Chapter 468: Fishing

Lu Yang was still unaware that some of the guests invited by Daozong were being beaten by another group of invited guests.

This was a common occurrence in the cultivation world. For cultivators, who wield immense power, acting on their whims, engaging in fights, and being pursued were all part of the norm.

Daoist Buyu deeply resonated with this sentiment.

After indulging in the ritual, Immortal Fairy bestowed Lu Yang's body back to him.

Various senior brothers and sisters had set up stalls along the roadside, offering a wide array of activities, many of which Lu Yang didn't even recognize.

When it was suggested that they could host their own games, the senior brothers and sisters were eager, each with their own ideas. Applications flew towards the cave dwelling like snowflakes. Immortal Fairy delegated the task to Lu Yang, but he found the sheer volume of applications overwhelming and, in turn, delegated it to his Eldest Senior Sister.

Eldest Senior Sister's approval criteria were simple: any activity could be held as long as it wasn't dangerous and didn't tarnish Daozong's image.

"Sect Master Lu.""Good day, Sect Master Lu.""Hello, Sect Master."

Greetings filled the air along the way, and Lu Yang nodded in response to each one. This feeling was quite enjoyable.

Lu Yang changed out of his heavy ceremonial robes.

"Acting Sect Master, would you like to buy some books?" a senior brother, who often guarded the Mission Hall, called out to Lu Yang.

Members of Daozong referred to Lu Yang as the Acting Sect Master, while outsiders called him the Sect Master.

"Buy books? Aren't there any in the Scripture Repository?" Lu Yang wondered.

"These are all excellent items not found in the Scripture Repository. Would the Sect Master like to take a look?" the Mission Hall senior brother encouraged. Lu Yang was intrigued and stopped at the bookstall, eager to see what kind of valuable items were being sold.

"What do you have here?"

"Although the Acting Sect Master is the Sect Master's disciple, you probably haven't had much personal interaction with him. I have an autobiography written by the Sect Master here, detailing his life. Would the Acting Sect Master be interested in buying a copy?"

"Master's autobiography?" This was indeed something not in the Scripture Repository, and a book Lu Yang was very interested in.

"I'll buy one."

"Fifty contribution points."

Lu Yang clicked his tongue. Fifty contribution points for a single book was quite expensive, but he had accumulated an abundance of contribution points through his frequent meritorious deeds, so this small amount didn't matter.

As the contribution points were deducted, the Mission Hall senior brother handed Lu Yang a book with a slightly curled cover.

*Two Thousand Years of Environmental Changes in the Prisons of the Great Xia Dynasty*

"...Is this Master's autobiography?"

Lu Yang suddenly remembered that his Eldest Senior Sister had mentioned this book. She had said that their Master believed one should leave something behind in life, so he authored this book based on his personal experiences.

Strictly speaking, what was written inside was far more reliable than a storytelling performance, so it could indeed be considered an autobiography.

Lu Yang felt a pang of regret. This book could be bought with mere loose silver outside, yet within their own sect, it cost fifty contribution points.

They were even scamming the Sect Master!

"Please don't be angry, Acting Sect Master. I'll give you another book as a gift," the Mission Hall senior brother quickly said, his conscience perhaps stirred.

"What book?"

"The Sect Master has enemies everywhere. As his youngest disciple, you'll likely encounter his foes when you go out. How about I give you a list of the Sect Master's enemies?"

"That's more like it."

Lu Yang took the book. Its title was *List of Integration Stage Cultivators in the Great Xia Dynasty*.

"...So, every Integration Stage cultivator is Master's enemy?"

The Mission Hall senior brother waved his hand and helped Lu Yang open the book: "Not at all, Acting Sect Master. Look, I've highlighted a few names in red on the list."

"Are these Master's enemies?"

"Only these people have no feud with the Sect Master."

Lu Yang felt weary. He had taken a Master who hadn't taught him a single day, yet enemies seemed to be everywhere.

"Walk safely, Acting Sect Master. Please come again next time," the Mission Hall senior brother enthusiastically bid Lu Yang farewell.

"Senior Brother, do you still have that book?" After Lu Yang left, someone came over to buy a book.

