Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2307: 70: On the Dao

“So, he is the Qitian Patriarch…”

Wang Ba shifted his gaze toward the youth dressed in ocher robes. Although he had already suspected the man's identity, a wave of vertigo washed over him the moment his suspicions were confirmed.

Back in the Great Jin of the Fenglin Continent, the power structure consisted of the Three Sects and One Clan. Both the Qin Clan and the Youxian Temple revered Ancestor Qinlin as their founder. The Wanxiang Sect was established by the Chongyuan Patriarch, but the individual who had founded the Longevity Sect was the very youth in ocher standing before him—the Qitian Patriarch.

Due to the teacher-disciple and sibling-like bonds shared by these three patriarchs, the Three Sects and One Clan within the Little Cang World had always maintained a close relationship, fostering a rare level of stability among the realm's various factions.

Within the Three Sects, these three founders naturally occupied positions of supreme reverence. Even those within the Wanxiang Sect looked upon the Qitian Patriarch with profound respect and admiration.

Wang Ba had previously bowed before the portrait of the Qitian Patriarch in worship. Now, having traversed the immense Realm Sea to find the living legend here in the Cloud Sky Realm, he was overcome by a complex, nearly indescribable emotion.

However, his Dao-heart remained firm. Quickly centering himself, he raised his hands to offer a formal greeting.

To his surprise, the youth in ocher robes moved first, lifting his hands in a respectful salute:

“Greetings to True Man Taiyi. I am Qitian.”

Wang Ba was momentarily taken aback. He noticed a flash of astonishment in the youth’s eyes, yet the Patriarch remained composed, his face breaking into a gentle smile.

Being nearby, Qitian Patriarch had naturally overheard Hui Yunzi’s address to Wang Ba. He had likely deduced Wang Ba’s true identity, but he refrained from saying more in front of the gathered cultivators, choosing instead to show proper respect.

Recognizing the Patriarch's discretion, Wang Ba smiled and returned the gesture, saying:

“I am Taiyi. Greetings to you, True Man Qitian.”

He then cast a curious look around the area and inquired:

“Why is True Man Chongyuan not present?”

Hui Yunzi hesitated, glancing toward the Qitian Patriarch for guidance.

The Qitian Patriarch’s mind raced, but his expression stayed neutral as he replied:

“My brother has sustained grave injuries and is unable to travel. However, since Brother Chen extended a personal invitation, it is a great blessing for our Three Sects. Thus, I brought the sect disciples ahead of him.”

“A personal invitation?”

Wang Ba looked toward Chen Zhongqi at his side and immediately grasped the situation. He raised his hands in a sincere gesture of gratitude:

“I am grateful for your help, Taoist Friend Chen.”

Chen Zhongqi quickly returned the salute:

“Taoist Brother Taiyi, please, there is no need for such formality. It was a trivial matter. The banquet has already commenced, however. Perhaps we should continue our conversation later?”

Wang Ba paused for a second.

Qitian Patriarch immediately added:

“Brother Chen is correct. True Man Taiyi, after you.”

Faced with this, Wang Ba could only nod. He offered a small smile to both the Qitian Patriarch and Hui Yunzi:

“Please, do not depart once the banquet concludes.”

Both the Qitian Patriarch and Hui Yunzi nodded in agreement.

Surrounded by the local cultivators, Wang Ba was then ushered toward the seating area of the feast.

Qitian Patriarch and Hui Yunzi remained where they stood, watching the figure disappear into the crowd as if they were trapped in a dream.

After a long silence, the Qitian Patriarch turned to Hui Yunzi. No longer hiding his shock, he spoke through a private transmission:

“Is he truly the young successor you described to me before?”

Under normal circumstances, he would never lose his composure like this. But the revelation that True Man Taiyi was actually the Deputy Sect Master of the Wanxiang Sect from the Little Cang World was so staggering that he had to ask, even though he already knew the truth.

Hui Yunzi nodded with some hesitation. He had previously sought the Qitian Patriarch’s assistance many times to save the Wanxiang Sect, detailing the crisis and Wang Ba’s role. However, he now found himself doubting his own eyes:

“It certainly looks like him. His presence and mannerisms are identical, but…”

He struggled to reconcile the image of the Divinity Transformation cultivator from his memories with the powerful figure now flanked by numerous Unification and Crossing Tribulation experts. The two versions of the man simply didn't seem to overlap.

Now that the initial shock was fading, a mountain of questions began to rise.

By his calculations, only two or three thousand years had passed since his own Cultivation Ascension. How could a young Deputy Sect Master have transformed into the legendary True Man Taiyi—a man who had achieved five consecutive victories and left the Buddhist host utterly powerless?

He had assumed the boy had achieved Ascension, but his inquiries regarding True Man Taiyi suggested otherwise.

The man had seemingly appeared from nowhere, immediately slaying several Bodhisattvas and Arhats, sending shockwaves through the Cloud Sky Realm.

“If it wasn't through Cultivation Ascension, how on earth did he reach the Cloud Sky Realm?”

His soul was filled with a mixture of bewilderment and awe.

As he reflected further, certain details began to click into place.

“That’s right... the Taoist Field he established in the Little Cang World was named ‘Taiyi.’ Therefore, True Man Taiyi must indeed be Wang Ba. But what kind of miraculous encounter could cause such a transformation?”

He had heard the name True Man Taiyi previously but had dismissed it. In the vastness of the Realm Sea, duplicate names were common. How could he have guessed that this formidable expert was actually a respected junior from his own sect?

Lost in thought, he sent another curious transmission:

“Patriarch, why were you so formal with him just now? Wang Ba is a man who honors his elders and follows proper etiquette; he isn't one to ignore protocol.”

Qitian Patriarch slowly processed the gravity of the situation. He shook his head slightly and replied:

“I am aware of his respect for seniority; that is likely why he ignored everyone else the moment he saw you. However, he has risen from obscurity and yet did not immediately come forward to claim his lineage. He likely has his reasons, and we are ignorant of his current plans or burdens. To force a recognition now might interfere with his goals, which would be unwise.”