Chapter 127: Release

Despite feeling a bit uneasy, Su Che still fulfilled his duty. He walked over, bowed, and asked, “Senior brother, did you call me for a reason?”

“Nonsense. If there were no reason, why would I call you?”

The direct disciple wore a cold expression, clearly impatient, as if Su Che had come to trouble him.

As he spoke, he took out a beautifully crafted invitation and handed it to Su Che, his tone softening slightly. “It’s good that I ran into you. Please go to Tianji Peak on my behalf and deliver this invitation to Senior Sister Wuyou. She’s also a direct disciple. After completing this task, come back and let me know, and I’ll reward you with twenty spirit stones.”

After hearing this, Su Che remained calm. But in the Immortal Prison, Lao He was furious, roaring, “What the hell is this? Twenty spirit stones? It drives me crazy!”

Su Che bowed and said, “I’m sorry, senior brother. I have other matters to attend to and can’t help you with this.”

Xuanji Peak was over two thousand li away from Tianji Peak. With Su Che’s current strength, it would take four to five hours to make the round trip. Moreover, he wasn’t the disciple’s subordinate—why should he run errands for him?

The direct disciple was clearly stunned, not expecting Su Che to dare refuse him. He turned cold again and snarled, “Kid, you’re quite bold. What’s your name?”

He asked for Su Che’s name because he knew almost all the inner disciples with status and connections at Xuanji Peak. It was only because Su Che seemed unfamiliar that he acted so dismissively.

Although he strongly disapproved of such people, Su Che still planned to patiently explain a few things before leaving. But just as he was about to introduce himself, the solemn and authoritative voice of Venerable Xuanji rang in his ears.

“Songtao, stop being stubborn. Come see me immediately!”

Venerable Xuanji’s message was addressed to the direct disciple, but Su Che could hear it clearly. He also learned that the man’s alias was Songtao, and he ranked seventh among the ten direct disciples of Xuanji Peak.

“Yes, Master.”

Although he couldn’t see where Venerable Xuanji was, Songtao still bowed respectfully toward the peak’s summit. Then he turned back, glared fiercely at Su Che, and transmitted a message, “Kid, I remember your face. Wait for me.”

Su Che smiled faintly and turned to leave, thinking to himself, “I’ve met two direct disciples, and neither of them seems trustworthy. Is it possible that none of the direct disciples I sent are good people?”

Lao He also calmed down a bit and laughed, saying, “Master, if you quickly become a true disciple, it just means adding another good person to this group.” Su Che chuckled inwardly and put the matter out of his mind. That Song Tao was only at the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment phase; he himself was about to reach that stage soon. After that, how could he fear such a person? What was there to fear about being a true disciple? At this moment, Su Che was full of confidence in his own Foundation Establishment process. Back at the spiritual herb garden, Su Che met Linglong and Yu Qing. They were very happy to see him return safely. Su Che briefly recounted the various dangers in the Little Mi Immortal Realm. After that, Yu Qing nodded and said, “You truly are someone blessed with great fortune. You’ve made such significant contributions to our sect, which will be extremely beneficial for your future… Now I’m relieved.” After saying this, he asked, “In a few days, I’m going to Wuji Gate to complete a required task after Foundation Establishment. How about you? Are you interested in coming with me to Wuji Gate?” Su Che was indeed eager to see the world, but he could only decline, saying, “Senior brother, I plan to enter seclusion to cultivate my Foundation tomorrow. I doubt I’ll be able to go with you.” “Foundation Establishment?” Yu Qing and Linglong were immediately shocked and said in unison, “Isn’t that too hasty?” “That’s what the master instructed,” Su Che replied. Too lazy to explain his physical condition to everyone, he simply used Venerable Xuanji as an excuse. “I see…” Yu Qing nodded lightly and had nothing more to say. Since it was the master’s instruction, there must be a reason behind it. Linglong, however, sized Su Che up from head to toe with a strange look in her eyes… After a while, she said, “I can see—it’s not human!” “What?” Su Che was stunned. Feeling somewhat guilty, he assumed she possessed some supernatural ability like the Fiery Golden Eyes, allowing her to see through his impure human bloodline, tainted by the essence of some ancestor or god from the Witch Clan… Unexpectedly, Linglong’s next words were, “You’re not human—you’re a monster, a demon, beyond ordinary comprehension. Never mind. I’m sure I can’t catch up with you. I’d better go back to my old carefree life.” Before Su Che could say anything, Yu Qing immediately reprimanded her, “Linglong, you must not be lazy in cultivation. Don’t make excuses to slack off. Since Su Che has returned safely, we can rest assured. From tomorrow, you should enter seclusion again!”

Only then did Su Che realize that although Linglong had great potential, she didn’t like to cultivate and preferred a leisurely lifestyle. A few days ago, she had still been somewhat unwilling to accept her own situation and thought about working hard to surpass him, but today, upon hearing that she was about to start the foundation-building stage, she lost her fighting spirit and wanted to slack off again.

