To outside observers, adopting the Chinese language, culture, and faith might seem achievable, but changing one's nationality—that shifts the entire context! For Chris, John, and Alba to study cultivation, they would first need to transform from Americans into Chinese citizens!
Never mind whether they agreed; even if they did, it would be difficult for other sects to use it as grounds to attack Li Yundong.
Du Fei secretly gave Li Yundong a thumbs-up, marveling internally: I truly wasn't wrong about this young man. His cultivation is formidable for his age, but what’s rarer is his exceptional shrewdness; he resolved such a huge problem in an instant. Truly impressive skill!
Wei Qing also looked at Li Yundong with admiration as she translated. Once she finished, John froze on the spot, dumbstruck, looking utterly lost.
John, having oversimplified matters, had assumed that upon his arrival, Li Yundong would immediately accept him as a disciple, just like in the movies, launching him into a magical journey.
What he hadn't expected was that Li Yundong taught the most closely guarded, indispensable treasures of the Chinese nation—secrets absolutely not to be taught lightly.
John’s face turned ashen, like a man attending his own funeral, standing frozen. Chris stared at Li Yundong in disbelief, exclaiming, “You actually expect us to change our citizenship?! You—you are forcing our hand! This is too much!”
Li Yundong’s expression remained serene as he shook his head. “Chris, you are the one forcing the issue. You have no comprehension of what you seek to learn. This is absolutely not the mere martial art you see in films and on television. This is a skill capable of transcending life and death, transcending heaven and earth. If you cannot meet the four conditions I set, I will absolutely not take you as a disciple!”
Seeing Li Yundong’s resolute demeanor, Chris couldn’t help but shout, “Then why didn't you make that clear from the start?”
Li Yundong sighed, offering a bitter smile. “I thought you would forget everything once you returned. In that, I admit fault; I apologize. I never expected you would come back!”
Chris felt utterly humiliated; her pretty face flushed crimson, her eyes darting rapidly in their sockets.
Li Yundong observed this, sighed inwardly, shook his head, and spoke to Su Chan, who stood quietly beside him, behaving impeccably: “Let’s go!”
The little foxes gave Chris and the others a look brimming with schadenfreude, then filed past them in a line.
Zhou Qin glanced at Chris. She felt a twinge of sympathy for the girl who had traveled thousands of miles to China, sensing a kinship in the girl’s stubbornness and persistence that mirrored her own. She deliberately lagged behind and said to Chris, “We Chinese have a saying: good things take time. Moreover, if you’ve read Journey to the West, you should know that the Monkey King and Tang Sanzang endured eighty-one tribulations on their journey before finally obtaining the true scriptures. If you genuinely wish to learn the art of cultivation, then do not fear these difficulties. Treat them as your trials; only true testing and tempering will allow you to truly stand out!”
With that, she let out a soft sigh and followed Li Yundong closely onto the yacht.
Although Chris heard Zhou Qin’s words, she couldn't truly absorb them in that moment. Nearby, John hung his head dejectedly, muttering under his breath, What do we do? What do we do? Master won’t accept me!
Alba, however, after hearing Wei Qing’s translation, exploded with fury. “Unacceptable, damnable! How can there be a man so utterly lacking in gentlemanly conduct! Are all Chinese men this chauvinistic? This is disgusting male dominance, this is hateful totalitarianism! Where in this world is the logic in demanding a nationality change just to take on a disciple!”
After venting a torrent of curses, Alba suddenly turned on Chris, enraged. “Chris, we didn't come all this way to China for nothing! Hmph, if he won’t take you as a disciple, then I'll make sure this so-called Lotus Gathering never happens!”
John jumped, saying, “Alba, you can’t do anything rash!”
Alba scoffed, “Nonsense! What’s rash is you acting like a complete fool, traveling from America to China just to be lectured! For heaven’s sake, is there anything stupider than that?”
John snapped back angrily, “Bullshit! The stupidest thing in this world is you getting dumped by Jack and then following us here!”
Alba, humiliated and furious, had her eyebrows spiking in anger. “What did you say!”
Chris, who had remained silent until now, finally couldn’t stand it. “All of you, shut up!”
Alba and John both whipped their heads toward Chris, their brows furrowed, glaring furiously.
Chris glared back without yielding an inch, then pointed toward the roadside. “Do you want these Chinese people to laugh at us?”
Alba sneered sarcastically, “These Chinese people, those Chinese people—are you willing to become Chinese just for this damn cultivation?”
Chris snapped, “Alba, shut up!”
Alba snorted and turned her head away. Her gaze fell upon the people by the roadside pointing and whispering at them. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she began to laugh heartily. “I know how to cause trouble!”
Saying this, she pointed at Chris. “You absolutely are not allowed to stop me, or I’ll turn on you!”
Chris pressed her forehead, shaking her head at Alba’s determined expression. “Do as you wish. Just leave me alone for a while.”
