Chapter 430: Country Folk See the World

Rustle.

Shen Yi appeared outside the General Nanyang Relief with three others.

Just stepping out of the light curtain, they saw the floating treasure ship before them, about thirty zhang long in total, entirely black in color, painted with Qingyue patterns.

"General Nanyang Sect Master, I am an executive of the Qingyue Sect, sent by the elders to fetch you."

Only one person stood at the bow, a woman in a dark blue robe, who looked relatively young and possessed a certain beauty.

"Much trouble."

Shen Yi nodded slightly; clearly, the Qingyue Sect elder had even considered that he had not yet reached Killed Fanxu and thus could not go to the Qingyue Sect.

For a group of General Nanyang Sect natives who had just stepped into this world, this was already an extremely considerate gesture.

"..."

Li Qingfeng touched his chin, looking at the woman; although she called him Sect Master, she made no welcoming move, but instead stood with hands by her sides, looking down at Shen Yi, her expression not arrogant but slightly cold.

He withdrew his gaze and said nothing.

Under Shen Yi's lead, the three stepped onto the Qingyue Treasure Ship.

"Please."

The woman nodded in response; immediately, the surrounding clouds and mist all became blurred.

In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

The clouds parted and the mist dispersed, revealing a sudden openness.

Shen Yi looked down from the ship; he saw that the platform on the mountain peak was overall similar to the General Nanyang Sect, differing only in details, such as the General Nanyang Relief becoming the Qingyue Relief.

It was almost like two peaks of the same sect.

It seemed the Seven Sons of South Hong were not allies formed later, but had been completely unified since the sect's founding.

"This way, please."

The executive gestured with her hand, then landed on the relief, and her figure directly merged into the light curtain.

"Wow! Their sect's great formation is always open!"

Xu Xu Qinger couldn't help but exclaim softly.

Li Qingfeng also felt somewhat moved: "It seems the Seven Sons of South Hong are even a top-tier existence outside."

Only true great powers would not fear outsiders invading, too lazy to even station a gate-keeping disciple; what immense confidence this was.

"..."

Shen Yi felt these two fools were hinting at him.

When he left just now, he had specifically checked whether the formation was closed properly.

What's the use of setting up such empty shells?

Do you understand safety first?

Shen Zongzhu, with a slightly sour tone, stepped forward and entered the relief formation.

In an instant.

The four appeared before a grand and majestic archway.

The dark blue-robed executive waited quietly; she dismissed the treasure boat, used her gaze to scatter the disciples around who were full of curiosity, then pointed at the archway and said, "These are all Qi Refining disciples, too young and unaware of the rules; please follow me into the Inner Sect."

"I feel it's no different from our place," Li Qingfeng whispered to Tong Xinchuan via sound transmission, complaining.

"Our place doesn't have so many Qi Refining disciples," Tong Xinchuan followed Shen Yi without looking sideways; with a glance from the corner of her eye, she saw that among the passersby, from the Slain Hunyuan extreme realm down to the Jade Liquid Realm, cultivation levels varied wildly, yet all wore identical robes, walked in groups, played and joked, with no barriers.

This would be hard to imagine within the General Nanyang Sect.

After entering the Inner Sect.

The scene before them made everyone's heart tremble even more.

Just as they stepped in, they happened to meet a powerful figure with a terrifying and shocking aura.

And that Killed Fanxu cultivator, whose strength was not inferior to the master's, actually clasped his hands and bowed: "Executive Liu."

The woman's face showed a bit more warmth: "I have urgent matters, so I will not chat much with junior brother."

The Killed Fanxu cultivator curiously glanced at the group, did not ask further, and directly disappeared between the archways.

After he left.

Executive Liu walked while turning back to introduce to Shen Yi: "This is the custom of the Seven Sons of South Hong; the Sect Master can take it as a reference. Qi Refining disciples usually stay in the Outer Sect; Soul Transformation cultivators qualify to enter the Inner Sect."

"If one cultivates to the third layer of Killed Fanxu, one can leave the Inner Sect."

"Those of average talent, like me, can serve as executives; if one later gains an opportunity and breaks through to the sixth layer of Killed Fanxu or above, there will be a chance to compete for the position of Outer Sect Elder."

"Those of superior talent, if favored by a senior, can become direct disciples."

Executive Liu, speaking to this point, showed some envy on her face: "They need not attend to sect affairs, but cultivate in peace; if one day they break through to the twelfth layer of Killed Fanxu and ascend to Bai Yujing, they will qualify to inherit the Dao Token and become sect elders."

"As for the Sect Master..."

Executive Liu's voice paused slightly, as if recalling something; she smiled somewhat awkwardly and directly skipped over it without mentioning it.

Shen Yi also tactfully did not ask further.

Clearly, in such a sect, the Sect Master is less a position and more the embodiment of the "Dao."

