The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Every year at this time, the mortal streets and alleys are filled with the fragrant scent of glutinous rice, as every household simmers Laba porridge with yellow rice, red beans, and longans.

It was only after entering the Cultivation World that I learned Cultivators also celebrate the Laba Festival.

However, it is mainly observed by some Buddhist Cultivators.

The Laba Festival, also known as the Buddha’s Enlightenment Day, holds special significance for Buddhist Cultivators.

There are not many orthodox Buddhist Sects in Chu Region, and Huadu Temple, one of the Six Major Sects, is among them.

Today, Buddhist Cultivators from Huadu Temple should visit to deliver some’Spirit Offerings’ and ’Medicinal Foods’.

The Sect will also offer some spiritual grains and resources as a return gift.

They are not taking the opportunity to spread Buddhist Dharma in a Daoist Sect; they are simply exchanging blessings.

Song Yan passed by Entrance Plaza.

He noticed that Senior Brother Lu Ziye was currently receiving two Buddhist Disciples who had traveled a long way.

"Amitabha."

The monk bowed, "My Junior Brother and I have come on this journey, not wishing to disturb. Following etiquette, we have simply delivered this ’Laba Dew’."

The young novice monk beside him was also wearing a kasaya; the monk patted his head, and he belatedly bowed.

"Amitabha—"

After bowing, he reached back with his hand, wincing slightly as he rubbed the back of his head.

As they spoke, Lu Ziye saw Song Yan and greeted him from afar.

"Junior Brother Song."

"Senior Brother."

After the incident in Jiran Valley, Lu Ziye and he could be considered acquainted.

"These two are the Venerable Monks from Huadu Temple."

"Greetings."

In Chu Region, the number of Buddhist Cultivators is not too many.

The great Buddhist Sect, Huadu Temple, in Chu Region consists of ascetic monks who Cultivate in the mountains; they have an excellent reputation and no conflicts with the various Daoist Sects.

Therefore, there is no struggle between Buddhism and Daoism here.

Everyone exchanged a few pleasantries, and Song Yan excused himself as he had matters to attend to.

The monk looked in the direction he departed, a worried expression on his brow.

The two Buddhist Disciples did not stay long.

A moment later, they walked down the mountain path outside the Sect.

"Senior Brother, is there anything strange about that Benefactor’Song’?"

Perhaps sensing his Senior Brother’s worried expression, the young novice monk asked.

The monk looked troubled, "Although that Benefactor has a gentle demeanor and speaks politely, for some reason, there is an extremely heavy malevolence between his brows."

"It doesn’t seem like ordinary killing intent."

"It’s like..."

He pondered for a moment before finally speaking.

"A sign of a Heart Demon."

The young novice monk’s eyes widened.

Although he didn’t know what a sign of a Heart Demon was.

But the term itself sounded very much like someone whose six senses were impure.

"Alas..."

"However, the abbot specifically instructed us before we left that if it involves the various benefactors of the Daoist Sect, we must absolutely not interfere."

"May this benefactor be healthy and may all his endeavors be smooth..."

...In recent days.

Some Cave Abyss Sect Disciples noticed a somewhat unfamiliar face among the Outer Sect Disciples.

To say he was a new Disciple, this person already had the standard of Qi Refining Stage 6, so he clearly wasn’t.

But if he had already Cultivated for several years, no one knew him.

It was truly astonishing.

This person’s appearance was unremarkable, even somewhat dull and rigid.

He walked slowly, without stopping, and directly entered the Mission Hall.

Although Outer Sect Disciples cannot actively accept missions from the Mission Hall.

However, situations such as Sect conscriptions, Seniors taking Disciples, and other special requirements are not uncommon.

Therefore, there are also many Outer Sect Disciples who need to come to the Inner Sect Mission Hall to check mission information.

This person was not conspicuous among the crowd of Disciples.

