The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

Xia Tianwu still had several pills to dispel demonic energy on him, which he stuffed into Hou Cang's mouth.

"Strange, Master just refined three batches of Purifying Essence Pills a few days ago, obtaining a total of thirty-six pills. Thirty of them were given to you, Uncle-Master, right? How come there is still so much demonic energy left?"

Hou Cang pursed his chapped lips. "I'm done."

Lin Du: She knew it.

Jiang Liang arrived a step too late, and seeing that everything seemed alright, he turned to leave with his hands behind his back.

Hou Cang regained some of his spiritual energy. "Junior brother, stay here. Let's go to the main hall."

Lin Du raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "Eldest Nephew, take Yan Qing back to rest. Fifth Senior Brother, let's go."

Xia Tianwu noticed the expressions on his master's and uncle's faces and instinctively avoided them, saying, "I'll go make some hangover soup."

Children don't yet know how to dispel the smell of alcohol, and unconsciously they will resist the entry of other people's spiritual energy into their bodies. This is a self-protection mechanism of cultivators, so she needs to get a hangover soup.

Hou Cang glanced at Lin Du and said, "What are you doing here? You're not even fully grown yet."

Lin Du, whose hair is almost as white as a Parisian painting: Who are you saying hasn't grown all their hair yet?

Jiang Liang spoke up, "Junior Sister had already taken care of many things before Senior Sister went into seclusion. If you're talking about matters concerning the Demon Realm, Junior Sister has some authority to speak on that."

Nowadays, Lin Du reads the daily official gazettes of the cultivation world, not to mention that he has almost finished reading all the books on the first floor of the library, making him even more suitable for discussing matters than Jiang Liang, who is focused on alchemy.

Lin Du comfortably led his fellow disciples back to the main hall, acting as the master of the house. He then expertly burned incense and brewed tea, waiting for Feng Yi to return.

I witnessed the entire process of Hou Cang: ...

"It seems I've been in seclusion for too long and didn't realize that the Supreme Sect is now run by my junior sister."

"Junior Sister is of the same generation as us, how come she can't take charge?" A clear male voice came from the entrance of the hall.

Lin Du glanced at it and saw that it was He Gui, who had been following behind them.

He Gui, who had been stationed at Jun Ding Prefecture for many years, sensed that his junior disciples had gotten drunk in Ding Jiu City. He watched them return to the sect and was just about to go back when he saw Hou Cang covered in blood and exuding demonic energy. He decided to go home and check on him.

"Since Fourth Senior Brother doesn't like being in charge, he naturally doesn't understand why anyone would like being in charge. I understand, I completely understand." Lin Du handed the last cup of tea to Sixth Senior Brother and Gui.

He Gui smiled and took it, then lowered his head to sniff it lightly. "The incense has overpowered the tea's aroma, what a pity."

"Oh, I'm just going to get rid of the smell of blood," Lin Du said matter-of-factly.

"That makes sense." He Gui agreed and clinked glasses with Lin Du.

Most of the disciples of the 99th generation looked down on the fourth brother. Firstly, the eldest sister could have broken through to the fifth level of the sect much earlier, but due to sect affairs, it had to be delayed again and again. As a result, the people below were also forced to share some of the affairs, and He Gui was the unlucky one.

Secondly, when Lin Tuan was the sect leader, Hou Cang was like a watchdog that only recognized one master, barking and biting at outsiders.

He Gui was an extremely amiable person, but he was also really annoyed by this senior brother.

But to say there's any real grudge is an understatement. Aside from disliking outsiders getting close to Lin Tuan and resorting to some harmless underhanded tactics, Hou Cang is, after all, a fellow disciple. They've fought side-by-side together in the outside world. Hou Cang is extremely reliable when it comes to serious matters, so a few sarcastic remarks are fine.

Their supreme sect leader advocates speaking out against grievances.

Looking at his junior sister, He Gui thought, "My little cotton-padded jacket is so much better. She's much more reliable than that vicious dog that destroys the house."

Lin Du leaned on the small table, propping her head up. Although the effects of the alcohol had worn off, she planned to take a nap today and was already feeling a bit sleepy. Her downcast eyes and unsmiling demeanor were quite deceptive, making people wonder if she was thinking about something important.

The moment Feng Yi arrived, instead of easing the tense atmosphere in the hall, it made things worse.

Hou Cang didn't want to delay too long and said directly, "I went to the Demon Realm to investigate on my master's orders. There are many new demons in the Ten Thousand Demon Cave, dozens of times more than two hundred years ago. I originally wanted to go in and temporarily seal the Origin Cave, but there were too many demons, at least tens of thousands. Although they are all low-level demons, they are still annoying. I used up a bottle of pills but still couldn't get close to the center, so I had to give up and come back."

