Chapter 118: Forced Submission Elixir

Chapter 118: Forced Submission Elixir

"Should we run?"

Chu Ning was extremely vigilant, his mind alert to the dangers that lay ahead.

But the thought of facing a Foundation Establishment cultivator outside made him quickly abandon the idea.

He dared not let down his guard for a moment.

He continued to project his spiritual sense, even taking out a Yang Shen Pill to restore his spiritual energy midway through his journey.

Another hour passed, and only after confirming that no one else was coming did Chu Ning finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Just as Chu Ning was about to retract his spiritual sense, he suddenly paused.

A streak of light had just descended rapidly in front of his Fu Fang.

However, Chu Ning immediately retracted his spiritual sense and heaved a genuine sigh of relief.

The newcomer was actually Lin Changqing, and he was accompanied by six Qi Refining disciples.

It seemed that he had come from another Fang Shi, arriving in the middle of the night.

Lin Changqing's face first flashed with surprise, but the next moment, his expression changed drastically.

He disappeared from his original spot and rushed towards Lu Miying's courtyard.

With a somber expression, Lin Changqing looked at Lu Miying's corpse, then his figure flashed and he appeared in Chu Ning's courtyard.

"Chu Ning!"

Hearing Lin Changqing's voice, Chu Ning walked out of his room.

At this moment, he looked at Lin Changqing with a puzzled expression.

"Elder Lin? Why are you here so late?"

Pretending to be completely unaware of what had happened was the best option Chu Ning could think of at the moment.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't be able to explain how he managed to escape the Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Yin Demon Sect.

Seeing Chu Ning, Lin Changqing relaxed slightly.

Without answering Chu Ning's question, he soon left.

After a while, Lin Changqing returned with Chu Ning and the others to Lu Miying's room.

Seeing Lu Miying's corpse, Gu Xiaoqin's face was filled with sadness.

As for Du Han, his face turned ashen.

The fact that someone from the sect had been killed under his very nose, right in front of the Enforcement Hall squad captain, clearly did not sit well with his proud self.

"Did you notice anything unusual?"

Lin Changqing's gaze swept across everyone present.

Seeing that they all shook their heads, he waved his hand and said, "It's not your fault. The attacker was obviously a Foundation Establishment cultivator, so it's normal that you didn't sense anything."

Foundation Establishment cultivator? Upon hearing this, everyone in the room turned serious.

"Elder, who was it? Could it be the Yin Demon Sect again?" Du Han asked bitterly.

Lin Changqing nodded, "Most likely."

"The sect's recent summons for disciples cultivating Wood attribute techniques at the fifth and sixth layers of Qi Refining might have been leaked to the Yin Demon Sect.

The sect sent an urgent message, insisting that we return with everyone by tonight to prevent any mishaps.

I rushed here as soon as I could, but it seems I was still too late."

Lin Changqing shook his head, his usually cold expression now carrying a hint of displeasure.

"As for you..."

Lin Changqing's gaze casually glanced at Chu Ning.

"...Your cultivation at the fifth layer of Qi Refining might be the reason you're still standing here.

There are very few cultivators at the fifth layer of Qi Refining outside, so they probably thought we were only gathering disciples at the sixth layer."

Hearing Lin Changqing's explanation, Chu Ning naturally feigned a slight look of relief on his face.

"Take care of things here. I'll take them back to the sect immediately."

After speaking to Du Han, Lin Changqing gestured for Chu Ning and the six others who had arrived with him to follow him out.

"Chu Shidi." Gu Xiaoqin spoke up at this moment.

"Take care."

As Gu Xiaoqin spoke, Shen Zhengquan also bid him farewell.

Ever since the last ambush by the Yin Demon Sect, this person's attitude towards Chu Ning had changed significantly.

Chu Ning gave a slight bow to the two of them, then followed the others onto Lin Changqing's spirit boat, rising into the air.

They headed straight towards the Qingxi Sect.

Taking the opportunity during the journey, Chu Ning carefully observed everyone present.

There were four males and two females, with the lowest cultivation level being at the sixth layer of Qi Refining, and the highest being at the eighth layer.

Of course, with Chu Ning's addition, he was now the "lowest" among them.

From the familiar spiritual power fluctuations emanating from their bodies, it was clear that they were all cultivators of Wood attribute techniques.

