Stranger Danger

The man looked to be in his forties. He was wearing a pure white robe and a black crown. His hair was tied behind his head, and his sleeves fluttered in the wind. His expression was as meticulous;y arranged as his outfit.

"Greetings, Celestial Danxia..."

Everyone saluted him as soon as they saw him.

This man was one of the six Sages of the Profound Alliance. He was the lord of the Xixa Abode, Danxia Zi. People called him Celestial Danxia.

Naturally, Jin Manshan and the others did not dare to disrespect him.

"Greetings, senior uncle. You look well."

Yue Ling also took half a step forward and bowed to him.

Yue Ling's master was called Feixia Zi. She was Danxia Zi's junior sister. That was why Yue Ling addressed him as senior uncle.

"Received (I have received your greetings)."

Danxia Zi nodded and replied curtly. His voice was cold and emotionless, and not a single line of his face was different from before.

"Danxia greets you, Elder Profound. You look well."

Danxia Zi then turned toward Old Man Profound Firmament, bowed his head, and lowered his hands humbly. He was performing an old salute.

"How many times have I told you that you need not be so respectful any longer? We are peers now, aren't we?" Old Man Profound Firmament said.

Danxia Zi replied seriously, "Shapes cannot be without lines. Propriety cannot be without rite. Rules must be followed, and etiquette must be observed."

"Don't you and your lot ever get tired of following rules and observing etiquette all the time?" Old Man Profound Firmament joked.

Danxia Zi replied seriously, "No. Following rules and observing etiquette is the foundation of what makes a human human."

"My, you are as dull as ever." Old Man Profound Firmament shook his head and looked at the group. "Do not become like him, okay? I guarantee you will have a most boring and tedious life otherwise."

Jin Manshan, Ming Yueying and everyone else smiled awkwardly but politely. No one was stupid enough to say a word.

Old Man Profound Firmament might dare to tease Danxia Zi, but not them. They made sure that they followed all the rules and observed all the etiquette as well.

It wasn't just because Danxia Zi was a lofty and powerful Sage. It was also because Danxia Zi was notorious for being strict and old fashioned, conservative and rule-abiding. There was nothing he disliked more than a broken rule; no one detested more than a rule breaker.

In fact, most members of the Xixa Abode were like this.

Despite what it looked like, the Xixa Abode wasn't part of Confucianism, another system of thought that was founded on etiquette and rules as well. On the contrary, the Xixa Abode was founded on Taoism. Old Taoism, that was. Unlike the orthodox belief where a Taoist sought to live in harmony with the natural order and be free, the Xixa Abode was descended from the ancient Canxia lineage. They believed in living away from the mortal coil and existing on nature's gifts. They believed in staying out of human society and following conventions to a fault.

This was why the Xixa Abode existed in seclusion and ignored all worldly affairs. It was also why they maintained a neutral stance in the Profound Alliance.

The large majority of the disciples of Xixa Abode were strict, serious, conscientious, and inflexible. They were extremely difficult to interact with.

But of course, they were as powerful as they were anti-social.

Not only did the members of the Xixa Abode boast immense power, their will was the heavens' will. Their arts were as natural as anything in this world, and their techniques were as mighty as the heavens themselves. Few, if anyone could match their power.

This was why the Xixa Abode was firmly one of the top five factions of the Profound Alliance despite their few numbers.

"Is the Profound Yellow Mother Qi surrounding this place the handiwork of the man named Joyless Ye?" Danxia Zi asked suddenly while observing the faint but unquestionable profound light that surrounded Gold Island.

"Profound Yellow Mother Qi?" Jin Manshan looked confused. He knew what the Profound Yellow Mother Qi was of course—it was the mother of all qis, right?—but since when did Gold Island possess such a treasure?

"The profound lights protecting this island are obviously the purest of Profound Yellow Mother Qi. Do you really not recognize them?" Danxia Zi looked displeased when he realized that no one in the group had eyes.

Everyone exchanged glances with each other before exclaiming in astonishment, "Are you saying that these are all... Profound Yellow Mother Qi, celestial?"

