Chapter 127: Chapter 123: A Master’s Personal Welcome, the Face of a First-Class Sect
Du Youqian had already put away his Flying Boat and was waiting on the ground with Luo Jinyu as a sign of respect.
As for the old couple, Gu Xiaofang had already led them into the Chongzhen Sect’s Blessed Land through another channel to be secretly settled.
Gu Xiaofang was clever, so Du Youqian felt at ease entrusting him with tasks.
As for why they had to be settled in secret...
After all, this was the territory of a Profound Sects Orthodox Sect.
If this were a Demon Sect’s territory, Du Youqian wouldn’t be worried about someone using the old couple to blackmail him.
After all, it was common knowledge how Demon Sect members treated their parents, children, relatives, and friends. It was something like: "You’re going to cook my parents? Please, give me a bowl, thank you! I’ve been wanting a taste for a long time!"
So, if he settled the old couple in a Demon Sect’s territory, he truly wouldn’t have to worry about them being used as leverage against him.
It was just that the living conditions in a Demon Sect’s Blessed Land were abysmal.
Take the Holy Blood Sect for example. The cities within its Blessed Land were far from peaceful.
There were wars every other day.
Despite being under the same leader, they were at each other’s throats, ready to tear each other apart.
Whenever an Inner Disciple needed to refine a Demon Artifact, a conflict would "coincidentally" erupt between two cities, a conflict that had to be resolved through war...
There was no other way. The Holy Blood Sect made the rules, and they had to abide by their own rules, even if it brought them to tears.
Otherwise, how could they control their underlings?
The rules said there could be no large-scale Blood Sacrifices of mortals, so there could be no Blood Sacrifices.
But refining Demon Artifacts was a fundamental necessity.
Without Demon Artifacts, you were a step below others in Magical Combat.
So what was one to do when a Demon Artifact needed to be refined?
’Mortals started a war and people died. I’m just putting the stray souls and corpses to good use so they don’t go to waste, refining them into a Demon Artifact... I really didn’t initiate a Blood Sacrifice!’
There were plenty of smart people in the world.
Soon, other Demon Sects followed suit.
This wasn’t just happening within the Blessed Lands.
In the large-scale wars between the Nine Countries of Momenan Desert, an observer with a discerning eye would surely see the figures of Demon Sect Disciples weaving through the chaos, fanning the flames and stirring up trouble.
And for the upper echelons of the Holy Blood Sect, as long as the wars remained controlled to a certain extent and didn’t result in mass extermination, they would tacitly approve of a few mortal casualties each year.
After all, people die from natural and man-made disasters, plagues, and famines anyway, right?
In the Blessed Lands of the Profound Sects Orthodox Sects, however, things were peaceful and serene.
For example, in the Zhongxuan Sect’s Blessed Land, which Du Youqian knew intimately, everything was fine aside from a few sneaky Demon Children showing up to secretly suck some blood. At least wars didn’t break out at the drop of a hat, and the City-States didn’t even need to build walls.
But settling his parents here meant worrying that a Cultivator from a Profound Sects Orthodox Sect might use them to threaten him.
That was why Du Youqian had Gu Xiaofang handle the matter in secret.
Now, seeing the Chongzhen Sect’s grand reception and feeling the pressure of a Core Formation Lord emanating from the Kun Cultivator in the Jade Chariot, Du Youqian couldn’t help but feel secretly puzzled.
’This display... is too grand!’
’Is this the prestige of a First-class Sect?’
’At this rate, the next time I’m reincarnated, I probably won’t be able to stand joining a Second-class Sect, which I once yearned for.’
’After all... from the looks of it, a Second-class Sect can only grovel before a First-class Sect!’
And to think he once believed that Second-class Sects could occasionally arm-wrestle with First-class Sects.
Only now did he realize how wrong he was.
But upon further reflection, it was understandable.
The requirement for Second-class Sects was to have three or more Core Formation Cultivators.
According to his knowledge, among the seven Second-class Sects—four Profound Sects Orthodox Sects and three Demon Sects—the total number of Core Formation Cultivators was less than thirty.
