Chapter 112: The Reason Why Daoist Bu Yu was Imprisoned

Putting aside its status as one of the five great immortal sects, the Wendao Sect was already a household name across the cultivation world—much like how parents warn their children to steer clear of the bad crowd, elders constantly cautioned their disciples to stay away from anyone belonging to the Wendao Sect.

Yet, there were always reckless disciples who insisted on mingling with them anyway, much to the profound distress of their elders.

Take Lan Ting, for instance.

Fortunately, the upper echelons of the cultivation world knew the Wendao Sect was not entirely beyond redemption; ever since the previous Sect Master vanished and the new leader, Yun Zhi, took the reins, the sect's atmosphere had noticeably improved—primarily in the sense that they no longer plagued outsiders, choosing instead to plague only their own.

If the Wendao Sect were to be viewed as a mental asylum, Yun Zhi was the director, a rare voice of sanity.

A visit from Yun Zhi was always far better than a visit from anyone else.

A hearty voice echoed from beneath the Tiance Sect, and in the blink of an eye, a withered, ancient figure materialized before her.

"Daoist Master Daoyan," Yun Zhi said, clasping her hands in greeting.

Daoist Master Daoyan was the Supreme Elder of the Tiance Sect, a living relic of the cultivation world whom few outperformed in sheer longevity; he kept a low profile and had never truly revealed the depths of his cultivation.

"To what do I owe the honor of your visit, Fellow Daoist?" Daoyan did not dare slacken his courtesy before Yun Zhi, addressing her as an equal.

"I have questions regarding immortals."

"After you."

"After you."

Daoyan ushered Yun Zhi into a secret chamber deep within the sect and poured her a cup of tea.

"What exactly is it that you wish to know about the immortals, Fellow Daoist?"

"How much do you know about the Immortal of Eternity?"

Daoyan's expression turned conflicted, a bitter smile gracing his lips. "The Immortal of Eternity? You have asked quite the question. Among the five ancient immortals, the Immortal of Eternity is the most enigmatic. Were it not for the Cult of Eternity confidently claiming to have discovered ruins containing records of him, I wouldn't even know he existed."

"And even with ruins, who is to say they are genuine? I remain highly skeptical of this immortal's existence."

"How so?"

"A ruin discovered over ten thousand years ago is considered ancient to the people of today, but does ancient necessarily mean real?"

"I hear the ruin is a relic of the Daqian Era, but what of it? That was already a new epoch, tens of thousands of years removed from the truly ancient times."

"Anyone with an agenda during the Daqian Era could have fabricated an inscrutable ruin, waiting for someone to stumble upon it hundreds of thousands of years later, gasp in awe, and believe every word carved into the stone."

"If an Immortal of Eternity truly existed, why is there absolutely no other evidence to support it besides this single ruin?"

"We have unearthed more than a few hidden realms from the Daqian Era, yet why have none of them ever mentioned this immortal?"

Yun Zhi nodded, finding some merit in his reasoning. "You are aware that I recently located the headquarters of the Cult of Eternity. Unfortunately, they fled too quickly for me to capture anyone, though I did glean a few things from the documents they left behind."

In truth, Yun Zhi had gathered no such intelligence from the headquarters; she merely wished to keep Lu Yang out of the conversation for his own safety.

"I am all ears."

"According to the Cult of Eternity, the unique property of the Immortal of Eternity's Dao Fruit is 'indestructibility.' So long as someone invokes his titles and immortal name, he can be resurrected."

Daoyan’s pupils contracted slightly in profound shock; such a property was astounding, rendering one utterly incapable of dying even if they wished to.

"Every immortal Dao Fruit possesses distinct characteristics, and it seems the rumors are true," Daoyan lamented before continuing, "However, that is ultimately just the cult's side of the story. I stand by my perspective: they are fabricating a god."

"The method is likely similar to how the Great Xia Dynasty utilizes national destiny to achieve immortality. A mastermind behind the scenes has conjured a non-existent immortal, relying on the faith of the Cult of Eternity. Accumulated over days and months, this immortal gradually manifests. Once the power of faith reaches a certain threshold, the Immortal of Eternity will materialize out of thin air, born from nothingness."

Yun Zhi did not refute him, listening quietly to his theory. Since the Immortal of Eternity had already been resurrected, it was certainly not a case of fabricating a god, yet the theory itself held merit; the other three demonic cults might very well be engaged in exactly that.

Yun Zhi expressed her gratitude to Daoyan and floated away.

The Sect Master of the Tiance Sect approached Daoyan, still shaken by the memory of how effortlessly she had torn through their grand formation just moments ago. "Patriarch, how strong is Yun Zhi exactly? Has she achieved immortality?"

"Do not ask, for I know nothing."

Yun Zhi had visited many people, and Daoyan was the last. With her task complete, she returned straight to the sect.

Meanwhile, Lu Yang had returned to Tianmen Peak to seek out his master once more.

"Well? What did your senior brothers and sisters say? Did they all agree that under my leadership, the Wendao Sect has grown more prosperous by the day?"

Daoist Buyu boasted proudly, fully believing he had made an indelible contribution to the sect's development.

Lu Yang looked at his master with a complex expression. "Indeed, your contribution is immense, but everyone prefers to have Eldest Senior Sister manage the sect."

Buyu’s head drooped, looking completely crestfallen. "Is that so? Very well, then let her have the position of Sect Master. It is only natural for the new generation to replace the old."

"Still, it wouldn't look good if word got out that a disciple imprisoned her master just to seize power. It would tarnish our sect's reputation."

"Why don't you let me out? I will fly far away, never mention the sect master position again, and never return to the Wendao Sect. What do you say?" Buyu negotiated.

Lu Yang hesitated, finding some truth in his master's words. His master didn't seem like someone obsessed with power either. Just as he was considering whether to release him, a cold, detached voice drifted down from above.

"Master, do you really want to leave that badly?"

Hearing that voice, Buyu’s expression shifted dramatically.

Lu Yang looked up, pleasantly surprised to see his eldest senior sister back. "Eldest Senior Sister!"

Yun Zhi gave a faint murmur of assent as she drifted down lightly, without stirring a single speck of dust.

"Master, did you resort to deceiving your youngest disciple just to get out?"

Yun Zhi spoke without a hint of emotion, yet to Buyu, it sounded like an impending volcanic eruption, terrifying to the core.

Deceiving? Lu Yang's mind raced. Could everything his master told him have been a lie?

Then what was the truth?

Lu Yang's brain worked furiously, quickly arriving at a highly plausible scenario!

His master had succumbed to inner demons, and Eldest Senior Sister, choosing righteousness over family, had sealed him away here. To avoid airing dirty laundry, she had kept the truth of his affliction from the elders.

And while she was away, his master had used sweet words to trick him into removing the talisman so he could unleash chaos upon the world!

How close, how incredibly close. Thank goodness Eldest Senior Sister arrived in time.

He listened as she continued to speak:

"Look at the sect masters of the other immortal sects; they all cultivate diligently. Now look at you, idling away your days. Have you finished the daily cultivation tasks I assigned you? Have you broken through to the next realm?"

"You have accomplished absolutely nothing, yet you still want to go out and play?"

Daoist Buyu stammered, unable to utter a single word in response.

Lu Yang: "..."

What on earth was I just imagining? How could the Wendao Sect ever have such a dramatic, melodramatic plot!