Wan Yunting, Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, Lu Xiaodie, and Zheng Rong waited in a small diner for about an hour before Li Zihang and his senior brother Qi Wu arrived. Seeing Wan Yunting, Li Zihang excitedly called out, "Junior brother pays respects to Dao Master Senior Brother..."
Qi Wu also bowed, "Pays respects to Dao Master Junior Brother..."
"Senior Brother Qi, Junior Brother Zihang, thank you for making a special trip," Wan Yunting returned the禮 and smiled.
"Dao Master Senior Brother is too polite."
Li Zihang, with a playful grin, sized up Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, Lu Xiaodie, Zheng Rong, and the others. He asked, "Are they returning to our Wuliang Daoist Temple with Dao Master Senior Brother?"
"Yes."
Wan Yunting nodded and introduced Qi Wu and Li Zihang to Gu Luotang and Lu Xiaodie. After everyone greeted each other, he asked, "Has the car arrived?"
"It's here. I specifically called for two cars," Li Zihang replied.
Wan Yunting stood up, "Then let's stop wasting time and head back. If we leave now, it will be night by the time we reach the mountain gate..."
"Alright, we'll get the luggage..."
Senior Brother Qi went up to help Lu Xiaodie and Zheng Rong with their suitcases. Wan Yunting led Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao out. Seeing the two SUVs, everyone loaded their luggage into the cars and headed back to Wuliang Mountain...
The journey took a little over an hour. Wan Yunting, Gu Luotang, and Qi Miaomiao rode in one car with Li Zihang, while Qi Wu rode with Lu Xiaodie and Zheng Rong in another...
Along the way, Wan Yunting inquired about matters within the sect from Li Zihang. Nothing major had happened, as the Wuliang Daoist Temple was currently overseen by Senior Mother Yang Jingyi, who had also purged disciples with disloyal intentions.
Concurrently, the Wuliang Daoist Temple had been widely recruiting new disciples. Over twenty new disciples had been accepted, mostly children from nearby villages. A few had joined the Wuliang Daoist Temple out of admiration for Wan Yunting...
Although the news of Wan Yunting being the Dao Master of the Wuliang Daoist Temple had not widely spread in the outside world, all the major martial arts sects were aware of it. Consequently, some martial arts enthusiasts, impressed by Wan Yunting, had traveled from afar to Wuliang Mountain to join the Wuliang Daoist Temple...
Hearing this, Wan Yunting was surprised, "Is that so?"
"Yes."
Li Zihang, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to Wan Yunting, who was driving, and said, "Those few joined our Wuliang Daoist Temple specifically because of you."
Wan Yunting smiled, "When we get back to the sect, I'll have to meet them properly."
The two cars sped towards Wuliang Mountain. By 5:30 PM, they finally arrived at the small plaza at the foot of Wuliang Mountain. Although tourism on Wuliang Mountain was still temporarily closed, Yang Jingyi was already making preparations to relaunch tourism and other industries on Wuliang Mountain, as well as the Wuliang Martial Arts School at the foot of the mountain...
After all, Sima Boyong had left the capital, and his associates had either fled or been imprisoned, completely clearing the threat to the Wuliang Daoist Temple. Therefore, Yang Jingyi was waiting for Wan Yunting's return to the sect to discuss with him how to restart the tourism and martial arts businesses...
Beneath the gate archway of Wuliang Mountain stood Wuweizi, dressed in a Daoist robe, accompanied by his personal disciple Xue Xinghe and five new faces, all recently accepted disciples of the Wuliang Daoist Temple.
"Uncle-Master Wuwei, why did you trouble yourself to come down the mountain?"
Wan Yunting, alighting from the car, saw Wuweizi and his group approaching and quickly returned the greeting.
"Haha, we were overjoyed to hear of Dao Master's return. We brought the disciples down to welcome you and help with your belongings," Wuweizi said, happily taking Wan Yunting's hand and gesturing for the disciples to help with the luggage...
Wan Yunting smiled and nodded at the new disciples. He then motioned for Gu Luotang, Lu Xiaodie, Qi Miaomiao, and Zheng Rong to come forward and introduced them to Wuweizi, "This is Uncle-Master Wuwei of our Wuliang Daoist Temple."
"Greetings, Uncle-Master..."
Gu Luotang, Lu Xiaodie, Qi Miaomiao, and Zheng Rong politely greeted him. After all, it was their first time visiting the Wuliang Daoist Temple...
"Very good, very good. You are all friends of our Dao Master and esteemed guests of our Wuliang Daoist Temple. Welcome," Wuweizi said, looking at the four girls. He didn't know their relationship with the Dao Master, but he welcomed them nonetheless.
"Let's chat as we go up the mountain..."
Wan Yunting and Wuweizi walked at the front, followed by Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, Lu Xiaodie, Zheng Rong, Li Zihang, Qi Wu, and Xue Xinghe. The five new disciples were responsible for carrying the luggage as they all headed back to the sect's mountain gate...
Wan Yunting and Wuweizi chatted, their conversation naturally revolving around Sima Boyong. After walking for nearly an hour, they finally reached the mountain gate. Standing beneath the gate archway of the Daoist Temple were Yang Jingyi, dressed in a Daoist robe, her daughter Duan Yingying, Xu Lingwei, and a group of new disciples...
Upon seeing Wan Yunting and Uncle-Master Wuwei appear, Duan Yingying's almond-shaped eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but excitedly exclaim, "Mom, look, they're back..."
Yang Jingyi glanced at her daughter. Although the girl hadn't said anything upon her return, Yang Jingyi could tell that she had developed feelings for Wan Yunting!
