Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

"Not used to it?"

"Haven't touched it in a long time."

The two fell silent for a moment, with only the rustling of the night wind through the forest and the faint sound of burning tobacco.

"Yunyin Mountain is a good place," Zhang Nanshan suddenly said, his tone tinged with emotion. "It's quiet and has a spiritual quality. It's less noisy than Longhu Mountain."

Chen Anran followed up, saying, "Master Zhang, you flatter me. Yunyin Sect is a small sect, not comparable to the thousand-year-old ancestral temple of Longhu Mountain, the Wanfa Sect Altar."

Zhang Nanshan turned his head, his eyes, like morning stars, seemed to see into people's hearts under the moonlight. He smiled, a smile with an indescribable meaning: "The ancestral court or the minor sect are nothing but appearances. The Dao is not on the mountain, but in the heart."

He flicked his cigarette ash and said half-jokingly, "When Feng mentioned you back then, I really thought you weren't her junior brother, but her senior brother."

"Master Zhang is joking." Chen Anran took another drag of his cigarette. This time he was more accustomed to it and didn't cough anymore. "Master Zhang, on the other hand, is quite an unexpected surprise to me."

Zhang Nanshan laughed heartily, "We Taoists believe in doing whatever we want, however we feel comfortable."

"Do as you please, but don't overstep the bounds," Chen Anran said slowly, exhaling a puff of smoke.

Zhang Nanshan raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing even greater admiration: "That's right, exactly the point."

"I wonder how Zhang Tianshi and my third senior sister met."

Zhang Nanshan's gaze shifted to the mountains below, shrouded in night, his eyes filled with memories. "That's a long story."

Chen Anran was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. He had thought that Feng Xiaolu and Zhang Nanshan knew each other because of the "Mutual Help Taoist Group," but judging from Zhang Nanshan's words, it seemed that it was not that simple.

The cigarette in Zhang Nanshan's hand was almost burned out. Just as he was about to speak, a young Taoist priest suddenly walked over. He had sharp eyes and a righteous air about him.

"Master! We're not on Longhu Mountain now. You should still be mindful of your image when we're out in public."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Nanshan's relaxed and smug expression vanished instantly, like a child caught red-handed by their parents. He coughed lightly and smiled helplessly at Chen Anran: "Look, the strict one is here."

The young Taoist priest approached, first nodding politely to Chen Anran as a greeting, then turning to Zhang Nanshan with a hint of helplessness in his voice: "Master, we have important matters to attend to tomorrow, you'd better get some rest. Besides, if other fellow Taoists see you dressed like this, it's inevitable..."

"What's so unavoidable?" Zhang Nanshan glared, feigning authority. "I'm an upright and honest person. Why should I care what others think I wear? Besides, these pajamas are made of good material and are comfortable to wear!"

As he spoke, Zhang Nanshan pinched two fingers together and stubbed out the cigarette butt in his hand.

The young Taoist priest was clearly used to his master's rhetoric, so he didn't argue, but insisted, "Please, Master, return to your room to rest."

Zhang Nanshan sighed and patted Chen Anran on the shoulder: "Young friend Chen, you see, even a master doesn't have any freedom." He turned to leave, but then seemed to remember something, turned back and winked at Chen Anran, "Oh, by the way, young friend Chen, you are not suitable for the cultivation methods of the Yunyin Sect. If you have time in the future, you can come to Longhu Mountain, and this old Daoist will give you some pointers."

After saying that, he turned around, waved his hand, and leisurely walked towards his room.

His disciple's eyes flashed with shock. He knew that although his master was unconventional, he would never say that he would give guidance to disciples from other sects.

The young Taoist priest watched his master leave before solemnly bowing to Chen Anran: "He Qingyun of Longhu Mountain greets Fellow Taoist Chen."

Chen Anran quickly returned the greeting.

He Qingyun's gaze lingered on Chen Anran's face for a moment, as if scrutinizing him. "Fellow Daoist Chen, you are so young yet you have won my master's favor. You must have something extraordinary about you. Tomorrow at the Righteous Path Assembly, I hope that Yunyin Sect and Longhu Mountain can work together to protect the righteous path."

"Brother He, you flatter me. The Yunyin Sect is of little power, and can only do its duty as a host, relying on Longhu Mountain and all fellow practitioners to take charge of the overall situation."

He Qingyun said no more, cupped his hands in greeting again, turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing around the corner of the corridor.

Silence returned to the platform, and the night wind, carrying a chill, dispersed the lingering smell of smoke.

Chen Anran stood there, savoring Zhang Nanshan's last words, "You are not suitable for the cultivation methods of the Cloud Hidden Sect."

This Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain had a keen eye; he saw through the root cause of his slow progress in cultivation at a glance.

"Going to Longhu Mountain...?"

The thought only flashed through Chen Anran's mind, and he quickly regained his composure. The most important thing now was to get through this Righteous Path Conference safely.

The following day, in the afternoon.

The atmosphere in the main hall of the Hidden Cloud Sect was completely different from the leisurely atmosphere of yesterday.

Su Wan sat solemnly in the main seat, dressed in the formal robes of a sect leader. Chen Anran, Wei Qingyi, and Feng Xiaolu stood on either side, while Lin Xiaoman sat in a slightly further corner with Xiao Ling'er.

Below, led by Zhang Nanshan, the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, and Master Shi Haisheng of Jingang Temple, representatives from various sects took their seats in turn. Zhang Nanshan had changed back into his solemn Celestial Master robes, his expression serene. Master Shi Haisheng still wore a compassionate smile, his prayer beads slowly turning in his hand.

Although Su Wan sat in the main seat, the two giants in the cultivation world today, Vajra Temple and Longhu Mountain, were the ones who led this conference.

Shi Haisheng said, "Esteemed benefactors, today we have gathered at Yunyin Treasure Mountain to discuss the grand plan for dealing with the revival of spiritual energy and the changing world. I have had some discussions with Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain and several other highly respected fellow practitioners. I believe that at this critical time, the most important thing for us righteous people is to unite."

He paused, his gaze sweeping calmly across the room, seemingly lingering a little longer on Su Wan, Chen Anran, and the others.

"The Dharma has been dormant for a thousand years, its traditions have withered, and its rules have been lost. Now, the spiritual tide is rising again, and evil cults are stirring. If we continue to fight each other as before, we may not be strong enough and could be defeated one by one by evil forces. We will also find it difficult to cope with the possible great changes in the future. Therefore, I propose that we take advantage of this Righteous Path Conference to establish the 'Righteous Path Alliance'."

"An alliance?" A murmur of discussion immediately arose from below. Wang Chongshan, the middle-aged Taoist priest of Qingya Cave with a gloomy expression—the cave's master—narrowed his eyes and spoke first: "Master Shi, how exactly does this alliance work? Who is the leader? How are the resources divided?"

These questions were sharp and practical, instantly capturing everyone's attention.

Shi Haisheng seemed to have been prepared, and said calmly, "Amitabha. Master Wang's concerns are very valid. The alliance is not about annexing the various factions, but about establishing a permanent 'Alliance Council,' where representatives from each faction will participate to jointly decide on important matters, coordinate actions, and respond to crises. As for the position of head of the Alliance Council, it should naturally be filled by someone with both virtue and talent, profound cultivation, and popular support, who can be elected by everyone."