Perhaps due to the previous incident of a Foundation Establishment cultivator infiltrating and killing, coupled with Lin Changqing's habitually cold demeanor, the atmosphere during the journey was solemn and no one spoke.

Chu Ning didn't mind, and naturally, he didn't take the initiative to strike up a conversation with them either.

His vigilance was no less than that of any of them.

He kept the Intermediate Mid-Grade Fu Lu in his hand at all times.

Fortunately, despite the darkness of the night, the journey proceeded without incident.

When Lin Changqing landed the spirit boat at the Outer Gate, everyone visibly relaxed.

"You can all go back and rest. Assemble at the Outer Gate dojo after dawn. The sect will make the necessary arrangements," Lin Changqing instructed the group before letting them disperse.

Chu Ning now had his own courtyard, so he wouldn't be as clueless as he had been the last time.

He went straight to his courtyard, feeling a sense of strangeness.

After all, he had only spent one night here before, and the courtyard felt empty and lifeless.

Chu Ning looked up at the sky, noting that dawn was not far off, and he was still dressed in his sleeping attire.

He decided to take out the Iron Stem Orchid from his storage bag and plant it in a corner of the courtyard.

As for the other items, he didn't have the energy to deal with them at the moment.

"This time, the sect has summoned us back. If I'm not mistaken, we're probably going to be assigned to that secret mission.

I wonder how long it will be before we can return. It's not good to keep the Iron Stem Orchid in the storage bag for too long.

As for the other spirit plants, I'll deal with them later."

Chu Ning muttered to himself, then returned to his room and sat down cross-legged. He took out the Black Night Iron Soul Wood sword.

The sword had now completely reverted to its original wooden color, and when Chu Ning tried to sense it with his spiritual sense, there was not a trace of wood essence within it.

"It seems this sword is completely useless now.

After cultivating for about an hour, the sky brightened, and Chu Ning felt refreshed as he made his way towards the Outer Gate dojo.

Not long after leaving, he unexpectedly saw Mu Ling, whom he hadn't seen in a long while, exiting her courtyard.

"Senior Sister Mu!"

Chu Ning greeted her, and Mu Ling paused slightly upon seeing him.

"Oh, Junior Brother Chu, I thought you had gone to the market. Why are you back?"

"The sect summoned me back," Chu Ning replied truthfully.

Mu Ling looked at him, a hint of surprise in her eyes as she asked, "The sect summoned you back? To participate in a mission, you need to be at least at the sixth layer of Qi Refining. You're only at the fifth layer."

Chu Ning shook his head, "I have no idea about that."

Then, his gaze shifted to Mu Ling, and he smiled, "I haven't congratulated you on reaching the seventh layer of Qi Refining yet."

Upon hearing this, Mu Ling quickly waved her hand, "There's nothing to congratulate. I've spent far more resources than you can imagine, and my talent is still lacking. If I don't gain anything from this mission, I might as well give up on future endeavors."

Chu Ning was taken aback by her words, "Senior Sister Mu is also participating in the sect's mission?"

Mu Ling nodded, and the two of them made their way towards the Outer Gate dojo.

Along the way, Chu Ning confirmed once again with Mu Ling about her participation in the mission.

Moreover, Mu Ling mentioned that it was Elder Mu, a relative of hers within the sect, who had informed her about the mission.

While many disciples speculated on the reason for the sect's summons, only a few actually knew that they were being gathered for a mission.

Hearing this, Chu Ning's apprehension lessened slightly.

Since even Mu Ling, a relative of a Golden Core elder, was going on the mission, the danger couldn't be too significant.

As they walked towards the dojo, more people arrived from different directions.

In addition to disciples from the Outer Gate like Chu Ning, there were also quite a few miscellaneous task disciples.

From a distance, Chu Ning spotted a few familiar figures, such as Luo Hongping and Lu Yunfang, a couple he had lived next to for a while.

Both of them were at the sixth layer of Qi Refining, so their presence among those summoned seemed reasonable.

Another person he recognized was Shang Zhaoxiang, whom he had met when he first joined the sect.

Additionally, there were some miscellaneous task disciples from the Ding District, most of whom were at the fifth layer of Qi Refining.

Unlike Chu Ning, whose expression was calm and composed, these disciples wore looks of excitement and anticipation.

