You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

He assumed that the two women had used precious ingredients to entertain them.

Ali quickly shook his head.

"No, we're not that extravagant. It's just a regular cooking method. The key is that the ingredients themselves are different."

she explained.

"Recently, not only the weasels, but also the hunters in the nearby mountains have said that the meat and spiritual energy of the wild animals they hunt are much better than before."

The spiritual vegetables we grew ourselves, as well as the wild fruits and mushrooms we gathered from the mountains, all grew faster and better, and had more spiritual energy. We even thought the feng shui of this mountain range had improved.”

After listening, Chen Yang's expression became serious, and he pondered for a moment.

"It's not that the feng shui has improved, it's that the process of spiritual energy revival... has accelerated."

He looked at everyone and spoke slowly.

“Spirit beasts and spirit plants are the most sensitive to changes in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The significant improvement in their physique and the spiritual energy they contain indicates that the concentration and activity of spiritual energy in the entire world are increasing at a rate that exceeds our expectations. The era of spiritual energy revival has officially entered an accelerated phase.”

With his mouth full of meat, Gu Jinghui mumbled incoherently.

"Damn, that fast? Should we hurry up too? Otherwise, how embarrassing would it be if those young, genius kids took advantage of this momentum to rise rapidly and surpass us old guys?"

Uncle Li was quite open-minded. He took a sip of wine and laughed.

"I'm getting old. I'd be content to live a few more years in peace and watch you all grow up. Whether you catch up or not, we'll leave that to fate."

Ali clenched his fist, his eyes resolute.

"I must cultivate diligently and become stronger as soon as possible! I must not hold everyone back, and I must not become a burden to Chen Yang."

Song Jingxuan also spoke softly but firmly.

"Ali and I will work together, encouraging each other and making progress together. We will never need you to constantly take care of us again, like before."

Listening to everyone's words, Chen Yang felt both gratified and urgency.

He said seriously.

“Ali, Jingxuan, it’s good that you have this ambition. Gu Jinghui is right, we all need to hurry up.”

The accelerated resurgence of spiritual energy means more opportunities, but competition and danger will also intensify. Upon returning, I will immediately adjust the Qingwei Sect's cultivation strategy, concentrating resources to fully enhance its core strength.

As they enjoyed the delicious food, the group chatted about their plans and anxieties for the future. Under the moonlight, the atmosphere was harmonious yet tinged with a subtle mix of anticipation and tension for the intense era to come.

The dinner ended in a warm yet slightly somber atmosphere. After tidying up, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.

Chen Yang and Ali naturally lived together. After a short separation, they had endless intimate conversations and tender moments, but both understood the responsibilities on their shoulders, and more than anything, they felt a sense of security and peace in supporting each other.

Silent all night.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chen Yang woke up naturally.

He got up gently without waking Ali, who was still fast asleep, dressed himself, and then quietly pushed open the door to the front yard.

As soon as I approached the front hall, I heard a commotion.

In front of the temple gate, Gu Jinghui was surrounded by three or four teenagers. The one in the lead was a boy who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, slightly chubby, with a round face and very bright eyes. He was bowing repeatedly to Gu Jinghui, speaking earnestly.

"Mountain God Gu, Senior Gu! Please accept us as your disciples! We brothers have come here sincerely because of your reputation! We have heard that you have great magical power and are a righteous person. We will definitely cultivate diligently and never let you down!"

A short, dark-skinned boy next to him quickly chimed in.

"Yes, yes, Senior Gu! We've traveled a long way to find this place, and we sincerely want to become your disciples! Please give us a chance! We're willing to do any kind of work, from serving tea and water to chopping wood and carrying water!"

The other two boys nodded repeatedly, looking at Gu Jinghui expectantly.

Gu Jinghui was driven crazy by their pestering and kept waving his hands.

"Get out of here! You bunch of kids, where did you hear this nonsense? I'm only half-baked myself, all haphazard and incoherent, how am I supposed to teach apprentices? Don't waste your time! Go back to where you came from!"

"senior!"

"Master!"

The teenagers persisted, pleading and almost kneeling down.

Chen Yang stood not far away, watching this scene with great interest.

He subtly activated his Fiery Eyes of Truth, his gaze sweeping over the group of teenagers.

Upon seeing this, a thought stirred within him.

Although these teenagers were dressed plainly, even somewhat tattered, their physical attributes were surprisingly good!

