Chapter 384: Your Grandpa Is Gone

Song Jiulai tried to argue, "Senior, I think you’re being a bit unfair—"

Han Daozi cut her off. "What are you doing here?"

Song Jiulai blinked. "And what might you be doing here, Senior?"

Han Daozi sized Song Jiulai up. "You’re questioning me now?"

This Sect Master was certainly bolder than most. Anyone else wouldn’t have dared to ask such a question.

Song Jiulai cupped her hands. "Hehe, just curious."

"The Fierce Eagle Sect has a little problem. If I hadn’t come to observe, this matter would have attracted the attention of the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, which, for you—"

He trailed off, then, as if suddenly remembering something, gave Song Jiulai a suspicious look. "You’re with the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect now. Did they find something and send you over?"

"Of course not! I snuck over here on my own. Even though I’m in the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect now—"

Han Daozi asked abruptly, "The Ten Thousand Immortals Sect only just recruited disciples. You managed to get in then? Who’s your master?"

"...Chihe Zhenren."

For the first time, utter shock was written all over Han Daozi’s face.

It was a speechless kind of shock, the kind that comes from being stunned beyond belief.

After a long moment, Han Daozi gave her a thumbs-up. "I truly underestimated you."

"Oh, not at all," Song Jiulai said, feigning embarrassment. "I’m not worthy of such high praise."

"Oh, but you are," Han Daozi’s tone shifted. "In mortal terms, Chihe Zhenren would be considered my nephew."

Song Jiulai: ?

Her face fell. "What?"

Han Daozi clasped his hands behind his back. "Our relationship is strained, however."

Song Jiulai was astonished. "How could it be strained? Isn’t he your nephew?"

Han Daozi said nonchalantly, "I killed a few of his relatives back in the day."

Song Jiulai: "..."

System: "Just listen to how casually he says that."

"Chi He doesn’t take disciples lightly. Aside from that Three-Colored Stone Refiner I heard about recently... that was you?"

Song Jiulai gave an embarrassed smile. "Those are just rumors."

Han Daozi’s eyes narrowed. "You really are something else. That statue in your Sect, you and your disciples... you have quite the background."

’Hearing this, Song Jiulai’s heart skipped a beat. After all, Han Daozi is a native of the Yunzhou Continent. What if he suddenly turns on me?’

Song Jiulai immediately went into full sycophant mode. "My, what are you saying? ’Me and my disciples?’ Aren’t they your disciples, too? You’re the one who set up our Sect’s grand array! We’re all one big family! And family doesn’t keep secrets. Since you’re my master Chihe Zhenren’s uncle, I’m of a lower generation. I’ll just call you Grandpa."

"My disciples see me as a mother, so from now on, they’ll be your great-grandsons and great-granddaughters. They’re all your family! Grandpa Han!!!"

System: "...That’s our Host, all right! I knew I didn’t pick wrong! After following you, I’ve lost every last shred of dignity."

Han Daozi: "..."

For the first time in his long life, even he understood what it meant to be utterly dumbfounded.

"You... you... you..."

Han Daozi pointed a trembling finger at Song Jiulai, his expression a strange mix of anger and amusement. "You’re a Sect Master, for heaven’s sake! You manage so many disciples! How can you act like this? Have you no dignity as a Sect Master?"

"Hey, it’s not like this is the first time you’ve seen what I’m like. We’re all friends here. Who am I supposed to put on an act for?"

Han Daozi heaved a long sigh. "Chihe Zhenren definitely doesn’t know you’re like this."

"And he can’t find out! I have to pretend to be a normal person when I’m out and about."

Han Daozi: "..."

There were times he was so stunned by Song Jiulai’s shamelessness that he was at a loss for words.

Han Daozi had met many female Cultivators. While they all had vastly different personalities, he had truly never encountered one as shamelessly crass as Song Jiulai.

His head throbbing, Han Daozi decided not to banter with her any longer. "Setting that aside, what exactly are you doing at the Fierce Eagle Sect?"

"Didn’t you just say the Fierce Eagle Sect has a little problem, Senior?" Song Jiulai replied. "I also suspect they have a little problem."

