"If it was someone from our Zhang clan, or if it was someone with great talent, it would not matter. But with such terrible talent and not being part of our Zhang clan…"
The spirit garden was no ordinary mission.
It could be said that of all the missions, taking care of a spirit garden was the best choice.
There were many spirit grasses within the spirit garden, all of which had been painstakingly raised by the Flowing Cloud Sect's people.
Of course, the spirit garden near Nine Peaks City was a low-grade one. However, even so, it was still quite good.
Of the spirit grasses inside, even if one only took a bit now and then, it would be more than enough for a cultivator.
For a cultivator family like the Zhang clan with only a few cultivators, they felt great desire for this kind of place.
The chance to enter a spirit garden was something that countless people would be desperate to fight for.
And yet, Chen Heng had not given this opportunity to someone from his own clan but to an outsider.
From how Zhang Chong saw it, this kind of opportunity should be given to family members; even if it was given to outsiders, they should at least have value in roping in.
"So…" Hearing Zhang Chong's words, Zhang Ya nodded and sighed, "Clan brother might want her to be his Dao Companion. Otherwise, why would he do this?"
"Even if he wants to find a Dao Companion, he should find one with exceptional talent," Zhang Chong shook his head as he said, "Ya'Er, you would have made a fine choice."
This world did not have strict rules against marriage in the family. In order to maintain purity, cultivator families often married within the family.
From how Zhang Chong saw it, Zhang Ya and Chen Heng would have been perfect to be Dao Companions.
"This…"
Hearing Zhang Chong's words, Zhang Ya lowered her head, her cheeks a bit red.
"Ya'Er is willing, but clan brother…" she said in a small voice.
However, as a cultivator, Zhang Chong naturally was able to hear her.
Hearing Zhang Ya's words, he smiled and said, "It's good that you're willing, Ya'Er. Don't worry, I will make arrangements for your future."
Only after they talked for a while did Zhang Ya leave.
While they were talking, Chen Heng and Hou Juan were walking elsewhere.
"This is where I reside; if Junior Apprentice Sister Hou does not have anywhere to stay, you can stay here," Chen Heng said with a slight smile, "No one will disturb you here, and Junior Apprentice Sister can stay here and leave together with us in the future."
"If that's the case, I will be troubling you," Hou Juan said seriously as she nodded.
Seeing her nod, Chen Heng did not say anything else and walked in.
This time, the entire Zhang clan had heard about this.
It was not just Zhang Chong, the clan leader, but also Chen Heng's identity's father and mother who also heard about it.
Chen Heng returned to his residence based on his memories.
His original identity had only been part of the Zhang clan's auxiliary branch, but after his talent had been discovered, his status had quickly increased.
This was quite normal.
After all, for a cultivator family, having cultivation talent was more important than anything else.
After discovering that Chen Heng had cultivation talent, his treatment had become much better.
Compared to the memories in his head, his residence had changed greatly.
The decorations had become much more gorgeous, and there were all kinds of other changes.
After walking in, a middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman were waiting there, with two small children next to them.
This man and woman were Chen Heng's identity's father and mother, and the two children were his identity's little brother and little sister.
Because they had received news of Chen Heng returning, the two of them had long since been waiting here.
Seeing Chen Heng, their faces lit up.
Looking at Chen Heng, the two children looked quite curious.
After returning to his residence and eating with his immediate family, Chen Heng left and went elsewhere.
He walked about, sensing the changes, before finding a quiet place to cultivate.
To him, everything here was quite uninteresting, and he cultivated to pass the time.
Of course, when he was free, he would go to see Hou Juan and teach her some times.
After staying at the Zhang residence for a few days, Chen Heng headed to the spirit garden.
The mission to look after the spirit garden was a mission that he had sought, and back then, it had just been to make things convenient for himself.
However, since he had taken on this mission, he had to actually carry it out.
Moreover, the environment in the spirit garden was better than outside, and it would be better to cultivate there.
Nothing much happened on the way there.
The spirit garden outside Nine Peaks City was not very big, and it had five cultivators looking after it. One had previously left, and Chen Heng had come here to take his position.
The other cultivators were quite apathetic towards Chen Heng coming; they were not passionate, nor were they overly cold.
Chen Heng was used to this kind of attitude and did not think much of it.
However, after just two months, the others' attitudes greatly changed.
This was natural.
In just two months, Nine Peaks City heard that the Zhang clan had a new refining master, who was incredibly talented in refining magic items.
Gold always shined no matter where it was, and those with great abilities would always easily obtain respect.
This was very simple.
Just like that, Chen Heng continued to stay here.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Whether it was for mortals or cultivators, half a year was not that long and could not change too much.
However, for Chen Heng and the people by his side, the changes in half a year were massive.
Over the past half a year, with Chen Heng's support, Zhang Ya successfully reached Spirit Refining Level 2. As for Hou Juan, she finally stepped over the doorstep and reached the Spirit Refining realm.
Even though Spirit Refining Level 1 cultivation was incredibly weak and at the bottom of all cultivators, she could at least be called a cultivator and was no longer a mortal.
To Hou Juan, this was a very big step.
Moreover, the Zhang clan had also changed much because of Chen Heng's return. It had grown much and had expanded outwards.
For Chen Heng, things had naturally changed for him as well.
His reputation had grown, and there was almost no one who did not know him in the Nine Peaks City.
Almost every cultivator knew the name Zhang Hao, and they knew that he was a refining master from the Flowing Cloud Sect.
These were the changes on the surface of things.
