The reason why Yang Chen had decided to enter Pure Yang Palace after his rebirth again, apart from his master, was precisely Pure Yang Palace’s willingness to defend its disciples.
In the previous life, when Yang Chen had met with an accident, four YuanYing experts of the Greatest Sky Sect had dropped in to fight with him, but Pure Yang Palace, aside from the Luminous Moon Hall the branch which had broken away with the help of the Greatest Sky Sect, the whole Pure Yang Palace sect had been exterminated just to save a falsely accused disciple.
At the moment it was the same with this affair, Xu Cheng Xin had clearly realized the merits and demerits and afterwards had immediately said for Yang Chen’s benefit that in this matter, the Pure Yang Palace will bow down. Even if he had punished him to enter seclusion because of this matter, that could still be considered a method to defend him.
This sentence made Yang Chen suddenly feel a warm sensation within his heart. After being extremely moved, Yang Chen did not forget to ask Xu Cheng Xin:
“Uncle Master, who started this rumor?”
“It was some loose cultivators, who have already left the Floating Mountains, we are not aware of where have they gone.”
Xu Cheng Xin knew why Yang Chen had wanted to ask this, shaking his head he said:
“No matter who it is that wants to deal with you, he will not let anyone catch any information about himself. You have stepped on the peak of Heavenly Stairs, which has offended many people, and even made nineteen JieDan experts sustain injuries, there are a great number of people who will have hostility towards you. But you need not worry, after we return, just be well behaved and enter into closed door training, this affair, the sect will settle it for you.”
“Yes, Uncle Master!”
Yang Chen was also aware that it was impossible to have any readily available information, even when the foundation stage disciple Chu Heng had tried to deal with him, he could get no evidence against him, let alone against the number of JieDan experts and sects whom he had offended.
For the time being, this matter remained a rumor as before, which did not require Yang Chen to take any unusual steps to deal with it. Because of this affair, Xu Cheng Xin had to personally lead Yang Chen and Gongsun Ling back to the Pure Yang Palace. After all they were two talented disciples, if they ran into some mishap while on the return journey from the Floating Mountain, that certainly will be a great and sorrowful joke.
Gongsun Ling had broken through the sixth qi layer, so she could certainly fly by herself, relying on her own power, but her speed would be very slow and Yang Chen did not have the ability to fly at all. This would make the return journey very slow, in addition to that, there were a lot of variables in the journey. But JieDan experts were JieDan experts, so Xu Cheng Xin enveloped both of them in a transparent light and within a flash appeared more than fifty kilometers away.
This flying magic weapon, was something which Xu Cheng Xin was proud of. Seeing the rays of envy flash through Gongsun Ling’s eyes, Xu Cheng Xin smilingly encouraged her:
“Don’t be anxious, just based on both of your innate skills, just wait until you reach the foundation stage and you will be able to refine an even better magic weapon than this!”
Gongsun Ling nodded, but Yang Chen didn’t express anything. With regards to this, he already possessed quite a few magic weapons which he could not use, the difference when compared to Xu Cheng Xin’s magic weapon was not big, so he basically didn’t feel anything within his heart.
The whole journey was fast as lightening, to cover this route Yang Chen had hurried, but even so it still took him six months to cover, but it did not take Xu Cheng Xin even a single day to bring them back. This time Xu Cheng Xin did not return to Nine Earth Manor, but rather directly led these two to the Pure Yang Palace.
Together with their return, with them also arrived the summoning notices from several regions, and also few inquiries by nearby sects, the tone of those notices was hinting on blaming the Pure Yang Palace for hiding this information.
The person responsible for handling these affairs, apart from Xu Cheng Xin, was another acquaintance of Yang Chen, Medicine Hall’s Hall Master Zhu Chen Tao, as well as this month’s Luminous Moon Hall’s Hall Master, Chu Heng’s Master, Liang Shao Ming, who was also a JieDan expert. The person who had been trying to force Yang Chen into meeting with an accident, Chu Heng, was surprisingly also present therein, naturally there was bound to be a Law Enforcement Hall’s disciple, he was Du Qian, who was Yang Chen’s acquaintance.
