After hearing Lü Yang’s voice, Progenitor Tingyou was plunged into deep self-doubt. ’The 367th-generation disciple of the Wu Ghost Sect?’
"Bullshit!"
The next mont, Progenitor Tingyou flew into a rage. "The Wu Ghost Sect’s legacy isn’t that profound! I was only the sixth Sect Leader. From where did this 367th-generation disciple appear?"
Faced with Progenitor Tingyou’s interrogation, Lü Yang remained completely unflustered. Instead, his eyes reddened as two streams of hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He choked out, "Progenitor, you don’t understand. For the past thousand years, the Celestial Sword Pavilion has never relented, hunting us down relentlessly. To this day, I am the last of my line..."
The lineages of Major Sects and Rogue Cultivators are different.
Any Major Sects has, at a minimum, a Foundation-Stage Cultivator. Their line of succession is stable and orderly, occurring only once every hundred years.
Rogue Cultivators, however, were different.
After all, most Rogue Cultivators wandered about, living from one day to the next. If they made a few enemies, the turnover between successors could be incredibly fast. It was entirely normal for dozens to rise and fall within a short span of ti.
Progenitor Tingyou quickly put the pieces together.
If the Sect truly had a branch lineage scattered in the outside world, with no Perfected Person to watch over it, and it was being hunted by the Celestial Sword Pavilion... Under such conditions, a thousand years could easily encompass several hundred generations.
’....Wait, that’s not right!’
Soon, another doubt surfaced in Progenitor Tingyou’s mind. He was the last Sect Leader of the Wu Ghost Sect. If the sect had a branch in the outside world, how could he possibly not know about it?
At this thought, Progenitor Tingyou suddenly asked, "Which branch are you from?"
Progenitor Tingyou was rely bluffing, trying to catch Lü Yang in a lie. It was clear he still didn’t trust him.
However, Lü Yang’s response was as smooth as flowing water. "Progenitor, the Sect has no official branches. Our line began after you achieved Foundation Establishnt Perfection. When your attempt to attain a Fruit conflicted with that of the master from the Sword Pavilion, the Great Elder secretly sent our ancestors out of the sect. He devised a way to sever our karmic links off from the sect, and that is how our line has survived..."
After all, he possessed the complete legacy of the Wu Ghost Sect.
The remnant of Divine Sense that Progenitor Tingyou had left behind was filled with deep nostalgia for the Wu Ghost Sect. As a result, Lü Yang’s knowledge of the sect was no less than the Progenitor’s own.
Take, for instance, the Wu Ghost Sect’s Great Elder he had just ntioned.
That Great Elder had once vied with Progenitor Tingyou for the position of Sect Leader. Their relationship was one of both friend and foe, and the Great Elder had constantly opposed Progenitor Tingyou’s decisions.
This included the idea of establishing the Yama Hall.
Thus, Lü Yang used the Great Elder as the basis for his cover story. It was a flawless fabrication. No matter what Progenitor Tingyou asked, Lü Yang could answer with ease.
"So it was him..."
After hearing Lü Yang’s explanation, Progenitor Tingyou froze. Long-buried mories instantly flooded his mind, and for a mont, he was lost in recollection.
When he snapped out of it, his tone had softened considerably. "So that’s how it was. I always thought that old codger was only opposing out of spite because he lost the seat of Sect Leader to . It seems now he was actually far more perceptive than I was..."
’No, he really was just opposing you for the sake of it.’
While grumbling to himself, Lü Yang quickly changed the subject. "We mustn’t delay. Progenitor, just wait a mont. I’ll figure out a way to get you out of here right now!"
"No, wait."
Hearing this, Progenitor Tingyou quickly waved his hand dismissively. "You don’t need to worry about ; I have my own way of getting out. In fact, you should leave at once! Don’t get entangled with !"
Progenitor Tingyou was now eighty percent convinced by Lü Yang’s story.
This wasn’t because of Lü Yang’s rhetorical skills, of course. Rather, through indirect probing, he had confird that Lü Yang genuinely possessed the legacy of the Wu Ghost Sect.
If Lü Yang were an imposter, where could he have obtained these teachings?
’It’s not as if I could have given them to him myself.’
