In the hidden chamber, a man was standing tall with his hands clasped behind his back. He turned his head, and looked over.
Gu Zuo immediately recognized that this was Qingyun Sect’s Sect Master Qin Bailang. While he was dignified, his imposing aura was actually subdued. Similarly, he didn’t show any hostility.
Meeting Qin Bailang now with the identities of “honorable guests” felt entirely different from meeting him back then with the identities of disciples. Even though their appearances hadn’t changed in the slightest.
Unlike Gu Zuo, after seeing the two people, Qin Bailang’s pupils suddenly shrank, and clear amazement unconsciously appeared on his originally calm and tranquil face.
“—It’s you two?”
Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng smiled, and said: “Greetings, sect master.”
Qin Bailang was incredibly shocked. According to what he knew, the outstanding disciples in the sect would be sent out every three hundred years. When the next three-hundred-year period approached, only an extremely small number would return to offer large quantities of resources to the sect.
It had been merely two years since this time’s Road of Death closed. Why had these two suddenly come back? Could it be possible that something went wrong with the Road of Death? No. If that was the case, he certainly wouldn’t have failed to sense it.
As for the two disciples who returned, the strengths they bore were even more unbelievable — He could see that Gu Zuo’s realm was already close to the Atomic Realm, and there was another type of extremely formidable power within him. The other person, Gongyi Tianheng, was equally extraordinary. Not to mention that his realm was one rank higher, it was like there was a terrifying monster in his qi ocean that could suck in the sun, spit out the moon, and breathe a river of stars! It brought about an incomparably horrifying pressure!
But when all was said and done, Qin Bailang wasn’t an ordinary person. After a moment of surprise, he had already calmed down. He faintly nodded to the pair: “As it turns out, some old friends have returned. Please sit.”
When unable to know the cause, he was cautious and prudent.
Tianheng saw through Qin Bailang’s thoughts. He smiled and said: “Sect master, I trust that you have been well since we last met?”
Gu Zuo and Tianheng followed along with the sect master’s wishes, and sat near him.
Qin Bailang didn’t know what medicine these two were peddling, so he replied: “Naturally, everything is going well. The many benefits left by you two have been utilized at all levels of the sect. During cultivation, everyone is working even harder, and there have been numerous martial artists and pharmacists who’ve made great advancements in their realms. The strength of the sect is also rising steadily.” Once he finished saying this, he looked at the pair, “Why have you two—”
Tianheng laughed and said: “The return of this disciple and Ah Zuo was also unexpected.”
Gu Zuo nodded his head: “If the sect master doesn’t mind, why don’t we slowly talk about it?”
Qin Bailang brushed his sleeves: “By all means.”
Soon after, Tianheng picked and chose what to say about this trip’s purpose, and began recounting with Qin Bailang.
Seeing Qin Bailang’s rather careful display, Gu Zuo secretly sighed in his heart: Sure enough, when one’s strength is different, so too is the treatment.
In the past, even though they offered Qingyun Sect lots of benefits, and while Qin Bailang had been as amiable as possible back then, there was still a huge difference between what was displayed and the feelings given now.
When Gu Zuo was pondering these things, Tianheng simplified his speech to the greatest extent, and talked about the important points: “This disciple has returned, but it’s for bringing some clan members to the Central Continent for development. However, I don’t feel at ease about my remaining clan members. I want to ask for the sect’s help to take care of them.”
Speaking up to here, he looked at Qin Bailang with an unflinching smile: “Naturally, Ah Zuo and I have once received the care of the sect, too. This trip back also has our intentions of repaying this favor.”
Qin Bailang had lived for three hundred-something years. How couldn’t he be aware of the meaning in Tianheng’s words? At that moment, he also pondered.
To be honest, he knew it could only be said that Qingyun Sect shared a friendship with Tianheng and Gu Zuo that merely sheltered and tended to them. But this bit of friendship didn’t amount to anything compared to the contributions they performed and the good things they gave to the sect. Even if the sect gave them some benefits afterwards, it still couldn’t compare to the type of favor that allowed the entire sect to improve. At most, one could only say that they were barely even. As for the relationship between Qingyun Sect and these two people, there were the links to Gongyi Tianyang and the others who stayed in the sect to learn martial arts.
As such, what both sides wanted to discuss now was actually a kind of business deal.
From Tianheng’s words, Qin Bailang made out that he possessed a method to travel back and forth between the Central Continent and the Peripheral Continents. It was just that the consumption of this method was quite substantial.
The things contained within this couldn’t help but move Qin Bailang’s heart.
Qin Bailang plainly said: “Student Gongyi, as a voyager of my Qingyun Sect, your clan members will naturally be under the protection of my Qingyun Sect. There’s no need to worry about this.”
Tianheng was an intelligent person. At this point, he understood that the sect master had accepted this deal. Thus, he also said: “Since it’s like this, when the younger generations of my clan come here in a few days, I ask that the sect master allocates a piece of land outside for them to recuperate on their own.”
