Chapter 246: Underground Palace

The noble clan Daoists guarding outside the Yi Luo Hall were initially shocked to see this scene, hurriedly raising the true Qi in their Qi seas, only suspecting that Shen Cheng or Zhao Tong had gathered a crowd to attack.

But after the clouds dispersed and they saw the figures in those escape lights clearly.

Their expressions fell, and after muttering a few words, they all dispersed.

"This poor Daoist Yin He has important matters to attend to and needs to see Senior Brother Xiao. Please, worthy younger brothers, pass the message for me."

Among the people who came, a leading Daoist stepped forward a few steps, cupped his hands and smiled.

"Senior Brother Yin... Third Young Master is currently meeting with Senior Brother Ai Qu. You had better wait a moment."

Although they were very reluctant in their hearts, knowing that Yin He chose to rush over at this time was clearly to share the benefits.

But due to the clan name of the Qi Wu Yin clan and Yin He's Cave-Mystic cultivation.

The several noble clan cultivators guarding outside the Yi Luo Hall looked at each other.

Finally, one was forced to cup his hands, laugh dryly, and say.

"Ai Qu... this person has also rushed over?"

Yin He's heart sank slightly.

Seeing that the face of the person talking to him was quite familiar, his brain turned, and he recognized this person's identity, laughing loudly:

"I wonder if your Excellency is Xie Liang of the Changyou Xie clan? I met your Excellency seven years ago at the Golden Terrace Dharma Assembly. Seeing you today, your demeanor is even better than in the past! You truly have the majesty of wind and thunder, making me inevitably feel ashamed!"

The disciple named Xie Liang saw that Yin He actually still remembered his name, even if it was just flattery and couldn't be taken seriously, he couldn't help but feel happy in his heart, saying:

"Senior Brother Yin has also heard of my, Xie Liang's, reputation?"

"Naturally, didn't Brother Xie defeat several experts of the Mishan Qiao clan with a white-feathered sparrow at the Golden Terrace Dharma Assembly, and thus earned ten bottles of Cuihua Elixir?"

Yin He stood with his hands behind his back, smiling slightly:

"Yin remembers this matter vividly!"

Under this rhetoric, Xie Liang's expression softened a lot, and his attitude became much more enthusiastic.

Ignoring the gazes of his several guarding companions, he invited Yin He, Ji Yuetan, and others into a side hall, personally serving tea to wait.

And after Yin He took out a bottle of Red Yi Elixir.

Xie Liang was even more unreserved, telling all the inside information he had heard while guarding these past few days, and finally, under Yin He's personal escort, he left the side hall happily and went to pass the message to Xiao Xiujing.

"A mere Purple Palace, his status in the Xie clan is not very high. Why do you lower yourself to flatter this fool?"

After Xie Liang left, seeing Yin He still standing at the hall door, sending him off with his eyes from afar.

Ji Yuetan frowned deeply and said unhappily:

"And you even gave away a bottle of Red Yi Elixir for this? Is it worth it?"

"Snakes have snake paths, rats have rat paths... Brother Ji, you must change your arrogant temperament, otherwise I see you will definitely suffer a great loss in the future."

Yin He glanced at him with much helplessness and said:

"Besides, that Red Yi Elixir is my personal collection. Giving it away, even I, the owner, have nothing to say. You, a bystander, what are you anxious about?"

In the cultivation of orthodox immortal Dao, if one wants to achieve the Cave-Mystic second layer "Extracting Five Essences" realm, one needs to find the innate essence of the five elements, fill the Dragon-Tiger Cauldron, and make it turn from virtual to real, truly residing within the body.

However, the innate essence of the five elements is not easy to find.

Even if the noble clans are wealthy, they absolutely cannot afford to support so many clansmen.

Even those born of the direct line need to go through a period of tempering and testing before they can get one or two bestowed, far from everyone being able to have a share.

