Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Chapter 1106 Master and Disciple

Wang Yu took a sip of turbid wine and said calmly, "I have already repaid the favor I owed Fellow Daoist Fu. You may leave now."

Chen Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "May I ask if you will continue to live in seclusion in Hunfang City?"

Wang Yu glanced at him: "You want to reveal my whereabouts to Tianrui Palace?"

Chen Yuan shook his head: "How dare I, a junior? Besides, I am deeply grateful to you for repairing my spiritual treasure. How could I possibly do something so ungrateful?"

"It's just that I'm worried that you'll leave this place, and I'd like to ask you to refine a treasure, but I don't know the method, so I asked this question."

Wang Yu said calmly, "You know my rules. If you bring me the head of a Nascent Soul cultivator from Tianrui Palace, I will refine a treasure for you. Otherwise, there's no point in talking."

Chen Yuan frowned: "Senior, can't you really change the terms?"

Wang Yu said, "My rules are never changed."

Chen Yuan sighed inwardly. He really wanted to upgrade the Cangming Halberd to a true Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure, but he didn't want to offend the number one sect in the Spirit Realm.

If Chen Yuan were alone, it would be one thing, but in the Burning Demon Realm, he secretly assassinated the Demon General and instigated a great battle between the Thunder Mountain Demon King and the Wood Erosion Demon King without the slightest hesitation.

But Chen Yuan has now joined the Tai Xuan Sect and is highly regarded by Master Fu, becoming an elder as soon as he entered.

If he were to secretly attack a Nascent Soul cultivator from Tianrui Palace, and the matter were exposed, implicating the Tai Xuan Sect, it would be his fault.

Chen Yuan was caught in a dilemma, but he still did not want to give up this rare opportunity. There were only a handful of weapon refiners in the Spirit Realm who could forge Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasures, and those whose weapon refining skills could compare with Wang Yu's were even rarer.

"If I were to obtain the head of a Nascent Soul cultivator from Tianrui Palace, where would I seek out you, senior?"

Anyway, he's only a Void Refinement cultivator now, and he's no match for the Integration cultivators of Tianrui Palace. He should prepare himself first and then make a decision when he advances to the Integration stage.

Wang Yu paused for a moment as he picked up the wine pot, then put it back on the table. With a flick of his sleeve, a bronze mirror appeared out of thin air on the table.

"This is a little gadget I casually crafted. If you want me to craft a treasure, contact me through this mirror and I will inform you. As long as you are within the spirit realm, you can move freely, but it can only be used once."

"Thank you, senior." Chen Yuan put away the Xuan Yin Armor and bronze mirror on the table.

The little gadget Wang Yu mentioned could connect across the entire spirit world; if it weren't for the fact that it could only be used once, it would be comparable to a heaven-reaching spiritual treasure.

"If you have nothing else to do, you can go back now." Wang Yu took another sip of wine.

"This junior takes his leave." Chen Yuan stood up, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave.

The door opened by itself, and Chen Yuan stepped out. Li Xiaoyao suddenly came out of the room, looking slightly nervous. He bowed respectfully to his master and said, "Master, this disciple will see Senior Chen off."

The master glanced at him, nodded, and said nothing.

Li Xiaoyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After returning to his room, he did not immediately sit down to meditate and cultivate, but instead kept an eye on the movements in the courtyard.

With Senior Chen, who had helped him open the door to the world of cultivation, visiting, how could he possibly sit still?

"Thank you for your trouble, young friend Li." Chen Yuan said very politely.

"No, no, please, senior." Li Xiaoyao's smile deepened, and he gestured with his hand.

The blacksmith shop was small; it only took a few steps to reach the entrance of the main hall. By then, the sun had already set halfway, and the sky was getting dark. The number of pedestrians on the street had decreased, and smoke was rising from every household, filling the city with the aroma of cooking fires.

