A ruthless bandit from the celestial realm, he began his cultivation journey after kidnapping the Em

"That's how it is..."

Lin Ningxue nodded earnestly.

"In the cultivation world, strength is paramount. The sect does this so that outer disciples can have more opportunities to spar and avoid becoming complacent..."

Ye Chen nodded thoughtfully. It was just like when he was a bandit, robbing people on the road – whoever had the strongest fist could be robbed openly…

At that moment, his mind started racing. He had been worried about having nowhere to stay and being discovered, but now he no longer had to worry...

"Where is your cave dwelling?" Ye Chen asked, looking at Lin Ningxue in front of him.

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?

Meeting Ye Chen's gaze, Lin Ningxue was stunned for a moment, then immediately made a bitter face.

"Senior brother, you wouldn't be thinking of stealing my cave dwelling, would you?"

"I finally found a place to stay, senior brother, please let me go..."

Lin Ningxue looked miserable and aggrieved, secretly regretting that she shouldn't have told Ye Chen that they could challenge and seize the cave dwelling...

Now we've lost our home...

"What are you crying about? Who said we were going to take your cave?" Ye Chen glanced at her and said irritably, "Do I look like the kind of person who bullies the weak and oppresses women?"

Lin Ningxue was stunned for a moment, then immediately shook her head like a rattle drum.

"No, my senior brother is definitely not that kind of person..."

She was overjoyed; her cave dwelling was safe...

"Senior brother, my cave dwelling is located at the foot of the mountain..."

Lin Ningxue pointed down towards the foot of the mountain...

Ye Chen looked in the direction she pointed, a strange look flashing across his face.

"At the foot of the mountain?"

"Is the herb garden over there too?"

Lin Ningxue shook her head and pointed to the mountain peak, "The Spirit Herb Garden is on the mountain. The entire area extends from that peak to the summit..."

"this..."

Ye Chen glanced at the towering mountain peaks, then looked down at the almost invisible foot of the mountain, and couldn't help but frown.

"So, you walk from your cave at the foot of the mountain all the way to the herb garden at the top every day to work?"

"Don't you get tired running up and down the mountain every day?"

"Why don't you just find a cave on the mountaintop and live there?"

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?

Upon hearing this, Lin Ningxue froze for two seconds, her chest heaving as if she were about to suffer internal injuries. Her gaze towards Ye Chen changed...

Is it because she doesn't want to?

You need to have the strength to seize the cave dwelling...

She was lucky to have a place to stay at the foot of the mountain, let alone a cave dwelling at the top.

"Senior brother, you may not know this, but the closer a cave is to the mountaintop, the more luxurious and exquisite it is, and the richer the spiritual energy will be. It is a rare and wonderful place..."

"Naturally, there will also be more powerful senior brothers living there. Ordinary disciples don't dare to approach easily, let alone challenge them."

Ye Chen suddenly realized why Lin Ningxue had chosen to live at the foot of the mountain...

"Understood..."

"You can't beat them, huh?"

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?

Lin Ningxue's face stiffened; she was so angry she wanted to hit someone...

Is it necessary to be so blunt?

This is so heartbreaking...

"Yes..." Lin Ningxue nodded awkwardly.

"Alright, let's go up the mountain then!"

Ye Chen looked up at the towering mountain peak and immediately called Lin Ningxue to go together.

"Upwards?"

Lin Ningxue was taken aback at first, then understood Ye Chen's meaning. Her expression changed slightly, and she quickly stepped forward to grab Ye Chen's arm, anxiously trying to dissuade him.

"Senior brother, calm down..."

"The people living on the mountaintop are almost all at the eighth to tenth level of Qi Refining, and it's said that there are even a few senior brothers who have successfully established their foundation..."

"How about we just forget about it? If you want to challenge them, Senior Brother, you can find someone halfway up the mountain. Most of the people around there are at the fifth level of Qi Refining, so they'll be easier to deal with..."

"Actually, the caves around here are quite nice; there's no need to go all the way to the mountaintop..."

Although she hadn't known Ye Chen for long, he had done her a great favor. If Ye Chen hadn't intervened in time, she might have been violated by that beastly senior brother...

She absolutely couldn't let Ye Chen take any risks right now, otherwise her conscience wouldn't be at peace.

Although Ye Chen killed Xu Xiao, who had reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, with a single punch in the forest, that was due to a sneak attack. The outcome would be uncertain in a direct confrontation...

Ye Chen paused, glanced back at Lin Ningxue, saw the worry in her heart, and shook his head indifferently.

"It's alright, let's go take a look first..."

"Didn't you just say that the spiritual energy in the caves on the mountaintop is much richer? It would be nice to live in a place like that..."

He still hasn't been able to draw in Qi into his body, which he suspects is because the spiritual energy in the servants' quarters is too thin. Perhaps he can successfully cultivate there if he goes to the cave on the mountaintop?

This is worth the gamble for him!

"this..."

Lin Ningxue was still hesitant; she feared that if she went, she might not be able to come back.

Seeing Ye Chen insist on heading up the mountain, she sighed helplessly and had no choice but to hurry after him...

"Senior brother, what realm are you at?"

"Tell me, at least I'll have some idea what's going on..."

Lin Ningxue looked longingly at Ye Chen beside her and asked as they walked.

At this moment, she was extremely uneasy, fearing that she would be taught a lesson by those geniuses on the mountain, and might have to stay in bed for ten days or half a month...

Ye Chen glanced at her with a light smile and said calmly.

"you guess?"

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?

"Eighth level of Qi Refining?" Lin Ningxue guessed softly.

Ye Chen did not respond.

Lin Ningxue thought for a moment, then tentatively guessed, "Could it be the ninth level of Qi Refining?"

Ye Chen still did not answer.

Lin Qingxue panicked a little.

Among the outer disciples, there were only a handful of Foundation Establishment stage prodigies, and she vaguely remembered them all, but she had never seen Ye Chen before...

If he wasn't hiding his cultivation level... could it be that he really doesn't have any cultivation at all?

Thinking of this, Lin Qingxue's heart skipped a beat, and she knew something was wrong...

She's going to challenge Ye Chen; won't she get beaten to death?

As they pondered, the two had already approached the summit.

There are far fewer disciples here, and the surrounding spiritual energy is much richer.

Although Ye Chen couldn't sense the spiritual energy, his body could feel the changes in the environment, as refreshing as emerging from mud into a stream...

"call..."

"This is truly a wonderful place..."

"If I lived here, I could live a few more years..."

Ye Chen took a deep breath and felt a comfort he had never experienced before.

Upon hearing this, Lin Ningxue, who was standing to the side, smiled wryly.

"This place is certainly nice, but only those with the means can afford to stay here..."

"Senior brother, the caves ahead are among the top thirty!"

She couldn't help but remind her.

Ye Chen turned his head and saw that the numbers on the wooden sign hanging at the entrance of the courtyard were getting smaller and smaller, until only two digits remained.

"thirty..."

"The top row is twenty..."

His gaze swept over the area, and he climbed a few more steps.

Lin Ningxue was completely dumbfounded.

Are you crazy? Does that mean Senior Brother is going to challenge the top twenty geniuses?

Those people are not to be trifled with. Besides, as long as the challenge doesn't result in death, even if someone is crippled, the sect won't care.

She was about to try and stop him when she saw Ye Chen already stopped in front of a courtyard gate...

"Those inside, get out here for me!"

Lin Ningxue: ? ? ?

This is insane!!!