Chapter 7: Hurry up and use your invincible "Long-Wailing Jackal" to think of a solution!

In his previous life, Zhao Zhen had heard people speculate that the Three-One Sect in "Under One Person" might be modeled after the Three-One Religion (also known as the Three Teachings or Xia Religion). It was a folk religion that emerged in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, flourished during the transition from the Ming to the Qing, and remains active today in parts of Fujian and Taiwan, as well as in some Southeast Asian countries. It was founded by Lin Zhao'en (1517–1598) from Putian, Fujian.

Therefore, the location Zhao Zhen had been scouting for the Three-One Sect was, from the start, situated at the border of Zhejiang and Fujian.

After using the "Golden Escape Flowing Light" technique four times intermittently within three days, Zhao Zhen and his two companions finally arrived at a town at the foot of the mountain where the Three-One Sect resided. Seeing the familiar small town before him, Yuan Jingui felt a wave of sentimentality.

"Three days, over a thousand miles of travel, and we actually made it just like that?"

"This is the capability of a Superior. Why else do you think those people always want to call upon a Superior whenever trouble arises? With these means, no matter how dangerous the situation is, one can turn peril into safety in an instant."

Wen Lianggong also sighed with emotion, his eyes filled with an increasingly intense appreciation for Zhao Zhen’s talent. *No, I must find a way to keep this kid in our Quansheng.* The boy had inherited the true essence of the Golden Light Superior. If he became one of their own, it would be fine, as they could continue to ask for his help in the future. But if he were to join those so-called righteous sects... Just the thought of walking down the road and having a group of righteous practitioners suddenly descend upon him made Wen Lianggong shudder. It was impossible to kill him; if the Golden Light Superior found out that he had killed his precious disciple, given the connections that old man had built within Quansheng over the years, he would make sure Wen Lianggong’s life was turned upside down.

Thinking of this, Wen Lianggong shifted his gaze to Yuan Jingui. For the first time, he felt a sudden sense of relief that it was this "Long-Crying Wildcat" Yuan Jingui by his side. *Old Yuan, unleash your talent for causing trouble as much as you like!*

"See that mountain? The gate of the Three-One Sect is up there," Yuan Jingui said, pointing toward the hill to the east of the town.

"Oh," Zhao Zhen nodded.

While they had indeed reached the foot of the Three-One Sect, how to actually approach Lu Jin was another matter entirely. Calculating the dates, Lu Jin should have already been accepted as a disciple by Zuo Ruotong and begun his secluded training in the "Triple Refinement of Inversion to Life." The only people who could get close to him were likely the disciples of the Three-One Sect.

*Should I go and petition to join the Three-One Sect?*

That was a bit unrealistic. Although the two fellows beside him rarely spoke a word of truth, they were correct about one thing: the issue of his lineage. Since even Wen Lianggong could identify his master at a glance, how could Zuo Ruotong—revered in the world of Outsiders as the "Great Profound Immortal"—fail to see it? If Zuo Ruotong knew that his lineage traced back to the Golden Light Superior of Quansheng, even if Zuo Ruotong were a man of principle who wouldn't treat him as a member of Quansheng, he certainly wouldn't take him as a disciple.

*Forget it, I’ll take it one step at a time.*

Wen Lianggong nudged Yuan Jingui with his elbow and gave him a look. *Old Yuan, hurry up and use your invincible "Long-Crying Wildcat" skills to come up with a plan!*

"Ahem, kid, it's getting late. Even if you want to pay a visit to the sect, you need to find an appropriate time, right? Why not stay in this town for the night and go up the mountain tomorrow morning?"

Zhao Zhen looked at Yuan Jingui with interest; his intuition told him this guy was definitely up to no good. However, he did need a place to stay, so he didn't refuse the suggestion.

"Fine, let's find an inn first."

"No rush, we’re going to visit someone first."

"Who?"

"Have you heard of 'Ghost Hand' Wang—Wang Yaozu?"

"I've heard the old man mention him."

"Among the Quansheng, he’s the one who had the best relationship with your master. Don't you intend to pay him a visit?"

Hearing this, a subtle, almost imperceptible smile touched the corner of Zhao Zhen's mouth. He could already guess what scheme Yuan Jingui was hatching.

"If that's the case, let's go."

Zhao Zhen did not refuse; he chose to continue traveling with these Quansheng members. This was, in fact, a forced choice, as his lineage ensured that those so-called righteous sects would never associate with him. The prejudice in people's hearts meant they would reject anyone or anything related to Quansheng. But one couldn't entirely blame them. To put it in the crudest terms: if you knew for a fact that what was in front of you was a pile of excrement, even if you knew there might be gold inside, would you risk reaching in to dig for it, gambling on the possibility of finding gold?

Thus, his background had sealed this path for Zhao Zhen. But humans are, after all, social animals; unless one is powerful to a certain degree, one eventually needs to group together for warmth. With his current strength, Zhao Zhen was far from reaching that level, so he had to force himself to deal with Quansheng. Although the old man had envisioned him living a life of anonymity as an ordinary person, it was a fantasy in these turbulent times, with a great war looming before long. To try and live as an ordinary person in such a situation was a pipe dream.

Considering everything, perhaps Quansheng was the most suitable place for him right now. However, just as an honest official must be more cunning than a corrupt one, when living among such scum, one must be even more cunning and ruthless to maintain one’s original intent and avoid being completely corrupted by them. Since arriving in this world, Zhao Zhen's goal had never changed: to survive. For that, even if he had to temporarily walk alongside these villains, he was fully prepared to accept it.

Thinking this, Zhao Zhen stepped forward to follow Yuan Jingui and Wen Lianggong.

***

In the western outskirts of the town, outside a dilapidated house, an old man sat on a bench by the door. In front of him, a boy of about eight or nine sat cross-legged on a stone, practicing in a meditative posture.

*Gurgle...*

As the true energy within the boy’s body grew stronger, an invisible, intangible force began to take shape around him.

"Old Wang, I did it!" The boy opened his eyes, a flicker of excitement in them.

"Hmm, but don't be too happy just yet. You've only just barely made it past the threshold. With such pathetic strength, you probably couldn't even drag a wooden stick." The old man chuckled and poured some tea into his cup.

"Since I've taken the first step, I'll just practice slowly from here on out." The boy was not discouraged; the old man's words seemed to have no effect on him.

Just as the old man was about to point out the mistakes in the boy's practice, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.

"Old Wang."

Upon hearing the voice, the old man turned his head in confusion. In the distance, Yuan Jingui was waving at him with a smile, while Wen Lianggong and Zhao Zhen followed behind him at a leisurely pace.