When Chu Ning and Mu Ling arrived at the dojo, two cultivators who were clearly at the Foundation Establishment stage stood at the entrance.

"Fifth layer of Qi Refining? Go to the west side."

A middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator glanced at Chu Ning and instructed him directly.

Chu Ning immediately walked towards the west side, then casually glanced at Mu Ling.

He noticed that the other Foundation Establishment cultivator didn't make any demands of Mu Ling; he merely glanced at her and let her pass.

"Could it be that those at the fifth layer of Qi Refining won't be participating in the mission together? Then why are we gathering together?"

Chu Ning wondered, shaking his head slightly.

He then made his way to the west side and sat down.

Shang Zhaoxiang, who had apparently spotted Chu Ning, walked over and sat next to him.

"Junior Brother Chu, long time no see."

Shang Zhaoxiang took the initiative to speak, and Chu Ning stood up to return his greeting with a bow.

"Senior Brother Shang!"

Shang Zhaoxiang maintained his usual smile, then turned to Chu Ning, a hint of admiration in his voice as he said, "It's been over a year since we last met, and Junior Brother Chu has already reached the fifth layer of Qi Refining. Your cultivation progress is truly admirable."

"It's just a bit of luck," Chu Ning replied, unsure if Shang Zhaoxiang knew about his time at the Outer Gate and his encounter with Yan Ji.

What surprised Chu Ning slightly was that Shang Zhaoxiang didn't bring up any of those topics.

In fact, Chu Ning had expected him to casually mention Cao Dongxin, as they had been neighbors, and Cao Dongxin had gone missing later on.

However, Shang Zhaoxiang didn't bring that up either, only chatting with Chu Ning about some interesting incidents that had occurred among the plant-tending disciples in the Ding District.

As they chatted, more people arrived.

Scanning the crowd, Chu Ning realized that there were a total of over four hundred people gathered there.

"Is the sect gathering so many disciples with wood-attribute techniques because of that so-called Five Elements Grand Array?"

Chu Ning's thoughts were elsewhere as he listened to Shang Zhaoxiang's casual conversation.

A little while later, a voice suddenly rang out in the dojo.

"Greetings to the Sect Master!"

As these words were spoken, the entire dojo erupted into a buzz of excitement.

"The Sect Master?"

"Sect Master!"

Everyone exclaimed, craning their necks to look towards the front.

Chu Ning, too, was slightly taken aback.

Since joining the sect, he had naturally heard some rumors about the Sect Master.

According to legend, Qingxi Sect's Sect Master, Xin Wuyi, was a late-stage Pill Formation cultivator, and his strength was undeniably the best in the entire sect.

Even among the sect leaders of the seven major sects in the Qingxia Mountain Range, his strength was considered exceptional.

However, just like most of the disciples in the dojo, Chu Ning had only heard of his name and had never seen him in person.

In fact, since entering Qingxi Sect, Chu Ning had seen quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, but he hadn't come across a single Golden Core cultivator.

As he looked towards the front, he soon spotted a figure appearing in the air in front of the dojo.

The man had the appearance of a middle-aged man, dressed in a blue Daoist robe, with a faint immortal aura surrounding him, as if he had a thousand connections to the heavens and the earth.

His gaze was clear and calm, but when the disciples looked up at him, each one felt as if his eyes were looking directly into their hearts.

"Fellow disciples." Master Xin Wuyi's voice rang out in everyone's ears. "I have gathered you here today for a matter of utmost importance to our sect's prosperity and survival.

This task requires practitioners of the Qi Refining realm and those with Wood-attribute techniques; all of you here are the most suitable candidates."

Although Master Xin's voice was not loud, it resonated deeply within Chu Ning, stirring his heart.

His heartbeat seemed to echo the rhythm of the Master's words.

Chu Ning's heart raced, but he dared not make a sound.

"Those who participate in this mission will be rewarded by the sect with a mid-grade spiritual artifact, as well as various spirit pills and elixirs.

For those who make significant contributions, you will be promoted directly to inner sect disciples and granted access to the sect's supreme secret arts!"

Master Xin's promises further ignited the excitement of the crowd, who had already been stirred by his previous words.

As Qi Refining cultivators, the opportunity to contribute to the sect's critical mission was thrilling enough.

