#2735 - No choice

The arrival of the Jinyun Immortal Sect brought silence to the entire White Sand Ancient Town.

The five individuals, with their immortal demeanor, graceful bearing, and otherworldly aura, descended upon clouds and mist.

Before long, they arrived at the inn where Jun Wuxie was staying.

The innkeeper, snapping out of his shock, hurriedly came out to greet them.

Inside the hall, everyone, regardless of their affiliation with major or minor forces, stood up at this moment, bowing slightly, maintaining an attitude of reverence, without uttering a single sound.

This was the prestige of a top-tier Daoist lineage.

When the higher-ups of such forces traveled abroad, as long as people knew their identities, they would maintain sufficient respect.

This respect was not imposed upon the beings of the Hunyuan World by the top-tier Daoist lineages, but rather a reverence that arose from the depths of their hearts.

"Welcome, Immortals!"

The innkeeper, along with the people from various forces in the hall, bowed in unison, their attitude incomparably respectful.

"The arrival of the Immortals brings glory to my humble establishment.

Esteemed Immortals, please come inside quickly.

I will go and invite Yuan Chu and Su Qingqian to come."

"There's no need, we will go find them ourselves."

The white-haired middle-aged man in the lead spoke, his voice very gentle, without any airs.

However, no one thought he was truly such a gentle person.

When people from top-tier Daoist lineages went out, the leader was usually a Protector of a certain hall.

The Protector accompanied them to oversee and prevent anyone from taking action, being responsible for combat.

As for the Elders of the top-tier Daoist lineages, they usually did not come out.

Figures of that level had too high of a status and position.

Matters that required an Elder to come forward were definitely major events that were relatively thorny.

Although Yuan Chu and Su Qingqian were very important to the Jinyun Immortal Sect, people did not think it would be enough to have their Elder come here in person.

"This humble one has spoken too much, esteemed Immortals, please help yourselves."

The innkeeper hurriedly retreated to the side, standing with a bowed posture.

The white-haired middle-aged man carried his hands behind his back, his gaze slightly sweeping across the hall, and said, "Everyone, there is no need to be like this.

Our Jinyun Immortal Sect is a top-tier Daoist lineage, the orthodox sect of the Daoist path, not some evil group, nor do we have any airs, there is no need for you to be so reverent.

You can do whatever you were doing.

Our coming here is only related to the matters of Yuan Chu and Su Qingqian, it has nothing to do with you."

After the white-haired middle-aged man finished speaking, he led the four people behind him towards the lodging area inside the inn.

Only after their figures disappeared did the people in the hall dare to raise their heads.

At this time, throughout the ancient town, there were many gazes focused on this inn.

Some gazes carried anticipation, some carried disappointment, while others hid hostility and sharpness, with cold glimmers flashing in their pupils from time to time.

… …

In the lodging area of the inn, in front of a secluded courtyard.

Five figures with immortal demeanor appeared here.

At this moment, Mo Qingli opened the courtyard door from inside.

She saw the five people, her expression slightly stunned.

Before she could speak, the white-haired middle-aged man in the lead smiled gently, "You must be Su Qingqian, right?"

"I am Su Qingqian, you are…"

Mo Qingli pretended not to know, her eyes filled with doubt and inquiry.

"We come from the Jinyun Immortal Sect."

One of the people behind the white-haired middle-aged man spoke, "This is Protector Zhou from the Dao Academy of our Jinyun Immortal Sect.

We are the Deacons of the Dao Academy."

"You are the Immortals from the Jinyun Immortal Sect?"

A look of shock flashed across Mo Qingli's face, then her expression returned to its usual indifference, and she said, "Esteemed Immortals, please forgive Qingqian's impoliteness, I don't know what brings you here?"

"Qingqian, who is it?"

Just then, a voice of inquiry came from inside.

"Brother Yuan Chu, the Immortals from the Jinyun Immortal Sect are here!"

She responded to the inside, her tone cold and unwavering, but distinctly different from the slightly stiff attitude she had when speaking to the people from the Jinyun Immortal Sect just now.

Immediately, a figure quickly came and stood beside her, it was Jun Wuxie.

