Inside Wan Jun Hall.

"This matter is not for me to decide. As for the Twelve Pavilion Masters, I am in the dark. You should know, though I am named the Chief Pavilion Master, it is the Grand Pavilion Master who handles all arrangements. I am merely the person dispatched from within the sect to oversee and inspect." The man said calmly.

"Does the Chief Pavilion Master know where he is?" Yue Dewen asked.

"Of course, he is currently within the pavilion. However, he has been preoccupied with a very important matter recently and cannot be distracted. As for what exactly, I do not know," the man replied. "Do you... wish to see him?" He paused and asked.

"Naturally." Yue Dewen squinted his eyes.

"Very well." The man clapped his hands. "Icefield."

"Yes."

Outside the door, a man clad in dark blue armor with a wolf-head helmet swiftly entered and knelt on one knee.

"Escort Sect Leader Yue to the Earth Element Hall. Earlier, I saw the Grand Pavilion Master praying before the Earth Mother."

"As you command." The wolf-head helmeted man stood up and looked at Yue Dewen.

"Sect Leader Yue, please." His eyes were calm, seemingly indifferent to Yue Dewen’s fame as the world’s number one expert.

"Thank you." Yue Dewen smiled back, hands behind his back, brushing past the Chief Pavilion Master.

"I hope the earlier incident doesn’t happen again." A voice as thin as a mosquito buzzed into the Chief Pavilion Master’s ear, audible only to him.

"It was probably just a misunderstanding." The Chief Pavilion Master responded.

"I hope so." Yue Dewen slowly followed Icefield out of Wan Jun Hall, his silhouette gradually fading into the swirling snowstorm.

Once they disappeared completely, only the Chief Pavilion Master remained standing at the spot.

He stood silently for a while, as if pondering something.

It wasn’t until over ten minutes later that he began walking forward, step by step, and sat on a stone chair as massive as a giant’s seat, silent as if truly a stone statue.

A rumbling sound arose.

The stone doors of the hall began to close slowly, and just as the doors were fully shut.

All of a sudden, the corners of his mouth beneath the helmet slightly curved into a strange arc.

*

*

*

Early April.

Outside Fushan City.

Inside the main Dao Palace of Mountain Province’s Great Dao Teaching headquarters.

Zhang Rongfang walked in with a somber expression into the vast and empty Dao Palace.

The Dao Palace was silent, with only an elderly white-haired Daoist sitting quietly in front of an incense burner at the center of the Dao field, seemingly waiting for quite some time.

The Daoist had a youthful face with white crane-like hair, and his skin was rosy and glowing. As someone approached, he slowly opened his eyes, revealing a clarity that seemed to see through worldly affairs.

"So, it is indeed the Daoist himself, pardon for not greeting, I hope to be forgiven." The Daoist’s breath was steady as he spoke.

The wind stirred the fallen leaves, scraping across the ground with a hissing sound. Coupled with the Daoist’s calm voice, it only created a more tranquil atmosphere.

"You specifically waited here for me?" Zhang Rongfang frowned. In his perception, there was no other sign of life around the Dao Palace.

Only the presence of this person. Precisely speaking, not even a mouse could be felt.

"Yes." The Daoist smiled and nodded, "I am Spirit Turtle, considered the only messenger left here for the Chief Pavilion Master. Left specifically for the Daoist."

"Has the master instructed something?" Zhang Rongfang understood immediately.

"The Sect Leader anticipated you would come here, thus ordered me to wait here." Spirit Turtle replied, "Regarding the Red Turban Rebels, the Sect Leader clearly stated they cannot be avoided. But as long as the Daoist remains at your own stronghold, there won’t be greater troubles."

"Why does the master dare to be so certain?" Zhang Rongfang’s heart tightened.

"That, I do not know." Spirit Turtle shook his head. "The Sect Leader only instructed me to leave these words, please rest easy in seclusion. Additionally, if you need funds or food supplies, you may borrow from this place."

He fumbled out a piece of paper from his pocket, trembling as he handed it out.

Zhang Rongfang stepped forward, took the paper, and looked. It contained a strange address, situated on a desolate mountain in the Mountain Province.

"Have they all left?" He put away the paper, understanding that Yue Shi probably foresaw the Red Turban Rebels long ago.

"Yes... they have all left." Spirit Turtle nodded. "Daoist, now that you’ve found your way here, you must understand what it means to stand alone."

Stand alone...

Indeed.

Zhang Rongfang’s heart sank slightly.

These days, his strength was indeed formidable enough to even challenge a Grandmaster, leaving the outcome uncertain.

But often, no matter how strong an individual is, there are times when they can’t do it all.

Just like now, he needs people to prepare herbs, food supplies, meats, and other resources. These materials do not come from a single place but are gathered from various locations.

When trouble arises in one place, he can personally resolve it.

But when trouble is everywhere, he finds himself overwhelmed, even unable to extinguish fires, losing many subordinates.

Yue Shi seems to have arranged everything, but what he doesn’t know is that Zhang Rongfang’s needs go beyond mere food; he needs special materials for fasting pill production.

Without specially made fasting pills, he has to consume large amounts of food periodically and constantly relieve himself.

Thus, he’s unable to do anything else, spending the whole day eating and excreting.

"The Daoist seems to understand, so does the Sect Leader." Spirit Turtle sighed, "Years ago, the Sect Leader also suffered similar setbacks like the Daoist. Afterwards, he decided to manage power and cultivate experts, even humbling himself to draw closer to the Jade Void Palace’s ancestral uncle-master." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

As he spoke, he suddenly started coughing, the sound growing louder, evolving from dry coughs to phlegm-filled ones.