"Hmm, why are they here too?"
However, Duan Yingying's brow furrowed when she saw Gu Luotang, Qi Miaomiao, Lu Xiaodie, and an unfamiliar woman following Wan Yunting.
This was because Duan Yingying knew that Gu Luotang was Wan Yunting's girlfriend and that Lu Xiaodie had an ambiguous relationship with him!
Yang Jingyi also looked curiously at Gu Luotang, Lu Xiaodie, Qi Miaomiao, and Zheng Rong, the four unfamiliar women accompanying Wan Yunting. Seeing her daughter's displeased expression, she asked, "What's wrong?"
Duan Yingying pointed to Gu Luotang, who was beside Wan Yunting, and said, "That one named Gu Luotang is his girlfriend!"
"Oh?"
Yang Jingyi looked slightly surprised but seemed to recall something and asked, "Isn't Yunting's girlfriend named Fang Yanxi? Why is it Gu Luotang now?"
Duan Yingying sniffed, "Because he has two girlfriends!"
This caused Yang Jingyi's expression to falter. Looking at Wan Yunting as he approached, she sighed inwardly.
"Pays respects to Senior Mother..."
Wan Yunting, who had already arrived, immediately greeted Yang Jingyi.
Yang Jingyi nodded with a smile and said, "The meal is ready. Let's go inside and eat."
"Okay."
Wan Yunting nodded, turned to signal Gu Luotang, Lu Xiaodie, Qi Miaomiao, and Zheng Rong, and everyone followed Yang Jingyi and the others into the Daoist Temple, heading towards the mess hall. Meanwhile, Li Zihang and Qi Wu instructed the disciples who had helped with the luggage to take it to the Dao Master's residence...
"Yingying..."
Gu Luotang saw Duan Yingying and greeted her with a smile.
"Okay..."
Duan Yingying perfunctorily greeted them. Gu Luotang and Lu Xiaodie exchanged glances, having long grown accustomed to the girl's proud and somewhat willful nature.
Wan Yunting walked with Yang Jingyi and Wuweizi. Duan Yingying couldn't interject. She thought that she would have to interrogate him thoroughly later to find out why he had brought Gu Luotang and Lu Xiaodie back to the sect...
Upon reaching the mess hall, the food was already prepared. All the disciples of the Wuliang Daoist Temple were present, especially the newly recruited disciples, who gazed at Wan Yunting with curious eyes. Although they had seen Wan Yunting on the news or Douyin, seeing him in person was quite different...
"Senior Sister Wang, Senior Brother Lin, you guys hurry up! Dao Master Wan Yunting is here!"
A young girl, not very tall but quite attractive, dressed in a Daoist robe, was at a table in the corner of the mess hall. She quickly called out to several senior sisters and brothers outside the back door. Immediately, a group of young male and female disciples entered, "Where? Where...?"
They were all wearing the light blue Daoist robes uniform to the sect. One among them, tall and slender, with long black hair tied back, revealed her delicate and pretty face. Her well-defined eyebrows exuded a heroic aura, and her phoenix-like eyes were bright. The moment she saw Wan Yunting, who entered with Yang Jingyi, this female disciple named Wang Zhuyu couldn't take her eyes off him, saying excitedly, "Finally, I see a living person."
"Yes, he's so handsome, even more handsome than he looks on Douyin..."
The short girl, named Tang Doudou, had large, lively, and bright eyes. She couldn't look away from Wan Yunting's handsome and dashing face...
Among the three young men beside her, one was of medium build, handsome, and exuded masculine energy. He was Zhao Xuewu, a martial arts enthusiast who had also come out of admiration. Seeing Wan Yunting in person, he was also excited, "Finally, I can ask him for guidance!"
Beside him, a plain-looking, burly young man named Lin Dachun stared intently at Wan Yunting in the distance and chuckled, "Forget about guidance, if I can learn a few moves from Dao Master Wan, I won't have come in vain."
Another young man, only nineteen years old and beside Tang Doudou, named Huang Shaoqing, had a simple and honest appearance. He scratched his head and said with a smile, "Then let's go say hello."
Instantly, Tang Doudou, Wang Zhuyu, Zhao Xuewu, and Lin Dachun turned to look at Huang Shaoqing. Although the four of them were Wan Yunting's fans, they were still a bit too shy to go up and greet their idol proactively, "Shaoqing, you go, we'll follow..."
"No, no, I... I'm timid and not good with words. Doudou, you go..."
Huang Shaoqing was pushed forward by them, his face filled with panic and nervousness, afraid to go over...
However, their commotion also attracted Wan Yunting's attention, and he looked over...
"Ah, he's looking at us..."
Tang Doudou immediately stopped, her face blushing, her excitement overwhelming her. Even the usually calm Wang Zhuyu's pretty face flushed at that moment, and her heart was filled with indescribable excitement. She lowered her head, not daring to meet her idol's gaze from afar...
Lin Dachun and Zhao Xuewu, however, grinned and waved, making eye contact with Wan Yunting, but they were also very excited inwardly...
"These few joined our Wuliang Daoist Temple because of you!"
Yang Jingyi pointed to Lin Dachun, Wang Zhuyu, Tang Doudou, and the others and said to Wan Yunting, "Especially the tall one, she has good talent."
"Oh, it's them."
Wan Yunting had previously heard from Li Zihang that some people had joined the Wuliang Daoist Temple out of admiration for him. Seeing the five of them, Wan Yunting smiled and took the initiative to approach, making Tang Doudou, Wang Zhuyu, and Huang Shaoqing unable to hide their excitement...