Mu Lan had finally digested all the information. The sheer volume of revelations in this one short day exceeded everything he had learned over the past hundred years.
"Why don't you come back with us, Ancestor? With the resources of the Immortal Sacred Whale Clan, we can surely help her grow as quickly as possible. Once she awakens her Reincarnation Seal..."
Before Mu Lan could finish, Jiang Yinyin hid behind Fang Yi again and said in a clear, childish voice, "No! I don't want to go back with you."
"Ancestor, the Immortal Sacred Whale Clan has someone at the Reincarnation Stage overseeing it now, and its resources are much better than here..."
Mu Lan really had called her Ancestor. If his eldest and second brothers found out he had found their ancestor but failed to bring her back...
Even if he was an Immortal Sacred Whale, he would end up a dead fish.
Besides, he didn't think he was wrong.
The Dao Sect was indeed impressive in the Eastern Xuan Region, but compared with the whole Chaotic Demon Sea, it was hardly worth a glance.
The Immortal Sacred Whales, on the other hand, were the foremost race in the Chaotic Demon Sea. Unless the Yimo launched a large-scale invasion, ordinary factions couldn't even dream of challenging them.
That went for both the Sea Giant Clan and the Kunpeng Clan.
Because of their racial traits, they could have practically as many Life and Death Profound Realm experts as they wanted.
Life Qi was a power they could generate on their own.
"Either way, I'm not going."
Jiang Yinyin tugged at Fang Yi's robe. The people closest to her heart were her elder sister and father, followed by her senior brother.
Even though she knew Senior Sister Huanhuan might have been her junior sister in a previous life, her senior brother had dealt with the Blood Vulture Martial Hall for her and brought her entire family to the Dao Sect.
He had changed her family's fate.
From that point on, every change had begun with Fang Yi.
"Young friend Fang, this..."
Seeing Jiang Yinyin's resistance, Mu Lan could only turn to Fang Yi for help. He hadn't expected his little ancestor to depend on Fang Yi so much.
Fang Yi naturally couldn't let Jiang Yinyin return, or how could he ally with the Immortal Sacred Whale Clan?
Even if the Immortal Sacred Whales still felt indebted to him now, that sense of obligation would only fade with time.
Only by tying Jiang Yinyin completely to the Dao Sect could he pull the Immortal Sacred Whales onto the Dao Sect's chariot.
He then said, "Senior, I actually think it wouldn't be a good thing for Yinyin to return to the Immortal Sacred Whales."
Mu Lan frowned, but instead of refuting Fang Yi, he asked, "What insights do you have, young friend Fang?"
"The Immortal Sacred Whales are descendants of the Lord of Life and Death, and because of their standing in the Chaotic Demon Sea, many people are watching them."
"If you suddenly brought a little girl back, word would inevitably leak out. Once it did, people would connect her to the reincarnation of the Lord of Life and Death."
"Whether they're factions connected to the Yimo or those who dislike the Immortal Sacred Whale Clan, none of them would want the Lord of Life and Death to return."
Mu Lan nodded in agreement, but still said firmly, "We'll do everything we can to protect Ancestor!"
"But it would be dangerous for her."
Hearing that, Mu Lan fell into thought.
Fang Yi continued, "Besides, the Yimo here is suppressed by the Great Desolation Tablet. As long as I slowly weaken its power, the tablet will be enough to protect them."
"Before the Samsara Stage, the resources the Dao Sect provides won't compare with those of the Immortal Sacred Whales. Besides, I've created a martial art that can awaken part of Yinyin's memories ahead of time..."
"What? Awaken part of her memories?"
Mu Lan was truly stunned this time. What did he mean, a martial art he had created could awaken a reincarnator's memories ahead of time?
"We've already tried it on Huanhuan."
Fang Yi smiled as he spoke. Mu Lan looked at Ying Huanhuan.
Then his gaze returned to Fang Yi, and he suddenly realized that the most extraordinary person in the Dao Sect was neither Ying Huanhuan nor their ancestor.
It was the man before him.
Fang Yi.
He seemed to know countless secrets inside out. His own talent was monstrous, and his methods were extraordinary. Despite being only at the Nirvana Realm, he could actually help the Great Desolation Tablet weaken a Yimo King.
