Arc 3: Part 45
At this moment, Xuan Yan and Wen Qing were arguing about how to arrange the dual cultivation for Tong Su.
Xuan Yan suggested letting her alternate every three months, while Wen Qing insisted that Bai Tong should start with his tools refining workshop first. Xuan Yan vehemently disagreed, but Wen Qing persisted with a smile.
The two grandmasters were so engrossed in their argument that it seemed like they might even begin fighting. The others waved their hands and said, "Let them argue, let's go."
Everyone was accustomed to Xuan Yan and Wen Qing's mutual disagreements.
The disciples were not worried and even enjoyed watching the spectacle, occasionally cheering for their masters with phrases like "Go, master!" and "Keep it up, teacher!" They were only a step away from waving banners and shouting support.
Tong Su watched with wide eyes, bewildered. Yue Yuan walked over to her and laughed, asking, "Never seen something like this before?"
She nodded, "Never." She pursed her lips and added, "I... am from the north, and I've never seen masters and disciples interact like this before."
The north referred to the area governed by sects.
Yue Yuan now understood the situation.
"Don't worry, Little Bai," he said. "Your background doesn't matter in the Cultivator City. As long as you're from the righteous path, you'll be welcomed here. Once you've been here for a while, you'll get used to the atmosphere."
Bai Tong was his master's student, so calling her "junior sister" didn't quite seem appropriate. Furthermore, as soon as he uttered the word "master," for some reason, he felt a sudden chill down his spine, as if some terrifying entity had set its sights on him. Yue Yuan quickly corrected himself.
Using her first name would be too intimate, but since they were both under Xuan Yan's tutelage, he didn't want to seem too distant.
He decided to address her by her surname, Bai. It struck the right balance between cordiality and respect, not too close nor too remote.
Tong Su didn't notice Yue Yuan's careful choice of words. When she heard "righteous path," she thought of Tian Xuanzi.
Had he already finished his business in the Demon Realm and come over?
The world of cultivators was split into three: Zhongzhou, home to the Daoists; Guixiao, where the Demon Realm resided; and Aozhou, home to the monster races.
The gateways to the monsters' realm were sealed by a formidable ancient power thousands of years ago. Legend had it that Aozhou, where the monster races lived, was atop the back of a colossal turtle.
This turtle was as vast as a continent and could move slowly through the sea of the void. If the gates were ever opened, they could invade the human realm by occupying areas outside of Zhongzhou and Guixiao.
However, these were all but legends etched in the history books, which Yue Yuan had only skimmed without taking them too seriously.
After all, with the gates sealed, there was less concern about the monster races and more about the demon cultivators.
Demon cultivators hadn't been seen moving within the righteous path for many years.
Although the barriers between the Daoist and demonic realms were not entirely closed, they existed in a partly opened state. Ancient restrictions were left in the demonic realm that allowed its inhabitants to pass through freely, but limited the righteous cultivators' access.
Righteous Mahayana cultivators could not pass through the barriers to enter the demonic realm.
The demonic realm was barren, and before Tian Xuanzi succumbed to demons, the demonic cultivators were scattered, lacking Mahayana cultivators themselves. Their highest level of cultivation only reached the God Transformation stage, with twelve demon cultivators leading at the peak of that stage.
These twelve called themselves the "Twelve Generals." They were the same demon cultivators that Tong Su and Tian Xuanzi had spoken of when they parted in the far north, those who had banded together to confront Tian Xuanzi.
In order to maintain their rule, the Twelve Generals required other demon cultivators to offer their soul fire in submission. Those who refused would be killed on the spot. If any talented youngsters were found, they would be secretly killed as well.
Over time, this naturally made it difficult for the demonic realm to produce a new generation with advanced cultivation. If it weren't for the Mahayana cultivators of the righteous path being unable to enter the demonic realm, it would have likely been purged long ago.
As Tong Su thought about this, a sudden realization struck her.
Daoist Mahayana cultivators couldn't enter the demonic realm, but Tian Xuanzi, who had unexpectedly fallen to demons, could now access the demon world.
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