Chapter 326: Finally Understanding

Having just returned to his sect, Su Che couldn’t immediately retreat to cultivate, as there were still many trivial matters to handle. First and foremost was the fact that he had seized the Giant Wealth Palace and killed two Yuan Ying cultivators from the Taiyi Sect—these events needed to be publicly announced in a grand manner within the sect. This was not only to highlight his own achievements but also to warn all disciples to be cautious of the Taiyi Sect’s retaliation.

Undoubtedly, many people would come to Xuanyu Peak to see the legendary top defensive treasure in the cultivation world. So, Su Che simply made the Giant Wealth Palace appear, expanding it to a hundred zhang in size and placing it right on the top of Xuanyu Peak, allowing the disciples of Tianxuan Sect to admire it to their heart’s content. However, it could only be viewed from afar; no one was allowed to enter the palace, as Su Che planned to retreat inside to cultivate there, ensuring both safety and convenience.

The hundred-zhang-tall, golden-lit Giant Wealth Palace on top of Xuanyu Peak attracted hundreds of Golden Dan-level elders who came to offer their congratulations and admire it on the very same day. From the next day onward, more and more disciples also flocked there, making the top of Xuanyu Peak crowded to the point of being impassable.

Su Che didn’t suppress everyone’s curiosity. Xuanyu Peak was fully open, even to the lowest-ranked outer disciples who could enter and exit freely.

A top-grade Dao artifact belonging to Tianxuan Sect—what an exhilarating and glorious event! The entire sect was filled with joy, and everyone was overjoyed.

Why was it said that the Giant Wealth Palace had fallen to Tianxuan Sect? It was because everyone knew that Tian Yu would be the next supreme sect leader. Thus, the supreme leader’s personal magic weapon would surely contribute to the sect’s prosperity—to some extent, that was indeed the case.

During this time, Ning Lu, a true disciple from Xuan Yuan Peak, came to Xuanyu Peak to see Su Che and made another request to purchase those Witch Tribe vines. Her reason was that she was now at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment phase and was about to enter the Core Formation stage. As she had a Wood-type Heavenly Spirit Root, these vines were extremely important to her.

“Elder Brother, I know you have everything you need and surely find my price unattractive. So please help me—I just need one…” Ning Lu wore a pitiful expression, clearly not daring to make any unreasonable requests like finding a Dao partner.

“If you really need it, I can give you one. There’s no need to talk about buying or not,” Su Che said with a smile. “But these vines are quite special and highly aggressive. Aside from me, no one else will be spared—be very careful.”

These days, those Witch Clan vines are of no use to Su Che at all. They can’t even handle a cultivator in the early Golden Core stage, let alone be of any help in battle. Thus, within the Immortal Prison, they don’t even qualify as ornamental plants.

Besides, there are over a dozen vines, so it doesn’t matter to give Ning Lu one of them. As the eldest senior brother, Su Che wouldn’t be so stingy as to make her pay for it.

“It’s okay. I have my own way to subdue it.”

Ning Lu was very happy and immediately took out a cloth-patterned array diagram. Inside the array was a special garden-like space that Su Che had entered once during the Hundred Battles Arena competition.

So, Su Che took out a Witch Clan vine, and with a swish, Ning Lu trapped it inside the array.

As for how Ning Lu would subdue this kind of Witch Clan plant, Su Che didn’t bother to inquire further.

Seeing that Su Che really gave it to her for free without charging a penny, Ning Lu felt somewhat guilty and stammered, wanting to say something but holding back.

“It’s a trivial matter. Don’t worry too much, junior sister,” Su Che said with a smile.

“There are some things I shouldn’t have said…”

Ning Lu seemed to grit her teeth, mustering up the courage before saying, “Some time ago, by chance, I discovered that our master was secretly gathering information about you, trying to find your whereabouts… Enough. Thank you, senior brother. I’m leaving.”

Ning Lu’s expression was filled with conflict. After saying that, she picked up the array diagram and ran away.

“Venerable Xuan Yuan?”

Su Che frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, then sent a message to Grandmaster Mu Ye.

After that, Su Che went to the Spirit Herb Garden on Xuanji Peak. First, he found Linglong and said to her, “Senior sister, come with me to the third floor of the herb garden, to your father’s place.”

Clang!

Linglong’s small herb pestle fell to the ground as she stared at Su Che in shock, already guessing what had happened…

Her expression made Su Che feel pained. He stepped forward, wanting to comfort her, but not knowing what to say.

“He’s dead?” Linglong asked in a low voice.

“Yes,” Su Che nodded gently.

“Su Che, you avenged me, didn’t you?” Linglong’s expression was dazed.

“He’s dead,” Su Che replied. “I brought his body back from the Spirit Herb Mountain as well.”

“He’s really dead…”

Suddenly, Linglong burst into tears.

In the Immortal Prison, Lao Hei couldn’t help but say, “Master, don’t stand there foolishly. At a moment like this, you should open your broad and warm arms as a man and comfort her properly.”

