Chapter 68: Entering the Dao, Cultivating the Dao, Comprehending the Dao

Divine Arrow Peak.

Mortal Dust Mansion.

The golden sun shone brilliantly, casting its light in all directions. It was already mid-morning.

Zhou Chen's thick, long eyelashes fluttered slightly as he opened his drowsy, sleepy eyes.

The very first thing that came into view was a expanse of snowy white, resembling the immense glaciers of the Himalayas, with ravines crisscrossing and depths unfathomable.

Lifting his head slightly, Yu Youwei wrapped her fair, lotus-root-like arms around the back of Zhou Chen's head, gazing at him with deep affection and infatuation.

Her pair of beautiful eyes, dark and bright as gemstones, possessed an eternal, mysterious, and captivating grace.

"Young master, you're awake. I'll help you get up."

Yu Youwei parted her red lips slightly, her voice melodious, soft, clear, and sweet, as she prepared to get up and help Zhou Chen dress.

"No rush, let's eat first!"

Zhou Chen smiled faintly, his gaze drifting downward.

The fair curves and two rosy peaks that met his eyes dazzled him momentarily.

"Young master."

The delicate arms that Yu Youwei had wrapped around the back of Zhou Chen's head tightened.

Zhou Chen was instantly overcome by a suffocating sense of breathlessness.

It was the fragrance of the milk cleanse.

After who knows how long, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

"Young master, Senior Sister Changhen is here, and she says she has a task for you!"

Zhao Shirong's tranquil voice came from outside.

"Understood, entertain the Eldest Senior Sister well, I'll be right there!"

Zhou Chen finished consuming his milk breakfast with lingering reluctance and pulled himself up.

Yu Youwei helped Zhou Chen get dressed.

At this moment, her gaze was somewhat hazy, her flushed and pretty face covered in sweat, with a few strands of hair clinging to her cheeks. Compared to her usual tranquility, she possessed an additional three parts of enchanting allure.

After a simple wash, Zhou Chen came to the main hall. Qin Hongyu, Zhao Shirong, and the others were all there, while Li Changhen sat quietly to the side, sipping tea.

"Eldest Senior Sister, what wind blew you here? This is truly a rare visit!"

Zhou Chen entered the door and greeted her warmly.

"What wind could it be."

Li Changhen glanced at Zhou Chen and could instantly tell this fellow had just crawled out from a woman's bed. She sneered, "Naturally, it was Junior Brother's gentle breeze!"

"Who on earth has offended Eldest Senior Sister? I'll go beat them up for you."

Zhou Chen sat down beside Li Changhen and smiled.

"Stop spouting nonsense!"

Li Changhen glared at Zhou Chen and casually tossed a transfer order to him: "The Sect Master wants you to go guard the gold mine in Hexian County for two months!"

"Why did they suddenly send me to guard a gold mine?"

Zhou Chen was somewhat puzzled. According to his understanding, someone in his position usually didn't receive tasks, and the most important task was cultivation.

"What do you think!"

Li Changhen rolled her eyes at Zhou Chen in annoyance. "Originally, you performed well at the Grand Ceremony of Direct Disciples, showed your face, and caught the Sect Master's eye. But look at what you've been doing lately? Clearly, the Sect Master thinks you're too idle and wants to find something for you to do."

"Senior Sister, this is truly a wrongful accusation! Have I not been cultivating diligently all this time?"

Zhou Chen wore a wronged expression and complained.

"Diligent cultivation?"

Li Changhen was amused, never expecting there could be such a shameless person in this world. "You cultivate in a bed of luxury and soft breezes?"

"Senior Sister, you wouldn't understand. The three thousand Great Daos all lead to the same destination. Whether it is martial arts or immortal cultivation, refining the physical body is important, but refining the heart is even more crucial."

"I am merely refining my heart within the mortal world, refining both the body and the mind."

"To practice the Dao is, of course, to first enter the Dao, then cultivate the Dao, and finally comprehend the Dao. Otherwise, how could I have grasped the momentum of the arrow so quickly and mastered the skill of Chasing the Moon?"

Li Changhen frowned in deep thought. It sounded somewhat reasonable, but she felt something was off...

And what was this nonsense about Zhou Chen entering the Dao, cultivating the Dao, and comprehending the Dao...

Was his kind of Dao even normal? Is it the same Dao they cultivate?

