Chapter 241: Foundation

Just as the three were shaking their heads and sighing, and Lan Xue was keeping her head down in silence, a servant disciple came to report that Xia Daoming had come to visit.

The four of them hurriedly stood up and went out to greet him in the living room.

Seeing Xia Daoming with a smile on his face, Shao Shiyu and the others let out a big sigh of relief.

"Thank heaven and earth, you finally weren't swept out the door." Wan Yan stroked her chest, feeling relieved.

"Swept out the door? Why would I be swept out the door?" Xia Daoming asked with a smile.

"Didn't Elder Liang tell you to get lost? That means he was very angry; we all thought he was going to sweep you out the door! Fortunately, looking at you, you finally obtained Elder Liang's forgiveness." Mo Yongzhi said with a happy smile.

"It's good that you weren't swept out the door!" Shao Shiyu's cold, old face added a trace of joy.

"You guys thought too much." Xia Daoming smiled and shook his head, taking out the true disciple token.

"This, this... is a true disciple token! You, how could you have this token? Could it be that you..." The four were shocked to the point of being a mess, their speech stuttering.

"That's right, I am a true disciple now!" Xia Daoming smiled slightly.

Once these words were spoken, the four were completely stunned, their whole persons as if turned to stone.

He was told to get lost, and not only was he not swept out the door, but he also got a true disciple status?

A true disciple is a Jin Dan seed, equivalent to half a Jin Dan Elder; their status in the sect is a large step higher than these Foundation Establishment disciples.

As for Lan Xue, that goes without saying.

They never dreamed that in just over a month, Xia Daoming would first skip over being a registered disciple and directly become a Jin Dan Elder's personal disciple.

Now it's even more exaggerated—he has actually become a true disciple!

And he is still a Qi Refining disciple!

He has already become a Jin Dan seed!

"I have a piece of manual labor on hand that needs people to do. I wonder if you three senior sisters and Lan Xue are willing to do it?" Xia Daoming put away the token and smiled.

"What kind of manual labor?" Lan Xue asked subconsciously.

"Heavenly Jianfeng hasn't been tidied up for many years, and I want to..."

"Tidy up Heavenly Jianfeng! Go, of course we'll go!" Before Xia Daoming could finish his sentence, Shao Shiyu and the others felt their hearts shake violently, their eyes lighting up as they interrupted.

Are you kidding? Is this manual labor?

This is clearly a great opportunity!

"Haha, then while it's still light, let's go tidy up Heavenly Jianfeng first, and go to the Immortal Flavor House another day." Xia Daoming laughed when he saw this.

"Of course, of course, tidying up Heavenly Jianfeng is important!" Shao Shiyu, who was usually sparing with words, performed more actively than anyone else at this moment.

Soon, a flying boat flew from Azure Cloud City toward Heavenly Jianfeng.

"Xia Shixiong, you are a true disciple now. I wonder if you have decided which mountain peak to use as your cave dwelling?" On the flying boat, Wan Yan asked.

"Uh, Xu Shixiong Sister Wan, why are you calling me Xu Shixiong? How can that be?" Xia Daoming looked stunned.

"You are a true disciple now, equivalent to half a Jin Dan Elder; naturally, I must respectfully call you Xu Shixiong. How can I call you Junior Xu Shixiong anymore! You also cannot call us Xu Shixiong Sisters in the future; you must change your address to Junior Sisters." Wan Yan said.

"That's right, from now on you are Xu Shixiong, and we are Junior Sisters." Mo Yongzhi nodded.

"Don't, don't. You can call me Xu Shixiong, but I will still call you Xu Shixiong Sisters as before; each calls their own." Xia Daoming felt inexplicably goosebumps upon hearing this and hurriedly said.

"As you wish, but we will definitely have to call you Xu Shixiong in the future, otherwise it would be disrespectful." Mo Yongzhi said.

"Then, then should I call Big Xu Shixiong 'Xu Shixiong Uncle'?" Lan Xue asked cautiously.

