Chapter 441: Naming The Sect!

At the foot of Mount Hua, a few people were gathered in a small pub, drinking and chatting the night away. They had been drinking all evening.

Liu Yunzhi sobered up around the time Fei Lianzi, Huai Jing, and Shi Qianzhang got completely drunk. He helped Wang Sheng carry the three back to their hotel, where they found Xiaomiao meditating. Spiritless lay beside her, and Xi Lian was still asleep.

Mu Wanxuan went to rest in the same room as Xiaomiao and Xi Lian, while Wang Sheng and Liu Yunzhi placed the monk and two drunken Daoist priests in the next room. As a precautionary measure, they isolated Shi Qianzhang.

"Want to take a walk outside?" Wang Sheng suggested.

Liu Yunzhi nodded in agreement. His mood seemed much lighter now.

There were still a few cultivators moving about the small town this late, mostly younger ones. Since cultivators aged differently, it was hard to tell how old any of them really was.

Many walked in pairs, either with their junior martial sibling, senior martial sibling, or a disciple from a neighboring sect. Though they maintained propriety, affection was faintly evident in their expressions.

Most Daoist heritages had strict rules. Disciples were devoted to cultivation, and the Daoist elders and Daoist masters kept a close eye on them. Hence, few ever gave in to worldly emotions. However, unaffiliated practitioners and cultivators from smaller sects were not as restrained, giving the cultivation world a faint scent of romance in recent years.

The two walked along the roadside. Near them was a stone bridge where many young men and women lingered.

Wang Sheng was a sword cultivator who had already reached the peak of the cultivation world, while Liu Yunzhi was a renowned heartthrob. Their stroll naturally drew glances, but neither seemed bothered, and no one dared approach.

The cultivation world wasn't some entertainment circle. Its big names were all powerful experts who could easily beat others to the ground.

"What are your plans now? Are you heading back to Mount Mao to go into seclusion?" Wang Sheng asked.

Liu Yunzhi nodded lightly. "

Mm.

"

He smiled faintly, making it seem as though the light around them had grown brighter.

The heartthrob then took out two Crane-Spirit Treasure Pouches from his robes. Softly, he remarked, "Inside these are the gaming devices I bought for Big Sister Xi Lian and Xiaomiao. Fei Yu, help me give them to Big Sister. I'm too ashamed to show them my face right now."

Accepting the two pouches, Wang Sheng unhesitatingly replied, "Alright."

Liu Yunzhi sighed wearily. "Do you think I'm shameless?"

The sword cultivator frowned a little. "What makes you say that?"

"I got away clean because of you, Xiaomiao, and Qianzhang," the heartthrob answered bitterly. "I really don't know how I can make up for what I've done..."

Wang Sheng smiled. "Don't overthink it. If you let guilt take root, it'll become a heart devil. When you try to break through to the Heavenly Abode Realm, the heart devil will attempt to take advantage of you while you're vulnerable."

"Still..."

"I'm not saying this to comfort you," Wang Sheng said seriously. "You're the only one who can determine what's right and what's wrong for you. Still, all that matters is that you don't lose the ability to tell them apart.

"No one goes through life without mistakes. I've made plenty myself. Before I started training under my master, I lived a life full of regrets, but I learned to accept and avoid repeating them. Ever since I broke through to the Rebirth Realm, I've been frequently wondering where life comes from."

Liu Yunzhi momentarily froze. "Isn't it said that the Great Dao created life? Or maybe the accidental conditions that science described made it."

Wang Sheng smiled. He tucked his hands into his Daoist robe's sleeves and raised his chin toward the sky. "Look at that star. To us, it's just a point of light, but it could actually be an enormous galaxy. Hundreds or thousands of worlds filled with life and primal qi could be among those galaxies, all somehow connected. Don't you find that fascinating?"

Liu Yunzhi smiled. "Did you hear that from Princess Yaoyun?"

Smiling, Wang Sheng nodded. "

Mm.

Yaoyun once told me about what lies beyond the Realm of Exiled Immortals. We're in a place of exile now. No matter how rich or stable the primal qi here is, there's still a sword hanging over our heads."

"Aren't you being a bit too paranoid?"

Wang Sheng's smile turned bitter. "Not paranoid, just cautious. The Heavenly Court was defeated thousands of Earth years ago, or hundreds of thousands of years ago in outer space. About a thousand Earth years ago, or tens of thousands of years ago in outer space, the Heavenly Court's immortals launched a counteroffensive.

"Yaoyun was critically wounded in the early battles and forced to return to this planet. Later, when the Heavenly Court's forces met formidable enemies, my sect's forefather sent back a final letter and was never heard from again. I keep wondering recently if those immortals are still alive and drawing their enemies' attention. Or did they make some grand arrangement that has kept Earth hidden until now? What if, one day, our planet gets exposed?"

Liu Yunzhi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's a fair concern, but what can we do? The difference in time flow already puts us at a disadvantage."

"Time flow doesn't matter. The outside world is full of powerful beings. From the Grand Dao Golden Immortals down to ordinary immortals, the hierarchy is already set. We can either be challengers or blend in. Honestly, I prefer the latter. If we hide our ties to the Heavenly Court's Daoist heritage, future cultivators ascending from Earth will have more choices and will get to explore the boundless universe freely."

Liu Yunzhi slowly nodded. "Do you plan to leave once you become an immortal?"

"

Mm.

That's the idea, but I'm not rushing. It'll take a long time before I reach that point. My parents are still here, so I shouldn't wander too far."

"

Haaa...

" Liu Yunzhi shook his head, then chuckled lightly.

He understood what Wang Sheng meant. The universe was vast, the path to immortality long. Compared to those, they were nothing but specks. There was no point in clinging to past mistakes.

