Chapter 127: Exclusion

Returning to the Eighth Peak, Zheng Fa could sense the changes within Master Pang's lineage.

This change was hard to pinpoint at a single glance.

Yet as he walked, the hurried yet aimless steps of Master Pang's disciples.

The looks of shock and suspicion mixed with hidden hostility when they saw him.

The young Daoist boys rushing to report to Master Pang's hall.

And the feeling of being subtly watched and surrounded once he stepped onto the mountain path.

All made Zheng Fa truly feel the tension and depression permeating the Eighth Peak.

Zheng Fa's apprenticeship to the Sect Master had not spread—mainly because the Sect Master, after taking a disciple, was busy with film creation, burying himself in the thatched cottage and having no patience to publicize the matter.

But a few people within Master Pang's lineage did know.

When Zheng Fa came last time, several senior brothers had smiled at him quite warmly, as if they were one family.

But this time, there was a hint of awe in their eyes, but mostly distance.

Zheng Fa could not help but recall Zhang Shijie's words earlier—his apprenticeship to the Sect Master was a major blow to Master Pang's lineage.

Zhang Shijie had even warned Zheng Fa to maintain an impartial attitude toward both lineages in public.

Before, Zheng Fa thought Zhang Shijie was making a mountain out of a molehill, but seeing the atmosphere on the Eighth Peak today, he began to understand her good intentions—the conflict between the two lineages of Jiushan Sect was far deeper than Zheng Fa had imagined.

Had Zhang Shijie not held things back, there might have been casualties during the talisman discussions at the Talisman and Arts Pavilion.

Only now did he understand why Zhang Shijie wanted him to deliver the "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method."

Just from this short stretch of road, it was clear that the conflict between the disciples of the two lineages had even overshadowed their bond as fellow disciples.

One could see the pressure his apprenticeship to the Sect Master and his closeness with Zhang Shijie had caused Master Pang's lineage.

Mending the rift between these two lineages in the future might be more difficult than Zheng Fa had previously thought.

"Zheng Shidi!" Behind him, Sun Daoyu's voice rang out: "What business brings you to our Eighth Peak?"

Between the words "you" and "I," a boundary was clearly drawn.

Zheng Fa turned around and saw Sun Daoyu and another person.

Sun Daoyu's face was not as warm as last time.

And the state of Zhou Qianyuan behind him made Zheng Fa even more puzzled—the man looked utterly despondent, merely nodding lightly upon seeing him with no hostility, yet lacking the confidence and flamboyance of the past.

He still remembered the first time he met Zhou Qianyuan; at that time, the man had stood before him, proudly introducing himself.

What youthful spirit.

Seeing him again today, he found the man covered in stubble, his clothes wrinkled, and after nodding at him, he kept his head down, avoiding looking at others.

What puzzled Zheng Fa even more was that if the senior brothers on the Eighth Peak looked at him with some tension, then when they looked at Zhou Qianyuan, their eyes were full of exclusion.

The attitude in their expressions was even more distant than toward him.

"I have come to visit True Person Pang." Zheng Fa glanced at Zhou Qianyuan and said to Sun Daoyu.

"To pay respects to Master?" Sun Daoyu paused, then saw the young Daoist boy who had entered the hall to report earlier come out and say to the three of them: "The True Person requests Senior Zheng Shidi to enter."

"Senior Brother Sun, Senior Zhou Shidi, the True Person also summons you."

Hearing these words, the three of Zheng Fa walked into the hall together.

True Person Pang's attitude in the hall was not as gentle as last time, but there was no hostility, only a sense of estrangement.

He glanced at Zhou Qianyuan, frowned slightly, then turned to Zheng Fa and said: "Nephew-disciple, what brings you here?"

Zheng Fa took out the "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method" and said: "The day before yesterday, Master bestowed upon me the Thousand-Year Purple Bamboo Tears; this disciple is deeply grateful. However, having nothing of value to offer, I only have this "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method" which might be worth viewing. I hope Master will not disdain it."

Master Pang was stunned, his eyes fixed on Zheng Fa for a long moment before he spoke: "The "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method"?"

"Indeed."

"The one created by Nephew-disciple Zhang?"

When Master Pang spoke the three words "Nephew-disciple Zhang," his tone slightly intensified.

"Yes."

Zheng Fa answered with the calmness of an ancient well, which made Master Pang fall silent for a moment.

He reached out and beckoned; the jade slip in Zheng Fa's hand flew into his grasp.

Master Pang closed his eyes slightly, seemingly using his spiritual sense to read the contents of the jade slip; when he opened his eyes, a smile appeared on his face: "This "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method" is indeed unique; Nephew-disciple Zhang is indeed astonishingly talented."

