Tianyan Sect.
Outside Zhuji Peak.
Numerous disciples of the Tianyan Sect stood silently at the periphery, each restraining their auras.
Several peak masters and elders of the sect stood closer to the front.
All eyes were fixed on Zhuji Peak, and every face bore a faint smile of anticipation.
After a moment, the voice they had been waiting for rang out.
It was steady yet slightly hoarse, trembling ever so slightly—but most importantly, it belonged to someone everyone present recognized: the sect master of Tianyan Sect!
"There are limits to being human! So! I refuse to be human anymore! Awooo!"
The Punishment Elder, who had been holding a stern expression, finally cracked, his face breaking into an unrestrained grin. He glanced at the peak masters beside him and laughed,
"I told you all, didn't I? The sect master has been acting strange! Who would’ve thought he was a jackal spirit in disguise?"
The other peak masters and elders also wore expressions of delight.
Bai Xuanling’s earlier declaration—"If the heavens do not birth Bai Xuanling, the path of immortality will remain shrouded in eternal night"—had indeed drawn the attention of many cultivators. Though confident, such words weren’t particularly outrageous coming from Bai Xuanling.
But moments later, the sect master’s voice echoed from Zhuji Peak—"What bald monk dares to snatch this Taoist’s nun?!"
That was the final spark that set the Tianyan Sect ablaze.
Factions swiftly mobilized to join the spectacle.
First came the Shumi Peak Elder, employing methods to probe for information, followed by the Punishment Elder taking control and ordering everyone to lie low.
No one coordinated it, yet all instinctively concealed themselves.
The peak masters landed and hid. Since the sect master was at Zhuji Peak and there were no violent surges of spiritual energy, it at least meant Bai Xuanling hadn’t resorted to force.
But that didn’t guarantee the sect master’s safety.
Discussions arose—was this a desperate cry for help after being subdued by Bai Xuanling? After all, such a shout would draw attention not just within the sect, but even passersby would detour to investigate.
Though the sect master had lost face, it was a bold, last-ditch effort to save himself.
Then, Yanyun’s voice also rang out.
"This place is not where this king belongs! My destiny lies among the stars and seas!"
The Shumi Peak Elder narrowed his eyes and mused,
"Yanyun is at Zhuji Peak too? That doesn’t sound like her usual style. And the spiritual fluctuations match her aura. Bai Xuanling may be unconventional, but he doesn’t bully the weak. They must be gambling."
The Punishment Elder stared at Zhuji Peak and said,
"Could it be that the sect master, emboldened by Yanyun’s return, tried to challenge Bai Xuanling to settle a grudge? But where did he get the confidence?"
Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he turned to the Lingmiao Peak Elder, who oversaw the sect’s alchemy:
"Could Bai Xuanling’s 'Tenfold Supreme Tonic Pills' rot one’s brain if taken in excess? Otherwise, why would the sect master dare to provoke him?"
The Lingmiao Peak Elder frowned. "I’ve dissected and consumed those pills multiple times. The ingredients are clean, the refining method flawless—aside from being vile and having side effects, they’re harmless."
"Perhaps Yanyun stumbled upon some grand opportunity during her travels, making the sect master think he stood a chance? But Bai Xuanling still crushed him?"
Peak Master Mo laughed heartily. "Who cares? Yanyun could use a little humbling. Besides, hearing her spout nonsense like this is quite entertaining. Once the sect master emerges, we’ll all congratulate him properly!"
"And we’ll ask him—which bald monk dares to steal our sect master’s nun?!"
"Even if it’s the Central Plains’ Buddhist Sect, we’ll demand justice! After all, this is the Tianyan Sect’s most esteemed leader!"
The Law Enforcement Elder remained silent, but his smile grew ever wider.
Zhuji Peak.
After throwing caution to the wind, everyone’s psychological barriers had collapsed.
Nothing was off-limits anymore.
With dignity already in tatters, there was nothing left to lose.
At least Lv Xuan stood tall, his gaze sweeping over Bai Xuanling and the others.
Yanyun, too, showed no restraint, launching verbal assaults at everyone—especially her own master.
Li Yingling, blessed with formidable luck, sat firmly in first place.
Chen Baiqing, though lacking a "luck" trait, benefited from the sect’s structures and her senior sister’s fortune. She occasionally landed on penalties, but they were harmless.
Of course, penalties weren’t limited to shouting.
There were also costume changes—some wore actual props, while others had Chu Xingchen conjure illusions.
By now, Tianyan Sect’s leader, Lv Xuan, had charcoal-drawn flowers on both cheeks, a pair of crooked paper horns on his head, and a comically exaggerated pitchfork in hand.
Yanyun fared no better—floppy donkey ears made of spiritual energy, a flower on her face, and a "sword in the stone" still embedded in rock.
Xie Lingyu hadn’t shouted anything, but she bore the most accessories. Her forehead sported a rainbow drawn by Li Yingling, while her right cheek featured a cute pink cat face courtesy of Chu Xingchen.
In her right hand was an illusionary fairy wand, in her left a magic staff. Two long rabbit ears, also conjured from spiritual energy, adorned her head.
Despite her icy expression, the sheer absurdity of Xie Lingyu’s ensemble was undeniably amusing.
Chu Xingchen shamelessly ogled the scene, while Bai Xuanling watched with a faint smirk.
Chen Baiqing had already donned cat ears and a paw glove.
Bai Xuanling’s penalty was the simplest—aside from Li Yingling’s—with just a small flower drawn between his brows at Lv Xuan’s insistence.
But Lv Xuan nearly lost his composure when he saw Yanyun’s restraint—after all this humiliation, she only drew a flower?!
He should’ve done it himself and drawn a pitchfork on Bai Xuanling’s face!
Why did this rebellious disciple only dare to attack her own master?!
Now, the game neared its end.
Xie Lingyu was the first to fall, landing on Li Yingling’s "Luxury Resort" space and squandering her remaining funds.
She silently stepped aside to watch, still stuck in her adorable getup until the game concluded.
Xie Lingyu didn’t mind much, but under Chu Xingchen’s teasing gaze, she said sternly, "Stop looking."
Chu Xingchen replied with equal seriousness, "I’ll look if I want!"
"Ref, stop chatting! Move the token already!" Lv Xuan pointed at Yanyun’s piece. "She’s about to land on a penalty!"
Yanyun nearly laughed in exasperation.