Han Daozi hadn’t expected that. "What kind of problem do you think it is?"

"I don’t know. It’s just that some of the Fierce Eagle Sect’s disciples seem a bit off. That, combined with what happened to Jingque True Man, I figured I should come and investigate, right?"

Her reasoning was sound. She was, after all, the Sect Master of the Longevity Sect, and her presence was related to the Feique Sect’s troubles.

Han Daozi might have had other thoughts, but he didn’t voice them. He simply asked, "Have you ever heard of the Broken Soul Sect?"

"The Broken Soul Sect?"

’I have,’ Song Jiulai thought. Chen Miaomiao had already learned about it from Zhai Xiaotian on their way over, but Zhai Xiaotian probably didn’t know the full story.

Han Daozi nodded. "The Broken Soul Sect was once a subordinate sect of the Tianyang Sect. A hundred years ago, their methods became too cruel, and they were personally annihilated by the Tianyang Sect. By all rights, they should have vanished without a trace."

Realization dawned on Song Jiulai. "So those disciples from the Fierce Eagle Sect are likely connected to the Broken Soul Sect? Then, Senior, since you’ve been here, have you discovered anything?"

"I’ve sniffed out a few rats, but they’re small fry. I’ve already managed to get some information out of them. The trail leads back to the Tianyang Sect, so naturally, they should be the ones to handle it. And this can’t be hidden from the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect."

Song Jiulai’s eyes widened. "You mean you’re going to notify the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect?"

"This business with the Broken Soul Sect is no small matter. The information I got indicates that its traces originate from the Tianyang Sect and even involve places outside the Yunzhou Continent. It’s far beyond what you or I can resolve. If we don’t notify the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect and they find out on their own later, the consequences will be even greater."

Song Jiulai was even more shocked. "What? It’s that serious?"

Han Daozi nodded. "A hundred years ago, the Broken Soul Sect wasn’t completely wiped out. Some members must have escaped beyond the Yunzhou Continent. That place is full of taboos; it’s even the main habitat of the Holy Beast Clan. It’s not somewhere we Cultivators can freely pry into. If someone from the Broken Soul Sect really did escape there, it’s not surprising they’ve gone undetected while lying low for a century."

Song Jiulai was only concerned about one thing. "If this gets so big and the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect starts investigating, what’s going to happen to our Sect?"

"I set up the grand array; the Inner Sect isn’t easy to find in the first place." Han Daozi shot her a glare. "Have your disciples lay low for a while. It’s best if they don’t leave the Inner Sect at all. The Ten Thousand Immortals Sect usually doesn’t bother with such things. Even if they run into your disciples, they’ll just assume they’re ordinary Cultivators. You haven’t done anything wrong, so why would anyone suspect you?"

"So what if they take a look at Wang’an County? It’s no big deal."

"As for those Spirit Grasses, though... you should get rid of what you need to. Don’t be too conspicuous. The Ten Thousand Immortals Sect won’t care, as long as they don’t find anything incriminating."

Song Jiulai scratched her head. "So what exactly is the situation with the Fierce Eagle Sect now?"

"Their Deputy Sect Master is either practicing the Broken Soul Sect’s Evil Skill or is being controlled by it. This is ultimately a matter for the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect to handle. It’s not my place to get involved in that karma. I’ve already sent a secret message to the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect. They’ll be here soon."

Song Jiulai froze, a hint of panic in her voice. "Why didn’t you coordinate with us first!"

Han Daozi waved his hand dismissively. "I have to leave for the Tianyang Sect to take care of something else. I might have been worried before, but now... your Inner Sect has that Nüwa Statue. An average person won’t be able to sense anything amiss. As long as the Inner Sect isn’t discovered, the small changes in Wang’an County won’t catch the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect’s attention. What happens next depends on what their investigation turns up. You’re the Sect Master. You handle it."

After saying this, Han Daozi vanished on the spot.

He didn’t even give Song Jiulai a chance to say goodbye.

System: "Your grandpa’s gone."

Song Jiulai: "..."