Chapter 470 - 248: Old Man: A Life for a Life? Let’s See What These Old Bones Can Do!
Xu Qinglai looked calm, watching the few people entering the room without showing any anger.
The dispute just now was about the Taoist orthodoxy between the Zhengyi and Quanzhen sects, an old topic that has been ongoing for over a thousand years without anyone yielding, and instead becoming more intense.
"Senior brother’s Dao heart is steadfast, I am impressed, junior brother."
Xu Qinglai flicked his sleeve and gave a salute.
But as his sleeve moved, a gentle breeze swept towards the door, and within moments, the breeze turned into a raging wind, rushing straight towards the people at the door.
"Oh, junior brother, you’re being too polite."
Zhang Yuanyi smiled without hurrying, raised his hand, and nodded calmly.
As he raised his hands, another gust of wind arose, blowing eerily, directly dissolving the raging wind.
"Junior brother, it seems your cultivation of the Jade Emperor Skill has greatly advanced." Zhang Yuanyi cupped his hand as a return salute.
"Not at all, with senior brother’s Huajin, even if I chase for another decade, I would still find it hard to catch up." Xu Qinglai also smiled.
"Shall we eat? Let’s not let other Daoists stand around watching."
"Sounds good, please."
The two exchanged compliments and then settled down in their seats, and those in the dining hall didn’t find the situation unusual.
Zhengyi and Quanzhen sects constantly bicker; if the leaders treated each other like honored guests, that would indeed be strange.
Xu Qinglai and Zhang Yuanyi were the strongest forces of their sects just now.
The people’s thoughts wandered yet their faces showed nothing, quietly eating their vegetarian meals.
On the table, the focus was not whether the dishes were vegetarian like Quanzhen or mixed like Zhengyi, but the small bowl of corn porridge each of them had.
Compared to the Yang Family’s bland soup, this porridge was much more substantial, earning it the name of porridge.
For these practitioners, Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi could meet their cultivation needs, but only barely.
If they wished to speed up their cultivation, they needed such external spiritual objects.
It could be said that cultivating with or without spiritual objects was worlds apart in terms of speed.
As they were finishing their meal, a young man entered the dining hall from the door and said, "Sorry to disturb you, Daoist masters. I ask that Daoist master Xu Qinglai, Daoist master Zhang Yuanyi, Daoist master Ren Shuyun, Daoist master Tian Dian..."
With one breath, nine Daoist masters were named, and the young man instructed, "Once the Daoist masters finish their meal, please come to the side chamber for a discussion."
After speaking, he gave a salute and left directly.
Once he left, everyone in the dining hall appeared unchanged, continuing to eat quietly, yet unable to hide the subtle expressions on their faces.
Within the Daoist School, besides these practitioners, there were also official personnel.
Though they have been here for many days without interacting, living in separate quarters in peace, virtually without any exchange.
Now, this was the first encounter with the officials.
The Daoist masters who were called had no mind to eat, immediately heading towards the side chamber.
Once they left, the dining hall started whispering among themselves.
"What do you think the officials sudden action is about?"
"Can’t you guess; it surely must be about selecting the head of the school. We have so many people who don’t comply with each other; if something happens, the officials can’t always forcibly suppress it, can they?"
One Daoist calmly remarked, while eating.
"That shouldn’t be right. Wasn’t it said that the head has already been given to that person?"
"Indeed, I heard not only the head, but the dean of the Talisman College has long been decided. So what is going on now?"
"Could it be those two don’t want to come?"
"Haha."
The Daoist set down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said with a half-smile, "Naturally, someone thinks they could do it."
"Jingye, don’t speak recklessly!"
Lin Nanbei quickly stepped in, smoothing over the situation: "Those two are accustomed to a carefree life; besides, we haven’t formally started, and they can’t teach us either."
Though the explanation was a bit forced, it at least offered a way to save face.
The Daoist masters who made it here may not have exceptional aptitude, barring the few with excellent relations, but generally possess good emotional intelligence.
To put it colloquially, they’re all making a living in the mundane world; why act superior?
Once the attention was redirected, Lin Nanbei turned back, looking at Li Jingye with angry disappointment: "Have you lost your mind? No matter what, this isn’t something for you and me to meddle in!"
"Don’t use that tone with me."
At this point, Li Jingye’s former docile demeanor was gone, instead speaking gloomily:
"We’re all official personnel; whether it’s Zhengyi or Quanzhen, they all know it."
"The Zhengyi sect naturally follows the Natural Daoist Skill, living comfortably, but here in the Quanzhen sect, I’ve endured enough cold shoulders and even basic respect is lacking!"
"If truly an old rogue from Quanzhen becomes the head, my situation in the future may become even harder..."