Junior sister, I really need to control you.

At the Shouyi Temple's garrison.

Seeing Vice Abbot Liang's dilemma, Li Yinsheng took the initiative to speak.

"Fellow Daoist Liang, rest assured. If Shouyi Temple persists in its wrongdoing and seeks trouble, you may simply push me out. I will take full responsibility for this matter and will not implicate your temple."

"No, no, no, Fellow Daoist Li, what are you saying!"

Deputy Abbot Liang quickly waved his hand: "You are a guest invited by my Huangzhu Temple, and you have been wronged on our temple's territory. How can we pretend not to know?"

"Besides, Shouyi Temple really went too far this time, openly targeting other Taoist temples. They got a lesson for it, which is exactly what they asked for."

Vice Abbot Liang did not ask why Shouyi Temple instructed its disciples to target Xuanzhen Temple.

It was no secret that Shouyi Temple coveted the spiritual vein of Xuanzhen Temple, so how could he not know?

He was more concerned about something else.

"Fellow Daoist Li just said that Shouyi Temple is targeting your temple's stewards, but where are the stewards?" Vice Abbot Liang asked.

"It's right here." Li Yinsheng patted Mu Xiaoyu on the shoulder.

Mu Xiaoyu straightened his back, looked at Vice Abbot Liang with a serious expression, cupped his hands in greeting, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Mu Xiaoyu, a steward of Xuanzhen Temple, greets Fellow Daoist Liang."

Normally, when a deacon introduces himself, he should also include his specific position and the matters he is responsible for.

However, Mu Xiaoyu didn't know exactly what her duties as a butler were, so she could only refer to herself as a "butler".

Facing Deacon Mu, Vice Abbot Liang was stunned for a long time before looking at Li Yinsheng and saying somewhat awkwardly, "Fellow Daoist Li, this matter is not something to be joked about."

"Junior sister, show your Daoist certificate and steward's seal to Fellow Daoist Liang," Li Yinsheng said.

Are you kidding me? What a joke! My junior sister went through all the proper official procedures and was personally appointed as a steward by me, the abbot. All the formalities were in order!

Upon seeing Mu Xiaoyu display his Taoist certificate and seal, Vice Abbot Liang closed his chin, gave Mu Xiaoyu a strange bow, and said, "Liang Chengfeng, Vice Abbot of Huangzhu Temple, greets Fellow Daoist Mu."

"Fellow Daoist Liang, you're too kind," Mu Xiaoyu replied with an air of superiority.

Li Yinsheng tapped her on the head, signaling her not to get carried away. Mu Xiaoyu looked up and grinned at Li Yinsheng.

"Since Fellow Daoist Mu... uh, Fellow Daoist Mu," the strange look on Vice Abbot Liang's face had not been completely suppressed, "Fellow Daoist Mu is indeed a steward of your temple, then the nature of this matter is different."

"Conflicts between disciples are one thing, but openly targeting a deacon from another Taoist temple is quite another. After all, a deacon can represent a Taoist temple to a certain extent."

Deputy Abbot Liang said, "If this matter is to be taken seriously, then Shouyi Temple is definitely in the wrong."

His implication was that you, Fellow Daoist Li, had overstepped your bounds by wiping out the entire enemy force right from the start.

Ultimately, however, the one who adheres to the original view is more unreasonable, so in comparison, they are the ones who are less justified.

"However, Shouyi Temple is not exactly a reasonable Taoist temple. I'm afraid they'll argue even if they're wrong," Qi Jiushan said from the side, his expression complicated.

Vice Abbot Liang also felt somewhat saddened.

After hesitating for a while, he said with a serious face, "In any case, this matter happened at my Huangzhu Temple and arose from the purchase of training materials. Fellow Daoist Li, rest assured, within our power, Huangzhu Temple will uphold justice for you."

The talent and strength of this young fellow Daoist before him were truly unparalleled in his life...

No, it's not just about "seeing" him. Even if we include the geniuses of the Zhengyang lineage and other lineages that he had heard about, this Fellow Daoist Li is by no means inferior to them.

At such an age and with such cultivation, wouldn't it be a certainty that he will become a True Person in the future?

Even the higher-level Divine Travel Realm Grand Master should have a considerable chance, right?

A Grand Master of the Divine Realm is second only to the Sect Master and the elders in a lineage, and even the elders of the lineage must treat him with respect.

