Unperturbed as a Chrysanthemum

After Wu Liangzi joined the sect, Meng Chen was the happiest of all.

The moment they left Jade Void Palace, Meng Chen informed the Immortals of Chan Teaching that he had prepared a banquet in the Boundless Tree Sea to celebrate their little junior brother's entry into the sect with everyone.

Since they had entered the sect, they had never gathered together before. Meng Chen also wanted to take this opportunity to build affection and rapport with his fellow disciples.

Looking at everyone's smiling faces, Wu Liangzi felt nothing but bitterness, unable to voice his grievances.

He did not understand how he had somehow become Chan Sect's little junior brother. If word of this spread through the Primordial Wilderness, his former peers would probably laugh themselves to death over him.

He always felt that Yuanshi Tianzun might have learned of his purpose, which was why he had joined forces with Meng Chen to toy with him.

Yet even though he sensed this, he did not dare seek confirmation from Yuanshi Tianzun or Meng Chen. He was merely a Mystic Immortal. Let alone Yuanshi Tianzun, even Meng Chen could blow him into ashes in a single breath.

"These Spiritual Fruits were borne by Innate Spiritual Roots painstakingly cultivated by my royal father. Not only can they increase an immortal's magical power, but they also possess special law powers."

"These Spiritual Wines are brewed from immortal herbs and fruits cultivated with Three Lights Divine Water, then fermented for one hundred million years. Only the most distinguished guests may taste them."

"This pill is called the Azurewood Divine Pill, an Acquired Spiritual Pill. Taking one can spare you a Yuanhui of arduous cultivation and greatly increase your magical power."

Meng Chen enthusiastically introduced the Spiritual Fruits and Spiritual Pills laid out for the banquet. They all sounded extremely precious, but in truth, Meng Chen was merely exaggerating.

In the Eastern Celestial Pole, whether spiritual wine or Spiritual Pills, all of them grew from Acquired Spiritual Roots.

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

Some Acquired Spiritual Roots could even directly nurture members of the Dragon Clan. Once a flower bud opened, a young Azure Dragon would fly out from within.

To Guang Chengzi and the others, who did not know the truth, Meng Chen had clearly gone all out.

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

This Spiritual Fruit contained a trace of fire-origin power. Upon entering Yellow Dragon True Man's body, it immediately merged with his magical power and gave rise to the Law of Fire.

Yellow Dragon True Man's face was filled with delight. Holding the half-eaten Spiritual Fruit, even his voice trembled. "Eldest Senior Brother, this... this Spiritual Fruit is truly miraculous!"

"This fruit is called the Fire Dragon Fruit. After consuming it, one has a chance to comprehend the Law of Fire. A Law of Fire should have appeared within you, junior brother. If you enter seclusion and thoroughly comprehend this trace of the Law of Fire, you will be able to cultivate the Law of Fire best suited to yourself."

Meng Chen smiled faintly as he explained.

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

Among the group, Wu Liangzi was like a husky that had wandered into a pack of wolves, looking foolishly adorable. How could he have any appetite to eat or drink? He could not even smile.

However, Meng Chen had said that this banquet was held specifically for him. To avoid arousing suspicion, Wu Liangzi could only go with the flow and force a smile.

Seeing his little junior brother so happy, Meng Chen smiled in satisfaction as well.

After eating, drinking, and chatting, everyone went their separate ways. Meng Chen did not keep Wu Liangzi behind; Wu Liangzi could not do anything in his current state.

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

Under such circumstances, even Cihang, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Juliusun did not dare approach Wu Liangzi, fearing that they would be implicated by him.

As for why Meng Chen dared to "treat Wu Liangzi so well," they guessed that it might be a task assigned to Meng Chen by Yuanshi Tianzun.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, one hundred thousand years had passed.

One hundred thousand years later, the Disciples of Intercepting Teaching imprisoned in the Du Tian Divine Fire Prison were finally released. They also learned that Daoist Ran Deng's cultivation had been crippled and that he had been renamed Wu Liangzi. Thus, Western Church learned the news as well.

"Honored masters, Daoist Ran Deng, one of the Guests of Purple Cloud Palace, crippled his own cultivation in order to learn Jade Void's wondrous teachings and joined Chan Sect. He has now changed his name to Wu Liangzi and become Chan Sect's little junior brother."

Upon receiving the news sent back by their spy within the sect, Sage Jieyin was dumbfounded, and Sage Zhunti was dumbfounded as well. They had never imagined such an outcome, not even in their dreams.

In their view, as long as Daoist Ran Deng continued kneeling, Yuanshi Tianzun would surely relent and accept him into the sect. Daoist Ran Deng was a Primordial Saint. Even if Yuanshi Tianzun did not give Daoist Ran Deng face, he would have to give face to all the Primordial Saints in the world and grant Daoist Ran Deng a relatively high status.

Who could have imagined that Daoist Ran Deng had successfully infiltrated Chan Sect, only to go from a Great Luo Golden Immortal with boundless magical power to a mere Mystic Immortal?

"Yuanshi Tianzun! Yuanshi Tianzun! You have gone too far! He is a Primordial Saint, yet you forced him to cripple his own cultivation. What kind of Pangu Sect are you? What kind of direct disciple of Hongjun are you?"

The thought that his scheme against Chan Sect had failed, that he had suffered losses instead, and that such a fine Primordial Saint had been ruined made Sage Zhunti grit his teeth in hatred toward Yuanshi Tianzun.

In his view, Yuanshi Tianzun must have noticed something, which was why he had deliberately targeted Daoist Ran Deng and turned Daoist Ran Deng into Wu Liangzi.

Rumble!

When Sage Zhunti grew angry, dark thunderclouds enveloped the great hall. Lightning flashed and thunder roared throughout it, while fierce winds howled—terrifying beyond measure.

"Junior brother, what are you doing?"

By comparison, Sage Jieyin was as unperturbed as a chrysanthemum. Although he was angry, his anger remained in his heart and did not show on his face.

Sage Zhunti pointed toward Kunlun Mountain and said indignantly, "Hasn't Senior Brother heard? Yuanshi Tianzun forced Daoist Ran Deng to cripple his own cultivation. He is one of the Guests of Purple Cloud Palace! If Yuanshi Tianzun did not wish to accept him, he could simply have refused. Yet he used such methods to persecute Daoist Ran Deng. And Intercepting Teaching as well—those disciples we sent there were all thrown into the Du Tian Divine Fire Prison and suffered for one hundred thousand years! All of this was bestowed upon us by Yuanshi Tianzun. Can Senior Brother truly remain unmoved?"

Sage Jieyin remained expressionless and said unhurriedly, "Junior brother, calm yourself. Since Yuanshi Tianzun enjoys tormenting Daoist Ran Deng, he surely will not let him suffer overly serious injuries or die. Daoist Ran Deng is a Primordial Saint. He will recover his cultivation quickly. We need only wait, and he will naturally regain it."

Upon hearing Sage Jieyin's words, Sage Zhunti immediately calmed down.

"Indeed! Everything is for the sake of the West. Daoist Ran Deng will understand. As the Third Sect Master of Western Church, he ought to devote everything to the living beings of the West."

"Mhm, that is the right way to think, junior brother!"

Sage Jieyin's smile became increasingly compassionate.