Stealing Immortal

Chapter 67: Chapter 66: The First

Under the night sky, the small courtyard was calm and quiet. The firmament was filled with a tranquil beauty.

On the bed, Chen Qingyang was meditating, with Xu Baoling beside him.

She hovered cross-legged, her posture dignified. Her Divine Soul was nearly corporeal, its face glowing as if made of flesh and blood. Her straight back, from chest to waist and waist to hips, formed an elegant curve. As she cultivated, a faint golden light flickered around her, giving her a transcendent and divine air.

Just as the master and servant were deep in meditation, a gentle breeze stirred in the courtyard. Chen Qingyang’s eyelids twitched slightly, and Xu Baoling also seemed to sense a disturbance.

But when she looked again at her master, he seemed perfectly normal.

The small courtyard was as quiet as before. The youths in the two adjacent rooms were sound asleep, and even the birds roosting in the large Locust Tree made not a peep. It was just like any other ordinary night.

However, in Chen Qingyang’s mind, a scene was slowly unfolding.

This was the third time.

The firmament was laid out like a chessboard. Countless stars dotted the azure expanse, forming various Star Maps. Occasionally, a spark would flare up, leaving a long trail of fire in its wake.

Such a starry sky was truly breathtakingly beautiful. Chen Qingyang focused his mind once more. ’This is the third time. That giant hand is getting closer and closer to me.’

He felt as if he were one of the countless stars in the sky, about to lose control and emit a bright light, completely exposing his location beneath the river of stars.

It was like a dream, yet not a dream—profound and mysterious. Even using the techniques of the Great Soul Scripture, he couldn’t escape this dreamscape in the slightest. His consciousness could only exist as one star among many, completely controlled.

’I don’t know if this is the power of a True Skill or a Magical Treasure. It’s a pity I couldn’t obtain this Dharma Gate from Gentle Breeze. Otherwise, I could study it and figure out how to resist...’

The thought arose in his mind, but somehow, he had spoken it aloud. In the empty, chessboard-like starry sky, it sent out ripple after ripple that spread to the farthest reaches.

A Qi Mechanism suddenly stirred, as if it had Life Force, and was about to lock onto his position.

Without a doubt, this Astrological Inference was far stronger than the previous two.

’This is bad! I have to wake up, now!’

Surprised, he let out another sound. This place was the enemy’s domain; any unusual fluctuation in his mind would create a significant disturbance.

In that instant, the Qi Mechanism seemed to lock onto his position and rushed toward him. Having learned from the two previous attempts that struggling was useless, he could only use his usual method of concealing his Qi Mechanism: regulate his breathing and steady his mind.

Gradually, he felt himself becoming just another star among the countless others, unremarkable and identical to the rest. The Qi Mechanism paused, as if it had lost his trail.

Relying on the powerful Perception Power of the Great Soul Scripture, he vaguely perceived a scene.

Atop a cliff, in a magnificent golden palace, an old man was forming hand seals while the Circulation of Stars swirled above his head.

He had graying hair and a beard, a portly figure, and was dressed in a Profound Robe adorned with the Eight Trigrams. His eyes were sinister... Perhaps sensing something, his aggressive gaze shot over, a hint of confusion in his expression.

Perhaps he couldn’t comprehend how the Great Soul Scripture possessed a technique that could peer through layers of Arrays to see him.

’Master Xuan Gui!’

Chen Qingyang thought with a silent sigh, certain he hadn’t made a sound. Yet, the old man seemed to have caught him.

An overwhelming might rolled in, nearly the size of the Star Disc itself. It pierced through layers of nebulae, about to close its grasp on an insignificant little star within. "I’ve almost found you!"

Just in the nick of time, the Star Disc seemed to be slashed open by a sword. A pure white radiance poured down, obscuring everything.

"Master... Master..."

Seeing Chen Qingyang awaken, Xu Baoling called out softly in his ear.

He pulled the Gold Coin Sword from his robes. Without a doubt, it was the sword that had just torn through that realm. He had been just a hair’s breadth away from having his identity calculated by Master Xuan Gui.

However... this also indirectly proved that the opponent wasn’t certain that the old Miscellaneous Task disciple on the mountainside was the "calamity star."

"What was I just doing? Did I startle you?"

Xu Baoling said, "Master, you spoke three sentences. And it looked like you wanted to wake up but couldn’t, as if you were under... some kind of Magic!"

She still sounded apprehensive as she said this.

Chen Qingyang was silent for a moment before he managed to calm himself. "I just saw a Starry Sky Compass in my consciousness. I felt as if I had turned into a star and was almost discovered by an old man. His appearance..."

"Ah!" After he finished, Xu Baoling gasped. "That must be Master Xuan Gui! He’s using an Astrology Technique to track your whereabouts, Master. It is said that once this Dharma Gate is used, every Qi Mechanism within a thousand-mile radius glitters like a firefly and can be perceived by him."

"He once divined that you are a calamity star entering the stage. If he finds your exact location, things will be disastrous!"

Chen Qingyang pondered for a long time before nodding. "That must be it. If not for the Gold Coin Sword suddenly appearing and severing the Celestial Secret, I would have been exposed. Speaking of which, that sword strike was perfectly timed. I wonder how your master’s abilities compare to this Master Xuan Gui?"