The reason why Shouyi Temple can act so domineeringly is not only because of the lineage behind it, but also because of the ten True Persons and two Great True Persons of the Divine Travel Realm in the temple.

The few major temples that could maintain some semblance of dignity in the face of the overwhelming power of Shouyi Temple relied on their own Divine Travel Realm ancestors for their greatest confidence.

Being able to befriend such a promising prodigy is worthwhile, even if it leads to some conflict with Shouyi Temple.

Anyway, there's no benefit in getting on good terms with Shouyi Temple.

Moreover, although Huangzhu Temple itself does not have any Great True Persons at the Divine Travel Realm, the cultivation level of its own True Persons is not bad.

Moreover, Huangzhu Temple has provided training grounds for the Zhengyang lineage and other lineages for many years. Although it does not have a stable backer like Shouyi Temple, it has naturally cultivated many relationships within the lineage.

If we really want to stand up to Shouyi Temple, then we can certainly do it!

However... whether or not to support this Fellow Daoist Li, and how much effort to put in, is not something that a mere deputy abbot can decide on his own.

He still had to send a message back to the temple and report to the abbot and the venerable master before he could make a decision.

Therefore, in the end, Vice Abbot Liang did not give Li Yinsheng any very specific promises, only saying that he would support Li Yinsheng "within the scope of his ability".

Then he asked Li Yinsheng to untie the net and release the people of Shouyiguan. He then ordered the disciples of Huichuntang of Huangzhuguan to come quickly and treat the people of Shouyiguan.

After arranging everything, Vice Abbot Liang bid farewell to Li Yinsheng and hurriedly pulled Qi Jiushan away.

Li Yinsheng escorted Mu Xiaoyu back to the patrolling disciples' residence before returning to his bamboo house alone.

……

Meanwhile, dozens of miles outside of Bamboo Forest Peak, on an unnamed hill.

A figure dressed in the robes of a steward of Shouyi Temple, holding a compass, landed in front of a mountain wall.

If Li Yinsheng or Mu Xiaoyu were here, they would recognize that this person was another steward who followed the steward surnamed Xu when they first arrived at Bamboo Forest Peak.

This man was taciturn and kept a low profile. He never provoked Li Yinsheng, so Li Yinsheng only reprimanded the steward surnamed Xu and ignored this man.

Standing in front of the stone wall, he first used his compass to confirm that he had not come to the wrong place.

He then bowed deeply to the mountain wall, almost bending his body to the bottom, and respectfully said, "Junior Chen Rui greets Ancestor Chongyun."

For those who are usually arrogant and aloof, performing such a grand ceremony is extremely rare.

"Young man, how rude of you! You dare not kneel before me?!" A hoarse, chilling voice echoed from the stone wall.

The next instant, the steward who called himself Chen Rui felt a tremendous force descend from the sky, his knees buckled, and he immediately fell to his knees.

His knees, elbows, and forehead slammed into the ground simultaneously, forming a standard prostration posture.

"Senior... please forgive me! This is my first time meeting the Venerable Ancestor, I... I am ignorant of etiquette... Please forgive me, Venerable Ancestor..." Chen Rui begged for forgiveness repeatedly.

"snort."

A cold snort came from the stone wall, and the heavy pressure on Chen Rui disappeared.

"The prestigious Zhengyang lineage's number one Taoist temple has deacons who don't even know basic etiquette. They're not even as good as a random Gu slave in my Thousand Insect Valley. It seems they're all talk and no action. Hehehe..."

The voice from within the stone wall chuckled strangely: "Young man, come in."

Chen Rui looked up and saw the stone wall in front of him tremble.

He subconsciously rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating because of the imposing presence of the real person.

But the next moment, the stone wall opened up before him like two large doors.

He looked up and saw a huge silhouette, more than ten feet tall, with sprawling limbs, appearing in the night.

Only then did he realize that what stood in front of him was not a stone wall at all, but a pair of insect elytra!

This is a bizarre giant insect as tall as a building. It stands here, transforming its form, leaving only a pair of earth-colored, massive elytra resembling a mountain wall closed.

As its elytra opened, what was revealed was not its body beneath the elytra, but a deep, hollow cavity.

Chen Rui swallowed hard and stepped into the cave. His nostrils were filled with a dark, gloomy smell that was neither damp nor rotten, but made him feel uncomfortable all over.