Because one unites with the Dao, one is the Sect Master.

At my current realm, I am at the same level as that cultivator who just bowed to the executive.

It seems that although both are Killed Fanxu, the gap in strength within might be even greater than I imagined.

The third and sixth layers are both watershed moments.

Inferring from this custom, the third layer of Killed Fanxu can serve as an executive, which probably means one has initially gained the self-defense capability to walk outside the sect.

"In that case, Master really got a bargain."

Li Qingfeng sighed; he held no resentment, but instead felt happy for Ye Wenxuan.

Although they had abandoned us, there is no rule on the path of cultivation that one must be responsible for another.

We can only say our paths differ, but the grace of transmitting the Dharma cannot be forgotten.

"Shen Zongzhu has suffered a great loss."

Tong Xin Chuan glanced over indifferently. Given the situation at the time, if he had been willing to negotiate, Shen Yi could have easily secured a position as a direct disciple; there was absolutely no need for him to join their ragtag group in causing trouble at General Nanyang Sect.

"We are almost there."

Liu Zhishi gazed calmly ahead, sighing inwardly that the natives of the Qianyuan Land were indeed just natives.

Why did they think their sound-transmission technique could block his senses?

However, that statement was not false.

If that Shen Zongzhu were willing, he could still secure a favorable treatment at Qingyue Sect even now.

She led the group to a bamboo building.

Standing at the door, she said softly, "Father, Shen Zongzhu has arrived."

Creak—

The bamboo door opened without wind.

"When conducting business, address me as Elder."

The owner of the voice from the Qingyue Dao Token finally revealed his true form.

He was a slender middle-aged man with a short beard, a stern countenance, and dressed in a black Qingyue long robe.

Li Qingfeng had seen long robes of the same style on many people, such as the Eldest Senior Sister, Senior Brother Nie, and even Shen Zongzhu.

But only when worn by this middle-aged man did it look like casual attire rather than some kind of magical garment.

This is the Inner Sect; since he is an Elder... does that mean he is a cultivator listed on Bai Yujing?

No! How did she know the Zongzhu's surname is Shen?

Oh no... we were eavesdropped on.

Li Qingfeng's face turned bitter as he looked at Tong Xin Chuan, only to find the other party also slightly embarrassed.

It was obvious that this Liu Zhishi was using this method to remind them.

"..."

Looking at the middle-aged man before them.

Shen Yi did not sense any powerful aura from the other; he was so restrained that he seemed like an ordinary person.

Judging solely from this sentence, he was somewhat old-fashioned.

But then again, if he were not an old-fashioned person, how could he possibly face a group of juniors and seriously acknowledge the agreement of Meng Sect?

"Yes, Elder Liu."

Liu Qianyun paused for a moment in silence, then cupped her hands and responded.

"Shen Zongzhu."

Elder Liu stepped out of the bamboo building, bowed to Shen Yi with cupped hands, and then said, "You have likely been busy with affairs recently, so I will not engage in excessive pleasantries. I have invited you here simply to let General Nanyang Sect understand the situation of Meng Sect as a reference."

"This is an official of Qingyue Sect; you may call her Qianyun. For the coming months, she will take Shen Zongzhu on a casual tour. If there is anything needed, as long as it does not violate the rules, Qingyue Sect will do its best to satisfy you."

Elder Liu had thoroughly demonstrated the etiquette of Meng Sect.

Shen Yi could not be so foolish as to think he was superior to the other; facing such goodwill, he returned the bow and thanked him, "Thank you, Elder Liu, for your assistance."

"No need for courtesy; these are things that should be done."

Elder Liu looked deeply at Shen Yi, a sigh welling up in his eyes.

He valued rules above all, yet he was by no means an impractical person.

Now, he was using these words to remind the other party: Qingyue Sect would absolutely not shirk what should be done, but that was all there was to it.

General Nanyang Sect today is not something that Li Xuanqing, or even a mere Elder of Qingyue Sect like him, could prop up.

"Please proceed, Shen Zongzhu." Elder Liu waved his sleeve lightly.

Hearing this, Liu Qianyun walked over slowly, concealing her slightly downcast expression, and led the group away toward the distance.

Clearly, an Elder who upholds rules would be loved by most, but that might not include her, his own daughter.

The daughter of a prestigious sect Elder could only serve as an official; not only was there no chance of becoming an Outer Sect Elder, but even the opportunity to become a direct disciple by exception was nonexistent.

"..."

Li Qingfeng had learned his lesson this time and did not attempt to transmit sound again.

He merely muttered in his heart.

This official's anger toward her father would likely be vented on us.

As expected.

Once they left the bamboo building, Liu Qianyun's tone lacked a bit of patience: "Shen Zongzhu, regarding the inheritance of a sect, nothing is more important than transmitting the Dharma and the Dao. I intend to take you all to the Dharma Lecture Hall first."

