Kneeling Down Decisively

Chen Ping'an could no longer bear it and said, "Looks like we're out of water!"

But as soon as he said that, the three of them simultaneously took out large water pouches from their interspatial rings.

"Predecessor, we have some right here!"

Seeing this, Chen Ping'an's face twitched uncontrollably.

It was confirmed.

These three were truly demons!

Outside the gate.

Chen Ping'an looked at the three with bulging bellies and said impatiently, "Go on back..."

Mu Rongxue and the others gazed wistfully at the courtyard, feeling an urge to stay.

Though dangerous, this place also held many opportunities. 

Just from drinking the tea once, the quality of their spiritual roots had improved by an entire level!

Their spiritual roots were already excellent, so with this enhancement, their future accomplishments would undoubtedly soar higher.

Mu Ronghai even vaguely sensed that after further cultivation, he could break through to the Spirit Severing realm!

There were ten cultivation realms in the mortal world:

Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Yuan Ying, Spirit Severing, Spiritual Separation, Spirit Unification, Immortal Traversing, and Daocheng.

Mu Ronghai and Zhang Qingxian were both at the ninth level of Yuan Ying, just two levels away from Spirit Severing. 

But they felt that with their spiritual roots enhanced, they would face no bottleneck in breaking through to Spirit Severing!

"Well then, Predecessor, we'll take our leave." Mu Ronghai said resignedly.

After speaking, he couldn't help but let out another belch.

Chen Ping'an waved at them frantically, "If there's anything, just come find me directly. I rarely leave." 

Mu Ronghai's eyes lit up and he nodded quickly before taking his leave with a flash of light.

The predecessor's meaning was that he welcomed them to visit again!

...

At the highest peak of Mount Leanon Sect.

Before the main hall was a large rock, where a stern elder now sat.

This elder had a vigorous spirit and beady eyes. 

His full head of white hair lightly swayed in the mountain breeze, giving him an ethereal, cultivated air.

Stroking his black beard in stark contrast to his white hair, he frowned and said, "Where did Xue and Yunhai run off to?"

His name was Mu Ronggong, the patriarch of Mount Leanon Sect.

For hundreds of miles around, this was his domain. His cultivation aura was extremely dense, already at the Spirit Severing peak.

One more step and he would reach Spiritual Separation!

In the entire kingdom, there were only three at the Spiritual Separation realm, one of them being the King himself.

Mu Ronggong felt somewhat vexed.

He had gone out seeking an opportunity to break through his bottleneck, traveling for so long, yet still remained stuck, which frustrated him.

Idly, he glanced at the blazing sun on the horizon. 

But then, he suddenly noticed something different about it today.

More scorching, more golden.

"Hm?!"

His eyes narrowed as inspiration struck. 

This was the prelude to an epiphany!

A delighted look rose on his stern face as he stared intently at the fiery orb hanging in the sky. 

If he could gain insight, he had a 60% chance of breaking through this bottleneck!

Spiritual Separation was within reach!

However...

Just as he was about to have his epiphany, a beam of light flashed down behind him.

Then a loud voice called out from behind:

"Dad, you're back? Come quick, your son has huge great news to tell you!"

The booming words instantly shattered Mu Ronggong's state of insight. 

Crack.

Mu Ronggong suddenly lost that feeling, his entire being turning to sculpted mud before crumbling apart.

He was dumbfounded. 

Then, he raged!

He whipped around, eyes blazing with furious flames, glaring at Mu Ronghai whose face beamed with joy to share his happiness. 

As Mu Ronghai approached his typically stern father, he already imagined the shock on his face when he heard their sect had embraced the coattails of an invincible expert.

But as he neared Mu Ronggong, his steps faltered.

The delight vanished from his face.

For he saw his father was now holding a sword!

Oh crap!!

An incense stick's time later...

Agonized wails persisted for the full burning of an incense stick.

"Dad...don't be angry, our sect has embraced the legs of a predecessor! With his help, your breakthrough will be easy as pie!"

Though bruised and swollen, Mu Ronghai still looked somewhat smug. 

"You think I went easy on you? A 'predecessor'? Unless an immortal descended to guide me, not even a Daocheng expert could help break this bottleneck!"

"I had such a perfect opportunity, and you had to ruin it! Did I wrong you in a past life?!"

Mu Ronggong ranted furiously.

If not for fearing he'd kill his only heir, he really wanted to hit him again.