Since that is the case,

in the cultivation of the Cave-Mystic realm, one can only settle for the next best thing, finding external elixirs and spiritual medicines belonging to the acquired five elements to fill the Dragon-Tiger Cauldron.

However, in this way,

the Dao foundation will inevitably be slightly inferior.

And the Red Yi bottle that Yin He just gave was the great medicine of the fire element. Although it belongs to the acquired category, it is also precious and extraordinary.

Ji Yuetan is currently at the threshold of extracting the five essences, often troubled by cultivation resources.

Seeing Yin He generously give away a bottle of spiritual elixir in just a few words, and giving it to a nobody.

Even if the Red Yi Elixir was not his object,

it truly made his heart ache...

"A mere bottle of Red Yi Elixir, giving it away is giving it away, what are you calculating!"

Yin He waved his hand boldly and said generously.

And seeing that Yin He, the owner, did not care,

Ji Yuetan was too lazy to say much, just shook his head and changed the subject:

"Forget it, but you have a friendship with Xiao Sanlang. In your opinion, will Xiao Sanlang lend the Water-Fire Well and let us enter the underground palace?"

As soon as these words came out, it made Yin He frown for a long while, remaining silent for a long time.

"Difficult, difficult. Previously we pretended to be aloof and were unwilling to submit to his Xiao Sanlang, but now we are forced by the situation and have to beg for his favor..."

After pondering for a long time,

Yin He finally smiled bitterly and said helplessly:

"If I were Xiao Sanlang, I fear I would also be unhappy in my heart, and it's hard to guarantee he won't take advantage of the situation."

Now the four Water-Fire Wells in the cave heaven.

The number owned by the sects and noble clans is half-and-half.

There is no need to mention the places of Shen Cheng and Zhao Tong.

Even if all the cultivators are disciples of the four courtyards on the surface, Yin He and others are ultimately of noble clan origin.

Unless they want to cut themselves off from their families, otherwise, no matter how greedy they are for the creation in the underground palace, they absolutely cannot unite with them.

And as for the places of Liu Guan and Sima Mingye, due to an old grudge, Yin He is also unwilling to bow his head to them.

Counting them like this,

if Yin He and others still want to enter the underground palace, they can only beg for favor from Xiao Xiujing.

Ji Yuetan listened and was silent for a moment, then his eyes flashed, and he said in a deep voice:

"Taking advantage is taking advantage, this is also the proper meaning. I am not afraid of Xiao Sanlang taking advantage, I am only afraid of that Water-Fire Well..."

"Water-Fire Well?"

Yin He did not understand.

"Just now you also heard what that Xie Liang said. These past few days, quite a few Refiners have come to seek Xiao Sanlang, Ai Qu, Qiao Heng, Wei Tongbai... If that Water-Fire Well has a limited number of people entering, tell me, how will Xiao Sanlang consider it?"

Yin He frowned upon hearing this, half-believing and half-doubting:

"Although it is side-door Pure Yang, it is after all a great figure who proved the Pure Yang Dao Fruit. How could the restrictions left by the Fire Glow Old Ancestor be so unbearable? Brother Yuetan, your words are a bit unrealistic."

"I hope so."

Ji Yuetan shook his head.

The two had nothing to say afterward, just sitting dryly in the side hall.

I don't know if Xiao Xiujing was intentionally making things difficult, or something else.

After waiting for two days, Xie Liang turned in again, bowed and smiled, saying Xiao Xiujing summoned them.

"You all sit here well, do not move around."

Yin He first exchanged glances with Ji Yuetan, then gave a few instructions to the crowd following him, and then followed Xie Liang toward the Yi Luo Hall.

After walking through halls and rooms, they walked to the golden bridge.

After walking for less than a mile, they saw a male cultivator with a feminine and beautiful appearance, like a stunning woman, sitting quietly cross-legged on a large stone platform.

Not far from his side,

was that Water-Fire Well that Yin He had been thinking about day and night...