"Hmph! Ignorance and incompetence."

Danxia Zi grunted. "If not for the Profound Yellow Mother Qi, what makes you think that such a thin layer of qi is enough to keep the demonic fire at bay and protect Gold Island from harm?"

"Heavens above!" Everyone gasped in shock. They knew that the profound lights were extraordinary as a matter of course, but they did not think it was this extraordinary. No wonder they had been feeling quite refreshed and energetic for the past couple days. Their cultivation was progressing smoother than ever before as well. It was all thanks to the Profound Yellow Mother Qi.

What was really impressive was the quantity, however. It encompassed everything within a radius of three kilometers. Who would think that it was the Profound Yellow Mother Qi? Who would even dare to imagine such a thing? It wasn't that they were illiterate or underripe. They just did not think it was possible for there to be so much Profound Yellow Mother Qi.

But of course, they could not voice their thoughts so directly. Jin Manshan coughed twice and admitted his mistake, "We apologize. Please forgive us for our lack of knowledge."

"It's not their fault. Even I was shocked when I first saw all these wisps of Profound Yellow Mother Qi."

Old Man Profound Firmament played the mediator. "I have lived for a very long time, but I have never seen so much Profound Yellow Mother Qi until now. And the purity! It's unbelievable."

"Yes, this is the first time I witnessed something like this as well. It is quite shocking," Danxia Zi replied.

That was what he said, but his expression was as stern as ever. As expected of a Sage. His face was as calm as a lake even if a tsunami was going on inside his heart.

"Oh right, where is Joyless, lad? Take him to us already!" Old Man Profound Firmament said smilingly.

"Warrior Ye is currently cultivating in seclusion in the Arts Tower."

Jin Manshan replied, "You've both traveled a long way, Elder Profound, Celestial Danxia. Why don't you catch some rest while I check if Warrior Ye is ready."

"Time is of the essence. We cannot afford even a minute to rest."

But Danxia Zi waved off the suggestion and said, "I'll go see him myself. Resolving the demonic fire takes precedence over everything right now!"

Danxia Zi then immediately started walking toward the Arts Tower.

Jin Manshan and the rest of the group knew they could not change the Sages' minds. They could only follow.

Upon closing in on the Arts Tower, Danxia Zi and Old Man Profound Firmament exchanged a glance with each other.

It was because the Arts Tower was currently surrounded by a vast, powerful, and profound energy. Even they could not probe what was happening inside.

It was at this moment a woman stepped out of the Arts Tower.

"Qingyou greets you, seniors. I apologize for not welcoming you in person sooner."

She was Feng Qingyou, of course.

"Are you Feng Qingyou?" Danxia Zi stopped in his tracks and examined her for a moment. "Your energies are full, your consciousness is flawless, and your mind is pure. Very good."

"Are you willing to become my disciple?"

Forget Feng Qingyou, everyone else was stupefied by the abrupt statement. Just what kind of opening statement was this?

Danxia Zi continued, "If you accept, then I can help you become a Sage in under a year."

"When you become a Sage, you will become the next lord of the Xixa Abode."

Feng Qingyou: "..."

Jin Manshan: "..."

Everyone else: "..."Holy shit, he's not just serious, he's going to flip the Xixa Abode on its head assuming Feng Qingyou accepts his request!

"Ahem... Danxia? Don't you think you're being a little too direct? Don't you see you're intimidating the girl?"

Old Man Profound Firmament shook his head helplessly and gave Feng Qingyou a kind smile. "Please forgive him, lass. Dao Friend Daoxia doesn't mean what he said. It's just a joke."

"I am not joking. Every word I speak is the truth." Danxia Zi said seriously, "What is your answer?"

"I am honored to receive such praise from you, senior." Feng Qingyou smiled evenly. "However, I have worn a mantle a long time ago. I have no choice but to turn down your kind offer."

Danxia Zi's face darkened slightly. This was a once-in-many-lifetimes offer countless people couldn't even dream of, and she actually turned it down? The atmosphere grew tense in an instant.