The Faint Fragrance of Chrysanthemums

Of all those pleased by Wu Liangzi's entry, none was happier than Meng Chen.

Once outside Jade Void Palace, Meng Chen immediately told the Immortals of Chan Teaching that he had prepared a feast in the Boundless Tree Sea, intending to celebrate the youngest junior brother's induction with everyone.

Since they had all entered the sect, they had never gathered together before. Meng Chen also wanted to take this chance to foster some camaraderie and tacit understanding with his fellow disciples.

Looking at the smiling faces around him, Wu Liangzi's heart churned with bitterness, but he could not speak of his suffering.

He did not understand how he had muddle-headedly become the Chan Teaching's youngest junior brother. If this news spread to the Primordial Wilderness, those former peers of his would probably laugh themselves to death.

He always felt that Yuanshi Tianzun might have known his true purpose, and had thus joined hands with Meng Chen to mess with him.

Yet, even though he sensed this, he dared not seek confirmation from either Yuanshi Tianzun or Meng Chen. He was merely a Mystic Immortal; let alone Yuanshi Tianzun, even Meng Chen could blow him to ashes with a single breath.

"These spirit fruits all come from Innate Spiritual Roots carefully cultivated by my father. Not only can they increase an immortal's magical power, they also contain special laws of power."

"These immortal wines were brewed from spirit herbs and spirit fruits cultivated with Three Lights Divine Water, fermented over a hundred million years. Only the most honored guests may taste them."

"This pill is called the Azurewood Divine Pill, a type of Acquired Spiritual Pill. Swallow one, and it saves a Yuanhui of bitter cultivation, greatly benefiting the improvement of magical power."

Meng Chen enthusiastically introduced the spirit fruits and pills on the table. They sounded extremely precious. In truth, Meng Chen was merely exaggerating.

In the Eastern Celestial Pole, whether it was spirit wine or spirit pills, they all came from Acquired Spiritual Roots.

Meng Chen had many wild ideas, and Meng Zhang Divine Lord had the ability to turn those ideas into reality. Thus, the Eastern Celestial Pole was filled with all kinds of Magic Treasure spiritual roots, talisman spiritual roots, and pill spiritual roots.

Some Acquired Spiritual Roots could even directly gestate the Dragon Clan—when a bud opened, a small Azure Dragon would fly out from within.

To Guang Chengzi and the others, who did not know the truth, it seemed Meng Chen had certainly bled himself dry.

Yellow Dragon True Man picked up a purplish-red fruit, took a civilized bite, and then he could no longer remain civilized.

This spirit fruit contained a sliver of the origin power of fire. As it entered Yellow Dragon True Man's body, it immediately combined with his magical power, giving birth to the law of fire.

Yellow Dragon True Man's face was full of delighted surprise. Holding the half-eaten spirit fruit, his voice trembled slightly: "Eldest Senior Brother, this... this spirit fruit is truly miraculous!"

"This fruit is called the Fire Dragon Fruit. After consuming it, there is a chance to comprehend the law of fire. Junior Brother should have the law of fire appearing in your body, yes? If Junior Brother goes into seclusion and thoroughly comprehends this sliver of fire law, you will be able to cultivate the law of fire most suited to yourself."

Meng Chen smiled faintly and explained.

Upon hearing this, Guang Chengzi and the others each picked up a Fire Dragon Fruit and savored it carefully.

Wu Liangzi, amidst the crowd, was like a husky that had wandered into a pack of wolves—looking utterly foolish and clueless. How could he have any appetite to eat or drink? He could not even force a smile.

However, Meng Chen had said that this feast was specially held for him. To avoid arousing suspicion, Wu Liangzi could only go with the flow and put on a forced smile.

Seeing his youngest junior brother so happy, Meng Chen smiled with relief.

After eating, drinking, and chatting, everyone dispersed. Meng Chen did not detain Wu Liangzi; there was nothing Wu Liangzi could do right now anyway.