Alba let out a cold, mocking laugh. She walked over to a public phone booth on the curb, dropped in a dollar coin, and dialed. When she hung up and sauntered back looking triumphant, Chris couldn't help but ask, “Alba, what did you call about?”
Alba burst into loud laughter. “I called the police!”
Chris and John stared at Alba, dumbfounded, stammering, “What? You called the police?”
Alba roared with laughter. “They won’t let us into the Lotus Gathering, so I won’t let them hold the Lotus Gathering! I just called the police station and told them there’s an illegal gathering happening!”
Chris gasped, “Alba, are you crazy? Don’t you know filing a false police report is illegal? Do you want to be arrested and deported?”
Alba laughed harshly, “Fine! Deport me! It’ll save me the cost of a plane ticket!”
John drawled with sarcasm, “Give me a break. They’ll send you to some remote location to dig sand, and given China’s cheap rates for manual labor, I suspect you’ll be digging until your eyes run dry and you’ll never earn back that ticket money!”
The American media had heavily demonized China’s authoritarian rule. Hearing John’s words, Alba felt a knot of fear tighten in her stomach. Her eyes glazed over as she said, “No way? Is it really that terrifying?”
John added fuel to the fire. “Exactly! Think about it—a young, beautiful, sexy darling like you stranded at some remote mountain construction site, surrounded only by crude, vulgar men. Imagine the horrific, inhuman torment you’d suffer every single night.”
Alba’s face actually paled from fear. She stammered, “John, stop scaring me!”
Chris saw that Alba was genuinely frightened, shot John a glare, and then tried to soothe her. “Alba, was the number you called in English?”
Alba nodded, then gestured toward her tongue. “Of course. Do I look like someone whose tongue can tie itself in knots?”
John burst into loud laughter. “You idiot, calling the police in English—do you think they understood you?”
Alba slapped her chest, feeling slightly relieved. “It’s better if they didn’t understand!”
Chris suddenly thought of something. “Wait, I think China’s current emergency system records all calls?”
Alba immediately grew nervous again. “What? Then—then we should run?”
Chris looked at Alba, a mix of exasperation and amusement, and considered. “Let’s go wait somewhere farther away and see what happens before deciding anything.”
John and Alba exchanged a look, nodded in unison, and then, like thieves, fled the scene quickly with Chris.
Just as Chris and the others nervously gazed toward the white yacht from a distance, Li Yundong and his group had already boarded.
Before stepping onto the yacht from the dock, Li Yundong noticed a man with a sallow complexion and a long beard standing at the entrance to the deck. The man glanced at Li Yundong, then at the bevy of beauties behind him, paused briefly, and frowned inwardly. He spoke in a deep voice, “State your sect and present your Golden Pass, please!”
Ziyuan whispered to Li Yundong, “That is Sun Baitian, the Senior Martial Uncle of Wan Zhenyuan, the Sect Master of the Gezao Sect. He is a great hidden cultivator whose skills are definitely on par with Zhang Ling of the Zhengyi Sect. I never expected he would be out today, acting as a greeter! It seems the Gezao Sect is taking this Lotus Gathering very seriously!”
Li Yundong nodded slightly, stepped aside, and smiled at Du Fei, who had followed him in. “Martial Brother Du, please proceed first!”
Du Fei was slightly taken aback, but he didn't dwell on it. He cupped his hands in a smile toward Li Yundong and strode quickly to the front, proactively presenting a Golden Pass.
Sun Baitian glanced at it, a faint smile touching his lips. “Ah, it is Martial Brother Du of the Quanzhen Longmen Sect. Please come in!” He then took a deep breath and announced loudly, “Martial Brother Du of the Quanzhen Longmen Sect, Martial Sister Wei, arrive!”
Already inside the yacht were cultivators from over a dozen sects, numbering around two to three hundred people, engaged in cordial conversation. Upon hearing the announcement from outside, everyone fell silent, their gazes turning toward the entrance.
Du Fei, as the Senior Disciple Brother of the Quanzhen Longmen Sect, while not having the absolute highest cultivation, was known for his straightforward nature and commanded significant financial authority within his sect, giving his word considerable weight in the cultivation world. When he arrived, all eyes turned toward him. Those who hadn't met Du Fei before were eager to see what the renowned "Jade-Faced Golden Monkey" looked like.
When they looked, the first person they saw was a tall girl with a delightful countenance. As the crowd’s gaze fell upon her, her face flushed, and her eyes darted around until she spotted Yue Sheng and others from the Quanzhen Longmen Sect. She hurried over and sat down beside them.
Only after Du Fei entered did he pause before taking his seat, instead offering a slight bow and smile to the assembled company.
Seeing Du Fei remain composed, unflustered, and possessing such commanding presence in such a gathering, everyone inwardly admired him: Truly worthy of being the Senior Disciple Brother of the Quanzhen Longmen Sect; his demeanor is exceptional!
