Mortals placed great importance on celebrating birthdays every single year. Cultivators were different. With lifespans easily spanning centuries or millennia, and many frequently entering secluded cultivation, celebrating every year would annoy them to death.
A cultivator's custom was a minor celebration every decade and a major one every century.
It was true for cultivators, and equally true for sects.
The Dao Seeking Sect's 120,000th anniversary—this was a milestone worthy of the grandest celebration imaginable.
In the Central Continent, very few factions had existed longer than the Dao Seeking Sect. Among the Five Great Immortal Sects, the Dao Seeking Sect had been established earliest of all.
When the time came, every major faction would inevitably send congratulations. Needless to mention the imperial court, the other Four Great Immortal Sects, and the super-rank sects—even first-rank sects might not necessarily make the cut.
One could say that merely having the qualification to offer congratulations to the Dao Seeking Sect was a boast-worthy credential.
One could easily imagine how bustling the Dao Seeking Sect would be in two months' time.
The mere thought of what would happen in two months sent a tingling shiver through Lu Yang's scalp.
He was only at the Golden Core stage. Why did he have to take on something like this? Wasn't it a bit too early?
"What do you mean 'you have to do this'? Clearly it is *I*, this immortal, who is Acting Sect Master!" the Immortal Fairy corrected Lu Yang's perspective.
A new official always lit three torches upon taking office, and her first torch burned straight toward Lu Yang.
"Come on, hand over the body to this immortal."
This was the Sect Master's command, not to be disobeyed. Lu Yang could only obediently yield control of his body.
Taking over Lu Yang's body, the Immortal Fairy stretched luxuriously, her face brimming with smiles.
"Heh heh, having a body really feels completely different from not having one."
The Immortal Fairy shifted her gaze to Yun Zhi, lighting her second torch: "And you, Little Yun. Spread the word throughout the entire Dao Seeking Sect that this immortal has become the Acting Sect Master."
"Yes." Yun Zhi's attitude toward this Acting Sect Master was far better than her attitude toward the actual Sect Master. Whatever the Immortal Fairy told her to do, she did.
...
Under Eldest Senior Sister's publicity, the news of Lu Yang becoming Acting Sect Master once again spread across the entire Dao Seeking Sect in no time.
"What? Lu Yang became Acting Sect Master again? What did he do this time?!"
"Did the Sect Master appoint Lu Yang as Acting Sect Master?"
"Hasn't Eldest Senior Sister always been acting in place of the Sect Master? Why did it switch to Lu Yang this time?"
A conspiracy theorist fell silent for a long time upon hearing this news, before whispering mysteriously to others: "According to my analysis, this shift in Acting Sect Master might involve a high-level power struggle!"
The others were startled, but being clever people, they quickly caught on: "Are you saying the Sect Master feels Eldest Senior Sister has held power for too long, so he wants Lu Yang to replace her, pitting senior sister and junior brother against each other in a brawl for supremacy?"
"No, I'm saying Eldest Senior Sister wanted to take a break and told the Sect Master to come back, but the Sect Master refused and personally designated Lu Yang to take the hit."
"..."
"That actually sounds pretty reasonable."
...
The Immortal Fairy strolled leisurely through the sect in Lu Yang's body. The beaming smile across his face made him look several years younger.
"Greetings, Sect Master."
"Greetings, Sect Master."
Lu Yang's senior brothers and senior sisters—no, in Lu Yang's eyes right now, they had simply become disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect—all respectfully greeted Lu Yang.
"Good, good to all of you." The Immortal Fairy nodded and raised her hand slightly, gesturing for everyone not to be overly enthusiastic. She had only been in office for half an hour; there were still two whole months ahead.
She ambled over to the arena frequently used by disciples. On the stage, two Soul Formation stage disciples were fighting fiercely—one commanded rolling thunder, while the other shifted space itself, exchanging a dazzling array of spells.
The surrounding disciples watched Lu Yang warily, dreading that he might once again use Words as Law to fight across realms.
Lu Yang also warily watched himself.
The Immortal Fairy stood beside the arena with her hands clasped behind her back, watching the battle in silence with no intention of stepping onto the stage.