It was not just Master Pang who smiled.

Zheng Fa saw that the gaze of Sun Daoyu standing beside him also became much warmer.

One "Talisman Dao Foundation Establishment Method" eased the inexplicably solemn atmosphere in the hall considerably.

"Nephew-disciple Zheng, what do you think of your Zhou Shidi?"

True Person Pang suddenly asked.

"Zhou Shidi?" Hearing this, Zheng Fa could not help but turn his head to look at Zhou Qianyuan.

Zhou Qianyuan also seemed not to expect his Master to suddenly ask this question and was stunned.

"Zhou Shidi has extraordinary talent and excellent character; in the future, he will surely become a pillar of our Jiushan Sect." Zheng Fa thought for a moment and said solemnly.

This was not merely saying pretty words in front of True Person Pang.

Zhou Qianyuan's talent and character were far above ordinary people, which is why True Person Pang had taken an interest in him, even nurturing him with the expectation that he would one day contend with Zhang Shijie.

It was just that his current state left Zheng Fa puzzled, as if he had encountered some setback.

"Qianyuan has always admired your talisman arts attainment; why not let him stay by your side to handle some matters for you? You can also help me teach him for a while?"

True Person Pang suddenly said.

"Ah?" Zheng Fa did not expect this Master to suddenly propose this idea: "Zhou Shidi and I entered the sect at the same time; normally we only exchange and spar, besides, he is Master Pang's beloved disciple, how could I be the one to teach him?"

"Qianyuan? Are you willing?"

Master Pang did not answer his question but instead asked Zhou Qianyuan.

On the contrary, though Zhou Qianyuan was momentarily stunned, he seemed to feel as if his heart had turned to ash and he was dead inside; he merely nodded and said in a muffled voice, "I am willing."

"I don't know if my nephew-disciple would look favorably upon this disciple of mine."

Hearing these words, Zheng Fa knew he could not refuse.

At this moment, he finally understood Master Pang's intention—Zhou Qianyuan's favor from him was nearly common knowledge throughout the Jiushan Sect.

Placing Zhou Qianyuan by his side could be seen as Master Pang's manifestation of support for him, the Sect Master's disciple.

This was somewhat like in ancient dynasties, where the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace had a crowd of loyal ministers' children; over time, this group became the Crown Prince's faction.

Watching Zheng Fa lead Zhou Qianyuan down the mountain.

Sun Daoyu couldn't help but ask, "Sect Master, are you really letting Zhou Shidi follow Zheng Fa?"

"What else? The great power stands behind him!"

True Person Pang glanced at his disciple and snorted.

"Great power?"

"Do you not understand what it means that this fellow dares to take Nephew Zhang's 'Tao of Talismans Foundation Establishment Method' and give it away everywhere?"

"Does it mean Nephew Zhang has a good relationship with him?"

"It means he has the Sect Master, a certain Huang, and Nephew Zhang standing behind him! Even if your Sect Master had three heads and six arms, it wouldn't be enough to fight them!"

Hearing these words, Sun Daoyu couldn't help but bare his teeth, as if imagining the scene of his Sect Master being ganged up on.

"I just can't figure it out; I originally thought Nephew Zhang and Zheng Fa were led by Nephew Zhang..." True Person Pang frowned and said, "But today it seems Zheng Fa is the one in charge."

Sun Daoyu finally understood that his Sect Master letting Zhou Qianyuan follow Zheng Fa was indeed because Zheng Fa was now the rising trend.

"Then Zhou Shidi..." Thinking of Zhou Qianyuan's state just now, Sun Daoyu said with worry, "I'm afraid he will feel abandoned by his Sect Master."

"He hasn't been having a good time lately, has he?" True Person Pang suddenly asked.

Sun Daoyu lowered his head, daring not to answer.

"Ah, I wanted to take Zheng Fa as my disciple before, neglecting him, so he probably felt somewhat unhappy." True Person Pang seemed to see everything clearly: "These past few days, haven't your senior and junior brothers thought he had lost favor and deliberately ostracized him?"

"Sect Master's insight is clear; Zhou Shidi does not value factional views much, running to Zheng Fa's house every day, which angered many senior and junior brothers in the past. These past few days... he has indeed suffered a lot of grievances." Sun Daoyu said honestly.

"That is why I let him go to Zheng Fa's side first."

"Sect Master means to separate him from those senior and junior brothers first?"

True Person Pang nodded, but suddenly spoke of Zheng Fa: "Nephew Zhang supports this Zheng Fa so much, but if he wants to truly secure the position of future Sect Master, he must see whether he can treat our lineage equally and make your senior and junior brothers submit."

