Lv Xuan fell momentarily speechless upon hearing this, as a dishonorable yet painful memory resurfaced in his mind.
Faced with his beloved disciple’s gaze, Lv Xuan found himself at a loss for words.
How could he possibly admit that he had earned the nickname after Bai Xuanling force-fed him a "Ten Perfections Elixir," leaving his agonized howls echoing throughout the sect?
"Recently, the sect introduced a new pill refined by Elder Bai as the highest punishment for disciples in the Punishment Hall. I suppose some disgruntled disciple, unable to vent their frustration, decided to bestow this title upon me," Lv Xuan said with a faint sigh, casually lifting his teacup for a sip.
"Ah, what does it matter if it’s the Eighteen Immortal Sects? With the Heavenly Secrets in chaos these days, who knows if it’s a sign of impending collapse?"
"At a time when caution is paramount, none of the elders understand my concerns. They simply dismiss my Tianyan Divination as unorthodox nonsense."
"Especially Bai Xuanling! After all I’ve done to clean up her messes over the years, she doesn’t even remember my kindness!"
"Yanyun… tell me, why was I ever made sect leader?"
Yanyun replied calmly, "Naturally, it’s because of Master’s noble character, profound cultivation, and the overwhelming support from the various peak masters. The position was rightfully yours."
Lv Xuan shook his head with a sigh. "Ah, if only you’d seen… Being sect leader has truly opened my eyes…"
Yanyun poured him another cup of tea, her tone gentle. "Master, don’t overthink it. Even if you doubt yourself, you shouldn’t doubt the judgment of the previous Tianyan Sect leader. He chose you for a reason."
Lv Xuan was momentarily speechless again, unsure whether his disciple’s words were meant as praise or subtle criticism.
Either way, it didn’t sound particularly flattering.
But knowing his disciple’s temperament, he decided to take it as a compliment.
Lv Xuan opted to change the subject to something less depressing. "Let’s talk about you instead. Did you encounter any dangers during your recent journey?"
Yanyun gave a slight nod. "Everything went smoothly. No risks to speak of."
Lv Xuan nodded in turn. With Yanyun’s cultivation at the peak of the Divine Transformation realm, even trouncing the notoriously arrogant Daoist Yuyang of Mist Mystic Temple had been effortless.
While the outside world was dangerous, the protective artifacts she carried were more than capable of handling threats.
Lv Xuan then asked, "What about your Tianyan Divination? Have you been practicing on your travels?"
"I have, and my progress has been decent," Yanyun replied, her gaze steady on Lv Xuan. "But Master, I truly have no intention of becoming the Tianyan Sect leader."
Lv Xuan waved it off. "We’ll discuss the future later. I also refused to take on this so-called leadership role back then, yet here I am."
Yanyun hesitated, on the verge of reminding him of the circumstances back then, but ultimately chose to spare her master the embarrassment.
Lv Xuan suggested, "Since you’re here, why not perform a divination? Let’s see how far you’ve come."
Yanyun nodded lightly, forming hand seals as she entered the Tianyan state.
Countless pristine threads descended from the heavens around her, a few uniquely colored ones hidden among the dense white strands.
Lv Xuan watched with approval. Yanyun’s talent was truly exceptional—her mastery of Tianyan Divination had already reached such heights.
However, before long, Yanyun abruptly withdrew from the divination state, her gaze snapping toward the Tianyan Sect’s main gate.
Her brow furrowed slightly as she murmured, puzzled, "Master… I think I might have misunderstood Tianyan Divination."
Lv Xuan frowned as well. He had just stepped into Yanyun’s divination realm and hadn’t detected any irregularities.
Could he have been practicing it wrong all along?
But wasn’t this exactly how his master had taught him?
"Where did you go wrong?" he asked, confused.
Yanyun’s frown deepened. "You once said that a heaven-defying opportunity… might come knocking on its own. Is that true?"
Lv Xuan chuckled. "Who knows?"
Perhaps even the heavens pitied his miserable state and decided to compensate him with an unimaginable fortune.
He pressed further, "Are you saying you just divined that a monumental opportunity is heading our way?"
Yanyun nodded slightly, then shook her head. "I didn’t divine it… The opportunity barged in on its own. And it seems to have stirred my heavenly secrets—or rather, the entire Tianyan Sect’s."
Lv Xuan’s frown returned. Had they truly deviated from the right path?
Yanyun stood and strode toward the hall’s entrance, her gaze fixed on the mountain gate.
Puzzled, Lv Xuan activated his own Tianyan domain and began divining.
Moments later, his expression turned grave as his eyes also locked onto the gate.
Soon, both of them zeroed in on a group of outsiders—two men and two women.
Lv Xuan’s attention immediately settled on one expressionless man, his face paling as if he’d seen a ghost.
"A sea of blood qi… yet a heart of righteousness? And not a trace of malice?"
Unconvinced, he channeled spiritual energy, only to grow even more bewildered.
"His past and future are completely untraceable? And he carries no karmic ties? What is he? Even human?"
Yanyun formed another hand seal, her gaze sharp. "Could it be a body untouched by karma? A heaven-sent Slaughter God? How strange."
Just as Lv Xuan was about to intensify his divination, a young, striking woman punched the man. In that moment, Lv Xuan caught a glimpse of her fortune.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"A destiny of great fortune? A self-contained Dao aura? Top-tier talent? But why is such an immense opportunity so indistinct?"
Yanyun also observed calmly. "A potential Chosen of Heaven. It’s her."
Lv Xuan took a deep breath. A thought struck him—what if none of these four were ordinary?
With that in mind, he turned his gaze to a handsome young man among them.
Unlike the other two, who at least allowed some discussion, Lv Xuan immediately raised a hand to shield Yanyun’s eyes from the youth.
But he was too late.
After a single glance, Yanyun shut her eyes tightly, inhaling sharply.
Lv Xuan urgently warned, "If you can avoid speaking, don’t."
Yanyun gave a slight nod, eyes still closed, before slowly reopening them.
How could such a person exist in this world?
Who could possibly bear the karmic weight of the Heavenly Dao itself?
Unsure whether to be excited or terrified, Lv Xuan finally looked at the last member of the group—a woman who seemed somewhat… simple.
Each one more outrageous than the last. He braced himself for another shock.
After scrutinizing her for a while, shifting divination techniques, and even changing his posture for a better look, Lv Xuan remained perplexed.
Yanyun studied her as well and, seeing her master about to redouble his efforts, delivered the verdict:
"Master, she’s just an ordinary person. Her slightly improved fortune is only due to her proximity to that woman with the great destiny."
Lv Xuan pursed his lips before asking quietly,
"Tell me… could it be that I learned Tianyan Divination wrong and ended up teaching you incorrectly too?"
Yanyun replied softly, "Master, you taught me to have faith."
Lv Xuan nodded faintly, his gaze returning to the group.
The handsome young man seemed to have noticed his probing stare and waved at him with a nod.
Lv Xuan chuckled and waved back in acknowledgment.
Yanyun observed their path. "They seem to be heading toward Elder Bai’s residence."
Lv Xuan gave a slight nod. "That explains it."
Li Yingling looked curiously at her master, who had suddenly nodded and waved, and asked,
"Master, what are you doing?"
Chu Xingchen chuckled softly and replied,
"Just greeting someone who's probably the sect leader?"