Apart from these things, there were many hidden changes as well.
As the sky darkened, the surroundings became quite dark.
When the bright moon appeared in the sky, the surrounding scenery changed.
Chen Heng walked out from his room and came outside.
"It's beginning again."
After looking at the scenery and sensing the things in his body, Chen Heng thought to himself.
He could sense the evil aura within his body roiling.
There seemed to be some power in the distance awakening, resonating with the evil aura in his body.
Over the past half a year, Chen Heng had been suppressing the evil aura this whole time, and he did not allow it to grow.
The evil aura in his body was continuously moving, as if there was something calling out to it in the distance.
Chen Heng raised his head and thought to himself.
"Is it going to start?" Chen Heng suddenly thought to himself.
At that moment, he thought of Liu He, as well as what the evil aura represented.
During the past half a year, apart from cultivating, he had also been gathering information.
That evil aura that had entered his body seemed to be the Demon Seed Technique from the Demon Sect, which had been thought to have died out. Rumors said that it was something refined by Demon Sovereign-level figures, and they could take control of others without them realizing it.
It was said that this technique was incredibly rare—only Demon Sovereign-level figures could create it, and it had long since been lost.
However, this did not seem to be the case.
It seemed that some major figure had appeared in the Demon Sect and was preparing to set something up in the Yue Kingdom.
That was what Chen Heng was currently thinking.
For a Demon Sovereign-level figure to set this up, their goal definitely would not be small.
Now, after so much time had passed, some plans would most likely be revealed.
Standing there, Chen Heng's expression was calm as he thought to himself.
A few days later, he received some news from the Flowing Cloud Sect.
"They want me to return to the sect and become an Inner Court Disciple?"
Looking at the letter in his hand, Chen Heng felt quite surprised.
"Really?"
By his side, Zhang Ya looked delighted, "Does that mean clan brother will soon be an Inner Court Disciple?"
"Perhaps that will be the case, if everything goes smoothly," Chen Heng said as he shook his head.
"However…" Chen Heng put the letter by the side, "I don't have any plans to leave."
"Why?"
Hearing this, Zhang Ya felt quite confused and asked, "What isn't good about returning to the sect and becoming an Inner Court Disciple?"
Even though the spirit garden mission was not bad, they could not stay here forever.
If this was the best he could do, that would be fine, but since he could do better, why would he not go?
Chen Heng looked at Zhang Ya but did not speak, and he only inwardly shook his head.
Returning to the Flowing Cloud Sect was not bad, but he could not do so right now.
The evil aura roiling last night was an omen.
The Demon Sect's people most likely were going to start acting soon, so if he went over, he might just be delivering himself to them.
In fact, this letter might even be fake, and it was just to gather people back to get them all in one fell swoop.
However, Chen Heng did not explain any of this.
By the side, Zhang Ya watched Chen Heng, still looking confused.
Time gradually passed.
Elsewhere, at a tall altar, sounds continuously sounded out.
"We respectfully welcome the Demon Sovereign!" voices sounded out.
Below, many Demon Sect disciples stood crowded together, passionate looks on their faces.
On the altar, there was a tall and somewhat pale young man standing there, dressed in black robes.
When this figure appeared, everyone knelt down and looked towards the young man with excitement.
"Reporting to the Demon Sovereign, we have set up demon nets in the five largest sects in the Yue Kingdom. Demon Sovereign can take them with a single order.
"After taking down these five sects, everything in the Yue Kingdom will belong to the Demon Sect."
Speaking to there, the Demon Sect disciples all looked incredibly excited at the young man.
"Demon Sovereign, please give the order!"
"We vow to follow the Demon Sovereign to the death!"
All kinds of shouts sounded out.
Sitting on the altar, the young man's expression was calm.
Looking at the densely-gathered Demon Sect disciples, he just waved his hand.
A formless wave of magic energy swept out, seeming to suppress everything.
In the surroundings, all of the sounds disappeared.
...........
Everyone knelt there, excitedly looking at the young man and waiting for his orders.
"Activate the Demon Seeds after three days."
Looking down at the Demon Sect disciples below, the young man calmly spoke, "I want the Yue Kingdom's five sects to stop existing within one month."
"Exterminate!"
"Exterminate!"
Voices continuously sounded out.
After the young man spoke, everyone began to roar and chant.
...
In the distance, when the Demon Sovereign descended to the Yue Kingdom, Chen Heng's body froze as if he sensed something, and he instinctively looked in the distance.
"This aura…" Chen Heng's expression was calm as he thought of something.
"Has it begun?" Chen Heng silently looked into the distance.
There, a black fog was beginning to cover the land.
In the next few days, Chen Heng continued to stay within the spirit garden.
The other cultivators had all left; it seemed that they had all received similar letters.
Apart from Chen Heng, the four other people had all left.
As such, Chen Heng was the only cultivator left behind in the spirit garden.
Of course, that was only in terms of people managing it.
In actuality, apart from the five managers, there were many people doing odd jobs.
If there were just five people taking care of such a large spirit garden, it would not be enough.
There were many mortals, as well as other cultivators, such as Zhang Ya and Hou Juan.
Just because the other four left did not mean that operations here stopped; it just made things a bit more troublesome.
After walking through the spirit garden, Chen Heng came to a place.
There, Zhang Ya was holding a spirit stone and was examining the growth of some spirit grasses.
Seeing Chen Heng, she felt quite surprised, "Clan brother."
"Go and send people to let the clan know," Chen Heng said softly, "Don't leave Nine Peaks City for the coming period of time."