With her help, Lu Yang had already formed his Invincible Core; there was no longer any need to step up and fight across realms to foster an invincible momentum.
Besides, what was the point of going up to fight? All that would happen was that the two on stage would pretend they still didn't know he was the Acting Sect Master and beat him black and blue.
This was the warning issued by the Invincible Core, and it was exceptionally accurate.
Following the Invincible Core's counsel, the Immortal Fairy silently stood below the arena, suppressing her restless urge and not daring to step up.
"A rather mediocre fight," she commented blandly, her tone steady and unperturbed, radiating the demeanor of an almighty figure.
The Immortal Fairy hadn't come down the mountain for any real business; she was simply flaunting her new status.
She ambled over to the Try Again Barbecue Shop on the commercial street. The Immortal Celestial and the top brass of the Immortal Cult happened to all be here.
All members of the Immortal Lineage were present, and all higher-ups of the Immortal Cult were present as well—a formidable lineup.
The Immortal Cult leaders were thrilled. Truly, following Lu Yang had a bright future! Just days ago, Lu Yang had merely been a junior disciple, and now he was already the Acting Sect Master.
Master Liu and Master Gao had strange expressions, old memories stirred within them. The last time Lu Yang became Acting Sect Master, he had tricked the two of them into working here as barbecue chefs.
In the blink of an eye, four months had passed.
"Business good?"
"Thanks to First-in-Command's blessings, business is thriving." Others might not perceive anything different about Lu Yang, but as the Third-in-Command of the Immortal Lineage and possessor of the rudimentary Immortal Dao fruit, how could the Immortal Celestial fail to recognize that the one controlling the body right now was the Immortal Fairy?
"Keep working hard. The barbecue shop is the public face of our Immortal Lineage; we must never let our reputation falter!" the Immortal Fairy instructed.
"Yes!" Having received the leader's affirmation, everyone was greatly encouraged.
"Mm, good attitude. Right now, the Nine Nether Cult is expanding its market and opening shops everywhere. Little Yun also followed this immortal's instructions and went to make demands of that Emperor Xia or whatever, and Emperor Xia promised full support for our shop expansion."
Now that she was the Acting Sect Master, it was only natural for the former Acting Sect Master to relay the meeting proceedings to the current one.
"There's even something this good?!" The Immortal Cult higher-ups were visibly moved. They had assumed this Acting Sect Master was merely a ceremonial title, but who knew it carried real authority—ordering Eldest Senior Sister around with a single word, and even prompting Emperor Xia to personally step in and help.
With the imperial court's assistance, the Try Again Barbecue Shop would surely blossom across the entire continent and become the titan of the barbecue world.
"Which of you knows how to paint? Paint a scene of this Sect Master's inspection here and hang it by the entrance."
The Immortal Fairy had heard that imperial calligraphy from the emperor was extraordinarily valuable among commoners. Any shop capable of hanging calligraphy from the emperor would see wildly booming business.
As a dignified immortal who concurrently served as Acting Sect Master, combining these two identities, wasn't she far more exalted than any emperor?
"I will do it," the Immortal Celestial volunteered, eager to serve the First-in-Command hand and foot.
This was an opportunity bestowed by the Fairy; he had to seize it firmly.
As the Third-in-Command, he knew better than anyone how terrifyingly powerful the First-in-Command was.
Before long, the Immortal Celestial completed the painting.
In the painting, Lu Yang stood right in the center, flanked by the Immortal Celestial and the Immortal Cult higher-ups, who surrounded him with an air of complete subservience, looking to him for every lead.
Naturally, the painting was hung at the entrance, catching the eye of anyone passing by.
Lu Yang rubbed his chin, feeling that something about the painting was bizarre, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.
The Fairy wanted to keep touring around—for instance, visiting every single peak from the Grand Elder's to the Eighth Elder's to make her name resound across the Dao Seeking Sect. But just as her plan was getting underway, Eldest Senior Sister appeared beside them out of nowhere.
"Sect Master, it is time for you to attend to sect affairs."
Chapter 458