He had even created a martial art that could awaken reincarnators ahead of time.
For some reason, Mu Lan felt that this might be an opportunity for the Immortal Sacred Whales. Besides, Fang Yi wasn't wrong.
Before the Samsara Stage, the training Jiang Yinyin received at the Dao Sect wouldn't be much worse than what the Immortal Sacred Whales could provide.
Besides...
Many thoughts flashed through Mu Lan's mind. He had indeed looked down on the Eastern Xuan Region before.
After all, the numerous factions in any random stretch of the Chaotic Demon Sea could rule the roost if placed here.
But now it seemed...
The people of the Chaotic Demon Sea had underestimated the Four Great Xuan Regions. At the very least, the Eastern Xuan Region still held many secrets.
"How about this? I'll stay here for a while. Sect Master Ying, could you send someone to the Immortal Sacred Whale Clan to deliver this?"
Mu Lan turned his hand and produced a deep-blue jade slip. It bore a special pattern, its lines tracing the outline of a whale.
"Naturally."
Ying Xuanzi nodded. Fang Yi had come through again; for the time being, this counted as establishing a relationship with the Immortal Sacred Whales.
He took the jade slip, and a moment later Elder Qian appeared. Ying Xuanzi spoke quietly to him, and Elder Qian nodded.
Elder Qian had no objection to delivering a message. It was all for the Dao Sect.
As long as it helped strengthen the Dao Sect!
What did such a small task matter?
"Then sorry for imposing on you all for the time being," Mu Lan said gently, holding Mu Lingshan's hand.
Several days later.
On a mountain peak in the Dao Sect, the closest peak to Daoxuan Peak, Ying Xuanzi had made special arrangements for Mu Lan to stay.
"Ancestor, this is the Immortal Heaven Derivation Technique you created back then. Although you have a human body now, it should still be suitable for you to cultivate."
"Can you stop calling me Ancestor? It sounds weird."
Jiang Yinyin pouted.
Mu Lan scratched his forehead, but he didn't know what else to call her. Yinyin?
If his eldest and second brothers found out, they would probably beat him to death.
He looked pleadingly at Fang Yi, who stood nearby.
Fang Yi, Ying Huanhuan, and Ying Xiaoxiao had also come to learn.
When Mu Lan had said he would teach Jiang Yinyin the Immortal Heaven Derivation Technique,
Jiang Yinyin had insisted that he teach all three of her senior sisters and senior brother as well. Mu Lan had been about to object, but she had declared outright that if he didn't teach them, she wouldn't learn it either.
It could only be said that gaining an ancestor had truly left the usually unflappable Mu Lan at a loss.
But it had also shown him something.
Jiang Yinyin's feelings for the Dao Sect ran deeper than he had imagined, so the Undying Holy Whale Clan's attitude toward the Dao Sect would naturally have to be different as well.
Especially toward Fang Yi.
"Just call her Yinyin. Didn't Lingshan also come from the Lord of Life and Death's physical body back then?"
"Doesn't she call you Third Grandpa? Besides, Senior Mu Lan, if you keep calling her Ancestor, won't that expose Yinyin's identity?"
"All right."
Mu Lan thought it over and saw the sense in it. Of course, he had thought the same himself, but with his ancestor right in front of him, he couldn't be disrespectful.
It still took Fang Yi to say it.
Mu Lan continued, "The Immortal Heaven Derivation Technique was created by our ancestor based on the properties of the Life and Death Ancestral Symbol and her own bloodline. It stands at the very pinnacle of Heaven Martial Arts."
"It can heal injuries and nourish the body anytime, anywhere."
"As long as a wound does not kill you in a single blow and you still have a breath left, you can use this supreme secret technique to recover."
"Once mastered, it can even circulate on its own, restoring severed limbs and replenishing depleted blood in the blink of an eye. In battle, no one can match you; you become known as an existence that is all but immortal. That is also how our race came to be called the Immortal Sacred Whales."
"Actually, our ancestor left no bloodline behind back then..."
Mu Lan said suddenly.
"Huh?"
Hearing Mu Lan's words, Fang Yi couldn't help asking, "Then where did the Immortal Sacred Whales come from?"