Du Qian was the one who had recommended that Yang Chen should participate in the Floating Mountain Assembly just to see how many steps of the Heavenly Stairs he could climb, but that had indeed led to an outcome which stunned people. With regards to the person recommended by Du Qian, it was not known whether or not he had any achievements or not. However since Du Qian had recommended the person, and he was also a disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall, who was also the one handling Yang Chen’s matter this time, naturally he also needed to be present..
Chu Heng however was only allowed, because he had been the Merit Transferring Disciple for the past few years, so if any outer disciple had an accident, naturally he was required to be notified. Looking at the angry scowl spread across Chu Heng’s whole face, anyone could guess that he was in a very bad mood.
“Yang Chen, you are clearly at fault!”
At the moment he saw Yang Chen, without waiting for the JieDan experts to open their mouths, Chu Heng immediately shouted in a loud voice.
Chu Heng’s expressions were as if he was eager to ask for Yang Chen to be immediately punished, but Yang Chen just cast a sidelong glance at Chu Heng and without paying him any more attention, he advanced forward and, together with Gongsun Ling, bowed towards all of the JieDan experts, performing the proper courtesy. Paying respects to the elder generation, even Chu Heng did not dare to say anything, he did not want these JieDan experts to think that replying to his question was more important than paying respects to them.
Chu Heng was met with a cold shoulder and stood on the side, waiting for Yang Chen and Gongsun Ling to finish the ceremony successively, only then did they turn to Chu Heng’s side and paid him respect as Uncle Master. In the presence of the elders, Chu Heng could only acknowledge the greetings according to rules and only then he opened his mouth again to ask:
“Yang Chen, you surely are at fault!”
However this time his loftiness was not as great as it was previously, only his voice was loud, that’s all.
“I don’t know where I’m supposed to be at fault!”
Compared to Chu Heng, Yang Chen was certainly a lot calmer, directly shaking his head.
“You still dare to quibble!”
Chu Heng became angry, but in front of these JieDan experts, he could not dare to be excessively impudent, but these people hadn’t said anything, as if they already had a mutual understanding, as if tacitly accepting this sort of behaviour of his, so Chu Heng also enlarged his voice, and immediately began to rebuke him.
“I really don’t know.”
An innocent expression was on Yang Chen’s face, looking at Chu Heng he slowly stated:
”I request Uncle Master Chu to provide me with some guidance.”
“The big words you said at the Floating Mountain Assembly, have already spread widely, to each and every sect.”
Chu Heng glared at Yang Chen, when he slowly and clearly said:
“Currently all of the big sects have already notified my Pure Yang Palace, blaming us of hiding from fellow cultivators. After losing so much of my Pure Yang Palace’s face, how can you still dare to say you do not know your wrongs?”
“What has my Pure Yang Palace concealed from these fellow cultivators, which has led to such a great loss in our reputation?”
Yang Chen laughed instead, looking at Chu Heng’s gaze and clearly ridiculing him a little bit.
“Humph, you don’t even dare to acknowledge it? I ask you, the method to grow the thunder pomegranate, are you not the one who had bragged about it?”
Chu Heng asked while sneering, his expression was as if Yang Chen had already pleaded guilty.
“Right now, all of the cultivators are pressuring the Palace Master, requesting the Palace Master to hand over the method to grow it. If it were not for these big words of yours, how would such a thing happen?”
“I only said that I wanted to try to find a method to grow the thunder pomegranate, Senior Sister Gongsun here can be my witness.”
Without changing the smiling expression on his face he continued:
“Other things have no relation to me.”
“Precisely because of this, the other sects are thinking that it is certain that my Pure Yang Palace is helping to increase your reputation and surely must be withholding the information about the method to grow the thunder pomegranate and that’s why they are exerting pressure on my Pure Yang Palace.”
Chu Heng coldly snorted and asked:
“You are a trifling qi layer disciple, how can you make such a big commitment?”
