Immortal of the Nine Realms

In the past few days, the area around the Grand Thousand Dao Sect’s site had become extremely lively.

Even the ordinary people at the foot of the mountain noticed the change. They had hardly seen any immortals in the past years, but now they could see them flying across the skies every day.

The Azure Dao Manor had countless clans, and within those clans, there were numerous Dao sects. Recently, some Dao cultivators were deeply impressed as they realized that there were so many Dao cultivators in the Azure Dao Manor!

At this moment, a group of young men and women, clad in Dao robes, were seated in a bustling inn filled with both mortals and cultivators.

One of the women looked at an elderly man and wondered, "Grandfather, do we really have to attend the Grand Thousand Dao Sect’s ceremony? If we do, won’t we offend the stronger Dao sects?"

The old man, though small in stature, was full of vitality. He smiled and replied to his granddaughter, "Our ancestors have been practicing the orthodox methods of the Three Thousand Dao Sect for generations. Now that the Three Thousand Dao Sect has been re-established, it is time to return to our roots."

A middle-aged Daoist interjected, his face full of worry. "Father, her concerns aren’t unfounded. My brothers and I feel this matter should be reconsidered."

His brothers, too, shared the same look of concern.

The Grand Thousand Dao Sect was the only orthodox sect left behind by the Three Thousand Dao Sect. Due to this, with the Three Great Dao Sects in a dominant position, the existence of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect appeared to be in a very awkward and dangerous position.

"Do you know why many Dao cultivators in Azure Dao Manor do not register as sect members but instead present themselves as part of noble families?" asked the old man softly.@@novelbin@@

"They want to follow the example of the Immortal Qin Clan, hoping that one day they too, can become a powerful clan that dominates the region," answered one of his sons.

The old man continued, "That is indeed the ambition of some, but for many more, like myself, we do not recognize those Dao traditions. We only acknowledge the Three Thousand Dao Sect. However, due to the current situation, we are forced to scatter and blend in with other factions."

He paused for a moment, then spoke again in a calm and resolute voice. "Now that the Three Thousand Dao Sect is on the verge of re-establishment, this is an opportunity. I believe we are not the only ones to have arrived here. Many of our fellow Dao friends must have already reached this place."

One of his sons suggested worriedly, "Father, they will only look on. Perhaps we should observe the situation first before making any decisions?"

The old man shook his head and refuted, "What is there to watch? Since the Three Thousand Dao Sect could be re-established, there must be someone behind the scenes who has already taken care of the issues. I do not believe such a thing can be achieved merely by speaking. Regardless of what happens today, we must return to our roots. If any of you are unwilling, I will not force you. You may leave with your people."

With that, the old man stood up and walked outside. Though he looked fragile, each step he took was firm.

"Father is still so stubborn," muttered one of his sons.

"What should we do?" asked another.

"We cannot let him face this alone. Forget it, let’s go. Whether we live or die, it will be up to fate," replied the eldest son.

The family quickly gathered their younger generations and followed the old man.

Seeing this, the old man was touched.

Just as they were about to approach the Grand Thousand Dao Sect, they were stopped by a group of people.

The ones stopping them were also Dao cultivators. They were dressed in light green Dao robes with fiery suns embroidered on them.

Many others were also stopped by these Dao cultivators. Most of them, like the old man, usually presented themselves as members of noble families but secretly practiced the orthodox teachings of the Dao sects. ṙᴀΝȪᛒÊS̩

One of the Dao cultivators stepped forward and greeted, "Everyone, I am Bai Lixiao, protector of the Nine Yang Dao Sect. Please, allow us to take a moment to brew some tea and discuss the Dao."

Bai Lixiao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze casually sweeping over the hundreds of cultivators in the area wearing various Dao robes. Their cultivation levels were mostly at the Qi Refining or Foundation Building realms.

With a command from him, several tea tables appeared in front of the cultivators and Nine Yang Dao Sect disciples stepped forward to serve tea to the crowd.

