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

Chapter 353: Meat Eaters
She just deliberately punched someone an extra time, breaking their gun. What's she so guilty about?
With that thought in mind, Zhong Hui straightened his back and called out again, "Senior Sister Yan..."

Her tone sounded a little lacking in confidence, but she quickly coughed lightly and said loudly, "I didn't expect Senior Sister Yan to come, that's wonderful!"

Zhong Hui and Yan Wuqi used to have a pretty good relationship.

As a respected senior sister in the Jade Void Sect, Yan Wuqi has taught and guided many disciples of the Jade Void Sect. Zhong Hui's mother is one of the leaders of the Jade Void Sect. Zhong Hui, who grew up in the Jade Void Sect, was practically raised by Yan Wuqi, so they naturally had a very close relationship.

Hearing Zhong Hui's clearly weak yet forcedly calm "Senior Sister Yan," how could Yan Wuqi not understand what this little girl was thinking?
She must have felt that she had hit too hard and broken someone's weapon, and she was losing face, showing weakness in front of her "old acquaintance".

Seeing Zhong Hui's shifty eyes and feigned indifference, Yan Wuqi's initial sense of unfamiliarity and distance caused by Zhong Hui's rapid improvement in strength vanished instantly.

This is clearly still the junior sister who would avoid eye contact after causing trouble, yet couldn't help but want to show off!

A genuine smile appeared in Yan Wuqi's eyes as he followed her words, saying, "Yes, I went to the Taiyue Sword Sect to practice swordsmanship, and when I heard about the grand event of the Baishi Immortal Sect's sect conference, I came along."

Zhong Hui nodded like a chick pecking at rice: "Yes, yes! Our Jade Void Sect, oh, our Grand Master Xuan Yangzi is here too. Senior Sister, would you like to go and say hello?"

Yan Wuqi nodded slightly: "I was just about to go and pay my respects to my master."

"Oh, then come with me, Senior Sister, I'll take you there! Our Jade Void Sect arrived very early, almost the first sect to arrive, it's been almost half a month..."

Yan Wuqi's master, Xuan Yangzi, was the head of the Yuxu Sect.

As the leader of one of the top sects in the world, Xuan Yangzi is usually very busy, so he doesn't have many disciples in total, less than ten. Yan Wuqi is one of them.

However, Zhong Hui was actually a disciple of another elder. It was only because Xuan Yangzi had occasionally given Zhong Hui guidance in his cultivation that Zhong Hui privately referred to Xuan Yangzi as the sect leader or "master," which was a way of showing affection.

As she walked, she couldn't help but chatter on and on: "After Master arrived, he even went to talk to Manager Xu of the White Stone Immortal Sect several times, asking a lot of questions about Qi cultivation and spiritual energy cultivation! Oh, by the way, Senior Sister, how was my punch just now? I really put in a lot of hard work on the 'Tai Xu Fist'! And also, the 'Internal Healing Kudzu Root Pills' I made worked pretty well, didn't they? Brother Zhou's internal injuries were so severe, but after taking two pills, he felt much better..."

Watching her beaming with pride, yet trying her best to maintain her composure, Yan Wuqi listened with a smile, occasionally nodding in response, feeling a warmth in his heart.

No matter how our identities change or how much our cultivation advances, this pure and sincere affection has never changed...

However, from Zhong Hui's words, Yan Wuqi also gleaned that his master, who had always maintained a somewhat conservative attitude towards the outside world, was indeed seriously considering the path of "immortality."

As the head of the Jade Void Sect and a grandmaster of martial arts, Xuan Yangzi came in person this time, arriving half a month in advance. If he said that he had just left early, Yan Wuqi would certainly not believe it.

During this long period, Master must have had many pleasant conversations with the people from the White Stone Immortal Sect, which is a very strong signal in itself. Master is probably truly trying to understand and evaluate this new path of "immortality," and is also pondering the future of the Jade Void Sect.

In fact, the reason why she switched from martial arts to immortal cultivation was not only due to the humiliation of breaking her sword at the Sword Forging Manor Martial Arts Tournament, but also because of the support of her master, Xuan Yangzi.

