NOVPUBThe elder immediately frowned and interrupted:
"Junior Brother Gao, we have discussed this matter many times already. Though Tianmen Cult is gone, Fanming’s primordial spirit has also escaped, and the local spiritual lineage has long been divided by the other four sects. Even if we return, we’d only find bare land. The Sect Master’s decision was not wrong."
"But is it any better in Sen State?"
The cultivator surnamed Gao couldn’t help saying:
"Establishing a sect here is like a slow death, just waiting for Wanzhou School to devour us alive, isn’t it?"
"If we go back, at least we have some connections with the other four sects. If we don’t, we’ll eventually be consumed completely by them!"
Hearing the words of the cultivator surnamed Gao, the middle-aged cultivator fell into a brief silence, only letting out a sigh, and said with a tired expression:
"I understand what Junior Brother Gao means... For now, let’s just get through the issue at hand."
"But..."
The cultivator surnamed Gao was about to argue, when the elder suddenly grabbed him.
The middle-aged cultivator noticed this but had no intention of saying more, closing his eyes wearily.
The cultivator surnamed Gao looked at the elder with dissatisfaction:
"Senior Brother Hui, why are you holding me back? Why must we keep paying tribute to Sen State? Let’s just leave..."
The elder glanced at the middle-aged cultivator and sighed:
"Stop talking. You’re only looking at what’s in front of you, but the Sect Master has to consider much more. Do you really think you’re the only smart one? Enough! Listen to the Sect Master later and don’t speak out of turn."
Upon hearing the elder’s words, the cultivator surnamed Gao opened his mouth to speak but ultimately closed it again, his frustration mounting.
However, the middle-aged cultivator who had closed his eyes soon had to open them again.
"We’ve arrived."
He scanned the area.
There before them stood a colossal banyan tree stretching up to the sky, spanning dozens of miles, with a canopy lush with verdant leaves.
Hidden within the canopy were immortal caves and palace buildings...
But around this giant banyan tree, there was also a transparent barrier enveloping the entire tree.
The flying boat halted as it reached this point.
A thin figure adorned with numerous straw dolls flew out of the transparent barrier, scanned the three people on the flying boat, then diverted his gaze, and asked in an emotionless voice:
"Who goes there?"
The middle-aged cultivator on the flying boat couldn’t help but scowl.
The cultivator surnamed Gao was about to burst forth in anger but was held back by the elder, who said with a stern face:
"Have you forgotten what the Sect Master instructed?"
The cultivator surnamed Gao clenched his fists in frustration, turning his head to the side.
They had visited this place several times before. A mortal might forget, but as cultivators, how could the other party forget them? It was clear they were taking advantage of their vulnerability, hence their brazenness.
The middle-aged cultivator, on the other hand, took a deep breath, and then forced a strained smile:
"You Zhong, haha, my name is Ji Lan. We wish to seek an audience with Elder Fan of your esteemed sect. Please inform him on our behalf."
"To see Elder Fan?"
The thin figure drew out the words, "Lately, there has been much to do, and Elder Fan has little free time..."
Seeing him tilt his head to look at him, the chest of the middle-aged cultivator rose and fell slightly.
But still, he managed to suppress the anger in his heart and maintained a forced smile, clumsily retrieving a storage bag from his waist and handing it to the other person:
"Well... You Zhong, take a look..."
After a brief scan with his spiritual sense, the thin figure smirked crookedly, tucked the storage bag into his breast, and said impatiently:
"Alright, wait here. I’ll go inform them."
"Thank you, You Zhong!"
The middle-aged cultivator hastily replied.
The thin figure swiftly flew back inside the transparent barrier.
The cultivator surnamed Gao could no longer hold back, exclaiming angrily:
"Sect Master, why should we tolerate such humiliation!"
"We might as well give up the sect! It’s better to be a rogue cultivator than be manipulated by such vile scoundrels!"
Hearing the words of the cultivator surnamed Gao, a flicker of agreement crossed the middle-aged cultivator’s eyes, but he ultimately shook his head slightly.
"Too much of our Ancestral Master’s foundation has been lost in our hands. If we lose the sect as well..."
The middle-aged cultivator suddenly stopped speaking, his gaze shifting.
He saw the carriage that had just swept past now flying towards them.
It headed straight for the transparent barrier.
For some reason, he suddenly thought of the young face he had seen in the carriage earlier and instinctively called out to stop him:
"Don’t! That is Wanzhou School’s Sect Protection Array!"
It seemed that the carriage heard the middle-aged cultivator’s warning, and it finally came to a slow halt just before hitting the transparent barrier.
A corner of the carriage curtain was lifted.
The middle-aged cultivator saw the young face again.
His eyebrows raised slightly:
"Martial Uncle Ji?"
The middle-aged cultivator was taken aback, then gave a courteous gesture, with a look of apology:
"I’m not sure which fellow cultivator this is. Please enlighten me, as I am rather obtuse..."
The young cultivator in the carriage smiled:
"My name is Wang Ba. Does Martial Uncle Ji recognize me?"
A glint of perplexity flashed in Ji Lan’s eyes.
The older man behind him frowned slightly.
It seemed as if he had heard this name somewhere before.
Seeing the look of bewilderment in Ji Lan’s eyes, the young cultivator couldn’t help but laugh at himself:
"Indeed, it’s normal for Martial Uncle Ji not to know me... Are you going to Wanzhou School?"
Despite his confusion, Ji Lan still nodded apologetically:
"Yes, might you also be on your way to Wanzhou School, Wang?"
The young cultivator nodded:
"Indeed, it is my first visit."
"Your first time?"
Ji Lan quickly warned:
"Then you had better wait a moment longer, Wang. Once You Zhong who guards the formation arrives, ask him to announce your arrival..."
