Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)

Hearing Qing He’s elaborate introduction, Yun Mengmeng finally remembered what she was supposed to do. She quickly knelt and kowtowed.

“Your subject pays respects to Your Exalted Majesty!”

With Her Exalted Majesty making her entrance before strangers, as the Minister of Rites, I must put on a proper display.

But since Scribe Qing He beat me to it, all I can do is shout a few lines.

Everyone present was stunned by the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s appearance. Yun Zhi was the only exception. She quietly continued picking up food with her chopsticks, savoring her good sister’s cooking.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest had to admit that he had also fantasized about having an ancient beast sealed within him in his youth. As someone who had gone through the same experience, he had assumed it was perfectly normal for Lu Yang to imagine there was an immortal within him. After all, he was at that age.

Never would I have guessed that Little Yang wasn’t imagining it—he actually has an immortal inside him.

Back then, I’d only dared to imagine a ferocious beast, but you’ve gone straight for a female immortal!

How did they introduce her? The foremost of the Ten Ancient Beauties? I can tell how beautiful she must be based on the title alone.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest mulled over it. This seems to be my first time meeting an immortal. What’s the proper etiquette? “The Taciturn Daoist Priest greets the Immortal.”

“You’re considered Xiao Yangzi’s elder. You don’t have to pay respects to me.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy waved her hand, lifting him.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest tried his best to bow, but realized he simply couldn’t, so he gave up. “So you have been residing within my youngest disciple all along, Immortal. No wonder his cultivation has progressed so swiftly. It’s all thanks to your guidance.”

“Not at all, not at all. Apart from this immortal’s guidance, Xiao Yangzi is also exceptionally talented in his own right.”

As expected of you, Immortal Fairy. Since we met, what have you guided me in? Embarrassing dark history from ancient times? Then I got struck by the Heaven Mandate Immortal, and then I broke through the limits of the Void Refinement Stage...

The more Lu Yang recalled, the less he could deny it. Indeed, it does seem like cultivating to the Transcendent Tribulation Stage is thanks to the Everlasting Immortal Fairy. Without her, I would have methodically advanced to the Fusion Stage.

“So Little Yang has the protection of an immortal. I was originally worried that he lacked worldly experience, but now, I can rest easy passing the position of sect leader to him.”

“Rest assured. Handing the sect leader position over to Xiao Yangzi won’t be a problem at all...”

“Hold on, you two, when did I agree to be the sect leader?” Lu Yang hastily pulled the Everlasting Immortal Fairy aside, who didn’t mind fanning the flames. How did the conversation turn me into the sect leader?

The Taciturn Daoist Priest said earnestly, “Little Yang, your shifu knows the process of becoming the sect leader—bowing and refusing three times before accepting. I went through it too.

“But everyone in the Dao-Seeking Sect has witnessed how outstanding you are. No one will object to you directly taking over as sect leader.

“Your shifu is old. Some things are beyond me now. My greatest wish is to see you juniors flourish and shoulder the burden we’ve been carrying.”

“Wait, Shifu, you’re only two thousand years old. You’ve still got eight thousand years of lifespan left!” Lu Yang was dumbstruck. Even I can’t spout such nonsense.

“In any case, the position of sect leader is yours!” the Taciturn Daoist Priest declared in a tone that brooked no argument. He had already planned to do this upon returning to the Dao-Seeking Sect. Now that I know Little Yang has the guidance of the foremost of the Five Ancient Immortals, becoming sect leader will definitely be no problem.

“No. I won’t do it.”

“I’m the sect leader, so you have to listen to me!”

“I can get an Acting Sect Leader Experience Coupon; you can’t control me!”

Master and disciple both saw the unyielding resolve in each other’s eyes.

“In that case, we can only settle this with a battle!” they said in unison.

Both were Transcendent Tribulation sword cultivators renowned for offense. Heaven’s Gate Peak was too small to be their grand stage, so they flew deeper into the sect, landing among the uninhabited mountains.

The others followed, choosing a nearby vantage point to spectate the battle. Yun Mengmeng even brought plates and a table, with Qing He, Gan Tian, and Ye Zijin helping to carry them. Yun Zhi set up a protective barrier to shield them from the sword qi.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest and Lu Yang stood silently on separate peaks.

