Chapter 621: The Old Friend Is

"Since that is the case, I shall not force the matter." The Demon Buddha accepted Ren Yidao's departure, "Once you are prepared, I will send you to the border between the Western Desert and Beiming."

"Mm, alright." Ren Yidao's mind was not on the conversation, and he replied offhandedly: "Mm, if there is a chance, before you enter nirvana, I should still come back to visit you, and try to see you one last time."

Today's auspicious words, accomplished!

The Demon Buddha was not offended, but laughed and nodded: "Haha, that is also fine, then I thank you, fellow Daoist, for your concern."

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while longer, and after confirming there were no other matters, the Demon Buddha prepared to send Ren Yidao and his group to the Linbei Oasis.

But just as they were about to leave, Ren Yidao suddenly remembered something and called a halt to the teleportation ritual.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot."

He shook the Bell in his hand at the Demon Buddha: "Speaking of which, it seems you still have an old friend you haven't seen; do you need me to invite them out to meet?"

The Demon Buddha pressed his palms together and shook his head, feeling no regret, and said peacefully: "Since they do not wish to meet, there is no need to force it."

"Furthermore, not long ago, we had already met; I already understand the situation of that old friend, so there is no need to ask further."

Already met?

Ren Yidao's brows twitched, somewhat sensing what those words meant, and he nodded.

"I see, I understand... then I will trouble the Fozhu."

Ren Yidao knew the method of teleportation, but he did not know the specific location of the Linbei Oasis; having the Demon Buddha send them would be much more convenient.

"Fellow Daoist, until we meet again."

The Demon Buddha bowed slightly, and then Ren Yidao vanished from Spirit Mountain.

And not long after Ren Yidao left, the Chijiao monk appeared beneath the Bodhi tree, looking with a complex expression at the Demon Buddha, who was rapidly withering and aging; at this moment, He looked like an elderly person sleeping with their eyes closed.

"You..."

The Demon Buddha opened his eyes and revealed a kind smile at the Chijiao monk, "World-Honored One, are you also leaving?"

"I..." The words the Chijiao monk had originally prepared also became stuck at this moment; after a while, he shook his head, "No, I will remain on Spirit Mountain. Although Mingxin has taken the name of the Fox Immortal, his realm is still insufficient; I will help him consolidate it."

The Demon Buddha's eyes moved slightly, staring at Chijiao for a while, then moved upward to look at the leaves overhead that were as lush as a pavilion, nodded, and said softly:

"... That is also fine."

"That is even better."

On the other hand, Ren Yidao, having arrived at the Linbei Oasis, did not leave in one go, nor was he looking for that mother and son surnamed Ma; the two of them had already boarded the arranged carriage yesterday and were rushing toward Spirit Mountain.

The reason he stopped was because he had sensed something wrong in the Demon Buddha's words.

An old friend, and one who had already been seen just a moment ago... these two conditions alone could greatly narrow the search range.

After filtering through a few characteristics, the confirmed options for the person were very few.

Ren Yidao stroked the surface of the Divine Dao Bell, then took a deep breath and said softly: "Since you have already been discovered, why not come out and have a chat?"

He was not talking to his master, nor was he talking to his Junior Sister, and it was even less likely he was talking to his own disciple.

Therefore, after excluding all options, there was only one final truth—

That's right!

He was saying these words to the Divine Dao Bell.

Yes, not anyone else.

It was the Divine Dao Bell.

It was that Supreme Treasure of the Divine Path Sect!

The Demon Buddha had been talking to the main body of the Divine Dao Bell from the very beginning; it was only because someone happened to be hidden inside that he hadn't reacted immediately.

Later, when Yaoyue relied on the Divine Dao Bell to force that Wuming Immortal out of their escape technique, that Immortal had also exclaimed in shock; it was fundamentally impossible for a dead Supreme Treasure to achieve that.

But since the Divine Dao Bell could do it, either it had become powerful to a degree the other party could not understand, or... there was a great expert hidden inside controlling it.

He was talking to the artifact spirit of the Divine Path Sect: "Since I already know of your existence, there is no need for you to continue hiding."

"Some Immortal lord residing within a Supreme Treasure, why not come out and meet? Could it be that you feel Ren is not qualified?"

Ren Yidao had seen many artifact spirits of Supreme Treasures, but perhaps due to habitual thinking, he hadn't noticed before that Immortal Gods could also hide within Supreme Treasures.

But once this thought appeared, everything else became logical.

For Immortal Gods, what in this world was most suitable for hiding?

Not deep mountains and old forests, not blessed lands and grotto-heavens.

It was Supreme Treasures.

Deep mountains and old forests had the risk of being discovered, and blessed lands and grotto-heavens were even more likely to be coveted and occupied by others.

Only a Supreme Treasure was sufficiently sturdy, would not be easily destroyed by others, and had its safety guaranteed; even if one were truly discovered, one could pretend to be the artifact spirit of the Supreme Treasure to muddle through.

It was just that the number of Supreme Treasures in the world was limited, and not every Immortal could have one; some Immortal Gods could only settle for the next best thing and choose other methods.

However, perhaps it wasn't entirely without clues; Ren Yidao had actually seen it long ago.

The place where he found Ren Huan was in the Treasury of the Beigan Dynasty; it was precisely within a fragment of a Supreme Treasure that he discovered Him and brought Him out.

It was truly unexpected, but it was indeed within reason.

