Chapter 81 Master's Investment, Initial Discussion in Qingyuan

The spiritual light of the Lingyun Cave Dwelling had just lit up when Liu Qingyan sensed the aura of a Disciple.

Seeing Lin Yue arrive alone, she set down the Pill Furnace in her hand and raised an eyebrow. "How strange. I never see you visit on ordinary days, yet today you have so much free time to come and visit this Revered Master of yours?"

These words made Lin Yue blush involuntarily; ever since he had become her Disciple, he had failed to follow the etiquette of visiting East Peak to pay his respects every few days.

"Revered Master, this Disciple implores you to lend me eight Golden Core Grade Magic Treasures to stabilize the Spiritual Veins of the two Medicine Gardens." Lin Yue bowed and spoke with an earnest tone. "As long as the Spiritual Veins are stabilized, within a year, the two Medicine Gardens will be able to produce sufficient high-grade Spirit Medicine. By then, I will certainly return the Magic Treasures and offer a thirty percent share of the profits."

Liu Qingyan tapped her fingertips against the stone table, her gaze scrutinizing him. "Eight Golden Core Grade Magic Treasures—even East Peak only has ten left. Furthermore, lending them out carries great risk; if someone covets them, you would not be able to protect them at all."

Lin Yue's heart sank. Just as he was about to plead further, he heard Liu Qingyan change the subject. "However, the potential of these two Medicine Gardens is not small. If managed properly, they will be a source of endless resources in the future. I can provide the eight Golden Core Magic Treasures and even advance the Spirit Stones for the initial restoration, but I have two conditions."

"Please speak, Revered Master."

"First, I want to invest. I will take a thirty percent share of the profits from the two Medicine Gardens." Liu Qingyan said indifferently. "This thirty percent of the profits will not go to me personally, but will be deposited into the East Peak treasury to be used for the cultivation of the Disciples in the peak."

Lin Yue expressed his agreement with this request.

"Second, these two Medicine Gardens will temporarily be registered under my name." Liu Qingyan added. "Although Wu Tianli has escaped, he has operated in the Sect for many years and has many accomplices. Registering them under my name is to tell everyone that these two Medicine Gardens are under the protection of East Peak. Whoever dares to reach out their hand must first ask my pure spirit immortal flute."

A warm current surged in Lin Yue's heart. How could he not know Liu Qingyan's intention? Registering them under her name not only blocked open threats and hidden arrows but also solved the problem of Magic Treasures and Spirit Stones. This was not an investment; it was clearly her protecting him.

"This Disciple obeys." Lin Yue bowed in thanks. "It is just that having thirty percent of the profits go to East Peak—I fear it wrongs you, Revered Master."

"If you truly feel bad about it, then manage the Medicine Garden well and Cultivate a few capable Disciples for East Peak in the future." Liu Qingyan laughed, flicking her finger, and a Storage Pouch flew toward Lin Yue. "Inside are eight Golden Core Grade Magic Treasures, all of which are East Peak's treasures for stabilizing formations, as well as ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, enough to repair the Spiritual Veins and Cultivate the Spirit Medicine in the initial stages."

The spiritual light of the Lingyun Cave Dwelling had just shone when Lin Yue was already heading to the depths of the Hundred Herbs Medicine Garden—according to Liu Qingyan's guidance, three earth vein nodes needed to be excavated for the base of the Zhou Tian Star Array to resonate completely with the Spiritual Veins.

A He, Su Qingyuan, and others accompanied him, while Ling Wei carried the Formation Flags, ready to set up the formation eye at any time.

Just as they dug to the third node, they suddenly struck something hard, emitting a crisp "clang" sound.

Lin Yue leaned down and brushed away the soil, revealing a pitch-black stone tablet. The body of the tablet was covered in twisted blood patterns, faintly exuding an unsettling and ominous Evil Qi.

As soon as the black stone tablet appeared, the surrounding soil instantly turned scorched black. The gentle Spiritual Qi that had originally lingered in the Medicine Garden receded like the tide, replaced by a bone-chilling coldness. The twisted blood patterns on the tablet suddenly lit up, slithering and crawling like living snakes, emitting a nauseating, fishy, and sweet scent. That Evil Qi was not ordinary malevolence but carried a domineering quality that devoured life force and eroded the Sea of Consciousness. Even Lin Yue felt a sharp pain in his Sea of Consciousness, as if the whispers of countless aggrieved souls were ringing in his ears.

"Hiss—what heavy Evil Qi!" Su Qingyuan subconsciously took half a step back, and the Flying Sword in her palm actually emitted a resonant sound. "This aura... is so ferocious!"

The two accompanying East Peak Disciples knelt directly on the ground, clutching their chests with both hands, with blood spilling from the corners of their mouths; clearly, the Evil Qi had already invaded their Meridians.

A He frowned tightly, her fingertips condensing a pale cyan spiritual charm to protect the crown of the Disciple beside her. She said urgently, "The Evil Qi is polluting the Spiritual Veins! Look at the Spirit Plant over there!"