Xu Baoling answered without a moment’s hesitation. "My master is known as the number one combatant on the Four Golden Peaks. That’s universally acknowledged. If she weren’t constrained by the Sect’s laws, the matter of Master Xuan Gui would have likely been settled long ago."

After a pause, Chen Qingyang added, "I wonder how far Senior Sister Leng has gotten with her investigation, and whether she’s found any evidence against Master Xuan Gui. Getting rid of this trouble depends entirely on her."

"So... Master, are you thinking of going to see Senior Sister Leng?"

Chen Qingyang shook his head decisively. "With the Gold Coin Sword in hand, he can’t do anything to me for now. I just managed to put Senior Sister Leng’s worries to rest, so it’s not a good time to proactively seek her out. We should wait a little longer."

Xu Baoling pondered for a moment. "Yes, Master is absolutely right."

After meditating for a short while longer, the sky began to brighten.

In the small house opposite them, Zhang Ping was already up and drawing water in the yard. After washing up, he prepared to make breakfast.

Li Sheng followed, gathering some firewood to light the simple stove under the eaves. Seeing Chen Qingyang also come out, he greeted him warmly, "Senior Brother Chen, would you like to have a meal with us?"

"Alright."

Before long, the three of them were sitting with their bowls and chopsticks at the stone table and chairs under the large Locust Tree.

A place of comings and goings, it had weathered hundreds of years of wind and frost. Who knew how many people had sat here before? Had they turned to white bones, or had they ascended to the Immortal Sect?

"Senior Brother Chen, has something major happened in the Sect recently? Disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall are hunting down an organization called the Profound Light Association everywhere. All the Miscellaneous Task disciples associated with it have been arrested for questioning. Afterward, I heard they were all kicked off the mountain!"

Li Sheng was the one who spoke, chatting as they ate.

Since Chen Qingyang no longer went to work via the Hongling Token, he rarely heard about matters on the mountainside anymore.

"Things are indeed turbulent... In the future, while cultivating on the mountainside, remember to just mind your own business. Don’t get involved with groups like that, because you never know when an unexpected disaster might strike."

Li Sheng said, "Okay."

"Senior Brother Chen, what does this Profound Light Association do, to cause such a huge commotion?" This time it was Zhang Ping who asked.

"Colluding with the Demon Sect."

Those five words stunned the two of them. When they wanted to ask for more details, Chen Qingyang made a hushing gesture. "Don’t discuss these matters, and don’t go asking around."

Both of them readily agreed.

Just then, Zhang Ping spoke again. "Oh, right, Senior Brother Chen. I’ve heard that the higher one’s Cultivation, the younger they appear. You don’t look like you’re a hundred and twenty years old, Senior Brother Chen. Are you about to have a breakthrough?"

In all this time, this was the first time these youths had asked about his Cultivation.

Considering the Elixir competition was approaching and they would inevitably part ways, Chen Qingyang decided not to hide certain things anymore. "It’s coming soon. Before long, we may have to go our separate ways!"

"Ah!" Zhang Ping cried out in surprise, while Li Sheng, who was holding his bowl, paused. For some reason, the youth who had always been the most lively was now the quietest of them all.

Zhang Ping said, "Sigh, to be honest with you, Senior Brother Chen, we’ve heard a lot of bad rumors about you. But after spending so much time with you, you don’t seem like that kind of person at all."

"My dad always used to say that it’s hard to tell right from wrong in this world, but you can always feel whether someone is good or bad to you..."

Unexpectedly, this simple-looking farm boy had become quite sentimental. Seeing Li Sheng remain silent, he nudged him with his shoulder. "Junior Brother Li, cat got your tongue?"

Only then did Li Sheng look up. "I was wondering, Senior Brother Chen, when you go to the Golden Summit, will you need any Miscellaneous Task disciples? Could you take us with you? We can do any kind of work!"

Hearing this, Zhang Ping was stunned for a moment, then clapped his hands. "Yeah, Senior Brother Chen! We know each other inside and out. We’ll definitely work hard and never slack off!"

Chen Qingyang thought for a moment. "Are you sure? You can do any kind of work?"

Since he was asking, it meant there was a chance. The two boys scrambled to answer. "We can do anything! I’ve seen this Immortal Sect for what it is. The world is a tough place. Even if we can’t achieve immortality by following you, Senior Brother Chen, we’d be content to just live out our days and die of old age."

It was Li Sheng who said this, so Chen Qingyang asked again, "But... if I’m not on the Four Golden Peaks, won’t it be difficult for you to see Junior Sister Lin again?"

Li Sheng didn’t hesitate. "That doesn’t matter. Junior Sister Lin has her own path, and I should have my own path, too. Only by mastering my skills will I be able to see her again."

"Yeah, yeah!" Zhang Ping chimed in. "I have even fewer worries on that front, Senior Brother Chen!"

Finally, Chen Qingyang looked at the two youths and said, "If there’s an opportunity, I will definitely take you in. If not, we can only say that our fate together has run its course. Also, my path is fraught with life-and-death dangers. Are you sure you’ve thought this through?"

The two youths said in unison, "Senior Brother Chen, we’re not afraid to die!"

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