"Ah? So Zhou Shidi is a test of Zheng Shidi's attitude?" Sun Daoyu said, suddenly realizing.

"Qianyuan is already the one in my disciples with the least factional views..." True Person Pang shook his head and said, "I could not achieve unity between the two lineages, Nephew Zhang could not do it either; I want to see if he can."

"What if he cannot?"

"Then if Qianyuan suffers grievances at Zheng Fa's place, he will know that his Sect Master has not been bad to him." True Person Pang smiled: "Doesn't this make him understand respecting teachers and valuing the Dao again? As for the position of future Sect Master—who can say what happens when the night is long and dreams are many?"

Descending the Eighth Peak, Zheng Fa looked at Zhou Qianyuan behind him; the person still looked as if he were half-dead.

"Zhou Shidi, what is wrong with you?"

He asked Zhou Qianyuan.

Zhou Qianyuan shook his head, seeming unwilling to answer this question, and merely spoke dryly, "May I ask what Senior Brother commands?"

"I dare not speak of commands; like this, tomorrow I will visit Zhang Shijie, and you will come with me."

Zhou Qianyuan nodded, asking nothing else, merely numbly cupping his hands toward Zheng Fa, turned around, and left.

Watching his back, Zheng Fa frowned.

This person's state was somewhat familiar to him—that of a youth full of ideals entering society, only to be soundly beaten by cruel reality.

The second day.

Zhou Qianyuan couldn't sleep early.

He didn't get up either, just lying in bed with his eyes open, staring blankly.

When the time agreed upon with Zheng Fa arrived, he pushed open his courtyard door and walked out.

Many senior brothers from Master Pang's lineage lived near where he lived; in the past, everyone was quite enthusiastic, and Zhou Qianyuan felt it was good.

But recently it had not been so good.

He lowered his head slightly, hurrying past the various gazes of several senior brothers.

These senior brothers said nothing, but he understood the meaning behind it—

After the Sect Master gave the Thousand-Year Purple Bamboo Tears to Zheng Fa, these people looked at him with a bit of mockery and lacked the intimacy of the past.

Zhou Qianyuan gritted his teeth and walked to the door of Zheng Fa's house.

A bitter smile inevitably appeared on his face—before he came to the Jiushan Sect, his Sect Master valued him, and he had beautiful fantasies about the Jiushan Sect.

He was determined to pursue the Great Dao of Talisman Arts.

He wanted to bring honor to his Sect Master.

Even relying on his Sect Master's favor, he never cared about factional divisions.

Until today, he realized he had already offended so many people.

When the senior brothers who were once kind and respectable one day ganged up to ostracize him.

He finally understood how deep the factional views in the Jiushan Sect were.

Looking at the courtyard door of Zheng Fa's house.

Zhou Qianyuan shook his head.

Zheng Fa probably made no difference either.

Those senior brothers and he shared the same Sect Master; in the past, it was merely false affection.

He and Zheng Fa originally belonged to two different lineages; Zheng Fa likely viewed him with even more estrangement than those senior brothers, and his previous politeness and respect were merely acting for the occasion.

He knocked on the door, and Zheng Fa opened it, saying directly upon seeing him: "Let's go to Zhang Shijie's home."

Following Zheng Fa, Zhou Qianyuan walked to the small courtyard before Zhang Shijie's residence.

He couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

In the hearts of their lineage, Zhang Shijie was a figure who inspired fear merely at the mention of her name.

This small courtyard even possessed a deterrent power akin to a dragon's pool and a tiger's den; in the past, no fellow disciples from their senior brothers dared to approach it.

Zhang Shijie waited for Zheng Fa and the other in the rear courtyard; behind her stood Senior Sister Yuan, and though both saw Zhou Qianyuan, they seemed unsurprised, merely nodding slightly.

The few sat in a small pavilion by the lake, exchanging words one after another.

Gradually, Zhou Qianyuan realized something was amiss—

What Five Elements Child Talismans?

What Yang Yuanfu Dao Foundation?

What talismans dividing into yin and yang?

Were these things something a "rival" like himself ought to hear?

Sure enough, as they continued speaking, Zhang Shijie and Zheng Fa seemed to finally notice an outsider was present, and both looked at him.

Zhou Qianyuan pressed his lips together, stood up, and intended to take his leave.

"Zhou Shidi, speak your views on this?"

Zheng Fa suddenly said.

"Ah?"

Zhou Qianyuan blinked his eyes, suddenly realizing—he had not encountered the sectarian bias and exclusion he had imagined.

Instead, he had encountered the silent crushing pressure of these two geniuses.

To one side, Senior Sister Yuan looked at him with sympathy.