“Are you… disciple Tingyan?” The former Branch Master of the Qinggu Heaven branch of Gengchen Immortal Mansion, True Immortal Dongyang—this green-robed man Ji Wuduan—looked at Liao Tingyan before him in a daze, not daring to believe his eyes.

Eleven years ago, he had accepted a disciple named Liao Tingyan, who resembled his beloved daughter who had died young. At that time, he took the child as his disciple merely to console his grief, wanting to take good care of this disciple who had such a fateful connection with him. However, he never imagined that his disciple would eventually become entangled in such terrifying changes.

Back then, he was just a minor branch master. Qinggu Heaven was located at the junction between the inner and outer courts, with no special remarkable features, so when his disciple was selected to serve the Ancestral Master, although he felt uneasy, he couldn’t do much except inquire about her a few times. However, news from Three Saints Mountain was not something a mere True Immortal like him could discover.

Later, he heard that she had gained the favor of Ancestral Master Cizang and left Three Saints Mountain with him. Among the hundred high-level inner court disciples, only she had fortunately preserved her life. At that time, even Qinggu Heaven was at the peak of its prosperity, but he sensed undercurrents and grew increasingly uneasy. He wished to see his disciple and comfort her, but they couldn’t meet.

Later, he heard that her life lamp had been extinguished, suggesting she had died. Then there were rumors that she was still alive. Ji Wuduan, as her master, felt useless—he couldn’t discern the truth. Moreover, Qinggu Heaven was truly unstable during that period, and he expended all his efforts to protect the safety of his remaining disciples.

Afterward came the massive disaster that shattered Gengchen’s Immortal Mansion. From the edge of the inner court territory, he could see the towering lava erupting from the center. Thick black smoke nearly covered the horizon. The earth shook, and underground spirit veins shriveled and shattered within a day. Spirit gardens and medicinal gardens everywhere withered overnight after being scorched by the fiery air. Even nearby spirit springs and lakes completely evaporated…

In such a disaster, so many died. The several main palace elders, palace masters, and family patriarchs of the inner court—those who had once been so lofty and powerful—were powerless against such terrifying force. Some died, some were injured, and the survivors fled in panic. Meanwhile, marginal figures like themselves and small cultivators and families from the outer court all, fortunately, escaped the calamity.

It was said that Ancestral Master Cizang had already turned demonic while in seclusion at Three Saints Mountain, which was why he slaughtered so many people and destroyed Gengchen Immortal Mansion’s legacy of ten thousand years.

Gengchen Immortal Mansion was like a tall tower. After losing its pillar, it collapsed far more quickly than anyone expected. Other cultivation sects that had been oppressed by Gengchen Immortal Mansion for years swarmed in and divided the remaining forces of the still-trembling Gengchen Immortal Mansion.

At such a time, Ji Wuduan, the Branch Master of Qinggu Heaven, resolutely abandoned his post, taking some resources and disciples willing to follow him to Guyu Hollow where his close friend resided. He became a disciple of Guyu Hollow, avoiding that most chaotic period.

Nearly ten years had passed, and he had almost forgotten that pitiful disciple who had appeared and vanished like an ephemeral flower.

How could he have imagined that today he would suddenly see someone he thought had long departed this world? To be honest, he hadn’t spent much time with this disciple and didn’t know her very well. Now, reuniting after a long separation, he didn’t know what to say, though his heart was filled with emotions.

While Ji Wuduan was feeling all this, Liao Tingyan was completely confused. She couldn’t remember past events—she truly had no idea who this young man before her was!

Hearing him call her disciple… was this the original body’s master, or her master?

Liao Tingyan couldn’t help but glance at Sima Jiao. I need some help—boyfriend, say something!

From beginning to end, Sima Jiao had been leaning to one side, sitting in the shadows of the room. He had concealed his aura, so Ji Wuduan hadn’t noticed him at first. Only when he saw his disciple intensely looking in that direction did he also look over?

“Thud—”

Ji Wuduan, finally seeing clearly who was sitting there, felt his legs go weak and knelt.

He seemed to return to that day of the great disaster at Gengchen Immortal Mansion. This Ancestral Master, who slaughtered those at Divine Transformation, Void Refinement, and even Integration stages, did so as easily as slicing vegetables. Many low-level disciples of Gengchen Immortal Mansion saw the Ancestral Master’s true appearance for the first time then, only to be terrified by the frightening killing intent and viciousness emanating from him.

