Chan Ji brought the group of them to closer to the disciples who were meditating. As they walked along the river, he picked up a lotus and handed it to Lonemoon, saying, “These lotus flowers in the river are doused in Buddhist glow day in and day out. They’ve already become spirit herbs themselves. We only get one such lotus every hundred years. They can be used to refine weapons and its seeds can be used to stabilize one’s internal qi. Fellow Daoist, do try out its effects.”

　　“Oh?” Lonemoon took the lotus somewhat curiously. A strong surge of spirit Qi exuded from it. It was no worse off than top-grade spirit herbs. Faintly, he could smell its fragrance. Out of habit, he handed it to the foodie. “Foodie Ying, you-”

　　“I don’t want it!” Shen Ying turned him down immediately, full of contempt. “I hate vegetables!”

　　“Don’t eat it then!” Lonemoon rolled his eyes. Stupid girl, you think I would give this to you? He plucked out a seed from the lotus.

　　Shen Ying glanced at the lotus in his hands and her eyes narrowed. Suddenly, she said, “Chef.”

　　“Yes, Master?”

　　“Where do lotuses grow?”

　　“They grow on lotus flowers.”

　　“Lotus flowers? Are they the same as the dandelions that Radish gives to me?”

　　“Yes, Master, dandelions have seeds as well.”

　　“Oh~”

　　Lonemoon, who was about to bite down on the lotus: “…”

　　His mind became filled with images of a certain disharmony.

　　Shit, now he lost all desire to eat it. He was even beginning to feel the urge to puke.

　　Lonemoon pursed his lips. As if he had been burned by it, Lonemoon shoved the lotus along with its seeds back to Chan Ji. “Ah, Court Lord, this sounds very valuable. I think it would be better not to waste it.” He raised his head up to the sky and said, “Thank you for today, Court Lord. It looks like it’s getting late. We shall not bother you any further. We should head back to our guest room now.” Once he finished speaking, he turned around and walked off. As he walked away, he used his right hand to conjure several seals in order to cleanse it. It was almost as if he had touched something extremely dirty, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not wash his hands clean enough.

　　Chan Ji: “…”

　　Fatty: “…”

　　What just happened?

　　——————

　　Just like that, the four of them remained at Hao Ran Court for an entire month. Apart from coming out to greet Chan Ji every once in awhile, they were not otherwise disturbed by outsiders. From time to time, they would walk around the sect and the people they met were extremely polite toward them. They were told that they were free to come and go from anywhere around the sect. Throughout the entire time, they did not find anything suspicious about the place. The sect was just as its name suggested. Everybody was just and honest, unlike no other. Even Lonemoon’s suspicions had dissipated over time.

　　Chan Ji had said that he would cause the bastards from Imperial Sacred Sect to lose their cultivation over three months. Lonemoon planned to remain at Hao Ran Court for three months to see the outcome of that promise. In any case, they had not finished paying off Fatty’s debt. They could use these three months to observe the way Fatty trained with weapons and created talismans. Although the spirit equipment of the lower realm was not worth much, if he truly managed to ascend in the future, he could still pay them back.

　　For some reason, however, Fatty’s cultivation had stopped increasing altogether, despite the fact that he had already resolved the knot in his heart. He was stuck in the late stages of Soul Formation, and he showed no signs of breaking through. Everything else about him was normal, yet no matter how he manipulated his spirit Qi, he could not break through. Lonemoon was beginning to suspect that Fatty’s cheat characteristics had disappeared. Otherwise, how was it possible that he was getting stuck at this stage?

　　Fatty, on the other hand, was not at all anxious about this fact. He continued training as per normal. When asked about it, he said seriously, “Master, you’re so awesome, but you did not ascend as well. I can’t be that far off, can I?”

　　“How do you know I can’t ascend?” He could go into the immortal realm as and when he pleased, alright?

　　“Eh! Isn’t that true?” Fatty hesitated. “Isn’t it true that Master has not been able to ascend to immortality because you have not been able to abstain from grains?”

　　“…” Who was not able to abstain from grains?! Fatty was the one who could not – his entire family could not!

　　“We’re going to train twice as hard today.”

　　“No! Master…”

　　“Get lost!” Who’s your master.

　　“It must be because of the realm gates, right?” Yi Qing said in a low voice as he looked toward the skies. “The lock on the realm gates have not been undone. Given Fatty’s capabilities, even if his cultivation does increase, he will not be able to ascend to immortality.” Not unless he went by the back door.

　　“You mean to say…” Lonemoon’s expression fell. “The nomological force has no way of returning to its original state, so Fatty cannot ascend to immortality?”

　　“That’s right.” Yi Qing nodded.

　　“Shit!” Lonemoon frowned. Then how long would they have to remain in this small realm for!

　　“Or maybe…” Yi Qing looked at the lotus pond outside their yard and said, “It might be settled soon enough.”

　　“Huh?” Lonemoon stared at him blankly. He started to ask another question.

　　Suddenly, the ground began to shake and they heard a huge crash. The entire Hao Ran Sect seemed to be under attack. The great array that was protecting their sect was activated and a golden light covered the entire sect. Even their little yard gate could no longer be opened.

　　“What’s the matter?” Lonemoon stood up. Everything around him continued to shake violently. In fact, everything was shaking more and more violently. Noise began to fill the ever-silent sect, and they began to feel cold yin Qi emanating from the ground. On closer inspection, they found that the yin Qi was coming from the sea underneath the mountain.

　　Yi Qing and Lonemoon walked out. Even Fatty realized that something was wrong and emerged from his room. Lonemoon and Yi Qing released their divine perception. Indeed, not far away, disciples were flying out of the premises in a panic. All the disciples were heading downward, toward the sea under the mountain.

　　“There’s something under the mountain,” Yi Qing said firmly.

　　Lonemoon frowned and was just about to ask another question when a disciple rushed into the yard and bowed toward them. “Elders, my Court Lord gave orders to tell you that it is no longer convenient for you to stay here because something big has happened to our sect. Please descend quickly and leave the Uncrooked Sea.”

　　“What exactly is happening?” Lonemoon frowned. Why was Chan Ji chasing them away all of a sudden?

　　“Well…” The disciple looked like he was being put on the spot. “Your subordinate is only following the orders of my sect master, to lead you down the mountain. I’m not so sure about anything else. Now that the array that protects our mountain has been activated, you can no longer exit from the main entrance. I’ll have to lead you through the rear mountain. There’s hardly any time left. If we wait any longer, you will not be able to leave. Please, Elders, follow me quickly.”

　　Lonemoon and Chef exchanged a meaningful look and said, “Does it have to do with the thing that’s under the mountain?”

　　“Elders…” The disciple turned pale, and he looked even more panicked than before. “I… I don’t know either.”

　　“That’s alright. Bring us to see your Court Lord immediately,” Lonemoon answered in a low voice. “From the way things are looking, I guess that the problem is not a small one. Maybe we can lend a hand.”

　　The disciple looked up at him, hesitated, and then nodded. “Alright, please follow me.”

　　Lonemoon mounted his flying sword and suddenly paused. “Wait. Where’s Shen Ying? Bring her along!” Otherwise they’ll lose her again.

　　Yi Qing nodded, then carried Shen Ying up onto his sword while she was still gnawing on her fruit. Together with Fatty, they flew out of their guest house.

　　Indeed, they found Chan Ji below Hao Ran Court., standing on the surface of the Uncrooked Sea. Beside him, he had more than ten other Soul Formation disciples. Among them, one exuded a faint immortal Qi. On closer inspection, they realized that that particular disciple was already an Earth Immortal. He was only suppressing his cultivation by force.