Chapter 177: The Strongest Chang Gui

Lu Yang honestly explained the full sequence of events and called out the Immortal Fairy to testify, which finally convinced Yun Zhi that he had been conducting an experiment.

The thunder dissipated, and the moderate rain stopped abruptly. Moonlight pierced through the dark clouds, bringing clear skies back to Wen Dao Sect.

Wen Dao Sect disciples were perplexed, wondering why the moderate rain had ceased so suddenly after only a short time.

Typically, rain in Wen Dao Sect is summoned by elders who infuse spiritual energy into the water, allowing it to fall and nourish the sect, thereby increasing its spiritual energy concentration.

"What did I say?" the Immortal Fairy boasted, flaunting her weather prediction abilities. "Cloudy tonight, turning clear by tomorrow morning. See how accurate I am?"

Lu Yang remained silent.

Lu Yang noticed several familiar figures trailing behind his senior sister—Vice Cult Master Liu and six other high-ranking Immortal Cult members.

The seven looked utterly dejected, their eyes betraying a faint terror when they glanced at his senior sister.

"Oh, they're all in soul form," the Immortal Fairy remarked with some surprise.

"Senior sister, are you going to...?" Lu Yang asked, feeling very confused.

Yun Zhi calmly explained, "I've noticed they're quite skilled at grilling skewers, and they're very popular with the junior disciples. Rather than keeping them imprisoned on Prisoner Peak, it's better to let them return to the barbecue shop and utilize their talents."

"So, I've refined all seven of them into changgui."

Naturally, every cent earned by Vice Cult Master Liu and the others had to be handed over to his senior sister.

Prisoner Peak already suppressed numerous ancient Integration stage souls, so there was no current shortage of raw materials for refining magical artifacts.

Lu Yang was dumbfounded. Why did this tactic feel so familiar?

And changgui at the Integration stage—surely that was the peak of what changgui could achieve?

Since they were refined into changgui, there was no fear of the seven turning against them or causing trouble within Wen Dao Sect; if they harbored any malicious intentions, they would die instantly.

His senior sister then led Vice Cult Master Liu and the others back to the "One More Time" barbecue shop, instructing them to operate it peacefully.

Vice Cult Master Liu and the seven immediately nodded, declaring their commitment to upholding the spirit of barbecue. They vowed never to cut corners, maliciously overcharge customers, and promised to serve every guest with the most professional and attentive attitude.

Only then did his senior sister leave, satisfied, telling Lu Yang to return with her to Tianmen Peak.

The "One More Time" barbecue shop opened smoothly, and many local merchants, seeing a new establishment, came forward to offer their congratulations.

Initially, Vice Cult Master Liu and the others were disdainful. Even though they were now souls and changgui, they were still mighty figures at the Integration stage, influential individuals who had once commanded respect in the outside world. They were reluctant to speak with these merchants, feeling it beneath their dignity.

However, they quickly abandoned this notion. When they swept the area with their divine sense, cold sweat immediately broke out. A casual scan alone revealed several cultivators whose cultivation levels they couldn't discern.

These included, for instance, the beautiful owner of Bai Xiang Lou and the proprietor of the tea house.

This indicated that their cultivation was also at the Integration stage!

It was one thing for powerful immortal cultivators to hide among the common folk, but to do this within Wen Dao Sect?

Vice Cult Master Liu also discovered numerous Void Refining stage cultivators. The cultivation of Void Refining stage cultivators fluctuates greatly, and at their peak, they could even display the combat power of an Integration stage expert. Unless a Void Refining stage cultivator made a move, no one could truly ascertain their current combat strength, making them highly intimidating.

"Wen Dao Sect's hidden strength is simply too terrifying..." they secretly communicated.

If this was the case, how many Integration stage cultivators must Wen Dao Sect possess?

"I fear it's not just Wen Dao Sect," Vice Cult Master Gao whispered, even through divine sense, as if afraid of being overheard. "The Five Great Immortal Sects are difficult to rank in terms of strength, and the other four are likely stronger, or at least no weaker, than Wen Dao Sect."

"This is merely a glimpse of Wen Dao Sect's power."

They finally realized the immense disparity between the Four Great Demonic Cults and the Five Great Immortal Sects. The two were simply not on the same level. No wonder they always hid or fled whenever they encountered someone from the Five Great Immortal Sects.

If they hadn't hidden or fled, they would have ended up like themselves now—either as changgui or refined into top-tier magical artifacts.

Vice Cult Master Liu and the others felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

"How are these methods so similar to ours?"

Back at Tianmen Peak, Yun Zhi's physical body remained in her cave dwelling while her soul departed.

"Senior sister, you..."

Before Lu Yang could finish speaking, his senior sister's soul flew directly into his mental space, startling both the Immortal Fairy and Lu Yang.

"You, you, you scared me to death!" exclaimed the Immortal Fairy, who had been lazily sitting on a plush chair, her jade feet crossed, looking dazed and thoroughly enjoying herself.

His senior sister's sudden appearance startled her so much that she sprang to her feet.

Ignoring the Immortal Fairy's reaction, his senior sister turned to Lu Yang and said, "I now know the location of the Immortal Cult headquarters. However, if I go there rashly, it might alert them, just like last time, and they'll abandon the place."

"This time, I'll hide in your mental space first. If you follow my instructions, you'll be able to enter the Immortal Cult headquarters, ensuring we capture everyone without any escapes."

Lu Yang felt that his mental space was now populated enough to play 'Fight the Landlord'.

He understood his senior sister's concerns; this was indeed a good plan.

"What should I do?"

"First, go find Meng Jingzhou and Mang Gu."

Immortal Cult Headquarters, Cult Master's Private Chamber.

Two rows of bookshelves stood on either side, holding various valuable elixirs, secret techniques, and cultivation methods.

Most of the elixir bottles were empty, their contents consumed by the Immortal Cult Master for healing his injuries.

At the end of the bookshelves stood a life-sized statue of an immortal, its gender indistinguishable.

In the darkness, the Immortal Cult Master slowly opened his eyes, emerging from his secluded cultivation.

He stretched his limbs and, sensing the spiritual energy still circulating sluggishly within him, couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.

The blow dealt by Yun Zhi of Wen Dao Sect, who had suddenly appeared during the initiation trial, was still difficult to recover from even now.

"It looks like I truly need a century of secluded cultivation," the Immortal Cult Master mused, feeling a sense of worry about the future.

If it truly took a hundred years to fully recover his strength, who would lead the Immortal Cult during that time?

Among the Immortal Cult's three Vice Cult Masters, Liu and Gao coveted his position, while only Vice Cult Master Jin, who had organized the initiation trial, had not yet shown any greed for it.

The Cult Master shifted his gaze to the immortal statue, his eyes filled with anticipation. He had faintly sensed the immortal's revival earlier.

He lit three sticks of incense, placed them in the censer, then knelt, clasped his hands, and bowed three times before the immortal statue.

"Great Immortal Bu Yao Lian, please save your devout believers and this world!"

"Who calls upon this immortal?" a kind and aged voice echoed through the secret chamber.

The Cult Master looked up, his eyes wide with fanaticism and surprise. His body trembled slightly, his fingers quivering, too overcome with excitement to control himself.

He saw the statue's eyes glow with an eerie red light, and wisps of incense smoke enveloped it, forming a swirling cloud.

The smoke shifted, gradually transforming into the figure of a kind-faced old man.