Chapter 218: Master Wishes to Meet You

“Moyezi!”

Lu Yan’s brow furrowed instantly. He immediately recalled the invitation letter he had found on Xiao Shang—it had borne the very name: Taiyi Sect Moyezi.

This man had released his oppressive aura without restraint while Lu Yan was cultivating, completely disregarding the possibility of him suffering backlash or Qi deviation. Then he immediately lashed out with accusations. It was clear—he came with hostile intent.

Faced with such a person, Lu Yan saw no reason to be polite. He stood up calmly and replied coldly:

“I am Lu Yan. But for a Golden Core cultivator to carelessly accuse someone of fraud before verifying the facts—wouldn’t that be unworthy of your status?”

Moyezi hadn’t expected Lu Yan to retort so bluntly. He laughed angrily.

“You’re parading around Qingwu Sect under a purchased identity from our Taiyi Sect and now you dare speak so insolently? Didn’t Chu Zhuoqun teach you the meaning of respect between senior and junior?”

As he spoke, Moyezi stepped forward again, his pressure intensifying.

Ordinary early Foundation Establishment cultivators had only just stabilized their Dao Foundation and soul. To resist a Golden Core’s pressure could easily shake their foundation and cause spiritual damage.

But Lu Yan had slain more Golden Core cultivators than he could count. This mere pressure felt no different from a breeze to him.

Facing Moyezi’s gaze, Lu Yan responded with equal sharpness:

“Respect between senior and junior? You rudely interrupted my cultivation with Golden Core pressure, then branded me a traitor without question.

“You trust the words of outsiders while abusing your own sect’s disciples. Is that what you call a worthy elder?

“To rush about condemning your own for the sake of a Qingwu Sect elder—if someone didn’t know any better, they might think you were Qingwu Sect’s loyal dog.”

Moyezi’s expression darkened immediately.

Before this, his anger had been mostly posturing—an attempt to frame Lu Yan. But now, Lu Yan’s words had pierced directly into his heart, exposing the truth behind his motives, igniting his genuine fury.

On paper, the Taiyi Sect surpassed Qingwu Sect. But that was just theory.

The Taiyi Sect had numerous branches scattered across the cultivation world. Many had no contact with each other.

This Mangshan branch was situated in the Southern Wasteland, but its actual strength was mediocre at best.

Its highest cultivators were only two peak Nascent Soul Dao Lords and a few others at the early stage. The branch’s originator—a Soul Transformation cultivator—hadn’t been seen in a thousand years and was rumored to have perished.

Though the Taiyi Sect’s name still carried weight, and even the overlords of the South like Qingwu Sect had to show some deference, in the end, the Mangshan branch was weak in practice.

Moyezi’s friendship with Elder Xiao of Qingwu Sect likely stemmed from a desire to curry favor. In the Southern Wasteland and Southlands, Qingwu Sect’s dominance brought far more practical benefit than the empty prestige of the Taiyi Sect’s branch.

Though Moyezi had buried these thoughts in his heart, Lu Yan’s words had stripped them bare.

“You insolent wretch!”

His bellow rang out like thunder as he released the full might of a Golden Core cultivator. His divine soul and magic surged forth like a storm cloud bearing down on Lu Yan.

For the first time, Lu Yan felt some pressure. He activated his techniques, channeling the glow of Merit within to counter the assault. His gaze calmly studied Moyezi.

“Judging by the pressure, he must’ve only formed his Core within the last three years. His foundation is still unstable.

“That robe is mostly for show—if it comes to a fight, I can strike first. With the Four Symbols Gate and Golden Merit Fire, I could seriously wound him before he uses any real divine ability or artifact… no need to invoke the Human Emperor Banner.”

His right hand quietly formed a seal, ready to strike at any moment.

Under Lu Yan’s gaze, Moyezi finally moved.

As a Golden Core cultivator, he had his pride. Facing a mere early Foundation Establishment disciple, the disparity should have made victory effortless.

He didn’t use a spell or artifact—he simply extended two fingers in a sword gesture, pointing at Lu Yan.

In an instant, a chorus of sword cries rang in Lu Yan’s ears, seemingly trying to tear apart his spirit.