Now, with Master Xin's promises, almost everyone was eager to take on the challenge.

"Elder Zhu, Elder Gui!"

As Master Xin finished speaking, two more figures appeared beside him.

One was an elder with a black face, and the other was a red-robed elder.

Surprisingly, when these two stood beside Master Xin, they exuded an equally formidable aura.

This led Chu Ning and the others to realize that these elders were also at the Golden Core stage.

"Disciples at the sixth layer of Qi Refining and above will be led away by Elder Zhu first."

"As for disciples at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, Elder Gui will take care of them."

After speaking, Master Xin smiled at the group of Chu Ning and the others.

"You will be informed of the specifics of the mission once you arrive. I, the Sect Master, will await your triumphant return here in the sect!"

Along with these words, the black-faced elder flew above the crowd and produced a massive spirit boat, nearly a hundred feet in length.

Nearly three hundred disciples at the sixth layer of Qi Refining and above boarded the boat.

In a flash, the giant spirit boat disappeared from the sky.

"Was that too fast for me to see, or did they just teleport?"

Chu Ning was astonished as he watched the huge spirit boat vanish before his eyes.

"They say Golden Core cultivators have the power to move mountains and overturn seas; it seems that is indeed the case."

Just as Chu Ning was thinking this, Master Xin Wuyi's figure also disappeared.

At this moment, only the red-robed Elder Gui remained in the dojo.

"All of you are only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, and your cultivation is insufficient. The sect has specially refined a batch of pills to help you improve your strength. Everyone should take one and find a place to cultivate.

Within a day, you will be able to break through to the sixth layer of Qi Refining."

Elder Gui's voice echoed in everyone's ears, and with a wave of his sleeve, a pill appeared before each of the disciples.

"Breakthrough Pill!"

At this moment, several voices rang out from the west side of the dojo, filled with mixed emotions.

Evidently, some of the Qi Refining cultivators at the fifth layer were not entirely unfamiliar with this pill.

Upon hearing the name of the pill, the remaining hundred or so people in the dojo also reacted with varied expressions.

Aside from a very small number who had never heard of this pill, the rest wore looks of joy or astonishment.

Shang Zhaoxiang and the others were delighted, as they had been stuck at the fifth layer of Qi Refining for a long time due to their low talent, and the prospect of breaking through to the sixth layer was exciting.

As for the fact that this pill would hinder their cultivation progress afterward, they didn't care at all.

In the Ling Zhi courtyard, it was common for cultivators to be stuck at the fifth or sixth layer of Qi Refining for life, except for those who managed to advance to the Bing District.

So, without any hesitation, Shang Zhaoxiang, who was sitting next to Chu Ning, grabbed the pill and stood up to find a more spacious place to begin his meditation.

Over seventy others followed suit.

Compared to their decisive actions and elation, Chu Ning looked at the pill in his hand with a complex expression.

He had indeed heard of the Breakthrough Pill.

What surprised him was that the sect would use such a pill to forcibly raise their cultivation levels for this so-called mission, even at the cost of hindering their future progress.

Chu Ning scanned the crowd and noticed that nearly thirty people wore similar expressions of uncertainty.

Aside from one or two who seemed perplexed, probably unaware of the pill's effects, the rest showed hesitation and doubt.

These people were either outer sect disciples or young miscellaneous task disciples from the Ling Zhi courtyard's Bing District.

Just as the crowd hesitated, Elder Gui's figure flashed, and he appeared in their midst.

Instantly, a powerful pressure bore down on them.

"Why aren't you taking the pill? Are you worried that your cultivation will be affected in the future?"

Elder Gui asked in a calm tone.

"Rest assured, although this pill is similar to the Breakthrough Pill, it is a secret formula improved by the sect.

While it will indeed affect your cultivation progress afterward, it will only do so for a year.

During that year, your cultivation will not be able to advance to the seventh layer of Qi Refining, but after that period, there will be no further impact."

Hearing Elder Gui's explanation, most of the hesitant disciples' uncertainty gradually faded.

"Take the pills now!"

Elder Gui spoke again, and with the reassurance of a Golden Core elder and the weight of his oppressive aura, most of the disciples subconsciously swallowed the pills.

Elder Gui nodded in satisfaction and then scanned the crowd, his gaze landing on Chu Ning.

"Why aren't you taking it?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end