Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 292 Human-Demon Warfare, Old Friends Reunited (4000)

Zhang Yuanzhu rested his arm on the hilt of his sword, lost in thought.

Just hearing the name of the Azure Thunder lineage, one knows that this lineage must be proficient in thunder magic.

And Master Huo's explanation continues:
“In the past, that lineage suffered a great calamity and was almost wiped out. It was our ancestors who extended a helping hand and allowed it to continue.”

The young man nodded. Such kindness deserved to be allowed to choose a foundation-building method; it was indeed only right.

Then, he began to inquire about the details of the Azure Thunder Dharma Lineage, which the old man explained one by one.

Gradually, the conversation between the two shifted from lineage to spiritual practice.

Elder Huo answered all of Zhang Yuanzhu's questions since he entered the Foundation Establishment stage with great seriousness.

However, Elder Huo was only at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment and was not clear about some issues.

It was less of an answer and more of a discussion.

Time flies, and three days have passed in the blink of an eye.

A majestic mountain appeared in the field of vision of Zhang Yuanzhu and Huo Lao.

Only then did the two stop their discussion.

The warships flew across the sky, and the main formation opened up, revealing a passable path.

Throughout the mountains, cultivators raised their heads, gazing at the thousand-foot-tall warship with puzzled expressions.

"Is this a sect coming here to recruit cultivators?"

"No, the insignia on the warship should indicate that it belongs to the Dharma lineage. Such a scale means that the Mountain Lord has returned."

"How long has the mountain lord been gone? How could he return so quickly?"

A cacophony of noise rose up, and various clamors filled the air.

They were unaware of Zhang Yuanzhu's return, or rather, given their limited information channels, most of them were even unaware that their own prodigy had left the sect.

Huo Lao stood at the bow of the ship and spoke in a loud voice:
"The young master of the Dharma lineage has finished his seclusion and returned to the main lineage. All disciples should be respectful and refrain from offending him."

In an instant, the noise fell silent.

All the cultivators turned their gazes toward the bow of the ship, their expressions varied; they hadn't seen their prodigy for several years.

I wonder how well the retreat went?

boom!
My vision blurred as I was engulfed by a crimson-gold radiance.

They saw a great sun, standing horizontally at the bow of the ship, illuminating the vast wilderness.

Sacred and majestic.

Whether it was a fleeting moment or an eternity, the sun had just disappeared, leaving only a tall, slender figure standing on the deck, looking down.

Without making any move, it seemed to be the center of heaven and earth, the only one in the world, making all cultivators unable to look away.

After an unknown amount of time, a hoarse voice echoed through the mountains.

"Foundation building!"

Like a thunderclap, it shattered the silence in the air.

Many disciples opened their mouths, but didn't know where to begin. A Foundation Establishment cultivator in his twenties had already surpassed the limits of their understanding.

Some cultivators, recalling the recent rumors, were even more horrified and agitated.

At the summit of Mount Tai, a woman clad in a grey robe with eyes like stars smiled genuinely the moment she saw the young man.

My senior brother was right; he crossed the Demon Realm and returned.

At this moment, no matter what the disciples were thinking, not one of them felt jealous.

After all, the gap between such outstanding individuals as this young man and others is so vast that it inspires despair, making it impossible to feel jealous.

Zhang Yuanzhu, with his gentle, double pupils, stepped down the warship as if climbing stairs.

Tower~
With my feet firmly planted on the ground, I scanned the surroundings and sensed the familiar environment.

"Elder Huo, I'm leaving now. Remember to let me know when you head to the Azure Thunder Dharma Vein."

The young man transmitted his voice.

Huo Lao nodded, then transmitted his voice:

"We can be fully prepared in three days at most, and then we can leave together."

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded slightly, his steps unchanged, and walked through the sparse crowd to a woman in a gray robe.

With a gentle expression, he spoke softly:
"Junior Sister Qin, I'm back!"

