But Liang Yi remembered how terribly that guild ended up.
Because of the fact that Lv Cheng, who had been sold, actually managed to escape, overcame numerous obstacles, and powerfully rose up. In the end, he even killed that elder, exposed the dirty secrets, and successfully became a high-ranking member of Little Bamboo House.
The guild bought tickets overnight, almost as if they were ready to carry a train and run. But still, Lv Cheng caught the player who betrayed him, clearing all their revival chances to zero, and most of their cultivation was also crippled, leading them to delete their account and disappear without a trace.
Since then, players have become more cautious when selling NPCs, carefully considering whether they could bear the consequences.
"Okay, I'll take it."
"Ding! You have accepted the quest [Lv Cheng's Secret Mission]!"
[Quest Tip: Lv Cheng is at a loss as he can't find a trustworthy messenger. Hearing of your arrival, your identity has provided credibility, and he hopes you can help him deliver a letter to a specific destination!]
[Quest Tip: This mission is dual-natured. If the player can solve the seal on the jade tube, they can trigger a hidden quest!]
[Quest Reward: 100,000 EXP, +1000 Favourability with Lv Cheng, Generous remuneration from Lv Cheng]
Liang Yi didn't take long to accept the quest. The reason was simple: Lv Cheng promised to help him conceal the fact that he could now cultivate, and just that alone moved him.
Moreover, he finally understood why that player from his past life chose to be a double-dealer. The four words 'hidden quest' alone were enough to pique a player's curiosity.
"Good! Thank you. There's no point in saying more, once the task is completed, I will surely reward the both of you generously!" Lv Cheng got so excited that he stood up and bowed to the two of them.
Liang Yi accepted the bow without any guilt. This task was hardly a difficulty for him, and the danger was almost non-existent. However, for Lv Cheng, it was a critical move that could change his fate.
After sending off Lv Cheng with his words of gratitude and closing the door, the world finally became quiet.
'"Banished Immortal, this great disciple, is truly a person worth befriending. He agreed to help without even mentioning a reward; I should definitely stay in touch with him more in the future." Lv Cheng thought to himself as he walked. He never considered the possibility that Liang Yi would betray him. How could the inheritor of the Super Force Taoist Sect, the Banished Immortal's great disciple, do such a thing?
"Senior brother, why do we have to help him?" Su Youyi was somewhat puzzled. Although her senior brother and she were not heartless, they couldn't just help every time someone asked. But since her senior brother did so, there must be something she hadn't thought of.
"The reward doesn't matter. What's important is that he mentioned concealing the news about my ability to cultivate. That's a favor I must return." Liang Yi refilled his cup of tea and said leisurely.
"Eh? Why?" Su Youyi sat next to her senior brother, curious as a baby.
"When you fought that black-cloaked person, you were quite a cold-hearted girl. How come you've become so cute now?" Liang Yi looked at his junior sister's twinkling big eyes, full of curiosity, and remembering how she was when he first met her, he couldn't help but tease her.
"That's... that's because I was worried about you," Su Youyi pouted and protested softly.
"Hahaha, thank you. Without you holding back that black-cloaked man, by the time he came to find me, I'd have been dead for sure." Liang Yi executed the 'stroke hair kill' move, genuinely thanking his junior sister.
"Don't thank me!" Su Youyi suddenly lifted her head, her eyes slightly reddening, she strongly wanted to correct her senior brother's words. She felt a bit wronged; she thought that it would make the two of them seem distant, when in fact her senior brother saved her when they were children, and she never let her say one word of thanks even when he was seriously injured and near death.
"Alright, alright, no thanks. With our relationship, saying thanks is indeed impersonal. My mistake, senior brother." Not being entirely clueless, Liang Yi quickly guessed his junior sister's thoughts and apologized hastily.
"Heehee, senior brother is the best." Su Youyi broke into a smile through her tears.
Liang Yi looked at his junior sister, her mind so straightforward and pure, like the breeze of early spring or the warm sun in winter, intoxicating to the point where one does not wish to part with it.
He felt like he might be falling in love, having been single for so long. But he also understood the principle of not toying with love without the intention of commitment; he hadn't completely decided how to handle his relationship with his junior sister yet.
"You want to know why I helped him, right? Sit tight, I'll tell you." Liang Yi wisely chose to change the subject and stood up to face his junior sister.
"Oh!" Su Youyi obediently sat up straight, placing her hands on her thighs, like a high school student attending a lecture.
"Tell me, when did our Taoist Sect become a Super Force?"
"Um... probably after Master became the number one in the world?" Su Youyi furrowed her brows, thought for a moment, and then answered.
"The Super Forces in the world used to be: Sword Cleanse Heavenly Pool, Xuanzhou Immortal Dynasty, Complete Heaven Sect, Wanxiang Senluo Sect, Blood Imperial Sect, Bodhi Temple, and the Ten Thousand Miles Mountains or the Demon Clan. These seven powers had dominated the Mystical Mechanism Continent for tens of thousands of years, with no one ever being able to challenge their rule. That is until our Master rose to power, and our Taoist Sect became the eighth great power." Liang Yi narrated the division of power on the continent with ease.
Su Youyi nodded repeatedly.
"Before Taoist Sect, it's not like there weren't other people or sects that wanted to challenge the reign of the seven Super Forces. But as you know, the Super Forces remain those seven, never changed." Liang Yi drank some water to moisten his throat and continued.
"Master becoming the number one is certainly a strength guarantee for the establishment of the Taoist Sect, but an even more important reason is..." Liang Yi paused for a moment.
"What is it?" The junior sister's full attention was captured by Liang Yi's words, as she had never considered such things before. Master is the number one in the world, and the Taoist Sect is a Super Force; isn't the logic very clear?
"It's because we have no successors!" Liang Yi spoke with an inexplicable tone.
"There was a time when I had no talent for cultivation, and our sect actually had no inheritor. What is there to fear about a sect without a successor, even if the Master is the number one in the world? Later, Master took you as a disciple. After all, with only one disciple, the Taoist Sect didn't think to openly recruit more disciples. That's why the other forces could still bear it."
"But now, I too can cultivate! Does that mean we, in the future, might also accept many disciples?" Liang Yi revealed the ultimate reason.
"Ah? Big brother, I still don't understand." Su Youyi could follow at first, but then her eyes started to spin.
"The world's resources had been divided among the seven Super Forces over tens of thousands of years, and the hierarchy has solidified. The Master, with his strength as the number one, forcibly tore open a crack for the Taoist Sect to emerge. But if the Taoist Sect were to openly recruit disciples, it would inevitably need a large amount of resources and land, which would surely encroach upon the interests of other Super Forces, and they would not stand idly by. Even if the Master is the number one in the world, can he alone defeat the seven Super Forces, can he defeat the whole world?" Liang Yi explained more clearly.
"But we won't openly recruit disciples, Master has said so."
"We trust the Master, but whether others believe it or not is another matter, thus on the surface, we must maintain that I cannot cultivate, and besides, the Master is currently in seclusion. If someone acts against us, just the two of us alone can't hold them back until Master comes out of seclusion." Liang Yi's expression was cold; this was only his guess, but it was also a possibility. He never leaves the decision of life and death in someone else's hands.
With his junior sister around, he must protect her well, leaving no room for any accidents.
"So that's how it is, worthy of being my senior brother!" Su Youyi stood up, enlightened, looking at Liang Yi with admiration.
"That's why what Lv Cheng just now said about hiding that information is more important to me than any reward!" Liang Yi habitually patted his junior sister's head, the feel was just too good.
"Let's go back and discuss it with the Master after he finishes his seclusion."
"Okay~"