Chapter 48

"It has nothing to do with me!" Zhang Sheng screamed in his heart.

But he was already unable to move, unable to even speak, and all the Dao techniques and divine abilities in his consciousness were being erased in large swathes.

True Person Fenhai saw that something was wrong and flew to block in front of Zhang Sheng. But the moment the raging fire on his body touched the giant bird's gaze, it was extinguished in an instant, exposing his chest and abdomen, his vital points, in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, a giant hand of several tens of zhang suddenly reached out from the sky and grabbed the bird head in one go!

The three-headed bird let out an angry roar, disappearing unwillingly in the giant hand, and the shadow in the full moon finally dissipated completely.

The giant hand loosened, and it could be seen that the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger suddenly changed color and then crumbled away. Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue gave a light huff and withdrew the giant hand.

Several True Persons were all moved, never expecting the destiny from beyond the heavens to be so powerful; just a phantom image manifested was already beyond what they could block, and even with Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue's ability, he had been injured, and not lightly at that. If it weren't for Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue taking action, everyone present would likely have perished on the spot!

Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue lowered his gaze, landing on Zhang Sheng, and asked, "Why does that destiny from beyond the heavens entangle you so persistently?"

Zhang Sheng was also depressed in his heart and replied, "Disciple does not know. Perhaps I'm just unlucky?"

Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue pondered for a moment and said, "That is quite possible! You should go to the Heavenly Secrets Palace later and have them adjust your fortune."

Zhang Sheng said, "No money!"

Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue was silent, and the matter was skipped over.

Between heaven and earth, the huge jade toad watched the True Persons with cold eyes. The True Persons looked at the jade toad, then at True Person Fenhai, then at the jade toad, and then at True Person Fenhai again.

True Person Fenhai immediately jumped up in a rage: "What are you all looking at me for?"

Someone immediately said, "Congratulations to True Person for taking in such a fine disciple. It's just that the resources for body forging are probably not something your disciple can solve; as the grand-master, you should also contribute some effort."

True Person Fenhai glared and spread his hands, saying, "A fine disciple is also a disciple of the Tianqing Palace and Shuiyue Palace! Everyone should contribute; no one is getting away!"

"What does it have to do with my Shuiyue Palace?"

True Person Fenhai pointed at the jade toad that stood between heaven and earth and said, "Such a huge bottomless pit, how can I fill it alone? It should naturally be everyone together, so as not to waste our time as fellow disciples!"

Several True Persons immediately tried to shirk, and some even wanted to sneak away.

How could True Persons not know the value of things? The size of a visualization map was particular; it wasn't as big as one wanted. Wei Yuan's map had already exceeded a hundred zhang, and even if the texture was flimsy, the spiritual energy required to fill every square zhang was less than that of ordinary disciples, but at most half as much. Calculating seriously, by the time the entire visualization map was filled and Wei Yuan's body forging was complete, the resources consumed would likely be enough to cultivate several hundred ordinary Dao Foundations.

Even for ordinary Dao Foundations, True Persons couldn't afford hundreds of them; even the Taichu Palace Patriarch couldn't do it.

This was no ordinary bottomless pit, so naturally, everyone feared it and avoided it. The True Persons tried their best to shirk, actually waiting eagerly for Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue to speak.

Who would have expected Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue to say, "Everyone, chip in!"

Although the Fenhai Zhenjun had spoken, the matter was truly significant, so a Shuiyue Palace True Person said, "To fill this foundation, I'm afraid we'll have to use up most of the Tianqing Palace's accumulations. But the destiny from beyond the heavens is ethereal; it's hard to say what kind of Dao Foundation it will form. What if the Dao Foundation formed in the future is unsatisfactory? Wouldn't the Tianqing Palace's many years of savings go down the drain? Although the Tianqing Palace has been poorly managed these years, with expenses exceeding income, its reputation has plummeted, and creditors visit daily... but a centipede dies but never stiffens; there's still a little bit of family fortune left."

True Person Fenhai was furious: "What do you mean poorly managed, expenses exceeding income?"

The Shuiyue Palace True Person said coldly, "That's exactly what it means. If Senior Brother Fenhai has read too few books, I can spare an hour to answer your questions and clear up your doubts."

Another Tianqing Palace True Person said, "Senior Brother keeps saying Tianqing Palace; don't you know that under Patriarch Xuanyue, both palaces are one? Cultivating Wei Yuan is naturally also the responsibility of the Shuiyue Palace."

A female True Person from the Shuiyue Palace immediately said, "You keep saying that he is a disciple of your Tianqing Palace; what does it have to do with my Shuiyue Palace? Otherwise, let him worship under my Lan Hua, and then we can consider it."

"Dream on!"

Several True Persons argued and quarreled, none giving way. Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue did not show himself, not knowing what he was pondering. The True Persons of the two palaces quarreled more and more fiercely, looking as if they were about to resort to force.

