguished from Yan Kingdom, yet not rivals to them...”

”Taoist Su, please say no more. Zhiwei doesn’t want to hear anyone degrade our master.”

Zhiwei shot a glance at Su Qingdai, her eyes carrying a hint of coldness.

”Alright then...”

Su Qingdai sheepishly shut her mouth, grumbling internally,

Damn it!

Have these girls been brainwashed? Where did I even degrade him...

She originally thought Chen Ye was enigmatic, but now she’s suspicious—could it be that Chen Ye has been brainwashing these three little girls all along? Otherwise, why are they blindly trusting him?

After all, sixth-layer Foundation Establishment is still a sixth-layer Foundation Establishment!