Mu Ronghai looked smug. "I'm telling you, that predecessor could very well be an immortal who came down to the mortal realm! Just by standing there, myriad Daos swirled around him!"

"And look at Xue - she went from the Core Formation peak straight to the Nascent Soul peak, all thanks to the predecessor! And us too, look at our spiritual roots - they improved by an entire grade, also the predecessor's doing!"

Saying this, Mu Ronghai extended his hand toward Mu Ronggong for examination.

Hearing this, Mu Ronggong also looked at his beloved granddaughter. 

Seeing that Mu Rongxue's cultivation really had broken through to the Nascent Soul peak, he was dumbstruck.

He then checked the three's spiritual roots as well.

At this, he suddenly couldn't find words.

Seeing his father's expression, Mu Ronghai grinned smugly, looking somewhat lecherous.

Zhang Qingxian's smile was similar. 

Mu Ronggong glanced at the two, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He said coldly with a snort, "Well done, you three, conspiring to deceive me? Speak - did you find some high-grade spirit herbs to achieve this? Or could an immortal really display such powers?!"

Seeing Mu Ronggong's disbelief, Mu Ronghai and the other two were momentarily stunned.

The evidence was right before his eyes, yet he still didn't believe?

"Dad, you don't believe it? Why don't we make a wager then, dare you?"

Mu Ronghai squinted as he spoke.

"What's to fear? If you can bring an actual Immortal Unification cultivator, then you win!" Mu Ronggong scoffed.

In the entire kingdom, there were only a handful at the Spiritual Separation realm.

And the Immortal Unification realm came after that - those could only be found in the Imperial Kingdom!

"Fine! I bet 10,000 spirit stones!" Mu Ronghai said solemnly.

"Me too, I'm betting 10,000 spirit stones!" Zhang Qingxian quickly added.

Easy money, they'd be fools not to take it!

Mu Rongxue said more meekly, "I'll bet 1,000 spirit stones."

Seeing the three of them like this, Mu Ronggong's brow furrowed slightly. 

It seemed like they might be telling the truth. 

That many spirit stones was nearly all the three of them had.

Afraid his father wouldn't take the wager, a smug look crossed Mu Ronghai's face.

He even shot Zhang Qingxian a sly glance like "let's trick the old man." 

Mu Ronggong caught this and inwardly snorted, solidifying his stance.

""Alright, I'll take it! At this moment, call that senior you guys are talking about, I'd like to see how strong it is!"

Mu Ronghai's eyes lit up, then he said, "Can't summon him."

Hearing this, Mu Ronggong's face hardened.

Hmph, just as I thought - no such person!

And by this brat's attitude, he's just trying to buy time!

"If you want to see him, I can take you there," Mu Ronghai said with a cold laugh.

"Lead the way!" Mu Ronggong was convinced his son was grasping at straws.

An immortal coming to the mortal realm? Hah!

Qingxiu Town.

Before having eaten, Chen Ping'an left his courtyard to go to the market for groceries.

Not long after he departed, a beam of light suddenly flashed down from the sky. 

Four figures appeared before the wide-open courtyard gate.

"We're here," Mu Ronghai announced. 

Mu Ronggong looked disdainfully at the ordinary small courtyard before him.

He knew this was Qingxiu Town, a mortal village.

That his son actually claimed an immortal resided in this utterly mundane courtyard was the most preposterous lie!

This deception was too amateurish. 

"Excellent, an immortal, is it? Let me see what this 'immortal' looks like!"

Mu Ronggong sneered as he prepared to barge into the courtyard.

But at this moment, Mu Ronghai quickly stopped him. "Dad, let's not rush. We should call the predecessor out first."

Mu Ronghai hadn't forgotten his recent harrowing experience - if they barged in recklessly, they'd suffer again.

"Also, one more thing - don't mention anything about cultivation when you meet the predecessor. He's posing as an ordinary mortal while cultivating here."

After the warning, Mu Ronghai paid no mind to his father's disdainful look as he called out, "Predecessor, we've come again!"

After a moment of silence, Mu Ronghai called out once more.

Still no response.

Mu Ronggong was convinced his son was talking nonsense and looked at him scornfully. 

No longer paying him any heed, Mu Ronggong strode into the courtyard.

Mu Ronghai frowned, knowing it was too late to stop him now.

He could already picture his father drenched in sweat from the overwhelming auras.

But what happened next was completely different from what he imagined!

THUD!

To his utter shock, his father abruptly fell to his knees!

This...