Chen Yuan noticed that Li Xiaoyao's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, and said, "Young friend, is there something you want to say?"

Li Xiaoyao hesitated for a moment before asking, "I have long admired you, senior. Over the years, I have inquired about your deeds everywhere, but to no avail. May I ask where you cultivate in seclusion?"

Chen Yuan said, "I am an elder of the Tai Xuan Sect in the Xuanling Domain of the Star Ruins Continent."

Li Xiaoyao exclaimed, "So you're a cultivator from the Star Ruins Continent, senior? No wonder I couldn't find out anything about you..."

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "If you are interested in visiting Tai Xuan Sect in the future, you are welcome to experience the scenery of the Star Ruins Continent."

Li Xiaoyao agreed, then glanced back at the blacksmith shop and sighed, "Thank you, senior, but my master has ordered me not to leave Hunfang City for more than ten thousand miles..."

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "Young friend, your cultivation level is still low, which is why Senior Wang has issued this prohibition. In the future, when you have the ability to protect yourself, you can go anywhere, not just the Star Ruins Continent, but also all the myriad worlds."

Li Xiaoyao's expression brightened, and he bowed to Chen Yuan with clasped hands, saying, "This junior will remember."

"Young friend, please wait a moment."

Chen Yuan turned and walked towards the street corner, bathed in the last rays of the setting sun, which gilded him with a golden edge. His figure grew fainter and fainter until it finally disappeared into the air.

Li Xiaoyao straightened up, his expression more invigorated, and strode back to the courtyard, intending to go back to his room to meditate and cultivate. However, he found that the door to the main room was not closed, and his master was still sitting at the table drinking heavily.

Li Xiaoyao quickly composed himself and bowed to his master, saying, "Master..."

The master slowly rose, walked out of the main room, and said calmly, "Let's go, come with me to a place."

Li Xiaoyao was taken aback for a moment, then said, "This disciple will post a notice of closure immediately."

The master said calmly, "No need. I am not a blacksmith after all."

Li Xiaoyao's expression changed slightly: "This time you leave... Master won't be coming back?"

The master nodded, looking up at the last wisp of sunset on the horizon: "You should also see the real world of cultivation."

Master strode toward the blacksmith's shop, but Li Xiaoyao froze.

He grew up in Hunfang City from a young age. After becoming an apprentice, he worked as a blacksmith in a blacksmith shop. He also cultivated immortality in the blacksmith shop. Rather than a cultivator, he was more like a mortal who had mastered cultivation.

The longest he had ever been away from Hunfang City was only three months, and now he was leaving this small town forever.

The master stopped at the door, turned around and looked at Li Xiaoyao: "Aren't you coming?"

"Yes, Master."

Li Xiaoyao muttered something in a low voice, then suddenly strode off and followed.

The blacksmith's shop door was open. Li Xiaoyao and his master walked towards the street corner. The last rays of the setting sun faded away, and their figures slowly disappeared into the night.

……

The Tongtian Island, suspended high in the sky, is the most magnificent and unique sight in Donghua City. Many cultivators from other spiritual realms and even other continents travel long distances just to catch a glimpse of this sight, marvel at it, and then leave satisfied.

The Cloud Seal Floating Continent is far more famous and larger than Tongtian Island, but the Fatian Pavilion strictly forbids independent cultivators from approaching it. Even cultivators from major sects cannot approach within 100,000 miles of the Cloud Seal Floating Continent without permission. They have no choice but to travel to Donghua City. Cultivators cannot break through bottlenecks by hard work alone; they also need an opportunity.

This glimmer of opportunity is elusive, and one way to find it is to observe the wonders of the world and broaden one's mind. Perhaps, in a moment of awe, a breakthrough will naturally occur.

This makes the teleportation array in Donghua City one of the busiest teleportation arrays among the twenty-odd spiritual domains on the Star Ruins Continent, welcoming a large number of cultivators every day and sending off many others.