"You are the Immortals from the Jinyun Immortal Sect?

Your arrival is an honor for Qingqian and me.

However, Qingqian and I are merely casual cultivators, with low realms and mediocre talents, I don't know why you esteemed Immortals have come in person."

Jun Wuxie put on an unyielding, yet somewhat guarded, and aloof demeanor.

Seeing them like this, the white-haired middle-aged man couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

The four Deacons behind him looked at each other, all feeling a little unbelievable.

Two casual cultivators, after knowing the identities of themselves and others, actually had such a reaction.

They seemed to be showing obvious wariness.

"You two are quite interesting.

In my life, I have read countless people, among them, there are many casual cultivators.

But casual cultivators like you are truly rare in my life.

However, I quite like your unyielding and unperturbed demeanor.

For casual cultivators in the world to maintain such a state of mind in front of a Protector of a top-tier Daoist lineage is truly commendable.

Rest assured, we have no malice towards you this time.

I know that you once developed a resistance to forces because of small immortal sects.

But our Jinyun Immortal Sect is not like those small immortal sects that have no bottom line and resort to any means.

Yuan Chu, Su Qingqian, won't you invite us in to sit down?"

Jun Wuxie thought for a moment, exchanged glances with Mo Qingli, and then said to Protector Zhou: "Esteemed Immortals, please."

Protector Zhou smiled and walked towards the courtyard, the four Deacons behind him looked at each other, smiled at each other, and followed into the courtyard.

Arriving in the courtyard, Jun Wuxie did not invite them to sit down.

Protector Zhou and the others did not care, and sat down on their own.

"Esteemed Immortals, now that things have come to this, let's not beat around the bush.

I know that you are here for the matter of the Great Tomb Fortress.

Qingqian and I are just casual cultivators, walking on thin ice our whole lives.

Being trapped in the Great Tomb Fortress was a disaster for us, and we suffered for tens of thousands of years.

Unexpectedly, after initially escaping, we were like newcomers to the world, forgetting the deceit and treachery, forgetting the unpredictability of people's hearts, and almost died at the hands of the Poyo Immortal Sect because of it.

Your Jinyun Immortal Sect is a top-tier Daoist lineage, high above, one of the super overlords of Yu Province.

Qingqian and I know very well that we cannot resist.

But I hope that your Jinyun Immortal Sect will not treat our lives as unimportant as the Poyo Immortal Sect did.

If you want to understand the situation inside the Great Tomb Fortress, we can share everything we know with you.

It's just that we didn't go deep back then, and were trapped in a corner, so we don't know much.

After you get this information, please leave.

It is absolutely impossible for us to go to the Great Tomb Fortress with you now.

That place is like a nightmare to us, leaving behind memories of eternal suffering.

Neither Qingqian nor I want to set foot in the Great Tomb Fortress again!"

"Yuan Chu, don't be impatient.

We understand the feelings of you and Su Qingqian, and we know that the ten thousand years you were trapped in the Great Tomb Fortress must have been extremely painful.

Rest assured, we are not here to ask you to take us to the Great Tomb Fortress immediately.

We also admit that we have an obsession with the Great Tomb Fortress.

Which force in the world doesn't have an obsession with the Great Tomb Fortress?

Who wouldn't want to go in and find out what is going on, to uncover the secrets and truth of the Great Tomb Fortress?

However, we will not be rash.

With your current strength, even if you have been inside the Great Tomb Fortress before and came out alive, you will not be able to go deep if you enter the Great Tomb Fortress again, and it will not be of much use.

We do not intend to rush to explore the secrets and truth of the Great Tomb Fortress now.

We have waited for countless years, why would we compete for a little time at this time."

As Protector Zhou spoke here, he looked sharply at Jun Wuxie and Mo Qingli.

His gaze was no longer gentle, but became very sharp, Dao pattern symbols flickering in his pupils, staring at Jun Wuxie and Mo Qingli for a long time.

Afterwards, the Dao pattern symbols in his eyes disappeared, and his gaze and expression became as gentle as before.

"Not easy, although you are casual cultivators, your talents are not bad.