The woman's red lips were slightly pursed, her arms hung naturally at her sides, and her beautiful eyes were gentle.

"Senior brother is the most outstanding genius in the history of the sect, so naturally he would not break his word."

Zhang Yuanzhu smiled and continued walking forward.

"I'm leaving now. I have many questions I want to ask my junior sister."

"I'd also like to know about your experiences, senior."

As they walked side by side, exchanging words, they made their way towards the cave dwelling under the watchful eyes of the assembled cultivators.

After a stick of incense has burned, in front of the crimson bamboo grove, a gentle breeze blows, and the bamboo leaves rustle.

Zhang Yuanzhu and Qin Yuyao stood side by side.

The young man reached out and stroked a bamboo leaf, feeling the delicate veins on it.

"Three years have passed, and this bamboo forest is even more lush."

Turning around, gazing at the woman's beautiful face, he whispered:
"Junior Sister has already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, and she will definitely break through to the Foundation Establishment stage within ten years."

Qin Yuyao is exceptionally talented; among the disciples who entered the sect at the same time as him, her talent is enough to rank among the top three.

"Senior brother, you flatter me. Each of the twelve levels of Qi Refining is a level higher than the last, not to mention the Foundation Establishment realm. Apart from you, no one else has absolute confidence."

Zhang Yuanzhu shook his head; the woman was being modest.

Her magic power was pure and she had even condensed several magical runes. The Foundation Establishment barrier couldn't hold her back; it was simply a matter of condensing the quality of her spiritual platform.

He used his palm to pluck the bamboo leaf and examined it carefully.

"Junior sister, when I returned, the disciples mentioned the levy and the departure of the mountain lord. What happened to the lineage?"

"Elder Huo, I did not tell you."

A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Yuyao's eyes, which she quickly concealed, and she began to recount what had happened after the young man left:

"A year after my senior brother left, the Western demon race launched another invasion, attacking the border."

"Wuliang Palace has gathered many forces from Guyashan to jointly attack the demon race, and Immortal Soldier Valley is among them."

"Monster clan?"

Zhang Yuanzhu frowned slightly.

If he remembered correctly, the two tribes had been at peace for hundreds of years, so why should they start fighting again now?

"Therefore, the Zhuoyang lineage was sent to the battlefield."

The young man had deep, double pupils, and spoke softly, carrying an inexplicable emotion.

Qin Yuyao's robes fluttered, her jet-black hair danced in the air, and a faint fragrance wafted through the air.

She raised her delicate hand and plucked a bamboo leaf.

"The Paper Doll Dao Lineage, the Netherworld Dharma Lineage, and the Cangwu Dharma Lineage are support lineages arranged by the sect. I, Zhuoyang, am not among those recruited."

In an instant, Zhang Yuanzhu narrowed his double pupils, waiting for the woman to say something next.

"Just half a year ago, the True Man of the Tai Ri Dao lineage personally visited the lineage and allowed the mountain lord to fulfill the Dao oath he had made back then."

Qin Yuyao raised her palm, bamboo leaves fell, and she spoke each word carefully:
“The True Man of the Tai Ri Dao Clan stood before the main lineage and shouted, ‘The Mountain Lord broke through the Qi Condensation Realm and once borrowed the Qi of the Dao Clan. Now, please repay the favor and help the sect resist the demon race.’”

"Seven days after the departure of the Tai Ri Dao lineage, the mountain lord has volunteered to go and resist the demon race."

Zhang Yuanzhu remained silent.

The Tai Ri Dao lineage and the Zhuo Yang Fa lineage have a very good relationship in the past, and have often helped each other.

Unfortunately, with the so-called grand plan, the Zhuoyang lineage was completely abandoned, and now it is being bound by so-called Dao oaths.

Various thoughts arose in the young man's mind, but in the end, they were all cut off one by one.

The mountain lord should be safe for now, otherwise the lineage would not be in this state.

However, for specific details, you should consult Master Huo.

