The broad-faced man said coldly, "No matter how difficult it is, it must be done. That Soul-gathering Bell is still in the hands of that girl. Without this bell, the Six Spirits Bell remains incomplete. The Baozhi Conference is about to start, and without this Magic Artifact, how can the young master show his might?"
The Daoist thought for a moment, then shook his head, "Your young master is truly reckless. Most at the Baohua Conference are Masters capable of soaring through the clouds. Although he has studied Daoism from a young age, he has yet to achieve Opening Meridians, and his Daoist Cultivation may not even surpass your Daoist master’s. What purpose would he serve by going?"
The broad-faced man snorted and said, "The young master’s talent is extraordinary; he has already been accepted as a disciple by an old Immortal. How could we dare speculate? Fortunately, there is still plenty of time before the Baohua Conference. We’ll find another opportunity."
The Daoist chuckled dismissively, seeming unimpressed.
Zhang Yan was meditating in Baofeng Temple every day, cultivating diligently. Half a month had passed, and he continued to use the guise of Li Yuanba’s identity, addressing Lu Tianying as a fellow disciple.
Under Lu Tianying’s tutelage, there were over twenty disciples in the temple, among whom five had been conferred the title of Third Grade Daoist Masters by Emperor Da Liang Yongding. Two of those seniors were cultivating in the temple, and each of them appeared as crane-haired, child-faced old Daoists. They were bewildered as to where this young Junior Master had come from, but even in reluctance, they adhered strictly to formalities, calling him Junior Master as dictated by tradition.
Zhang Yan had been pondering about the two young ones who claimed to be disciples of the Tai Hao Sect, wondering if they wouldn’t show up after all.
Yet, by the end of the month, while he was meditating in the quiet room one day, shouting voices came through the door, "Old Lu Daoist, young master is here again! Come on out quickly! Let me pluck every strand of your beard!"
Lu Tianying heard the voice and felt an unexplained sense of relief in his heart, his Heart and Spirit achieving an unprecedented calmness.
It looked like he could leave for the Qingyu Sect after today and return to his sect. Thinking about this revitalized his morale. He fixed his Daoist robe, rose, and strode into the courtyard. Stroking his slightly regrown beard, he even managed a faint smile and said, "Are the two fellow Daoists back again? But today, you won’t find my beard so easily plucked."
Across from him stood two individuals. One was a delicate, child-like boy, standing atop a flying gourd, imitating an adult by crossing his hands behind his back, proudly looking down.
The other was a girl of thirteen or fourteen, adorned with tinkling jewelry and Yingluo draping over her shoulders, her eyes resembling calm autumn water, though a mischievous glint flashed across her face. She stood atop a banana leaf.
When she saw Lu Tianying emerge, she performed a courteous Wan Fu bow and said, "Lu Daoist, my younger brother behaves rudely, and I’m here to apologize on his behalf."
Lu Tianying’s eyelid twitched. Rude? When he had his eyebrows roasted with a gourd earlier, why hadn’t she considered that rude?
Nevertheless, his thoughts were preoccupied with leaving for the Qingyu Sect, so he had no interest in squabbling with them and said gravely, "No need for pleasantries; I would rather destroy the Dragon Flame Tongue Herb than give it to you."
The girl exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, Lu Daoist only knows this Spirit Grass by name?"
Lu Tianying replied, "What a joke. This Spirit Grass was grown by me here. How could I not recognize it?"
The girl shook her head, "Why tell such inconsistent fictions, Lu Daoist? A hundred years ago, this grass was lost here by an elder from my sect. How has it suddenly become your property?"
Lu Tianying smiled faintly. Pointing to his Daoist bun, he said, "There’s no need for further debate. My hair and beard are right here; if you dare, you can try to burn them again."
Inwardly, the girl thought: "Last time, this Lu Daoist was timid, but today, he’s showing such brazenness. Could it be, as Junior Master commented, he’s brought reinforcements from his sect? We slipped out without informing Junior Master, so we need to tread carefully."
She revealed a wary look in her eyes.
The boy beside her couldn’t hold back his excitement, clapping his hands and shouting, "Old Daoist, wait and see my Wind and Fire Gourd!"
Just as he was about to act, the girl’s expression shifted, and she quickly pulled her younger brother aside, just as a shadow darted through the spot they had been standing moments ago, emitting a deep, mournful whistling sound and stirring draft winds strong enough to flutter their garments.
With a loud "boom," the wall collapsed, sending dust and debris into the air.
The girl was startled and inspected the scene closely, realizing it was a copper hammer the size of a grown man’s head. Thinking about how it had nearly landed on her moments ago, her face paled.
From the rear courtyard, Zhang Yan strode out. Playing the role of a robust young man, he roared, shaking the roof tiles and causing dust to fall, "Where did these brats come from to trouble my senior brother?"
He had just watched the scene unfold from behind. These two were merely Ming Qi cultivators, and if Lu Tianying hadn’t had an overly smooth cultivation journey, lacking skills in dealing with fellow cultivators, how could these two siblings stand up to a Xuan Guang Practitioner?
Seeing Zhang Yan emerge, the girl studied him with bright eyes and said, "So you’re the backup Lu Daoist called for?"
As she spoke, her hand stealthily reached into her waist sachet, pulling out a hairpin and flicking it towards Zhang Yan.
Zhang Yan sneered coldly, standing still. With a metallic "clang," the flying hairpin struck his forehead and ricocheted away.
The girl furrowed her brow and raised her hand to summon the hairpin back for inspection, discovering its tip chipped. Alarmed, she thought, Even though the throw was meant to probe his skills, the hairpin could cut through a regular Flying Sword, so how did it fail against mere flesh?
Such body strength and resilience could only belong to a Power Dao Practitioner.
Power Dao Practitioners refine their bodies with external medicines and internal decoctions. Rarely seen, those who truly walk this path are never to be underestimated.
The girl inwardly exclaimed, "This is bad!" What started out as a manageable challenge against Lu Daoist had now turned into one involving a supposed younger brother of his, whose cultivation appeared superior. How could the siblings contend with that?
She rolled her eyes and said aloud, "Younger brother, aren’t you going to unleash the treasure?"
The boy responded with a quick "Oh!" and was about to activate the gourd when he suddenly felt a tightening around his neck. It turned out his sister had grabbed him and fled into the clouds.
In the courtyard below, Zhang Yan took a deep breath, his chest expanding. Then, with a loud "Ha!" he exhaled a torrent of Qi Wave skyward.
The Qi Wave, like a rampaging storm, chased after the siblings, sweeping them off their aerial perch and sending them plummeting back to the ground.
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)