After the Sect Master Pathway exchanged greetings with Xi Tianyi and Monarch Nine Heavens, he escorted them all the way back to the Eight Pillar Sect. During this time, the juniors from the two hegemonic sects interacted to deepen their feelings.
Tai Wuling followed behind Yang Linyin toward a man dressed in white. Although he didn't exude any physical frostiness, just being in his presence chilled the heart.
"Long time no see, Immortal Xia," Yang Linyin said. "It's a pity that I was in the Core Formation Realm and you in the Nascent Soul Realm during our last meeting. How about a spar when we reach the sect?"
Strictly speaking, Duan Muli was the official eldest senior disciple of their generation, and he should have greeted Xia Yushan. Were he present, that is. Unfortunately, he was still in the Buzhou Immortal Sect as a hostage, so the duty fell to Yang Linyin.
They weren't inferior to Duan Muli in any way. All they lacked was a title. Titles were external things, and strength mattered most in this world. As a true immortal near his age, Yang Linyin had the right to speak to Xia Yushan as an equal.
Xia Yushan didn't speak. He turned toward Yang Linyin, openly sizing them and Tai Wuling. Finally, he spoke. "There's no point."
"What do you mean by that?" Tai Wuling said before he could stop himself.
Yang Linyin frowned, but they didn't rebuke Tai Wuling. "I think you will find that I am more than a match for you. I'm stronger than Duan Muli."
They turned around and left. Tai Wuling gave one final glare before following behind. "Senior Sister..."
Yang Linyin turned and glared at him. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Senior Brother?"
"Sorry, sorry," Tai Wuling said. "But I can't forget our first meeting."
Yang Linyin's face flushed. Despite his current male form, it still made him look like a bashful maiden. "S-Shut up!"
With a huff, Yang Linyin turned away and schooled their expression. His eyes turned serious as he spotted Xi Tianyi and Jiang Daoyi sitting in a corner on the deck with no one daring to come close.
Never in all their years had Yang Linyin imagined that the boy they saw at the Three Heavens Connection Meeting would grow up to become a revered immortal monarch while they were still a true immortal.
Although only a single realm existed between a true immortal and immortal monarch, the gulf that existed between them was wider than between a mortal and a true immortal. Some true immortals never even neared the next realm, not even reaching the level of an immortal lord.
Yang Linyin didn't have the same confidence their master had in them. Even now, they struggled to master half the Law of Yin and the Law of Yang, much less the Law of Yin Yang. Their master said they shouldn’t rush, but how could they not?
They glanced at Tai Wuling. The junior they once saved now stood shoulder to shoulder with them and even showed signs of surpassing them. Yang Linyin's eyes hardened as they walked toward Xi Tianyi and Jiang Daoyi. They would not fall behind.
"After the Three Heavens Connection Meeting, I have heard of your accomplishment, but seeing the real thing is very different from hearing."
Xi Tianyi looked toward Yang Linyin and smiled. "I hope they didn't exaggerate my accomplishments. Otherwise, I'd be afraid of not living up to them."
Tai Wuling internally snorted. Xi Tianyi's eyes revealed an intent completely different from the words he spoke. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who noticed as Jiang Daoyi rolled her eyes. Tellingly, she did it in a manner in which Xi Tianyi wouldn't have noticed.
A thought occurred to Tai Wuling, and he turned his gaze back on Xi Tianyi. He forced himself to stay silent as he watched Yang Linyin engage Xi Tianyi in a heated conversation. He had endured the scorn of disdain from pampered wastrels before. This time, it wouldn't be any different.
Yang Linyin must have noticed it because they bid farewell to Xi Tianyi and Jiang Daoyi. After the two returned to the immortal boat they followed Sect Master Pathway on, they turned toward him and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Did you notice?"
"Notice what?" Yang Linyin asked.
"Jiang Daoyi," Tai Wuling said. "She isn't respectful of Xi Tianyi at all."
"So?"
"She hid her reaction from him. I don't think their marriage was as consensual as rumored," Tai Wuling said.
"And you just so happened to catch wind of it?" Yang Linyin asked. "You're overthinking."
"No, I'm not. Jiang Daoyi must have been forced," Tai Wuling said.
Yang Linyin pursed their lips together. "And if she is, what are you going to do about it? We're from two different sects. We don't have the right to interfere with their sect affairs, and even if you want to, we can't afford to offend them at this time."
"I just can't stand those uppity scions abusing their powers and forcing those they think lesser than them to bend to their wills," Tai Wuling said, staring at the ground with clenched fists.
Yang Linyin sighed and patted his shoulder in comfort. "The problem with you is that you care too much about outsiders. When you first entered the sect, you offended many people seeking justice. If Grand Elder Infinity hadn't taken you as his disciple and the ongoing war, you would be mired in trouble now."
Tai Wuling snorted. "Just a bunch of people with their noses pointed at the sky. Just because their parents or grandparents are immortals, they think they can do anything they like with no consequences."
"You know not everyone is like that," Yang Linyin said. "Am I like that?"
"No, but you are different. You are better than them," Tai Wuling immediately said, causing Yang Linyin to smile. "But Xi Tianyi definitely is."
Yang Linyin sighed. "Just don't aggravate him. He's not that crucial to our war efforts, but Monarch Nine Heavens is. His mastery of the Law of Space will be important for our future plans. I heard rumors that Monarch Nine Heavens might be Xi Tianyi's actual father."
"Do we really need the Buzhou Immortal Sect to interfere with our war? Can't we conquer the Earth Continent without their aid?" Tai Wuling asked as he rubbed his hair, frustration evident in his voice.
