Several days later.
Deathless Temple.
The Mandala ritual was in full swing, all manner of Buddhist light on display. Clarified Butter Lamps burned eternally, and the air was suffused with the fragrance of i class="icon icon-uniE089"</i>i class="icon icon-uniE023"</i>.
A streak of watery light descended, revealing Fang Daoyun, with Fang Daoling beside her.
"You... if you regret this now, there is still time."
Fang Daoling quietly sent the words through spiritual sense. He received only silence, and anger rose within him.
Then he thought of the remarks the cultivators of the main branch had inadvertently let slip over the past few days. It seemed they believed that his refusal to let Fang Daoyun participate stemmed from fear that the main branch would produce a Dumu and turn around to suppress the second branch. It nearly made him cough up blood...
Yet when the moment came, he could not help accompanying his cousin to this place that filled him with such tangled emotions.
He had successfully entered seclusion here and forged his Dao Foundation, but he had also suffered several years of inexplicable imprisonment...
And this time, he had come with a purpose.
"This time, they did not explicitly say they would only select a Dumu. If I become a Duzi, I can likewise protect the Lineage in the coming great war..."
"Unfortunately, I heard cultivators of Earth Virtue have a slight advantage. My cousin and I both possess Water Virtue Dao Foundations..."
As Fang Daoling and Fang Daoyun entered Deathless Temple, several masters immediately came forward. Their attitudes were fairly cordial.
"Two faithful believers, please proceed to the Black Earth Courtyard and wait..."
The two masters pressed their palms together. Fang Daoling hurriedly said he dared not accept such courtesy and tried to slip them several Qi Ingestion spiritual items, but