NOVPUBWang Ba, though perplexed, was never one to snub others and quickly called out with a broad smile from afar:
"Martial Uncle Qu, have you been well?"
Upon hearing Wang Ba’s greeting,
some cultivators around who were not familiar with Wang Ba couldn’t help but wear a strange look, turning their eyes towards him.
Even Cui Daqi, Ma Shengxu, and others close to Wang Ba showed a slight change in expression.
Qu Shentong was no exception.
His face wore a hint of surprise but soon, a smile appeared.
He nodded slightly:
"All is well."
After speaking, he gestured towards the grand hall of Chunyang Palace and then led the way inside.
After he left, Wang Ba immediately turned to Cui Daqi and the others and asked in a low voice:
"Martial Uncles, why does it seem like everyone is reluctant to interact with Martial Uncle Qu?" 𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙥𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
He was not a dull person; the looks from the people around him and their attitude towards Qu Shentong made the anomaly clear to him.
This time, Ma Shengxu spoke up, conveying via voice transmission:
"It’s not that they don’t want to interact... This Martial Uncle Qu is stubborn and no matter what, he refuses to address the acting sect master properly, always calling him Elder, Elder. Privately, nobody really minds, but in front of Chunyang Palace, who dares to get close to him?"
"Especially with our acting sect master, his pettiness is really..."
The sentence wasn’t finished.
But the implication was clear to Wang Ba.
Recalling the past events in Sen State, Martial Uncle Ling Weizi and Martial Uncle Hu Zaixi had mentioned that some people were assigned tasks on the spot for speaking out of turn because of Martial Uncle Hu’s slip of the tongue.
Wang Ba’s understanding of the acting sect master’s character suddenly deepened.
"Petty-minded, extremely cold-hearted, with a strong focus on goals; uncaring about the life and death of subordinates, only concerned with having more cultivators achieve Immortal Ascension within the sect..."
Before long,
Song Dongyang, who was about to step down as the Earth Hall Deputy Master, shed his ganoderma crane robe for a simple, plain-colored tunic, arriving with an unrestrained air.
At his side walked Luo Yuzhong, clad in an auspicious blue robe and Vice Palace Master of Benevolence Hall, laughing and chatting arm in arm.
The two seemed to discuss something amusing, laughter never ceasing.
"...If I had known you were in Fu State at the time, I would have insisted that you join me in seizing that Dao Secret!"
"I was busy recruiting people for a mission, truly had no choice," Luo Yuzhong said with a shake of his head and a wry smile.
Seeing Song Dongyang’s arrival, the already present Ministers and Enforcers hurriedly paid their respects.
After all, Song Dongyang was still officially their superior.
"You are too kind, I have worked alongside my fellow brothers for many years, and it’s only through your support that I can consider retiring without regrets," Song Dongyang declared, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
The crowd hastened to demur.
Song Dongyang smiled, then turned his gaze to Wang Ba, and perhaps reminded of something, he raised his right hand slightly towards Wang Ba and said to Luo Yuzhong:
"This is our Right Enforcer from Earth Hall, he has been a great help to me..."
Luo Yuzhong, however, started to laugh:
"How could I not recognize him?"
"He’s Master Yao’s disciple, after all!"
"I was the one who presided over his sect examination."
Wang Ba also quickly paid his respects to Luo Yuzhong.
"Wang Ba pays his respects to Vice Palace Master Luo."
The other’s words unavoidably made him recall the anxiety and fear he felt when he first heard the name Luo Yuzhong during his sect examination.
After all, Master Yao Wudi’s warnings were quite frightening.
Something about being a bit too rough when playing with some junior brothers...
But after truly joining the sect, he hadn’t noticed anyone really targeting him.
Even Chi Liequan, who quite disliked him, never went out of his way to cause him trouble.
Be it due to respect for the sect rules or for some other reason, Wang Ba sincerely felt that Wanxiang Sect was the environment he liked the most.
As he contemplated this,
two more figures flew in from the horizon.
Wang Ba glanced at them and, sure enough, found them extremely familiar.
"Greeted Elder Du."
"Greeted Martial Uncle Qi."
Everyone paid their respects one after another to one of the two arriving figures,
including both Song Dongyang and Luo Yuzhong.
No matter how high a Vice Palace Master ranks, if they haven’t achieved Immortal Ascension, they still fall short.
However, Du Wei was amiable by nature; he also nodded with a smile in response to everyone.
But upon seeing Wang Ba, his eyes filled with both pride and sorrow.
He couldn’t help but glare at Qi Yan, who stood completely silent at his side.
He then shook his head and said:
"Why are you all standing outside? Let’s go, don’t let the acting sect master wait too long."
With that, he took the lead towards the grand hall.
The others’ faces were full of smiles as they followed suit, though most did so reluctantly.
Unlike Sect Master Shao’s laissez-faire governance, this acting sect master ruled with an iron fist, his moods unfathomable, putting everyone on edge.
Therefore, unless necessary, everyone was not too keen to go inside.
But with an Elder speaking, no one dared not to give that face.
Wang Ba followed the crowd inside as well.
It was his third time here.
The host during the previous two visits had been Sect Master Shao, who appeared very amiable.
This time, however, it was the acting sect master, Elder Xun.
The grand hall seemed capable of adjusting its size according to the will of its master, and compared to the last time, it was somewhat smaller now.
A figure in pale white sat high on a platform at the very front of the hall.
In front of him, an incense burner sent up a straight plume of blue smoke.
He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, as if in cultivation, yet seemingly deep in thought.
It was Wanxiang Sect’s current acting sect master, Xun FuJun.
Wang Ba dared not make any noise.
Following the others, he found a futon and sat down.
The example of Martial Uncle Hu was not a distant warning; he certainly did not dare to repeat the same mistake.
Soon, the futons in the hall were almost fully occupied.