"You haven’t worshipped the gods?" Zhang Rongfang was slightly taken aback.

He opened the attribute panel and looked at the other person.

’Spirit Turtle Daoist—Life Force 4-49.’

When he saw the life force lower limit, he was somewhat stunned.

This was the first time he had seen someone with such a low lower limit and a high upper limit of life force.

What does forty-nine signify?

Many Cultivation of Literature masters, even in the Nascent Soul Stage, barely have a life force approaching thirty.

And forty-nine must mean a high innate life upper limit, coupled with an extremely high Cultivation of Literature level, combining to reach such a state.

This is almost second only to Daoist Qingxiao’s level before.

Daoist Qingxiao practiced both martial arts and his life force reached forty-something.

But the Spirit Turtle Daoist in front of him, purely through Cultivation of Literature, reached forty-something.

At least through his dark vision, Zhang Rongfang found no traces of martial arts practice on him.

"You’re about to die?"

Zhang Rongfang suddenly spoke.

"Cough cough..." Spirit Turtle chuckled, "You’ve seen through me. Yes... I’ve lived long enough and it’s just about time."

He tried to stand up, but his legs seemed to have shriveled and lacked strength. After trying twice, he still couldn’t stand.

He smiled bitterly.

"Rosy cheeks are laughing at you. I could get up this morning... life is truly meaningless... when you’re old... you can’t do anything."

"Why not worship the gods?" Zhang Rongfang asked in a serious tone. "Your Cultivation of Literature should be quite advanced. Worshiping the gods in the Nascent Soul Stage should allow for a significant extension of life, right?"

"Why not worship the gods? Great Dao Teaching... there are too many Cultivation of Literature masters. Daoist, this is what you call, the full don’t know the hunger of the hungry." Spirit Turtle shook his head lightly, "Only at Refining God do you see a qualitative change, before that, worshipping is just ordinary. The level of worship depends entirely on your contribution to the sect."

He paused.

"Besides, the quota for worshiping the gods is limited... someone like me, an old relic, who knows nothing, what use is it even if I worship? Out of age, Qi and Blood decline, nothing has any meaning. Cultivation of Literature can only counteract the decline brought by aging, that’s all."

"By the way." Speaking here, Spirit Turtle continued, "The Sect Leader sent a message to me, asking me to inform you, the person impersonating you has disappeared. From now on, Zhang Ying has been personally executed by the Sect Leader because of previous matters; henceforth, there is no more Zhang Ying in the world. In the future, please take note when signing your name."

"Alright..." Zhang Rongfang responded while various incidents he encountered these past few days flashed through his mind.

There are riots everywhere, material shortages, resource trading chains are broken. Current supplies dwindle with every use.

Unless he abandons everything, regardless of his subordinates, his sister and brother-in-law, only caring for himself without minding the slowing acquisition of attribute points.

Otherwise... he must consider how to deal with the current situation.

How to deal?

Looking at the old Daoist in front of him, who is close to stepping into death.

A thought flashed across Zhang Rongfang’s mind.

Bloodline!

The Spirit Turtle Daoist right here is an extremely suitable candidate for the Bloodline. Unable to secure a quota for worshiping the gods, completing his own mission at the end of his life, and then quietly waiting for death.

He must have resentment in his heart, right? Discontent, grievance, longing, these are naturally occurring human emotions.

Thinking of this, Zhang Rongfang’s expression subtly moved, looking at the other person.

If he were to create a Bloodline, he couldn’t possibly treat it as he did with Ding Yu, replacing all blood, which is a treatment for those he values, and is too troublesome.

For outsiders like Spirit Turtle, at most he would give a little refined blood.

"Do you still want to live?"

Suddenly, he asked.

"?" Spirit Turtle, having said all, was ready to close his eyes and peacefully enter meditation.

But did not expect Zhang Rongfang to say such a thing.

"If I can avoid death, of course, I would want to." Spirit Turtle smiled, "If not, I wouldn’t have studied Cultivation of Literature so diligently for nearly a hundred years."

"Unable to worship the gods, unable to extend life, someone with Qi and Blood decline like you, probably no sect wants to take you in, right?" Zhang Rongfang continued to ask.

"You’re right. To worship the gods, you need a body in strong condition. This old Daoist nowadays...." Spirit Turtle smiled bitterly, but did not continue.

"I have a method that can allow you to continue living, but, in return, you need to work for me, are you willing?" Zhang Rongfang said in a serious tone.

"...!? Could it be you..." Upon hearing this, Spirit Turtle’s eyes slightly widened, and what first came to mind was the worship of the gods.

However, if it would make a Daoist so cautious, it’s probably not the worship of the Celestial Venerable but rather an external sect god. Could it be the Daoist actually....!?

"It’s not what you think, it’s not worshiping the gods." At this moment, Zhang Rongfang’s thoughts gradually cleared and he made up his mind.

No matter what, he first needs to ensure his progress doesn’t slow, nor should the security of those around him weaken.

So...

"If Daoist can truly accomplish this, this old Daoist is willing!" Spirit Turtle Daoist thought about it and quickly answered.

He doesn’t want to die, really doesn’t. If there were no choice, who would want to walk towards death without accomplishing anything?

"Very well!"

Zhang Rongfang’s expression steadied as he took a step forward, approached, and extended his hand, pointing a finger at the other person’s forehead.

A drop of blood was forced out and seeped through a small cut on the person’s forehead.

As soon as the drop of blood went inside, it quickly began to assimilate all surrounding blood.