Wudang Takes Office

Meng Chen's willingness to relent made Our Lady of Wudang and Zhao Gongming both breathe sighs of relief.

They had long been dissatisfied with the atmosphere within the Intercepting Teaching, but their voices carried little weight, and they could change nothing. Daoist Duobao was the Eldest Senior Brother, and his status within the Intercepting Teaching was extraordinary.

Our Lady of Wudang even felt a faint thrill of excitement. She did not care about Daoist Duobao's dignity.

Our Lady of Wudang had dreams too.

How could a great woman living between Heaven and Earth remain depressed beneath another for long? Daoist Duobao could become the Eldest Senior Brother of the Intercepting Teaching, so why could she not become its Eldest Senior Sister? Not only did she want to oversee the rules of the Intercepting Teaching, but after Master Tongtian retired, she wanted to succeed him as the leader of the Intercepting Teaching.

Our Lady of Wudang had once thought that after Daoist Duobao took over as leader of the Intercepting Teaching, she would leave and establish a White Lotus Sect, becoming the leader of a sect herself.

But now, it seemed she would not need to go out and start her own venture. Meng Chen's intervention had given her an opportunity.

Having been beaten to his knees, Daoist Duobao's prestige would suffer greatly. There could be Disciples of Intercepting Teaching who knelt in this world, but there absolutely could not be a leader of the Intercepting Teaching who knelt. Even if Master Tongtian did not care, the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching had to care.

Once she returned to the Intercepting Teaching, she only needed to give things a slight push to bring those neutral Disciples of Intercepting Teaching to her side. Then, they could petition Master Tongtian together and have him severely punish Daoist Duobao and his group.

Such an excellent weakness had practically been delivered to her doorstep. If Our Lady of Wudang did not make proper use of it, she would be letting down her own dreams.

"Wudang, leave some room in everything, so we can meet again in the future. We are fellow disciples. Do you have to be so ruthless?"

Daoist Duobao's voice was low and heavy with warning. Yet anyone could see that he was merely putting on a fierce front while trembling inside.

Our Lady of Wudang gave Daoist Duobao a cold glance. "Senior Brother Duobao, Master entrusted you with overseeing My Teaching's rules. You should understand them better than I do. Yet you knowingly violated them. You are utterly unqualified to oversee the rules, much less to be the foremost of the myriad immortals of the Intercepting Teaching."

"Pfft!"

Daoist Duobao nearly spat blood from rage. He glared furiously at Our Lady of Wudang, as though he wanted to etch her firmly into his memory.

At that moment, boundless purple qi emerged in the skies of the Eastern Lands, and immortal music resounded. Master Tongtian's phantom appeared high in the sky.

The disciples of both sects hurriedly bowed in greeting to Master Tongtian. No one could offend the majesty of a Saint.

Seeing Master Tongtian appear, Daoist Duobao and the others looked as though they had found a savior, their faces lighting up with delight.

Master Tongtian's left eye was like the sun, and his right eye like the moon. His gaze swept over everyone, taking in everything while also removing the restrictions on Daoist Duobao and the others.

"Duobao, Wudang is right. You have disappointed me greatly."

Master Tongtian's words extinguished every last hope Daoist Duobao and his group had. Their eyes went vacant as they stared blankly at Master Tongtian.

Daoist Duobao made a swift decision and immediately fell to his knees, weeping as he tried to appeal to emotion.

"Master, the Chan Sect has gone too far in bullying us. Their disciples said that everyone in the Intercepting Teaching was Hairy and Horned, Moist-Born and Egg-Hatched, and that the Intercepting Teaching was unworthy to stand alongside the Chan Sect. This disciple only acted with his junior brothers and sisters after seeing someone insult the Intercepting Teaching, seeking justice for My Teaching."

He believed that he and Master Tongtian shared a bond like father and son. As long as he showed the slightest remorse and used the Intercepting Teaching as a shield, Master Tongtian would surely forgive him.

However, that move no longer worked.

"Duobao, say no more. I already know every detail of the grievances between you and the Chan Sect. I once intended to cultivate you into the next leader of the Intercepting Teaching, but you have been far too disappointing."

Daoist Duobao's expression changed drastically. Only then did he understand where that ominous feeling had come from.

"Master, what was wrong with this disciple protecting his fellow disciples?"

Daoist Duobao was deeply unwilling to accept this, and he asked cautiously.

Master Tongtian's gaze was stern as he stared at Daoist Duobao, his voice filled with endless disappointment. "Protecting your fellow disciples does not mean allowing you to ignore right and wrong and act recklessly. As the Eldest Senior Brother, you should have set an example and guided your fellow disciples onto the right path. Instead, you indulged them in bullying the weak with their strength and stirring up trouble. If you had not been so indulgent toward them, how would this conflict with the Chan Sect have fallen into such an embarrassing situation?"

Cold sweat poured from Daoist Duobao's forehead. He wanted to argue further, but before Master Tongtian, he could not open his mouth at all.

Master Tongtian turned to Our Lady of Wudang, whose expression grew even more respectful.

"Wudang, Duobao formed factions for personal gain and took the lead in violating the sect rules. He is no longer qualified to be the Eldest Senior Brother of the Intercepting Teaching. I have decided to appoint you as My Teaching's Eldest Senior Sister, to assist me in governing the great sect."

Boom!

The moment Master Tongtian spoke, the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching from Daoist Duobao's faction turned ashen. They knew their good days were over!

Our Lady of Wudang was far too upright, unable to tolerate even the slightest flaw. If they violated the sect rules again, she certainly would not spare them.

At that thought, endless regret rose in their hearts. They had become Master Tongtian's disciples to wield power and act tyrannically, not to be restrained.

Upon hearing this, Our Lady of Wudang's eyes shone with boundless brilliance. She swiftly bowed to Master Tongtian and said, "This disciple thanks Master for his trust. This disciple will certainly not fail Master's expectations and will properly manage the sect's affairs."

She glanced at Meng Chen before continuing, "Just now, this disciple discussed matters with Meng Chen. We will punish Junior Brother Duobao and the others according to My Teaching's rules. Meng Chen has promised not to pursue this matter further."

Only then did Master Tongtian look at Meng Chen. Seeing how calm and composed Meng Chen was, a trace of complexity flashed through Master Tongtian's eyes. How wonderful it would have been if Meng Chen were a disciple of the Intercepting Teaching. But Meng Chen had never intended to join the Intercepting Teaching from the start.

"Does Martial Uncle have any instructions?"

Seeing Master Tongtian look over, Meng Chen took the initiative to bow.

Master Tongtian sighed softly. "If Wudang and Zhao Gongming had continued attacking you, would you have suppressed the entire Intercepting Teaching, completely casting aside the bond between the Chan Sect and the Intercepting Teaching?"

Master Tongtian had no concrete evidence for this. It was only his speculation. He had merely seen Daoist Duobao and the others attack Meng Chen without mercy, which led him to consider this possibility.

Feelings were mutual. If the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching were heartless toward the Chan Sect's disciples, then the Chan Sect's disciples had no need to speak of feelings with them either.

Meng Chen remained calm as he replied, "Martial Uncle, the Chan Sect and the Intercepting Teaching both belong to the orthodox Xuanmen. This disciple will naturally place the bond between our two sects first."

Upon hearing this, Master Tongtian gave Meng Chen a deep look before vanishing into the heavens. He had understood Meng Chen's unspoken meaning. Meng Chen's answer was yes.

After all, Meng Chen had said he would place the bond between the two sects first, not that he would treat that bond as the principle guiding all his actions.