449: Chapter 449 Safe Journey

[Your Divine Sense sweeps across the entire hall; such Genius Disciples are truly numerous—]

[From Qi Refining to Golden Core, there are nearly a hundred people.]

[You withdraw your Divine Sense and look at the little girl in front of you, who is still eagerly waiting for your answer. You simply smile and do not speak.]

["Ling'er, stop messing around!" an Elder spoke up at the right time.]

[The female Qi Refining cultivator named Ling'er pouted and retreated reluctantly, muttering under her breath, "I was just curious..."]

[Grandmother Tianyin smiled and added, "These Disciples don't know their manners, please don't take offense, Fellow Daoist."]

[You waved your hand and smiled. "It's fine. Being innocent and naive is a good thing."]

[As soon as these words were spoken, it was as if a floodgate had opened—]

[More Disciples grew bold and gathered around.]

[A male Qi Refining cultivator poked his head out and asked, "Senior, are you planning to join our Sect?"]

["Are you a legendary Deity Transformation Grand Expert? Will you become our Elder then?"]

["Oh right, oh right—" He suddenly remembered something, his eyes lighting up. "Why is your Spirit Beast so powerful? Are you its human pet?"]

[You merely smiled and did not answer.]

["Fool, shut up!" Another Soul Transformation Elder's face turned green with embarrassment.]

[The male Qi Refining cultivator named Fool scratched his head, looking bewildered. "What's wrong? Don't the Elders always teach us to not be ashamed to ask those beneath us?"]

[Not be ashamed to ask those beneath you???]

[Heh, is that how that idiom is used?]

[A female Golden Core cultivator nearby burst out laughing, pushed him aside, and stepped forward herself.]

[She first gave a respectful salute, then looked up. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her eyes twinkling with a bit of shyness and a bit of gossip as she asked in a lowered voice:]

["Senior... are you our Old Ancestor's Dao Companion?"]

[After speaking, she stole a glance at the Grandmother Tianyin sitting nearby and lowered her voice even further, as if sharing a great secret:]

["I heard our Old Ancestor is still a thousand-year... bachelor, hee hee hee..."]

[Hearing this, you were slightly taken aback.]

[What made you curious was that—no matter how softly she spoke, with Grandmother Tianyin's cultivation, she must have heard it clearly.]

[Yet her expression remained normal, showing no sign of anger. Instead, she picked up her wine cup and took a sip as if nothing had happened.]

[This Sect... is interesting.]

[Presumably, in their daily lives, the Tianyin Sect treats its Disciples like Family.]

[Otherwise, how could these low-level Disciples come to the main hall for a banquet? How would they dare to ask such questions?]

[You raised your wine cup, took a sip, and chuckled inwardly.]

[This Sect is like a home.]

[It really is unique.]

[Next—you naturally couldn't escape the ordeal.]

[A group of low-level Disciples took turns surrounding you, chattering away and asking a ton of strange questions.]

["Senior, Senior, what's the largest Spirit Beast you've ever eaten? Was it as big as a mountain?"]

["Senior, if you can fly, do you sleep in the sky or on the ground? Do you ever fall down while sleeping?"]

["Senior, you've lived for so long, do you ever feel bored? What do you do when you're bored? Do you count stars?"]

["Senior, Senior, do you have someone you like? What does it feel like to like someone? Does your heart race? Or does your heart stop beating after reaching Soul Transformation?"]

["Senior, if you fought our Old Ancestor, who would win? Is our Old Ancestor very powerful?"]

["Senior..."]

[Holding your wine cup, you didn't know whether to laugh or cry.]

[What exactly is inside these young heads?]

[You looked at those pairs of bright eyes, clear as mountain streams, with no schemes or dread, only pure curiosity and innocent enthusiasm.]

[You truly wished they would never grow up.]

[To always have those bright eyes, asking these silly questions, and living carefree lives.]

[During the banquet, Grandmother Tianyin held her wine cup and quietly watched this scene, her gaze soft as if looking at her own children.]

[She suddenly spoke, as if explaining to you, yet also as if talking to herself:]

["Most of these children are homeless."]

["Some lost both parents and became orphans."]

["Some had their families wiped out and were lucky enough to escape and be picked up by our people."]

["Some were abandoned in the wilderness as newborns because of abnormalities. If they hadn't been noticed by a passing Disciple, they would have long since fed the Spirit Beasts."]

["And some..." She paused, "have even more bizarre backgrounds, which I won't mention."]

[Hearing this, your gaze swept over those chattering Disciples.]

[So that's how it is.]

[No wonder this Sect is like a home.]

[Because they were originally homeless people; here, they found a home for the first time.]

[No wonder Grandmother Tianyin has so many concerns in her actions.]

[If it weren't for the Tianyin Sect, if it weren't for these young children, perhaps Grandmother Tianyin would be like you—fearless of the Heavenly Palace.]

[You raised your wine cup and toasted Grandmother Tianyin from afar.]

[You said nothing.]

[But everything was understood without words.]

[It wasn't until evening that you stood up to take your leave.]

[Upon departure, Grandmother Tianyin gave you two generous gifts.]

[One is a secret technique—"Void-Reality Seamlessness."]

[After you Cultivate it, you can naturally isolate the connection between your original body and your Clone.]

[From then on, while the Clone is outside, the original body remains hidden, leaving no trace to be found.]

[The other is a natural treasure—gale essence.]

[Actually, Grandmother Tianyin brought out many good things for you to choose from.]

[You only took this one.]

[The others were of little use to you, but the Tianyin Sect might need them more.]

[So you waved your hand and didn't accept anything else.]

[Additionally—]

[You also took Feng Yu with you.]

[Everything settled, you turned and left.]

[With one step, you were already in mid-air.]

[Just then—]

[Movement suddenly came from behind.]

[You glanced back slightly.]

[Tens of thousands of Tianyin Sect Disciples had gathered neatly on the plaza, between the mountain gates, and atop every peak, though you knew not when.]

[From Qi Refining to Golden Core, from young children to youths, they were packed closely together, covering the mountains and fields.]

[They looked up at your figure in the sky as you were about to depart.]

["We wish Senior—"]

[Leading them was that female Golden Core cultivator; her voice was clear and rang through the mountains.]

["A pleasant journey!"]

[Tens of thousands of voices merged into a torrent at the same moment.]

["We wish Senior a pleasant journey—!"]

[The sound shook the nine heavens, echoing through the vast mountain range.]

[Some had reddened eyes.]

[Some waved their hands frantically.]

[Some bowed deeply and did not rise for a long time.]

[In those clear eyes were reflected the sunset, the sky, and that figure standing with hands behind his back.]

[They didn't know your name.]

[They didn't know where you came from or where you were going.]

[They only knew—]

[Today, a person descended from the heavens and saved their home.]

[The wind brushed past the mountain gate.]

[Your figure suspended in mid-air.]

[You paused for a moment.]

[Then, you turned into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.]

[The sunset filled the sky.]

[Behind you, those cries still echoed—]

["A pleasant journey..."]