The Long Journey to Immortality

As long as she returns to the sect and returns the secret treasure according to the rules, it's just a matter of a few words from the Zhengyi Sect whether she can be brought back to life or given a new identity to continue living happily in the Central Plains.

For Han Lu, who didn't want to embezzle valuable treasures and create obstacles in her heart, this was just a minor, unpleasant matter.

Having figured this out, Han Lu stopped worrying about the grave in Dongshan Courtyard with her name on it.

"Then it seems I'll have to sneak around when I return to the sect," Han Lu joked about it, "so I don't turn around and people think I've come back to life and forcibly bury me."

The two of them laughed simultaneously, and the atmosphere in the private room became cheerful.

"By the way, Senior Sister," after hearing a series of reassuring news, Han Lu asked about the thing she cared about most, "Did you explain to the sect exactly how many treasures I obtained from the ancient cultivation secret realm?"

Wen Erya shook her head. "She didn't say, she just said a little more than I did."

Upon hearing this, Han Lu felt a pang of inner conflict.

After all, the treasures in her hands are genuine treasures, many of which are coveted by Nascent Soul cultivators.

However, she quickly recalled her two parents, who were at the late Nascent Soul stage, and her own cultivation level of only Foundation Establishment. She then stopped worrying and felt sorry for the magic treasures that had slipped out of her storage bag.

"It should have belonged to the sect in the first place."

"As long as we can keep Senior Fang Lin's sword."

"I suppose the sect made so much effort when I was 'dead,' and now that I have returned safely, I have given them an unexpected joy. The sect should not object to this small request."

"After all, according to the original rules, I should also be able to get a spiritual treasure. It's just that I specified and chose this one."

Within an hour of meeting Wen Erya, Han Lu had already fully developed her original plan and had a complete strategy in mind.

"Senior Sister," since she planned to secretly return to the sect and have the elders in the sect easily resolve the matter of her death, Han Lu naturally needed Wen Erya to help her pass on a message. "Please tell Master that I have returned to the Central Plains, and then Master can pass on the message to the Sect Leader or the Dean of the Mountain Academy."

"Don't say anything unnecessary."

"I'll discuss the other matters with them in person."

Chapter 408 Returning to the Zhengyi Sect

Han Lu didn't need to say much; Wen Erya understood what she meant.

She understood that Han Lu trusted her completely and had told her everything, but would keep it from the elders of the sect who might ask her about the story of November.

Wen Erya felt a warmth in her heart and promised, "Junior sister, senior sister will definitely not say a word."

Han Lu knew that Wen Erya was also a smart person, so she wasn't worried at all. She just asked again, "By the way, did you greet anyone when you came here, Senior Sister? Did you mention me to Master?"

Wen Erya shook her head. "No, I rushed here as soon as I received the paper sword from my junior sister. I didn't run into any acquaintances on the way."

"They just wrote the destination on a wooden board in front of the door."

"The reason for leaving was not stated."

Wen Erya was unaware of Han Lu's next move and cautiously asked at the end, "In that case, it shouldn't have interfered with Junior Sister's affairs, right?"

"Of course not, don't worry, senior sister. I was just asking casually," Han Lu smiled, dispelling Wen Erya's concerns. "It's getting late, senior sister, hurry back and pass on a message for me."

"If all goes well, I might have to spend the night at my senior sister's place, since I should be lying in the cemetery."

"I don't think my senior sister would disagree."

"Of course not, I'd love to," Wen Erya naturally wanted to get closer to Han Lu, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. She wanted to ask Han Lu some gossipy questions about the details of her experiences over the past eleven months, or inquire about the specific situation of Dayu Dynasty and the Wilderness to satisfy her curiosity. "My place is very big, Junior Sister, please feel free to come, no need to be polite."

"After I pass the message on to my master, I will go back and tidy up the room to make sure my junior sister is comfortable."

The two chatted and laughed, exchanging a few more casual remarks.

After giving a few more instructions, Han Lu parted ways with Wen Erya.

Watching Wen Erya leave, Han Lu made various assumptions about what was about to happen and devised several plans to deal with different ways the sect would handle the situation. Only after feeling that everything was in order did she rub her temples, change her phoenix feather robe into the style of the Zhengyi Sect uniform, and then sit down, close her eyes to recuperate, and patiently wait for a reply.

