Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

According to Liu Kaiyang, the time he brought this fellow Daoist Chen back to Ping Le City was precisely when the concentration of spiritual energy had mysteriously halved.

Could this matter be related to this fellow Daoist Chen...?

Zhang Xuancang suppressed this thought, his expression darkening: "Fellow Daoist Chen is still alive, yet Elder Shi asks you to bury him. What is the reason for this?"

Liu Kaiyang quickly said, "This is not Elder Shi's fault. It's just that... it's just that Senior's injuries are too serious."

Chen Yuan also shook his head: "That Elder Shi was just doing his duty, why should Fellow Daoist Zhang make things difficult for him?"

Zhang Xuancang had no intention of punishing Elder Shi, but seeing that Chen Yuan did not hold a grudge, he took the opportunity to back down and bowed to Chen Yuan with clasped hands: "Fellow Daoist Chen is magnanimous, but Elder Shi has offended you after all. I will order him to apologize to you."

He turned to look at Liu Kaiyang and said gently, "When the beast tide came, you saved the mortals. I knew then that you were kind-hearted and that you were right."

“If you hadn’t brought Fellow Daoist Chen back to the city, Ping Le City would have been destroyed today.”

"You have made such a great contribution and deserve a reward. However, your cultivation level is still low, and if the reward is too heavy, it will not be a good thing for you."

"Please accept these ten high-grade spirit stones; they will be enough to support your cultivation until the late Foundation Establishment stage."

"I will have Elder Zhou fetch another Breakthrough Pill, which should help you break through the bottleneck of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. What do you say?"

Zhang Xuancang took out ten high-grade spirit stones, which Liu Kaiyang accepted with both hands, clasped his hands in a bow, and said, "Thank you for the reward, City Lord!"

Chen Yuan also took out five jade bottles and said with a smile, "Young friend Liu brought me back to the city to avoid being disturbed by wild beasts. These few bottles of pills are just right for Foundation Establishment cultivators. I will give them to you today."

A hint of joy flashed in Liu Kaiyang's eyes. He had risked leaving Chen Yuan in the cave and even spent spirit stones to buy pills to heal Chen Yuan's injuries, all for this day.

He bowed to Chen Yuan again, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, senior."

Liu Kaiyang bowed slightly, accepted the jade bottle with both hands, and put it into his storage bag.

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "I am new to Ping Le City and unfamiliar with everything here. Would you be so kind as to guide me and introduce me to some things?"

Liu Kaiyang was taken aback, then looked at Zhang Xuancang.

Since this Senior Chen was so generous, offering five bottles of cultivation pills in one go, he naturally agreed without hesitation.

However, as the steward of Ping Le City, he could not make decisions on his own; he still needed Zhang Xuancang's consent.

Zhang Xuancang naturally had no objection and immediately said, "From today onwards, you will serve by Fellow Daoist Chen's side and obey all of Fellow Daoist Chen's orders without fail."

Liu Kaiyang immediately agreed: "This junior will obey."

Chen Yuan also bowed and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Zhang."

Zhang Xuancang smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, you flatter me. Please."

The three arrived at a secluded valley, surrounded by several mountain peaks, where they had not been disturbed by any demonic beasts.

Deep within the valley, there is a cave entrance shrouded in a dark blue veil, obscuring the view inside.

Next to the cave entrance, there is a two-story building with its door wide open, but no one is inside.

On another mountain wall, several dozen feet away from the cave entrance, there are two heavy stone doors, entwined with several green vines, ancient and weathered.

Zhang Xuancang flicked his sleeve, and the stone door slowly opened. The three of them stepped inside, passed through a narrow passage, and arrived at a stone hall. The walls were rough, and the furnishings were simple, almost shabby. Zhang Xuancang looked apologetic: "Ping Le City is remote and barren, yet it has many cultivators."

"In order to maintain a frugal lifestyle, fight against monsters, and prevent the development of a hedonistic mindset and laxity, the cave dwellings in the city were all built in a rather crude manner."

"However, this place is the source of the spiritual veins in Ping Le City, and the spiritual energy here is even richer than that of my cave."

"Please, fellow Daoist, condescend to stay here for now. I hope you will not find it offensive."

"If you have any problems, please just send Steward Liu to let me know, and I will do my best to help you."

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "I have always preferred peace and quiet. A place to stay is enough for me. This place is quite nice."

Zhang Xuancang then turned to Liu Kaiyang: "When the beast tide approaches the city, the guards in the valley will leave to defend against it."

"You shall live in that small building and await Fellow Daoist Chen's orders."

Liu Kaiyang respectfully agreed, and Zhang Xuancang then took out the token to control the cave's formation and handed it to Chen Yuan before taking his leave.

Chen Yuan saw Zhang Xuancang out of the cave, watched him fly out of the valley and disappear into the horizon, then turned around and strolled back, sitting in the main seat.

Liu Kaiyang bowed slightly, stood with his hands clasped, his expression respectful, and remained silent.

Silence fell over the stone hall. Chen Yuan carefully examined Liu Kaiyang, pondered for a moment, and slowly spoke: "Young friend Liu, do you know why I took you from Fellow Daoist Zhang?"

Liu Kaiyang's expression turned solemn: "This junior does not know, but senior slew demons and eliminated rebels, saved this junior's life, and bestowed upon this junior cultivation pills. Your kindness is like giving me a second life."

"Whatever your orders, senior, please give them. I will go through fire and water for you!"

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "I don't need you to go through fire and water for me. I just have a few questions I'd like to ask you, and I hope you'll answer them truthfully."

Liu Kaiyang's eyes narrowed, and he lowered his head slightly: "Senior, please speak. This junior will answer all your questions without reservation."

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "Young friend Liu, there's no need to be nervous. These questions shouldn't be difficult for you to answer. Where did you find me, and what were the circumstances?"

Liu Kaiyang felt relieved and dared not hide anything. He immediately recounted how he had rescued the villagers of Wangjia Village, searched around, and then discovered the unconscious Chen Yuan, and brought him back to Pingle City.

Chen Yuan frowned. According to Liu Kaiyang, there was no trace of Lu Wangquan, Qin Wuyai, or the other three around him. It was possible that they were too far away for Liu Kaiyang to notice.

He then asked, "What is the current situation of the demon race and the human race? Why has the demon race been able to oppress and enslave the human race for tens of thousands of years?"

Liu Kaiyang was taken aback, and a strange look appeared in his eyes as he looked at Chen Yuan.

This is common knowledge. Why would this senior Chen, with such high cultivation, ask about this matter?

Chen Yuan remained calm, seemingly unconcerned that there was anything wrong with the question, and said indifferently, "Could it be that young friend Liu is unaware of this matter?"

Liu Kaiyang quickly composed himself and dared not ask any more questions. He honestly explained, "Reporting to senior, the demon race has eight royal clans, namely Kunyu, Jiaolong, Frost Bear, Blood Pupil Serpent, Nightmare Crow, Sky-Supporting Divine Turtle, Fiend Tiger, Howling Moon Silver Wolf, and Lone Eagle."

"Each has hundreds of affiliated demon clans, occupying ninety percent of the territory of the Myriad Demon Continent, and the fertile and prosperous lands are all owned by the demon clans."

"Our human race is weak, and we can only build cities in barren places where the territories of the eight royal families meet, or deep in the mountains, or in the deserts, or in the dense forests and poisonous swamps, to defend against the invasion of demonic beasts." (End of this chapter)