The Exposition Sect's Four Traitors Emerge, Ran Deng Ascends the Mountain!

Three and a half people stood shivering in the wind.

Cihang's fair face flushed with a hint of red as she spoke softly.

"Senior Brother, I was wrong. I shouldn't have let you go tease Senior Brother Li."

Ju Liusun sighed, shook his head, and replied.

"No harm done. It was our attitude that was off. Senior Brother Li's lesson was well-deserved; we must keep his words firmly in our hearts."

"Yes ×3!"

Returning to the entrance of his cave dwelling, Li Yuan stared at the abode before him and murmured.

"Having lived here so long without a name doesn't feel right. Let's call it Celestial Abode."

With that, he waved his hand, and the characters for Celestial Abode appeared above the cave.

Li Yuan sat cross-legged on a cushion, continuing to comprehend the Law of Fire's origin while starting his daily journal check-in.

Meanwhile, Yuanshi in Jade Void Palace had nothing to do and wore a smile.

"Now that all twelve personal disciples of the Exposition Sect have returned, things are truly thriving."

"But that third brother's Interception Sect recruits too many and too varied disciples; inevitably, some harbor ill intentions. I've told him, but he won't listen."

"ε=(´ο｀*))) Alas..."

Sighing, Yuanshi happened to notice the journal at hand and smiled faintly.

"Might as well read my junior nephew's journal to pass the time."

[Since I had nothing to do today, I planned to go out for a stroll. Who knew I'd run into Ju Liusun, Cihang, Wenshu, and Puxian—the four Exposition Sect turncoats]

Boom—!!!

Before he could finish reading, Yuanshi slammed the journal onto the table with a palm and roared.

"Infuriating! So the four traitors of my Exposition Sect are them?!"

His vision went dark. He had just been criticizing the Interception Sect.

Who knew the boomerang would hit him so fast?

Yuanshi took a few deep breaths, suppressed his temper, and continued reading the journal.

[The four turncoats were as arrogant as ever, even trying to make me leave the Exposition Sect's grounds. I gave them a proper lesson]

Seeing this, he nodded slightly in agreement.

"A good lesson! A fine lesson from my junior nephew! Otherwise, I would have expelled them from the Exposition Sect myself!"

[Speaking of which, does Cihang know about Southern Liang's fate? Not that it matters. The key is that these four junior brothers aren't bad at heart. The main problem is Second Martial Uncle's teaching methods. I really don't know how to remind him]

Yuanshi suddenly felt blood rush to his head and gasped coldly.

"Hiss... This Daoist's teaching methods have issues? How could This Daoist's teaching methods have issues?!"

But he suddenly recalled the journal's earlier description of Yellow Dragon.

Yuanshi frowned and sank into thought, muttering self-critically.

"Have I... been treating my disciples unfairly in my daily life?"

The Exposition Sect's Twelve Golden Immortals: Guangchengzi, Yuding, Taiyi—these three he favored most.

Whenever free, he would lecture these three disciples.

Next came Ju Liusun, Cihang, Wenshu, and Puxian—he only checked their homework.

The remaining five—Daoxing, Qingxu, Lingbao, and the others—were basically left to fend for themselves, with no one-on-one tutoring, only standard lectures.

As for Yellow Dragon... if not for the earlier journal entry, he would have forgotten he even had a disciple named Yellow Dragon.

Slap—!!!

Yuanshi suddenly struck his own face, expressionless.

"A saint, and I failed to notice a problem capable of toppling the Exposition Sect. I needed my junior nephew to point it out. Truly inexcusable."

"Teaching disciples should be equal for all. I was indeed biased before."

[If the four turncoats really end up joining the Western Sect, I believe Second Martial Uncle will regret it for life]

Yuanshi was dazed as he murmured.

"So they defected from the Exposition Sect to join the Western Sect?"

The faces of Jie Yin and Zhun Ti appeared in his mind, and he felt a chill of disgust.

Two shameless beings, their faces probably thicker than the Primordial Earth Membrane.

"Hmph, even if they start their own sect, daring to join the Western Sect—they deserve punishment!"

"Ju Liusun, Cihang, Wenshu, and Puxian, come to Jade Void Palace at once!"

On the way to Jade Void Palace, the three and a half male immortals felt their legs go weak.

"Senior Brother Li didn't tell Father about what just happened, did he?"

"No way. I don't think Senior Brother Li is that kind of person."

"But the timing of when Master called us is too coincidental."

"Right. Master almost never summons us except for regular lesson checks, and we just finished one not long ago."

Ju Liusun and the other three arrived at the Jade Void Palace with uneasy hearts.

"We pay our respects to Master!"

Yuanshi gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over the four of them as he silently remarked.

All excellent children. They must not be allowed to join the Western Sect. Those two bald monks aren't worthy of taking This Daoist's disciples!

With that thought, Yuanshi spoke softly.

"I am already aware of what happened earlier."

Thump...!

The hearts of Ju Liusun and the others leaped into their throats.

As expected... Did Senior Brother Li really rat us out?!

"My previous instruction to you was indeed insufficient. That is why today I will specially give you four a lecture on the Dao. Listen well and do not let your minds wander."

Cihang's small face showed a bewildered expression as she asked in confusion.

"A... a lecture on the Dao?"

"Isn't that a privilege exclusive to Senior Brother Guangchengzi and the others?"

"Ah..."

Cihang quickly covered her mouth, a look of terror on her face.

Oh no, I actually said my thoughts out loud. Master won't blame me, will he?

Yuanshi, caught out by his disciple, flushed with embarrassment, but he coughed twice and said.

"What privilege? As your teacher, I have always treated everyone equally. From now on, whenever you have something you don't understand, feel free to come and ask me."

"As for this lecture on the Dao, it will be held after every lesson check. Do any of you have objections?"

Ju Liusun cautiously asked.

"Master, we teased Senior Brother Li earlier. Won't you punish us?"

Yuanshi let out a cold snort, sending another chill through their hearts.

"What use is more corporal punishment? What matters is sincerity and awakening. Remember Li Yuan's words well, all of you. Otherwise... don't blame me for disregarding our master-disciple bond!"

"We shall strictly follow Master's decree!"

Within the Jade Void Palace, heavenly flowers rained down and golden lotuses sprang from the earth—the auspicious signs of a Dao lecture condensed into being!

Boom—!!!

Three hundred years later, a Daoist suddenly arrived at Kunlun Mountain.

This man wore a dark star-sand Daoist robe, his eyes a pair of gold and silver, his form plump yet exuding a decaying aura. He took a deep breath and declared in a clear voice.

"This Daoist, Ran Deng, has come specially to pay respects to the Yuanshi Saint!"

In an instant, Li Yuan in the Celestial Abode jolted awake, drawing the surging Primordial Chaos Divine Fire back into his body.

He cast a look of amusement toward Ran Deng's direction and chuckled softly.

"Oho, if it isn't the king of turncoats, Ran Deng Daoist."

"In the future, you'll join the Western Sect's Buddhist path, becoming the Dipankara Buddha of the Three Buddhas—the Buddha of the Past. You'll make out quite well."

"You've really figured out how to play the seniority game. Might as well write you into my diary..."

Just then, Yuanshi finished his lecture, dismissed Ju Liusun and the others, and greeted Ran Deng with a smiling face.

"So it's Daoist friend Ran Deng. Please, come in quickly."

Yet inwardly, he was deeply puzzled.

What does this old coffin seek me for?

"..."

If you can't find the book title, try searching for the author. Maybe it just changed names!