Speaking of Wen Er Ya...

After bidding farewell to Han Lu, Wen Erya did not delay for a moment. Just like when she came to meet Han Lu, she first used her flying magic weapon to quickly return to the Zhengyi Sect's mountain gate, and then used her lightness technique to arrive at Hanchan Peak.

Because her current residence is at the foot of Hanchan Peak, Wen Erya no longer needs any identification to enter or leave Hanchan Peak.

They easily passed through the mountain path guarded by two Foundation Establishment disciples by simply scanning their faces, and continued uphill until they arrived at the place where Piaomiaozi came from.

People strive for higher positions, just as water flows downhill.

Although he cultivates water-attribute techniques, Piaomiaozi's life path in recent decades has been one of going against the current.

He unexpectedly advanced to the Pseudo-Core stage, then achieved the Golden Core stage, becoming a Golden Core elder in the Zhengyi Sect.

Furthermore, he took in several good disciples, which gradually transformed him from a marginal figure among the elders of the Zhengyi Sect into one of the pillars of the Dongshan Academy.

Finally, it was Wen Erya's outstanding performance in the ancient cultivation secret realm that earned her the attention of the sect.

He received many rewards and became a popular candidate for the next vice president of Dongshan Academy.

This change in his life circumstances was something Piaomiaozi had never anticipated.

However, these changes did not make him arrogant. On the contrary, his stagnation in cultivation made him realize that, apart from being a bit lucky, he was no more talented than other Golden Core cultivators in cultivation.

He carefully collected the large amount of resources he had acquired through Wen Erya's performance, intending to reward his outstanding disciples with them as gifts in the future.

He also made up his mind to dedicate the next few centuries of his life to the great cause of "teaching and nurturing people".

Throughout the year, several disciples would temporarily stay at Piaomiaozi's residence to receive his personal guidance, and Wen Erya had also received such treatment.

I must say, Piaomiaozi is indeed very good at being a master.

Under Piaomiaozi's careful guidance, in eleven months, in addition to Wen Erya, Piaomiaozi's disciples gained two more Foundation Establishment disciples.

If we also include the Qi Refining disciples who have improved their cultivation levels, the results can be described as fruitful.

This lifestyle arrangement meant that Piaomiaozi spent 360 out of 365 days a year within the sect.

Wen Erya visited before nightfall and naturally found Piaomiaozi, who had become a "tutor".

There was no need for additional interpreters. As Piaomiaozi's most prized disciple, Wen Erya knocked on the door symbolically and then pushed it open to enter.

Meanwhile, Piaomiaozi was carefully instructing two new disciples who had only been under his tutelage for two months in his own courtyard.

Thanks to the many unique plants found only in ancient cultivation realms that Wen Erya gifted as a present, the plants in Piaomiaozi's courtyard are much more abundant than they were a year ago.

If it were open to the public, it could become a worthwhile attraction within the Zhengyi Gate area.

Normally, Wen Erya would wait outside the courtyard for a while, or even offer some pointers as her senior sister.

But this time the matter was of great importance, so Wen Erya had no choice but to shamelessly interrupt Piaomiaozi, who was sitting in his seat talking eloquently.

"Erya, what's wrong?" Despite being interrupted so abruptly by her disciple, Piaomiaozi showed no displeasure.

He knew that Wen Erya was a man of principle, and that his sudden visit and rudeness meant he had something important to discuss with him.

Nodding in response to the greetings from her two junior brothers, Wen Erya leaned closer to Piaomiaozi and whispered, "There's news about junior sister."

Although Wen Erya spoke vaguely, Piaomiaozi immediately understood who Wen Erya was referring to when she said "junior sister".

"Is she alright?" Piaomiaozi asked telepathically, suppressing her complex emotions.

Wen Erya whispered, "Although there were some twists and turns on the way back to the sect, my junior sister is safe and sound. Not only that, she has also cultivated to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment."

"Is that so? That's good. What is this...?" Piaomiaozi didn't understand why Wen Erya was passing on what should be considered a secret message to him.

He knew very well that, for Han Lu, his mentor was not the closest person to her.

“Junior Sister wants to use Master to pass on a message to the Sect Leader,” Wen Erya explained. “Isn’t it that the sect has released a message saying that Junior Sister is dead?”

