Chapter 128: Chapter 124: The Past of Elder Tao
Master Wan Shi led Du Youqian to the Guest Reception Hall, where beautiful female Daoists served Spirit Fruits and Spirit Wine.
The Master personally cast a spell, causing the trees in the great hall to rejuvenate and countless flowers to burst into bloom.
Disciples assigned to Miscellaneous Tasks who were skilled in music played string and bamboo instruments behind a screen to the side of the hall, adding to the festive atmosphere.
After host and guest were seated, Master Wan Shi shared three rounds of toasts with him before finding an excuse to take her leave.
This was only to be expected.
How could it be otherwise? The status of a Core Formation Great Power was immensely noble.
If Du Youqian weren’t the Holy Blood Sect’s appointed Guardian Envoy, with his paltry Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivation, he would have had to schedule an appointment months in advance just for a chance to meet Master Wan Shi.
And whether she would grant him an audience would still depend entirely on her mood.
Now, out of respect for the Holy Blood Sect, Master Wan Shi had personally welcomed Du Youqian and shared three toasts with him. This was more than enough of a show of respect.
For her to continue as his host would be inappropriate.
It would cross the line from respect into obsequiousness.
Therefore, the Chongzhen Sect’s Elders took over the hosting duties.
The first to take charge was a Daoist with small eyes and a burly Physique, resembling a tyrannical Military General from the Mortal World.
"I am Songyangzi. It is an honor to meet you, Fellow Daoist Yu."
~~~~~~~~~
Du Youqian stayed at the Chongzhen Sect for half a month. He ate and drank his fill, and privately accepted a considerable amount of Spiritual Jade and other precious materials.
Even Luo Jinyu’s coffers were overflowing.
Both men left satisfied, having profited handsomely from the visit.
During that half month, he and the Little Eyes Daoist, Songyangzi, didn’t exchange a single unnecessary word, nor did they attempt to probe one another.
He certainly didn’t ask anyone about Songyangzi’s circumstances.
He acted as if it were the first time he had ever met Songyangzi, showing the same indifference one would have for a complete stranger.
Unfortunately, he did not see Master Wan Shi again during that half month.
He had a feeling that Master Wan Shi was very familiar with his master, Feng Xiaoyi.
He had wanted to subtly probe Master Wan Shi, hoping to glean some information that people in the Holy Blood Sect either dared not speak of or that all knowledgeable parties were already dead.
’This wasn’t because Du Youqian wanted to assassinate his master and rebel, or because he harbored some ulterior motive.’
’It was merely a precaution.’
’If Feng Xiaoyi bore him no ill will, he would naturally serve his master as he would his own father, with the utmost respect.’
’But if Feng Xiaoyi was plotting against him, and that plot threatened his life, he certainly wouldn’t just lie down and die.’
To this day, Du Youqian still couldn’t understand why Feng Xiaoyi had taken the initiative to approach him and accept him as her disciple.
She showered him with appreciation and favor, not only answering his questions and resolving his doubts every few days, but also personally instructing him in the Dao.
This was true instruction, not the kind of "fluid exchange" her other pretty-boy disciples experienced.
She also bestowed gifts upon him every few days.
Sometimes they were simple, inexpensive things like Spirit Tea, Spirit Fruits, or even just an ordinary flask of Spiritual Spring Water.
Other times, they were precious Spiritual Artifacts and materials.
In short, it left Du Youqian feeling both delighted and somewhat terrified.
’They say there’s no such thing as causeless hatred in this world, and no such thing as causeless love, either.’
’So where, exactly, did Feng Xiaoyi’s favor toward him come from?’
The Flying Boat departed the Chongzhen Sect’s Blessed Land, descending before a long-abandoned settlement of exiles deep within the Woniushan Mountain Range.
Soon, a figure darted aboard.
Gu Xiaofang grimaced, muttering, "I’m freezing to death!" and "This is exhausting!" But one look at his ruddy complexion and the excitement brimming in his eyes was enough to know he had also profited during this time.
"Senior Brother, your parents have been settled in. You can rest easy."
Du Youqian nodded. "And the matter I asked you to investigate?"