Yang Linyin frowned. He looked around before pulling Tai Wuling into his room and activating a defensive formation to prevent a possible intelligence leak. "What I say here, you must not mention it to anyone. I wasn't supposed to tell you, but I trust you."
Tai Wuling felt his heart warm up at Yang Linyin's words, but he still seriously listened.
"The Eight Pillar Sect is completely capable of conquering the Earth Continent, but what about after?"
Tai Wuling furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"
"The price to win would force us to recuperate for at least several generations," Yang Linyin said. "The Buzhou Immortal Sect would also win, and with the emergence of two new immortal monarchs and Sword Sovereign Xi, their losses would be far less than ours. Meaning they would be able to direct their sights on the Saintly Scholar School or us. Compared to the Saintly Scholar School, which hadn't experienced war, we are obviously the easier targets. That's why we must eliminate their strategic pieces."
Tai Wuling opened his mouth. He never thought the most powerful force on the Earth Continent would resort to such tactics, but the rational part of his mind told him that it was logical. "Won't eliminating Xi Tianyi bring down the Sword Sovereign's wrath on us and push her to team up with the Anti-Earth Alliance?"
"Who said our target was Xi Tianyi?" Yang Linyin asked. "Compared to Monarch Nine Heavens, he's a small fry."
"Small Fry? Why would Xi Tianyi be small fry compared to Monarch Nine Heavens? Isn't his potential more terrifying than Monarch Nine Heavens?" Tai Wuling asked.
"You remember how I said Monarch Nine Heaven's mastery over the Law of space will be important to the sect's future plans?" Tai Wuling nodded. "Anyone who mastered the Law of Space can teleport themselves and others almost instantaneously all over the Huang Realm except certain guarded locations. With his addition, we can deploy our forces much more efficiently. It would be akin to multiplying the number of our monarchs and true immortals."
"Once we have attained an irreversible advantage, we'll have the Anti-Earth Alliance eliminate him for us and Xi Tianyi if possible," Yang Linyin said. "I heard the Anti-Heaven Alliance once had a monarch that mastered the Law of Space, but unfortunately, he died during the struggle for the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. Otherwise, the Anti-Heaven Alliance would have held a greater advantage and restricted the Buzhou Immortal Sect more."
Tai Wuling nodded, enlightened by the sect's decision. However, he still felt that the Eight Pillar Sect should focus on killing Xi Tianyi as the priority and Monarch Nine Heavens as the second priority. He had no evidence to back up these thoughts aside from his gut instinct.
But ever since Tai Wuling embarked on the path to immortality, he had always trusted his gut instinct. It had saved his life several times. Still, he knew that it would be foolhardy to try to change the sect's decision without any evidence to the contrary.
Tai Wuling didn't mention the matter or any thoughts of saving Jiang Daoyi from Xi Tianyi. Instead, he quietly followed behind Yang Linyin for the rest of the trip. Aside from greetings, Tai Wuling minimized any contact with Xi Tianyi and Jiang Daoyi as much as possible.
That didn't mean he avoided Xi Tianyi. On the contrary, Tai Wuling observed Xi Tianyi as much as possible. He did his best to learn his habits, likes, dislikes, and much much more. According to the information given by envoys, the law Xi Tianyi mastered to enter the Seamless Immortal Realm was related to the five elements, just like Tai Wuling.
Tai Wuling planned to start comprehending the Law of Five Phases in order to enter the Seamless Immortal Realm. So far, he hadn't mastered any of the individual laws that composed the Law of Five Phases. The closest one to mastery was the Law of Earth.
Logically, he should have asked Xi Tianyi for pointers, but Tai Wuling refused. His body rejected the very notion, and the law Xi Tianyi used to enter the Seamless Immortal Realm made him detest the scion even more.
Tai Wuling had thought that he would get a break once they reached the sect, but Sect Master Pathway had arranged a banquet for their guests on the second day after returning. Monarch Nine Heavens sat on Sect Master Pathway's right, and the other true immortals scattered throughout the banquet.
The sect master had placed Xi Tianyi, Jiang Daoyi, and Xia Yushan with the elite disciples who reached the immortal realm, like Yang Linyin and himself. Since only Duan Muli, Yang Linyin, and himself had reached the Immortal Realm in this generation, they added former elite disciples of the previous generations. Embarrassingly, only a single disciple from the third generation above them had reached the Immortal Realm, so they added even more disciples from earlier generations to make up for the number. Even worse was the fact that none of them had reached the Seamless Immortal Realm.
For the first time since he joined, Tai Wuling felt that the disciples of the Eight Pillar Sect weren't talented enough. If he cultivated for the same amount of time, he had the confidence to master a complete law.
"I have long heard of Monarch Xi's accomplishments. I don't know if you would agree to a spar?"
Tai Wuling saw Immortal Owlsnow stand up and ask with cupped fists. Owlsnow was a talented disciple from five generations ago, and he managed to almost completely master the Law of Snow, reaching the level of an immortal lord.
Xi Tianyi slowly sipped the remaining wine in his cup before placing it down. "Since fellow Daoist had already asked, I have no other choice but to oblige."
As Xi Tianyi and Immortal Owlsnow flew onto the makeshift platform, Tai Wuling focused all his attention on the battle. Since Xi Tianyi used one of the five elemental laws to reach the Seamless Immortal Realm, he should be able to glean some insights. In addition, he was quite interested in the Law of Lightning used to repel Monarch Whitelion spoken about by the envoys.
