Longevity Begins From Raising Disciples

”Literal meaning.”

Chen Ye pointed to the mess on the ground and leisurely said,

”With Gu Qianlong’s identity and talent, I’m sure the senior members of Huayue Mansion, as well as your old father in Hunyuan City, would be willing to pay a handsome ransom for you.”

He casually threw a few Divine Sense Jade Scrolls at Gu Tangyin’s feet, producing a crisp sound.

These Jade Scrolls can record a cultivator’s spiritual mark for identity recognition.

Gu Tangyin bit her pale lower lip, her chest heaving violently a few times, but ultimately said nothing. She closed her eyes and turned her head away, refusing to speak further.

Ransom?

Ridiculous.

A demon cultivator is indeed a demon cultivator, akin to a bandit, seeing oneself as fat prey.

Yet if death is inevitable, why should Gu Tangyin fear threats?

Looking at her unwillingness to speak, Chen Ye was not irritated.

There’s plenty of time.

Moreover,

Chen Ye was never shy about using harsh interrogation methods; he had plenty of ways to make Gu Tangyin speak without causing her death and thus escalating matters.

Humiliating Gu Tangyin only meant continuing enmity with her;

if he killed her, it would thoroughly exacerbate tensions with Huayue Mansion.

”It’s not the right time now, even Lingyin Sect doesn’t want to battle Huayue Mansion at this moment.”

Chen Ye pondered silently.

Currently, Lingyin Sect is at a critical juncture:

The Lord Luoxiao has returned to the Yan Kingdom, and the elders of Lingyin Sect wish to reorganize the Yan cultivators under the banner of the Lord Luoxiao.

If this succeeds, Lingyin Sect’s power will greatly increase.

By then, even if Gu Tangyin is killed, so long as there’s a plausible reason, Huayue Mansion wouldn’t dare make a big fuss.

Chen Ye ignored her further, turning back to the bonfire and calling his disciples over.

After the four cleaned up the battlefield, they sat around the fire, eating heartily.

Zhiwei carefully handed Chen Ye a clean silk handkerchief, then filled a cup of spirit tea for her master while thoughtfully asking,

”Master, there’s something I don’t understand. Earlier, when the enemy attack formation was just activated, I clearly sensed eight escape lights descending from the sky. And you mentioned there were two masters from Huayue. Why did that person never show up from start to finish, not even a corpse was found?”

Upon hearing the senior sister’s question, Qing Jun and Jin’er also paused their chewing, curiously looking at their master.

Chen Ye wiped his hands, shook his head, and replied,

”This person is cautious and decisive. Once he sensed something was amiss, he immediately fled.”

”Escaped?”

Zhiwei frowned slightly, her eyes glinting with coldness,

”Huayue Mansion has deep foundations. If he escapes back to the sect to report, it might alert Huayue Mansion prematurely, causing many troubles. Shouldn’t I... follow the residual waves to pursue him now?”

”No need to bother.”

Chen Ye waved his hand, smiling,

”How could I truly let a fish slip through the net? No matter how fast he runs, he can’t outpace the trace of divine sense I attached to him. This person is interesting, still staying in Peach Mountain District, seemingly with some intentions.”

Upon hearing that her master has an foresight, Zhiwei nodded respectfully,

”Master is always meticulous; it’s my overly worried.”

...

Back mountain, at the cliff.

The mountain wind howled like a sharp cut.

Several figures bound like braids by demon vines hung upside down, swaying miserably in the cold wind.

The head of the group was the elder from Huayue Mansion.

This person had already reached the Foundation Establishment Eighth Layer and was a significant figure in Huayue Mansion.

In the Yan Kingdom, where hasn’t she walked without reverence shown?

But now, she’s hung like a cured meat in a desolate mountain ridge, her mouth stuffed with a rough vine leaf full of barbs, suffocating her face purple, eyes bulging, akin to a hanging ghost.

The adjacent Hua Wuyin was even more tragic, already heavily injured by Jin’er, now hanging upside down, his injuries backfiring, snot and tears smeared all over his face.

Ironically, Hua Jingxin, with the weakest cultivation, remained uninjured and intact.

Because she never took part in the battle from start to finish; in the end, she only resisted verbally, and was easily subdued by Zhiwei without even engaging in a magical battle.

”Woo woo woo!!!”

Seeing Chen Ye approaching, the Liu-named cultivator frantically twisted her body, letting out angry moans from her throat.

Chen Ye snapped his fingers.

”Swish—”

The demon vine loosened, and the four fell heavily onto the blue stone at the cliff’s edge like broken sacks.

”Cough... cough cough cough!”

The Liu-named female cultivator coughed violently, taking deep greedy breaths of the cold air. Once she slightly caught her breath, she abruptly raised her head and coldly shouted,

”Chen Ye! You shameless scoundrel! Hiding your cultivation and scheming against us, what sort of hero are you?! Kill if you must; this old body isn’t afraid of such indecent demon cultivators as you! If I wrinkle my brow, I’m unworthy of being a Huayue cultivator!”

”Senior Liu, your words are rather unreasonable.”

Chen Ye spoke gloomily, his hands clasped behind him,

”Who’s right and wrong, doesn’t Senior Liu know? Besides, since I’m a shameless scoundrel, your fate won’t be as simple as death.”

His tone was icy,

Such a statement made the Liu-named female cultivator’s face turn pale: ”You... what are you planning?”

”What else can I do? Using demon cultivator methods, skinning and drawing bones, crafting human lamps... Oh, and it’s a living human lamp. Many methods indeed, Senior Liu, worry not about lack of variety.”

Chen Ye smiled broadly, watching the anxious expressions of the Huayue cultivators.

And the Liu-named female cultivator’s spirits dampened, recalling the harsh refining methods of demon cultivators, feeling discontented, she dryly spoke,

”Chen Ye, you’re a peak master of Lingyin Sect after all. Lingyin Sect, is it also the Demon Sect?”

Chen Ye chuckled,

”Heh. Senior, and fellow cultivators, haven’t you always labeled me a demon cultivator all along? Why now, talk of righteousness and evil? Since you’ve determined I’m a demon cultivator, you should be prepared for the consequences of falling into demon hands.”