"Eldest Senior Brother, please wait!"
Meng Chen had barely left Jade Void Palace when a voice from behind gave him a start.
In any other place, hearing the words "please wait" would have meant nothing. But this was Jade Void Palace! Its true palace-protecting treasure was neither the Pangu Banner nor the Mystic Arts of Eight Nine, but "Fellow Daoist, please wait."
This incantation attacked indiscriminately. Whether one was a disciple of the Chan Sect or Intercepting Teaching, whether one flew in the sky or swam in the water, none could withstand its power.
However, Meng Chen knew that the Investiture of the Gods Calamity was still far away.
When he turned around, he saw Yellow Dragon True Man approaching him with a fawning expression.
"Eldest Senior Brother, Yellow Dragon greets Eldest Senior Brother!"
Looking at the tall, imposing Meng Chen, Yellow Dragon True Man felt uneasy. He had summoned his courage before coming to Meng Chen. In truth, he was not certain whether Meng Chen would regard him as kin.
The Wu Clan had the Twelve Ancestral Witches, while the Dragon Clan had four great ancestors: Primordial Dragon, Torch Dragon, Winged Dragon, and Azure Dragon. Among them, Primordial Dragon and Torch Dragon had been formed from the essence blood of Chaos Demon Gods; Winged Dragon had been formed from the earth's spiritual veins; Azure Dragon had been born from the spiritual essence of heaven and earth.
Of the four great ancestors, only Primordial Dragon and Torch Dragon followed the path of attaining the Dao through Calamity Fate. Thus, the Primordial Dragon Lineage had first stirred up the great war of the three races, then attempted to use its own Dao to replace the Heavenly Dao, ultimately bearing boundless Karmic Sin.
The Azure Dragon Lineage, on the other hand, had always guarded the Eastern Celestial Pole. Rich in Merit and Calamity Fate, it enjoyed the favor of the Heavenly Dao and knew neither calamities nor tribulations.
Yellow Dragon True Man now felt like a poor relative meeting a wealthy kinsman, and he could not help feeling somewhat inferior.
In truth, Meng Chen held no particular feelings toward the many figures of the Primordial Wilderness. He would neither lavish them with sympathy and grovel before them like a lapdog, nor view them through tinted glasses.
Whether others were strong or weak, prosperous or declining, had nothing to do with him.
Only those who treated him well would receive kindness in return. If anyone treated him poorly, then sorry—no matter how famous they were, they were his enemies.
In Meng Chen's eyes, Yellow Dragon True Man had only one identity: his junior brother. Beyond that, there was nothing else.
Meng Chen smiled faintly and returned the salute. "Junior Brother Yellow Dragon, you are too courteous. Since you have entered under our master, you and I are senior and junior brothers. As fellow disciples, our other identities are not worth mentioning."
Yellow Dragon True Man was slightly stunned upon hearing this, and complicated emotions welled up within him.
He was not foolish. He could sense the way the other disciples kept their distance from him. Though they did not make it too obvious, Yellow Dragon True Man could read the look in their eyes: We are not familiar. Do not come near me.
Who could blame them when his status was so awkward? He had been born into the Dragon Clan and carried Karmic Sin, while Yuanshi Tianzun did not value him either.
The other disciples might not each possess an Innate Spiritual Treasure, but they had at least received two or more Acquired Spiritual Treasures. Only he had received a single Acquired Spiritual Treasure.
Moreover, rumors had long circulated throughout the Primordial Wilderness that Yuanshi Tianzun disliked Hairy and Horned creatures, as well as Moist-Born and Egg-Hatched beings.
Fawning over the powerful and trampling the weak, the ways of the world—such things existed in every world and every faction.
It was entirely possible that Guang Chengzi and the others were unwilling to grow close to Yellow Dragon True Man for fear that he would implicate them and incur Yuanshi Tianzun's displeasure.
Yellow Dragon True Man had merely decided to give it a try, hoping that Meng Chen, a fellow clansman, would accept him. He had never expected Meng Chen to be so "friendly" toward him.