"What Xu Shixiong Uncle? Am I that old? We are sworn siblings; continue calling me Big Xu Shixiong." Xia Daoming glared.

"Yes, Big Xu Shixiong!" Lan Xue laughed happily.

"After my cave dwelling is decided, you come to Big Xu Shixiong's side to help." Xia Daoming said.

"Yes, I will listen to Big Xu Shixiong." Lan Xue's eyes narrowed into a line with happiness upon hearing this.

"Xia Shixiong, can I follow you in the future too?" Wan Yan felt her heart move when she saw this, and she gave Xia Daoming a charming smile, asking in a soft voice.

"Cough, cough, Xu Shixiong Sister Wan, can you change to a more normal tone to talk to me? This will scare me!"

Xia Daoming looked at Wan Yan blinking her eyes at him, her voice soft and charming, and was immediately so scared that goosebumps rose, and he hurriedly took two steps back.

"You!" Seeing Xia Daoming retreat in fear, Wan Yan was so angry that she put her hands on her hips, her chest high, but soon laughed out loud, then cleared her throat and said with a serious face: "Xia Shixiong, I am being serious. You are a true disciple now; choosing a mountain peak to build a cave dwelling is essentially establishing your own house. You need to have your own foundation, a group of people to run errands and do things for you.

I once thought about joining a true disciple's camp to work. If that true disciple becomes a Jin Dan Elder in the future, I will naturally rise with the tide. Even if there is no hope of forming a Jin Dan, at least there will be a glimmer of hope for forming a False Dan. At the very least, having a Jin Dan Elder as a backer is like enjoying the shade under a big tree.

However, firstly, those true disciples already have no shortage of Foundation Establishment disciples following them, and me following them with a thick face wouldn't mean much; secondly, those true disciples are relatively arrogant, and I don't think my personality could take that kind of treatment. You are different, so if you want to establish a foundation, I am willing to follow you."

"Wan Yan is right. If you want to establish a foundation, I am also willing to follow you." Shao Shiyu said.

"Me too." Mo Yongzhi also echoed.

"Xu Shixiong Sister Mo, then you won't be an Elder of the Spirit Field Hall anymore?" Xia Daoming asked subconsciously.

"There isn't much salary anyway; it's better to follow you. You possess a spiritual mountain with many assets. If we help you manage things, you surely won't treat us poorly in terms of salary." Mo Yongzhi said.

"Xu Shixiong Sister Mo, you speak too bluntly; you made me feel moved for nothing." Xia Daoming said.

"Haha!" Wan Yan and the others laughed out loud upon hearing this.

After everyone laughed, Xia Daoming, this true disciple, had initially pulled four inner sect disciples into his group.

——

Heavenly Jianfeng, Elder's Mansion back hall.

Looking up at the flying boat breaking through the air, with Xia Daoming and the four women standing on it with smiles, Liang Jingtang's feeling that something was not right in his heart became even stronger.

The flying boat landed.

"Disciple pays respects to Elder Liang!" As soon as Shao Shiyu and the others got off the flying boat, they immediately bowed respectfully to Liang Jingtang.

Seeing the four bowing respectfully, and then looking at Xia Daoming who was still standing straight to the side, Liang Jingtang inexplicably felt that these four were much more pleasing to the eye.

"All rise!" Liang Jingtang said faintly.

"Yes!" The four responded, then stood up, each with their hands crossed in front of their abdomens, being very respectful.

"Master, I brought people to tidy up Heavenly Jianfeng. These three, Shao Shiyu, Mo Yongzhi, and Wan Yan, are my life-and-death friends. I am opening a cave dwelling, and they are prepared to follow me to work.

Following me to work means following you to work, Master. When you have time, you should give them more guidance. Otherwise, with my cultivation at the Qi Refining perfection realm, without their help, how can I compete with other true disciples?

If I can't compete with other true disciples, wouldn't that be losing face for you, Master? By the way, this Lan Xue is my sworn sister; I treat her like my own sister.