Without anyone announcing the start of the battle, they drew their swords simultaneously and expanded their Sword Dao fields.

Boom!

The moment the Sword Dao fields collided, a massive sphere of sword qi formed, countless sword qi swirling within. In the blink of an eye, the mountains and earth between them vanished, leaving only an arc-shaped crater.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest’s eyes blazed with battle intent. Since comprehending his Sword Dao field, he had never encountered anyone who could match him in Sword Dao.

It was the same for Lu Yang. At the Sword-Seeking Ceremony, despite facing sword cultivators from across the world, he didn’t encounter a worthy opponent. This was the first time someone had clashed with his sword qi head-on.

“Good, good, good. I was worried your sudden leap to the Transcendent Tribulation Stage would leave your combat instincts and Sword Dao comprehension lagging behind, but it seems my concerns were unwarranted.” The Taciturn Daoist Priest laughed heartily.

He unleashed sword qi without restraint, sweeping across everything in front of him. The sword qi crashed forward like raging waves with dazzling white light. This was a killing move he rarely used. Those of the same cultivation realm usually avoided it.

Lu Yang shook his right arm and similarly released boundless sword qi, like a cascading torrent sweeping across the eight directions. The sword qi then transformed into images of black dragons, golden phoenixes, and white qiongqi, charging at the Taciturn Daoist Priest.

Countless halos burst into existence before exploding in the air. Space shattered and spirit qi seethed, the deafening impact reverberating through the sky.

In a few breaths, they exchanged hundreds of blows, so fast that even other Transcendent Tribulation cultivators could barely keep up. They certainly couldn’t defend against every strike while attacking.

“Buddhist Kingdom in Palm!”

A colossal palm appeared, overshadowing the entire mountain range. It rumbled as it descended, like the sky was collapsing.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest felt a suction from the palm’s center pulling him in. He tried to slash his way out, but all his sword qi was absorbed.

“A spatial ability? Close Horizon From Cliff!”

The Taciturn Daoist Priest smiled faintly, countering the spatial ability with a spatial ability. With one step, he traversed through space, landing on the back of the palm—a blind spot.

Before he could celebrate, he saw a dark shadow looming overhead. It was a second palm!

Lu Yang cast Buddhist Kingdom in Palm twice, precisely to prevent the Taciturn Daoist Priest from escaping to the back of the hand.

The Taciturn Daoist Priest’s expression changed. He tried to execute Close Horizon From Cliff again, but it was too late. The second palm struck the back of the first, like two small worlds colliding, and the Taciturn Daoist Priest was caught between them.

When the palms vanished, the Taciturn Daoist Priest was left gasping, his robes tattered and his vitality severely depleted.

“Shifu, just admit defeat. I still haven’t used the Everlasting Sword Mantra or the Animal Form Fist.”

Although the Taciturn Daoist Priest was now at a disadvantage, how could he concede? He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and rejected the suggestion outright. “Admit defeat? Your shifu has never surrendered in his life! Do you think this is all I have? Have you forgotten my Sword Opens Heaven’s Gate?!”

Between Lu Yang and the Taciturn Daoist Priest, Yun Mengmeng naturally supported the former without hesitation. “Jiayou, Second-in-Command! I believe you’ll win!”

“Eh, why aren’t all of you cheering?” Yun Mengmeng noticed she was the only one shouting. Gan Tian and Ye Zijin stayed silent, as if they didn’t care about the outcome of the battle at all.

Gan Tian shook her head helplessly. “Does it matter which of them becomes sect leader? In the end, isn’t it still Big Senior Sister doing all the work?”

Yun Mengmeng thought about it and realized it was true. The Second-in-Command is busy expanding the Great Dou Dynasty’s territory. How does he have time to be the sect leader?

Gan Tian turned to Yun Zhi and asked, “By the way, Big Senior Sister, they said they were going to fight, but did they specify how the sect leader would be decided?”

Yun Zhi impassively replied, “Whoever wins becomes sect leader, of course.”