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Seeing the young cultivator deep in thought, Chong Ling Daoist wasn't in a hurry. He knew how precious the opportunity to join a Daoist Sect was to a cultivator!
Especially for a cultivator with mediocre talent and no formal background, the difference in resources was like night and day, not to mention having a stable environment, instruction from mentors, support from fellow disciples, and access to a complete and exhaustive system of endless Mysterious Skills and Techniques.
These were things that a Loose Cultivator could never hope to touch. Whatever gains they made through life-threatening struggles in the wild, they would treasure and diligently practice, never really knowing if it suited them.
And yet, all of this might be obtained by risking infiltration into the Demon Sect. Whether it took ten to eight years or just three to two years, it would be well worth it for the lifespan of a cultivator.
After a long while, Hou Niao finally broke the silence, "What if I give it my all and still can't infiltrate the Demon Sect? What then?"
Without any hesitation, Chong Ling said, "In three years, you will still be accepted into the Anhe Daoist Sect, because I trust your character. You would never intentionally perform poorly. Besides, how much worse can it get than it is now?"
"How do we define the magnitude of merit?"
"It can't be defined. It's a matter of tacit agreement between both parties. As long as one's heart is in the right place, there will always be a standard to judge by."
"When the Demon Sect recruits many, does that mean their standards for acceptance lower significantly?"
"Exactly. The Demon Sect's usual approach is to have easy entry but strict exit, unlike our Daoist Sect which is strict on entry but lenient on exit. This difference is a matter of philosophy; it's easy to get in, but the competition is fierce. I don't want to mislead you with promises of a bright future. If you decide to go, be prepared for this reality."
"How many people know I'm going to infiltrate the Demon Sect?"
"Two! Me and Golden Core Lu, your teacher's senior. After today, he will forget about this matter, as he does not wish to involve himself with a person who lacks future prospects! I alone have full knowledge of your situation. No documentation will be made, no records kept, nothing put in writing."
"So, if you died, I would fully become a Demon Sect disciple, with no chance of returning to the Daoist Sect?"
"That's one way to look at it. This arrangement helps with your safety, but as you know, there is no such thing as a foolproof plan. To remain undetected, one must take certain risks."
"Could you be more specific?"
Chong Ling Daoist smiled inwardly, satisfied that his charge was finally on the hook. In truth, he didn't have high hopes for the young man's prospects within the Demon Sect; it was likely that he would, at best, blend in as a low-level member. Aspiring to reach a high rank was out of the question.
On the other hand, he felt that the young man would adapt well to the Demon Sect's environment because it appreciated someone as decisive and ruthless as Hou Niao. Surviving at the lower levels was possible, and considering his own limited cultivation Realm, he didn't need highly sensitive information which he wouldn't be able to handle anyway.
Low-level information suited him just right.
"Firstly, although you haven't been accepted into the Daoist Sect, to help you increase your Realm more smoothly and ensure the success of this mission, I will provide you with the greatest assistance in resources, including Spirit Stones, cultivation techniques, materials, and so on.
Naturally, these will be basic resources, as you would arouse suspicion if you had unique Daoist Sect methods. It wouldn't be appropriate for you to learn them anyway.
Secondly, you can't travel to the border with me; it would draw too much attention. You need to make the journey on your own. From the day we part, you'll receive no more assistance from me until you've established yourself in the Demon Sect branch in Da Feng Plain."
"Lastly, if you do make it, don't be in a hurry to make contact. You'll need time to build a foundation and earn trust, not rush to send messages. When to contact will be my decision. With Liuyang just one Realm away from Da Feng Plain, we won't lack opportunities to meet.
My advice is that, for at least the first two or three years, forget that you're an undercover agent. First, you need to find a way to survive there."
Hou Niao was meticulous in thought, a quality essential for an espionage agent, and arguably more suited for this role than the favored talents raised within the Daoist Sects from a young age.
To undertake such a life-threatening task of going undercover, Daoist learning came second to learning how to survive as a person.
"Then, do I need to be equipped with a new identity?"
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Chong Ling Daoist shook his head, "There is no identity that can withstand scrutiny, especially for a living person in their twenties like you!"
"To concoct a lie, you would have to involve more people, from the local census officials to your neighbors; in the end, you'll discover leaks everywhere. If just one link leaks, you'll be thoroughly exposed.
Moreover, who would bother to investigate a low-level Demon Cultivator like you? Unless one day you rise to a high position."
He continued to explain, "You should go as your true self, with the identity of a criminal from the Fufeng City in the Three Rivers Prefecture of Guangchuan Continent in Anhe Country, which really does exist and can withstand scrutiny.
You were wronged by the Daoist Sect, dragged to the Anhe prayer altar for a sacrificial offering, luckily survived death, yet were treated differently by the sect, praised one moment and belittled the next.
This bred resentment in your heart, and you vowed to seek revenge, to cultivate skills to annihilate the Anhe Daoist Sect entirely, which led to you traveling to a distant land, aspiring for advancement!"
"Look, it's seamless. What need is there for a new identity?"
Hou Niao sighed, "Daoist, you truly possess divine insight, nailing my thoughts and intentions so clearly, that is indeed what I was thinking!"
Chong Ling Daoist looked at him meaningfully, "I can understand how you felt at that moment, but if you calm down completely after a few days, you'd know what choice to make, and perhaps you'd lose all that fruitless resentment?"
"I have one piece of advice, do not make decisions while angry; that is the beginning of regret!"
"Was it your Senior Uncle who was spewing malicious words on the Daoist Altar at that time?"
Chong Ling nodded with satisfaction, this young man was sharp, a good choice for such matters,
"Precisely, otherwise do you think there are such shallow people within the Daoist Sect, who take pleasure in shaming a trivial figure with their words? It was nothing but a show, to give you a reason to defect from the Anhe Daoist Sect."
Everything was perfectly planned, but Hou Niao knew that Chong Ling Daoist was helping him in a very peculiar way.
Daoists always had such strange temperaments. Clearly, they were repaying a favor, yet they disguised themselves with an indifferent and unconcerned façade.
He had cultivated for years without making any progress in the Pulse Realm; what made him think he could turn things around by joining the Demon Sect? The blessings of the immortal at the altar were granted to the Anhe Daoist Sect, not to him, Hou Niao.
All this circumvention was simply to give him some resources, Spirit Stones, and Cultivation Techniques, to let him lay low in Shan Country. If he managed to advance in his cultivation, all the better; if not, he could still move far away and live as a wealthy man.
Such was the Daoist Sect, with its queer Dao Heart.
If this were really the Daoist Sect's plan, he wouldn't go; but since it was Chong Ling's sincere intention, he couldn't refuse!
I haven't joined the Daoist Sect, and yet I also start to become peculiar?
Hou Niao put down his wine cup and decided to accept the offer, making things more comfortable for everyone.
"Alright, I'll go!"
Chong Ling Daoist watched him gulp down the last of his noodle soup, stand up, bow slightly, and merge into the fine rain;
At that moment, something seemed to move him, but he couldn't grasp that indistinct feeling, so he could only watch the figure grow farther and farther away.
With half a shoulder of baggage, desolate books and swords...