Chapter 137: Master is Kind and Disciple is Filial

"You don't know? You know perfectly well!"

Inside the great hall, that deep, resonant male voice laughed in anger: "You rebellious apprentice, if you didn't know, how dare you hide your cultivation breakthrough from me? If not for today's small gathering, I wouldn't even know you had already broken through to the Dao Foundation Realm!"

As the words fell, the inexplicable pressure outside the hall suddenly receded. Chen Ci swayed, nearly failing to stand steady.

He was still doing better than others; of the five cultivators from Red Dragon Temple, apart from the two leading Dao Foundation High Cultivators who remained composed, the remaining three were likely the disciples and followers they had brought along. One young man among them groaned and tilted to the side; had he not been supported by someone nearby, he likely would have made a fool of himself on the spot.

"Greetings to True Person Jiao!"

Just as the group was about to bow, they were held up by some invisible force. The deep male voice sounded slightly lower: "Stop with the bowing back and forth, all of you come in. As for the one on the ground, if he is willing to stay kneeling, then don't come in."

"Yes!"

The few cultivators from Red Dragon Temple performed a salute and gave Lin Qinhu a look. Regardless of whether Lin Laohu, who was kneeling on the ground, could see it, they lowered their heads and entered the great hall, leaving Chen Ci alone outside. To bow was awkward, to enter was awkward, and to stand was awkward—he was truly a spectacle.

Chen Ci carried the small bundle of Purple Bamboo Flowing Clouds, eyes downcast and submissive, his toes curled tight.

"Hmph!"

"Ha, don't be nervous. That wine of yours has quite a kick; you put some effort into it."

As soon as the voice finished, this True Person Yang transformed into a streak of clear light and departed, leaping away. Just before leaving the hall, however, he dropped a laughing remark: "By the way, those two jars of inferior wine that tasted like burning knives were brought by the kid next to him. Who knows what kind of Essence Refining and vengeful spirits were refined into them. Tsk, brother-in-law, you can discipline him along with the rest."

Chen Ci's heart stirred. Doesn't this mean there are at least three Dan Realm True Persons backing this Tianhe Daoist Temple? The thigh his cheap Shixiong is clinging to—slurp—is truly thick.

Seeing Lin Qinhu enter, that True Person Yang chuckled, his expression mocking: "With an outsider like me here, brother-in-law won't be able to discipline his disciple with full force later. It's no fun. Brother-in-law, no need to save face for this guy, hang him up and beat him, ha!"

Chen Ci let out a sigh of relief and hurried to follow. Just as he entered the great hall, there were attendant Daoist children nearby holding jade trays laden with gifts. He placed the spirit tea he was holding onto one, and well, he ended up entering empty-handed. He wondered if True Person Jiao would ever know that the He Mountain Light under his sect had once scrimped and saved to gift him two cakes of spirit tea.

"Heh, sister, then I'll be going first."

To the left was a white-robed Daoist nun with picturesque features, a slender figure, and a whisk in her hand. Her waterfall-like black hair was loosely bound by a gold ring, looking carefree and otherworldly. Further to the left was the white-robed cultivator he had encountered on the way up the mountain—his cheap Uncle-Master surnamed Yang.

Seeing the gazes of everyone in the hall seemingly fixed on him, Chen Ci looked sheepish, revealing an awkward yet polite smile.

Chen Ci: "?"

Judging by his position, he was likely the master of this place, True Person Jiao Fei.

Damn, are you a dog?

How bitter. It seems he has suffered an unprovoked disaster, harmed miserably by that Lin Laohu. Shixiong, why couldn't you just change your name?

Deep in the great hall, beside a seven-colored lotus pond, stood over a dozen figures. The person in front was a tall Daoist wearing a Pure Yang Crown and a deep purple Daoist robe. He had three long wisps of beard, a sallow complexion, a burly build, and exceptionally long arms, giving him a very fierce appearance. Yet, his eyes were bright and spirited, extremely lively, and a single glance could make one feel a sense of closeness.

Seeing the sallow-faced True Person looking displeased, True Person Yang was unafraid. He spread his hands and laughed: "Brother-in-law, my name contains 'Tiger', yet he insists on taking this name. Isn't that a clash? If you don't discipline him well, he might not have a good time if he falls into my hands later. Off I go, off I go."

That True Person Jiao's gaze swept over, and it felt as if Chen Ci had been seen through completely from top to bottom, inside and out, in an instant. Just as he didn't know what to do, True Person Jiao stroked his long beard and asked with a faint smile: "Are you a newly accepted disciple of Qinhu?"

Chen Ci suppressed the unease in his heart. Hearing the question, several thoughts flickered, but he ultimately saluted with both hands and answered truthfully: "Reporting to True Person, this disciple is currently only working under Lin Shixiong."

Following a nasal sound, Lin Qinhu, who had just been kneeling on the ground, immediately stood up and followed the Red Dragon Temple group into the hall. He was a master of knowing when to bend and when to stretch—a true man.

