Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

"I didn't expect to meet an esteemed disciple of the Qinglian Sword Sect, truly a name I've long admired."

"Ning Feixue is even more graceful than before. Please, have a seat," Yi Chen said as he cordially invited the guests to sit down.

The Qinglian Sword Sect was one hundred and eighty thousand li away from the Hidden Dragon Temple, and there were no conflicts of interest. Bai Lian and Bai Rong, the two beauties who had just reached the Qi Refinement Realm, must be newly promoted Inner Sect Disciples of the Qinglian Sword Sect, unknown to the world and unnamed on the prestigious rankings. However, this did not prevent Yi Chen from expressing his long-standing admiration.

After subtly nodding to Ning Feixue to acknowledge understanding, Yi Chen immediately mentioned Ning Feixue's significant contribution during the incident at the Medicinal Coffin Crossing.

"Hmm, back at that Medicinal Coffin Crossing, it was all thanks to Ning Feixue's keen eye that unveiled the hidden dangers of that perilous place..." Yi Chen started to fabricate a story, his eyes wide open as he spun an engrossing tale.

The two beauties listened with bright, admiring eyes, looking at Ning Feixue with deep affection.

Miao Zi was on the other side, holding a fish in its mouth, listening in astonishment to Yi Chen's recounting of the Medicinal Coffin Crossing. It shook its head, giving up eating its fish, momentarily doubting its memory.

After a few cups of wine, the atmosphere became lively.

Yi Chen was an open-hearted person, he made friends not based on their strength compared to his, but whether he took a liking to them, disregarding their status or wealth.

Even if it was a seven or eight-year-old child, as naive as a duck egg, he was still willing to befriend them.

After the wine flowed thrice and the dishes spanned five flavors,

Bai Lian suddenly lowered her voice to Yi Chen, "Did Taoist master also come for the matter of the Tathagata's disciples preaching scriptures at Mount Daguangming?"

"The Buddhist sect has ulterior motives, this time they have even sent their disciples to the great cities of Da Yue to preach, their ambition cannot be small. With signs of contention between Dao and Buddhism reemerging, I wonder what does Taoist master think?"

The foundational sword scripture of the Qinglian Sword Sect was created by a Daoist expert, belonging to the Dao Sword category, naturally biased towards the Dao Sect. Therefore, Bai Lian directly stated her purpose for coming to Jin Yue City to Yi Chen.

Hearing this, Yi Chen frowned, not expecting a simple preaching by Buddhist disciples to involve the contention between Dao and Buddhism, but his brow soon relaxed.

If the sky falls, there will be tall ones to hold it up, and I, Yi Chengzi, am just here to watch the excitement.

Not my problem.

With that thought in mind, Yi Chen's expression suddenly became vigilant. Harmful intentions should not be harbored, but one must guard against them in others. In order not to be sucked into this vortex and not to be misquoted, he began a barrage of nonsensical literature with Bai Lian and the others:

"In my humble opinion, this key issue of Dao and Buddhist conflict is very key. How key, exactly? The key point is that even I don't know; the crux of this matter is the key issue... "

As Yi Chen was passionately speaking, a fat shopkeeper in brocade swiftly approached, bowing to Yi Chen, "Unaware that it was Taoist Yi Chengzi who graced our Jin Feng Yu Lu Tower, my subordinates were short-sighted and did not provide proper hospitality, please forgive us.

"This meal is on me today. This place is too simple and does not match your stature, Taoist master. Why don't you dine on the top floor?"

When the fat shopkeeper said this, he didn't even glance properly at Ning Feixue and the other two, but humbly bowed his head and whispered to Yi Chen alone, his body slightly trembling with mana, evidently a bona fide cultivator.

"You recognize me?" Yi Chen asked coldly.

"Taoist Yi is too modest. Who in the world does not know you? You have valiantly slain 'Ba Dao', ranked sixteenth on the prestigious ranking. Those who are concerned are already aware, and the next time the ranking changes, you might even enter the top ten," the fat shopkeeper flattered.

"No need, this place is quite nice. Send my regards to your master. A meal's cost is something I can still afford," Yi Chen gestured with his hand for the shopkeeper to stop making noise and to step back. After doing so, Ning Feixue and the other two at his table became uncomfortable.

"Tao... Taoist master, you've slain 'Ba Dao'?" Ning Feixue stammered.

Bai Lian and Bai Rong were also visibly shocked and became more reserved in conversation.

Many guests on the second floor also started to look at Yi Chen, whispering to one another.

The world was full of people with similar looks. Combined with Yi Chen's cheaply bought, ten-tael Daoist robe, even the cultivators among the guests who paid attention to the prestigious rankings did not dare to recognize him directly.

It was only after the fat shopkeeper's revelation that many began to wake up as if from a dream.

