Chapter 103: Remove this talisman, and your master can come out.

When Lu Yang returned to Tianmen Peak, he still didn't see his Eldest Senior Sister; only the puppet was guarding the house.

"Is this meeting taking so long? It must be about the distribution of spirit stones, right?"

In Lu Yang's impression, this was the only situation that would lead to such lengthy meetings. The elders always had various peculiar ideas that couldn't be implemented due to a lack of spirit stones. When an opportunity to obtain spirit stones arose, they would surely argue vehemently for it.

As Lu Yang was pondering this, he saw eight streaks of light fly out from the Hall of Discussions. The eight elders left the hall, and Eldest Senior Sister leisurely walked out, indicating the meeting had concluded.

"You're back?"

"Just got back."

Yun Zhi scanned Lu Yang with her divine sense, confirming that Huang Dou Dou was still asleep in his spiritual world. "There are still many mysteries surrounding the Undying Immortal, and even she herself might not know the answers. I'm going out to visit some friends to see if I can find anything. You should cultivate diligently here on Tianmen Peak and strive to reach the middle stage of Foundation Establishment as soon as possible."

"Yes."

Yun Zhi said no more, flying into the sky, her figure blurring, disappearing in an unknown direction.

After Yun Zhi left, Lu Yang looked at the puppet that had once accompanied him in cultivation, eager to try. He sparred with the puppet but was quickly defeated utterly.

Unable to even defeat the puppet, Lu Yang's sense of frustration doubled, and he diligently sat down to cultivate.

His Eldest Senior Sister was busy running around for his sake; he couldn't afford to be lazy or negligent.

"Disciple, is that my disciple who has returned?"

A ghostly voice reached Lu Yang's ears. Lu Yang subconsciously covered his ears, only to find he could still hear the voice.

This voice held incredible magical power.

"Who are you?!" Lu Yang vigilantly looked around. He couldn't recall having any master; his Eldest Senior Sister had always taught him.

Wait, I think I do have a master.

"Lu Yang is back. I am your master, Bu Yu Dao Ren."

Bu Yu Dao Ren, the current sect leader of Wen Dao Sect, who had been missing for ten years.

Even with the sect leader missing for ten years, Wen Dao Sect operated smoothly, even recruiting a new batch of disciples. It was as if having a sect leader or not made no difference.

"Master?!"

Lu Yang was very surprised. He had been a disciple of Bu Yu Dao Ren for a year but had never met his master. Eldest Senior Sister always said that master was in seclusion and had no time to see him. Had master finally finished his seclusion?

"It's me. Although you haven't seen me, I've always been watching over you. I am very pleased that you were able to induce Qi into your body and successfully establish your foundation," the voice was filled with a sense of age, sounding like a kind old grandfather.

"Master, where are you? Are you in seclusion and unable to come out to see your disciple?" Lu Yang felt something was amiss. If his master could see him and speak to him, why had there been no activity for the past year?

The voice sighed deeply, as if full of unspeakable bitterness. "Alas, this is a long story. I have always been on Tianmen Peak, but I am temporarily unable to leave my current location. Some things cannot be explained in a few words. Just follow the path I tell you, and you will see me."

Though Lu Yang had doubts, he didn't feel any danger. This was Tianmen Peak, and the person was his master.

And most importantly, Eldest Senior Sister had never warned him about anything of this nature.

If there were any danger, Eldest Senior Sister would have said so long ago.

"First, find the pine forest halfway up the mountain. In the pine forest, there is an ancient pine tree three hundred meters tall, the largest pine tree in the entire forest."

Lu Yang easily found the ancient pine tree Bu Yu Dao Ren mentioned. He remembered the puppet had even picked pine nuts from here to make pine nut corn for him, which was very delicious.

"Lightly tap the ancient pine three times, pause for three seconds, then tap three more times heavily."

Lu Yang followed the instructions. Suddenly, the space on the east side of the ancient pine twisted, as if a camouflage cloth had been pulled away, revealing the truth.

A large section of pine trees on the east side of the ancient pine had vanished, replaced by a pitch-black cave dwelling. A glittering golden talisman was affixed to the entrance, making it hard to miss. Bu Yu Dao Ren's voice emanated from this cave dwelling.

Lu Yang cautiously called out, "Master?"

"Ah, good disciple. We finally meet." An old man with an otherworldly demeanor walked out of the cave dwelling, a whisk draped over his arm, as ethereal as an immortal. He seemed a little emotional upon seeing Lu Yang; was this his youngest disciple?

Bu Yu Dao Ren stopped at the entrance of the cave, not taking another step forward.

"Master, what's wrong? Are you trapped here? When Eldest Senior Sister returns, I'll ask her to rescue you!" Lu Yang said eagerly.

"No, no, no." Bu Yu Dao Ren quickly stopped Lu Yang. If Yun Zhi hadn't left Tianmen Peak, he wouldn't have dared to call Lu Yang over.

"You mustn't tell your Eldest Senior Sister that you've seen me."

"Why is that?"

Bu Yu Dao Ren looked up at the cave ceiling, his gaze complex. "People live their lives, for nothing more than fame and fortune. As the sect leader of one of the five immortal sects, I wield immense power, so naturally, many people want to sit in my position."

"I can understand that. Back when I sought this position, I also experienced a bloody struggle before I stood out among my fellow disciples."

"I thought that once I became the sect leader, everything would be settled. But I never imagined that I would be betrayed by the person closest to me." At this point, Bu Yu Dao Ren showed an expression of profound heartache, as if he couldn't bear to recall the past but had to.

"Your Eldest Senior Sister's talent is extraordinary. When I step down, the position of sect leader will surely be hers. But she couldn't even wait for the day I retired. She violated our agreement and imprisoned me here, becoming the acting sect leader and managing all matters of the sect herself."

"How has the sect developed over these past ten years? Has your Eldest Senior Sister followed my plans?"

Lu Yang was startled. He had heard from several senior brothers and sisters that the sect had flourished and thrived over the past decade, with Eldest Senior Sister deserving most of the credit. Could all of this have been within his master's plans?

Lu Yang truthfully recounted the situation, and Bu Yu Dao Ren responded with a hint of satisfaction, "Xiao Yun has done well. Even without me, she can manage the sect well. It's just a pity..."

"A pity for what?"

"It's a pity that I'm not managing it personally. If it were me, I would have even better management methods."

"Then can you come out?"

Bu Yu Dao Ren smiled bitterly, trying to walk out of the cave. As he took one step forward, countless purple lightning bolts erupted from the cave entrance in an instant. Bu Yu Dao Ren was bathed in them, frightening him so much that he quickly retreated, using his whisk to extinguish the flames on his body.

"See? I can't get out."

"Then how can I rescue you?"

"There's a golden talisman written by Xiao Yun at the cave entrance. As long as you peel it off, I can come out."

Lu Yang looked suspiciously at Bu Yu Dao Ren. "It's that simple?"

"It's that simple. Xiao Yun said that as long as someone peels off the talisman, it means I am not destined to be imprisoned here, and following the will of heaven, I should naturally be released."

Lu Yang leaned closer to look. He saw that the golden talisman didn't have the usual strange patterns. Instead, it had seven large characters left by his Eldest Senior Sister:

"I'd like to see who dares to peel this off."