Luo Hongxia left in a great hurry.
Originally, Luo Hongxia had planned to use the conference as an opportunity to demand an explanation from the Dao Seeking Sect—or at the very least, obtain a promise that they would keep their distance from Lan Ting.
As it turned out, forget promises; if she had left even a step later, she might have lost her youngest disciple entirely.
Enveloped in a cloud of rosy mist, Lan Ting complained, "Master, I told you I'm fine! You insisted on dragging me along to the Dao Seeking Sect. What will Lu Yang think of me if he finds out?!"
"The moment you got back, you devoted yourself to researching an automated skewer-roasting array and tried to use Imitation Fist to transform into someone else. And you still say you're fine?"
"Your master told you long ago to stay far away from people from the Dao Seeking Sect. These are lessons learned from hard experience!"
"Back when I traveled down the mountain for worldly experience, I met a disciple from the Dao Seeking Sect. The two of us joined hands to exorcise a ghost. After reaching our destination, we stayed at an inn for a few days. That ghost had unbelievable nerve, daring to hide under the Dao Seeking Sect disciple's bed—and hiding there for three whole days!"
"In the end, he noticed something was off, dragged the ghost out from under the bed, and demanded it split the room fare for three days."
"Is that the kind of logic any normal person would have?"
"Who was that?" Lan Ting asked.
"The Sect Master of the Dao Seeking Sect, Daoist Buyu."
Luo Hongxia gave a cold sneer and continued, "Another time, the two of us ran into a dismemberment case. Over a dozen children had met tragic deaths, their bodies mutilated, severed limbs covering the floor. Only one dull-eyed, expressionless little girl survived. The two of us stayed by her side to protect her.
"A while later, people from the government office arrived. They said that after piecing the corpses together, they discovered each body was missing a part, and the missing parts happened to form another little girl.
"A chill rushed straight to the top of my head back then. Right at that moment, the little girl broke into an eerie smile and started giggling chillingly. Daoist Buyu just rapped her on the head and said, 'What are you laughing at? Can't you see we're discussing business?'"
"The little girl was completely knocked dumbfounded."
Lan Ting: "..."
...
Out of concern for his master, Lu Yang returned to the pine forest of Tianmen Peak, only to see Daoist Buyu tied up in an exceptionally unique fashion.
"Is performance art in vogue in our Dao Seeking Sect now?" Lu Yang wondered.
Daoist Buyu wriggled vigorously with exaggerated thrashing, making muffled whimpering sounds as if crying for help.
Lu Yang peeled off the yellow talisman from his forehead. With his dharmic powers restored, Daoist Buyu untied the ropes, spat out the sock, and successfully broke free.
Tears welled up in Daoist Buyu's eyes. "Good brother! From now on, let's treat each other on our own terms: you call me master, and I'll call you master!"
Lu Yang felt it might be better to tie his master back up.
Daoist Buyu walked out of the immortal cave, spread his arms wide toward the sunlight, and embraced nature. "Ten years! I'm finally out!"
Then he thought about it and felt the atmosphere wasn't dramatic enough, so he summoned clouds and rain, making it pour over a small patch directly above his head.
As the torrential rain poured down, Daoist Buyu was quickly drenched like a drowned chicken. He spread his arms once more, embracing freedom. "Aaaah! Ten years! I'm finally out!"
Perfect.
Having achieved the desired effect, Daoist Buyu dispersed the rainclouds and turned to Lu Yang. "I plan to go down the mountain to perform pingshu. Care to join me?"
Daoist Buyu hadn't forgotten his mission.
Lu Yang was tempted, but he shook his head. "I can't. My identity is too sensitive. It'd be disastrous if someone from the Immortal Cult recognized me."
Daoist Buyu laughed heartily. "What's so hard about that?"
Daoist Buyu gave Lu Yang's face a quick sweep of his hand. Lu Yang's facial features shifted subtly, transforming into an appearance completely different from before.
"Isn't it just fearing your enemies will recognize you after you did something bad? I get it. I'm very experienced in this area. Don't worry, no one in the Body Integration stage can see through my disguise!"
Lu Yang didn't really want to know where Daoist Buyu's experience came from, but with this, he could indeed head out without worry.
"Can I invite a friend along too?"
"Of course."
Lu Yang went and called on Meng Jingzhou, who was busy huffing and puffing as he practiced punches to work out his body.
"Heading out for some fun?"
"Is it safe?"
"A big shot's leading us. Guaranteed safe."
"Let's go."
After a brisk exchange of questions and answers, Meng Jingzhou was ready to head out with Lu Yang, without even asking where they were going or what they would be doing.
Could hanging out with Lu Yang ever lack fun?
"Who's this?" Meng Jingzhou asked in a whisper. He didn't recognize Daoist Buyu.
"My master, Daoist Buyu," Lu Yang introduced proudly.
Daoist Buyu recognized Meng Jingzhou and stroked his white beard benevolently. "Boy from the Meng family, I heard your old man talk about you. I even went to drink wine at your one-month milestone banquet."
"You know my grandfather?" Meng Jingzhou was somewhat surprised; he had never heard his grandfather mention this.
Daoist Buyu was amused by the question. "Your grandfather and I have known each other for over a thousand years."
After Meng Jingzhou's appearance was altered by Daoist Buyu using the same technique, he asked, "How are we traveling? I have a carriage."
Lu Yang waved his hand. "No need. I just learned a flying sword technique; I can fly on a flying sword."
"But a single sword can only carry one person, right? What about the two of us?" Meng Jingzhou raised an eyebrow.
Lu Yang ostentatiously pulled out the strangely shaped flying car from his identity jade token. "You can think of this as a scabbard, just on the larger side.
"When I activate the flying sword technique, the flying car can take to the sky. It can carry up to five people!"
Meng Jingzhou circled the flying car twice, rapped on the frame, and heard a solid, resonant echo. His eyes lit up. "Good stuff! You invented this?"
"Naturally."
Daoist Buyu nodded repeatedly as well. His youngest disciple truly possessed extraordinary attainments in the way of the sword; in the future, he would certainly be no less impressive than himself!
Lu Yang took the wheel of the flying car with excitement. Meng Jingzhou sat in the passenger seat, while Daoist Buyu sat in the back. Buckling their seatbelts, all three felt a novel sensation.
"Lift off!"
The Green Blade Sword let out a resonant hum, and the flying car surged into the air, ascending into the clouds.
"Master, which way?"
Daoist Buyu pointed forward. "To the south! The south is bustling and full of thoroughfares—perfect for your master to perform pingshu!"
The flying car headed south. Whenever they passed flying boats, the passengers aboard were astonished by the existence of the flying car.
Daoist Buyu tapped the back seat, unfolding an invisible spindle-shaped barrier to reduce air resistance while casting his own flying sword technique to boost the flying car's flight.
Sensing his master's assistance, Lu Yang's confidence surged, and the flying car's speed kicked up another notch.
With Master overseeing things, it's bound to be completely safe!
...
When Yun Zhi went to check on her master's situation, the immortal cave was already empty, leaving behind only a golden rope, a yellow talisman, and a sock whose owner remained unknown.
Returning to her cave dwelling, she found a little slip of paper left behind by Lu Yang at the entrance:
*Master and I are going out to travel for a while. Don't worry about me.*
Yun Zhi grew even more worried.
Master... can't tell north, south, east, and west apart.
...
In the sky above a certain town in the west, the flying car malfunctioned and plummeted straight down.
Chapter 129