Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 157 - 157 156 Temporary Calm

157: Chapter 156 Temporary Calm 157: Chapter 156 Temporary Calm Watching Hou Niao sneak away, Chong Ling Daoist fell into deep thought.

Originally, the suggestion to give this fellow a chance to lay low was not because of his qualifications, but more importantly, to save his life; otherwise, in certain situations, with just a little trickery, a Pulse Phase junior cultivator could die without knowing how he died, and in this respect, the Daoist Sect’s methods are much more covert than those of the Quanzhen Sect.

But who would have thought that this fellow also had talent?

The true purpose of his visit was to tell Hou Niao that his mission to lay low was over, that he wouldn’t require anything of him, and that he needn’t bear such a heavy responsibility.

Psychological pressure can greatly affect one’s cultivation.

As for returning to the Daoist Sect, there’s no need to accomplish any particular feat; as long as one reaches the Tongxuan Realm, how could the Daoist Sect push such a person out?

Even if you want to join the Buddhist Sect, as long as you dare to shave your head, they will dare to accept you.

That’s the truth in the Jinxiu Continent’s Cultivation World; talent is more important than anything else.

The reason he could decide to cancel Hou Niao’s covert identity was because the Golden Core cultivator from his sect who had previously agreed to his suggestion had already ridden the crane westward, so now he was the only person in the world who knew of Hou Niao’s covert identity.

If he says yes, it’s yes; if he says no, it’s no—it’s that simple.

There was another reason for this: Anhe Daoist Sect was currently repairing its relationship with the Quanzhen of Shan Country, exchanging courtesies, with the Anhe Daoist Sect taking the initiative.

This was because they were facing oppression from the Wu Country Daoist Sect, which belonged to the same Daoist system.

The Golden Core Upper Cultivator had died amidst such internal Daoist Sect strife.

One cannot fight on two fronts, so they could only reconcile with their archenemy, Quanzhen.

It was a strategy born out of necessity.

Anhe Country is a two-character country, which, on the Jinxiu Continent, means it has a smaller territory and cannot compete with Upper Countries such as Shan Country and Wu Country regarding its heritage.

Of course, it’s even less likely to withstand enemies on both fronts.

Given this, there is no point in planting covert operatives in the short term if relations with Quanzhen of Shan Country are to be mended.

Upon comprehensive consideration, that was why he decided to release Hou Niao.

Laying low is not an easy task; for those with weak mental endurance, taking on this persistent shadow can doom their Daoist Path.

They will crush themselves under the weight, which for cultivators who seek a clear and open mind, is a slow-acting poison.

Since he became acquainted with this little fellow and developed some karma with him, he didn’t want to see him ruin his whole life, so his visit this time was to tell him to boldly chase after his dreams.

Whether he stays with Quanzhen or returns to the Daoist Sect in the future, he would not obstruct him.

What he didn’t expect was that this fellow was actually doing well and enjoying the covert life.

With not only short-term plans, but also medium and long-term ones?

And not only in Yinling, but also on the Da Feng Plain, and even throughout the entire Shan Country, extending to the whole Jinxiu Continent?

He really dares to dream!

Chong Ling could see that this fellow was an oddball.

What was a burden on others’ hearts instead became his motivation to move forward!

The Daoist highly values this quality, not being confined by the ordinary.

Since such a covert identity serves as a driving force for him, why not let this force continue indefinitely?

Like grabbing rabbits among the grass, who knows, in passing, he might actually overturn something?

Chong Ling could never have imagined that it was precisely because of his momentary lapse that he brought earth-shattering changes to the Jinxiu Continent.

It wasn’t just overturning a little; it was shaking everything that could be shaken, and not sparing that which couldn’t…

Realizing this, Chong Ling Daoist wisely refrained from mentioning the termination of the covert mission.

He would let matters take their course, considering the error as correct.

Since he enjoyed it, let him continue; it was, after all, his own choice.

For a cultivator, intuition is paramount.

He felt that it made sense to proceed this way, so that’s what he did; as simple as that.

He didn’t lack Spirit Stone resources, but he couldn’t give them away, because he knew very well that a wolf cub should not be fed until full; once satiated, it would no longer bite.

On this point, his perspective coincided with that of a certain senior official in Jin City, one penalizing with reduced firewood and salaries, and the other not parting with a single hair, with the same purpose in mind, to keep the wolf cubs forever half-starved.

Reigning in his emotions, he sighed, vanished into stealth, and disappeared into the vast Yinling Wilderness.

He didn’t know if he would ever see this little guy again, it was possible the little lad, lofty in vision but lacking in skill, would perish young in the brutal internal strife of the Demon Sect.

Or perhaps he himself would not survive the internal strife of the Daoist Sect.

Such was the Cultivation World, where every meeting could be the last; you never know if tomorrow you will see an old acquaintance or meet King Yan.

…Hou Niao quietly sneaked back to his post, his departure unnoticed by anyone.

Sitting quietly in a spot sheltered from the wind, the spring air was biting cold, especially at night, but it also made him exceptionally alert.

Lying low was not easy, he was well aware of that!

This wasn’t the Mortal World, where there were opportunities to covertly engage in various activities, transmit intelligence, assassinate figures, bewitch the crowd, create disputes…

These things could fool mortals, but in the Cultivation World, filled with countless magical methods, he, a minor cultivator without even Divine Sense, wanted to do surreptitious deeds?

Just sticking his head out a little, and he could be caught red-handed by an Upper Cultivator, without knowing where he had slipped up.

So, part of his excuse was indeed his true thoughts, while the other part was to fool the old Daoist, to prevent him from assigning him tasks that were too dangerous.

Fortunately, he achieved his goal.

Of course, this didn’t mean he would idle his time away from now on.

He would still proceed according to his own ideas, but exactly how to act?

To what extent?

Where was the line to be drawn?

If he controlled all these matters himself, then there would be no need to worry about exposing himself.

As for how far he could go in the end, only heaven knew; did he really have the confidence to bring disaster upon the Quanzhen Sect?

He truly did not.

After a year in the Quanzhen Sect, it was only today, through his own efforts, that he had secured a relatively advantageous position for himself, where he could make his own decisions, instead of suddenly receiving an order that commanded him to do this or that.

The old Daoist was a good person, albeit a bit rigid and not very expressive, but he understood the old Daoist’s intentions.

To say he was lying low more for the sake of the Anhe Daoist than for the old Daoist himself would be an understatement.

The old Daoist was troubled, and he could tell, but he didn’t ask.

That was his nature; why ask about things you can’t manage or help with?

Besides ruining one’s mood, it served no purpose.

Moreover, he himself couldn’t even handle the affairs within the Quanzhen Sect, so how could he concern himself with the internal strife and machinations of the Daoist Sect?

To succumb to the Demon Path sounded simple, but in practice, it was difficult; without a true heart of a demon, how could one convincingly pretend?

After much thought, he felt it was better to go with the flow, to follow his usual approach, not to overthink, lest he descend into inferiority.

He hoped that the next time they met, he would still be able to deceive the old Daoist.

…Only harboring the remaining clear dreams of my hometown, then can one speak of Lu Mountain and compose exquisite poetry.

When will I share chrysanthemum wine with you, and discuss the vast calamity yet to be sorted?