The Tianqing Palace had produced many talents over the past hundred years, but the consumption was also great, and it was indeed spending more than it earned; although it ranked high among the twelve palaces, it was fraught with hidden dangers. The Shuiyue Palace had a different style, steady and solid, with a surplus every year, and its strength would rise a small step every twenty or thirty years. Although the Shuiyue Palace ranked at the bottom among the palaces, its upward momentum was obvious. In terms of immortal silver income, the Shuiyue Palace completely outperformed the Tianqing Palace.

To fill Wei Yuan's bottomless pit was not a matter for one or two True Persons, but the cultivation of all True Persons in the palace would be greatly affected. After all, the entire Taichu Palace only cultivated a hundred or so Dao Foundations every five years. Therefore, the Tianqing Palace True Persons wanted to drag the Shuiyue Palace along, while the Shuiyue Palace was determined to distance itself.

At this moment, Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue, who had been silent for a long time, finally said, "Zhang Sheng, he is your disciple; what do you say?"

Zhang Sheng walked silently to the center of the main hall, knelt down, touched his head to the ground, and said, "Disciple is willing to guarantee with my Dao Foundation and immortal path, and implore the Patriarch to give Wei Yuan a chance! No matter what achievements Wei Yuan has in the future, disciple will repay all the resources consumed for him!"

"What if I refuse?"

Zhang Sheng was silent, then said, "Then disciple will earn the resources myself; if I have one portion, he will have one portion."

Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue sighed, "You clearly have a path to the heavens yourself; why suffer like this?"

"As a teacher, this is how it should be!"

True Person Fenhai's eye twitched; he stood next to Zhang Sheng, bowed deeply, and said, "Disciple is also willing to offer all my resources; if I have them, Wei Yuan has them!"

Unexpectedly, a giant hand fell from the sky, grabbed True Person Fenhai, and threw him to the side: "The Tianqing Palace has been spending more than it earns all these years; isn't it all your doing? Your annual salary has already been deducted fifty years in advance; what resources do you have left?"

Several True Persons' eyes were like torches; while gloating, they all noticed that the giant hand falling from the sky was the left hand, not the right hand that had just grabbed the bird head.

True Person Fenhai didn't know what to say in embarrassment. The main reason for the Tianqing Palace's deficit over the years was the compensation for those injured by True Person Fenhai.

True Person Fenhai looked at Zhang Sheng, who was still kneeling, gritted his teeth, knelt down with a thud, and said, "Disciple is willing to serve the palace for a hundred years, go through fire and water, without a single word of complaint! Implore the teacher to give him a chance!"

At this, all the True Persons were moved.

Dharma Form True Persons held esteemed positions and did not need to kneel in the Taichu Palace except for rare occasions like their master's birthday or the palace's worship of the Patriarch. True Person Fenhai had high combat power and a high status in the Taichu Palace, yet he was kneeling at this moment!

True Person Fenhai had a fiery temperament and would never kneel for himself; this kneeling was half for Zhang Sheng and half for Wei Yuan.

Hearing the word "teacher," Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue was also silent for a long time. True Person Fenhai was his last disciple, and he had watched him grow up. In a trance, both of them had grown old.

Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue sighed and said, "When you first entered the palace, you were only seven years old, just a thin, dry child; in the blink of an eye, you have a grand-disciple yourself. Get up."

A gentle force lifted True Person Fenhai and sent him to the side, leaving only Zhang Sheng kneeling on the spot.

Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue said, "Zhang Sheng, since you are willing to guarantee with your immortal path, I will ask you one more time. No matter what kind of Dao Foundation Wei Yuan cultivates in the future, the resources consumed will be borne by you and Wei Yuan together; this is no small matter, are you willing?"

Zhang Sheng did not hesitate: "Disciple is willing!"

"Very well, then in the future, the palace will do its best to supply what Wei Yuan needs, coming from the public treasury. For what the palace doesn't have, everyone will chip in from their private collections."

Every True Person felt the gaze from above, and the three Shuiyue Palace True Persons were no exception. Since Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue had made the decision, although the True Persons felt the pain, they had no further objections, and the matter was settled. At this moment, the True Persons looked at the jade toad again and found it less pleasing to the eye.

Someone suddenly said, "This visualization map doesn't seem to have any anomalies?"

True Person Fenhai gave a huff and said coldly, "It's already grown to this size; what more anomalies do you want?"

The True Persons had no way to refute this; after all, no matter how miraculous an ant was, it would still be crushed to death by an elephant.

The jade toad was still facing the full moon above its head, but in its eyes was the figure of Zhang Sheng kneeling on the ground.

With the matter decided, Fenhai Zhenjun Xuanyue's aura faded, and everyone dispersed.

(End of chapter)