Ran Deng Arrives

A sage's schemes usually require a very long time to lay out. As a sage's pawn, one must also have the resolve to sacrifice life and limb.

Daoist Ran Deng was a man full of resolve.

Moreover, to ensure Daoist Ran Deng's loyalty to the West, the Two Sages of the West had forged a Chaos Contract with him.

Whoever violated the contract and betrayed the other side would trigger the Chaos Contract—whether sage or Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, they would all die, die, die!

In truth, from the moment Daoist Ran Deng "happened upon" Sage Zhunti, he had no choice.

Those beneath the sages could only preserve their dignity as living beings by attaching themselves to a sage. When someone without a sage behind them encountered a sage, there was no second path but compromise.

Before others, you could die. But before a sage, you didn't even have the right to die.

Daoist Ran Deng was also a pitiable man! On the surface, he lived gloriously, but his fate was never his own to choose.

However, Meng Chen would not pity Daoist Ran Deng. Setting aside one's position to discuss good and evil was meaningless. Since Meng Chen shared common interests with the Chan Sect, he would give Daoist Ran Deng no chance at all.

Just like now, Meng Chen was offering "slanderous advice" before Yuanshi Tianzun, urging him to accept Daoist Ran Deng as a disciple.

"Teacher, this disciple feels that Senior Ran Deng's coming here must harbor some scheme."

Meng Chen said bluntly.

He had received news from Guang Chengzi, knowing that someone was kneeling outside the Jade Void Palace, refusing to rise, trying to move Yuanshi Tianzun with sincerity to take him in as a disciple. He immediately guessed the visitor's identity.

Thus, he hurried to the Jade Void Palace to offer his "slanderous advice."

Meng Chen did not want a half-teacher hanging over his head; he had to suppress Daoist Ran Deng. Daoist Ran Deng wanted to be vice leader? Let him be a temporary worker for the Chan Sect, and that was generous!

Any dirty, exhausting, or offensive tasks could be dumped on Daoist Ran Deng. If the scandal broke, push Daoist Ran Deng and the Western Church out to take the blame. After all, all the ugly deeds were done by Daoist Ran Deng and the Western Church—what did that have to do with the Chan Sect?

Besides, hadn't Daoist Ran Deng teamed up with Sage Zhunti and named their little group the "Shameless Duo"?

Sage Zhunti was the Darkness of the West; let Daoist Ran Deng be the Darkness of the Chan Sect. That way, he could become colleagues with Sage Zhunti doing the same kind of work.

"What you say is not wrong!"

Yuanshi Tianzun cast an approving glance at Meng Chen. "All the world knows that I do not accept disciples who come with prior training. Ran Deng has already cultivated to Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal and established his own Dao Foundation. I will absolutely not take him as a disciple. His sudden arrival to seek apprenticeship at my Chan Sect must be a scheme from another sage."

Yuanshi Tianzun was a sage; how could he fail to see that Daoist Ran Deng came with ill intent? He simply had no evidence.

A Primordial Saint, year after year, day after day, kneeling outside the mountain gate, only begging to enter the Chan Sect—what could Yuanshi Tianzun do?

He could not simply kill Daoist Ran Deng.

Yuanshi Tianzun was a sage, not a murderous maniac. If he killed someone just because a great power wanted to become his disciple, would he still have his reputation as the Pangu Sect? Would he still have his reputation as the orthodox Xuanmen? Would the Chan Sect's reputation survive?

Daoist Ran Deng was morally blackmailing Yuanshi Tianzun!

If Yuanshi Tianzun refused to take him as a disciple, the world would think him iron-hearted and stubborn. The world's opinion would not affect Yuanshi Tianzun himself, but the Chan Sect needed to spread its teachings.

Would the world rather believe in a sage who wanted to seize a thread of life for all beings and had human warmth, or a sage who was iron-hearted and ruthless?

The Disciples of Intercepting Teaching were a mess, treating the people as fish and flesh, the common folk as pigs and dogs—why did so many still like the Intercepting Teaching? Wasn't it because Master Tongtian had human warmth, and the Intercepting Teaching's doctrine sounded good?

Did the world truly like the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching? No. They liked Master Tongtian! Master Tongtian was the electricity in their hearts, the light in their hearts, their one and only myth.

Everyone wanted others to treat them well, whether mortal or immortal. Human nature was universal at any level, in any world.

In the Primordial Wilderness, image was also important.

Don't think that with invincible strength, you could do whatever you pleased! To gain benefits from all beings, you first had to earn their recognition, making them believe you could bring them benefits.

Thus, Yuanshi Tianzun was also somewhat undecided.

He could suppress Daoist Ran Deng, but his disciples could not. His disciples were only at the Golden Immortal realm. Letting Daoist Ran Deng in might lead his disciples astray at any moment.

A Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, a Primordial Saint, a guest of the Purple Cloud Palace, and with a tenacious heart for the Dao (kneeling outside the mountain gate, refusing to leave)—with such an image, he could easily become a role model in the eyes of immortals.

"Teacher, this disciple would like to plead for Junior Brother Ran Deng."

Yuanshi Tianzun raised an eyebrow at this and asked in surprise, "Junior brother? You just said Ran Deng had ulterior motives. How is it that you're so quick to acknowledge him as a junior brother?"

Meng Chen bowed respectfully: "Teacher, although Ran Deng has ulterior motives, if he wants to gain Teacher's trust, he must work for the Chan Sect."

"Work for My Teaching?"

Yuanshi Tianzun's mind was not as dark as Meng Chen's. "What work can he do for My Teaching?"

"Naturally, the kind of work that cannot be seen in the light."

Meng Chen smiled slightly and cupped his hands.

Yuanshi Tianzun was stunned. He looked at Meng Chen, as if he could see the word "hypocrite" written on Meng Chen's face. Yet, he was unexpectedly satisfied with Meng Chen's performance.

Whether true gentleman or hypocrite, Meng Chen neither betrayed the Chan Sect nor harmed living beings. What he targeted were the Chan Sect's enemies. What harm was there in being a little cunning and hypocritical?

In the end, Yuanshi Tianzun and Meng Chen were the same kind of people. That was precisely why Yuanshi Tianzun was grooming Meng Chen as his successor.

Yuanshi Tianzun nodded: "Ran Deng is a man of deep schemes. Are you confident you can control him?"

"Teacher, no matter what purpose Ran Deng has in coming to the Chan Sect, he must first gain Teacher's trust. Within the Chan Sect, with Teacher present, he will surely not dare to be sly or lazy. Outside the Chan Sect, this disciple will have Cangwu work with him, keeping him under constant surveillance."

Listening to Meng Chen's words, Yuanshi Tianzun could already imagine the miserable fate awaiting Daoist Ran Deng after entering the sect—working like a beast of burden for Meng Chen, while being watched every moment.

Thinking this, Yuanshi Tianzun asked again: "What if, after entering My Teaching, Ran Deng is moved by it and serves wholeheartedly?"

Meng Chen's expression turned serious, and his tone grew grave: "Teacher, from the very beginning, Ran Deng has had no choice. There is no turning back for him."

"Indeed!"

Yuanshi Tianzun sighed long upon hearing this and said no more.