Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 300 The Ancestor Said He Wanted to Cultivate Immortality

Tang Xiaoyu specifically consulted with Zhang Chengdao before returning to Sichuan, in order to take his apprentice, Tang Yinxiang, with him.

Of course, he also understood Zhang Chengdao's hint and planned to take in a few Tang Clan disciples with good aptitude, bring them to the north, and re-establish the "Tomb Guardian Sect".

The Tomb Guardian Sect was a reclusive sect, unknown to both prominent sects and central government agencies of various countries, because the sect had always passed down its lineage through a single successor. Tang Yinxiang was the sixth generation disciple.

One major disadvantage of passing down a lineage through a single successor is that the entire sect will be disbanded if an accident occurs. For example, in Tang Xiaoyu's previous generation, Tang Xiaoyu only met her nominal "master" a few times. Most of the time, she was cared for and guided by the late Sword Saint Tang Xingjian and several elders of the Tang Sect.

Therefore, in Tang Xiaoyu's heart, she actually has more than one "master", and Tang Xingjian, who is the best to her, is naturally regarded by her as one of the ancestors of the new "tomb-guarding sect".

As for whether the disappearance of the "tomb-guarding faction" might be considered unfilial...

To be honest, people in Sichuan don't care about such things. The people here are very open-minded about life and death. Moreover, a group that talks about "immortals" all the time doesn't actually value concepts like inheritance or clan as much as some hierarchical regions do. For example, disciples of the Tang Clan even take in orphans and raise them as their own children. So, people don't value clan inheritance as much.

Moreover, the "Tomb Guardian Sect" exists solely to protect the Blood Demon Pearl. Now that the Blood Demon Pearl is within his body, once his cultivation is deep enough and his shattered core is reconstituted, he will no longer need to worry about the Blood Demon Pearl.

As for whether the Blood Demon will reappear after the Blood Demon Orb shatters...

Master Zhang Chengdao specifically mentioned that the King of Qin himself had already gone to his own tomb to check, and if there really was a Blood Demon, he could just scatter its ashes without worrying about it.

In this way, the "tomb-guarding faction" really has no reason to exist. Let it be, it's a good thing it's over!

……

The Tang Clan is located in the west of Yuzhou City, next to Bishan Mountain, not far from Yuzhou City.

The Tang Clan is more like a village than a sect, except that the inner disciples of the Tang Clan all live in Tang Family Fortress.

There are actually quite a few sects in this area. Besides Tang Family Fortress, there are more than a dozen smaller sects such as Wen Family Fortress, Qitang Fortress, and Zeng Family Fortress. However, compared to the Tang Clan, which controls the entire Jiannan Road, these smaller sects are not worth mentioning.

The moment Tang Xiaoyu and Tang Yinxiang entered Tang Family Fortress, the news spread throughout the entire fortress in an instant.

"The ancestor has returned?"

"What? Ancestor? Which ancestor?"

"Who else could it be! It's that ancestor who lived to be three hundred years old!"

As they were discussing this, a Tang Clan disciple came running up, panting, shouting as he ran, "Hurry, hurry! The sect leader said all of us disciples need to go to the main courtyard! We need to go now!"

After shouting, he ran off to another courtyard to deliver the message.

Everyone was startled. Tang Family Fortress had always been rather lazy and didn't hold any early morning classes like other sects. The teaching of its disciples was "contracted" to specific individuals—the sect never overstepped its bounds to teach any disciple it had taken in.

Therefore, it was rare for all disciples to be suddenly summoned to the main courtyard, which made everyone even more curious.

"What are you going to do in the main courtyard?"

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? How would I know?"

"Could it be related to our ancestors?"

"Nonsense! Otherwise, why would the sect leader issue such an order as soon as the ancestor returned!"

While discussing it, everyone was also busy on their feet, heading towards the main courtyard in twos and threes.

Tangjiabao is a very large manor, with over a hundred courtyards added later.

The main courtyard was originally built by Tang Family Fortress specifically for its disciples to practice martial arts. Legend has it that during the previous dynasty, the Sword Saint taught Tang Family disciples here.