It felt as if I were in a cave that never saw sunlight and was teeming with all sorts of damp, crawling insects.

After walking only a few steps, the view suddenly opened up before him.

In a stone chamber several tens of feet in diameter, a middle-aged man dressed in black, with tangled and sticking-out hair and beard, was meditating with his eyes closed.

His attire was neither that of a monk nor a Taoist priest; he wore a tattered black robe, had a string of prayer beads around his neck, and looked to be in his early forties, with two thin, centipede-like whiskers.

Chen Rui immediately prostrated himself: "Chen Rui, the steward of the External Affairs Hall of Shouyi Temple, greets senior. This junior has been ordered by Patriarch Cen Yi of the temple to assist you in achieving your great plan."

"Cen Yi?" He opened his eyes slightly. "Hmph, this old geezer, he's lived for almost two hundred and fifty years, and he's still dragging himself on without dying?"

Chen Rui trembled and remained silent.

"Didn't you say you were going to send a deputy abbot to Shouyi Temple?" Master Chongyun asked with a sneer, "Why did you send a mere deacon like yourself?"

"Reporting to Senior, my senior brother just arrived at Bamboo Forest Peak tonight. He cannot leave directly, lest his actions attract the attention of the people from Huangzhu Temple and allow them to discover your arrangements," Chen Rui quickly explained.

"Discovered? What a joke!" Master Chongyun sneered. "I have kept my arrangements on that mountain hidden for almost twenty years. Even when that old codger from Huangzhu Temple came in person, he didn't find anything amiss."

"Sigh, you juniors, just admit you're timid and hesitant. Why bother with the excuse of looking out for me? Hypocritical!"

Chen Rui shrank back, but still mustered up the courage to ask.

"Senior, will your Gu... spirit insects really not be discovered? I, Shouyi Temple, have taken a great risk in helping you this time. If this matter is exposed..."

"What does that have to do with me?" Master Chongyun retorted. "Does the Zhengyang lineage dare to come to Thousand Insect Valley to cause me trouble?"

Chen Rui's face immediately turned pale with fear, his eyes widening.

The Zhengyang lineage couldn't really cause trouble for the Thousand Insect Valley, but they were right below the lineage!

He didn't even want to think about the consequences if this got out.

He could almost see the legendary heavenly lightning, powerful enough to destroy souls, rolling overhead. Even though he was already kneeling on the ground, his legs felt weak, as if he might collapse at any moment.

"Hahaha……"

Seeing Chen Rui's terrified expression, Master Chongyun burst into laughter.

"You little brat, you're too easily teased! I was just teasing you, why are you so frightened?"

"Hehehe... Don't worry, I swore a blood oath with you old talisman when we were at Shouyi Temple. If I really betrayed you, I wouldn't get away with it either. We're all in the same boat."

This person speaks in a erratic manner; he was aggressive just a moment ago, but now he has suddenly become more gentle.

"Aren't we all in the same boat?" Chen Rui corrected him tremblingly.

Mosquitoes can fly, so what's the point of having a boat?

"How dare you! What are grasshoppers! How can you compare them to mosquitoes!" Master Chongyun roared in anger.

"Yes, yes, senior is right! It's a mosquito, it's a mosquito!" Chen Rui echoed repeatedly.

"Hmph, alright, don't worry about hiding them. My treasures are still buried underground, sleeping in their cocoons, almost completely devoid of life, and further concealed by my magical artifacts..."

Master Chongyun confidently stated, "Unless a Grand Master of the Divine Travel Realm appears, there is absolutely no possibility of being discovered!"

Chen Rui immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, enough nonsense. Just remember, I want the bamboo and the training materials at Huangzhu Temple, and you want the mountain peak with the broken spiritual vein at Huangzhu Temple. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Therefore, you juniors must all do your utmost to get things done for me!"

"If you cause my grand plan to malfunction and fail at the last minute, then you can forget about getting what you want, understand?"

Master Chongyun nodded in satisfaction as he watched Chen Rui nod vigorously.

"Young man, remember this well, I have made the following arrangements..."

……

It was late at night, in Li Yinsheng's own bamboo house.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, and with a thought, his soul flew out of his body.

In an instant, the sharpness of his divine sense was magnified more than tenfold, and he could grasp every rustle of grass and every movement of energy on the entire Bamboo Forest Peak.