I just looked, you still have some talent.

If you come to our Jinyun Immortal Sect, with hard work in the future, it shouldn't be a problem to become disciples of the elite level.

However, given the rules of the sect, specially recruited disciples, if they are not amazingly talented, need to start as handyman disciples.

After cultivating for a period of time, as long as you think you are ready, have confidence, you can take the test for registered disciples at any time, and if you pass the test, you can be promoted to registered disciples.

The promotion from registered disciples to outer disciples is also the same.

In short, as long as you have the ability, have the strength, you can go for the test at any time, and be promoted to become disciples with more status in the sect.

Yuan Chu, Su Qingqian, are you willing?"

Jun Wuxie and Mo Qingli were silent upon hearing this.

They looked at each other, not responding for a moment.

"What's wrong with you two, our Jinyun Immortal Sect is not a small immortal sect, we will not sacrifice your lives to make you cannon fodder, you can rest assured about this.

You are casual cultivators, the path of cultivation for casual cultivators is so difficult, I think you deeply understand.

Now, such a huge opportunity is placed in front of you, what is there to hesitate about?"

"That's right, what are you still considering?

Although entering the sect for the first time is only as handyman disciples, you must know that even the handyman disciples of our sect, if they walk outside, people from other sects would not dare to touch a single hair on their heads!

Because behind the handyman disciples is our Jinyun Immortal Sect, the top-tier Daoist lineage of the Hunyuan Great World, which, for the countless forces in the world, is a behemoth they look up to and cannot reach, a transcendent existence."

"You become disciples of our Jinyun Immortal Sect, regardless of the level of disciples, first of all, you don't have to worry about safety.

In terms of resources, although the resource supply for handyman disciples is the worst among all disciples, it is better in that it is stable and sustainable, much better than you casual cultivators risking your lives to fight for that little bit of resources.

Your qualifications are not bad, you should choose an immortal sect to cultivate in.

When you come to our Jinyun Immortal Sect, as long as you work hard, you can still be promoted to the disciple identity level.

"If you want to obtain more resources, you can do sect missions, earn sect contributions, and go to the Resource Management Office in the Internal Affairs Hall to exchange for the resources you want.

Most importantly, if you want to have a stable cultivation environment in the future, becoming a disciple of our Jinyun Immortal Sect may be your only choice.

At least, we have no intention of exploiting you. We only hope that when you become stronger in the future, you can use your experience to appropriately repay the sect.

It's hard to guarantee that other immortal sects don't have other intentions.

News about you is now spreading like wildfire, and more and more forces will know about it.

This means that countless forces will be eyeing you.

If you don't come with us, you will inevitably fall into the hands of other forces.

At that time, who can say what the outcome will be?

Do you want to entrust your destiny to other uncertain factors?"

… …

Protector Zhou and the four deacons spoke one after another.

Throughout the whole process, Jun Wuxie's expression constantly changed.

Until they finished speaking, there was still a hint of struggle on his face. He looked at Mo Qingli, "Qingqian, what are your thoughts?"

Mo Qingli's clear and beautiful eyes met his. Her red lips parted slightly, and her cold and indifferent voice followed, "Everything is up to Brother Yuanchu. Qingqian will listen to you."

"Huff—"

Jun Wuxie let out a long breath and said, "As these immortals said, we seem to have no other choice now.

We have now become a sweet treat in the eyes of various forces, and also a guide for them to explore the Great Tomb Fortress.

Let's go to the Jinyun Immortal Sect.

I think these immortals are pretty good. We can try to trust them once."

"Okay."

Mo Qingli nodded and didn't say much. Her expression was still cold and indifferent, as if she had no desires or emotions.

Protector Zhou and the four deacons were surprised to see this.

Su Qingqian's temperament was too indifferent, giving people the feeling that she was born without the emotions that humans should have.

No one knows what she has experienced to make her like this.

However, her desireless and emotionless nature, although she seems cold to this Yuanchu, she is more obedient to his words and even entrusts her future destiny to him to decide.

"Yuanchu, are you and Su Qingqian dao companions?"

Protector Zhou was a little curious.