The question now was, did others in the sect know of this Immortal God's existence? Had this being been hiding here all along, and was it using the Incense of the Divine Path Sect to recover itself?

Ren Yidao waited for a long time, but did not receive a reply from the other party, and his brows twitched, "Do you still want to continue pretending?"

Resisting stubbornly?

Roar!

Good!

Good, good, good!

I just love this kind of resistance!

"If you didn't have a bit of a rebellious spirit, I wouldn't even be happy~"

Seeing that the existence hidden within the fitness set showed no intention of responding, Ren Yidao did not get angry but instead laughed.

He was truly happy.

Because if the other party had conceded so easily, he would have had much less fun.

"Fine, fine, fine, so you want to play like this with me, right?"

"Alright, I'll satisfy you."

Ren Yidao nodded with a brilliant smile, then carried the Divine Path Bell and strode toward the nearest outhouse.

What is he doing?

He... what is he going to do!?

What on earth is he going to do!!?

【"Sigh... stop."】

Just as Ren Yidao was about to step into the outhouse, a weak, cold female voice rang out, and an illusory figure in white robes flew out from the Divine Path Bell.

The woman wore simple white robes, and her appearance could not be called stunning—at most, it was above average—but she possessed a unique, cold temperament that made one afraid to look directly at her.

Although the Immortal had a cold expression, her eyes were full of helplessness as she looked at the smiling youth with a headache.

She had lost, forced out by the other party using such a low-level provocation.

Even though she knew full well that Ren Yidao likely wouldn't actually go through with it, it was clear she could no longer endure it.

Whether Ren Yidao intended to throw the Divine Path Bell into the latrine or intended to do some unspeakable things to the Divine Path Bell inside the outhouse.

She could not accept it!

Therefore, she lost, lost completely...

"Divine Path Sect disciple Ren Yidao, greets the Immortal."

Ren Yidao performed a proper junior's bow toward the white-clad Immortal, smiling as he said, "Well, the child is still young, there was much offense just now, I hope Senior will not take it to heart."

Seeing Ren Yidao acting this way, the white-clad Immortal stared at him and said expressionlessly: 【"Ren Yidao, it's not like I've only known you for a day; why must you put on such a hypocritical act?"】

"But this is my first day knowing you."

Ren Yidao shrugged nonchalantly and chuckled, "How would I know if you are friend or foe? Isn't this just me trying to perform well and leave you with a good impression!"

A good impression?

Hmph.

The Immortal didn't even lift her eyelids, saying indifferently: 【"I discovered you the first time you were brought to the Divine Path Sect by Jing Yueqin; if I wanted to harm you, how could you have lived until today."】

【"Of all the things you have done in the Divine Path Sect over these years, which one has ever escaped my eyes?"】

"Peeping is not a good habit." Ren Yidao laughed mockingly and teased, "And peeping only to voluntarily tell the person involved is even less of a thing to boast about."

The Immortal glanced sideways at the youth and gave a light huff.

A reckless, lawless little fox!

One day he plays a prank by hiding a certain Peak Master's clothing in a disciple's room, the next he wanders around with a Recording Stone, filming the embarrassing moments of sect members and disciples, then copies them into dozens of sets to scatter among the peaks... he is simply a bully of the Divine Path Sect.

Relying on his harmless appearance, he had actually never been discovered.

"However, since you are so familiar with me, that saves the trouble of self-introductions."

Ren Yidao was relaxed, even somewhat flippant: "What about you? We can't keep calling you 'Senior' forever, right? How should I address you?"

The white-clad Immortal was silent for a few breaths, then said softly: 【"Since I have entered the bell, my past name shall no longer be mentioned."】

"In that case, how about we just make up a name? Let me think... Spirit of the Divine Path Bell, Zhong Ling? What do you think?"

This naming process went quite smoothly; Ren Yidao's inspiration suddenly burst forth, and he picked out a pretty good combination.

【"Acceptable."】 Zhong Ling was noncommittal, neither sad nor happy, effectively accepting this new form of address.

"Then it's settled. Senior Zhong Ling, since everyone is part of the Divine Path Sect, can you tell me if there is some hidden reason why you have been hiding in the Divine Path Sect all these years?"

【"Is this an interrogation?"】

"Interrogation? No, no, no, Senior, you joke, how would I dare!"

Ren Yidao waved his hands repeatedly, looking humble, and laughed: "This is merely my responsibility as a disciple of the Divine Path Sect, and even more so as this generation's Heaven Walker."

While he sounded humble, the Fox Immortal Dao God was already primed and ready to strike at Zhong Ling at any moment.

Zhong Ling was aware of this, stared at him for a moment, and shook her head: 【"I have no malice toward the Divine Path Sect, and you have mistaken one thing: it is not that I voluntarily entered the Divine Path Bell, but that it chose me."】

【"Furthermore, regarding the so-called truth you want... didn't your Sect Leader say he would tell you?"】

It has to do with that old guy again!

"He really did know. What on earth... forget it, asking you is useless, I'll just ask him directly when the time comes." Ren Yidao gave up and lowered his guard after mentioning the old guy Sikong.

Although his own Sect Leader was a bit of a jerk, he was generally quite reliable and still worth trusting.

At this moment, Zhong Ling suddenly raised an eyebrow and said out of the blue: 【"Additionally, although my name cannot be spoken, my title is fine; I once had a title..."】

"What title?"

【"Heavenly Lady of Hunyuan."】

"Hunyuan? What Hun... ah!!?"