Seeing footsteps approaching, Xiao Xiujing opened his eyes slightly, an inexplicable smile appearing on his face, saying:

"Senior Brother Yin, we haven't seen each other for several months. Senior Brother's demeanor is still the same, and this Senior Brother Ji, although this is the first time I've met you, I've long heard of Senior Brother Ji's great name."

Seeing Xiao Xiujing greet them like this, Yin He and Ji Yuetan did not dare to be negligent, hurriedly cupping their hands and saluting, calling themselves not daring.

And without waiting for a few pleasantries, Xiao Xiujing went straight to the point:

"I know the purpose of the two Senior Brothers. We are all of noble clan origin, connected by the same branch, and should naturally help each other. Borrowing the Water-Fire Well is naturally easy to talk about."

Yin He felt happy in his heart, but still kept a guard, not forgetting to bow and say:

"Third Young Master is truly righteous! However, after entering the underground palace, how should the things obtained be shared?

Since Third Young Master is generous enough to lend the way, we are not people who don't know gratitude. We should have some return, and absolutely will not let Third Young Master suffer a loss!"

"Four-six."

Xiao Xiujing smiled slightly.

Yin He and Ji Yuetan were shocked upon hearing this, secretly cursing Xiao Xiujing for being greedy!

The creation of entering the underground palace.

Actually had to share a full forty percent?

After all their life-and-death struggles, the result was to cheaply benefit Xiao Xiujing, letting him sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor. No one could accept this!

However, the situation is stronger than people, and Xiao Xiujing occupies this Water-Fire Well, undoubtedly pinching the lifeblood of several people.

If they still want to enter the underground palace to compete for creation, they undoubtedly have to beg him.

"Having to hand over forty percent, is this too much? I hope—"

Yin He suppressed the trace of anger in his heart, carefully organizing his words, but before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Xiao Xiujing in a low voice.

"You're wrong, Senior Brother Yin, it's giving me sixty percent."

He smiled, pointed lightly, and said:

"And you yourselves, keep forty percent..."

Yin He and Ji Yuetan's expressions changed drastically, a trace of ferocity flashing in their eyes.

Xiao Xiujing ignored the reactions of the two and smiled to himself:

"In these past few days, quite a few people have come to seek me, and what I said to them was all this language, exactly the same. Of course, if the two Senior Brothers feel the terms are too harsh..."

Speaking to this point,

he raised his sleeves slightly and made a gesture of seeing guests out, the meaning of which was self-evident.

"..."

The opposite side was silent for a long time, without a sound.

After a long while, Yin He said coldly: "Xiao Sanlang, good means! Yin has learned it today!"

"If Senior Brother had been willing to come and help me earlier, how could there be today's words?"

Xiao Xiujing sighed and shook his head.

And after dripping essence blood on the Dharma contract and writing down their names, Yin He's face was as dark as water, no longer having his previous calm and free demeanor.

He did not say goodbye to Xiao Xiujing, unleashed his body, turned into a water wave and flew into the air, escaping from the golden bridge in an instant, his figure disappearing.

Ji Yuetan sighed secretly, raised his hand, and just as he was about to drip essence blood on the Dharma contract, he was suddenly interrupted by Xiao Xiujing.

"Senior Brother Xiao, what is the meaning of this?"

He frowned and said.

"I heard that Senior Brother Ji was once kept by the Ji clan's Ji Fakai True Person by his side and taught for a period of time. I don't know if this news is true?" Xiao Xiujing asked.

"Not just me alone. That time, the Ji clan had a full hundred disciples, all of whom were taken by the Ninth Uncle to be taught. It's just a pity that our roots were a bit worse, and no one could enter the Ninth Uncle's eyes."

Hearing Xiao Xiujing suddenly ask about this matter,

Ji Yuetan's gaze sank imperceptibly, but he was not surprised, just speaking truthfully...

Back when competing for the Daoist seat, Ji Fakai had repeatedly suffered setbacks in front of Master Junyao. No matter how he tried to think of ways, he could not turn the situation around, instead watching Master Junyao enter the Zhou Xing Hall.