"It seems that the decline of the Heavenly Dao's rules and the increase of demonic energy are a foregone conclusion," Feng Yi concluded, accepting the tea brewed by Lin Du.

Lin Du kept his eyes downcast, still looking listless.

"I fear that if this continues, a demonic tide will surely follow." He straightened his expression. "Senior Brother, did anyone else investigate your trip? For example... people from Fanqian City?"

"Those demons couldn't possibly be unaware of this," Hou Cang frowned slightly. "So many low-level demons were conceived and devoured each other. The demons from Fanqian City must have gone there to devour those low-level demons as well."

In the eyes of demons, there are no fellow demons, only food.

"This is not a good sign." He Gui also frowned. "The last minor demon tide was five or six thousand years ago."

Lin Du suddenly spoke up, "I'm afraid it's a great demonic tide."

He Gui and Feng Yi both looked at Lin Du. The child was lying listlessly on the table, the candlelight casting shadows in her eyes.

"In the ancient history of cultivation, there is a demonic tide every ten thousand years."

Lin Du lowered his eyes and spoke gently.

The existence of demons is like the opposite of spiritual cultivation. Now the cultivation world has been peaceful for too long, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and the cultivators are thriving. As spiritual power is absorbed and consumed, demonic energy will surely sense the reduction in suppression and naturally rise.

The arrival of the demonic tide caused spiritual cultivators to suffer great losses. As spiritual power returns to the world, it will surely suppress the demonic energy again and restore balance.

It's as if... Heaven selectively eliminates unnecessary waste.

"The incident five or six thousand years ago wasn't as serious as Senior Brother Hou Cang described in the book," Lin Du paused, raised his eyelids, and looked at him with clear eyes, without the slightest hint of youthful probing. "My master said that the way of Heaven is to take from those who have more and give to those who have less."

"My question is, why does everyone believe that the instability of the Heavenly Dao's rules is the cause of the leakage of demonic energy?"

"Instead of... because the power of the Heavenly Dao is unstable, fearing further weakening, the collapse or explosion of the world, and in order to protect itself, choosing to create a tide of demons by allowing the other to rise and fall?"

Everyone gasped as they looked at the junior sister with her distinct features under the bright lights.

What exactly did Junior Sister learn? She's practically the number one traitor of their Supreme Sect, no, their righteous path.

Feng Yi began to reflect on whether Feng Chao had taught this child to copy the Heart Sutra from a young age enough.

Several people stared at their junior sister. Sure enough, she still needed to be taught properly. The one who had taught her was Yan Ye... Yan Ye was also a traitor to the righteous path, running rampant and wanton. Feng Chao was in seclusion, and Cang Li was in seclusion.

Then they need to carefully consider the important task of teaching their junior sister.

The righteous path aligns with and comprehends the Way of Heaven. How did Lin Du, a righteous cultivator, come to have thoughts that criticize the Way of Heaven?

Hou Cang suddenly spoke up, "I think Junior Sister is right."

The people inside the room all looked at Hou Cang at the same time.

He bore countless wounds left by demons, and the dried, mottled bloodstains on his white robe did not diminish the ethereal beauty of this aloof and unattainable woman.

But at this moment, when he looked at his junior sister who was always competing with him for his master's attention, he actually had a relieved smile on his face that said, "Good brother, I have high hopes for you."

The fellow disciples all leaned back, forgetting about this traitor.

No, we can't let him corrupt our junior sister.

Hou Cang smiled slightly, "Master said that I should also teach my junior sister the art of exorcising demons properly. I originally thought that our paths were different, and I felt..."

"No!"

The three people inside spoke in unison, "No, you don't want to!"

"We can teach our junior sister," Feng Yi interrupted him decisively.

Lin Du: Hmm?

"Actually, I'd really like to learn from my senior..."

It would be best to find out what Hou Cang is thinking while you're at it; if you can't change his mind, just bury him.

In a physical sense.

"We cultivators should follow the will of Heaven, but we must also fight against it. I will inform the other sects to prepare their defenses." Feng Yi concluded the matter.

"Junior Sister." Feng Yi patted Lin Du's head, smiling kindly. "It's late, go to sleep."

I'll teach him properly tomorrow.

Hou Cang's brows twitched slightly as he watched Lin Du leave. "She's very smart."

Feng Yi shook his head. "It has to be used for the right things. I'm afraid that if she does this, it will hinder her from choosing the right path."

If one develops a resistance to the Heavenly Dao, it will be difficult to comprehend its rules and advance further.

Lin Du sighed as he left the palace, inexplicably feeling that he might face some terrible oppression the next day.

Or maybe I should just go into seclusion and hide for a while. I've been suppressing it for so long, it's time to advance to the late stage. I'll go back and consume the Snow Essence Pill.