Yuanshi Tianzun would not even pass down the Golden Proclamation of Primordial Beginning to Wu Liangzi. Anyone with eyes could see that Yuanshi Tianzun greatly disliked Wu Liangzi.

Under these circumstances, even Cihang, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Juliusun dared not approach Wu Liangzi, afraid of being implicated by him.

As for why Meng Chen dared to "treat Wu Liangzi favorably," they speculated that it might be a task Yuanshi Tianzun had assigned to Meng Chen.

Time flowed on, and in the blink of an eye, a hundred thousand years passed.

A hundred thousand years later, the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching who had been locked in the Du Tian Divine Fire Prison finally escaped their imprisonment. They also learned that Daoist Ran Deng had been crippled in cultivation and renamed Wu Liangzi. Thus, the Western Church received this news.

"Two Lords, Daoist Ran Deng, one of the guests of Purple Cloud Palace, in order to learn the wondrous methods of Jade Void, did not hesitate to cripple his own cultivation and join the Chan Teaching. Now, he has renamed himself Wu Liangzi and become the Chan Teaching's youngest junior brother."

Upon receiving the news sent back to the church by their spy, Sage Jieyin was dumbfounded, and Sage Zhunti was also dumbfounded. This outcome was something they had never dreamed of.

In their thinking, as long as Daoist Ran Deng kept kneeling, Yuanshi Tianzun would eventually relent and accept him into the sect. Daoist Ran Deng was a Primordial Saint; even if Yuanshi Tianzun did not care about Daoist Ran Deng's face, he would have to give face to all the Primordial Saints under heaven and grant Daoist Ran Deng a high position.

Who could have imagined that Daoist Ran Deng had successfully infiltrated the Chan Teaching, but had gone from a boundless-power Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal to a mere little Mystic Immortal?

"Yuanshi Tianzun! Yuanshi Tianzun! You go too far! This is a Primordial Saint, and you forced him to cripple his own cultivation. What kind of Pangu Sect are you? What kind of Hongjun's personal disciple?"

Thinking that his scheme against the Chan Teaching had not only failed but backfired, and that a fine Primordial Saint had been ruined like this, Sage Zhunti gnashed his teeth in hatred at Yuanshi Tianzun.

In his view, Yuanshi Tianzun must have sensed something, deliberately targeted Daoist Ran Deng, and turned Daoist friend Ran Deng into Wu Liangzi.

Boom!

As Sage Zhunti raged, the hall was shrouded in gloomy thunderclouds. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled everywhere, gales howled—a terrifying scene.

"Junior Brother, what are you doing?"

In comparison, Sage Jieyin was as calm as a chrysanthemum. Though he was angry, he kept his anger inside and did not show it.

Sage Zhunti pointed toward Kunlun Mountain, indignantly saying: "Has Senior Brother not heard? Yuanshi Tianzun forced Daoist friend Ran Deng to cripple his own cultivation. That was a guest of Purple Cloud Palace! If he did not want to accept him, he could have simply refused. But to use such means to persecute Daoist friend Ran Deng! And the Intercepting Teaching—the disciples we sent there were all thrown into the Du Tian Divine Fire Prison and suffered a hundred thousand years of torment! All of this is Yuanshi Tianzun's doing! Senior Brother, can you remain unmoved?"

Sage Jieyin's face was expressionless, unhurried as he said: "Junior Brother, calm yourself. If Yuanshi Tianzun enjoys tormenting Daoist friend Ran Deng, he will surely not let him suffer serious injury or die. Daoist friend Ran Deng is a Primordial Saint; he can rebuild his cultivation quickly. We only need to wait, and he will naturally recover his cultivation."

Hearing Sage Jieyin's words, Sage Zhunti immediately calmed down.

"Indeed! Everything is for the Western Church. Daoist friend Ran Deng will understand. As the Third Sect Master of the Western Church, it is only right that he dedicate everything for the sentient beings of the West."

"Mm, thinking this way is correct!"

Sage Jieyin's smile grew more and more compassionate.