Qingyun Sect.
Heaven-Piercing Peak.
This was the core of Qingyun Sect's power, as well as a sacred land revered by the righteous factions throughout the world.
A crimson streak of light tore through the clouds and brazenly crashed into this peaceful place.
The light dispersed.
Revealing a short, stocky figure.
Tian Buyi stood in the square before Yuqing Hall, his hands clasped behind his back.
He held his head high.
Normally, when he looked at Heaven-Piercing Peak, he found it so imposing that it annoyed him, with an air of lofty, fussy pretension everywhere.
But today was different.
It was pleasing to the eye.
Everything about it was pleasing to the eye.
Even the Heaven-Piercing Peak disciples guarding the entrance no longer looked as hateful as usual. Instead, every one of them seemed... so mediocre.
"Greetings, Martial Uncle Tian!"
The two disciples guarding the hall were startled and hurriedly bowed.
Yet inwardly, they muttered to themselves.
The master of Great Bamboo Peak usually hated coming to Heaven-Piercing Peak the most.
Why was he glowing today, as if he had found money?
"Hmm."
Tian Buyi hummed through his nose in response.
Normally, he would have already put on an expression that said he was about to leave.
But today, he walked extremely slowly.
One step, then another.
Every step landed firmly. The flesh on his round face trembled slightly with each stride, radiating an indescribable confidence.
Had he come to ask for a favor?
No.
He had come to help the needy.
To give Heaven-Piercing Peak's pitifully limited experience a little poverty relief.
At that thought.
Tian Buyi straightened his robes, flicked his broad sleeve, and strode over the threshold.
The hall was dark and deep.
Top-grade sandalwood burned in the censer, its smoke curling upward.
Seated in the principal seat at the very front was a Daoist.
Dressed in dark green Daoist robes, with the bearing of a crane and pine, he was none other than Qingyun Sect's Sect Master, Dao Xuan Zhenren.
At that moment.
Dao Xuan was holding a bamboo slip, his brows slightly furrowed.
The Demon Cult had been stirring restlessly of late.
There had also been troubling news from Fenxiang Valley.
The undercurrents surging among the three great righteous factions left Dao Xuan somewhat uneasy.
Hearing footsteps.
Dao Xuan raised his eyelids.
When he saw who it was.
A trace of surprise appeared on his face, and he set down the bamboo slip in his hand.
"Junior Brother Tian?"
"What wind has blown you to my Yuqing Hall today?"
Dao Xuan's voice was gentle, but it carried an imposing presence that commanded respect without anger.
The fellow who had holed up on Great Bamboo Peak for a hundred and eighty years without budging.
If he suddenly came knocking, it was sure to be trouble.
Seventeen or eighteen thoughts instantly flashed through Dao Xuan's mind.
Was Great Bamboo Peak short of money?
Or had this fatty quarreled with someone again and come to complain?
Tian Buyi did not answer at once.
He leisurely walked over and sat in the principal seat on the left. Picking up the teacup beside him, he lifted the lid, skimmed off the foam, and took a contented sip.
"Fine tea."
"Only here, Senior Brother, can one drink such top-grade Cloud-Mist Tips."
Tian Buyi offered a compliment.
Hearing this.
Dao Xuan's eyelid twitched.
Something was wrong with this fatty.
"If Junior Brother likes it, take two pounds home when you leave."
"But you didn't come all this way just to freeload tea, did you?"
Dao Xuan probed discreetly.
Normally, whenever this fellow came by.
He would start complaining about poverty within three sentences, and pound the table and curse someone within five.
Such composure today was abnormal—and when something was abnormal, there was usually a monster behind it.
Tian Buyi set down the teacup.
The cup struck the tabletop with a crisp tok.
"Senior Brother."
"Do you still remember all of Senior Brother Wan's Slay Ghosts and Gods cultivation method?"
Tian Buyi raised his eyes and stared intently at Dao Xuan.
In an instant.
The air in the hall froze.
Dao Xuan's hand, which had been resting on his knee, suddenly clenched his Daoist robe.
At that moment.
The aura around Dao Xuan became extremely dangerous.
The peaceful righteous cultivator he had been seemed to transform instantly into a drawn, razor-sharp sword.