Therefore, even though Progenitor Tingyou felt Lü Yang’s identity was utterly fantastical, he chose to believe him and treat him as a disciple of the Wu Ghost Sect.
"In any case, the fact that the lineage has survived is what matters most..."
At this, Progenitor Tingyou’s tone grew urgent. "That Golden Core Sword Qi is still here. You must leave quickly, or you might be targeted by it..."
"You don’t need to worry about that, Progenitor."
Lü Yang shook his head, a bitter expression on his face. "Actually, there is one thing I have kept from you, Progenitor. I’m afraid I have disappointed you."
"Hunted by the Celestial Sword Pavilion for a thousand years, our branch was whittled down until I was the sole heir. To protect myself, I no longer dared to call myself a disciple of the Wu Ghost Sect. I had to conceal my identity and join the Stain Sect, borrowing its karmic links to shield myself. Only by doing so was I able to grow and achieve my current level of cultivation."
After speaking, Lü Yang lowered his head.
He looked just like a child who had done sothing wrong and was afraid of being punished by an elder.
"So that’s how it is..."
Progenitor Tingyou, however, showed no surprise. Instead, an expression of sudden understanding dawned on his face, resolving one of his lingering doubts about Lü Yang.
After all, Lü Yang’s cultivation was a little too high.
With Progenitor Tingyou’s discerning eye, he could naturally tell that Lü Yang was just one step away from Foundation Establishnt. He had even re-ford the Yama Hall. He was unbelievably strong.
But if the branch had suffered so much, how had Lü Yang reached this level?
’So it was because he joined the Stain Sect.’
’That explained it.’
"Actually, this is for the best." Seeing Lü Yang’s guilt-ridden expression, Progenitor Tingyou offered words of comfort. "To preserve the sect, swallowing one’s pride is a common necessity."
"Besides, the Stain Sect isn’t likely to care."
"In fact, I’d say you made the right move. I never expected that after the Wu Ghost Sect clung to life for a thousand years, it would still gain a disciple as outstanding as you..."
At this thought, Progenitor Tingyou even gave Lü Yang a wistful look.
’This child hasn’t had it easy!’
Progenitor Tingyou sighed. "It’s been hard on you."
"For the Wu Ghost Sect, no hardship is too great!"
Lü Yang shook his head, wiped his eyes, and said with conviction, "To tell you the truth, Progenitor, I ca to the Skull Mountains this ti to search for the sect’s ruins."
"After all, I have reached the Final-phase of Qi Refining and am only one step away from breaking through to Foundation Establishnt.
I plan to re-establish the Wu Ghost Mountain Gate as soon as I succeed, but I lack the necessary resources and reserves.
That’s why I ca to the Skull Mountains—I want to reclaim the legacy our sect left behind and restore the Wu Ghost Sect to its forr glory."
Having said his piece, Lü Yang stared at Progenitor Tingyou with wide, expectant eyes.
Progenitor Tingyou felt awkward under his gaze. He was inclined to provide so support, but over the past thousand years, he had long since used up any of the sect’s reserves.
What could possibly be left?
Seeing his expression, Lü Yang’s eyes darted. With a single thought, the Yama Hall materialized, and Guardian Su Nu erged from within.
Su Nu and Lü Yang exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them.
"Master, isn’t there still the Lay Line..."
"The Lay Line? What Lay Line!" The words were barely out of her mouth before Lü Yang put on a stern face and snapped at Su Nu, "How could you say such a thing?"
anwhile, Progenitor Tingyou had a flash of insight. "Yes! There’s still the Lay Line!"
"Progenitor, we couldn’t possibly!" Lü Yang waved his hands frantically. "You are the Sect Leader. Only you can control the Skull Mountains’ Lay Line. How could a junior like dare to borrow it?"
"No, I think your Avatar Guardian has a point." Progenitor Tingyou shook his head. "Though I have lived a fifth lifeti through the art of possession, I am approaching my limit. My soul is severely worn down, and I do not have much ti left. I have no use for the Lay Line anymore."
"You should take it. You might still be able to put it to good use."
As soon as his voice fell, Lü Yang found that Progenitor Tingyou had actually taken the initiative to cede control over the Lay Line, allowing Su Nu to pilot the Yama Hall and settle into its core.
’He bought it. He actually bought it!’
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