But Lu Yan’s Divine Soul was on par with Golden Core cultivators. The sword cries vanished instantly, like pebbles into the ocean, leaving behind only a condensed sword mark in the air.

This single strike, though lacking divine ability or artifact support, was still a true Golden Core attack—enough to kill even late Foundation Establishment cultivators.

But Lu Yan raised his hand, and a sharp force—capable of cutting anything—condensed at his palm as he met the sword mark head-on.

It was a trace of Earth Fiend Sword Dao Divine Ability, derived from Ji Xingyao’s breakthrough into the Golden Core realm through a Sword Dao Foundation.

Lu Yan had aided Ji Xingyao’s ascension with his Heavenly Merit and captured a fragment of the divine insight. Now, using it here was perfectly fitting.

To Moyezi’s shock, Lu Yan’s pale fingers exuded sword light and seized the sword mark directly.

With a snap of his fingers, the Earth Fiend Sword Dao obliterated the sword mark entirely.

But that was only the beginning. In the next breath, Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire surged in unison.

Lu Yan’s Man-Snatches-Heaven talent erupted with full force, and a gate—the Four Symbols Gate—descended from the void.

This technique, modeled after the Mysterious Female Gate, was nearly a divine ability itself. It crushed the sword mark in an instant and carried its momentum straight toward Moyezi.

“You bastard!”

Moyezi, who had meant to end Lu Yan with a casual gesture, was now truly furious. A sense of threat emanated from the gate.

His aura exploded. Having seen Lu Yan’s anti-sword technique, Moyezi instinctively abandoned his sword-based skills and began channeling Golden Core spells instead.

Flames erupted in the sky. The ground beneath Moyezi scorched into char, and a blazing dragon roared out from the fire, lunging at Lu Yan.

But the next second, the dragon shattered—the Four Symbols Gate descended, scattering the fire and suppressing all elements.

Even a Golden Core’s technique was no exception.

Only now did Moyezi truly feel fear. His internal flying sword and divine spells surged to respond, but it was too late.

The Four Symbols Gate crushed down upon him. His fancy robes—mostly ornamental—tore apart, and the elemental force devoured the entire reception hall.

Amid the violent explosion, Lu Yan shot from the blast as a streak of light, calmly hovering above the smoldering ruins.

Such a commotion naturally alerted the entire Mangshan Branch.

Within moments, over thirty Golden Core cultivators appeared across the skies.

Three powerful Nascent Soul divine senses swept over the area, instantly grasping the full picture.

“Someone tell me what just happened.”

A stern-faced Golden Core cultivator demanded.

The Qi Refining disciples guarding the hall were completely stunned. One of them hurriedly reported the entire sequence of events.

He did not hide a thing. When he finished, every face turned strange.

Even the first stern Golden Core looked stiff.

“You’re telling me an early Foundation Establishment cultivator defeated Moyezi head-on, without ambush?”

“Do you take me for a three-year-old? That’s the most ridiculous lie I’ve heard!”

The poor Qi Refining disciple looked ready to cry.

“Immortal He, I swear it’s all true—every word!”

Before Immortal He could press further, another Golden Core raised a hand to stop him.

“Interrogating a junior like this is improper. Moyezi isn’t dead—let’s just ask him directly.”

With a wave of his sleeve, the dust and flames dispersed. The Golden Core elder reached into the rubble and dragged out a charred and battered Moyezi.

At the last moment, Moyezi had activated his life-preserving divine ability, shielding himself.

Normally, the Four Symbols Gate wouldn’t have broken through that shield—but the gate had collapsed upon impact, exploding with the force of primal chaos and shattering Moyezi’s defenses.

That was why he had ended up in such a sorry state.

Badly injured, Moyezi had planned to lie in wait and strike Lu Yan with a flying sword once his guard was down.

But Lu Yan had already evacuated the blast zone and left Moyezi alone—under the watchful eyes of all the Taiyi Sect elders.

“Moyezi, you’re saying this Foundation cultivator did that to you?”

Moyezi’s face turned red and pale.

“I was careless… didn’t use any spells or artifacts…”

It was basically an admission.

As for the excuse of being careless? None of the Golden Core elders cared.