He always felt that these two young people were different from the rogue cultivators he had seen before.

He couldn't quite say what was different.

Apart from their talent being slightly higher than the rogue cultivators he had seen before, it seemed that only the experience in the Great Tomb Fortress was different.

However, being able to live for ten thousand years in the Great Tomb Fortress and walk out alive not only requires luck but also requires some means.

I wonder what mysterious methods Yuanchu and Su Qingqian have?

Perhaps we will know in the future.

As long as they become disciples of the Jinyun Immortal Sect, there will be opportunities and time to understand their secrets. There's no need to rush.

Besides, even if they are sect disciples, as a protector, it is not good to directly pry into their inner secrets.

"Immortal, you misunderstood. Qingqian and I are not dao companions.

Qingqian has a cold and desireless nature. She is only focused on the Dao and has no worldly intentions. She has no feelings of love between men and women, so how could she form a dao partnership with me?

We are just friends, good friends who have gone through thick and thin together.

After being trapped for ten thousand years, we have treated each other like family.

That's why she calls me brother."

"So that's how it is. Very good, very good."

Protector Zhou smiled and said, "If you were dao companions, I would feel a little regret.

Qingqian's nature has created an extremely rare Dao heart.

She can abandon all worldly distractions and focus on the Dao. Only in this way can she achieve greater accomplishments.

Her state of mind is naturally good for cultivation. Don't be stained by worldly intentions, lest the Dao heart be tarnished and ruin her future."

Mo Qingli didn't say anything when she heard this. Her expression was still as calm as an ancient well, indifferent to everything in the world.

However, she didn't agree in her heart, thinking, 'Protector Zhou, do you know more about how to cultivate than our Divine Monarch? Do you know what the correct path of cultivation is?'

"What the immortal said is true. Qingqian's nature is indeed beneficial to cultivation."

"Alright, don't call me immortal all the time.

Although you have not yet received the immortal energy baptism of our Jinyun Immortal Sect, nor have you obtained your identity tokens, and have not officially entered the sect,

But you are already considered disciples of our Jinyun Immortal Sect.

From now on, you can call me Protector Zhou.

These four are Deacon Xun, Deacon Zhuang, Deacon Han, and Deacon Li.

They are deacons of the Dao Learning Hall and are also responsible for explaining and teaching Dao learning to the sect's disciples.

Those who excel in their studies will have the opportunity to receive individual instruction and can choose a deacon as their teacher to begin their in-depth study of Dao learning.

Well, there are more than just these four deacons in the Dao Learning Hall. You can slowly learn about them when you get to the sect.

However, handyman disciples are not qualified for this. At least a registered disciple must have this qualification.

Handyman disciples only have one opportunity per month to listen to the explanation of Dao learning and cannot participate in the study assessment.

I hope to see you grow.

I don't know why, is it because you were trapped in the Great Tomb Fortress for ten thousand years and came out safely?

Perhaps it is, or perhaps it isn't.

I have a strange expectation for you.

Even I myself find it strange.

If it were in the past, I would not have any expectations for rogue cultivators."

Protector Zhou's words were very straightforward, expressing his expectations for Jun Wuxie and Mo Qingli.

The four deacons of the Dao Learning Hall were slightly surprised.

They didn't expect Protector Zhou to say this.

What does it mean for the protector to say these words in front of the four of them?

Is the protector reminding them to take more care of Yuanchu and Su Qingqian in the future?

"We will try our best, and try not to let the protector's expectations fall short."

Jun Wuxie had a good impression of these people.

Throughout the entire process, he carefully sensed their inner emotions.

One thing is certain, these words they said came completely from the heart and were not perfunctory or deceptive.

From this alone, it can be seen that the Jinyun Immortal Sect in Yuzhou is not bad.

Perhaps not everyone in the Jinyun Immortal Sect is like Protector Zhou and the others, but it shouldn't be too bad.

Such an immortal sect had a rather fierce conflict with the Nine Heavens Taiqing Sect back then.

The reasons for this are more complicated. It's hard to say who is right and who is wrong. They were all thinking about the interests of their respective sects.