Chapter 22: Return to the Origin, Late Stage of the Mystic Apprentice

  "Brother, are you going to practice outside again today?" Xǔ Yú asked pitifully, hugging her pillow.

  "Mm." Xu Yang gazed at the sparse stars in the sky and said softly.

  Xu Yu pouted and went back into the house, covering her head with a quilt.

  Her brother seemed to have changed into a different person, speaking much less, doing things more efficiently, and seemingly learning many new things, his abilities also greatly improved. However, there were also some bad changes, that was her brother no longer slept with her like when they were young. Xǔ Yu thought silently in her heart, then entered dreamland.

  After arriving in this golden age filled with abundant spiritual energy, Xu Yang felt that every inch of time was incredibly precious. He couldn't control his urge to absorb spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, as if only through the abundance of spiritual energy could he truly feel the reality of this world.

  Xu Yang unfolded the "Dynamic and Static Guide to Qigong", took a deep breath, and let the energy in his meridians surge and flow for a cycle before slowly exhaling. The Eight Extremes Xuan Energy surged into the Star Ocean, making this ocean even more vast and condensed. At the same time, the abundant Xuan Energy also seeped into his limbs and bones with Xu Yang's movements, making his physical body even stronger.

  In Xuyang's Star Ocean, the Eight Poles of Mystical Energy are divided into eight regions, each with its own distinct characteristics.

  The next morning.

  Xu Yang slowly exhaled his last breath of turbid air and sprang up. He examined his current state and was delighted to discover that, stimulated by yesterday's battle with Xu Zhengming, who was at the Xuan Shi level, his Star Sea had expanded by more than double, successfully breaking through and advancing to the late stage of Xuan Tu.

  Xu Yang tried to punch out a fist, and the whistling sound of breaking through the air rang out. His punching power was much higher than before, now having forty kilograms of strength!

  Forty kilograms of strength can be compared to the physical strength of a mid-level Xian!

  Such a deep accumulation, Xu Yang cannot foresee that one day he will be promoted to Xuan Shi, and his physical body will be so strong.

  "It's not just because of the breakthrough in boundaries, but also because of the huge increase in physical strength, and there is a considerable relationship with the cultivation of the Panshi body." Xuyang's spirit was lifted, and he moved out the medicine cauldron from the house, poured in clear water, and began to temper his body as usual.

  Time passed day by day, and Xu Yang's daily life was spent going back and forth to Qianbao Pavilion, buying medicinal materials, refining medicine, during which he also refined a kind of ordinary medicine called "Guiyuan San", which could eliminate part of the physical fatigue.

  This unprecedented miracle medicine is even more popular than the hemostatic powder. Those adventurers who lick blood from their blades, in the Giant Python Mountains, if they encounter a fierce beast with equal strength, can rely on the power of the Return to Origin Powder to hold on for a while longer, until the beast exhausts itself. To put it bluntly, when faced with an irresistible danger, one dose of Return to Origin Powder can help adventurers run faster and farther than their companions.

  North of Lin Yuan City, Huo Yun Daoist Temple.

  A group of people slowly walked to the entrance of the Daochang, and a man with a whisker-like beard at the front handed a map to the gatekeeper.

  The gatekeeper on duty today was a middle-aged Taoist priest, tall and thin. He looked at the team and asked immediately, "Wei Lao Da, what's going on? Several disciples are missing!"

  Wei Haoshan with a goatee coldly snorted and said: "What's going on, didn't Hong Xi tell you? Calculating the days, he should have returned long ago."

  A tall and thin Daoist exclaimed in surprise: "Old Hong! Isn't he acting with you? How can he come back first?"

  "What? Old Hong hasn't come back?" Not only Wei Haoshan, but also Lu Zhuo sensed the severity of the situation.

  At first, Hong Xi volunteered to chase and kill Xu Yang. After a long time, he did not return, and Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo thought that Hong Xi was greedy for merit and had returned to Lin Xuan City to ask for credit, so they didn't pay attention to it. Who would have thought that Hong Xi would lose his hand!