Meanwhile, the Holy Blood Sect alone had over twenty Core Formation Lords that were publicly known...
’So, what was I even thinking?’
’Arm-wrestle?’
’Just get on your knees and grovel.’
Of course, Du Youqian hadn’t let it go to his head.
He knew very well that they were supposed to grovel before a First-class Sect, not before him—a mere Senior Steward of the External Affairs Hall with Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivation.
The grand display they put on was to give face to the Holy Blood Sect, not to him, "Yu Fei."
If he went too far, a Second-class Sect wouldn’t be so easy to deal with.
So, Du Youqian took the initiative to step forward and bow. "Greetings, Master Wan Shi. I never expected you to come out to greet me personally, Master. This junior is truly overwhelmed."
Du Youqian had naturally done his homework before coming.
The Chongzhen Sect had its own system. Five Core Formation Lords served as Supreme Elders, taking turns on duty to guard the Sect’s safety. Their status was transcendent, and they rarely made a move. The Sect Leader and the Elders, on the other hand, formed the Chongzhen Sect’s center of power, responsible for handling daily affairs.
The arrival of a Guardian Envoy from a First-class Sect was no small matter, naturally warranting the personal attention of a Core Formation Master.
Du Youqian had already memorized the portraits of all the Core Formation Masters in the entire Wu Kingdom.
At this moment, peering through the Jade Pendants hanging from the canopy, he saw that the one sitting on the Jade Chariot was a Daoist nun who looked like a sixteen-year-old girl, with a red mole between her eyebrows.
He also saw that the Daoist nun’s skin was fair, but her features were plain. Her lips were thin, and at best, she could be considered inconspicuously pretty. Only her magnificent eyes shone with life as they moved.
The Daoist nun wore a simple Crane Robe, with an antiquated-looking sword hanging from her waist.
Her waterfall of long, black hair cascaded over her shoulders. The only ornament on her entire person was the Cold Jade Hairpin in her hair, and she emanated the pressure of the Core Formation realm.
With so many identifying features, he naturally recognized her without any effort.
But when his gaze swept past Master Wan Shi to the Daoist behind her—a man with small eyes and the burly build of a Military General—it suddenly froze.
Seeing Du Youqian’s proper words and actions, Master Wan Shi smiled, pursing her lips, and gave a graceful bow. "This humble Daoist greets the Guardian Envoy from the Upper Sect."
"I dare not, I dare not. You are too polite, Master." Du Youqian took out a token engraved with the two ancient characters for "Garrison." He accepted Master Wan Shi’s bow on behalf of his Sect, then put the token away and returned the bow.
Seeing how humble and courteous he was, and sensing the noble and open temperament about him—so different from the usual bloody, gloomy, treacherous, wantonly charming, or malevolent aura of Demon Sect members—Master Wan Shi’s impression of him improved even more.
She even had the mistaken impression that she was talking to a promising young man from a Profound Sects Orthodox Sect.
"May I ask the Guardian Envoy’s name, and which Master he studies under?"
"My surname is Yu, and my given name is Fei. My master is Chun Xiao Master."
"So you are the prized disciple of Chun Xiao Master," Master Wan Shi said. Her smile held a faint trace of hostility and disdain, but her tone revealed none of it. She pointed to the empty Jade Chariot beside them. "A great master truly produces a great disciple! Guardian Envoy Yu, please, ascend the Jade Chariot."
Du Youqian declined several times before finally boarding the Jade Chariot, positioning himself slightly behind Master Wan Shi’s own.
The procession turned around and set off once more. Soon, they saw the majestic jade waterfall before the Chongzhen Sect’s mountain gate, which seemed to fall from the heavens.
The winged-horse-shaped Flying Spiritual Artifacts flapped their wings, pulling the Jade Chariots soaring into the sky. They leaped over the top of the waterfall and landed directly at the main gate of the Chongzhen Sect.
All along the way, the disciples of the Chongzhen Sect stood with their hands clasped and heads bowed, saluting in silence.