Su Che was somewhat dazed. It had been years since he last saw Linglong cry. A voice in his heart urged him to do something…
Of course, it was his own voice, not Lao Hei’s deep tone.
But before Su Che could react, Linglong stepped forward two paces, threw herself into his arms, and burst into loud tears.
Su Che instinctively wrapped his arms around her, not knowing what to say.
After crying for a while, Linglong suddenly raised her head, looking at Su Che with tearful eyes, and asked through sobs, “Why don’t you speak?”
“I don’t know what to say,” Su Che replied, his expression and tone showing a hint of simplicity.
“You can be so silly too…”
A cool little hand touched Su Che’s cheek as she said, dazedly, “You’re so much taller than me now.”
It might sound strange, but it was true. Seven years ago, when Su Che first met Linglong, he was only fifteen, still a boy whose body hadn’t fully developed, roughly the same height as her.
But now, as a strong man, he was much taller than her.
“Linglong…”
Su Che’s heart trembled. It felt as though Linglong’s voice, tears, and small hand had melted something deep inside him.
“From now on, don’t call me senior sister anymore,” Linglong said softly, lowering her head and resting it on his shoulder. “I won’t call you senior brother either.”
“Okay.”
…
Half an hour later, Su Che left the spirit herb garden. Lu Changqing’s body had been handed over to the garden’s elders and Linglong, fulfilling his previous promise perfectly.
On his way back to Xuanju Peak, Su Che touched his left cheek, thinking of Linglong’s incredibly soft little hand…
That feeling was truly heart-stirring.
“Lao Hei, I think I’ve come to an understanding,” Su Che thought to himself.
“Haha, master, you’ve finally figured it out!” Lao Hei was extremely happy.
“But right now, two women’s faces keep popping into my mind—Linglong and Tianyin…” Su Che continued. “Which do you think is more suitable for me?”
In Su Che’s opinion, Linglong represented a kind of childhood bond, while Tianyin carried a very strange kind of attraction…
Overall, both women still seemed somewhat vague in his heart. It wasn’t as if he could immediately decide, “This is her! She’s the one who will accompany me to the end of my life.”

Lao Hei laughed and said, “The most important thing is to gain enlightenment. As for which one is more suitable for you, I wouldn’t dare give you advice. Such matters need to be explored over time; one day, you’ll naturally make your choice.” After saying the serious part, Lao Hei added some joking remarks, “If I must give advice, my opinion is that it would be great to have both. With a master as outstanding as you, no single woman is good enough for you. In the future, when you go to the Immortal Realm, there will be even more exquisite celestial maidens waiting for you.” Of course, Su Che ignored those joking words and stepped firmly onto Xuan Yu Peak. “Retreat! Clear the area!” Su Che roared. “Yes, Eldest Senior Brother!” “As ordered, Eldest Senior Brother Tian Yu!” “Understood, Eldest Senior Brother.” Responses echoed from countless disciples of Tian Xuan Sect. A few breaths later, the onlookers gathered at the top of Xuan Yu Peak to admire the Giant Wealth Palace vanished in an instant. Now, within the sect, no one dared defy Tian Yu’s orders. This retreat would be long—Su Che estimated it would take about a year and a half to reach the later stage of the Golden Dan realm. All physical requirements had already been met, so he could focus solely on cultivating his spiritual energy. From that day on, Su Che took two Grade 7 spirit pills per day, or one Grade 8 pill per day, or one Grade 9 pill every two days, or even one Grade 10 pill every four days. By taking pills of different grades at intervals, he could achieve the best absorption effect and avoid developing resistance to any particular type of pill. The monotonous and arduous cultivation began once again… Time flew by, and in just one year, the golden palace on Xuan Yu Peak still stood firm. Everyone in Tian Xuan Sect knew that by the day the palace gates opened, Tian Yu, the chief direct disciple, would have reached the later stage of the Golden Dan realm—no one doubted this. Almost every passerby would hover in the air to gaze at that massive palace for a while. Having such a top-grade Dao artifact right before one’s eyes was truly enviable, admirable, and tempting. Including the Giant Wealth Palace, there were only three top-grade Dao artifacts in the current cultivation world of Qi Yuan Star: one in Tian Yin’s hands at Wu Ji Sect, one in Su Che’s hands, and the other was the sacred treasure of the demonic sect, the Holy Demon Sect. Tens of thousands of years ago, there were dozens of top-grade Dao artifacts in the cultivation world, but as some cultivators who reached the Divine Transformation stage ascended to the Spirit Realm, they took those artifacts with them.

It is said that in the Spirit Realm, top-tier Dao artifacts are also extremely rare and highly valuable magical treasures. Within the various sects of the Spirit Realm, generally only cultivators at the Lingxu stage are eligible to be granted such artifacts…

During Su Che’s seclusion period, several of his relatives and friends also made progress in their cultivation. First, Linglong effortlessly succeeded in establishing her foundation. Two months later, Ninglu from Xuanju Peak also reached the Dan stage, becoming the tenth true disciple of Tianxuan Sect to achieve this level. Later on, Su Che’s father, Su Qinglin, finally advanced to the seventh layer of the Qi Cultivation stage, finally becoming a cultivator in the later stages of Qi cultivation. Unfortunately, Su Qinglin had poor innate talent; even with Su Che’s strong support, it was impossible for him to achieve much. If he could succeed in establishing his foundation in this life, it would be a great miracle for him, enough to leave him without regrets.

Su Che’s mother would come outside the Giant Wealth Palace every few days and stand there foolishly for a while. It wasn’t to wait for her son to emerge from seclusion; she simply had a neurotic worry: “Che keeps going into seclusion more and more often, for longer periods each time. What I fear most is that in a few decades, when I’m about to close my eyes, it will happen again—he’s in seclusion, and I won’t get to see him one last time before I die…”

And also! “Perhaps I won’t even get to see what my grandson looks like…”