"Therefore, Junior Sister feels that we cannot return to the sect in a grand manner. She hopes that the sect leader or other elders in the sect can help make arrangements to avoid any negative consequences caused by acting on their own."

"She is currently in a teahouse in Zhengyi Village, next to the sect, waiting for news from the sect."

Although he only received a few words of definite information, Piaomiaozi did not ask any further questions, but simply promised, "Okay, I'll take care of this."

Chapter 409 Taking Personal Action

It was just a matter of passing on a message; it wasn't a difficult task.

Piaomiaozi's status in the sect has risen considerably since then, and since Han Lu was his disciple, the sect leader of Zhengyi Sect, Yunmin Daoist, naturally gave him a few more words of advice after Han Lu's disappearance, telling him to keep a close eye on her.

Now that reliable news has finally arrived, Piaomiaozi is naturally able to get through to Yunmin Daoist.

Upon hearing this, Wen Erya's face lit up with joy, and she quickly reported Han Lu's location to Piaomiaozi in its entirety.

After noting down all the information, Piaomiaozi was not in a hurry to leave. He simply said to the two disciples who were curiously watching him and Wen Erya, "Master has some urgent business to attend to. Your senior sister Wen will tutor you from now on."

"Ask any questions you may have. Senior Sister Wen is the most outstanding young cultivator of this generation in the sect."

"If you can learn even a little bit from Senior Sister Wen, it will be enough to pass the small competition in six months."

After speaking, Piaomiaozi used his ability to fly, a skill that only Golden Core cultivators could use, and enjoyed the flying privileges that Golden Core cultivators had in the sect, quickly flying towards the Five Elements Mountain Academy, which was located between the five mountain academies.

Having been given a temporary task, Wen Erya thought she would wait for Piaomiaozi's reply, so she followed Piaomiaozi's arrangement, generously found a place to sit down, and began to guide her two junior brothers, whose cultivation had just reached the second and third levels of Qi Refining.

Having experienced the ancient cultivation realm and received part of Senior Wang Han's inheritance, Wen Erya easily guided her two junior brothers with shallow magical power.

Within half a quarter of an hour, the two junior brothers felt that their beautiful senior sister's skills as a master far surpassed those of their master, who was a Golden Core cultivator.

Meanwhile, Piaomiaozi flew from Dongshan Academy to Wuxing Mountain Academy in just twenty breaths.

After finding out the location of Yunmin Daoist's seclusion from a disciple who took care of the sect leader's daily life, he hurriedly flew a little further and arrived at a beautifully decorated pavilion. He then transmitted his voice to Yunmin Daoist, who was cultivating inside, to deliver the message.

As the head of the Zhengyi Sect, Daoist Yunmin cannot simply go into seclusion for half a month or a month like an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.

He had to appear frequently, handling the sect's affairs as the head of the Zhengyi Sect, and engaging in diplomatic activities with other sects in the Central Plains as the sect's representative.

In exchange for reduced cultivation time, more cultivation resources are gained.

When Daoist Yunmin steps down from his position as sect leader after fifteen years, he can live a carefree life, focusing on the path of cultivation. He can use the "salary" he earned as sect leader to diligently cultivate and see if he can form more pill patterns, so that his cultivation can reach a higher level.

That night, Daoist Yunmin was meditating in his room, breathing in spiritual energy and refining his mind.

Suddenly, after receiving a telepathic message from Piaomiaozi, his recently calmed state of mind was thrown into turmoil.

He quickly sent a telepathic message, inviting Piaomiaozi, who was outside the door, into the attic.

Without even bothering to prepare tea, Daoist Yunmin looked at Piaomiaozi and asked, "Is it your disciple, Han Lu, who disappeared in the deep valley a year ago, who has returned?"

“In response to the sect leader, it is that Han Lu,” Piaomiaozi continued, fearing that Yunmin Daoist might misunderstand. “According to my disciple Wen Erya, Han Lu encountered an accident when leaving the ancient cultivation secret realm and accidentally ended up in a place outside the Central Plains.”

"It took eleven months and countless hardships to return to the Central Plains, and I rushed back to my sect as soon as possible."

"Because he possessed a valuable treasure and learned of the news of his death from the sect, he hid in Zhengyi Village, fearing that villains would covet the treasure he possessed."