Chapter 690: Young Sect Leader Lu Seems to Have Said That Sect Leader Yun and Yun Zhi Fought to a Draw

The headquarters of the Jiuyou Sect.

Inside the pitch-black room, four pairs of eyes shone as brightly as those of wolves.

Beginning with Leader Qin, the Jiuyou Sect advocated for absolute simplicity; as Synthesis Stage powerhouses, light or darkness made no difference to them, rendering lamps unnecessary.

This was a high-level internal meeting of the Jiuyou Sect, convened and chaired by Mu Baiyi and attended by three Vice Leaders, primarily to summarize the sect’s harvest for the current quarter.

Shi Huagu held the quarterly report for the barbecue restaurant, and as an old-guard arch-demon, the joy emerging in the depths of his eyes was nearly impossible to conceal upon seeing this quarter's harvest.

"The report has been distributed to everyone, and I presume you have all reviewed it prior to the meeting."

"The profitability of the barbecue restaurant is delightful, especially after our sect partnered with Fellow Daoist Tao Yaoye of the Wendao Sect; by utilizing 'Illusory Bubbles' for promotion during the opening credits, the restaurant's reputation has soared dramatically, to the extent that even if someone has not eaten our skewers today, they have certainly heard of our name."

Tao Yaoye possessed only a Nascent Soul Stage cultivation and logically lacked the standing to be addressed as "Fellow Daoist" by Shi Huagu, but Shi Huagu disregarded such conventions; anyone who could help him earn money was his fellow daoist.

With the rise of the barbecue restaurant, industries the Jiuyou Sect originally operated—such as the zoo, funeral services, smuggling, and grave robbing—were gradually being reined in; these industries were the responsibility of Vice Leader Xiang.

Among them, the smuggling and grave-robbing operations provided a stable export of talent to the Great Xia prisons each year. Of course, this was merely a scaling back, not a closure.

Mu Baiyi knew well that for the Jiuyou Sect's economy to develop healthily, relying on the single leg of the barbecue restaurant would not suffice; one must walk on multiple legs to proceed steadily.

Privately, rumors swirled that Shi Huagu would soon replace Vice Leader Xiang to become the new Executive Vice Leader. As for whether this was mere rumor or inside gossip, it remained unknown.

What Vice Leader Xiang regretted most now was not being the first to establish contact with the Tianting Sect, allowing Shi Huagu to seize the initiative. The barbecue restaurant's profits left everyone salivating, and Shi Huagu guarded it like a precious treasure, refusing to let anyone interfere.

What a joke—this was life-saving money; anyone who touched it would face his absolute fury.

"Since the income is so substantial, I wonder when the funds for constructing Fengdu can be approved?" Vice Leader Shi asked Mu Baiyi directly; he was the Vice Leader specifically in charge of building Fengdu.

Mu Baiyi coughed twice: "Constructing Fengdu is certainly important, but this is currently a period of rapid development for our sect. I must ask Vice Leader Shi to focus on the bigger picture and temporarily set the matter of building Fengdu aside."

Until the debts were secretly paid off, work on Fengdu would remain temporarily suspended.

Seeing Mu Baiyi's unquestionable tone, Vice Leader Shi refrained from mentioning the matter further.

Mu Baiyi turned to Shi Huagu, who sat opposite him: "Vice Leader Shi, I see that the taxes paid by our barbecue restaurant are quite high. Is there any way to secure a reduction or exemption?"

Hearing this question, Shi Huagu wore a face full of misery: "We are currently looking for a way, but we belong to the food manufacturing sector, and the imperial court offers no significant tax reduction policies in this regard."

"Is that so..."

Regret flickered across Mu Baiyi's features, and he subsequently produced a report.

"This is a report from the Chief of the Chunjiang Rudder. It was delivered to my hands just before the meeting. Everyone, please take a look."

The three Vice Leaders grew profoundly alarmed upon seeing the contents of the report, their voices trembling. "This... this, the Leader of the Tianting Sect is an Immortal?!"

This report had been drafted by the female ghost Xiaocui, detailing the battle between the two Supremes in Chunjiang City, how Leader Yun displayed divine might to capture them alive, and how the barbecue restaurant courageously stepped in to slay the assassins of the Heiye Pavilion, earning a commemorative banner from the government.