Especially the chubby boy and the short boy; one has a clear light shining from his mind, suitable for practicing gentle Taoist techniques of the water and wood elements; the other has vigorous blood and strong bones, making him a good candidate for body-refining techniques. The other two are also considered above average in aptitude.

What's even more remarkable is that these people have clear eyes, a tenacious spirit between their brows, and seem quite down-to-earth.

He thought for a moment, then walked over.

Gu Jinghui was at his wits' end when he saw Chen Yang coming over, and he was overjoyed as if he had seen a savior. He immediately called out.

"Chen Yang! You've come at the right time! Quickly, tell me about these kids..."

Chen Yang walked closer, smiled gently at the group of teenagers, and then turned to Gu Jinghui and spoke.

“Jinghui, I see that these children are resilient and have come from afar; their sincerity is commendable. Moreover…”

He paused, lowered his voice, and spoke in a volume that only Gu Jinghui could hear.

“I just saw them, and they are all quite talented, good seedlings for cultivation. If you take them in and teach them carefully, their future achievements may not be low. It will not do you any harm, nor will it do the Mountain God Temple any good. It would be a pity to miss out.”

Gu Jinghui was taken aback, looking at the expectant boys with some suspicion, and then at Chen Yang.

He trusted Chen Yang's judgment, especially Chen Yang's "divine eyes," which rarely made mistakes in judging people and things. It's just that he was used to being lazy, and suddenly having to take on a disciple seemed like a hassle.

"You...you didn't trick me, did you? I can really teach you?"

Gu Jinghui was still somewhat hesitant.

Chen Yang smiled.

"When have I ever cheated you? Your methods of using the power of the mountain god's incense, and the basic Taoist and martial arts techniques that Uncle Li taught you, are more than enough to get them started. As for deeper things, we can discuss them together once they have a solid foundation, or let them find their own opportunities."

Most importantly, you need guides. By taking them in and giving them a chance, you're also contributing to the future of the mountain god's temple. Teach them with confidence; with their aptitude and character, they will absolutely not let you down.

Gu Jinghui listened to Chen Yang's earnest words, and then looked at the few teenagers who were staring at him expectantly. In particular, seeing the pure longing for "cultivation" in their eyes, a part of his heart softened.

He scratched his head, then finally sighed and said to the boys.

"Alright, alright, stop wailing! Consider yourself lucky; a benefactor has spoken up for you today."

"Let me make this clear from the start: cultivation is a tough and tedious task. If you can't endure the hardship, if you cheat or are dishonest, I will expel you from the sect immediately without mercy! Do you understand?" The boys were stunned for a moment, then overjoyed! They knelt down in unison with a thud and kowtowed three times to Gu Jinghui, saying in unison.

"Disciple understands! Thank you for taking me in, Master! Disciple will definitely study diligently and practice hard, never be lazy, and never bring shame to Master or the Mountain God Temple!"

"Alright, alright, get up."

Gu Jinghui waved his hand, his face still feigning seriousness, but there was a hint of undisguised amusement and... novelty in his eyes.

He turned and shouted inside.

"Jingxuan! Jingxuan! Come here for a second!"

Hearing the noise, Song Jingxuan came out from the backyard and was puzzled by the scene.

Gu Jinghui pointed to the group of teenagers who had just stood up, their faces flushed with excitement, and said to Song Jingxuan.

"Here, take the newly accepted disciples to the backyard and find two empty rooms to settle them in. Briefly explain the rules and regulations to them."

Song Jingxuan looked at the boys in surprise, then at Gu Jinghui and Chen Yang, and then smiled gently at them.

"You guys come with me."

"Yes! Thank you, Master's wife!"

The boys were quick-witted; they immediately bowed to Song Jingxuan again and then happily followed her to the backyard.

Watching them leave, Gu Jinghui touched his nose and said to Chen Yang.

"Chen Yang, let me tell you, I only took them on because you told me to. If they fail to train properly or cause trouble later, you'll be responsible!"

Chen Yang smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, my judgment is sound. Congratulations on taking on several exceptionally talented disciples. Teach them well; the future prosperity of the Mountain God Temple may very well depend on them."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Chen Yang glanced at the sky and saw that the sun had already risen. He then said...

"It's getting late, I should get going."

Gu Jinghui nodded.

“Alright, go ahead. There’s a lot going on at the Qingwei Sect, you really should go back and oversee things. Don’t worry about Ali, we’re here, we’ll make sure she doesn’t suffer the slightest grievance.”