In a cultivator’s world, life and death battles left no room for carelessness. There was only winning and losing.

Having confirmed the truth, one of the elders turned to Lu Yan.

“You’re one of ours, yet I’ve never seen you before?”

Lu Yan cupped his hands.

“I am Lu Yan. I was personally brought into the sect by Daoist Master Chu Zhuoqun.”

That name instantly caused a stir among the Golden Core elders.

In recent years, the Mangshan Branch had overspent due to major dragon vein adjustments. With few spirit mines or resources, their budget was stretched thin.

At that time, Chu Zhuoqun, a newly advanced Golden Core cultivator, claimed he could solve the financial crisis—and was granted considerable authority.

Most elders thought he’d lead the sect to new resource-rich territories or secret realms.

Instead, he pulled out the sect’s roster and began selling disciple slots, which were eagerly bought up by countless aristocratic clans.

Especially those with aging clan patriarchs who needed a powerful sect’s protection—the Taiyi Sect’s outer sect spots were their salvation.

Though only outer sect disciples, it was still one of the Ten Great Sects. If they could rise to inner sect and find a strong master, their clans would be safe for generations.

Some buyers paid not in spirit stones, but with entire mines or spiritual lands.

At first, the practice was tolerable. But as more low-quality disciples joined, dissatisfaction grew.

Now, just as the elders had begun debating canceling the practice…

…Lu Yan appeared. A prodigy who defeated a Golden Core as a mere Foundation cultivator.

This kind of genius wouldn’t even need to buy his way in—any sect would fight to take him under their wing.

To cast him out now would be laughable.

Immediately, a Golden Core elder spoke up:

“If Daoist Chu left your name on the sect registry, then you are a disciple of Taiyi Sect.”

“Lu Yan, was it? I’ll make arrangements to have you join my lineage as a personal disciple.”

“My master, Wu Zhenjun, is a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert. Would you consider joining him as my junior brother?”

In an instant, the crowd broke into chaos, all fighting to recruit Lu Yan.

As for the defeated Moyezi—no one even glanced at him.

Moyezi panicked. If Lu Yan established himself here, he’d far surpass Moyezi in both prestige and strength.

They were now mortal enemies—Moyezi couldn’t allow that.

“He used our sect’s name to act arrogantly in Qingwu Sect, even provoked Elder Xiao Han into personally intervening!”

“Qingwu Sect?”

The once-enthusiastic crowd instantly fell silent.

While they were part of Taiyi Sect, they were still only a minor branch. In theory, they were equals with Qingwu Sect—but in practice, everyone feared the overlord of the Southern Frontier.

Lu Yan offending a Qingwu elder under Taiyi Sect’s name made several elders frown.

Seeing this, Moyezi beamed and shouted again:

“Someone this powerful entering our sect through a bought slot must have an ulterior motive!”

Several elders now looked at Lu Yan with suspicion.

Finally, Lu Yan—who had remained silent—spoke.

He looked straight at Moyezi and smiled.

“Daoist Moyezi, when Elder Xiao Han visited you, did he mention he had already been stripped of his title by Qingwu Sect’s Nascent Soul elders and was being sent to guard the South Sea Eye for three hundred years?”

“The Qingwu Sect’s Nascent Soul elders didn’t object—yet you bring it up here in Taiyi Sect? What are you really trying to do?”

Moyezi’s face turned ashen.

Elder Xiao had only come to ask about Lu Yan. He never said he’d been demoted.

Clearly, trying to curry favor with Elder Xiao had been a mistake from the start.

But it was too late to admit defeat. Moyezi gritted his teeth and continued:

“Then why would someone of your talent join the sect through such a disgraceful method?”

Lu Yan ignored the petty man and instead turned his gaze toward the sky—where a familiar figure had silently arrived.

“Brother He, long time no see.”

Everyone followed his gaze—and then froze in shock.

A young man in azure-blue robes stood holding a compass.

“Greetings, Grandmaster He!”

“Greetings, Elder He!”

All the Golden Core elders bowed toward the young man.

Only Lu Yan remained calm, meeting his gaze.

The young man—He Dongsheng—smiled.

“Brother Lu, my master wishes to meet you.”

(End of Chapter)