Chapter 500: The Silent Daoist Returns to the Sect

Lu Yang anxiously watched the departing Integration Stage cultivators, his brow furrowed and his mind unsettled.

"What's wrong? Can't bear to see them go? Do you want them to propose?" Meng Jingzhou teased with a smile. After the celebration, a continuous stream of groups came to Lu Yang's door to propose, and Meng Jingzhou had seen it all, feeling envious.

Now, as Lu Yang wistfully watched the proposing parties fly away, Meng Jingzhou couldn't suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth.

Lu Yang slowly shook his head and voiced his concern: "I'm worried they'll realize that asking for my hand in marriage is a way to corner Master, and then even more people will come to propose."

Meng Jingzhou: "..."

That's what you get for asking an extra question!

Considering the memory of an Integration Stage cultivator, the fact that he couldn't remember what he did to offend people was quite telling.

Lu Yang felt that with his master's ability to attract enemies, it wouldn't be impossible to receive news one day that he had suddenly died outside.

To prevent such an accident, Lu Yang kindly suggested, "Master, have you considered writing your will in advance? I'm afraid you won't have time when you're on the verge of death."

Daoist Buyu cast a meaningful glance at his young apprentice, feeling that Lu Yang's way of speaking now had a certain charm, reminiscent of his second disciple's attainment of the Yin-Yang Golden Core.

"Have you met your second senior brother?"

"Second senior brother? No, isn't he in the Golden Buddhist Nation?" Lu Yang didn't understand why his master was asking.

"Never mind."

Many disciples came to watch Daoist Buyu. It was said that Daoist Buyu was forced into seclusion for ten years and never showed his face. The Senior Disciple Sister, swayed by Lu Yang's slanderous words, released Daoist Buyu and sent him out to tell stories and promote the Dao Seeking Sect. Since then, Daoist Buyu had never returned to the sect.

Disciples from the previous two generations had only heard of such a sect leader, but none had ever seen him.

Even among Lu Yang's generation, only Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had met Daoist Buyu. Tao Yaoye, Man Gu, and Li Haoran had never seen him either.

"I heard the sect leader is back, let me see, let me see!"

"Isn't Yunzhi the sect leader?"

"Finally, I get to see the real sect leader! When I go out on missions and introduce myself as being from the Dao Seeking Sect, people first ask if I'm Daoist Buyu's disciple. Only after confirming I'm not do they let me in."

"None of you have seen the sect leader?"

"Have you?"

"Yes, I have."

"We're all from the same generation, where did you see him?"

"On a wanted poster."

The disciples squeezed forward, eager to see what the living Daoist Buyu looked like. If an outsider saw this scene, it would be easy to form the mistaken impression that Daoist Buyu was greatly beloved by his disciples.

"Junior Brother, you're back."

The Grand Elder arrived late, or rather, only showed up after the fighting had finished.

If Lu Yang could arrive immediately, how could the Grand Elder be slower than him?

He recognized the Integration Stage cultivators who were fighting Daoist Buyu. Years ago, when he and Daoist Buyu were building tombs, their surveying skills were immature, and they accidentally dug up someone's ancestral grave. The grave's owners, sensing movement, mistook them for robbers and came to investigate. It was too late for the two of them to run, so they ended up hiding inside a coffin, spending the night there with an ancestor.

After the incident was exposed, people searched everywhere for Daoist Buyu.

Since they were in the wrong, it wasn't convenient for him to step forward, so letting Daoist Buyu take the beating was acceptable.

The other elders also acted based on similar reasoning.

Several Integration Stage cultivators had been fighting Daoist Buyu just now, all of whom Daoist Buyu and several elders had provoked together, making it inconvenient for any of them to intervene.

"Just passing by the sect, came back to take a look." Daoist Buyu sighed, noting that in just one year, the acting sect leader position had changed hands four times.