Speaking up to here, he raised the topic Qin Bailang was concerned about: “The Central Continent is very vast. Besides wanting to take along my close relatives within the sect, I also came to bring away some fellow disciples. When I arrive at Ten Ultimates Sect, nothing else has to be said with my disciple identity. On the contrary, I can recommend several organizations for my fellow disciples to choose from.
“Of course, if my fellow disciples want to stay with me, I’m also willing to look after them. If they intend to join Ten Ultimates Sect in the future, I can obtain a few placements, and ask my fellow disciples to accept the assessments of the Sect Offering Academy.”
Qin Bailang understood what he heard, and was quite satisfied.
This was just what he wanted.
Previously, there were some disciples of Qingyun Sect who entered the Central Continent, but the losses amid the Road of Death were too great. This time around, if they could bring away some more people, the sect would have much more leeway in terms of options. Moreover, the disciples would be able to contact and help one another.
At the same time, Qin Bailang was pleased with Tianheng’s guarantee — He didn’t require that these accompanying fellow disciples had to fall under his command. Instead, he offered certain conveniences.
Although Ten Ultimates Sect was indeed powerful, what Qin Bailang wanted to send were reliable disciples who put Qingyun Sect in their hearts, and who could lay the foundations for Qingyun Sect in the future. He didn’t want to send helpers for Tianheng. After all, the connection between Tianheng and Qingyun Sect was truly too weak.
Afterwards, Qin Bailang asked: “How many placements can Student Gongyi provide?”
Tianheng smiled: “There’s no harm if it doesn’t exceed fifty people.”
Qin Bailang’s heart stirred.
Fifty people — It was much more than he expected.
This couldn’t help making him somewhat curious about the method grasped by Tianheng. But nevertheless, he restrained his desire to get to the bottom of the matter.
Being able to make friends now was naturally the best way to go about it.
Tianheng had a smile on his face, and said: “In the future, my clan members might return to welcome their relatives and bring them away. At that time, we can provide some conveniences to the younger fellow disciples.”
Qin Bailang also couldn’t help smiling: “Student Gongyi is considerate.”
— So long as Qingyun Sect treated the members of the Gongyi Clan well, this business deal wouldn’t be a short-term one. Instead, it would be a long-term cooperation completed in installments and batches.
In just a few words, the model of cooperation was determined. Gu Zuo also had some thoughts in mind.
So long as this Sect Master Qin took the development of Qingyun Sect seriously, then he would certainly pay attention to the safety of the relocated Gongyi Clan members. In addition, he believed that with this opportunity, that Senior Sect Brother Qin Zhuofeng…
Tianheng seemed to share a tacit exchange with Gu Zuo. At this time, he suddenly said: “Senior Sect Brother Qin is still young, and his moral conduct and aptitudes are out of the ordinary. If he is left stranded on this narrow strip of land, it would be too pitiful.”
Qin Bailang smiled, and nodded his head: “Certainly, my son needs a proper adventure.”
That’s right. Among those fifty placements, Qin Zhuofeng would definitely occupy one spot. Moreover, with his qualifications and identity, it would be even easier to unite those disciples after reaching the Central Continent.
As for Gu Zuo’s present train of thought, it had already settled on their former residence in Qingyun Sect.
Their old friends on that mountain.
Tianheng and Sect Master Qin negotiated a few details to basically everyone’s delight and satisfaction. In the meantime, Gu Zuo presented a bottle of prismatic pills. This gave Sect Master Qin a type of unfathomable feeling towards Gu Zuo’s current pill refining level.
Of course, this also raised Sect Master Qin’s confidence in the two and their cooperation.
After that, Tianheng and Gu Zuo bade farewell to Sect Master Qin.
They needed to hurry back, meet their old friends, and make some arrangements. As for Sect Master Qin, he needed to quickly discuss things with the trusted elders in the sect, and choose the fifty placements.
Before they departed, Tianheng said: “In any case, this matter is neither great nor small. Sect master, if you inform other people, you must put this under careful consideration.”
Sect Master Qin smiled without saying anything, but there was a feeling of self-assuredness in his expression.
Tianheng and Gu Zuo quickly left. Not long after, they arrived beneath a mountain peak.
This “small hill” was previously obtained through the treatment afforded to core disciples, and was exchanged for a few pill prescriptions. After they proceeded to the Central Continent, the hill was utilized by Tianyang and the other Gongyi Clan children. As for Dragon One, Dragon Two, and the remaining Tianlong Guards, they watched over this place and protected the Gongyi Clan’s younger generations.
For the time being, Qingyun Sect didn’t reclaim this hill. But after several years had passed, Tianyang still hadn’t been able to reach the Immortal Realm. As such, they wouldn’t have been able to keep this hill for much longer. However, Tianheng had now made a deal with Sect Master Qin. Naturally, no one would come to take away the hill.
When the two came to the base of the mountain, they were just about to climb up.
All of a sudden, a clear, whistling sound echoed out from the top of the hill. Shortly thereafter, a number of shadowy figures rapidly leaped out and descended like beams of flowing light. In only a few breaths of time, they arrived in front of the two people!
“The Tianlong Guards welcome the young master and Pharmacist Gu!”
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