Hearing this, Laozi gave Yuanshi Tianzun and Sect Master Tongtian a thoughtful glance before saying calmly, "Xuandu, Li Yun, the two of you stay behind and mingle with the junior brothers and sisters of the Chan and Jie Sects. Your master and your two martial uncles will discuss the matters to follow."
With that, Laozi did not linger and directly followed Yuanshi Tianzun and Sect Master Tongtian into Jade Void Palace.
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Watching the Three Pure Ones depart, Li Yun and Xuandu bowed in salute.
At the same time, Li Yun could not help but smile wryly to himself. I never expected to have to exchange pleasantries with the disciples of the Chan and Jie Sects before the Three Teachings Exchange Conference.
Then again, this is an Exchange Meeting, not a Combat Tournament. Its purpose is to strengthen the ties between the disciples of the Three Sects, not provoke conflict!
Thinking this, Li Yun looked at Xuandu, who seemed somewhat at a loss, and said, "Senior Brother, let's go!"
"Since Master has said so, we cannot refuse."
"Alright!"
Xuandu nodded. He also knew that this was not something they could refuse.
As the Human Teachings' Direct Disciple, he had to uphold the Human Teachings' dignity. For a moment, he was so nervous that even his expression stiffened.
Tap, tap, tap—
The sound of footsteps rang out as Li Yun and Xuandu entered the plaza.
In an instant, countless gazes converged upon them, all fixed on the two of them.
Xuandu's body immediately stiffened, and he became so nervous that he did not know what to say.
Li Yun, on the other hand, remained far calmer under the attention of the crowd. He patted Xuandu on the shoulder and said, "Senior Brother, there is no need to be nervous. We are all cultivators of the same generation, and you are the Human Teachings' sole Direct Disciple. Whether in status or standing, you are above them."
Hearing this, Xuandu calmed down considerably. After taking a deep breath, he cupped his hands toward the disciples of the Chan and Jie Sects present. "Xuandu of the Human Teachings greets all my junior brothers and sisters!"
Seeing this, Li Yun did not waste words. He cupped his hands and said, "Li Yun, an Inner Disciple of the Human Teachings, greets all senior brothers and junior brothers!"
Only then did the disciples of the Chan and Jie Sects present come to their senses.
Many of them were filled with curiosity about Xuandu, the Human Teachings' sole Direct Disciple.
Especially now that they could clearly sense that Li Yun, an Inner Disciple, possessed a higher cultivation level, yet was not a Direct Disciple.
Though they were puzzled, the disciples of the Chan and Jie Sects did not dare slight them. They promptly returned the salute.
"Greetings, Senior Brother Xuandu!"
"Greetings, Senior Brother Xuandu!"
"Greetings, Senior Brother Li Yun!"
"Greetings, Junior Brother Li Yun!"
The atmosphere in the plaza immediately became much more harmonious.
Although there were many doubts among them, there was even greater curiosity toward Li Yun and Xuandu.
One was the sole Direct Disciple at the Mysterious Immortal Realm.
The other was an Inner Disciple valued even by Saints.
After exchanging glances, the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Teachings and the Four Direct Disciples of Jie Teachings stepped out from the crowd and headed straight toward Li Yun and Xuandu.
"Big Brother, it's him~"
At the same time, within the Interception Sect's group, Bixiao pointed at Li Yun and said, "This is bad. The person we tried to scheme against back then was actually an Inner Disciple of the Human Teachings."
As soon as she said this, Zhao Gongming, Yunxiao, and Qiongxiao's expressions all turned grave.
Although neither side had directly interacted back then, and Li Yun had withdrawn the moment he heard them calling out, the matter was indeed a source of conflict.
It would be fine if Li Yun did not care, but if he did, that would be terrible news.
After all, even among Inner Disciples, there were differences.
Li Yun was the Human Teachings' only Inner Disciple.
Though he was not a Direct Disciple, his treatment, standing, and status were enough to rival the Direct Disciples of the Chan and Jie Sects. If he held any ill feelings toward the four siblings, then...
"How had his cultivation risen so quickly?!"
Suddenly, Zhao Gongming seemed to notice something. He frowned and said, "When we encountered him back then, although we were far apart, we could still sense that he was only at the Mysterious Immortal Realm. He had not even entered the True Immortal Realm."
"But how much time has passed since then? I am still only at the peak of the True Immortal Realm. You three have entered the True Immortal Realm, but are still far from its peak. Yet he has actually reached the Grand Unity True Immortal Realm. This is simply..."
At those words, the San Xiao stopped breathing for a moment.
Before Zhao Gongming pointed it out, they had not felt that anything was amiss.
But after hearing him say it, they truly realized that the other party's cultivation had advanced far too quickly—far too strangely.
"Is this what it means to be an Inner Disciple of the Human Teachings?"
Yunxiao opened her mouth, her face filled with shock. "Even Senior Brother Xuandu, a Direct Disciple, is only at the Mysterious Immortal Realm, yet Senior Brother Li Yun has reached such a level, and advanced so swiftly. I think I understand now. The rumors from before may not have been baseless."
"Rumors?"
Hearing this, Zhao Gongming, Bixiao, and Qiongxiao all looked at Yunxiao curiously.
Yunxiao did not hide anything. She nodded and said, "You all remember when Master returned from Palace of Supreme Purity more than a hundred years ago and summoned the Golden Immortal Realm disciples of our Interception Sect, right?"
Zhao Gongming and the other two nodded.
That incident had caused quite a stir within the Interception Sect. All disciples at the Golden Immortal Realm had been summoned into Biyou Palace. It was even said that Sect Master Tongtian personally gave them a hundred years of special instruction, and when they emerged, their cultivation and strength had greatly improved.
Thinking of this, Zhao Gongming asked, "Little Sister, does this have something to do with Li Yun?"
"Yes!"
Yunxiao nodded, her expression complicated. "You all know that I am quite close to Martial Sister Gui Ling. After they emerged, I went to visit her and learned some information from her."
"According to Martial Sister Gui Ling, Master seemed to value Senior Brother Li Yun greatly. He even gave them special instruction to ensure that they would have the strength to fight Senior Brother Li Yun."
"I found it inconceivable before, but now it seems that this may indeed be true."
Hiss—
Upon hearing this, Zhao Gongming and his sisters all sucked in a cold breath.
They subconsciously looked toward Li Yun, who had already joined the Direct Disciples of the Chan and Jie Sects and sat down with them in a corner of the plaza to converse. Their faces were filled with astonishment. "Golden Immortal Realm!"
"He is only at the Grand Unity True Immortal Realm, yet he is going to compete against Golden Immortal Realm cultivators?"
"If that is true, then what we did before may have been..."
Zhao Gongming did not continue.
The San Xiao beside him also fell silent. They were not fools. How could they fail to understand what Li Yun's status within the Xuanmen would become if this were true? If he pursued what had happened back then, then the four siblings...
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