That name.
That person.
It was the greatest taboo in all of Qingyun Sect, the greatest taboo in Dao Xuan's heart, and his deepest pain.
"Tian Buyi."
"If you came here to amuse yourself, you can leave now."
"Slay Ghosts and Gods is Junior Brother Wan's personal technique—fierce and violent, charging forward without hesitation."
"With your temperament and aptitude, you cannot cultivate it, nor are you worthy to do so."
Dao Xuan's voice turned cold, and he no longer addressed him as Junior Brother.
Those words were harsh.
In the past, Tian Buyi would have blown his top immediately.
Even if he could not beat Dao Xuan, he would still have leaped up and cursed him for three days and three nights.
But today...
"I naturally won't cultivate it."
"I'm already this old. I haven't lived long enough yet, and I don't want to practice some life-risking technique."
Tian Buyi did not get angry.
He even smiled, lightly tapping his fingers against the tabletop.
"Then why did you bring it up?"
Dao Xuan stared at Tian Buyi, his gaze sharp.
"I won't practice it."
"But my newly accepted disciple wants to learn it."
Tian Buyi leaned forward. A deeply strange expression appeared on his round, plump face.
It looked like he was showing off.
It also looked like he was eager to see some kind of collapse that was about to occur.
"Disciple?"
Dao Xuan froze.
He stared at Tian Buyi for a long while, as if looking at a madman.
"Have you gone mad?"
"Those few disciples of yours on Great Bamboo Peak."
"Forget Slay Ghosts and Gods—even Divine Sword Thunder Control True Art, which of them can use it?"
"If you pass Slay Ghosts and Gods on to them, you'll only harm them!"
"Within three days, their meridians will definitely shatter, and they'll die!"
"Tian Buyi, is this how you, as a master, teach your disciples?"
After a moment.
Dao Xuan let out a cold laugh, his face revealing a hint of disdain.
As for the few disciples of Great Bamboo Peak.
Dao Xuan still knew a little about them.
Song Daren?
Honest and dull, with mediocre aptitude.
Du Bishu?
He only knew how to gamble all day and did not attend to proper business.
Tian Ling'er?
Her aptitude was passable, but she was a girl. A fierce, forceful path like Slay Ghosts and Gods was completely unsuitable for her.
"Huh~"
Suddenly.
Dao Xuan seemed to think of something.
Not long ago.
Tian Buyi had also come to Heaven-Piercing Peak.
He had said that someone had ambushed Puzhi at the foot of Qingyun Mountain.
It had taken a disciple of Great Bamboo Peak appearing to save Puzhi's life.
Based on Dao Xuan's understanding of Great Bamboo Peak.
The other disciples of Great Bamboo Peak simply could not have accomplished such a thing.
There was only one explanation.
Tian Buyi had accepted another disciple—and this time, he had accepted a genius.
"So..."
"Is it your newly accepted disciple?"
After understanding everything.
Dao Xuan spoke again, asking tentatively.
"That's right."
"Two years ago, I accepted another disciple."
"His name is Ye Xuan, and he ranks seventh."
Seeing that Dao Xuan had already guessed it.
Tian Buyi did not conceal anything and directly admitted it.
"Two years ago?"
Hearing Tian Buyi's words.
Dao Xuan could not help but be slightly stunned.
What kind of joke was this?
The Demon Cult fiend who had dared to ambush Puzhi definitely had no weak cultivation.
How could a disciple who had cultivated for only two years possibly have saved Puzhi?
"Senior Brother!"
"Do you know about the Innate Dao Body?"
Just then.
Tian Buyi spoke again, his tone filled with undisguised pride.
"I'm telling you."
"Seventh is truly a child with remarkable talent."
"I had just taught him Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao, and he immediately mastered the basics."
"Only half a year."
"Seventh had cultivated to the fifth layer of the Yuqing Realm before going down the mountain to gain experience."
"Not long ago."
"Seventh returned to Great Bamboo Peak, and his cultivation had reached the Shangqing Realm."
"Heh heh..."
"Can you believe it?"
"This is a twelve-year-old expert of the Shangqing Realm!"
"..."
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