A flash of white light, and Chen Yuan appeared in the teleportation array. The slightly heavy spatial compression dissipated, and the noisy and chaotic sounds returned to his ears.

Cultivators came and went in the giant teleportation array, their heads thronging and flashing white light. This scene was nothing special to ordinary cultivators, but every time Chen Yuan saw it, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

The spatial fluctuations generated by so many cultivators using the teleportation array simultaneously are intertwined, enough to trigger a massive spatial storm that could destroy everything around it.

However, the giant teleportation array can still operate stably, even for thousands or tens of thousands of years. This has gone beyond the scope of arrays and is the power of the Taixu Juntian Axe light.

The Demon Realm also has teleportation arrays, but they are far inferior to those in the Spirit Realm.

The power of the Xuan Tian Ling Bao is terrifying; it can arrive in an instant even across the ends of the earth. Chen Yuan thought to himself that even if he advanced to the Mahayana stage in the future and fully mastered the laws of space, he would still not have such an ability.

He stepped out of the giant teleportation array, and none of the Tai Xuan Sect cultivators on duty or patrolling around him paid him any attention.

Their duty is to prevent anyone from damaging the teleportation array; they are indifferent to the identity of the cultivators who are teleported in.

Eighty years is but a fleeting moment for Donghua City, leaving no trace. It remains as prosperous as ever, with the sky filled with streaks of light. Chen Yuan made no fuss and slowly made his way to the short-distance teleportation array below Tongtian Island.

The security here is much tighter; only cultivators of the Tai Xuan Sect are allowed to use it. The outer sect disciples on duty come up to check your identity.

Chen Yuan revealed the Tai Xuan Token, and the outer disciple's expression changed. He immediately bowed and respectfully invited him into the hall.

Chen Yuan stepped into the teleportation array, a flash of white light, and the next moment, he had already appeared on Tongtian Island.

Lingyun Peak was still some distance from the main hall where the short-distance teleportation array was located, so Chen Yuan wasn't in a hurry. He leisurely flew through the sky, admiring the magnificent and ever-changing scenery of Tongtian Island, and landed outside the cave on Lingyun Peak.

After eighty years of absence, Lingyun Peak is no longer a mountain that is nothing but lonely and precipitous. Rich spiritual energy of heaven and earth surrounds Lingyun Peak, condensing into a light mist, like a hazy veil.

"Welcome back to your residence, sir!"

Song Nian appeared beneath the ancient pine tree, his aged face showing a hint of joy as he bowed in greeting.

"Elder Song, there's no need for such formalities. Please come inside for a chat."

With a thought, Chen Yuan touched the divine imprint left in the formation, causing the formation to dissipate and the stone door to open.

Chen Yuan sat down in the stone hall, and Elder Song followed him in. Chen Yuan invited him to sit down, but he refused and just stood there.

Chen Yuan didn't press the matter, and asked with a smile, "Elder Song, are you enjoying your time on Lingyun Peak?"

Old Master Song stroked his beard and smiled: "After you left, a spirit-gathering array was set up around Lingyun Peak, and the spiritual energy is becoming more and more abundant every day. Although it is not as good as that in the Xuanli Realm, it is not bad either."

"The Spirit Realm is a hundred times larger than the Xuanli Realm. The world is vast, and I have made great progress in my daily cultivation."

Chen Yuan recalled the cultivation technique that the Great Sage Xuanli had passed on to Elder Song. It was extremely slow to cultivate and had no supernatural powers, but the foundation was very solid and the bottlenecks were not difficult to break through.

Given Elder Song's lifespan, reaching the Integration Realm should not be difficult, but going beyond that depends on fate.

He nodded: "That's good. After I leave the sect, is there anything I need?"

Old Master Song said, "Seven years after the master left the sect, his personal disciple Zhang Yanwei joined the sect, and there was also a Taoist named Cangsong who came to the Spirit Realm and now lives in Donghua City."

