Chapter 2193 - 1187: Junior Priest of Secret Sect (3)

After walking for about ten minutes, the Forbidden Army guard led him into a relatively secluded courtyard located at the foot of the hill, surrounded by trees and very well-hidden.

Even before reaching the front door, Yang Xiao sensed several obscure presences around him.

It seems these are the guards arranged by the Esoteric Sect for Dean Sheng. Clearly, the sect has invested heavily to ensure Dean Sheng’s safety.

Their prowess is considerable, with the least skilled among them being on par with Yang Xiao. One of the most obscure presences is so hidden that even Yang Xiao couldn’t immediately fathom its depth.

Guarding the main entrance was a one-eyed elder of the Esoteric Sect. The person leading him didn’t have the qualifications to enter the yard, and only after confirming Yang Xiao’s identity did the elder allow him inside, promptly closing the gate behind him.

In the innermost room of the courtyard, Yang Xiao finally met the long-missed Dean Sheng. Sheng Yanlin, upon seeing Yang Xiao, was deeply moved and couldn’t help but shed tears.

"Elder Sheng, I’m here to take you home. Everything is prepared back home, just waiting for you to take charge so we can help reclaim the Academy!" Yang Xiao said excitedly.

"Good, excellent!! Heaven has eyes, allowing me to wait for this day! Little Yang, thank you, thank you!" Dean Sheng clasped Yang Xiao’s hand, his lips trembling slightly, his eyes reddened, and tears flowed freely.

Yang Xiao knew that Dean Sheng had endured and persisted through humiliation, hoping that one day he could return and reclaim all that belonged to him.

As Dean Sheng’s emotions grew increasingly intense, Yang Xiao clearly sensed a strong energy, exclaiming in surprise, "Elder Sheng, your prowess has advanced significantly!"

"Hahaha, the High Priest gifted me many elixirs. During this time, I haven’t been idle, and I’ve developed this Wisdom Staff to its fullest potential." Dean Sheng gently clenched his palm, and the staff appeared within his hand.

"How much of your peak power have you regained now?" Yang Xiao asked curiously, knowing that it was critical for their success.

"It’s not an exaggeration to say I’ve regained over 70%, almost 80%. Forget defeating my incompetent brother; as long as I don’t encounter a truly super first-class expert who’s entered the mid-stage Nether Realm, no one can stop me!" With the Wisdom Staff in hand, Dean Sheng spoke with more confidence.

"That’s wonderful, hearing that from you sets my mind at ease!"

Yang Xiao felt reassured, knowing that this time, their Patrol Defense Office was just lending support; the real battle had to be led by Dean Sheng.

"Little Yang, your own skills have advanced significantly too! You’re now at an Upper Ghost Level, impressive, impressive, all within a year. It seems you’ve had quite an encounter." Dean Sheng nodded approvingly.

"Hehe, just average." Yang Xiao smiled confidently and eagerly shared the news with Sheng Yanlin that the Cannibal Buddha had already agreed to adopt him as a godson.

Hearing this, Sheng Yanlin was first stunned, then displayed an excitement that exceeded Yang Xiao’s, pacing back and forth in the room:

"Good, excellent! Little Yang, in the future, with the Cannibal Buddha backing you, there’s no escaping becoming an official Director of the Patrol Defense Office, and a wealth of resources will be directed your way. After all, they’ll rely on you to maintain good relations with the Myanmar and Thailand crowd; you’re indispensable!" Sheng Yanlin said excitedly.

However, when discussing the position of the young priest, Sheng Yanlin splashed cold water on Yang Xiao:

"Little Yang, this young priest isn’t as you think. You know people from the Yi Sect, the young priest of the Esoteric Sect is akin to theirs. It’s not a single person but a collective term for a type of people."

"Does it mean apart from me, godfather has other sons too?" Yang Xiao felt betrayed.

"Yes, as far as I know, there have been a total of six young priests in the Esoteric Sect before you, not counting you." Sheng Yanlin replied, "You’re the seventh."

"That many?" Yang Xiao suddenly realized he had been too optimistic, celebrating prematurely.

"Yes, but now only three remain, including you."

"What happened?" Yang Xiao suddenly sensed something ominous, "Where are the other... the other four young priests?"

"They’re dead." Sheng Yanlin instinctively lowered his voice, "One died in the Nightmare World, another was killed by an enemy faction, and the other two... were executed upon orders by the Cannibal Buddha, exterminating three clans in the process."

"Nani?!"

Yang Xiao felt a chill behind him, like the sky was falling. No one had warned him beforehand that being a young priest in the Esoteric Sect was such a high-risk occupation, with a death rate of 66.6%, worse than dying in a dungeon.

Furthermore, at worst, dying in a dungeon only meant his own death, but they hadn’t mentioned the extermination of three clans—this was terrifying.

Oh, but he was an orphan, so this detail seemed irrelevant to him, Yang Xiao belatedly realized.

"No, I understand the first two, but why were the last two executed?" Yang Xiao pressed.

"The specifics are unclear, but I suspect it involves plotting a rebellion. In this world, power is the only thing that can’t be shared."

"It doesn’t matter who you are or how close you are to the High Priest; once you challenge his power, you’re touching his reverse scale."

Sheng Yanlin warned in a lowered voice, "You don’t think the Cannibal Buddha persuades his followers with love and grace, do you? Moreover, the Cannibal Buddha’s power doesn’t come so..."

Suddenly, Sheng Yanlin stopped speaking, looking at Yang Xiao. His gaze shifted from initial confusion to sudden realization, as if he had figured something out.

"I understand now!" Sheng Yanlin suddenly exclaimed.