Calculating it this way, Master, you can actually be considered her half-master. Don't you think so, Master?" At the end, Xia Daoming bowed slightly, asking with great respect.

Watching Xia Daoming speak so directly to Elder Liang, Shao Shiyu and the others were so scared that cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.

And Liang Jingtang, looking at Xia Daoming's respectful appearance, finally understood where the feeling of something being wrong came from.

After all this, this guy didn't want to tidy up Heavenly Jianfeng for him at all; he was just using tidying up Heavenly Jianfeng as an excuse to introduce his friends and sworn sister to him, letting him be a cheap master for them once.

After realizing this, Liang Jingtang was both amused and angry, and habitually took out his broken sword.

"Hey, Master, my friend and sister are both here; at least give me some face!" Xia Daoming hurriedly ran away upon seeing this.

Shao Shiyu and the others, seeing Liang Jingtang take out even the broken sword, and seeing Xia Daoming actually mention face to his elder, couldn't help but tremble in their legs.

Lan Xue was also scared pale, but she had a simple mind and immediately ran out, kowtowing repeatedly to Liang Jingtang: "Elder Liang, please don't blame my Big Xu Shixiong. He is just this kind of person, always wanting to help his friends. If you are angry, then punish me, please don't..."

Liang Jingtang held the broken sword, looking at Lan Xue, unable to speak for a long time.

"Master, look, look, why take out a sword for no reason? You scared my sister!" Xia Daoming stepped forward, pulling Lan Xue up while complaining to Liang Jingtang irritably.

"Don't even mention it. Is there any disciple who pits his master like you? I have rarely had peace for so many years, and just bringing you alone gives me a headache, and you brought four at once!"

Liang Jingtang said, unable to resist picking up the broken sword to tap him, but seeing Lan Xue's clear, bottomless eyes, he didn't know why he put the broken sword away again.

Shao Shiyu and the others, who were trembling with fear, heard Liang Jingtang's words and first revealed expressions of disbelief, followed by ecstasy.

Elder Liang was completely different from what they had imagined!

"Thank you, Master!" Xia Daoming bowed and thanked him with a solemn face.

"Alright, get to work!" Liang Jingtang waved his hand.

"Yes!" Everyone obeyed.

Soon, Heavenly Jianfeng became dusty and lively.

Liang Jingtang lay back on the rattan chair by the pond, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth unconsciously.

——

Ten Thousand Snails Immortal Mountain.

Jin Guifeng, Immortal Seeking Cliff.

Lu Clan, Council Hall.

The atmosphere was grave.

"Bang!"

Lu Jinglong heavily slapped the armrest of his chair, saying with an angry face: "The Spirit Ba Dao Men and the Xie Clan are bullying us too much; they actually want us to give up Cold Star Valley!"

"The Ghost Ice Stone vein in Cold Star Valley is our Lu Clan's most profitable industry; we definitely cannot give it up." Lu Ye said.

"But this time, the Spirit Ba Dao Men and the Xie Clan have joined forces, using the excuse that Cold Star Valley belongs to the Yan Clan, forcing our Lu Clan to return Cold Star Valley to the Yan Clan. If we don't return it to the Yan Clan, they will join forces to attack Jin Guifeng.

With our Lu Clan's current strength, if the Spirit Ba Dao Men and the Xie Clan join forces, we simply cannot resist. Unless we invite the Young Master to come forward." Elder Lu Suyun said.

"Although the Young Master's strength is powerful, his realm is only at the Grandmaster and Qi Refining stage. The Spirit Ba Dao Men and the Xie Clan combined have six Foundation Establishment cultivators, and many disciples under them, including many powerful figures.

Now that the Spirit Ba Dao Men and the Xie Clan see that the scale of the Ghost Ice mineral vein in Cold Star Valley is much larger than imagined, they are determined to split it. Inviting the Young Master to come forward might not necessarily guarantee the safety of Cold Star Valley." Elder Lu Sanxia said with a grave expression.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 242 =====