Yes, in Yellow Dragon True Man's eyes, even Meng Chen's simple response was already rare kindness.
A warm current rose in his heart. "Eldest Senior Brother speaks wisely. I will remember Eldest Senior Brother's teachings."
Guang Chengzi and the others emerged from the hall, originally intending to build rapport with Meng Chen. Seeing this scene, they all found it strange. They could not understand how Meng Chen dared to get so close to Yellow Dragon True Man. Was he not afraid that Yuanshi Tianzun would come to dislike him?
"Eldest Senior Brother!"
After saluting Meng Chen, they entered Kunlun Mountain to seek out Daoist Temples, without lingering at all.
They dared to isolate Yellow Dragon True Man because they believed Yuanshi Tianzun disliked him, but they did not dare show Meng Chen any disrespect.
Meng Chen noticed Guang Chengzi and the others' reactions and sighed inwardly.
There were already few disciples in the Chan Sect, yet Guang Chengzi and the others still formed cliques. If the Chan Sect did not resort to schemes, how could it possibly be a match for Intercepting Teaching?
However, this was not the time to deal with the Chan Sect's internal affairs. Relationships between people were the most complicated things of all; handling them was more taxing than fighting on the battlefield.
"Eldest Senior Brother, I..."
Yellow Dragon True Man felt somewhat ashamed. He believed Meng Chen had been implicated because of him.
Meng Chen's expression hardened, and his voice turned stern. "Junior Brother, those who cultivate the Dao should place cultivation first. If you were a Great Luo Golden Immortal, or even a mighty Quasi-Sage, would anyone dare ignore your existence? You are now a Sage's disciple. Your future is limitless."
His words were like a Twilight Drum and Dawn Bell, awakening Yellow Dragon True Man's slumbering heart. In an instant, Yellow Dragon True Man came to a realization.
Yellow Dragon True Man cared too much about what others thought of him. Yet in the Primordial World, the least important thing was what other people thought. So long as one's cultivation was strong enough, so long as one possessed strength, the opinions of everyone in the world were bullshit.
"Thank you for your guidance, Eldest Senior Brother. I will certainly cultivate diligently and not disappoint the expectations of our master and Eldest Senior Brother."
"Good! That is more like it!"
Meng Chen nodded in satisfaction.
It had to be said that Meng Chen adapted to his role quickly. The moment he entered the sect, he had already assumed the role of Eldest Senior Brother.
Yet Meng Chen's conduct greatly pleased Yuanshi Tianzun.
Yuanshi Tianzun admitted that he was indeed biased. However, he saw nothing wrong with that. Yuanshi Tianzun believed that treasures were his possessions; whom he wished to pass them on to was his own freedom.
It was like a mooncake. Some liked sweet ones, some liked savory ones, and some liked the ones made by their sister-in-law. As long as no one snatched someone else's mooncake, what was wrong with having preferences?
However, Yuanshi Tianzun did regard Yellow Dragon True Man as his disciple. If he had not regarded Yellow Dragon True Man as a disciple, he could simply have turned him away.
With a Sage's methods, if he had not wanted Yellow Dragon True Man to enter the sect, Yellow Dragon True Man would never have passed the trials in his entire life.
Meng Chen could treat Yellow Dragon True Man with an ordinary heart and give him fairness, without taking into account the "lack of importance" Yuanshi Tianzun had displayed. Such breadth of mind was precisely what a qualified sect leader should possess.
"Daoist Meng Zhang's son truly is a promising talent. People are often ignorant: either deceived by appearances or too afraid to reveal their true hearts. Meng Chen made such a decision without hesitation. His future prospects are limitless."
Yuanshi Tianzun nodded slightly, while beginning to consider a plan for Meng Chen's training.
To lead the Chan Sect required not only cultivation, but also the ability to deal with every kind of changing situation. Meng Chen was not him; he did not possess absolute strength to face every tribulation.
What should I do?
Yuanshi Tianzun began to ponder as well.
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