When Mu Baiyi first learned of this intelligence, his state had been no better than that of the three Vice Leaders. To think that Leader Yun, whom he had met at the barbecue restaurant headquarters, was a legendary ancient Immortal.

He simply did not know what the title might be.

Shi Huagu's brow furrowed tightly as he recalled the words spoken by Young Leader Lu: "No, there is another piece of intelligence hidden within this report."

"What is it?" Vice Leader Xiang failed to see the hidden meaning.

"When I first met Young Leader Lu, he once mentioned to me that their Leader had engaged in a confrontation with Yun Zhi of the Wendao Sect..." Shi Huagu paused for a moment, as though speaking these words might invite a natural disaster, yet he continued nonetheless, "and the result was a draw."

"What? How can that be?!"

"Old Shi, do you mean to say that Yun Zhi of the Wendao Sect is also an Immortal?"

Mu Baiyi tapped the table heavily with two fingers: "Quiet down, everyone quiet down."

"You are all Synthesis Stage cultivators; have you forgotten the most fundamental concept of a cultivator? When a fact has occurred, what you must do is accept it, not question it!"

"Do not forget, the Tianting Sect has never deceived us. Since Young Leader Lu said so, then so it is!"

"This is a piece of intelligence that cannot be bought for a thousand pieces of gold. Who in the world knows that Yun Zhi of the Wendao Sect is this powerful? Only we know."

"Presumably, this was originally a piece of intelligence sent to us by the Tianting Sect to express goodwill, but unfortunately our vision was limited, and only today do we grasp the Tianting Sect's intention!"

The three Vice Leaders lowered their heads in shame.

Mu Baiyi's expression turned solemn, his brow shadowed with gloom: "If Yun Zhi of the Wendao Sect is an Immortal, then the strength of the imperial court is even more terrifying than we imagined."

"The Wendao Sect possesses an Immortal yet has no intention of vying for power with the court, which indicates the court may also possess an Immortal!" The three Vice Leaders fell silent; if that were the case, then even if their Fengdu were completed, it would be no match for the righteous path.

Mu Baiyi remained the most composed: "The situation is not entirely that bleak. The righteous path has two Immortals, and the Tianting Sect likewise possesses two Immortals in Dou Tianzun and Leader Yun, making them evenly matched."

"We can grow closer to the Tianting Sect by presenting gifts to Young Leader Lu."

"As a disciple of Dou Tianzun, Young Leader Lu will inevitably take charge of the Tianting Sect's grand affairs in the future. Investing now is perfectly appropriate!" "You are saying the people of the Yaoyang Sect are looking for you?" Lu Yang looked at the Yaoyang Token in Meng Jingzhou's hand, slightly perplexed.

Upon the Yaoyang Token was a message left for Meng Jingzhou by Leader Chi: Holy Son Long, our sect has gained some insights into how to improve the cultivation method for absorbing the power of the sun. If Holy Son Long is interested, please come to Poyang City in Yuzhou for a discussion.

"Are they offering to share a cultivation manual with you?" Lu Yang became increasingly bewildered after reading the contents of the Yaoyang Token; wasn't this display of goodwill a bit too blatant?

"Could it be that they heard about the events in Chunjiang City and want to curry favor with me?"

Lu Yang gave it some thought and realized it was indeed a possibility. As for why they waited over half a month to contact Old Meng, it was likely because the Yaoyang Sect felt that reaching out after a longer interval would make it seem as though they weren't seeking Old Meng out of fear of Leader Yun.

Before Lu Yang could speak, he felt a stir from the Jiuyou Token in his bosom. He pulled it out to look.

"What is it?" Meng Jingzhou craned his neck to see.

Lu Yang openly spread the Jiuyou Token before him: "The Jiuyou Sect is looking for me."

"...What should we do? Act separately or gather both sects together?"

Lu Yang stroked his chin: "No rush to reply. Let us first seek out Senior Brother Dai for intelligence." With Li Haoran around, they knew a great deal about the Jiuyou Sect, but regarding the Yaoyang Sect, they knew very little.

......

The Mission Grand Hall.

Dai Bufan scrutinized the two of them up and down with a peculiar gaze.

"You are saying that the Jiuyou Sect and the Yaoyang Sect are trying to bribe you privately, respectively?"