Li Yundong, seeing Du Fei enter, smiled at Ziyuan. “You go in next.”
Ziyuan asked curiously, “Are you planning to enter last as the finale?”
Li Yundong smiled. “I want to wait until they tire of looking at people. When I enter then, they won't be focused on me.”
Ziyuan chuckled softly. “With your current level of attainment, are you still afraid of being looked at?”
Li Yundong laughed. “The higher the cultivation, the more one fears observation. Why else do all the great masters hide themselves? Low profile, must maintain a low profile!”
Ruan Hongling giggled, “It’s useless. A man as dazzling as you will attract attention wherever he goes!”
Li Yundong laughed heartily. Ziyuan smiled and shook her head, then, with Ruan Hongling, presented their Golden Passes.
Sun Baitian opened the pass and looked at Ziyuan with noticeable emotion. “Ah, the disciple of Wang Yuanshan! Truly extraordinary, please come in!” He then announced loudly, “Martial Sister Ziyuan, disciple of Wang Yuanshan of the Zhengyi Linggong Sect, and Martial Sister Ruan Hongling, arrive!”
The cultivators from various sects inside the yacht began whispering among themselves upon hearing this. “Could this be that famously beautiful Ziyuan?”
“Could this be Ziyuan, rumored to be the top expert of the younger generation?”
“Look, we must get a good look!”
Many of these cultivators were ascetics who only surfaced during the Lotus Gathering. Thus, while they had heard of Ziyuan, they had never seen her. Now, some curious young men stood up to catch a glimpse of her appearance.
When they looked, they saw Ruan Hongling enter first. This woman was exceptionally beautiful, her eyes clear and dark, leaving a deep impression. They couldn't help but nod, saying, “Not bad, truly beautiful!”
But immediately following her entered a woman clad in a long, flowing white dress. This woman seemed enveloped in a thin veil of mist, giving off an ethereal aura described as "mist shrouding cold water, moon softening fine sand." They felt a breathtaking, world-stopping beauty rush toward them, causing everyone present to momentarily hold their breath, daring not even to exhale.
At that instant, one thought raced through everyone’s mind: Ah, this must be Ziyuan! Where else in the world could there be another woman so ethereal and transcendent?
Ziyuan was already accustomed to such intense scrutiny. With a cold expression, she walked to a corner. After sitting down with Ruan Hongling, quite a few young cultivators who couldn't control themselves still craned their necks to look over at her.
Outside, Li Yundong watched Ziyuan enter, then composed himself slightly. He turned to Su Chan and the little foxes and instructed them sternly, “Don't cause any trouble later, or I’ll never take you out again!”
Su Chan blinked, covered her mouth with both hands, and mumbled muffledly, “Don't worry, we won't say a word even if beaten!”
The little foxes dutifully mimicked the tone, “We won't say a word even if beaten!”
Li Yundong let out a soft laugh. He walked up to Sun Baitian and presented his own Golden Pass.
Sun Baitian seemed quite displeased by Li Yundong's entourage of beautiful women. He secretly sneered and accepted the pass somewhat casually, glancing at it. Upon seeing the name, he suddenly froze and jerked his head up, demanding, “You are Li Yundong, the Sect Master of the Fox Zen Sect?”
Li Yundong smiled and nodded. “Precisely!”
Sun Baitian’s eyes widened as he scrutinized Li Yundong closely, then asked, “Are you that Li Yundong who wreaked havoc at our Gezao Mountain ancestral temple?”
Good deeds travel slowly, but bad deeds travel instantly!
Li Yundong smiled helplessly. “It seems that would be me!”
Sun Baitian let out a loud, angry laugh. “I was worried you wouldn’t show up today, but you delivered yourself right to my doorstep! Good, good!” He then announced loudly, “Sect Master of the Fox Zen Sect, Li Yundong, arrives with his disciples!”
The crowd inside the yacht, most of whom were still absorbed in Ziyuan’s stunning beauty, were startled by Sun Baitian’s shout and all turned toward the entrance in unison.
Especially Zhang Ling; her eyes flew open, and she shot to her feet, her eyes blazing with sharp light toward the door. As she stood, Zou Ping and the other members of the Zhengyi Sect immediately stood up, staring at the entrance with ill intent.
Zhang Cunyi, Yue Sheng, Zhang Tianhe, and Wang Lingfei—all the handsome young men who had grievances with Li Yundong—simultaneously rose and stared intently toward the entrance.
Even those ascetics who hadn't met the currently most talked-about young cultivator had heard whispers of Li Yundong blocking the masses at Tianlong Mountain and snatching resources from the tiger’s maw at Gezao Mountain. They were inwardly surprised and curious, and they too stood up, wondering: What is so special about this Li Yundong? Does he have three heads and six arms?
For a moment, everyone aboard the yacht stood up together, their gazes fixed squarely on the entrance, all waiting to see what this world-renowned Li Yundong actually looked like!