  "I'm going to see the master!" Wei Haoshan's forehead broke out in cold sweat, and he immediately rushed past the guards, dashing towards the inner chamber.

  The Huoyun Daochang is divided into three major areas: the Tu Na area, the Yan Wu field, and the Xiuxi area. Among them, the Tu Na area consists of large and small quiet rooms, the Yan Wu field is a vast open space, and the largest area is the Xiuxi area, which not only includes many rooms for the door masters and Daochang teachers to live in but also includes bathing areas.

  Wei Haoshan rushed all the way to the center of the rest area, which was also the courtyard where the Gate Master was located.

  The master of the Huoyun Daochang was a big fat man, with a smile on his face that seemed to be a Maitreya Buddha. However, only those who knew his methods understood that the seemingly silly smile hid cunning and ruthlessness behind it.

  After listening to Wei Haoshan's account, the gate master's chubby face still had a smile: "You're saying that you, Lu Zhuo and Hong Xi, three Xuan Shi walked together on the bitter cultivation path of Qimen Daochang, and as a result, they lost 5 disciples, and Hong Xi went missing?"

  Wei Haoshan bowed deeply: "Yes, Master of the Gate, I accept your punishment."

  Huoyunmen's master asked in a deep voice: "Has that guy named Xuyang returned?"

  Wei Haoshan was unaware of this matter, but someone beside him replied: "Reporting to the master, someone saw Xuyang return to Lin Yuan City five days ago."

  "Alright, you three masters joined forces and couldn't even protect 15 of your own disciples. One lowly cultivator killed five of them! Hong Xi has gone missing, he must be fleeing in guilt! Pass down my order: from now on, if anyone sees Hong Xi within the Lin Yuan City limits, capture him immediately! As for Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo, deduct a month's salary and strip them of their guide qualifications for half a year!" Although his words were stern, Fire Cloud Sect Master's chubby face still wore a smile, as if it was set in place.

  Wei Haoshan felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. Losing ten Wolf Coins, which was equivalent to one month's salary, wasn't too severe, but losing the qualification to be a guide within half a year was much more serious.

  For these guides, leading a team of ascetics on an expedition is a bit tiring, but they can use the safe routes provided by the Taoist temple to search for treasures. According to the rules of the ascetic's luck, if the guide finds treasure, it can also be put into their own pocket.

  Losing the qualification of a guide also means that in the Taoist temple, one no longer has certain privileges conducive to cultivation, such as learning Taoist skills and mysteries, asking questions and resolving doubts, etc.

  "Master Men, what about Xu Yang?" a teacher from Huoyun Daoist Temple asked.

  The smile on Huoyunmen's face suddenly turned gloomy: "Of course, he can't be let off easily. Lu Zhuo, Wei Haoshan! Give you a chance to atone for your crimes, go and capture Xu Yang for me!"

  Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo behind him were excited, and they quickly responded.

  After the two walked out of the courtyard, one in front and one behind, the Taoist priest who had spoken up smiled and said: "The master of the sect initially punished them severely, but later brought up Xu Yang's topic. It seems that he wanted to give them an opportunity. Did the master not intend to punish them severely from the beginning?"

  Huoyunmen's chubby face was beaming with a smile: "Those who know me, Lian Ting is! Although these two have made mistakes, they are much better than Hong Xiqiang, who fled in fear of punishment. Moreover, their mission was accomplished with great success, and the bitter cultivation team of Qimen Daochang was completely annihilated! I suppose that for the past few days, old Qi of Qimen Daochang must be sitting on pins and needles, haha!"

  PS: Saturday and Sunday's two updates remain unchanged, but the first update time is requested to be postponed for three hours. Xiao Ya has something to do on Saturday and Sunday mornings and may not be able to update at noon. Sorry about that.