Volume 1, Chapter 361 – Reunion

Join the Daoist Order?

Shi Lan shook her head slightly. She carried too many secrets; joining a major power would bring her no real benefit.

The Heavenly Prodigy Ranking had brought her quite a bit of trouble, but it had also given her a layer of protection. With her added status as a member of the Demon-Suppressing Army, she did not currently have much need for the shelter of a major power.

Especially a force like the Daoist Order. It was full of old monsters. If she became their Saintess, who knew what strange rules and restrictions would suddenly appear.

Even if she really were going to join some faction, the Imperial Court would still be her first choice.

Most importantly, there was the system’s main quest. She had to build a power that belonged to her and her alone.

“I am honored by your sect’s regard, but at present I have no intention of joining any faction.”

“There is no need for you to decide in haste, Miss. Your martial cultivation has already entered the Myriad Phenomena Realm. You may even have begun preparing to condense your nascent soul. Within our Daoist Order, Xuanyang Dao possesses the strongest method in the Vast Land of Shenzhou for refining the nascent soul, while Jieyang Dao possesses peerless immortal pills that can help you forge the most solid possible foundation for your nascent soul.”

“So long as you agree, from this day forth you will be the Saintess jointly honored by all allied branches of our Daoist Order. All cultivation resources will be opened to you, including minor secret realms that can raise your strength in a short time!”

“In the future, should you have any need, anyone in our Daoist Order below the level of Dao Lord may be dispatched at your pleasure. In addition, our Celestial Master Dao will prepare for you a guardian elder in the Sun-Moon Realm.”

After finishing all that in one breath, Gu Tiancheng subconsciously lowered his head and glanced at the already empty teacup in front of him.

At his level of cultivation, he no longer needed water to quench his thirst, yet at this moment his mouth felt inexplicably dry.

Within the Daoist Order, Dao Lords were the equivalent of titled Heavenlords among the human race. Each possessed at least a cultivation above the seventh stage of the Heaven-Man Realm, along with unique divine abilities and treasured arts.

Add to that a guardian elder in the Sun-Moon Realm at the second heaven of the Emperor level, and it meant that as long as Shi Lan agreed to enter the Daoist Order and become its Saintess, the power at her command would be enough to contend with some of the weaker second-grade forces!

How shocking was that?

Rеaⅾ on КαtReαdinɡСαfе

One had to remember that Shi Lan was only a little over twenty years old. Since the Late Antiquity Era, a figure like her might not be wholly without precedent, but she was certainly rare almost beyond compare.

“What would I need to do?”

There were no benefits under heaven that came for free. Since the Daoist Order was offering such generous terms, what they wanted from her could not possibly be simple.

“As the Saintess of the Daoist Order, you would naturally spare no effort for its prosperity and safeguard its honor and prestige.”

“And besides that?”

“As for the rest, once you join the Daoist Order, you will naturally come to know.”

Shi Lan silently lifted a hand and pushed the untouched tea in front of her over to Gu Tiancheng. The part he had left unsaid most likely meant he believed she would not accept.

“I will think it over carefully.”

“If you change your mind in the future, I hope you will give our Daoist Order first consideration. The position of Daoist Saintess will always remain open for you.”

Gu Tiancheng’s expression returned to calm, as if he did not find Shi Lan’s refusal at all surprising.

“May I leave now?”

Shi Lan’s gaze passed over Gu Tiancheng and landed on the chariot doors behind him.

“As you wish, Miss.”

Gu Tiancheng smiled faintly and gave a small nod.

Rеаd оո ΚаtRеаⅾingСafе

Shi Lan rose at once and turned to leave.

“Today, the Azure Dragon asterism flickers into view. For the matter that brought you to Wuyang Prefecture, if you go southeast, you may find an unexpected delight.”

A deep voice transmission sounded by Shi Lan’s ear.

“Thank you, Senior.”

Shi Lan did not look back. After a few strides, she vanished into the horizon.

…

…

Gu Tiancheng watched Shi Lan leave, his expression unreadable. He lifted the teacup before him and took a light sip.

Within the warm, mellow tea, there still seemed to linger a trace of cold fragrance that refreshed the heart and spirit.

Boom…

The rear doors of the war chariot opened, and a figure stepped out. It was an old Daoist well over seventy, holding a horsetail whisk, dressed in a simple ancient green Daoist robe, his spirit vigorous.

“Grand Martial Uncle.”

Gu Tiancheng rose and saluted. The people standing around them all bowed as well.

“If the Daoist Order were not so lacking in rising talent, with only two or three among the younger generation besides you who can truly be presented before the world, how would we have been reduced to speaking so humbly?”

Rеаԁ oո КаtReaԁinɡСаfе

The old Daoist glanced at the horizon and let out a sigh.

Gu Tiancheng sighed as well, his expression somewhat helpless.

“Grand Martial Uncle, if there is something like this next time, please calculate a little more accurately.”

Waiting here for three days and three nights for no reason at all had not been pleasant.

“I suspect Shi Lan has some treasure on her that conceals heavenly secrets and interfered with the divination signs. I was careless for a moment. It will not happen again.”

The old Daoist’s face reddened slightly. He coughed lightly. An error of three days truly was absurdly large. Since leaving his master, he had never made such a huge mistake.

“Fortunately, we still met her. Those three days were not wasted.”

Gu Tiancheng sighed, walked to the table, and drained the cup of tea in a single gulp. At some point, that chill fragrance had already faded away.

Rubbing the teacup between his fingers, Gu Tiancheng’s gaze gradually darkened.

…

…

Shi Lan felt not the slightest stir from the Daoist Order’s recruitment. The terms Gu Tiancheng had offered were indeed generous, but what lay hidden behind them was unlikely to be simple.

Had it not been for Samsara’s warning, telling her that someone above the Emperor level was present on that war chariot, she would never have paid Gu Tiancheng any attention at all.

After receiving that earlier hint, Shi Lan stopped taking detours and headed straight southeast, pausing to ask for news whenever she came across a city.

Rеаd on КatRеαԁіոɡСafe

Along the way, she learned quite a bit. Wuyang Prefecture was controlled by the Wu family, and the Wu family itself was divided into a main line and several branch lines spread throughout the prefecture.

The direction she was heading was precisely where one of the Wu family’s major branch lines was located.

As the distance gradually closed, Shi Lan finally managed to hear some news related to Wu Lingkong.

In the surrounding region, Wu Lingkong was fairly well known. Within a stretch of land spanning tens of thousands of li, she could also be counted among the notable young talents.

Following those clues, Shi Lan finally arrived two days later at Shenfeng City, the principal city of this branch of the Wu family.

Most large cities in the Central Heaven Domain were extremely ancient. Many had been passed down from the Middle Antiquity Era or even the High Antiquity Era, and all were steeped in profound heritage.

As the local rulers, the Wu family’s residence was naturally not hard to find.

After hearing why Shi Lan had come, the guards led her straight into one of the residence’s guest halls and served tea and pastries.

The Wu family had vast holdings, and countless guests came and went. These guards handled the reception of visitors with practiced ease.

Shi Lan had little interest in tea or pastries, but Tianbai was highly enthusiastic and polished off a whole plate of pastries in a few bites.

Just as Shi Lan pressed down the somewhat embarrassing Tianbai and was about to speak, a figure flew in through the doorway and threw her arms around Shi Lan.

Sensing that familiar aura, Shi Lan suppressed the true qi that had begun circulating through her body in an instant, and then felt a sudden coolness on her cheek.

Wu Lingkong was visibly overjoyed. She kissed Shi Lan on the cheek.

“Shi Lan, I missed you to death!”