Chapter 459: I Didn't Expect You Two Still Haven't Broken Up; Chen Daoyou Truly Has Extraordinary Qualities

"For the past half year or so, I've felt like I'm going to go stupid." Yan Keling scratched her hair, and after she finished, she habitually took a look, "Not only is there the Rest and Recovery Cycle, but it's also different from everyone else's. Others go to sleep later each day than the day before, but we wake up earlier each day than the day before—a reverse cycle."

"This Daoist is the same; my memory has even declined."

"Indeed." Dharma Master Tongdeng reached out and touched his bald head, "This little monk has even gone bald."

"Everyone, how did it come to this?"

"Yes, indeed, how did it come to this?"

Chen Shu and Zhang Suannai spoke, then quietly exchanged a glance.

"The two benefactors, you are laughing in your hearts, aren't you?"

"Absolutely not!"

"How could that be!?"

The two denied it with determined expressions.

"Sigh..."

The few sighed once more.

Not long after, the group followed the big shots toward the mountaintop. The big shots walked in front, and they walked behind. The big shots chatted and laughed, discussing nothing but major events affecting the country and the world, while the young people also walked together in twos and threes, chatting about things that were not exactly small either.

Zhang Suannai ran to Chen Shu's side:

"Where is Qingqing?"

"She's on the mountain."

"Didn't she come with you to receive the guests?"

"No."

"Why didn't she come?"

"Perhaps she feels that in the eyes of their Secret Sect, we are all noobs, not worthy of her coming to receive us."

"Uh..."

"It's you, though." Chen Shu eyed Zhang Suannai, "Why didn't you come over with the people from your Sword Sect? You hitched a ride with the group owner again."

"I'm in Yujing, not at the Sword Sect."

"Then why didn't you fly over yourself?"

"Riding in a car together, it's fun with more people."

"Then when will your Sword Sect arrive?"

"Soon, I suppose, they just set off."

"Is your master coming?"

"He definitely has to come! The Spirit Sect Sect Master is nearing Spirit Decay, he definitely has to come and watch the joke!"

"Then..."

Chen Shu glanced at the very front.

The Sword King was lean and thin, dressed in black, walking very calmly beside the Dayi Emperor.

"Hehe..."

Zhang Suannai understood his meaning without words and said with a smile: "I don't know if they will fight, probably not, right? But when the time comes, those silly senior brothers and sisters of mine will definitely stir up trouble... If my master and the Sword King really do fight, I'll just cheer them on by shouting 'hey hey hey' while I'm at it."

"Swish!"

A cold gaze was cast from the side.

"Haha!"

Chen Shu found it very interesting.

Soon, the group arrived at the mountaintop, paid their respects to the Spirit Saint together with the big shots, and then were arranged into their accommodations.

Guest lodging within the sect was tight, and accommodations were arranged according to status and seniority. Elders with noble status lived together on the mountain within the sect; young people at the level of the silly group friends also lived within the sect; those from top-tier forces lived on Yuding Mountain, ordinary large sects lived on other mountains, and the rest lived in the ancient town at the foot of the mountain.

The mountain was quiet, the ancient town was lively; each had its own merits.

With this, Chen Shu had finished receiving the top geniuses of the same generation in the country. Once he was free, he brought the group of silly group friends to the small courtyard, called for Qingqing, and took them to stroll around the ancient town at the foot of the mountain, eating snacks and drinking milk tea. The highest standard of hospitality is often plain and simple.

The next day.

After the little girl finished her last exam, Chen Shu called a flying car to pick her up from school.

At the same time, some famous traditional forces from abroad also sent people. There were people from the Northern Continent, the Western Continent, and the Eastern Continent. Depending on the closeness of their relationship with the Spirit Sect, some only sent one or two representatives to offer congratulations, while others attached as much importance to it as the domestic sects.

Chen Shu then received the top geniuses of the younger generation from the Eastern Continent Demon Clan.

That's right, it was the four: Tiger, Rat, Fox, and Eagle.

They were all old demon acquaintances.

It had been a long time, and the four still looked the same: the sweet and cute-faced, sturdy and burly Daoist Huang; the tall and handsome Shu Daoyou; the Daoist Hu with a large face and squinty eyes; and the hot-bodied, eagle-featured Senior Sister Jin.

But looking closely, good heavens, the expressions of these four were actually even more exhausted than those of Master Xuanzhen, Dharma Master Tongdeng, Brother Meng, and Yan Keling and the others.

Before Chen Shu could be puzzled, the few had already greeted him.

"Chen Daoyou, long time no see!"

"Chen Daoyou, are you still doing well?"

"Chen Daoyou, we meet again."

"Chen Daoyou, I can't tell, you look average, but wearing these clothes, you actually look quite good."

"Daoist Huang, Daoist Hu, Shu Daoyou, Senior Sister Jin, long time no see." Chen Shu greeted them one by one, "Why are you so exhausted?"

"We've been studying quite hard recently."

"Emmm..." Chen Shu pondered for a moment, his eyes darting toward them, "You wouldn't have used the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Art too, would you?"

"Eh! Chen Daoyou, how did you know?"

"Guessed."

"No choice." Fellow Daoist Huang was a straightforward person, a frank tiger, with nothing to hide, waving his hand as he said, "After coming to Dayi last time, we deeply felt the gap between us and the geniuses of the Central Kingdom. We were greatly stimulated, and after returning, we calculated it among ourselves and began the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method."

"Last time..."

So you all started two years ago?

How many steps ahead of others must this put one on the path of Samsara?

Chen Shu felt deeply impressed.

"What is it?"

"Nothing..."

Chen Shu secretly sized up these few demons.