"The most important thing in sword practice is sword intent, and what you cultivate is the way of the sword. Whether it is the way of martial arts or the way of immortality, true qi or spiritual qi are ultimately external things. Honing sword intent and purifying the sword heart are the essence of the way of the sword. Therefore, whether you still want to study the way of martial arts and nurture your natal sword again, or you take a desperate step to cultivate the way of immortality, it will not affect your pursuit and gains in the way of the sword. In the past, the Sword Saint Senior Tang dominated the martial arts world with his way of the sword, sword intent, and sword moves. He did not understand the true qi of martial arts, nor did he know the spiritual qi of immortality, yet he was able to reach a level that countless martial artists could not reach in their entire lives... Wuqi, what is it that you seek in your heart? Is it fame and status, great power, a longer life, or the ultimate realm of the way of the sword? You must think carefully about it."

Xuan Yangzi's words still echoed in her ears, like a sudden awakening, dispelling the last hesitation in her heart.

Whenever Yan Wuqi couldn't help but doubt whether his decision to switch to cultivating immortality was too absurd, he would think of these words and gradually calm his mind.

However, although Xuan Yangzi held a positive attitude towards the path of immortality, the Jade Void Sect, one of the top martial arts sects in the world, could not be so enthusiastic.

Admittedly, there are disciples in the sect who, like her, are curious and accepting of new things, and there are also some elders and teachers who are open-minded and not bound by formalities. But there are more of those who have been immersed in the path of martial arts for decades, or even most of their lives, and who have become vested interests.

They are mostly the backbone of the sect, elders with real power, highly respected guest advisors, and leaders and deacons in charge of specific affairs.

Most of these people are over fifty years old. They have dedicated most of their lives to martial arts, training in the coldest and hottest winters and summers. They may have even gone through countless life-and-death battles and endured unimaginable boredom and pain before climbing step by step to their current rank. They now enjoy a respected position in the martial arts world, absolute power within their sects, and the resulting privileged life and preferential treatment in resources.

Are you going to make them admit that martial arts might not be as good as immortality? Are you going to make them give up the wealth, fame, and status they already have in their hands, and instead start from scratch to cultivate an ethereal and uncertain path to immortality?
This is tantamount to negating their efforts and achievements throughout their lives, and it also shakes the very foundation upon which they live!
It's not that they can't see the trend: the rise of the Immortal Path, the revival of spiritual energy, the powerful rise of the White Stone Immortal Sect, and even the numerous rumors about the Immortal Path circulating in the martial arts world, each one more exaggerated and more shocking than the last.

The rumors about the White Stone Immortal Sect ruling a country as a single sect, or the chaos in Yunnan, Yunnan, and Sichuan caused by the "awakening" of the "Three Altar Gods," which was then brought to a stable balance by the legendary White Stone Immortal, all surged like a torrent against the old order. The dramatic changes in the world's situation were even more terrifying than when martial arts first emerged.

These people knew perfectly well that if things continued this way, martial arts would inevitably decline, and everything they possessed would shrink accordingly, perhaps even leading to their eventual abandonment by the times. But...

So what?
It's unknown whether it will be decades or even centuries before the path of immortality truly becomes widespread and the path of martial arts completely declines!

By then, they will have long since turned to dust, so why worry about the present?
As long as the martial arts community remains large and people seeking martial arts continue to join, they can continue to enjoy this final glory based on their existing rank, cultivation, and status.

As for the future of the sect? And the changing world?
What does it matter to them? It's far less important than the real power they hold and the immediate benefits they have!

Therefore, although out of respect for the sect leader Xuan Yangzi and fear of the strength of the White Stone Immortal Sect, they dared not openly express too much hostility, and even said some polite words on some occasions, in private, they all warned and restricted their disciples and the students of their respective factions, strictly prohibiting them from switching to the path of immortality, in an attempt to delay the arrival of change in order to maintain the existing structure.

Those who eat meat are base and incapable of long-term planning; they are nothing more than that.

(End of this chapter)