Early next morning, just as dawn started to break, Lu Yaoyao and her group bid farewell to Tianyan Sect. “So soon? Won’t you stay a few more days?” Bu Biekuang was surprised,
Yan Zihui smiled and replied, “We appreciate your offer, but unfortunately, we have other important matters to attend to. Thank you, Sect Leader Bu, for your generous hospitality these past few days.”
Bu Biekuang tried to persuade them to stay a bit longer, but seeing their minds were made up, he regretfully said, “I was hoping to host a celebratory banquet once you recovered.”
Yan Zihui responded, “We appreciate Tianyan Sect’s kind intentions.”
Bu Biekuang signaled to Bu Yang to step forward, saying, “There isn’t much that our sect can offer, but this is a small token of our gratitude. Thank you for resolving the major crisis in Yanhuo Town. I hope you don’t find it lacking.”
“When one place is in difficulty, support from all sides is a duty we cannot shirk. You are being too generous, Sect Leader Bu.” Yan Zihui modestly declined a few times, but in the end, he was unable to refuse Bu Biekuang’s insistence and accepted the gift.
However, he handed a box in return, “This is a small token from us, to thank you for your help.”
“But… we didn’t really do much to help…”
“Please accept, Sect Leader Bu. If you don’t accept it, then we won’t feel right accepting your gift either.”
“In that case, I must accept it, though I feel unworthy.”
After another round of polite farewells, Yan Zihui and his group set out on their return journey.
Bu Biekuang personally led his disciples to escort them out of Yanhuo Town. He looked up as their flying carriage soared into the clouds and soon disappeared from sight.
“Master, they’ve left.”
Bu Biekuang nodded, hands clasped behind his back as he walked back, “Yang’er, what did you learn from this experience?”
“I think…” Bu Yang hesitated.
Bu Biekuang waved his hand, “No need to answer in haste. Take your time to review your experience and reflect on it, then report back to me later.”
Bu Yang respectfully replied, “Understand, Master.”
Bu Biekuang sighed, “Tianyan Sect’s future lies in the hands of your generation. You must take good care of it…”
The master and disciple returned to the sect and went directly to the side hall. Once they were alone, Bu Biekuang took out the box given by Yan Zihui and opened it. Upon seeing its contents, he praised, “Guiyuan Sect truly deserves its reputation as the number one sect. Such magnanimity is beyond others.” Bu Biekuang had initially thought that after Guiyuan Sect’s disciples had reaped the benefits, it would be enough if they didn’t hold them accountable for concealing the truth. He hadn’t expected to receive such a generous gift.
Inside the box were enough defensive talismans to protect the Tianyan Sect for some time, top-grade life-saving pills, a terrifyingly powerful offensive artifact, and even a few special pills to aid in tribulations.
“Yang’er, when you venture out in the future, if you encounter difficulties, you can seek the protection of Guiyuan Sect.” The disciples of the Guiyuan Sect were just, kind, and not rigid. They were all righteous people who distinguished clearly between right and wrong, and knew how to recognize gratitude. Sometimes, to survive, one must put aside pride.
Bu Yang couldn’t hold back his question, “Master, are you saying that they knew we were hiding information, but didn’t hold it against us? And because they have benefited, they gave us these items for our protection, so that other sects who failed to obtain the treasures wouldn’t vent their anger at us?”
“If that’s the case, why couldn’t we just be honest with them?” The young disciple was puzzled.
Bu Biekuang shook his head, “Even if it was a one-in-ten-thousand chance, we couldn’t afford to gamble.”
“Yang’er, I know you feel guilty, but we are just a small sect, unable to even compete with an ordinary cultivation clan. If we want to survive in the long run, knowing when to bend and when to keep your back straight is crucial.”
Bu Yang didn’t say anything more. He couldn’t help but envy the freedom of the Guiyuan Sect disciples, who didn’t have to be cautious and calculating with every step. Clenching his fists, the young man secretly resolved to train hard and bring glory to his sect.
…
The flying carriage left the boundaries of Yanhuo Town, and once the disciples of Tianyan Sect were out of sight, Wen Zixing exaggeratedly wiped his brow. “That was terrifying. Can we just leave without saying goodbye next time?”
Whether it was a welcome greeting or a farewell, all these social interactions were too tiresome. Couldn’t everyone just be more straightforward and make do with fewer pleasantries? Just watching the seemingly never-ending exchange of one polite remark after another made his heart race!
Lu Yaoyao nodded in agreement, sharing his sentiment.
Yan Zihui gave each of them a light knock on the forehead. “I was the one dealing with them, not you. What were you so scared of?”
“Who knows? One day we might have to handle it ourselves,” Lu Yaoyao said, rubbing her not-aching forehead. The thought of possibly having to do what Yan Zihui just did sent a shiver down her spine. It was absolutely scary!
Wen Zixing suggested, “I told you, when we’re out traveling, we should maintain the image of a cool, aloof genius. Let’s keep our faces cold and exude a freezing aura that keeps people at a thousand miles’ distance. Then no one will dare approach us, and even if they exchange pleasantries, they won’t talk so much.”
Lu Yaoyao nodded vigorously. “That’s a great idea, Xingxing.” She even provided a real-life example, “Look at my father. He always maintains a cold and distant image when he’s out, and no one dares to approach him.”
Yan Zihui: “…” Be sober, please. The main reason people don’t dare approach His Venerable is because of his unfathomable cultivation level!
But still, being aloof does create a sense of distance, so they all agreed to adopt this strategy.
“Where are we heading next? Straight back to Luotian City?” They knew there was an auction house in Luotian City. A large auction had just taken place when they arrived, but by now it should have been long over.
Yan Zihui, returning to his easy-going and know-it-all demeanor, readily shared his experience with his junior brothers and sisters, “When you’re out traveling to gain experience, the worst thing you can do is rush. If you spend all your time on the road and miss the scenery along the way, you’ve lost half the meaning of your journey.”
“On our way here, we had to rush because we were on an urgent mission. But on the way back, we can take our time.”
Lu Yaoyao’s eyes sparkled. “What do you suggest, Senior Brother?”
Yan Zihui snapped his fingers. “Let’s stop by the nearest city and have fun for a few days.”
Wen Zixing and Lu Yaoyao cheered.
Yanhuo Town was quite remote, so heading to the nearest city took them a full three days. They arrived at the city gates just as the sun was setting, with the sky ablaze with evening colors. Lu Yaoyao peeked ahead and saw two words on the gate: Moxuan City.
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