"Oh?" Chen Yuan's eyes lit up. "Where is Yanwei? Please trouble Elder Song to summon him."

Old Man Song laughed and said, "Young Master Zhang's cave is only twenty miles away from Lingyun Peak. I know that after you return to the sect, you will definitely summon Young Master Zhang, so I have already given him a pine nut in advance."

"When I saw you earlier, I sent word to Young Master Zhang. He should be coming to pay his respects to you soon."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhang Yanwei's voice came from outside the cave: "Disciple Zhang Yanwei has come to pay respects to Master!"

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "Please ask Elder Song to invite Yanwei in."

"Please wait a moment, sir." Old Master Song bowed and then disappeared.

After a moment, Elder Song led Zhang Yanwei into the stone hall. Zhang Yanwei hurried to Chen Yuan and bowed deeply, saying, "Disciple Zhang Yanwei greets Master. Congratulations on your great progress in cultivation and may you live a long and healthy life!"

Old Song smiled and bowed to Chen Yuan before his figure quietly disappeared.

Zhang Yanwei straightened up, his face full of joy at the long-awaited reunion, his eyes revealing the disciple's deep affection for his master, and he was so excited that he could hardly contain himself.

Chen Yuan left the Burning Demon Realm and was trapped in the True Dragon Cave for 228 years. After that, he entered the Spirit Realm and waited for 80 years in the Savage Spirit Domain. The two have been separated for 318 years.

Chen Yuan carefully examined Zhang Yanwei and smiled slightly: "Not bad, it seems that you haven't slacked off in your cultivation since I left."

Zhang Yanwei's aura was concealed, but it did not escape Chen Yuan's eyes. His aura was condensed and his foundation was solid. He had successfully formed his Nascent Soul and his cultivation had reached the peak of the early stage of Nascent Soul, only a step away from the middle stage of Nascent Soul.

Zhang Yanwei said, "This disciple has diligently followed Master's orders and cultivated without slacking off for even a day. I was fortunate enough to successfully form my Nascent Soul."

Chen Yuan said, "Being able to form a Nascent Soul is no accident. I was negligent for a moment, which caused you to stay in the Demon Burning Realm for more than two hundred years. You had to evade the demon race's extermination at all times, but your cultivation did not decline. It was truly not easy. You have suffered."

Zhang Yanwei's eyes reddened: "Master, you are too kind. After entering the Spirit Realm, I learned that you had been trapped in the True Dragon Cave for more than two hundred years. After you were freed, you immediately asked Elder Bai to send people into the Burning Demon Realm to rescue us."

"When I heard that Master was facing off against the two demon saints' divided souls and was trapped in a desperate situation, I was extremely anxious."

"Fortunately, Master is unharmed. In fact, this misfortune has turned into a blessing in disguise. It is truly a fortunate thing."

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "The path of cultivation is to overcome one difficulty after another. Opportunities must be sought in dangerous situations. If you are afraid of difficulties, then do not cultivate immortality."

“Master’s teachings are correct; I will certainly remember them.” Zhang Yanwei solemnly replied.

"How are you doing now, Fellow Daoist Cangsong? Where are Yun Jinyue, Liu Tianhan and the others?" Chen Yuan asked.

"Senior Cangsong is doing well and is currently residing in Donghua City. Jinyue has returned to Miaohe Sect. Fellow Daoist Huan and Fellow Daoist Liu were unlucky and failed to break through their bottlenecks. Their lifespans have run out, and they have both passed away." Zhang Yanwei's voice was somewhat melancholy, and a trace of sadness flashed in his eyes.

"Immersed in the moon?" Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhang Yanwei with a half-smile.

"This..." Zhang Yanwei was speechless for a moment, then stammered, "This disciple dares not deceive Master. This disciple and Jin Yue are in love with each other and wish to... wish to become Daoist partners. I beg Master's permission." (End of this chapter)