However, as the number of people in the Tang Clan increased, no martial artist as unparalleled as Sword Saint Tang Xingjian emerged again. The square in the main courtyard was rarely used. However, people would come to pay their respects during festivals. The sect leader would usually spend a lot of money, and every Tang Clan disciple could receive a large red envelope. This was the only use of the square now.

This situation, where all Tang Sect disciples were suddenly summoned to the main courtyard square, is truly unprecedented!

Soon, more and more people crowded into the square of Tangjiabao's main courtyard. Fortunately, the square was not small, otherwise there really wouldn't have been enough room for so many people to stand.

Normally, it would be impossible to gather so many people. It was only because of the Dragon King Festival that many Tang Sect inner disciples who were away from home rushed back to Yuzhou, which is why thousands of people gradually gathered in the square, chattering noisily.

"Which one is the ancestor? None of them look old."

"Are you stupid? Legend has it that our ancestor was a master of disguise; maybe he was disguised!"

"That guy with dimples looks very familiar to me, doesn't he look like the ancestor's disciple?"

"It's her! It's her! I recognize her!"

"Then the white-haired one next to her is the ancestor?"

"Are you blind? The white-haired guy next to her with a beard is the sect leader!"

……

Perhaps unable to bear the noise from his disciples, Tang Chi, the current leader of the Tang Clan, coughed twice and shouted loudly, channeling his inner energy: "Silence! Silence!" His pronunciation was clear and distinct, and he spoke in the Northern Mandarin that was rarely spoken by people from Sichuan.

"The return of the Tang family patriarch today is a joyous occasion. I have already sent people to make purchases and preparations. Tonight, there will be a grand banquet at the sect, and everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the feast..."

Tang Chi spoke in a stern tone, but before he could finish, Tang Xiaoyu interrupted him, saying, "Let's get down to business, stop with this nonsense!"

Although Tang Xiaoyu spoke at a normal volume, not as loud as Tang Chi's voice when he used his true energy, the Tang Clan disciples were all martial arts practitioners, so how could they not hear him?

Upon seeing this, the quick-witted disciples immediately understood what was going on and whispered among themselves in shock, "So this is the Ancestor? He doesn't look three hundred years old at all!"

"You idiot, I already said our ancestor knew the art of disguise!"

"You're the one who's a fool! I don't believe you can disguise yourself like that!"

"Hey, I heard from my senior brother that our ancestor seems to... she seems to have cultivated immortality? If she cultivated immortality, she might be immortal, right?"

……

"This, Grandmaster Uncle..." Tang Chi bowed slightly to Tang Xiaoyu with some difficulty, and said in a low voice, "This, about choosing someone to take away, should we talk about it now? Or should we wait until the banquet tonight..."

Tang Xiaoyu waved her hand impatiently and said, "Say it now, what's the point of dragging it out until tonight!"

"Yes Yes……"

Tang Chi cupped his hands in greeting, then turned around and shouted loudly again, "Ahem, the Ancestor's intention is that she will select several Tang Clan disciples with outstanding aptitude to go north and establish a sect near White Stone Mountain to teach the Dao of Immortality. Those who are interested can stay, and those who are unwilling can leave now!"

As soon as Tang Chi finished speaking, the square erupted in an uproar.

Within half a year of the emergence of the White Stone Immortal Sect, even the most secluded places had heard of the concept of "immortal path," let alone Tangjiabao, which was merely a remote corner and not secluded at all; on the contrary, it was quite well-informed.

Because besides being a martial arts sect, the Tang Clan also engages in underworld business, taking on assassinations, bodyguard services, and similar jobs. It's said that in both the Southern Chu Kingdom and the Northern Xiao Kingdom, high-ranking officials and nobles hire Tang Clan disciples as personal bodyguards at high prices. Their professional ethics are excellent, they receive numerous positive reviews, and their reputation is considerable. The Tang Clan makes a considerable amount of money from this business alone.