“Uncle Master Chu!”
Suddenly Yang Chen addressed Chu Heng very seriously:
“Is there a rule in the sect that outer disciples cannot research a method for growing the thunder pomegranate? Or is there any such clause in the cultivation world, stating that any sect’s outer disciple cannot research the method to grow a thunder pomegranate?”
“This!”
Yang Chen’s question had made Chu Heng speechless, naturally there was no such rule within the sect or in the cultivation world, it was only that it was expected by everyone that people with a lower cultivation would surely not be able to do it, that was all. Yang Chen had said that he wanted to do it, but what he said was not wrong at all.
However Chu Heng quickly adjusted to the situation and asked in a loud voice:
“This news has already spread widely in all of the sects, that within two hundred years you would be able to research the way to grow the thunder pomegranate, how should the sect deliver on it?”
“Didn’t they say I have two hundred years?”
Yang Chen suddenly laughed and looking at Chu Heng he said:
“If they want to pick a quarrel, they can come again after two hundred years, currently the sect should not bother with them.”
Hearing Yang Chen’s sloppy answer, Du Qian, who was sitting behind him, burst into laughter. Yang Chen’s reply was simply too roguish.
Du Qian’s laughter made Chu Heng bubble up with anger.
“If they come after two hundred years and you, Younger Disciple, still haven’t researched the method, then how will we deliver it?”
“If the research wasn’t successful, then it wasn’t successful, countless numbers of YuanYing and Da Cheng stage experts have also tried, but were not successful. I am a mere qi layer disciple who wasn’t successful so, again, we will not lose face.”
Yang Chen again shook his head, unable to control his laugh:
“Could it be that if the research isn’t successful, it would be an enormous crime which can’t be punished even by beheading? However I do remember that there is a YuanYing expert of the Greatest Sky Sect as well as a Da Cheng expert of Green Jade Immortal Islands who are still kicking and are also researching the method to grow the thunder pomegranate, as for beheading, first behead these two seniors, then I will accept your punishment.”
Those JieDan experts sitting behind him, although they hadn’t opened their mouths to say anything they also hadn’t missed a word in Chu Heng and Yang Chen’s conversation. Apparently Yang Chen’s response had allowed everyone to think of a solution to resolve this situation, only they were refusing to acknowledge it, however Yang Chen had already said that there were many great experts whose research hadn’t been successful, so if he, a trifling qi layer disciple, wasn’t that effective, it would also not lose any face. Who would dare to say that Yang Chen would lose face, as that would mean unconditionally offending this large number of YuanYing and Da Cheng stage experts.
“Indeed…..”
Suddenly Chu Heng found himself at a loss for words. It was clearly a very good opportunity to get Yang Chen severely punished, but right then, according to Yang Chen, it was not a perilous situation at all, so how could he not lose hope? Only, without waiting for Chu Heng to finish with his words, Yang Chen immediately began to question him intensely:
“Moreover, Uncle Master Chu, why should my Pure Yang Palace hand it over? Hand it over to whom? What do we owe to them?”
After saying these words, Yang Chen’s voice became even colder.
“Why is Uncle Master Chu not supporting my Pure Yang Palace, but rather the other cultivation sects or for what reason are you doing this?”
After saying all of this in a single breath, Yang Chen did not wait for anyone to interrupt him and continued to speak:
“Does my Pure Yang Palace owe anything to other people? Or is it that my Pure Yang Palace, when compared to other sects has to lower its head, if not why must we hand anything over? Simply saying, even if my research is successful, I am a disciple of Pure Yang Palace who works for the sect, neither have I killed anybody’s parents nor have I wiped out people’s sect, it is my own research, so for what reason must I hand it over to others? Uncle Master Chu, why don’t you tell me the reasons for doing so!”
Yang Chen’s words already made the complexions of these JieDan experts turn solemn. Especially those last words catered even more to the worry in everyone’s minds. ‘Our Pure Yang Palace does not owe anything to others, nor it is a head shorter when compared to other sects! Our own research, why should we hand it over to others?’