Lin Yue followed her gaze and saw that a few Dew-Condensing Grasses that were about to mature not far away had rapidly withered, their leaves turning black and curling up, their originally abundant Spiritual Qi having been completely devoured by the Evil Qi.

His heart tightened, and he dared not show the slightest negligence. He said in a deep voice, "Ling Wei, set up the Three Talents Defense Array! A He, use the Spirit Nurturing Technique to protect the Spiritual Vein nodes! Qingyuan, Ning Shuang, guard the surroundings and prevent the Evil Qi from attracting demonic entities!"

Before his voice had faded, Lin Yue had already drawn the Golden Core Grade Magic Treasure "Diamond Shield" that Liu Qingyan had gifted him from his waist. After injecting spiritual power into it, the shield instantly expanded to the size of a zhang, shining with brilliant golden light and enveloping everyone within.

The Evil Qi collided with the golden light, emitting a "hissing" corrosive sound. A layer of black mist actually rose on the surface of the shield; clearly, this Evil Qi could even corrode Golden Core Magic Treasures.

"This stone tablet is not right!" Ling Wei's movements were extremely fast. Three Formation Flags flew into the air and were nailed to the three sides of the stone tablet, forming a triangular barrier. Pale purple formation light intertwined with the golden light, temporarily blocking the spread of the Evil Qi. "The blood patterns are the marks of the ancient demonic formation 'Soul-Devouring Pulse-Locking Array'. This stone tablet is not naturally formed at all; it is a Demonic Weapon refined by someone!"

Lin Yue leaned down to stare at the stone tablet, and he saw that deep within the blood patterns, dark red liquid was faintly flowing, as if it were fresh blood. He extended his finger, his fingertip swirling with a trace of pure spiritual power to test it. As soon as it touched the body of the tablet, he was pulled by a violent suction force, and the Primordial Spirit in his Sea of Consciousness showed signs of being pulled out.

"Careful!" A He acted in time, a green vine wrapping around Lin Yue's wrist and pulling him back. "This Demonic Weapon can devour the Primordial Spirit of a Cultivator and the power of the Spiritual Veins! The Spiritual Veins of the Medicine Garden were unstable before; I fear it was being secretly drained by this!"

As they spoke, the blood patterns on the stone tablet became increasingly intense, and the surrounding Evil Qi condensed into countless tiny black shadows, roaring as they pounced toward the defensive array.

The golden light of the Diamond Shield began to dim, cracks appeared in the light of the Three Talents Array, and the aura of the two injured Disciples grew increasingly weak.

Lin Yue made a decisive decision and took out another Golden Core Magic Treasure, the "Soul-Suppressing Bell," from his Storage Pouch. Driven by spiritual power, the sound of the bell was deep and far-reaching, shaking those black shadows until they scattered one after another.

"Ning Shuang, Qingyuan, use fire poison and Sword Intent to whittle down the black shadows! A He, borrow the power of your Spirit Nurturing Technique to protect the Spiritual Vein nodes from being eroded by the Evil Qi! Ling Wei, adjust the Formation Flags and change the Three Talents Array into a Seal array; I will use the Soul-Suppressing Bell to assist you!"

Everyone immediately performed their respective duties. Luo Ningshuang sacrificed the fire poison and threw it at the black shadows; the fire poison instantly surged when it met the Evil Qi, turning into raging flames. Su Qingyuan used her Sword Intent to temporarily force back the Evil Qi. A He sat cross-legged, her hands forming Seals, and pale cyan spiritual charm poured continuously into the earth vein nodes, protecting the remaining vitality of the Spiritual Veins. Ling Wei's forehead was sweating as she constantly adjusted the position of the Formation Flags, chanting words, and the light of the Three Talents Array gradually turned dark gold, emitting the power of a Seal.

Lin Yue held the Soul-Suppressing Bell, leaped into the air above the stone tablet, and suspended the bell above the top of the tablet, injecting spiritual power continuously. The ringing of the Soul-Suppressing Bell became increasingly urgent, the runes carved on the body of the bell lit up, and it echoed with the light of the Seal array, forming a huge golden light shield that completely enveloped the black stone tablet.

"Hah!" Lin Yue gave a low shout, his fingertips forming a Seal to draw a portion of the power of the Spiritual Veins into the Seal array. The blood patterns on the stone tablet twisted violently, emitting a shrill scream, as if resisting the Seal. The Evil Qi frantically rammed into the light shield, golden light and blood-red light constantly intertwined and collided, and the entire Medicine Garden was trembling slightly.

Half an hour later, sweat oozed from Lin Yue's temples, and his spiritual power was exhausted greatly, but the blood patterns on the stone tablet finally dimmed, and the Evil Qi was gradually suppressed back into the body of the tablet. The light shield of the Seal array completely solidified, locking the black stone tablet firmly, and the surrounding Spiritual Qi slowly began to flow back.