At this moment, Ali also came over from the backyard, clearly having gotten up and knowing that Chen Yang was leaving.

She walked to Chen Yang's side, her eyes filled with reluctance, and whispered.

"Take care on the road, let me know when you arrive."

Chen Yang squeezed her hand and said gently.

“I will. You stay here and cultivate well, take good care of yourself. Once I've sorted out the sect affairs, everyone's strength has improved, and the situation is more stable, I'll bring you over.”

"Well, I'll wait for you."

Ali nodded vigorously.

Chen Yang nodded goodbye to Uncle Li, Da Tou, Fat Cat, and the others who came out after hearing the noise. Without saying anything more, he took off into the air and became a streak of light, speeding towards the Qingwei Sect and quickly disappearing into the horizon.

They flew in silence, eager to return home. Before long, the familiar outline of the Qingwei Sect's mountain gate came into view.

Looking from afar, the mountain gate was indeed more bustling than ever before. A long queue stretched along a winding stone path, filled with young people who had come from afar hoping to join the Qingwei Sect.

In an open space below the mountain gate archway, Wang Xuan was leading several earlier disciples, busily conducting preliminary qualification checks and registrations for those who came to become his disciples, maintaining order. He was busy but not chaotic, already showing some of the capable demeanor of a "senior disciple".

Chen Yang only glanced at it from high above and did not go down to disturb it. He flew directly over the mountain gate and towards the summit.

Upon landing in the plaza in front of the sect's main hall, Chen Yang discovered that a large number of people had gathered there. Several core True Persons, including True Person Huang, True Lord Xuanshui, Li Zhengguo, and Liu Yu, along with some of their capable disciples, were all present, seemingly discussing something in a rather lively atmosphere.

When everyone saw Chen Yang descend from the sky, they were first taken aback, then their faces lit up with joy, and they greeted him in unison.

"Head!"

"Commander Chen!"

"Sect Master, you're back!"

Chen Yang smiled and nodded to everyone, his gaze sweeping over them with some surprise.

He walked up to the crowd and asked.

"Everyone's here? Is there something you need to discuss? Why is everyone back?"

He remembered that he had previously arranged for many people to be stationed at various spiritual springs and resource points.

Master Huang, as the representative, stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and smiled.

"Reporting to the sect leader, there is nothing particularly urgent. It's just that in the past two days, several fellow disciples stationed outside have sent back messages saying that the spiritual energy seems to be fluctuating recently, increasing quite rapidly."

We agreed to meet back at the mountain today to discuss the situation and also check on the selection of new disciples. Unexpectedly, you returned just as we were talking; what perfect timing!

Chen Yang nodded upon hearing this.

“I see. During my trip, I also noticed that the pace of the revival of spiritual energy in the world is accelerating, and I was just about to come back to discuss this matter with you.”

Master Huang then reported the news.

"Sect Leader, the matters you previously instructed us to address, such as adjusting manpower to ensure there are enough True Immortals remaining on the mountain to teach new disciples, as well as strengthening sect defenses and internal patrols, are all being implemented step by step."

The sect is currently operating smoothly, and the initiation of new disciples is proceeding in an orderly manner. Now, we can focus more on our secluded cultivation and improving our strength.

"Very good, thank you all for your hard work."

Chen Yang praised him, and then took out five or six bulging storage bags from his storage bag.

He had already sorted these bags into categories.

He handed these storage bags to Xuan Shui Zhenjun, who was standing to the side, and solemnly instructed him.

"Elder Xuanshui, these are what I obtained on this trip. They include many rare and precious materials, elixirs, armor, weapons, and some miscellaneous items that may be useful. You are responsible for taking inventory and distributing them reasonably according to the contributions and needs of the True Persons and meritorious disciples."

The surplus, along with some resources suitable for lower-level disciples, will be deposited into the 'Hall of Rewards' to establish a contribution exchange system, encouraging disciples to cultivate diligently and serve the sect.

Xuan Shui Zhenjun hurriedly accepted the storage bag with both hands. Feeling the weight of the bag and the faint light and spiritual energy emanating from it, he was shocked and his face showed excitement. He bowed and responded.

"I will obey the sect leader's orders! I will handle this impartially and properly allocate and store the goods. Please rest assured, sect leader!"

Chen Yang nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone again, and asked.

"While I was away, did anyone notice anything unusual or make any new discoveries at the spirit springs and resource points that everyone was guarding throughout the mountains?" (End of Chapter)