Chapter 184 - 110: Return to Tai Su, Change in the Sect

Chapter 184: Chapter 110: Return to Tai Su, Change in the Sect

At dawn that day, Daoist Zhang was handling affairs in the main hall when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps from outside. He looked up to see a young Daoist rush into the hall. The young man offered a hasty salute and said, "Greetings, Sect Leader."

Daoist Zhang nodded. "Dengxiao, what is it?"

Qin Dengxiao struggled to compose himself and asked respectfully, "Today, auspicious violet qi came from the east, and this disciple saw a golden light soaring into the sky, identical to the day Junior Martial Uncle Zeng returned to the Profound Yellow. May I ask... has Grand Martial Uncle departed for the Profound Yellow?"

Only then did Daoist Zhang understand. He hesitated a moment before saying, "That is correct. This morning, Junior Martial Uncle Xu departed to return to the upper sect."

Qin Dengxiao looked as if he’d been struck by lightning on a clear day. All composure lost, he asked in a daze, "Why...?"

’Has the test already started? Did I fail?’ Qin Dengxiao muttered to himself. ’But for the past hundred days, I’ve been cultivating diligently in my residence. I haven’t dared to slack off for even a moment...’

Daoist Zhang was silent for a long moment before finally replying, "I do not know what Junior Martial Uncle’s considerations were."

"...Yes, I understand." Qin Dengxiao forced himself to cup his hands in a salute, his voice strained. "I still have my training to attend to, so I will not disturb Sect Leader Uncle’s duties any longer."

Daoist Zhang was silent, watching as the crestfallen Qin Dengxiao departed the hall. Only then did he let out a faint sigh.

「Yunmeng Marsh, Tai Su Orthodox Sect.」

The Cloud Palace floated deep within the clouds, an abode of peace and serenity. A Daoist Child stood guard before the great hall, bored to tears. To pass the time, he could only reflect on the Tao Scriptures in his mind. He hadn’t recited more than a few passages when a golden gleam suddenly flashed across the Celestial Vault. It was immediately followed by a magnificent beam of golden light, which descended from the heavens, pierced the roof of the Chaotic Heaven Hall, and lingered there for a long time.

The Daoist Child was a little surprised. He was one with good fortune and had been on duty in the Cloud Palace for a very long time.

As the opening of the Innate Tai Su Realm drew near, there had been a constant stream of people returning from the outer realms to the Chaotic Heaven Hall over the last twenty or thirty years. Most of them were Nascent Soul Venerables from the various Daoist temples scattered about. He had grown accustomed to receiving them. After that period passed, however, the Chaotic Heaven Hall returned to its usual tranquility. Yet today, someone new had arrived from an unknown location.

He hurried to the front of the Chaotic Heaven Hall. Inside, he saw the Celestial Sphere slowing from its rapid rotation, its astral patterns gradually returning to normal. A young Daoist with a transcendent and refined air emerged slowly from the golden light, his hands clasped behind his back. He surveyed the Chaotic Heaven Hall, a faint smile gracing his lips.

"Junior Martial Uncle Xu." The Daoist Child started, rushing forward to salute. "Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Xu."

"Hm?" Xuzhuang’s gaze landed on the Daoist Child, and he found him surprisingly familiar. A bit taken aback, he replied, "Greetings, child. I never thought that after all these years, you would still be on duty here in the Cloud Palace."

This Daoist Child had started his service in the Cloud Palace after Daochen Zhenren became Sect Leader. Xuzhuang had come and gone several times in the past and was familiar with his face. However, those visits were brief, so he had never paid the boy much attention. To see him still on duty decades later, and still looking like a child, was an unexpected surprise for Xuzhuang.

The Daoist Child replied, "To answer Junior Martial Uncle, I am from a non-human race. We are naturally long-lived, which is why I can serve the Zhenren for such an extended time."

"I see." Xuzhuang asked, "I have yet to ask, child, do you have a name?"

The Daoist Child cupped his hands and replied, "Master Rong bestowed upon me the name Zhi Xing."

Xuzhuang nodded. "So you are Zhi Xing. Is the Sect Leader, my senior brother, in the palace?"

Zhi Xing hesitated. "The Zhenren is in meditative seclusion within the palace and has not seen any sect members recently..." Before he could finish, he seemed to hear a voice. He respectfully answered "Yes" to the air, then turned and said, "The Zhenren summons you to the hall for a talk, Junior Martial Uncle. Please follow me."

"Very well," Xuzhuang said, and followed Zhi Xing toward the main hall.

When they arrived outside the main hall, Zhi Xing stopped and bowed, and Xuzhuang entered alone. Ethereal mist curled through the hall, obscuring his vision. Following his memory, Xuzhuang walked deeper inside until he saw Daochen Zhenren sitting with eyes closed upon a cloud bed. He quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Greetings, Sect Leader Senior Brother."

Daochen Zhenren’s eyes remained shut and his lips were still, but a voice spoke from behind Xuzhuang. "Junior Brother Xu, you have returned."

Surprised, Xuzhuang turned to see another Daochen Zhenren standing behind him, having appeared there at some unknown point. This one smiled and said, "My true body is currently cultivating, so I am using this incarnation to speak with you. I hope you don’t mind, Junior Brother."

"Of course not, Sect Leader Senior Brother," Xuzhuang said quickly.

"Alright, enough with the pleasantries." Daochen Zhenren chuckled. "I have yet to congratulate you, Junior Brother. To think you formed your Nascent Soul in such a short time. I am very gratified."

As if anticipating what Xuzhuang was about to say, he waved his hand dismissively. "My only instruction was for you to take charge of the Celestial Waterfall Villa. The rest of your successes and failures were entirely up to you."

Xuzhuang chuckled and could only cup his hands in acknowledgement.

After the two had chatted for a while, Daochen Zhenren said, "The Celestial Waterfall Villa was a private task I gave you, Junior Brother. Now that you’ve formed your Nascent Soul, the sect will have other arrangements for you. You can temporarily step down from your post as master of the True Form Temple."

Hearing this, Xuzhuang replied, "I still have some loose ends to tie up in the Celestial Waterfall Realm. I was wondering if Senior Brother could grant me another twenty or thirty years?"

"Oh?" Daochen Zhenren didn’t seem surprised. He said leisurely, "You mentioned in a previous letter that you were seeking a method to create a Grotto Heaven, Junior Brother. Is this related to that?"

Xuzhuang replied, "That’s part of the reason. Also, during my time as master of the True Form Temple, I became entangled in a karmic conflict with a Nascent Soul Third Level Cultivator. If I were to simply shirk my responsibilities now, I fear the True Form Temple wouldn’t be able to hold its own against him."

Daochen Zhenren pondered for a moment. "Very well, we shall do as you suggest."

"Thank you, Senior Brother," Xuzhuang said.

Daochen Zhenren nodded and asked, "If that’s the case, why did you suddenly return to the sect, Junior Brother?"

Xuzhuang asked in surprise, "Senior Brother, didn’t you grant me permission to return to the sect and cultivate in the Innate Tai Su Realm if I managed to form my Nascent Soul in time?"

Daochen Zhenren laughed. "You! The registration list from Dongzhen Hall has already been delivered to me, and you’ve only just now returned."