His gaze flickered, looking at the spiritual light characters slowly floating on the giant jade wall.

These displayed information about missions, their rewards, and who had accepted them.

He concealed himself in the crowd, occasionally scanning the fellow Senior and Junior Brothers around him who were preparing to accept missions.

Approximately an hour later.

He left the Mission Hall.

"Although Outer Sect Disciples cannot accept missions, they can publish missions for Inner Sect Disciples to help..."

"When a mission is accepted, the name of the acceptor will be displayed on the jade wall, albeit only for a brief moment."

"The party publishing the mission can choose whether to leave their name, but they need to specify contact methods in the mission content."

"The Mission Hall is busier in the morning and slightly less so in the afternoon."

For ten consecutive days.

He had been observing here for ten consecutive days.

The process for Inner Sect Disciples accepting missions, every detail, had been thoroughly understood by him.

In fact, asking openly would also reveal the information.

It was just that there was no need for him, an Outer Sect Disciple, to ask questions about Inner Sect Disciples, which could easily attract others’ attention.

"That’s enough."

He stepped and walked towards Lingyuan Marsh.

Lingyuanze Market.

It was still as lively as usual.

People came and went; during the day, most were Disciples of the Sect.

Three Outer Sect Disciples walked towards him; he moved aside, naturally bypassing them.

"Eh?"

Among the three, the female Cultivator suddenly turned her head, looking back with some surprise.

"Yuerong, what’s wrong?"

"Ah, nothing."

"It’s just that a Senior Brother passed by just now, and he looked a bit familiar."

The honest young man asked, "Do you know him?"

Yang Yuerong recalled for a moment but couldn’t think of anything, so she shook her head, "...Hmm, no, I don’t."

"Maybe I remembered wrong."

The three left the Market.

Xianxin Pavilion, private room on the second floor.

Song Yan touched the human skin mask on his face, feeling a bit strange.

This mask, coupled with his timely Breakthrough, allowed him to pretend to be someone unrelated to himself, even without needing to use the Hidden Sword Gathering Spirit Stance. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Fortunately, there were not many Foundation Establishment Realm acquaintances in the Sect he needed to interact with.

His repeated visits to Xianxin Pavilion were entirely because he was too lazy to find another place for discussions.

Song Yan was just like that.

When he was at Stone Ridge, once he found a food stall delicious, he would eat there for many days in a row, and always the same thing.

The service at Xianxin Pavilion last time made him feel that this place was quite good.

He was waiting for someone here.

He had inquired around in the past few days and learned that there was an intelligent informant in this Market.

He called himself ’One Who Knows the Heavenly Secrets,’ and was knowledgeable about everything in the Sect, but his Spirit Stones were more expensive.

Yesterday, Song Yan’s efforts, costing him a full thirty Spirit Stones, finally secured an appointment with this ’capable person’.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door outside.

Spiritual light flickered at Song Yan’s fingertips.

A familiar figure stepped in from outside the door, closed the door behind him, and walked to Song Yan’s front.

Shao Sichao?!

Song Yan was dumbfounded.

"..."

He hadn’t expected it to be him.

He didn’t even bother to conceal his face?

"Cough, cough... You are..."

"Don’t say those roundabout words!"

Shao Sichao probably also didn’t notice anything unusual about this fellow Disciple at the moment; he raised a hand and, surprisingly, set up a sound-insulating formation right there.

"What do you want to ask? Hurry up."

This Senior Brother Shao, he was quite imposing.

Song Yan was about to open his mouth to ask when he was interrupted again.

"Hey, let’s get this straight first: if it involves the personal privacy of fellow Cultivators..."

"Hehehe..."

Old Shao chuckled, "It’ll cost extra."

"..."

Song Yan’s expression was peculiar; for a moment, he didn’t speak.

Now, his opinion of this Senior Brother was somewhat ’mixed’.

"Regarding Senior Brother Dan Zifeng..."

"How much do you know."