True Person Jiao nodded, brushing aside the previous words. His gaze landed on Lin Qinhu. Chen Ci saw that Senior Brother Shen from Red Dragon Temple give him a look. He understood immediately and moved quietly to the side of the Red Dragon Temple cultivators. After saluting, he didn't say much, feeling a strange sense of relief at having found his group.

Then he watched his cheap Shixiong get hung up with peace of mind. Hey, you have to admit, the mindset of being on the field versus being off the field really is different.

"Kneel and listen."

Before the words were even finished, Lin Qinhu had already knelt. This level of proficiency was enough for Chen Ci to study for a while.

Perhaps because there were no outsiders present, True Person Jiao was very calm as he spoke: "The Ancestor of the Yao family sent someone to find me, saying the new Altar Master sent by the sect to Xishan Prefecture had gone missing, and asked if I knew his whereabouts. I was a bit puzzled at first."

Chen Ci's body stiffened; he lowered his head further, focusing his attention inward.

"I drove them straight out. What kind of status do they have to dare send someone to ask me?"

True Person Jiao's tone remained unchanged, as if this were a trivial matter: "I don't want to ask if this has anything to do with you. I just want to ask you, for such a small character, you ruined your Dao path—what were you thinking?"

Lin Qinhu, kneeling on the ground, shuddered violently, but he only buried his head lower, not daring to respond.

"Cultivation, cultivation. On the path of the Great Dao, he who laughs first is not the winner, and he who walks ninety-nine percent of the way is not the victor."

True Person Jiao chuckled, his expression darkening slightly: "I find it strange. When you reach the Perfected Dao Foundation in the future and have hope for the Golden Core, even the Primordial Spirit is not entirely out of reach. What kind of score couldn't you settle with a mere Yao family? Even if that is too far off, you could have found an excuse in a few years to kill that guy in a proper sword duel, and the sect wouldn't have said a word. Why rush to condense your Dharma Power and only prove an Upper Grade Dao Foundation, destroying your own future?"

Chen Ci: "." Listen to yourself, is that human talk?

Even if you are a Golden Core True Person, this is too much of a humble-brag. What do you mean "only" proved an Upper Grade Dao Foundation? What do you mean "destroying your own future"? Does proving an Upper Grade Dao Foundation actually wrong Lin Laohu?

Let me do it; I wouldn't feel wronged.

"Disciple... has something to say."

"I permit you to speak!"

Lin Qinhu raised his head slightly: "This disciple has polished his own True Qi for nearly twenty years, unable to advance further, unable to descend further. Seeing that my lifespan is coming to an end—"

"Bullshit!"

True Person Jiao was furious, scolding: "You have at least ten years of lifespan left. Even if it were exhausted, I would allow you to consume a Longevity Pill to extend it by another thirty years. Why are you unwilling to continue polishing your True Qi?"

"If I cannot succeed before my lifespan ends, then even consuming more Longevity Pills is useless once my sharpness is gone. The intensity of Superior Grade True Qi cannot be subdued by a worldly heart."

Lin Qinhu's tone was steady: "Moreover, if my opportunity to form a Golden Core were snatched away by others, this disciple would not be at peace."

"So you were reluctant to part with that Earth Sha of Quanshan, then?"

True Person Jiao sneered: "Didn't I tell you that condensing a core with a Sha Field is not the superior path? If you had higher aspirations, you would have found a suitable Earth Sha to condense your core yourself. Do you think that condensing Dharma Power requires subduing True Qi, but condensing core Sha does not require subduing Dharma Power?"

"But Teacher, you once said that the immortal path must be sought by oneself, and the Great Dao is a struggle. One step slow, every step slow. How could I let an opportunity that fell into my hands be given to others?"

"You! Ha!"

True Person Jiao's complexion turned from yellow to black. He immediately rolled up his sleeves and chuckled: "I want to see just how sharp your tongue is..."

"My dear Master Jiao, there are juniors watching."

Suddenly, the white-robed Daoist nun True Person, who had been silent, covered her mouth and laughed. She flicked the whisk in her hand, separating the two, and advised: "Master, children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. Qinhu has his own ideas; why must we force him to follow a plan step by step? If the Dao path could truly be arranged so securely, there wouldn't be so many disciples of major sects fighting over opportunities in this world."

True Person Jiao's expression paused, but he followed her advice, silently lowering his sleeves as if nothing had happened.

Chen Ci felt a strange sense of regret. After all, listening to True Person Jiao, killing that Yao fellow was no big deal at all. True Person Jiao's anger was only because of his cheap Shixiong's cultivation technique and path. A small character like him naturally wouldn't be implicated in this matter anymore. Having a thick thigh to cling to is truly wonderful.

But putting that aside, this scene of "master is kind and disciple is filial" with Lin Laohu getting scolded—you won't find this show anywhere else. Being suddenly interrupted, he truly felt a sense of melancholy, as if he hadn't finished eating his melon.

True Person Jiao, how can you be henpecked? Beat him!

Let him keep feeding people empty promises, ptooey~

Jiao Zhenren was silent for a moment, sighed, scanned everyone present, and finally said indifferently to Lin Qinhu, "Do you know why I required you to polish your True Qi until it was blended into one, before you could condense Dharma Power and step into the Dao Foundation?"

(End of this chapter)