’These are the introductory Visualization Maps the Ten Thousand Laws Sect uses to screen for promising Daoist Skill prospects. They only have ten Dao Seals. I, Lord Tao, brought them across the worlds, translated them, and sell each copy for thirty taels of Red Gold! Hahaha!’
’I’m making a killing! I’m making a killing!’
’If this keeps up, once I expand my business, take down those bald monks, scatter the Divine Beings, and open up branch temples in the State Mansions, it’ll all be just around the corner!’
’Who knows? Maybe the titles of True Master, True Monarch, or even True Venerable... aren’t entirely out of my reach?’
’As for this so-called "Leaking Technique"...’
’His Eminence, the True Venerable of Ten Thousand Laws, is so high and mighty, so busy with countless affairs. Why would he care about such trivialities? Plus, this disciple is devoted to the Dao. His Eminence probably won’t mind, right?’
’After all, even though Lord Tao has been raking in gold and silver, I didn’t forget to erect a statue in his honor.’
As this thought crossed his mind, the Flying Immortal Temple Master glanced at the statue of the Ten Thousand Laws Ancestor in the temple, as was his habit, and prepared to burn a stick of incense as a token gesture.
He would then go back to scheming about which of the Ten Thousand Laws Sect’s branch Dharma Gates he could peddle to keep the money rolling in.
He was in a different world, after all. Even if his sect was a renowned Daoist Sect in the Chixiao Heaven Universe, they couldn’t enforce their laws across dimensions. What was there to be afraid of?
But...
The Flying Immortal Temple Master had already fully mastered the Daoist Skill First Realm Recognition and Licensure and had refined his Six Roots into a Divine Soul.
So when he glanced over and saw that the statue of the True Venerable of Ten Thousand Laws—normally just an ordinary stone carving—now shimmered with a phantom image, its stone eyes seeming to hold a glimmer of consciousness...
...in broad daylight, he dropped to his knees with a THUD. He kowtowed, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
"True Venerable! This humble Daoist... everything I’ve done was out of necessity! It was all to spread the glory of our Ten Thousand Laws Sect to a new world! I had no choice!"
"Your Eminence, considering I’ve been paving the way in this foreign world for so many years... even if I have no merits, I’ve put in the hard work. Could you perhaps be lenient...?"
At that moment, the Flying Immortal Temple Master felt his world come crashing down.
He truly never expected this.
To think that the very first time in his life he witnessed the Ancestral Master as a Manifested Saint... it was to come across worlds to arrest him for leaking Secret Techniques!
The Flying Immortal Temple Master couldn’t imagine any other reason why such an exalted personage would cross worlds just to appear as a Manifested Saint.
In his panic, he completely forgot about the two new disciples standing behind him.
He was a blubbering mess, snot and tears streaming down his face. His already timid soul was so terrified that he was on the verge of confessing everything.
Qin Wanfa had expended a great deal of effort and used a Secret Technique just to barely establish a connection with the Great Xuan Territory. He had to borrow this statue in Jiangyin Prefecture, which shared the same origin, just to manage a minor manifestation. As his consciousness coalesced, he couldn’t help but frown.
"Hm?"
’A practitioner from a branch Side Sect, who has cultivated Daoist Skills and would be considered worthy of entering my lineage back in the Chixiao Heaven Universe... how can he have so little dignity?’
’Looking like that... can he truly serve as even a minor Guardian for my disciple?’
Qin Wanfa performed a quick divination, but after interfering in the Great Xuan Territory, he found the heavenly secrets were shrouded in Ignorance. He couldn’t calculate a single thing. He sighed, weary.
’So be it.’
’He looks unreliable... but I suppose he’s the only option.’
With that thought, his expression turned serious, and he issued a Decree:
"Junior, you have established a branch Separate Mansion for the Ten Thousand Laws Sect in the Great Xuan. Your achievements are magnificent, and this Venerable has taken notice. After due consideration, I have made an exception and will enter your name into the registers of our great sect."
"These various techniques... are hereby bestowed upon you. I expect you to redouble your efforts, never forget your original purpose, and continue to propagate the teachings of my lineage!"
