"Let's go." The Daoist disciple glanced at me, and my heart skipped a beat. I tightly grasped the small cloth bag and, taking advantage of his inattention, stuffed it into my embrace.

Just as we left the house, my mind went blank for a moment. When I came to my senses, I found myself already outside the village with the Daoist disciple. The surrounding sounds disappeared instantly, leaving only the sound of waves crashing against the shore, accompanied by a few bird chirps, creating an unusually serene atmosphere.

Just as I was about to turn back and take a look at the village, the Daoist disciple stopped me with a wave of his dusting cloth.

"Don't look back. Once you leave the house, you become an outsider. Don't be attached to the mundane world."

"Outsider, my foot!" He won't even let me take a single glance back. How stingy, finding such an excuse.

As I was complaining in my mind, the Daoist disciple flicked his dusting cloth in front of me. Suddenly, I felt dizzy and had to close my eyes, allowing the Daoist disciple to pull me along. The wind whistled in my ears, and a chilling air surrounded us.

"We've arrived."

Before I opened my eyes, I heard strange roars. But as soon as I opened my eyes, I wished I could gouge them out.

Three or four large white apes were tied to stone pillars, being mercilessly whipped by a fat Daoist wearing a gray robe with an electric whip. Flesh and blood flew everywhere. Strangely, the flesh and blood would detach and immediately reattach, repeating endlessly.

What was even stranger was that the white apes on the pillars were wailing, their cries high-pitched and thin, sounding just like a woman's screams, making it chilling to listen to.

"Brother Wutu, still taming beasts?" The Daoist disciple flattered, addressing the fat Daoist wielding the whip.

"Oh, Brother Gengjin is back?" Wutu tucked the whip under his armpit and approached with a smile.

He glanced at me and whispered, "Who is this... fresh blood?"

The Daoist disciple pointed at my face, and Wutu seemed to understand. He fell silent.

I had never seen such a scene before, and my heart was filled with anxiety. I regretted going up the immortal mountain even more. But now that things had come to this point, I could only grit my teeth and follow the Daoist disciple named Gengjin. We passed by the several stone pillars binding the white apes, made left and right turns, and entered a magnificent grand hall.

The hall was shrouded in mist, with a chilling air that felt like the depths of winter, making my teeth chatter incessantly.

"Third Senior Brother, the fire of the Snake has arrived." As soon as Gengjin finished speaking, the mist in the entire hall dissipated at a visible speed, finally converging into the mouth of a black-haired, white-robed immortal sitting on a throne.

"Snake fire, come closer and let your master have a good look at you."

Whether it was because of the cold or fear, my teeth chattered even more intensely. They were like a clattering musical rhythm, and my whole body trembled like a sieve as I slowly approached the Third Senior Brother.

"Snake fire, your foundation is too weak. Did you eat too few mushrooms sent down the mountain?"

But my teeth kept clattering, and I couldn't say a word.

Third Senior Brother shook his head disappointedly, and a small object flew out from between his fingers and into my chattering mouth.

A strange fragrance mixed with a salty and fishy taste entered my mouth, instantly spreading warmth throughout my body, making me feel extremely comfortable. I took a few steps and arrived in front of the seat.

"First, learn from your Senior Brother Yinmu to manage the medicinal fields on the mountain. Come to me every month to receive a pill to aid your cultivation."

Is this... an intention to take me as his disciple?

I stood there as if in a dream, stunned. Gengjin pushed me forward.

"Why aren't you kneeling to thank Third Senior Brother?"

I was pushed by him and "plumped" onto the stone floor of the grand hall, almost splitting my knees. The pain made me tremble.

"Forget it. After all, you're a country bumpkinwho doesn't know the rules." Third Senior Brother sighed and waved his hand.

I stood up from the ground and glanced at Gengjin, who was smiling smugly. I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

From that day on, my life as a disciple on the immortal mountain began. I learned the art of cultivation, tended to the medicinal fields, and received monthly pills from Third Senior Brother to aid my progress.

Days turned into months, and months turned into years. I gradually adapted to the life on the mountain, but deep down, I always felt a sense of unease.

One day, while I was tending to the medicinal fields, I overheard a conversation between two senior disciples.

"Have you heard? Third Senior Brother has been secretly capturing and imprisoning the white apes in the mountains. He's been using their flesh and blood to refine a forbidden technique."

"What? That's horrifying! No wonder the cries of those apes sound like women's screams. We need to do something about this."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The atrocities committed by Third Senior Brother were beyond my imagination. I had to find a way to expose his actions and put an end to the suffering of those white apes.

I sought help from the senior disciples who were against Third Senior Brother's actions. Together, we formulated a plan to gather evidence and confront him.

On the designated day, we confronted Third Senior Brother in the grand hall, presenting the evidence we had gathered.

At first, he denied everything, but when faced with undeniable proof, he became enraged.

"You dare accuse me? You insolent brats! I am your senior, your master! How dare you challenge me!"

He unleashed his cultivation prowess, intending to silence us. But we were prepared. With the combined strength of the senior disciples, we managed to subdue him and restrain his powers.

Realizing the gravity of his actions, Third Senior Brother pleaded for mercy, promising to release the white apes and never practice the forbidden technique again.

We held him accountable for his crimes, reporting the situation to the higher authorities on the immortal mountain. Third Senior Brother was stripped of his position and sentenced to isolation as punishment.

As for the white apes, we released them from their torment, allowing them to return to their natural habitat.

The incident served as a wake-up call for the entire immortal mountain community. The higher authorities implemented stricter regulations to prevent such abuses from happening again.

From that point forward, I continued my cultivation journey on the immortal mountain, but with a renewed sense of purpose. I vowed to use my abilities to protect the balance of nature and ensure the well-being of all creatures, both mundane and immortal.