Messages, passed through more than a dozen hands, circulated within the building.

"Brother Wang, is this the up-and-coming Taoist Yi Chengzi? He seems quite amiable~" Find adventures at empire

"You're talking nonsense, Brother Li, be careful what you say. It's said that while Taoist Yi was dining at Longlou, there was a cultivator, also on the prestigious ranking known as Chen Qi, who disrespected him, and he was immediately smashed to pieces."

"Isn't it said that Taoist Yi fancied Chen Qi's wife? That Chen Qi's wife is extremely beautiful," another well-to-do man, looking like Tang's son, interjected.

"Zhang, who are you, why are you sitting with us? Off you go, off you go."

...

Listening to those WILD rumors that had been passed around countless times inside the tower, Yi Chen couldn't help but turn green in the face. He knew full well, without even having to think with his "ass's eyes," that it must be the Chen Family scheming behind the scenes, concocting slanders about him. For noble families controlling public opinion, tormenting someone like him who lacked powerful backers was all too easy.

But he couldn't afford to lose his temper, or else he would fall right into those bastards' trap.

It was as maddening as having a toad land on your shoe—it doesn't bite, but it sure is irritating...

With his appetite lost, just as Yi Chen was about to stand up, an enraged voice came through, "You wild Taoist, how dare you toy with this young master, you are finished."

"Do you know who my father is? My father… my father…."

The young man in white struggled to continue as he noticed the gaze of all the diners on the second floor fixated on him, staring as if he were a dead man. Even a fool could tell that something was amiss with such a scene.

When people climb to a certain height, they naturally become lonely, for there are fewer and fewer who can walk with them. Yi Chen hadn't expected to taste this feeling himself.

Even the easygoing and unconventional Ning Feixue couldn't escape this and didn't dare to be as carefree as before, no longer hooking his arm around Yi Chen's shoulder to drink.

Ning Feixue wasn't afraid of those remarks, but as someone who hadn't even made it onto the list of renowned fighters, he found himself flustered facing an old friend who might now have a chance to rank among the top ten.

"Brother Ning, let's call it a day," Yi Chen said, ignoring the foolish white-clad young master. He suddenly felt bored, a wave of inexplicable loneliness washing over him.

Was this the loneliness of walking the great path alone?

Perhaps as his cultivation grew higher, the number of people who could sit and discuss the Tao with him over drinks would diminish.

In the past, the people Yi Chen dealt with were all like Qian Yueru, the Sword Fairy, and the Mad Monk—each one a genius figure with an extraordinary background. He had never felt such a strong sense of this before in their company.

Only today did he realize that unbeknownst to him, he had reached a height that many ordinary practitioners could only look up to, not daring to step out of line in his presence.

Even now his face was enough to pay for his meals...

"Taoist, I didn't mean…"

Yi Chen waved his hand, silencing Ning Feixue's words.

"Brother Ning, it's not a good day today, let's drink our fill some other time." With a smile, patting Ning Feixue on the shoulder and ignoring the white-clad young master, Yi Chen took Little Miao and drifted away.

As Yi Chen's figure disappeared, the Jinfeng Yulu Tower instantly erupted into chaos.

Some diners who recognized the young man in white couldn't help but speak up, "Nephew, when you get back, better pay some serious respects to your ancestors, hold a proper ceremony."

"You're lucky to be unscathed; it's your family's ancestral grave that's gotten the heat…"

"I heard that the Tyrant Blade got dumped into the river by Yi Taoist simply for giving him an extra glance in the crowd and saying, 'what are you looking at...'"

"I heard it was over a clash of outfits…"

"..."

Amidst the babble of the crowd, the young man in white broke out in a cold sweat, his clothes soaked inadvertently.

"How presumptuous! If any of you dare to slander Yi Taoist again, my sword will have words with you." Unable to restrain himself in the face of the slander, Ning Feixue drew his sword and with a palm strike, shattered the Eight Immortals table in front of him.

In the afternoon, the sun shone brightly.

At a certain place in Jinyue City.

On a massive square.

The ground of the square was paved with square meter stones polished from the moonrock nearby Jinyue City, and at the center of the venue, there was an enormous moon pattern that stood out starkly against the ground.

Raising the perspective, a bird's-eye view of the entire venue looked like a golden moon shining on the ground.

At that moment, the square was packed with people who came to hear the monk from Mount Daguangming preach.

On the high platform at the center of the square, a young monk with a handsome and pure visage, dressed in a golden robe, was preaching:

"Zen pierces through the formless realms, the wondrous Dharma settles on the Lotus Platform."

"Compassion perpetually ferries beings, across to the other shore appears the Tathagata."

As the monk spoke, the Dharma illuminated the world, a sacred and solemn atmosphere enveloping the entire square, impervious to encroachment.