"Anyway, the transfer order has already been issued; there's no way to make the Sect Master take it back. Even Master couldn't plead on your behalf. Besides, sending you to guard the gold mine for two months is just having you spend two months in a different place!"

Li Changhen looked at this lustful little junior brother and warned him, "I don't know whether what you said is true or false. I will relay your words to Master, but no matter what, strength is what ultimately speaks!"

"Wherever there are people, there are struggles. The Azure Cloud Sect is such a massive sect, and the competition is fierce. There are quite a few people eyeing your position as a direct disciple."

"The Hexian gold mine is guarded by Elder Jin. Your going there is just going through the motions. This is the Sect Master's warning to you, considered a minor punishment."

"You better look after yourself!"

"Thank you, Senior Sister, I understand!"

Seeing Li Changhen stand up and leave, Zhou Chen hurriedly went to send her off. He knew that Li Changhen was harsh of tongue but soft of heart, and she was genuinely good to him.

Yet, he had no other choice.

If he didn't work hard, how could his cultivation speed improve?

However, the harder he worked, the more others felt he was indulging in pleasure and neglecting his ambitions.

It was truly difficult!

Zhou Chen shook his head, though he didn't take it to heart. In any case, as long as he forcefully defeated those inner sect disciples who wished to challenge him a year from now, he would naturally silence all criticism.

If he lacked strength and was defeated by an inner sect disciple, then he would indeed be branded as lustful, indulging in pleasure, lacking ambition, and hopeless as mud that couldn't be plastered onto a wall.

But if he had the strength to defeat those who challenged him, then he would be a romantic and unconstrained idol whom countless people envied.

"Brother Chen, were you punished by the Sect Master?"

Qin Hongyu looked somewhat worried; to her, the Sect Master was an unimaginably towering figure.

"Rest assured, it's nothing major!"

Zhou Chen smiled and rubbed Qin Hongyu's head. "Even though my current performance leaves a poor impression on the Sect Master, as long as I possess sufficient strength, the Sect Master won't mind."

"Just like before the Grand Ceremony of Direct Disciples, the Sect Master certainly didn't have a good impression of me then, but once I demonstrated the momentum of the arrow at the ceremony, she looked at me in a whole new light. Otherwise, she wouldn't care about me so much."

Zhou Chen harbored no blame toward Qing Yuyao. She had previously let Shi Qingxuan remind him, and now she was simply sending him to guard the Hexian gold mine for two months—neither of which constituted a real punishment.

Clearly, it was all for his own good.

It was just that his cultivation method was special and difficult to explain.

He would simply have to wait for the future and let his strength do the talking.

"The transfer order instructs me to report to the Hexian gold mine within three days. This time I will be gone for two months, so I'll take Shirong with me. You girls cultivate well at home!"

Zhou Chen bestowed all the pills he had no use for upon Qin Hongyu, Li Qingxia, and the others, and then spent a lavish, joyful day accompanying them.

In the afternoon.

Zhou Chen looked at Li Qingxia, Gu Qiushui, and Yu Youwei—who lay nearby with their lotus-root arms and jade legs sprawled out—and then looked down at Qin Hongyu, who was sleeping while embracing him in her arms. He quietly slipped out of bed.

"Young master!"

Zhao Shirong had already packed the luggage and was waiting for Zhou Chen.

Actually, there wasn't much for them to pack; both possessed storage bags, and valuable items were generally kept inside them, carried on their person at all times.

"Let's set off!"

Zhou Chen and Zhao Shirong rode the same dragon horse down Divine Arrow Peak and left the Azure Cloud Sect.

[Wind and Moon Points +1]

[Wind and Moon Points +1]

Riding a horse while holding Zhao Shirong in his arms also yielded a considerable amount of Wind and Moon Points.

The time on the road was not wasted either.

"I am truly working so hard!"

Zhou Chen was almost moved by himself.

"Shirong, go rest at an inn for the night. Early tomorrow morning, we'll set off for Hexian County."

Upon arriving in Azure Cloud City, Zhou Chen gave his instructions.

"Very well, young master!"

Zhao Shirong did not ask any further questions; she had long guessed that Zhou Chen would go looking for Fairy Tianxiang of the Celestial Tower.

As Zhao Shirong entered the inn, Zhou Chen headed toward the Celestial Tower.

"This little fellow is truly romantic!"

A mature, beautiful woman who had followed Zhou Chen all the way from Divine Arrow Peak gazed from afar as Zhou Chen entered the Celestial Tower, a charming smile hanging on the corners of her lips.