Lost in thought, Zhang Yuanzhu stepped into the bamboo forest, walking forward on fallen leaves.

Qin Yuyao followed beside her.

"Junior sister, have you ever heard of Su Meng?" Zhang Yuanzhu suddenly asked.

The prodigy he met in the starry sea left a deep impression on him.

"Qingyangzhai, Xuanyang Daoyuan Su Meng".

Qin Yuyao gasped and abruptly stopped, seemingly very familiar with the name.

"Senior brother, you've met this senior sister."

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded and recounted their encounter in the sea of ​​stars.

At this moment, Qin Yuyao's face was bitter, and her eyes were filled with reminiscence:

"Qin Li and I both come from the Xuan Yang Academy, one of the four major academies of Qingyang Zhai." "However, compared to Qin Li and my mediocrity, Senior Sister Su Meng is not only older than us, but also a prodigy of the academy, a pillar of its future."

The young man listened to the woman's whispers, his expression remaining largely unchanged.

When Su Meng was at the same Qi Refining stage as him, he wasn't confident he could kill her with a single strike, but now...
If the two were both at the Foundation Establishment stage, he could kill the other with a single palm strike.

The increase in the number of items he controls and the condensation of a top-grade spiritual platform have widened the gap between him and other outstanding figures of his generation.

The two stood in the bamboo forest and talked.

As the sun sets and the moon rises, evening arrives.

Qin Yuyao stretched out her delicate hand, and a bronze soul lamp appeared in her palm.

"The Soul Lamp, it's time to return it to its rightful owner."

Zhang Yuanzhu lowered his gaze, looking at the bronze soul lamp with a look of reminiscence in his eyes.

Three years ago, she stepped into the Demon Land. The road ahead was long and uncertain, and she didn't know what the outcome would be. This Soul Lamp was her protection.

If the soul lamp goes out, it means he has perished, and the lineage will no longer trust his junior sister who was once an undercover agent.

My junior sister needs to leave early.

The young man reached out and grasped the lamp.

"Please, junior sister, keep this safe for me."

"Senior brother, I hope that for the rest of my life, I will never have such a moment again."

She possessed the Soul Lamp and had seen its bright flame grow weak and about to go out on countless days and nights.

She knew that her senior brother's journey had not been as carefree as it seemed on the surface; he must have experienced many life-or-death crises and struggled to survive amidst the encirclement and attack of various enemies.

Zhang Yuanzhu chuckled, put away the soul lamp, and flicked it with his fingertip.

A storage bag flew out of her bosom and hovered in front of the woman.

"Some unique spiritual items from Fallen Demon Mountain, as well as my insights into formations over the past few years, are all in the storage bag. You can take a look."

"it is good."

Qin Yuyao accepted the storage bag without ceremony and put it into her bosom.

The two took a step forward and finally stopped in front of the stone gate. Zhang Yuanzhu looked at his cave dwelling and revealed a slight smile.

At this moment, he was truly home.

The woman seemed to sense the young man's thoughts, her red lips slightly parted:
"I'll take my leave now, senior brother. I won't bother you any longer."

The young man nodded, extending his hand to stroke the stone gate.

"I will be in the cave for the next three days. If you have any problems, you can come here to find me."

"I see."

As her words faded, Qin Yuyao turned and stepped into the bamboo forest.

The woman's gray robe fluttered, her hair danced in the wind, the bamboo forest swayed, and the moonlight shimmered on her silhouette.

Like a moonlit fairy, serene and tranquil.

Zhang Yuanzhu looked back at the woman's receding figure and exerted force with his palm.

Crunch!

The stone door opened, revealing a simple room covered in dust.

With a casual wave of his hand, the dust on the floor dispersed, and the room became tidy in an instant.

The young man nodded in satisfaction.

He took out a futon, sat cross-legged, and looked inward at his body. Most of the marrow in his bones was stained with a light purple layer.

