Digging Channels and Channeling Water

After bidding farewell to Murong Gong and the others, Chen Ping'an stared at the black dog in front of him.

He actually didn't think the dog looked ferocious. 

But he was still a bit apprehensive.

Seeing Chen Ping'an looking at him, the black python quickly wagged its tail and stuck out its tongue.

It had to curry favor with this new master!

Only then could it stay!

Seeing the black dog acting this way, Chen Ping'an's eyes lit up slightly.

He took a deep breath, deciding that Murong Gong wouldn't deceive him, and carefully said, "Come closer."

Upon hearing these words, the black python turned into a wisp of smoke and ran up to Chen Ping'an.

Seeing that the black dog could actually understand him, Chen Ping'an's eyes lit up again.

If this black dog meant no harm and could submit to him, even though it was a demonic beast, it could still guard the door, which would be quite useful.

"Ahem, if you can understand me, nod your head," Chen Ping'an tried again.

The black python quickly nodded its head.

Chen Ping'an was now finally convinced that this black dog was quite intelligent.

"Do you really eat vegetables?"

The black dog nodded again.

"Will you hurt people?"

This time, the black dog didn't nod. Instead, it first showed a ferocious look, then barked twice, and finally returned to sticking out its tongue and wagging its tail, looking obedient.

Chen Ping'an understood.

It was saying that it would harm evildoers?!

"Haha, you're not bad!"

Chen Ping'an became cheerful.

Having such a dog to guard the door would be great.

Chen Ping'an studied the black dog a bit more, then told it to lie down under the peach tree.

Seeing the black dog actually go there and lie motionless, Chen Ping'an laughed heartily and incessantly.

He really liked this black dog.

...

At this time, in the center of the mainland, there was a mountain range where the spiritual energy was so dense it was like fog or mist.

Various spiritual herbs were planted at the base of the mountains, presenting a magnificent sight.

Currently, at the center of the mountain range, there was a powerful formation array.

Inside the array, a Taoist priest in blue robes paced back and forth, staring at a plant in front of him with an anxious expression on his face.

His blue robes were embroidered with an alchemy furnace pattern.

He was Ximen Chen, the grand master of the Alchemists' Association.

The plant in front of him was a flower that had fully bloomed, with five differently colored petals.

This was a spiritual herb called the Longevity Flower, reaching the eighth rank.

Only when the five petals fell could the seeds be harvested.

Consuming the seeds could extend one's life by a few years.

If the seeds were refined into an extremely rare longevity pill, it could extend one's life by twenty years.

However, this spiritual herb was quite peculiar. If it wasn't harvested when fully matured, it would have no effect at all.

Seeing that not a single leaf had fallen, Ximen Chen felt extremely anxious.

He then flashed and vanished from the spot.

He reappeared in a room where an elderly woman lay on a bed, coughing incessantly.

The old woman was very aged, with sparse white hair and a look of impending death.

"My son, don't worry about your mother anymore. Just take care of yourself in the future..."

Sensing someone's arrival, the old woman opened her dim, world-weary eyes and feebly spoke.

Hearing his mother's voice, Ximen Chen clenched his fists, his eyes reddening.

He had achieved great accomplishments, becoming one of the top experts in the mortal realm and even the grand master of the Alchemists' Association!

But his birth mother had no spiritual roots and couldn't cultivate. Although he had constantly refined longevity pills for her, this day had still come.

"Mother, hold on a little longer. It won't be long before I can refine the longevity pill..." 

Ximen Chen approached, forcing a smile on his face.

The old woman creased her brow like the layered pages of a book and smiled weakly. "My son, you may have grown older, but you're still like when you were little - you can't lie... As an ordinary mortal, I've lived for hundreds of years, which is already enough..."

Hearing this, Ximen Chen's eyes reddened further.

"Mother, believe me, your son will let you keep living!"

The old woman sighed.

She could already sense that she might only have a few days left.

Ximen Chen quickly left the room and reappeared under a tree.

He gritted his teeth and punched the large tree in front of him with all his might.

The tree shook violently, shedding a flurry of falling leaves.

It seemed to presage the inevitable return to the earth.

Just as Ximen Chen felt utterly helpless, his communication talisman started vibrating again.

He had no desire to deal with Alchemists' Association matters and no energy for it either.

But the talisman had already vibrated many times. 

In a foul mood, he infused it with spiritual energy, preparing to unleash a torrent of curses.

But he only cursed for a moment before suddenly stopping.

Listening to the voice coming from within, he seemed to see a glimmer of hope.

His entire being vanished from the spot.

Two hours later, he flashed into existence before a grand formation array. 

Looking at the array before him, he took a deep breath.

He had just learned that a mysterious sect had appeared here!

On the very day this sect was established, and not long ago, celestial immortals had actually descended to the mortal realm!

He heard reports from his subordinates that this sect was even sheltered by a divine implement!

In any case, this sect was extremely mysterious and quite likely had a way to prolong the life of someone on the verge of death.

So he rushed over, hoping to find the immortals and ask for longevity pills. 