"However, those involving Qingyue Sect's Daoist arts would violate the rules if cultivators from Meng Sect were to listen in. I wonder if Zongzhu is interested in Alchemy, Talismans, Arrays, or Artifacts?"

Upon hearing this, Tong Xin Chuan and Xu Xu Qinger's eyes lit up simultaneously.

Shen Yi glanced at the two and replied, "Then let us go with Arrays. Thank you, Official."

Coincidentally, Array Dao was his greatest specialty.

"Very well, this way please."

Liu Qianyun now only wished to find some place to settle the group down so she could be alone and calm.

Calling a cultivator who had just returned to the Void "Zongzhu" repeatedly was becoming unbearable for her.

The structure of Qingyue Sect's Inner Sect was actually at least seventy percent similar to the Thousand Demon Cave.

However, in comparison, it was far more elegant and refined; the figures coming and going were all cultivators, and those cave dwellings were decorated with grandeur and majesty, their clear light piercing the sky.

Occasionally, passing a great hall, one could hear the lively sounds of debate coming from within.

A single formation is divided into as many as sixteen halls.

Liu Qianyun led the group into one of the halls.

The continuous sound of the lecture immediately fell silent; seated in the main hall was an old man in a green robe.

"This is Elder Yang of the Outer Gate, considered the one with the deepest understanding of formations among today's sixteen lecturers."

After a brief introduction, Liu Qianyun darted toward the front of the hall, whispered something beside Elder Yang, and then left the hall.

"..."

Elder Yang scanned the many disciples with puzzled faces, then nodded to Shen Yi and the others: "Please find seats at your leisure."

Li Qingfeng was not very interested in this matter, but Tong Xinchuan and Xu Xu Qinger eagerly stepped into the hall and, following Shen Yi, bowed respectfully to the elder in unison.

"Since guests have traveled from afar today, we will not lecture on formations but instead review the fundamentals."

Elder Yang's simple words immediately caused the disciples below to change expression slightly, then they began whispering among themselves to inquire about the newcomers' identities.

Although the reopening of the General Nanyang Sect was not deliberately publicized, a few people had heard of it.

After all, the simultaneous appearance of the Dao tokens of the elders of the Six Sects was quite rare among the Seven Disciples of Yu Nanhong.

Clearly, Elder Yang was deliberately showing consideration for these cultivators whose lineages had been severed.

"Boring, boring. If one wants to hear such things, one can simply listen to any attendant; why bother with an Outer Gate elder?"

A disciple sighed and put away the formation disk before him; were it not for Elder Yang's face, he would have intended to leave directly.

Shen Yi and the others did not mind; they were merely auditing, so naturally they would listen to whatever was taught.

Even the fundamentals were the proper fundamentals of a great sect, surely far superior to their own unorthodox methods.

As Elder Yang resumed the lecture.

The three listened quietly and attentively, beginning to fill in their gaps.

A-Qing even took out a small booklet to take notes.

"..."

Leaning outside the hall, Liu Qianyun saw their expressions and shook her head.

She felt somewhat uninterested.

Li Qingfeng's mind was not on the formations either; instead, he quietly observed the people around him.

As time passed, he gradually heard a few low chuckles.

Almost all the disciples, about a hundred or so, were now staring in unison at the trio in the corner.

"So serious."

The speaker covered his mouth, but his tone did not sound like praise.

Someone suddenly reached out and tugged at A-Qing's booklet; discovering that she had written down every single word without omission, he finally could not hold back his laughter: "You're actually studying this?"

"Uh."

A-Qing stopped writing somewhat awkwardly, not knowing what these people were laughing at; she truly felt she was gaining a lot.

"..."

Shen Yi casually snatched the booklet back, stuffed it into A-Qing's arms, then swapped places with her and said indifferently: "Ignore them, keep listening."

"Mm-hmm."

Xu Xu Qinger nodded obediently.

The disciple whose booklet had been snatched away paused for a moment, but saw that Shen Yi did not look at him again at all, treating him completely as if he were air.

He immediately said somewhat resentfully: "Hey, the temper is quite high. I was just looking. If there's anything you don't understand, I could even teach you; why bother Elder Yang?"

Tong Xinchuan, who had been listening to the laughter beside him, finally turned his gaze away from the elder and looked at that person, saying seriously: "Do you understand better than the elder? Then why don't you go up and lecture?"

"I!"

The young disciple was choked by the remark, his face turning slightly red.

A disciple like him, who had never left the sect, could not tolerate Tong Xinchuan's sarcasm; immediately he propped himself up: "Naturally, I am not as good as the elder, but teaching a few of you is more than enough."

"..."

Tong Xinchuan fell silent for a moment, looking at Shen Yi beside him.

Discovering that the other party had no intention of stopping him.

He calmly looked at that disciple and said softly: "That is not necessarily true."

(End of this chapter)