The way he had come was the way Tang Xiaoyu turned to leave.
"You old hag, just you wait. One day I'll make you scream for your daddy," Tang Xiaoyu said as he turned around.
With a wave of his hand, "No need to see me off. Farewell."
"Who wants to see off a bastard like you!"
Tang Xiaoyu took his people and flew towards Qingshan Town, while Zhao Siqi's eyes brimmed with tears.
Arriving at Qingshan Town, the place was still in ruins without any signs of rebuilding. After all, so many had died here, it was considered an ill-fated place.
"All of you wait here. I'm going up to the temple," Tang Xiaoyu said.
"Yes, Elder Tang."
Tang Xiaoyu walked alone on the mountain path. The weeds on the path made him want to reach out and pluck them, but he resisted.
Arriving at the temple, there were no ruins in sight, only a few small wooden houses sitting desolately.
A plaque covered in burn marks hung on the middle house with the words "Three Pure Daoist Temple" written on it.
"Could it be Shanshan and Wenwen?"
Entering the middle house, there was no one inside. An idol of a dao ancestor stood out prominently.
He went to check the other houses. Besides some daily necessities and beds, only women's clothing remained.
Tang Xiaoyu sat down in the middle house to wait for the owner's return.
Not long after, the voices of women were heard approaching.
"Sister Xue, Xiong has been gone for months. Why hasn't he returned?"
Xue said: "Who knows? Let's go back and wash up to make dinner. Don't worry about that guy."
"Alright!"
The three women walked towards their rooms. Wenwen took a glance at the middle room.
She jumped in fright. "A ghost!"
"What's going on?"
Wenwen pointed into the room. "There's a ghost. I saw the abbot!"
Yang Xue and Shanshan looked towards the room and screamed in unison: "A ghost!"
Tang Xiaoyu stroked his nose and walked out of the room.
"What ghost? Have you no decency, screaming like that?"
Yang Xue said: "Abbot, is that you? Didn't you die?"
Tang Xiaoyu was very gratified. "It's me. I didn't die. The dao ancestor saved me."
Shanshan and Wenwen jumped straight into Tang Xiaoyu's arms.
"Abbot, great that you're not dead! Not dead!" they wept.
Tang Xiaoyu patted their backs. "You're grown women now. How can you just jump into a man's arms like that?"
Wenwen said: "I'll always be a little girl in front of the abbot."
After catching up for a bit, Tang Xiaoyu asked: "Where are the graves of our villagers and your fellow disciples?"
Yang Xue pointed in a direction: "Just over there."
"Let me go pay my respects."
They went to the graves. Tang Xiaoyu knelt down directly. "Villagers, children, it was my foolishness that caused your deaths."
"I don't ask for your forgiveness, but please grant me a chance to avenge you. I want those who killed you to pay in blood."
After knocking his head three times, Tang Xiaoyu stood up. "The slaughter has just begun. Let's go."
Tang Xiaoyu then took the three women back to rejoin his group as they rushed towards Tianxuan Sect.
At this time, the sounds of killing shook the heavens at Tianxuan Sect. Blood flowed like rivers.
Especially the people from Kindness Sect. They were vicious and sinister, attacking insidiously. Even with talismans, Tianxuan Sect's First Elder barely avoided being killed sneakily.
In the sky, Tianxuan Sect's sect leader and elders were all injured. Clearly they couldn't hold out much longer.
Zhang Huizhu had no habit of wasting words with others. Either submit or die, it was that simple.
Just as Tianxuan Sect was about to be massacred, their old patriarch finally made a move.
Zhang Huizhu and the other top masters were all blasted back simultaneously.
Zhang Huizhu was not surprised. She knew this meant it was time to submit.
"Seniors, make your choice! You know you can't change anything."
A weary, resigned voice spoke. "Sigh...we are willing to join the dao ancestor's gate. Just don't massacre us all."
Zhang Huizhu smiled. "We're all one family now. How could we kill our own? But today you all must pay respects to the dao ancestor, including you."
The old man was silent for a long time before speaking despondently: "These old bones of mine don't have many days left anyway. What use is face? I will pay my respects to the dao ancestor."
Tianxuan Sect's people all knelt down. "Old Patriarch, you can't!"
"Silence! Under you people's selfish and greedy leadership, Tianxuan Sect has already deviated far from its original purpose."
"If Tianxuan Sect is not destroyed by them today, it would also crumble from infighting caused by all of you."
Everyone shut their mouths. Cultivators of the past took the survival of mankind as their mission. Cultivators today stop at nothing to satisfy their own greed.
Not only do they not contribute anything to the common people, they siphon the people's blood and energy like parasites.