First, Yunzhi was the acting sect leader, then Lu Yang took over for three days, then Yunzhi again, then Lu Yang continued for two months, and now it was Yunzhi's turn again.

The frequent changes in acting sect leader clearly showed how chaotic the sect's management was.

"I thought you'd angered another enemy and came back to the sect for refuge."

Daoist Buyu didn't appreciate that remark: "What are you talking about? I've always taken responsibility for my own actions. When have I ever fled?"

The Grand Elder spoke languidly, his expression displeased: "Then what about when you impersonated a woman and wrote love letters to Fourth Senior Brother, making him completely smitten, giddy and disoriented all day like he'd lost his soul? And after the truth came out, why did you shove the unfinished love letters under my pillow?"

When Fourth Elder was young, he had a pen pal named Ye Qianqian. They had never met, communicating solely through letters. In her letters, Ye Qianqian claimed to have witnessed Fourth Elder effortlessly dispatching demonic cultivators with his brush and ink, inspiring her to send him letters.

Fourth Elder found Ye Qianqian's words pleasant, her handwriting delicate, and her letters subtly full of admiration, so he quickly fell for it.

Ye Qianqian also mentioned that her hometown suffered a flood, inundating all the crops. Fourth Elder immediately sent back a letter along with spirit stones.

Unfortunately, even the most meticulous plans can go awry. One day, the truth was exposed. Fourth Elder discovered that someone among their senior and junior brothers had been impersonating Ye Qianqian, and he furiously searched them one by one.

Seeing the situation turn sour, Daoist Buyu immediately stuffed the unfinished letters under the Grand Elder's pillow.

As expected, Fourth Elder ended up fighting the Grand Elder. Only later was it thoroughly investigated and revealed to be Daoist Buyu's doing.

"As a Confucian cultivator, Fourth Senior Brother adheres to the way of a gentleman, is rigid in his ways, and lacks flexibility. He could easily be deceived by women when outside. Rather than being tricked by a woman, it's better for him to be tricked by me first, keeping the 'fertile water within the family'... ah, no, it's so he'll develop a sense of caution." — This was Daoist Buyu's explanation before he got beaten.

The Grand Elder shuddered at the memory; when scholars get ruthless, they're truly formidable.

"Since you're back, let's hold a meeting. There's something I need to discuss with you."

The Grand Elder summoned everyone: Yunzhi, the eight elders, Daoist Buyu, Lu Yang, Meng Jingzhou, Tao Yaoye, Man Gu, Li Haoran, and Qin Yanyan.

The Senior Disciple Sister was also in the sect. She watched her master being beaten, showing no intention of intervening.

Her reasoning was sound: "I'm not an Integration Stage cultivator, so I can't beat them."

It was clear the Senior Disciple Sister genuinely did not want to act.

All members of the Heavenly Court Sect were present. They looked at each other, their thoughts heavy, silent, creating a sense of solemn atmosphere.

In reality, it was because the Sixth Elder was present, making it inconvenient for everyone to speak.

After listening to the Grand Elder's mental transmission, even Daoist Buyu, renowned for his trickery, was somewhat dumbfounded.

"So, the Heavenly Court Sect that's been causing such a stir recently... that's you all?"

"That's us," the Grand Elder corrected.

"...Leaving aside that you didn't get my permission to drag me into the Heavenly Court Sect as a Heavenly King Guardian—being a Heavenly King Guardian isn't necessarily bad—but why did you name me 'Growth Heavenly King' based on my improved 'Size as Desired' spell?!"

Ba Daye spread his hands, explaining reasonably: "You weren't here, so we had no choice. Besides, our Heavenly Court Sect emphasizes democracy, and your title has been approved by everyone else except you."

Daoist Buyu erupted in rage, veins bulging: "Democracy, my foot! Who is the Sect Leader? Is it Senior Brother or you? I demand justice!"

"Your eldest disciple."

"The name 'Growth Heavenly King' is quite good."