“This……”
Chu Heng was at loss for words again when facing Yang Chen’s repeated questions and for a short while he did not know how to reply. Luckily he was quite quick with his thoughts and he immediately thought of a pompous reason, so after hesitating for a moment, he quickly replied:
“The method to grow the thunder pomegranate concerns the tribulations of JieDan experts, this is a matter which would benefit all cultivators, so when the time comes, all cultivation sects would use this reason to suppress us, then how should my Pure Yang Palace deal with this?”
“So, if the research is successful, why must our Pure Yang Palace still make it public?”
A smile spread on Yang Chen’s face again, but any person with eyes could see the anger hidden within the smile.
“I remember that the Greatest Sky Sect had a type of Hua Ying Pill prescription which was very precious and was refined only for the sect’s people, it could assist JieDan experts in producing their Ying, this would have equally benefited the other cultivation sects, but why don’t I see Uncle Master Chu advising the Greatest Sky Sect, but on the contrary, you want to sell our sect’s benefits. Uncle Master Chu, what kind of profit have you received from other people, that you surprisingly want to betray the sect and cheat your master?”
“You, you, you venomous slanderer!”
Chu Heng was already unable to answer Yang Chen’s questions and could only shout: ‘you, you’ pointing at him before he could speak out a complete sentence. Betraying the sect and cheating the master was an absolutely unpardonable accusation, Chu Heng was very arrogant, but still he did not dare to admit to this crime.
However Yang Chen did not want to let Chu Heng slip by, so, advancing to one step before Chu Heng’s finger, he continued to question:
“Uncle Master Chu, our Pure Yang Palace also has many cultivation methods which would also benefit fellow cultivators of other sects, don’t you think they should also be made public? I am not aware who the fellow cultivators which Uncle Master Chu is talking about are, but Uncle Master might as well tell us who they are, we, in front of all the people under the heavens should ask him whether or not we, the Pure Yang Palace, must handle these matters in such a way.”
Yang Chen advanced one step, but Chu Heng, as if forced by Yang Chen, took a step back. Yang Chen again took a step forward and Chu Heng again took a step back, as if not daring to confront Yang Chen. As for Yang Chen’s questions, Chu Heng was still not able to reply, so apart from withdrawing, it seemed like there was no other alternative for him.
However, after he took two steps, Chu Heng’s back lightly pushed against someone and from behind his body came Du Qian’s voice:
“Fellow disciple Chu, reply to the question, there is no need for you to retreat or withdraw!”
The Schadenfreude within his voice was hardly concealed.
Chu Heng’s body turned stiff and was forced to stop at that position, Yang Chen also no longer closed in step by step and stopped at the same place, smiling faintly and saying:
“Fortunately all of this was merely spoken within our Pure Yang Palace, if it would spread to the outside that Uncle Master Chu has cheated the master and betrayed the sect, this would only bring shame to our Pure Yang Palace and would cause a great damage to our reputation!”
If it were not for the several JieDan present there, Chu Heng would have even killed Yang Chen before he spoke his thoughts. But now he could only stand there, rooted to the ground in this dilemma, unable to say anything.
At this moment, Luminous Moon Hall’s Hall Master Liang Shao Ming who hadn’t said anything until now, coughed and said:
“This was just a rumor, there is no need to make such a fuss about it. Chu Heng, you still need to temper this sort of nature of yours, after this year’s sect’s martial art competition, you will go out to train yourself! Yang Chen, you, in accordance with Hall Master Xu’s punishment will enter closed-door training.
Once he opened his mouth, this affair was concluded and nobody had any objections. After he finished handing out punishments, Liang Shao Ming started speaking about another matter:
“Gongsun Ling, Yang Chen, in this year’s Floating Mountain Assembly you both have increased the glory of our sect, so the Palace Master has decided to reward you. You must guard against pride and impatience and put great effort in your cultivation and must not fail to meet the expectations of the entire Pure Yang Palace!”