In despair, or perhaps to temporarily avoid the sharpness,

Ji Fakai returned to the Ji clan, simply choosing to see nothing to be clean.

And in the years after that,

perhaps out of the Ji clan leader's instruction,

many Ji clan youths were sent to the Xuanhua Island where Ji Fakai lived, to be taught cultivation by Ji Fakai.

At that time, Ji Yuetan's grandfather had not yet lost power, so he naturally spent favors to stuff Ji Yuetan in as well.

However, among that crowd, no one could get Ji Fakai's favor, and Ji Yuetan was no exception, ending in a rush.

And to this day,

recalling that he had cultivated on Xuanhua Island had become a hidden pain in Ji Yuetan's heart.

If he could have been more diligent back then and received a bit of Ji Fakai's care, even if the situation turned bad later, he would not have fallen to this point today, forced by the situation, and even unable to act independently...

"Oh? So that's how it is?"

Xiao Xiujing pretended to be surprised, then looked directly at Ji Yuetan, smiled slowly, paused, and said:

"It's a pity for Senior Brother Ji. I think, if you had been valued by Ji Fakai True Person back then, I'm afraid your father—"

"Xiao Xiujing!"

Ji Yuetan roared violently, his anger hard to suppress:

"Talking nonsense, what exactly do you want to say?!"

Xiao Xiujing's expression remained unchanged:

"I know Senior Brother Ji has received great kindness from others and finds it difficult to act independently. I also know that the person who gave you kindness is the Ji clan's Heavenly Plate True Person.

This person has a grudge of stealing his wife and killing his son with Chen Yushu... Before entering the cave heaven, you were instructed by the Heavenly Plate True Person to smash Chen Hang into ten thousand pieces here!"

Ji Yuetan was stunned upon hearing this, silent for a moment.

"And coincidentally, my elder brother Qiao Yan died at Chen Hang's hands. He killed Qiao Yan, which is putting my face on the ground and stepping on it."

Xiao Xiujing's voice suddenly turned cold:

"Senior Brother Ji, I just want to tell you, if you can kill Chen Hang and bring his head back to me... I will not take a single cent from you. After the matter is done, I will also give you resources to help you cultivate to the 'Extracting Five Essences' realm!

How about it! Can you promise me?"

After a long silence, Ji Yuetan smiled bitterly and cupped his hands:

"... Xiao Sanlang, I was going to kill him anyway. Your words just make my heart firmer!"

"Chen Hang has a sword talisman by his side. I don't know what the Heavenly Plate True Person gave you to allow you to kill him?"

Xiao Xiujing stood up and came to Ji Yuetan, bowed deeply, and pleaded:

"Can Senior Brother Ji's means kill him?"

Ji Yuetan did not answer, just reached into his sleeve, took out a treasure bead and a small iron plate, showed them slightly, and then put them back into his sleeve.

"What a great hand?!"

After identifying the quality, Xiao Xiujing's pupils shrank deeply, and he could not help but look at Ji Yuetan again:

"However, Senior Brother Ji, then you—"

"I have cultivated the 'Sun-Middle Cultivation Method', a method for the body to become a saint, to a profound realm. The attacks of ordinary Purple Palace cultivators can hardly break my bones or hurt my internal organs!" Ji Yuetan's gaze was cold and sharp.

"The Heavenly Plate True Person is truly willing to bleed! Since that's the case, the matter is settled!"

Hearing these words,

Xiao Xiujing had no more doubts, clapped his hands and laughed:

"Chen Hang is dead!"

And after several months,

Flowing Fire Grand Transformation Fan Dongtian, Bright Virtue Hall.

This day.

Chen Hang suddenly felt a sense of vibration coming from the jade couch beneath him, and the beams trembled slightly.

He stood up and pushed the window, looked out, and a trace of joy appeared on his face.

"The time has finally come!"

He said.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 247 =====