In all the Xianxia novels Tang Xiaoyu had read, cultivators' value was demonstrated by sacrificing common people's lives to slay demons and protect the commoners, or slay devil kings to protect the people.
So all the deceit and scheming between cultivators was for the sake of commoners? As if! The common people never benefited at all. Yet you step all over them and make them take the fall?
Doing nothing all day except thinking of ascension into immortals. Bored, you snatch this, kill that, attracting piles of trouble, then put on the guise of saving the people to clean up the mess.
Why does Tang Xiaoyu believe in the dao ancestor? Because he advocates attaining the dao to become immortal, not ascending as an immortal.
To attain the dao and become immortal, you must have made great contributions to the people and gained heaven's approval. Only then can you become an immortal.
Ascending as an immortal, any tom, dick or harry, so long as you're strong enough and withstand the heavenly tribulation, you can become an immortal. What is this, heaven's a garbage dump?
Which of these ascendant immortals does not have hands stained with blood, despicable, sinister, and crafty?
Even the goddess Nüwa became a saint by creating people and proving the dao. The two saints of the Western Paradise barely managed to become saints after accumulating great merit. Needless to say about the rest.
Even saints were so, what makes a cultivator so special?
When Tang Xiaoyu arrived at Tianxuan Sect, his numbers had already reached a shocking 20,000 plus.
This frightened the disciples of Benevolence and Harmony Sect and Righteousness and Bravery Sect, who hurriedly reported to Zhang Huizhu and company.
"Bad news. Over 20,000 orthodox cultivators have arrived down the mountain."
Zhang Huizhu paled in shock. "What? Quick, gather the disciples to prepare for battle."
After probing with her divine sense, she immediately changed her tune: "Nevermind, it's Xiaoyu and the others. Let them in!"
"Yes."
When Tang Xiaoyu's group arrived at the square, it had already been cleaned up. They were erecting an idol of the dao ancestor.
Arriving at the main hall, Tang Xiaoyu paid his respects: "Sect Leader, all sizeable sects along the way have submitted."
"Xiaoyu, well done. Tell me about these people you've brought." Zhang Huizhu pointed at the people behind Tang Xiaoyu.
Tang Xiaoyu truthfully recounted everything that happened along the way.
Tianxuan Sect's people gnashed their teeth with hatred for these third-rate sects' people.
But they were not worried at all, since they had a powerful backer.
Just as everyone was discussing their next steps, a disciple came to report: "All Sect Leaders, preparations outside are complete."
"Alright, noted. Notify all disciples to gather at the square."
"Yes."
Zhang Huizhu stood up: "Let's all go out and kneel to the dao ancestor!"
"Yes!"
Once everyone had gathered, including Tianxuan Sect's old patriarch.
"Xiaoyu, you host the proceedings."
"Alright!"
Tang Xiaoyu then lit incense and knelt down. The others also knelt solemnly. Seeing this, Tianxuan Sect's people stared blankly before also kneeling down reluctantly.
After some impassioned words and flattery, everyone kowtowed together awaiting the dao ancestor's sermon.
Soon, the dao ancestor's voice rang out: "Little bastard, what nonsense you spouting now? Oh~ so many people!"
Perhaps the dao ancestor had gotten used to it and saw no need to put on airs.
"How did you get the half-dead little brat to come along too?"
Everyone was confused. Little brat? What little brat? There's kids too?
But Tang Xiaoyu reacted quickly: "He just wanted to behold your magnificent figure before he died without regrets."
Tang Xiaoyu had no idea who the dao ancestor meant, but flattery is always right.
"Is that so? Then let him continue beholding me."
The dao ancestor knew everything. Finding this person usable, he said no more.
Tianxuan Sect's old patriarch only felt his body relax as a feeling of youthful vigor suffused his entire being.
He quickly kowtowed: "Thank you dao ancestor for giving me a chance. I will definitely not fail to live up to your expectations."
Tang Xiaoyu only then knew that the little kid was actually older than his grandfather. But in Daozu's eyes, he was still a child.
"Alright, you can all get up now!"
"Thank you, Daozu."
"You've all performed well this time, but you still need to keep working hard. The path of the Taoist school still has a long way to go, and that path will inevitably be bumpy and bloody."
"But for the future, today's bloodshed is worth it."
"Disciples understand." The disciples responded in unison.
"Very good. Here is a little gift I have for you."
Next, golden light showered down on everyone. They only felt their spirits shake as their whole bodies were filled with comfort.
"This has only allowed your strength to increase a little. Greater benefits will need to be slowly uncovered by you."
"Thank you, Daozu."