All five were transferring spiritual essence to the person in front of them, and due to the consumption by the transfer of spiritual essence, everyone's spiritual essence would be exhausted over time.
Thankfully, Lu Yang had taught the other four the Swallow Heaven Cultivation Method. As they transferred spiritual essence, they would open their mouths wide and swallow the surrounding spiritual essence. The Elder of Passing Skills thought they were bewitched.
The essence transmission was also intended to achieve a state of mutual embeddedness—"you are in me, and I am in you." Lu Yang's spiritual essence was now no longer his own but was from the other four. The situation with the other four was not much different; their spiritual essences were thoroughly blended.
The Elder of Passing Skills did not expect them to enter this state so quickly.
"Now, we begin the third step, practicing combination skills..."
...
"Speaking of which, the time for exchange among the Five Great Immortal Sects is almost up. Our Junior Brother Lu and the others have already arrived at the Five Elements Sect. Why isn't Shi Chan from the Suspension Temple here yet?" Dai Bufan pondered while organizing intelligence reports.
"Could something have happened?"
...
The handsome monk stepped out of the slaughterhouse and headed toward the nearest docking spot for the flying ship.
"What a delicious smell."
The monk's nose twitched; he passed a restaurant. It was noon, the busiest time, and the smell of the food made him stop.
Eating a meal wouldn't delay boarding the flying ship.
He spontaneously changed his trajectory and walked into the restaurant.
"Waiter, do you have any free tables here?"
"Master, you've come to the right place! Our vegetarian dishes at the Thousand-Miles Fragrance restaurant are unbeatable!"
I don't want vegetarian dishes. Serve me two pounds of braised beef, a portion of roasted pork knuckles, and a bowl of lamb offal noodles."
The waiter looked at the monk in surprise, thinking he had heard wrong.
There are not a few people posing as monks these days, but this is the first time he's seen such a fake monk.
However, it doesn't concern him; he just serves what the customer orders.
"Sir, please wait a moment."
Not long after, a large plate of braised beef, a portion of roasted pork knuckles, and a bowl of lamb offal noodles were served. Shi Chan leisurely ate it all.
"Sir, that will be sixty-six coins."
The monk wiped his mouth casually and said lightly, "My master often told me that there's no murder without trade. If no one in the world ate meat, then there would be no one killing livestock, so your restaurant wouldn't sell meat dishes, only vegetarian dishes. He always cautions us not to order meat in restaurants so as not to promote improper practices."
The waiter, confused by this lengthy explanation, asked tentatively, "So, sir, you want..."
"To dine and dash. If I don't pay, it's not a transaction."
...
The gate of the Seek Dao Sect.
Two disciples guarding the mountain were yawning in boredom, chatting about the recent happenings.
"At least no one's been approaching Junior Brother Lu for marriage alliances recently. It's been much quieter."
"No kidding, I've never seen people lining up for it. Quite an eye-opener."
A slender figure walked over, palms joined, and asked loudly:
"Excuse me, is this the Seek Dao Sect?"
The visitor was handsome-looking, draped in a worn cassock, and his big, bright eyes were as clear as a still pond. He was completely bald.
If not for his robe, a disciple would have thought that he was a victim of Lu's Arhat Fist coming for revenge.
"Are you Junior Brother Shi Chan from the Suspension Temple?" one guard cautiously asked. He remembered Elder Brother Dai's instructions about the exchange period among the Immortal Sects and that monks from the Suspension Temple might come for learning and exchange.
"Indeed, it is I. I apologize for arriving late; washing dishes took up a lot of time," said Shi Chan.
One disciple, confused by Shi Chan's words, politely said, "Please wait here for a moment while I fetch Elder Brother Dai."
While one of the disciples went to fetch Dai, the other stayed behind to continue guarding the gate.
Not long after, Dai Bufan hurriedly arrived and saw Shi Chan meditating at the temple gate.
He looked at Shi Chan, who was dignified in appearance, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a face full of righteousness and a solid foundation without any fluff. Dai Bufan nodded to himself in approval, truly worthy of a disciple nurtured by Master Jiesha.
Shi Chan was meditating cross-legged, suspended in mid-air. He sensed Dai Bufan's arrival, got up and paid his respects: "It's good to see you, Elder Brother Dai."
"Junior Brother Shi Chan, are you the only one visiting the Seek Dao Sect?"
"My Senior Brothers and Uncles at the Temple are busy, they didn't have the time to accompany me here."
"Busy?"
"Yes, Master heard of news regarding your Sect Leader in the Wild State, hence took my Uncles and Senior Brothers there."
Dai Bufan: "..."
If he remembered correctly, his own Master, impersonating Daoist Buyu, was spreading information in the Wild State, storytelling everywhere.
Could it be that the news Master Jiesha had heard was about his Master?
Forget it, his Master was blessed and didn't need his worries. The worst-case scenario would involve him getting caught and beaten up, but it wouldn't lead to death.