Actually, the Eastern Continent Demon Clan is also impressive. How much of a gap is there really between them and the geniuses of Dayi? Dayi merely wins by having vast territory, many people, and many gods, so it crushes other nations in the number of peerless geniuses. But in terms of quality, Senior Sister Jin is no worse than the Group Leader, and the others are on the same level as the Buddhist Daoist duo. Chen Shu and Zhang Suannai only look like there is a huge gap because they are one cheat ahead of everyone else.

Looking at the situation of these few demons now...

Senior Sister Jin has likely already advanced to the Eighth Stage, and even if the others haven't, it is probably just a matter of time during this period.

"Emmm..."

Chen Shu pondered to himself.

By comparison, those silly group members have only been using the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method for half a year; it's simply too weak, they've likely been surpassed. Hmm, I must find time to mention it to them, to make them a bit more nervous, and it would be best to have the Group Leader and Zhang Suannai join the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method as well.

On the path of cultivation, one should be chasing and racing against the other.

That is what healthy competition is.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, could it be that you are also using the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method?" Fellow Daoist Huang leaned in and asked, his face kawaii, yet he was a head taller than him.

"I haven't, actually." Chen Shu shook his head, paused, and added, "But others are using it."

"Others? Who are they?"

"The group of people you met before."

"Hiss! I thought only we were using this Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method. I didn't expect you all to be so outstanding, actually using it too!" Fellow Daoist Huang was greatly shocked.

"Is Zhang Suannai using it?" Senior Sister Jin was very concerned; it seems she still harbors resentment over losing to Zhang Suannai two years ago.

"Don't know, not sure."

"..."

The four young demons looked at each other, clenching their fists and exchanging glances—

It seems we are still not working hard enough.

"Everyone."

Chen Shu cleared his throat: "Let's go, first go pay respects to the Spirit Saint, then I will arrange accommodation for you all. You will all stay at the Qingyun Tower inn on Yuding Mountain. Those people from the Imperial Exchange Meeting two years ago are also staying here. I'll take you to see them in a moment."

"Very good."

The few walked silently toward the mountain.

More than an hour later.

Chen Shu brought the four demons to settle into the Qingyun Tower inn. It just so happened that a group of young people were sitting downstairs chatting, so Chen Shu walked over with the four demons: "Everyone, do you still remember these fellow Daoists from the Eastern Continent?"

The Group Leader, worthy of being a direct descendant of the Dayi Imperial Family, was the first to stand up and receive the few peers from the Eastern Continent.

Everyone exchanged greetings and pleasantries.

Senior Sister Jin's gaze remained fixed on Zhang Suannai, scanning her up and down with an incredibly sharp look, leaving Zhang Suannai feeling baffled.

"What are you looking at me for?"

"You actually advanced to the Eighth Stage?"

"How did you see that?"

"My clan possesses a pair of sharp eyes."

"Aw! So what?"

"You truly are a peerless genius," Senior Sister Jin praised sincerely, bowing her head slightly to show heartfelt admiration, "With your IQ, to be able to cultivate to the Eighth Stage in such a short time, this cultivation talent is simply incredible."

"??"

Zhang Suannai was stunned in place for a moment.

What this person said made her want to draw her Sword, but her tone was incredibly sincere and full of goodwill, leaving her completely confused.

Zhang Suannai couldn't help but turn her head and glance out of the corner of her eye at the silly group members present...

Sure enough, they were all holding back laughter.

This is intolerable.

Zhang Suannai immediately reached out and pointed at the eagle demon's nose: "What's wrong with my IQ? Say that again!!"

"It's not very high."

"You... what right do you have to say that?"

"My clan possesses a pair of sharp eyes," Senior Sister Jin said with a firm expression and a sincere tone, "We are best at observing."

"I'm going to stew you today..."

"Ahem! Everyone!"

Chen Shu was afraid they would start fighting. After all, this is the Spirit Sect, which could barely be considered his own turf, so he hurriedly changed the subject: "It's interesting to say, I previously thought only a few in our group were using the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method, but I didn't expect that you fellow Daoist demons started the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method two years ago. You all really thought of the same thing; it's fate."

"Hmm?"

"?"

Little Master Xuanzhen, Dharma Master Tongdeng, Yan Keling, and Meng Chunqiu all had their expressions tighten, and even the expressions of the Group Leader and Zhang Suannai became grave.

The Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method has extraordinary power.

For those with top-tier talent like them, the speed of recovery is basically very fast; perhaps it only takes seventeen or eighteen hours to recover, or even less. Calculating it this way, if one uses the Rest and Recovery Cycle Great Method, one can save at least about three hours a day, or even more.

Over two years, wouldn't that be three or four months more of cultivation than others?

At the same time, the four young members of the Demon Race also wore serious expressions.

What Fellow Daoist Chen said was indeed true; these geniuses of Dayi had not become lazy or slack just because they performed outstandingly at the Imperial Exchange Meeting two years ago, but instead practiced with double the diligence, just like them. They had naively thought that they were the only ones working so hard, and even discussed it on the way here, fantasizing that they could regain their pride before the Dayi geniuses through the two-year Rest and Recovery Cycle technique. Thinking about it now, they felt truly ashamed and had no face to show anyone.

For a moment, both sides looked at each other, the atmosphere subtle.

Until the inn door was pushed open.

Ning Qing walked in with Xiaoxiao and Taozi; both of them were the same, with no expression on their faces, only Taozi was cheerful and lively, looking left and right.

Senior Sister Jin looked at Ning Qing, then looked at Chen Shu, her face once again revealing a look of admiration as she could not help but say: "I didn't expect you two to still not have broken up. It seems that although Fellow Daoist Chen is plain in appearance, he must have other extraordinary qualities."

Her words were full of sincerity.