Ninety percent of the azure lightning seed in the heart has disappeared.

"The first lightning seed body tempering is almost finished."

Zhang Yuanzhu muttered to himself, "It seems I need to prepare a few corpses of Foundation Establishment Thunder Beasts in advance."

After scanning his body with his spiritual sense and confirming that there were no problems with his cultivation, he took out the Body Refining Manual from his pocket and began to read it.

The next day, early morning.

Qin Yuyao arrived at the cave dwelling carrying a pot of spiritual tea.

Zhang Yuanzhu also awoke from his cultivation, stood up, and strode toward the stone gate.

Crunch!

The stone door opened, revealing a beautiful figure.

"I have planted some spiritual tea in the flower garden, and I have come here specifically to invite my senior brother to taste it."

"Junior sister, there's no need for such formalities between us."

Zhang Yuanzhu stepped out of the cave and waved his hand.

Two prayer cushions appeared, and the young man sat down first, pointing to the spot in front of him.

Qin Yuyao smiled, sat down cross-legged, took out a teacup, and poured two cups of spiritual tea.

"Brother, please!"

Zhang Yuanzhu stretched out his hand, picked up the teacup, and took a sip.

Gently tap your forehead.

"The tea is fragrant and slightly bitter, but it has a unique flavor."

"The spiritual tea is quite good!"

The woman's eyes softened as she put down the teapot, picked up the teacup in front of her, and took small sips.

"As long as it suits your taste, that's fine. I have some questions during my cultivation and would like to ask you for clarification."

"Can!"

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded.

Then, the woman began to ask about the various problems she had encountered since she began her cultivation.

The young man answered all questions without hesitation.

As the two exchanged questions and answers, it was already noon.

Qin Yuyao had just finished asking the question.

Rise, cup your hands, and bow!

"Thank you for your help, senior brother. All my doubts have been resolved."

"It was just a casual thing."

Zhang Yuanzhu chuckled and finished the tea in his cup.

He slowly stood up, his double pupils staring directly at the woman:
"However, Junior Sister, there must be other matters on your mind this time. Please speak frankly."

"As expected, you can't hide it from your senior brother."

Qin Yuyao looked helpless, turned her body slightly, and looked outside the Great Mountain.

It's unclear how much time has passed; her head droops, her red lips slightly parted.
"Senior brother, I want to leave the Scorching Sun Dharma Lineage and go out to gain some experience."

The woman knew that such a request was very presumptuous, but after more than ten years of staying within the Dharma lineage, she wanted to go out and travel, to see different scenery.

However, her identity was too sensitive; she was an undercover agent from Qingyangzhai, and the entire sect knew this.

Back then, if it weren't for Zhang Yuanzhu's protection, he would have died and perished long ago before the Beast Taming Dao lineage.

"I am willing to swear an oath to allow the sect to place a restriction within my body."

"Junior sister looks down on me!"

The young man chuckled.

"You are a disciple of my Zhuoyang lineage, so you will naturally receive the same treatment. You may leave whenever you wish."

“How could I look down on my senior brother? But he needs to give the lineage an explanation.”

Qin Yuyao spoke, her eyes serious.

Zhang Yuanzhu shook his head, resting one hand on the hilt of his sword, his expression calm.

“I will take full responsibility for everything.”

"However, if you are not in a hurry, could you wait two more days before leaving?"

"Senior brother, is it necessary to inform the elders and discuss this?"

Zhang Yuanzhu smiled but did not respond.

Afterwards, the two talked for a while longer before Qin Yuyao slowly left.

Zhang Yuanzhu watched the other person's departing figure.

He turned and walked towards the Daoist Treasury.

The journey was smooth and unimpeded, and we soon entered an attic.

Magical implements, elixirs, secret treasures—all sorts of spiritual objects are available, representing the essence of the Taoist tradition.

Zhang Yuanzhu strode forward, walking through the area where the remains of the demon beasts were placed.

(End of this chapter)