His infamy spread even more widely in the cultivation world after he went to the Demon Realm. As a result, although everyone knew that Gengchen’s Immortal Mansion was destroyed by him, no one dared to openly insult this Demon Lord, speak ill of him, or even mention his name and title.

Now, this distant and terrifying great Demon Lord had appeared before his eyes.

Ji Wuduan felt as if his heart was being squeezed, making it difficult to breathe.

At this moment, the purple-robed man who had been kicked away by Liao Tingyan fiercely rushed back, followed by his disciples and henchmen, shouting angrily, “Ji Wuduan, today I must make you die…”

Liao Tingyan looked up, preparing to deal with this troublemaker first, but found that the lead purple-robed man, like the green-robed young man, suddenly froze. Then with a thud, he knelt, staring at Sima Jiao with wide eyes. He seemed more frightened than anyone, his body constantly trembling.

This purple-robed man had formerly been a disciple of the main branch, with higher status than Ji Wuduan, so he was more familiar with Ancestral Master Cizang’s appearance. Two of those he brought with him had also been disciples of Gengchen Immortal Mansion and had witnessed the Ancestral Master hunting down members of the Shi family during those disastrous days. Their faces now drastically changed, and they became unsteady, kneeling forward.

Even those who didn’t know what was happening panicked at this sight.

Liao Tingyan: “…” Ah, do you have to be so dramatic?

Her boyfriend hadn’t moved, hadn’t spoken, and wasn’t even looking at them.

The purple-robed man’s expression was like that of a modern person seeing a living Jurassic dinosaur. Liao Tingyan watched as he trembled and trembled, finally turning in terror and fleeing, stumbling and breaking several doors of the pavilion. The already damaged pavilion instantly looked even more shabby.

Everyone fled quickly. Seeing how frightened they were, Liao Tingyan didn’t feel right about chasing after them to fight. She could only stand in place, looking at Ji Wuduan who still hadn’t risen.

Sima Jiao hadn’t moved either. He hadn’t even looked at the group that had come and gone, but rather lowered his hand, sat up a bit straighter, and gazed at Ji Wuduan for a while.

The gaze covered Ji Wuduan in a cold sweat, his face turning pale. He recalled a rumor that Ancestral Master Cizang could see through people’s hearts and perceive all inner darkness.

Liao Tingyan moved closer, covering her mouth with her hand to ask Sima Jiao’s ear: “Is that my master?”

Sima Jiao casually embraced her waist, making a sound of acknowledgment: “Seems so.”

Liao Tingyan asked again: “Did I have a good relationship with him?”

Sima Jiao: “Not sure.”

Seeing Liao Tingyan’s face written with ‘this situation has become serious,’ Sima Jiao added: “However, I can see he has no ill intentions toward you.”

Hearing this, Liao Tingyan understood. Based on her knowledge of master-disciple relationships in the cultivation world over these years, which were generally like parent-child relationships, this master of hers probably had a good relationship with her.

She squeezed Sima Jiao’s hand, signaling him to let go, then walked to Ji Wuduan and helped him up, her attitude becoming more respectful.

Ji Wuduan, who had just witnessed his disciple being intimate and whispering with the great Demon Lord: “…”

In a daze, he was helped up by Liao Tingyan and heard her say with some apology: “I’m sorry, Master. I’ve had an accident and lost my memory. I don’t remember you.”

Ji Wuduan: “Ah… I see.” He hadn’t understood at all what Liao Tingyan was saying; the shock was too great for him to recover.

The two disciples he had brought on this trip limped over. These two had relatively low cultivation levels and had been beaten into the lake by the purple-robed men. Now that the purple-robed men had left, they were no longer suppressed and hurriedly came to find their master.

“Master, what’s happened to you?”

The two disciples were from Guyu Hollow and had never seen Sima Jiao or Liao Tingyan before. They only felt that their usually loving master seemed off and were very concerned.

Ji Wuduan was startled, grabbing the hands of his two disciples, afraid they might say something wrong and provoke the ruthless Ancestral Master to take action. Just one thought from the Ancestral Master, and they wouldn’t know how they would die.

Seeing her master so frightened, Liao Tingyan coughed once and said: “Master, were you injured just now?”