"Furthermore."
"In the lands under the jurisdiction of this prefecture, a personal disciple of mine has come into the world. I have taught him across realms, and he is destined to be a future Sect Traveler. This is a matter of grave importance. You are to treat him with the respect due an ’Ancestral Master,’ personally welcome him into your fold, and perform the Guardian Dao for him..."
The ethereal voice faded as a resplendent golden decree shot into the space between the Flying Immortal Temple Master’s eyebrows and vanished.
The statue of the True Venerable of Ten Thousand Laws returned to its normal appearance.
The Flying Immortal Temple Master sensed the vast amount of new information that had flooded his mind...
He was completely bewildered.
’Huh?’
’Wait, True Venerable... I’ve been peddling our lineage’s Dharma Gates, raking in a massive fortune... granted, they’re only introductory, simple Secret Techniques, but don’t the rules of the Ten Thousand Laws Sect state that "those who privately teach our techniques shall be condemned to endless perdition"?’
’And you’re praising me, formally inducting me, and even bestowing True Techniques upon me...’
’And here I was, scared into this pathetic state just moments ago! What a waste of fear!’
He briefly recalled the Secret Techniques he had just been granted.
The Flying Immortal Temple Master muttered to himself, and then a flash of inspiration struck him. His eyes grew brighter and brighter.
’No, that’s not right.’
’His Eminence, the True Venerable, must have his reasons.’
’Could it be that His Eminence isn’t one to blindly follow convention? That he values flexibility over rigid dogma, and I, by sheer accident, happened to win his favor?’
’Yes, that must be it! His Eminence can perceive all things. Otherwise, why would he have any reason to reward me?’
’Truly worthy of being a True Venerable! Such foresight!’
’In that case...’
’Then, once I’ve thoroughly studied these Daoist Skill techniques, couldn’t I... "exchange knowledge" with those True Sects and Noble Families of the Human Immortal Martial Dao? I could build my own glorious, invincible True Master Great Dao!’
’I, Lord Tao... I’ve really hit the jackpot!’
’Rest assured, True Venerable! Your disciple is my ancestor! I’ll treat him with the utmost respect!’
’Ancestral Master Ji... Goodness me, that name alone sounds extraordinary. Could he have an Innate Dao Body, born to walk the Dao?’
"Quickly! Prepare my retinue!"
The Yellow Robe Daoist Master scrambled to his feet and bellowed.
This left the two new disciples beside him utterly bewildered. They couldn’t fathom why this great expert had suddenly lost all composure and prostrated himself before a stone statue.
But before they could even process what was happening...
...they saw several disciples from the Flying Immortal Temple rushing over in a flurry, carrying a magnificent palanquin. One of them even knelt to serve as a human stool for the Observatory Master to step on. Then, they all shouted in unison:
"The Flying Immortal Temple Master’s Magical Power is boundless!"
"Lift the palanquin!"
"Lord Tao, where are we headed?"
The Flying Immortal Temple Master put on a profound, mysterious expression.
"Thirteen Crossings! The Fishing Dock!"
"Lord Tao..."
"...is going to welcome our Ancestral Master to the mansion!"
Ancestral Master!
These words sent a shockwave through the crowd.
The surrounding students, scions of prominent families from Jiangyin Prefecture who had spent a fortune to study here, were utterly shocked.
Even as they prepared their flatteries, they couldn’t help but feel a shiver of awe.
This Lord Tao was already on par with a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster.
An ’Ancestral Master’ whom even he treated with such reverence...
Could this be a great master of the Outer Dao, someone on par with the masters of the Titled Martial Dao?!
Could this small Jiangyin Prefecture even handle such an august personage?
In an instant, many of them were already plotting how to sneak away and furtively pass the news back to their families and clans.
It was like a single stone cast into a calm lake, sending out a thousand ripples.
An Ancestral Master of the Outer Dao was coming to the Prefecture.
It had been years since something this momentous had occurred!
Even those great figures who could make all of Jiangyin Prefecture tremble with a single stomp of their foot...
...upon hearing this news...
...would have to tread very, very carefully!