Chapter 38: The Hehuan Sect

"What is it?" Chen Xuan asked as he saw Li Yangzi approaching.

"Sect Master," Li Yangzi reported, "Recently, the Sect Master of the Sun-Moon Sect and several major elders have disappeared simultaneously. The Yueshan Sect took the opportunity to seize the Sun-Moon Sect's territory, but we managed to capture a few portions for ourselves and have absorbed many of their disciples."

"We now have over seven hundred disciples in the sect."

"Among them, more than a hundred are in the Foundation Establishment stage."

"Hmm, well done. I will leave the sect's affairs to you from now on," Chen Xuan said, patting Li Yangzi on the shoulder.

"It is my duty." Li Yangzi nodded, then hesitated before adding, "There is one more thing..."

"Speak your mind," Chen Xuan replied directly.

"It is like this: among the newly recruited disciples, there is a young man who wishes to take you as his master. He has good aptitude and has been kneeling in front of the main hall for three hours every day. So..." Li Yangzi continued, "I wanted to ask for your opinion."

"Oh? Is that so?" Chen Xuan was surprised. Could the boy Li Yangzi mentioned be the new "filial" disciple? "Take me to see him."

"At this hour, he should still be kneeling before the main hall."

Upon arriving at the main hall, Chen Xuan indeed saw a young man kneeling motionless at the entrance.

"It's him?" Chen Xuan was somewhat taken aback. This boy was none other than Li Ergou, whom he had recently saved from the Hehuan Sect. He possessed the "Red Dust Saint Body," yet his aura of fortune was white. He had not expected that after only one encounter, the boy's filial piety value toward him had reached 100 points. He was certainly one who knew how to repay kindness. With a filial piety value of 100, which would provide at least 100 filial piety points daily, taking him as a disciple was not an unreasonable idea.

"Li Ergou, the Sect Master has come to see you," Li Yangzi said to the kneeling boy.

"Senior?!" Upon seeing Chen Xuan, Li Ergou was stunned for a moment before becoming incredibly excited. "Disciple Li Ergou pays his respects to the Sect Master."

"You want to take me as your master?" Chen Xuan asked.

"Yes!" Li Ergou kowtowed sincerely. "Please, Sect Master, accept me as your disciple."

"Why do you want to be my disciple?" Chen Xuan inquired.

"Previously, when I was being hunted by the Hehuan Sect, it was you who saved my life. I wish to repay that debt," Li Ergou replied.

"I did not save you out of any specific intent; I simply did not want others killing people on my territory," Chen Xuan said calmly. "Besides, if you truly wish to repay me, you can do so just as well as an ordinary disciple."

"Yes," Li Ergou said, clenching his fists. "But, I also need to improve my strength quickly."

"Why?" Chen Xuan asked. "Are you worried that the Hehuan Sect will continue to hunt you? Rest assured, they dare not come here."

"That is not it."

"Not that? Then what is it?" Chen Xuan asked, curious.

"It is my fiancée. She was forced to join the Hehuan Sect, and I need to improve my strength to rescue her."

Li Ergou's fiancée was named Ruyan. Their families were old acquaintances, and they had been betrothed since childhood. Some time ago, when Li Ergou went to propose, he was told that Ruyan had already joined the Hehuan Sect. He immediately set off for the sect to find her, which led to the conflict and the subsequent pursuit.

Chen Xuan realized the truth. He had not expected Li Ergou to be such a devoted soul; no wonder his aura of fortune was white. In this world of cultivation, emotions were often stumbling blocks on the path; countless prodigies had fallen due to the word "love." Thus, in this life, Chen Xuan's sole purpose was to increase his cultivation.

"How are you so certain she was forced?" Chen Xuan asked. As far as he knew, while the Hehuan Sect did engage in harvesting essence, they rarely resorted to forced recruitment. The "Hehuan" path relied on mutual consent; if the woman harbored even a hint of resistance, the dual cultivation would not yield any increase in power.

"Ruyan must have been forced," Li Ergou stated firmly. "We have a betrothal, and she has always said since we were children that she would marry me. How could she possibly 'dual cultivate' with other men?"

Chen Xuan smiled. Li Ergou's words were exactly as he had expected. However, he also felt a touch of admiration for the boy. Despite his lackluster fortune, his aptitude was excellent, he was honest and dedicated, and his filial piety value had reached 100. Chen Xuan had already made up his mind.

"In that case, I can take you to the Hehuan Sect to see your Ruyan," Chen Xuan said.

"What!" Li Ergou was overjoyed. "Thank you, Sect Master!"

"But let it be understood: if she is there of her own volition, you are not to interfere with her choice by force."

"Understood!"

...

At the Hehuan Sect, in a secluded cave dwelling, several disciples were carrying out a dozen pale-faced female disciples. Without exception, all had been forcefully drained of their inner spiritual energy, leaving them as cripples.

"Sect Master," Yao Mei said, looking with a pained expression at another beautiful, seductive woman beside her. "He has drained over thirty disciples this month alone. If this continues, even if the disciples don't revolt, our sect will perish simply because we have no disciples left."

A month ago, a man claiming to be a Holy Son of the Lingxiao Holy Land had arrived, demanding they teach him dual cultivation techniques. They had thought him a fraud, but he had effortlessly produced a holy artifact and the official token of the Lingxiao Holy Land.

"They are only a few dozen disciples, all of mediocre talent. If this allows us to gain the help of the Holy Land, our sect will surely reach new heights. Perhaps I might even be able to enter the Holy Land myself," Hong Qingtao said dismissively.

"But..." Yao Mei felt sick. The Hehuan disciples already had poor aptitude; that was why they resorted to the reputation-damaging practice of dual cultivation to raise their strength. To Hong Qingtao, however, these lives meant nothing.

"Didn't we agree to merge with the Xuandan Sect?" Yao Mei asked.

"I did say that, but circumstances have changed," Hong Qingtao replied. "That Chen Xuan has some strength and a holy artifact, but it is all thanks to the immortal treasures of the Xuandan Sect. He cannot compare to the Lingxiao Holy Land. Now that we have a chance to join the Holy Land, why would we join a sect that is still trying to grow?"

"But..." Yao Mei hesitated. She knew the Holy Land was better, but their behavior at the Hehuan Sect was clearly just using the disciples to fuel his own cultivation. Would they really let the Hehuan Sect join them? By comparison, when she had offered herself to Chen Xuan to help him, he had refused her. That was the act of a true gentleman.

"Say no more. My mind is made up," Hong Qingtao interrupted.

"Well said."