Then he wouldn't need to refine them himself.

If not, he would see if this mysterious sect had any way to accelerate the Longevity Flower's maturation, or directly help extend his mother's life.

Even just a few months would be acceptable!

Gazing at the grand formation before him, he released his cultivation base and called out, "The grand master of the Alchemists' Association requests an audience with Senior Murong!"

He had already learned everything about the Ping'an Sect from his subordinates, including the name of its strongest elder.

He hadn't called out for long before Murong Gong flashed into appearance before him. 

Seeing Ximen Chen's attire and sensing his cultivation level, Murong Gong could confirm that he was indeed the Alchemists' Association's grand master.

"Greetings, Grand Master," Murong Gong cupped his fists and addressed him in a neither humble nor arrogant manner.

Murong Gong was very worldly and had seen a great deal. Even celestial immortals addressed him as "brother." Faced with such an expert now, he simply treated him as an equal.

Ximen Chen already knew of Murong Gong's deeds. Though seeing that Murong Gong was only at the Merged Cultivation realm, he showed no disrespect. Instead, he was extremely deferential, bowing respectfully before speaking, "Sect Master Murong, may I ask if those two immortals are still present?" 

Hearing this, Murong Gong shook his head definitively. "They've already returned to the immortal realms."

Ximen Chen's expression became quite unsightly as he bit his lip. Placing his final hope in Murong Gong, he said, "Then Sect Master Murong, I ask if your sect has any longevity pills or treasures that can prolong life? My mother's life is nearing its end, and I am powerless to help. If you have any, I'm willing to trade everything I possess!"

Hearing these words, Murong Gong was dazed for a moment before sadly smiling, "I really don't have any such longevity pills or treasures to accelerate the Longevity Flower's growth..." 

In fact, he didn't have any, but he didn't know if his senior immortal had such things.

Seeing Ximen Chen suddenly looking utterly dejected, he then grasped at the last lifeline and said, "Then...could Sect Master Murong contact that divine implement? If possible, I beg you to make inquiries. I'm willing to give you everything I possess!"

Ximen Chen was born into an ordinary mortal family and raised by his mother alone from a young age.

Despite all these years and his great accomplishments, he had never forgotten that impoverished period of his childhood.

One year there was a famine, and his mother refused to eat, giving him all the remaining food.

Her words saying "Mother has already eaten," still lingered in his heart.

Hearing this, Murong Gong looked pained. 

He didn't dare casually bring Ximen Chen to see his senior immortal.

"This I really cannot do..." Murong Gong said with a bitter smile.

Moreover, he and Ximen Chen were not close acquaintances.

He didn't want to inadvertently offend his senior over an unfamiliar person.

However, just as he finished saying this, a loud thump sounded out.

Ximen Chen had suddenly knelt down!

At this moment, Ximen Chen didn't care if there were others around.

He was willing to do anything for his mother.

Murong Gong was taken aback and hurriedly tried to help him up.

"Grand Master, you shouldn't demean yourself like this!"

Ximen Chen looked at him beseechingly. "Sect Master Murong, I'm willing to become your servant! I beg you to help me this once!"

Murong Gong's lips twitched as he hesitated, before finally saying, "Here's what we'll do – go take a walk in that direction over there. As for the rest, I can't say too much. Some things depend on destiny."

He could only point Ximen Chen in the right direction.

As for whether he could meet the senior immortal, that was entirely up to his own destiny and fortune.

Or one could say, it depended on whether the senior was willing to help him.

Because Murong Gong felt that his senior had likely already foreseen all of this.

Hearing this, Ximen Chen kowtowed deeply to Murong Gong, then took his leave and hurried off in that direction. 

Murong Gong shook his head and returned to consolidating his cultivation.

Ximen Chen flew in the direction Murong Gong had pointed, sensing all around him to try and detect the aura of the divine implement. 

He mistakenly thought Murong Gong was referring to the trail of the divine implement.

Meanwhile, in a small grove in the town of Qing'yuan, Chen Ping'an was dressed plainly as he carried two buckets of mud, dumping it under a large tree before heading back towards his courtyard. 

He had decided to dig irrigation channels connecting the three fields to the water.

The small pond was always full anyway. 

After linking the channels to the three plots of land, he wouldn't need to water them anymore.

Su Ling was digging the channels while he was responsible for dumping the mud.

Chen Ping'an had already dumped several buckets of mud and was now whistling as he returned to town.

What he didn't know was that the mud dumped at the base of the large tree was swirling with a mysterious vapor.

Under the effects of this mud, the large tree started rapidly growing taller at a visible rate.

While flying swiftly through the air, Ximen Chen soon reached the town of Qing'yuan. 

But he didn't sense the aura of a divine implement here, so he passed right through.

However, he hadn't gone far before suddenly turning around and flashing back. 

His gaze rapidly focused on that small grove. 

What caught his eye was a large tree.

This tree was currently growing taller at a speed visible to the naked eye!

"What?! How is this possible?!"

Ximen Chen stood there dumbfounded.