Linglong couldn’t find a valid reason to counter her cousin, so she could only glare at Su Che angrily and silently send a message, “It’s all your fault. Just wait for it!”

Su Che smiled helplessly, thinking to himself, Well, I’ve just returned to the sect, and already two people are telling me to wait. Could it be that I’m surrounded by an aura of hatred, making everyone who sees me want to pick a fight with me?

After joking around for a while, Su Che took his leave. Instead of returning to his cultivation cave, he first went to Wuhua Peak to buy two items, then flew hundreds of miles outside the mountain gates to a secluded place in the wilderness.

What was he doing here?

Su Che planned to release Zheng Rong and Fei Yun from the Immortal Prison.

Seeing that Su Che really intended to do this, Lao He had to remind him, “Master, although the two of them have been in a coma and know nothing about the situation in the Immortal Prison, releasing them really does carry some risks for you.”

“There are risks,” Su Che nodded. “But they aren’t prisoners captured for wrongdoing, nor have they done anything wrong to me. I can’t deprive them of their freedom just because of my own reasons. That would be too unfair to them, and I’d feel guilty too.”

Lao He muttered under his breath, “The cultivation world is so cruel. It’s fine to be a bit selfish.”

“No!” Su Che retorted immediately. “I never claim to be a righteous person, but in certain matters, one must clearly distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise, I’d consider myself unworthy of possessing a divine artifact like the Immortal Prison.”

Su Che believed that if one acted out of self-interest and captured anyone indiscriminately into the Immortal Prison, one day the Immortal Prison Pagoda would abandon them and find a more suitable master.

Treasures have spirits; only those with virtue can possess them. Those without virtue, even if they possess them temporarily, will eventually lose them.

Fortunately, Su Che already had a plan for dealing with Zheng Rong and Fei Yun. Releasing them, despite the slight risks, wasn’t a big deal.

Bang, bang!

Su Che took out two long rectangular boxes and threw them on the ground. They looked like two crystal coffins.

Indeed, they were a type of coffin, known in the cultivation world as “fake-death coffins.”

Generally speaking, a Qiankun Bag cannot hold living people, as its storage space lacks any conditions for survival. Thus, people developed this type of fake-death coffin, which can be used to place those who are injured and unable to move, after which they are put into the Qiankun Bag. In this way, the injured can lower their vital signs to a minimum through a state of suspended animation inside the coffin, allowing them to survive for months or even a year or two. Su Che opened the lid of the fake-death coffin, placed Zheng Rong and Fei Yun inside separately, and then used a special method to awaken them. The two woke up almost at the same time; having been asleep for twenty days, they certainly needed some time to regain their clarity of mind. “Su Che, where is this? Have we gotten rid of them?” Fei Yun still retained her memories from before falling asleep, thinking she had only slept for a short while and was still in the Xiaomi Immortal Realm, facing the threat of being hunted. “You two have been asleep for twenty days. We’ve already left the Xiaomi Immortal Realm,” Su Che said with a smile. “Congratulations, you’ve safely returned to the normal world.” “What? We’re out?” Fei Yun and Zheng Rong immediately jumped out of the coffin and indeed saw a very familiar landscape. “We’re out! We’re really alive!” They were naturally overjoyed. They had entered the Xiaomi Immortal Realm out of necessity, and psychologically, they cared nothing about searching for treasures; what really mattered was their own lives. Being able to leave the Xiaomi Immortal Realm alive was the greatest fortune. “That day, I put you two into the fake-death coffin and then into the Qiankun Bag. After that…” Su Che kept it brief, briefly recounting some events in the Xiaomi Immortal Realm and the subsequent changes. After listening, Fei Yun and Zheng Rong fell into deep thought, each pondering their own future. Zheng Rong was the first to speak: “Junior brother Su, thank you for saving my life and bringing me out of the Xiaomi Immortal Realm safely. I can’t express enough gratitude. In the future, Zheng Rong will surely repay you.” Su Che nodded with a smile, showing no pretense of modesty. Zheng Rong continued, “I don’t want to go back to the Tianxuan Sect, nor can I! I’ve completely lost faith in that so-called master, the ‘Heavenly Treasure Venerable’.” “It’s fine not to go back. The world is vast; there’s always a place to live,” Su Che said meaningfully. “Besides, you have great fortune ahead, and your future achievements are boundless.” “Huh?” Zheng Rong was shocked, looking at Su Che in terror, unable to understand how Su Che knew his secret.

Back then, Zheng Rong received a stroke of fortune that enabled him to reach the ultimate stage of Qi Cultivation. However, he was framed by the mastermind behind Tianwu Zun, causing him to violate the sect rules and be punished by being sent to the Xiaomi Immortal Realm. Yet, even less than one-tenth of that fortune was utilized, yet it still promised Zheng Rong a very bright future. Now that Su Che knew of this secret, Zheng Rong’s first reaction was, “Could he be envious? Could he develop greed?”