Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 448 - 448 447 Autumn Appreciation Gathering 2

448: Chapter 447: Autumn Appreciation Gathering 2 448: Chapter 447: Autumn Appreciation Gathering 2 Yu Buzuo and his three companions seemed utterly disheartened as they walked out of the courtyard, sweat drenching their backs.

Although the senior’s imposing presence was inconspicuous, sitting with him felt akin to sitting shoulder to shoulder with a ferocious beast, as if life and death hung in the balance at any moment.

This was an impression Hou Niao deliberately left them with, meant to dispel their unrealistic notions; many of the misfortunes in this world are, in fact, a result of unrestraint, and instilling fear of potential outcomes can force people to choose the correct path.

Just like these four individuals, who now harbored a deep sense of fear in their hearts.

Yu Buzuo felt somewhat depressed.

“It seems like the senior doesn’t like us?”

Xie Longsheng, as blunt as ever, replied, “It’s Zhao Xintong who doesn’t want to accept you.

Little Fourth, your efforts over these years might have been in vain.

In my opinion, with so many beauties at the Hong Ye Daoist Sect, why must you fixate on just one and hang yourself from a single tree?”

Yu Buzuo ignored him.

“Xintong’s aunt, what a gentle, detached, and amicable person, exactly the demeanor I associate with the Anhe Daoist Sect.

But this senior…

Right, did he even mention his name?”

He would never understand that it was precisely this so-called gentle and detached aunt who had sent this fearsome and aggressive uncle because she felt that some issues were beyond her resolution.

Cheng Daqi snorted, “Like the saying goes, ‘The dragon has nine offspring, each different from the others.’ The purity and detachment of the Anhe Daoist Sect are relative, not every member is tranquil and content with the status quo.

There are also passionate and vehement members; otherwise, the Wu Sect would have likely succeeded long ago.

However magnificent they may be, they cannot escape the decline of the Anhe Daoist Sect.

Such posturing is merely for show in front of minor cultivators like ourselves, and would hardly impress a true master from the sects.”

Zhou Yunming clapped his hands and laughed, “Exactly!

Didn’t we just invite this senior to the Autumn Appreciation Meeting?

Once there, with our family elders’ support, are we still afraid of just one man?”

Yu Buzuo looked troubled.

“Is this a good idea?

Could it backfire?”

With a single retort, Xie Longsheng shut him down, “You have only three months left!

If you don’t make an effort now, Zhao Xintong will return to Anhe in March.

Are you planning to follow her?”

Yu Buzuo was speechless.

Cheng Daqi slapped his chest, “Brother Yu, rest assured.

We are all well-connected and support each other.

All family elders will be at the Autumn Appreciation Meeting, even Tongxuan is nothing special, and there will be God Sensing and even Upper Cultivators from the Natural Realm.

We’ll whisper among ourselves, letting the elders exert pressure.

Perhaps Zhao Xintong’s elder won’t be too tough?

We’re not asking him to sell his daughter, just to provide an opportunity for interaction.”

Xie Longsheng, finding the conversation tedious, said, “You’ve been talking for so long, yet it seems you’ve neglected the feelings of the Zhao family’s girl.

If she remains cold, wouldn’t all our efforts be in vain?”

Zhou Yunming sneered coldly, “What time is it now, and you’re still talking about mutual affection and compatibility?

You haven’t succeeded in years; could you succeed in months?

Just do as I say, a brute force approach!

I think this Zhao Xintong has been spoiled too much, not knowing her own limitations.

Does she really think that this circle is all peace and kindness, where everyone respects each other?”

To Xie Longsheng’s surprise, usually Yu Buzuo would turn hostile as soon as Zhou Yunming suggested such an approach, but this time he was uncharacteristically silent, which often meant something…

…Hou Niao was eating the meal Zhao Xintong had cooked, surprised at how well it was made?

This was thanks to Daoist Xi’s teaching, which included not just arts such as music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and classical poetry.

He constantly tested and challenged the limits of this woman, aiming to gain a more accurate understanding of her so that he could prescribe the right solution.

How would she unravel her mental knot?

How could she, on her own, successfully ascend to the Upper Realm and establish confidence—this was of great importance.

The problem he faced now was how to get her to speak up.

He recalled that when they had burst out of the Poplar Forest, this little one hadn’t said a word until, finally, that old Immortal ascended to heaven, and she then squeezed out a sentence brimming with malice; twenty years had passed, and they were still faced with the same situation.

Before coming here, he had considered whether this woman would be filled with hatred toward him and lash out with malicious words, or had she grown up and learned to laugh off the past?

But he had never expected that, after twenty years of guidance by the Daoist Tongxuan, she would be exactly the same as when he had left.

Uncooperative, unopposed, unyielding, enduring passively…

It was utterly unclear what she truly thought.

“Do you want to attend the Autumn Appreciation Meeting?

I need to hear the truth,” Hou Niao could only start from something more concrete.

Zhao Xintong nodded, then shook her head.

“Want to attend, but don’t want to go with me?”

Zhao Xintong nodded.

She wasn’t mute; her silence was simply a way of showing her stance, the only way she could express her desires since she was a young child.

Now, even as an adult Bridge Connection Cultivator, she found she could still only communicate in this way in front of this villain.

“The Autumn Appreciation is meant to include family elders.

Since Daoist Tongxuan hasn’t come, naturally, I will take his place.

You should have no objections!

So, do you still wish to go?”

Zhao Xintong hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to choose.

She was well aware that going or not was actually out of her hands, and in front of this villain, even including the four who had just left, they would certainly try to coax her to participate and then cause some sort of trouble at the meet.

Don’t be fooled; these fellows were all obsequious in front of a villain, but as soon as they turned around, they had a belly full of bad water, backed by their family elders.

It was not likely they would just accept defeat and bow their heads.

“Are you afraid something unpleasant will happen at the Autumn Appreciation Meeting?

But you must understand, these matters are not swayed by our will.

The so-called cultivation is about facing hardships head-on, not shrinking back because we’re afraid.

So, we are attending!”

Zhao Xintong looked down in silence, knowing all too well that in front of this villain, she was just a wooden puppet, without any right to speak.

Seeing she didn’t oppose, he just assumed her agreement.

He didn’t like causing disturbances in places like Daoist Sects, but judging from Zhao Xintong’s current state, stirring up some trouble might be the only way to provoke a reaction from her.

So be it, then.

He truly detested this indecisive state and couldn’t possibly linger here for long, so if someone wanted to challenge him, he would be more than happy to oblige.

“Also, I know your cultivation path lies in Divination, but you must grasp the principle within: calculating is permissible, but you must not speak of it.

Can you promise me that?”

This time, Zhao Xintong did not hesitate and quickly nodded.

The so-called Divination, calculating itself is not problematic, but publicizing the results is a serious issue!

Doing so constituted leaking secrets of heaven, and punishment was inevitable, either being struck down outright like the old Immortal or gradually affecting one’s cultivation through subtle influences day by day.

This was a dangerous balance.

Being able to navigate this aspect effortlessly, without affecting one’s lifespan or cultivation and still having predictions come true, marked a true master.