One small disciple looked at her curiously, “Master? Why does this senior sister call you Master? Was it this senior sister who helped drive away those White Emperor Mountain people?”

Ji Wuduan looked at the expressionless Sima Jiao, then at Liao Tingyan who was smiling, and said: “This is my… disciple who was lost years ago, your Senior Sister Liao.”

Speaking of the senior sister, after saying this, he realized that this disciple’s cultivation level was now higher than his own. He momentarily felt he might have introduced her incorrectly, but then thought that she was indeed his disciple. He had never expelled her from the sect, so regardless of her current status, she was naturally still his disciple.

He stiffly made the introduction, prepared to watch Liao Tingyan’s attitude and change his words if necessary.

But Liao Tingyan showed no intention of contradicting him and looked at the two small disciples, “So you are my junior brothers.”

The two young disciples obediently called her senior sister.

“It’s such a joyous occasion for Master and Senior Sister to reunite! Master, will Senior Sister return to our Guyu Hollow with us?”

Ji Wuduan’s heart nearly stopped, and he wanted to pinch the mouth of his lively little disciple. This foolish boy—how could he speak so casually? He was concerned about his disciple’s current status, but mainly about Sima Jiao.

Although his disciple seemed to have an intimate relationship with the Ancestral Master, he didn’t know what kind of relationship it was. Now that she was living well and had achieved such cultivation attainments, she and himself, along with a group of senior and junior brothers, were no longer people of the same world—how should they interact?

Liao Tingyan was also hesitant, not knowing how to interact with this suddenly appearing master. According to her corporate slave habits, they should exchange pleasantries, find a place to reminisce, eat, and drink together, and then part ways after establishing a connection, arranging to meet again in the future.

But Sima Jiao was here now, and she hadn’t forgotten his identity.

Both Liao Tingyan and Ji Wuduan couldn’t help looking at Sima Jiao.

The talkative little disciple spoke again: “Oh, and who is this senior?”

Ji Wuduan wanted to cover the mouth of his curious, talkative disciple, but he didn’t dare move rashly in front of the Ancestral Master.

Sima Jiao walked to Liao Tingyan’s side and finally said something: “Your senior sister’s Dao companion.” This was to the small disciple.

“After many years apart, won’t you take your disciple back for a reunion?” This was to Ji Wuduan.

“Let’s go see Guyu Hollow. The scenery there is nice.” This was to Liao Tingyan.

Ji Wuduan’s legs weakened again, and he wanted to kneel once more. The Ancestral Master wanted to go to Guyu Hollow! Could he say no? Of course not. If this Ancestral Master became displeased, he could bring down even Gengchen Immortal Mansion, let alone their mere Guyu Hollow.

The only thing that slightly consoled him was that the Ancestral Master’s tone was gentler when speaking to his disciple. It seemed that the term “Dao companion” was not just for show.

“So Senior Sister’s Dao companion is our senior brother!”

Hearing his foolish disciple call the Ancestral Master’s senior brother, Ji Wuduan almost couldn’t resist smashing this foolish child into the ground.

He noticed that the Ancestral Master did not seem inclined to reveal his identity, so he reluctantly maintained his surface calm and carefully asked: “So, you will… come with us to stay at Guyu Hollow for a while?” His address was vague, and his words were cautious.

Of course, it would be a short stay—who didn’t know that Ancestral Master Cizang was creating waves in the Demon Realm and was about to unify it? How could he possibly stay permanently at Guyu Hollow?

Hearing her master’s words, Liao Tingyan felt like she was bringing her husband back to her maiden home. She responded: “If it’s not too much trouble, we’ll come take a look.”

By the way, when ‘returning to the maiden home,’ shouldn’t one bring gifts?

Sima Jiao glanced at Liao Tingyan’s contemplative profile, smiled, and placed a small bottle in front of Ji Wuduan, “You’re injured. Take this.”

Ji Wuduan’s legs weakened again, and he almost knelt once more, only staying upright by tightly gripping the hand of one disciple. He took the medicine bottle, suddenly feeling honored beyond measure. This was Ancestral Master Cizang! He had only heard of him taking lives, never of him giving things to people.

Their group headed toward Guyu Hollow. On the way, Ji Wuduan had a realization: for a figure like Ancestral Master Cizang, if he truly wanted to do something, probably no one in the entire cultivation world could stop him. Since he showed no malicious intent, he should be more open-minded.