He would do what he could to make amends, keep that guilt in his heart, and learn from it. Instead of wallowing in regret, he would pour his efforts into something meaningful and contribute as best as he could to the cultivation world.

That has to be what Fei Yu's telling me. His perspective on things is definitely wiser than mine.

Liu Yunzhi sighed quietly and cupped his hands to Wang Sheng. He then continued chatting with him about the stars and the universe.

Seeing the liveliness return to Liu Yunzhi's eyes, Wang Sheng smiled faintly. His skill in changing the subject seemed to have reached a new level.

***

That night, Liu Yunzhi prepared to return to Mount Mao. According to sect rules, he still had to face punishment, part of which was being disallowed to leave the mountain for some time. Before leaving, though, he gave Wang Sheng a special reminder.

"Xiaomiao's a good seedling. She's smarter than all of us. Try to hone that talent of hers, Fei Yu."

Wang Sheng blinked, then smiled and nodded. Instead of thinking too much about it, he just took it as Liu Yunzhi complimenting his younger sister. He felt he had a fair grasp of his sister's intelligence, anyway. She was only a tiny bit behind him in that regard.

After sending Liu Yunzhi off, Wang Sheng sent an "electromagnetic-wave-style Thousand-Mile Transmission" to his master. Qing Yanzi's gathering had already ended, and the Daoist elders had all gone back to rest.

Qing Yanzi told Wang Sheng to wait at the foot of the mountain. Soon, he landed on the hotel's rooftop.

Wang Sheng called for Mu Wanxuan to come up, but he accidentally woke Xiaomiao as well. Seeing his sister's innocent expression, he decided to bring her along to meet his master.

Xiaomiao was Yaoyun's disciple. Though Yaoyun was a princess of the Heavenly Court, she still needed a mountain gate to rely on. From that moment onward, Xiaomiao would be counted as one of their sect members. Once her cultivation improved, she could be given the title of elder to allow her to blend in naturally.

Leaving Spiritless by Xi Lian's side, the three left the room quietly. They then bowed properly to Qing Yanzi.

Qing Yanzi set out four futons. "Sit down. We have a few things to discuss."

Once seated, a trace of guilt flickered in his eyes. He didn't say anything, though, since there was no need for formality between him and his disciples.

Qing Yanzi gently said, "Tonight, we have to settle two matters: where to establish our mountain gate and the name of our sect."

Mu Wanxuan immediately raised her hand to speak. She took out her phone, projected a virtual screen, and quickly typed two lines.

Can't we build our mountain gate on the moon? When our future junior brothers and sisters reach the Nascent Soul Realm, we can have them cultivate in the Small Immortal Realm.

Wang Sheng smiled helplessly. "Senior Sister, the Small Immortal Realm isn't our sect's property, and ordinary people can't survive on the moon."

"Okay..." Mu Wanxuan puffed her cheeks and signaled that she had finished speaking.

"I want a detailed explanation on the whole Small Immortal Realm matter later, Little Sheng."

Wang Sheng smiled. "It's a simple issue, Master. Fairy Yaoyun doesn't want to fully open the Small Immortal Realm to the cultivation world. Instead, we should first send a batch of ten trustworthy senior experts with high cultivation, such as yourself, to cultivate there for a few years. Depending on the situation, we can then send a second and third batch."

"Only Senior Yaoyun has the right to decide on that," Qing Yanzi replied seriously. "Now that you are almost as strong as immortals, you can announce it yourself. Those who wish to go may go, and those who don't, we won't force them.

"We don't have to concern ourselves with those eyeing the Small Immortal Realm's resources. You can afford to show some authority now. It's about time someone corrected the improper trends in today's cultivation world."

Wang Sheng cupped his hands respectfully, though deep down, he felt a little helpless about exercising his authority. "I'll do as you've instructed, Master."

Qing Yanzi smiled. "Once our business here at Mount Hua has been settled, the three of us can travel around and look for a proper location for our mountain gate. For now, let's decide on the name of our sect. You're clever, Xiaomiao. Any ideas?"

His question made it clear that he already regarded Xiaomiao as one of their own.

Wait. Clever?

Wang Sheng blinked at his sister. She had her usual innocent expression as she sweetly answered, "I'm fine with whatever you and my brother decide on, Master!"

Mm, my sister might be cute, but she doesn't exactly look like a fairy. Master's probably complimenting her mind, not her looks. That has to be it.

"What do you think, Little Sheng?"

Wang Sheng smiled. "Pure Yang Sect! Simple and clear."

Qing Yanzi shook his head. "Too plain. Not good enough. Little Xuan?"

Mu Wanxuan quickly typed on her virtual screen, her fingers moving like a blur.

Heaven and earth, bestow upon me your righteous qi, which flows in myriad forms. We should call ourselves the Righteous Qi Sect, upholder of righteousness and defender of the weak!

Qing Yanzi pressed a hand to his forehead. "As far as I know, there are already dozens of small sects with Righteous Qi in their name. We need something unique, memorable, and meaningful."

Mu Wanxuan brought up a thinking emoji, while Wang Sheng and Wang Xiaomiao each offered some rather ordinary names, like "This is a Great Sect," "New Carefree Sect," and "Chun Yangzi's True Heritage Institute."

Finally, Mu Wanxuan came up with something more constructive.

Junior Brother is the number one sword cultivator in today's cultivation world, so why not name our sect 'World's Number One Sword'? It represents who we are and will attract lots of disciples.

Qing Yanzi clapped his hands in approval. "Excellent! I have decided. Our sect will be called... the Pure Yang Sword Faction!"

The true essence and enchanted power of the three in front of him almost flowed backward. One covered their face, another looked up at the sky in despair, and the last quietly showed a meme with a deadpan expression.

As long as you're happy.