The gathered cultivators looked around in confusion until an old man with bright eyes spoke. "Senior, we are here to attend the ceremony at the Grand Thousand Dao Sect. We don’t have time to stay here and drink tea or discuss the Dao. Please excuse us."

Bai Lixiao looked at the old man with a faint smile and asked, "How may I address you?"

The old man straightened his back, shook his sleeves, and cupped his fist respectfully. He answered, "I am Qi Gongxu, a mere wandering cultivator. I only remembered that the ancestral teachings I follow originate from the Three Thousand Dao Sect. I am here today to join the sect and return to the orthodox teachings."

The surrounding cultivators were secretly surprised. Qi Gongxu was very bold to speak so freely even in front of the protector of the Nine Yang Dao Sect.

Everyone had expected that Bai Lixiao would take immediate action. To their surprise, however, he only glanced indifferently at Qi Gongxu and coldly said, "Daoist Qi, you better sit down for a cup of tea. The over hundred protectors of the Nine Yang Dao Sect are present here to invite Dao friends to discuss the Dao. It would not be appropriate to disrupt the proceedings here."

Over a hundred protectors are present?

Everyone was shocked. This clearly meant that the Nine Yang Dao Sect had closed off all the roads around the Grand Thousand Dao Sect. Even if cultivators wanted to attend the ceremony, they wouldn’t be able to get through.

"Father, let’s do as they say for now. I believe they will take care of the situation over there. There’s no need for us to take action at this moment," urged one of Qi Gongxu's sons.

Qi Gongxu was not a fool. He wasn’t about to lead his family to their deaths. Seeing that Bai Lixiao merely issued a verbal threat, Qi Gongxu revealed a faint smile and slowly sat down to enjoy his tea.

Many cultivators started to think deeply. Bai Lixiao’s response seemed very unusual. The Nine Yang Dao Sect was known for its tyrannical nature and even those who had never had direct dealings with them had heard of their methods. But now…they were merely inviting everyone to discuss the Dao. The real intention was clear they didn’t want anyone to head to the Grand Thousand Dao Sect ceremony.

If it were in the past, the Nine Yang Dao Sect would have imprisoned or killed anyone who dared to defy them. Why bother with such an elaborate charade?

Realizing this, many cultivators instinctively looked toward the Grand Thousand Dao Sect, their eyes reflecting a mix of uncertainty and suspicion. Perhaps...the re-establishment of the Three Thousand Dao Sects was already under control. Otherwise, why would the Nine Yang Dao Sect react with such caution?

At the Grand Thousand Dao Sect, Fang Chen and Li Daoye sat in front of the door while basking in the sun. They occasionally chatted with the worshippers who came to offer incense. Some of the regular worshippers who knew their real identities would chat with them for a bit and felt as though they had been blessed with a touch of immortal qi, which made them inexpressibly happy.

Not far away, Zhou Bufan and the others sat in a row, brewing tea and discussing the Dao. This scene had become a unique spectacle in front of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect recently. The worshippers were aware of the origins of the tea, with many saying that this group of immortal families had to have offended other immortal families from the Grand Thousand Dao Sect and thus were being subjected to such punishment.

Suddenly, Elder Xu and Guan’e flew in from the distance. The two respectfully bowed to Fang Chen.

Elder Xu quietly relayed, "Martial Ancestor Uncle, the area nearby has been closed off by cultivators from the Nine Yang Dao Sect. They even stopped some fellow Daoists from attending the ceremony."

Li Daoye stood up abruptly and shouted, "Damn it, are they looking for trouble? Let’s go kill them!"

He almost rushed out when he saw that Fang Chen was still. He hesitated and awkwardly said, "Martial Ancestor Uncle, what do you think?"

Fang Chen smiled faintly and replied, "What else is there to say? We’ll wait until tomorrow. Let’s see how long they can hide."

Fang Chen then glanced at the void with a smile. In the void, many Immortal Boats were docked. This wasn’t just happening here— the surrounding area was already filled with Immortal Boats from various grand clans and Dao sects.