He had come to terms with it, but he didn’t know if the Hollow Master and elders of Guyu Hollow could do the same.

Guyu Hollow was unremarkable among the many cultivation sects, belonging to the middle tier—roughly equivalent to an agricultural university among various modern universities. Most disciples in the hollow were not skilled in fighting but excelled in cultivation and breeding. The spirit grains, spirit fruits, and spirit medicines they grew were sold to all major sects. Because of this characteristic, Guyu Hollow’s location had beautiful scenery and was spacious, though it absolutely couldn’t compare with Gengchen Immortal Mansion.

Guyu Hollow didn’t have many disciples, and most were obsessed with farming. It was a rare cultivation sect where disciple relationships were relatively harmonious.

When they arrived at Guyu Hollow, the first thing they saw was acre upon acre of lush green farmland. What differentiated it from mortal fields was that the soil came in different colors, and the plants also showed various color variations.

“These are ordinary spirit grains. The ones cultivating them are mostly outer court disciples,” Ji Wuduan explained to her.

Liao Tingyan saw Guyu Hollow disciples with rolled-up sleeves observing the growth state of plants in the fields and thought this sect’s style was truly distinctive. Others tried to be as immortal-like and pretentious as possible, but as soon as they entered the mountain gate here, they saw large groups of people farming.

“Elder Ji, you’re back!”

Some disciples greeted them, then after the greeting, dove back into the fields.

Ji Wuduan took his disciple and the Ancestral Master to his bamboo forest courtyard, then exhaled a long breath and hurriedly went to inform the Hollow Master and other elders of the matter.

The Hollow Master and elders, upon hearing this, all knelt.

Everyone knelt together, looking at each other in dismay, all feeling weak in their legs and unable to stand. They simply continued their conversation in this posture.

“Wuduan, are you not deceiving us? That person—that one—is truly, truly now in our Guyu Hollow?” By the end, the Hollow Master’s voice was barely audible.

Ji Wuduan smiled bitterly: “How would I dare joke with everyone about such a matter?”

“It’s over, it’s over. Should we call the disciples to run away quickly? Can half of us escape?” asked a chubby elder.

“Don’t even think about it. If we anger that one, none of us will escape,” said a philandering elder with a face full of peach blossoms, now frowning with worry.

Seeing his friend in such a state, Ji Wuduan felt somewhat guilty and said: “Actually, there’s no need to be so anxious. That one seems to treat disciple Tingyan well. He’s probably just accompanying Tingyan to walk around and happened to come for a visit. As long as we don’t deliberately provoke him, there should be no problem. I just think we should restrain the disciples and not let them behave rashly before him, lest they anger him.”

“That’s right, that’s right, and we should go pay our respects. Otherwise, if he feels we’re disrespectful and becomes angry, what then?”

After discussing for a while, they all went to change into their most presentable clothes, made their most formal hairstyles, wore their most valuable treasures as meeting gifts, and then encouraged each other before going to meet the legendary Ancestral Master Cizang.

Then they saw that the younger disciples of Guyu Hollow had all gathered at the bamboo forest courtyard, watching Elder Ji’s long-lost disciple.

“I didn’t lie to you, did I? I said my senior sister is extremely beautiful. My master has only this one female disciple. When our senior brothers all return and see Senior Sister, they’ll surely be very happy too.”

“Senior Sister Liao, these things called melon seeds are delicious. I’ve never seen them before. Our Guyu Hollow grows many spirit fruits, but I’ve never grown this kind.”

A group of naturally friendly disciples crowded the courtyard. Ji Wuduan despairingly listened to their chirping and heard his disciple Tingyan say: “This? I’ll give you some. Try planting them. Perhaps they’ll grow.”

“Really? Thank you, Senior Sister!”

“Junior brother, junior brother, share a few with me!”

“Senior Sister, this senior brother is your Dao companion. Why doesn’t he speak?”

Liao Tingyan joked with them: “He doesn’t like to talk. Don’t bother him, or when he gets angry, he’ll catch you and sell you to the Demon Realm.”

The group of little disciples laughed, and the air was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Only the Hollow Master and a group of elders at the back of the crowd weakly supported themselves against nearby bamboo, lifting their sleeves to wipe the sweat from their faces.