Yue Yun was a nominal disciple Master Lianshan had taken after entering the unorthodox path. He lived overseas year-round and had no dealings with Emei's main lineage. Many of the Emei Sect's younger members did not even know he existed.
At the opening of the immortal estate, Yue Yun had sat among the guests alongside Yi Zhou, Master Yizhen, Ning Yizi, Mr. Zhong of the Kunlun Sect, and others. He had even been seated after Linglingzi of the Wudang Sect.
Over the years, he had maintained some contact only with the Three Immortals of the Eastern Sea, but they did not meet frequently. Immortal cultivators could enter seclusion for decades or even centuries at a time, so strictly speaking, they were not particularly close.
This time, Shi Feiyang had imitated every one of Yue Yun's habits perfectly. He had also killed several of Deng Yin's disciples during the magical battles, further cementing his assumed identity in everyone's eyes.
When he volunteered to become the abbot of the Lower Court, everyone thought this junior fellow disciple, newly admitted to the orthodox direct lineage, simply wanted to do more for the Emei Sect. It seemed perfectly natural.
Shi Feiyang explained the three choices to everyone. More than half left in a great rush, and those who remained all intended to join the new Emei Lower Court instead.
He interviewed them one by one, weeding out a great many notorious bandits fishing in muddy waters and other crooked melons and cracked dates. In the end, only eighty-nine remained.
Chan Master Xiaoyue had originally divided them into Buddhist and Daoist branches. Shi Feiyang merged them all into one and had everyone dress as Daoists.
The next day, Shi Feiyang gathered them in the front square of the Jade Emperor Temple again and had them