"Which one?" The Mission Hall senior brother squinted at the newcomer.

"The *List of Integration Stage Cultivators in the Great Xia Dynasty*. I don't seem to have seen this book outside." The person buying the book looked young, similar in age to Lu Yang. He felt uncomfortable under the Mission Hall senior brother's gaze and scratched his head, chuckling.

"I'm Zhou Qingshi from the Adamant Sect. I'm here for the finals. I thought it would be impolite if I encountered Integration Stage seniors while out and about in the future and didn't recognize them, so I wanted to buy a book to learn."

The Mission Hall senior brother's eyebrows rose in a smile upon hearing this, dispelling his suspicions: "So that's it. Flat price, five thousand spirit stones."

"F-Five thousand?!" Zhou Qingshi was shocked. However, realizing the book's potential utility, he gritted his teeth and bought it.

The Mission Hall senior brother winked at someone nearby, signaling them to note down Zhou Qingshi's name and add him to a suspicious persons list for close observation.

He sneered, "A mere Core Formation cultivator wanting to know all the Integration Stage cultivators in Great Xia? Who do you think you are, Junior Brother Lu?"

Not far after Lu Yang left, he spotted an acquaintance: "Palace Master Luo, what are you doing here?"

Luo Hongxia had set up a temporary stall on the roadside, a clear unauthorized structure, yet no one dared to interfere with her. She sat on a straw mat with a box in front of her.

Luo Hongxia glanced up at Lu Yang: "Ah, Sect Master Lu. I'm fishing."

"Fishing?" Lu Yang was puzzled. There wasn't even water here; what would she fish with?

Luo Hongxia didn't explain, simply gesturing for Lu Yang to sit.

Once Lu Yang sat down, he heard Luo Hongxia slowly say, "You've probably heard the storytelling performance, *Legends of Daozong: Lu Yang's Chapter*. The stories in it are quite detailed, and they're all true. I wonder who spread them."

Cold sweat dripped down Lu Yang's back as he heard this, and he immediately exposed his Master: "It was all Master. He claimed to be interested in the meeting's content under the guise of being the Sect Master, so I told him about my experiences at the meeting."

"Hmph, it was him indeed!" Luo Hongxia sneered, a knowing smile appearing on her face.

Just as Lu Yang was about to say more, an acquaintance of Luo Hongxia approached. Lu Yang recognized him as the Xuan Sect Master.

The Xuan Sect Master saw Luo Hongxia and smiled maliciously: "Fellow Daoist Luo, I heard Sect Master Lu beat you. Is that true?"

A Core Formation cultivator defeating an Integration Stage cultivator clearly implied something fishy was going on, but this didn't stop him from coming over to mock Luo Hongxia.

It was a pity Qiu Jin'an and Yang Ding weren't there; otherwise, he would have mocked them all together.

Just as Lu Yang was about to explain, Luo Hongxia waved her hand, indicating that he didn't need to.

"It's true, Sect Master Lu can confirm it."

Luo Hongxia's frank admission slightly surprised the Xuan Sect Master.

"This reaction isn't quite right," he thought.

"This involves an ancient secret. If you're interested, I can tell you about it."

"An ancient secret?" The Xuan Sect Master was intrigued.

"There are too many eyes and ears here. Let's talk inside the box." Luo Hongxia opened the box.

The Xuan Sect Master's eyelid twitched. The box looked remarkably familiar: "Isn't this your Moon-Gazing Immortal Palace's Light-Restraining Treasure Box..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the box burst forth with light, sucking the Xuan Sect Master inside.

Inside the treasure box, the Xuan Sect Master heard a cold chuckle coming from behind him.

"Heard you want to know how we lost to Lu Yang, kid?"

He turned his head to see Qiu Jin'an and Yang Ding smiling maliciously. Master Jiesha was wiping bloodstains from his fists, looking deceptively benevolent.

Qiu Jin'an and Yang Ding swarmed him, and soon the Xuan Sect Master's screams echoed from within.

Lu Yang watched, wide-eyed, as Luo Hongxia closed the box, swallowing hard.

"This is what I meant by fishing."