Chapter 505: Inheriting from the Silent Daoist, Naturally Belongs to Red Dust Cultivation

"Senior Brother Lu, you're so knowledgeable and well-traveled; I'm sure you handle sect missions with ease.

Do you remember our very first mission, the one where we caught the Skin-Painter Demon? If you hadn't been there, and the Skin-Painter Demon had gotten athlete's foot, it might have gotten away.

Since then, I've gone on a few missions myself. Although I completed them, the process was complicated and relied heavily on luck.

So, I was wondering if you'd be willing to join me on a mission this time?"

Lu Yang was quite surprised. "The sect requires each disciple to complete two missions a year. You've already met that goal, haven't you, Junior Sister? And with 'Dream Bubble' selling so well, even Nascent Soul stage cultivators don't have as much wealth as you. You don't really need more contribution points, so why would you suddenly want to go on a mission?"

Tao Yaoyeh gestured playfully twice. "To slay demons and eradicate evil, of course! As disciples of a righteous sect, isn't it our duty to right the wrongs of the world?"

"Indeed."

"So, Senior Brother, will you come with me?" Tao Yaoyeh clasped her hands behind her back, bowed her head slightly, and looked at Lu Yang expectantly.

Lu Yang pondered. For the past three months, he had been focused on breaking through to the late Core Formation stage. During this time, Meng Jingzhou had invited him out many times, and he had always refused. If he agreed to Junior Sister Tao now, wouldn't it seem like he valued women over friends?

"I'll go."

He was a disciple of Daoist Buyu, who was a Red Dust cultivator. Naturally, he was one too. As a Red Dust cultivator, constant secluded cultivation was not advisable. It was normal to go out on missions and gain experience in the world.

"That's wonderful!" Tao Yaoyeh beamed.

"Wait a moment, I'll ask Old Meng if he wants to come."

Tao Yaoyeh had anticipated this and said with a smile, "I already asked Senior Brother Meng. He's currently in secluded cultivation and can't get away."

"Is that so? Then let's go." Lu Yang felt a slight pang of regret; he had wanted to ride in a carriage.

It was fortunate that the marriage proposal entourages had all been tricked away by Daoist Buyu's schemes. Otherwise, the moment Lu Yang stepped out, he would surely be surrounded by a group of Integration stage mighty figures trying to recommend their apprentices, daughters, granddaughters, and so on, to him.

On the flying boat, Lu Yang inquired about the details of their mission.

"The mission originated from the Song household in Yuanhe County, Qingshui Commandery, Yun Province. They have a strange painting that emits eerie sounds every midnight. Several passing cultivators visited the Song manor, but none of them could do anything about the painting. The last cultivator who tried said that ordinary cultivators couldn't handle it and advised Master Song to seek help from an immortal sect."

"I see."

The flying boat docked in Qingshui Commandery. The two disembarked, rented two horses, and headed towards Yuanhe County.

Upon arriving in Yuanhe County, Lu Yang patted the horses' hindquarters, and the two horses promptly ran back to their owner.

"Should we go to Master Song's house now?"

Lu Yang shook his head. "No hurry. Let's first inquire among the locals about Master Song's background, his character, and the general situation of the Song family."

"Alright."

Tao Yaoyeh was very different now from when she first joined the sect. Though her appearance was excellent then, she was still a bit naive. Now, having turned eighteen, she was slender and graceful, playful and endearing. Along the way, countless passersby turned to look at her.

Both of them had extraordinary demeanors, making it clear at a glance that they were not to be trifled with, so no one dared to flirt with Tao Yaoyeh.

"Owner, two bowls of wontons, please. Extra vinegar in mine," Lu Yang said, picking a wonton stall.

"Coming right up!"

When the two bowls of wontons arrived, Tao Yaoyeh took a bite and whispered, "Senior Brother, this wonton stall's food is just average."

"Average is exactly what we want. It's almost mealtime, yet there are hardly any customers eating wontons, which shows how ordinary the taste is."

"Then why are we eating here?"

"Because business is slow, the owner will be more willing to talk to us... Owner, how long have you been running this stall?"

"Going on thirty years now. No exaggeration, everyone in Yuanhe County knows my wonton stall."

"From the looks of you two, you're not from around here?"

"We're physicians from Panlong Commandery, the next county over. Someone in the Song family is ill, and they invited us, brother and sister, to take a look. We're not familiar with the area yet and haven't found Master Song's house."

"Oh, you're looking for Master Song! It's not far from here. Go straight from here, past an intersection, then turn left onto one street, and you'll be there."

Lu Yang, of course, knew the Song family wasn't far; he had deliberately chosen a wonton stall close to their residence.

Lu Yang lowered his head, eating his wontons in small bites. He slurped some soup; it was indeed quite sour.

Seeing Lu Yang fall silent, it was the wonton stall owner who wanted to talk.

"Physicians, who in the Song family is sick? Is it Master Song himself?"

To invite physicians from a neighboring commandery showed how seriously ill someone in the Song family must be. This was certainly something to talk about after dinner.

"That, we can't say," Lu Yang said, shaking his head with a smile. Then, as if remembering something, he casually asked, "Shopkeeper, are you familiar with the Song family?"

"The Song family only emerged in the last twenty years, mainly thanks to Master Song himself. He's quite a character. When he was young, he passed the xiucai examination, but then he achieved no further official titles and remained undistinguished. In his middle age, he even lost his wife and son, frowning all day long.

Then, one day, for some unknown reason, he suddenly had an epiphany and started doing business. I don't know how he did it, but his silver increased day by day, and he seemed to regain his spirit. After that, he married again and had three sons and one daughter.

Master Song is considered a benevolent person. He's built two schools and donated many books."

Tao Yaoyeh nodded after hearing this. It seemed Master Song was a good person. The only suspicious point was how he suddenly had an epiphany and started a business.

However, this had no direct bearing on their current mission.

"Oh, isn't that Senior Brother Lu Yang?"

A slightly surprised voice rang out, melodious and sweet, delicate and tingling.

Lu Yang turned his head and was also quite surprised to see the newcomer. "Junior Sister Lanting?"

Lanting had spotted a familiar back at the wonton stall from afar and only dared to confirm it was Lu Yang upon getting closer.

Seeing Lanting approach, Tao Yaoyeh preemptively stood up, positioning herself between the two, and warmly greeted Lanting, "Junior Sister Lan, what brings you here?"

Lanting smiled sweetly, her beauty almost blinding. "Oh, it's Junior Sister Tao! I only saw Senior Brother Lu Yang just now. My apologies."

"As cultivators, we must be aware of everything around us. It seems Junior Sister Lan's cultivation still has room for improvement."

"Junior Sister Tao, you're mistaken. Cultivators have strong perception to avoid danger. Would I possibly encounter danger here?"

Lanting continued with a cheerful smile, "And with Senior Brother Lu Yang present, what danger could there possibly be? Junior Sister Tao, you're underestimating Senior Brother Lu Yang."

Hearing the two women's conversation, Lu Yang felt he should interject.

"Owner, another bowl of wontons, please."