In short, everyone already knows more or less what "the Way of Immortality" is. In fact, because it is far from Baishi Mountain, many things have been embellished and exaggerated when they were passed down.

For example, there are rumors such as "a disciple of the immortal path can kill a grandmaster with a single punch once he reaches the Foundation Establishment stage" and "a Qi Refining stage expert can make a grandmaster of the Northern Xiao Kingdom kneel down and beg for mercy with a single sword strike". There are even bizarre claims that "the dog of the White Stone Immortal can eat a whole cow in one meal"...

However, at the same time, practicing "immortality" means giving up the martial arts that one has practiced for the past ten or even several decades, which is common knowledge.

This threshold alone is enough to deter many people, but for the disciples of the Tang Clan, this threshold is...

"So what if my martial arts are ruined? Anyway, I'm only at the eighth rank now. I'll be a nobody wherever I go. I might as well follow the ancestor to cultivate immortality. Maybe I can even become a Foundation Establishment cultivator who can kill a Grandmaster with one punch!"

"It doesn't matter, both immortal cultivation and martial arts are the same thing, they're all the same..."

"You two are really dreaming! You want to build something, and the ancestors will accept you? You're dreaming in broad daylight!"

"Oh dear, that's our ancestor! Even if she doesn't take us in, she said she's going to establish a new sect in the north. We can just go with her then. She can't possibly kick us all out, can she? Besides, a new sect needs people to do things, right? I learned how to make brown sugar rice cakes and jelly from the cook. I can just become a cook in the new sect!"

"Exactly, that's the 'immortal path'! Putting everything else aside, being able to live to three hundred years old like our ancestor is already a great achievement! My twenty-odd years of true energy, I might as well just lose it! What's there to be sad about!"

……

The Tang Sect disciples, who were usually very easygoing, even considered defecting from the sect on the spot upon hearing that they could cultivate immortality.

"Sect Leader, the Ancestor only accepts a few? Why don't we all go?"

A bold Tang Clan disciple, who was also close to Tang Chi, even used his inner energy to shout loudly on the spot.

Once one starts, another follows. Soon, many Tang Clan disciples chimed in, even spouting nonsense: "That's right! When our ancestor established a new sect, didn't he need to prepare people to massage shoulders, rub legs, sing songs, and perform for money? He wouldn't mind having a few hundred!"

Tang Xiaoyu originally thought that there would be a few dozen people willing to cultivate immortality, and she could pick and choose, which would be about right. However, she did not expect that the Tang Sect disciples would be so enthusiastic, and there was not a single one who was unwilling!

not a single one!

In such a fervent atmosphere, she was momentarily dumbfounded.

Tang Chi, who was about to be abandoned and likely become a lonely old sect leader, had long anticipated this. Seeing that his ancestor looked a little stunned, he chuckled and said, "Grandmaster Uncle, what do you think? Why don't we just move our entire Tang Clan over there?"

Of course, this was just a joke. Putting aside the fact that the Tang Clan could not abandon Jiannan Road, which they had painstakingly built up, there were at least tens of thousands of people who truly belonged to the Tang Clan. It was impossible for the entire clan to move north.

However, it's quite amusing to tease our ancestors; Tang Chi hasn't joked with his "elders" like this in a long time.

The main reason is that, apart from Tang Xiaoyu, he doesn't have many other "elders" left.

"In this case……"

Tang Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, then resorted to stalling tactics, saying, "Let's discuss it later. I'll think about it carefully this afternoon."

Of course, she could organize a youth version of the "Immortal Destiny Gathering." It's hard to say what else, but at least she could organize a simplified version of the "Heart-Questioning Array." Anyway, the Illusionary Realm of the Heart Demon isn't difficult. But the reason she had Tang Chi gather everyone to discuss this matter was that she wanted to resolve it quickly and avoid delaying the process.

There are still many teleportation array projects under the jurisdiction of the White Stone Immortal Sect waiting for him to deal with, so he simply doesn't have much time to get entangled in this matter!
(End of this chapter)