"I did. It happened so long ago that almost no one remembers. I didn’t dare ask around too brazenly for fear of arousing suspicion. In the end, I stumbled upon a clue by chance in a Mortal City."
"In that city, there’s a family whose ancestor was a Daoist of the Chongzhen Sect—an Inner Disciple, no less. This ancestor left behind a memoir that happens to record the very matter you asked about, Senior Brother."
"That family’s ancestor was a disciple from the lineage of the Chongzhen Sect’s Sect Leader. In this lineage, there were two exceptionally brilliant Daoists. One was named Master Yuyang, the Sect Leader’s head disciple, and the other was Yu Quanzi. Both were extraordinarily gifted individuals with profound foundations, considered likely to become True Inheritors and strong candidates for becoming future Core Formation Masters."
"The two martial brothers were close in their youth, but as they each gathered their own followers, they began competing for resources and the position of True Inheritor. With petty individuals sowing discord between them, a rift gradually formed."
"Master Yuyang suppressed Yu Quanzi on multiple fronts. Yu Quanzi, for his part, remained respectful toward his senior brother and repeatedly gave way. However, this was perceived as weakness, causing his followers to abandon him in disappointment."
"This continued until a Sect-wide competition, where the two of them ended up fighting with True Fire. Master Yuyang struck a vicious blow, and Yu Quanzi, finally unable to bear it any longer, furiously retaliated. Master Yuyang was grievously wounded, his Dao Foundation damaged. After being reprimanded by the Sect Leader, a disheartened Yu Quanzi went into self-exile. He wandered the outside world and never returned to the Sect, even in death."
"Although Master Yuyang’s Dao Foundation was damaged and he later passed away during the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he had many outstanding disciples. For instance, that Songyangzi of yours successfully reached Foundation Establishment at a young age. Later, during a sparring competition between the young disciples of the Holy Sect and the Profound Sects Orthodox Sect, he grievously wounded a prodigy from the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect named Helan Ruojin."
"After that, Songyangzi’s progress was unstoppable. He quickly reached Foundation Establishment Perfection. His foundation in the Foundation Establishment Perfection Realm is now said to be incredibly profound. Rumor has it he has cultivated several Secret Techniques, obtained a Core Formation Spiritual Object, and may attempt to break through to the Core Formation realm in the coming years."
Du Youqian fell into contemplative silence after Gu Xiaofang finished his report.
’So, it seems Elder Tao’s Daoist name back in the day was Yu Quanzi...’
’*Ahem.* It looks like avenging Elder Tao will have to wait.’
’After all, that Songyangzi is seriously powerful.’
~~~~~~~~~
While Du Youqian was listening to Gu Xiaofang’s report, the Little Eyes Daoist, Songyangzi, was also reporting to the Supervising Master, Master Wan Shi.
He recounted every last detail of the "Wu Kingdom’s Guardian Envoy Yu Fei"’s activities over the past half-month.
"...In my humble opinion, he is merely an upstart who got lucky. There is nothing about him that warrants our attention," Songyangzi concluded.
"Is that so?" Master Wan Shi’s slender, jade-like fingers tapped rhythmically on her personal Sword. "Then why did my Water Yu Sword hum with excitement upon seeing him?"
Songyangzi was stunned.
The Water Yu Sword was a Treasure Level Flying Sword that had been part of the Chongzhen Sect’s Inheritance for thousands of years, forged with the Demon Core of an Ape Demon at its heart.
Over millennia, it had developed a sliver of Spirituality, giving it a minuscule chance of evolving into a Spirit Treasure.
How could such a priceless Treasure hum for that uncultured Demon Child?
’Could there be something special about that Demon Child?’
’No, that’s impossible.’
And yet, he didn’t dare doubt the words of Master Wan Shi.
A vermilion mark adorned the space between Master Wan Shi’s brows. Her gaze was unfocused, as if she were speaking to herself rather than to Songyangzi.
"I also found it incredible, so I probed him slightly. That ’Yu Fei’ has a bone age of no more than thirty, and he possesses Sword Intent. He may well be a genius of the Sword Dao."
