Three and a half people stood shivering in the wind.
A faint blush tinged Cihang's fair face as she said softly,
"Senior Brother, I was wrong. I shouldn't have let you go tease Senior Brother Li."
Ju Liusun sighed and shook his head.
"It's fine. Our attitude was wrong. Senior Brother Li was right to teach us a lesson. We must remember everything he said."
"Yes! ×3"
Back at the entrance to his abode, Li Yuan stared at it and murmured,
"It wouldn't do for me to have lived here so long without even giving it a name. Let's call it the Celestial Abode."
With a wave of his hand, the words "Celestial Abode" appeared above the entrance.
Li Yuan sat cross-legged on his prayer mat. As he continued comprehending the essence of the Law of Fire, he began his daily Diary check-in.
Yuanshi, who happened to have some free time in the Jade Void Palace, wore a smile on his face.
"Now that all twelve direct disciples of the Exposition Sect have taken their places, the sect is truly flourishing."
"But Third Brother's Interception Sect has recruited far too many disciples, and they are such a mixed lot. There are bound to be people with ulterior motives among them. Yet he refuses to listen when I tell him so."
"ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh..."
After sighing, Yuanshi happened to notice the Diary at his side and smiled faintly.
"Why not read my Martial Nephew's Diary to pass the time?"
I was planning to go out for a stroll today since I had nothing better to do. Who would have thought that I would run into the four traitors of the Exposition Sect—Ju Liusun, Cihang, Wenshu, and Puxian?
Bang!
Before Yuanshi could finish reading, he slammed the Diary onto the table and roared,
"I'm furious! So the four traitors of my Exposition Sect were them?!"
His vision immediately darkened. Just moments ago, he had been criticizing the Interception Sect.
He had not expected karma to come back around and strike him so quickly.
Yuanshi took several deep breaths, suppressed his temper, and continued reading the Diary.
As expected, the four traitors were as arrogant as ever. They even wanted to drive me out of the Exposition Sect's grounds, so I gave them a good lesson.
Seeing this, he nodded slightly in agreement.
"Well taught! My Martial Nephew taught them well! Otherwise, I would personally expel them from the Exposition Sect!"
I wonder if Cihang knows Southern Liang's fate. But that isn't important. What matters is that the four Junior Martial Brothers aren't bad at heart. The main issue lies with Second Martial Uncle's method of teaching. I really don't know how I should remind Second Martial Uncle.
Yuanshi suddenly felt the blood rush to his head and sucked in a cold breath.
"Hiss... There's something wrong with this daoist's teaching methods? How could there possibly be something wrong with this daoist's teaching methods?!"
But he suddenly recalled the Diary's earlier description of Yellow Dragon.
Yuanshi immediately furrowed his brows and fell into deep thought, murmuring self-critically,
"Have I... been too partial toward my disciples?"
Among the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Exposition Sect, Guangchengzi, Yuding, and Taiyi were his three favorites.
Whenever he had free time, he would teach the Dao to those three disciples.
Next came Ju Liusun, Cihang, Wenshu, and Puxian. He merely checked on their studies.
As for Guangchengzi, Qingxu, Lingbao, and Daoxing, he basically left them to fend for themselves. They received no one-on-one instruction, only ordinary Dao lectures.
And Yellow Dragon... if he had not seen him mentioned in the Diary earlier, Yuanshi would have nearly forgotten he even had a disciple named Yellow Dragon.
Slap!
Yuanshi suddenly slapped himself across the face, his expression blank.
"As a dignified Saint, I failed to notice a problem capable of overturning the Exposition Sect and still needed my Martial Nephew to remind me. I truly should not have done so."
"When teaching disciples, I should treat them all equally. I was indeed too partial before."
If the four traitors really joined the Western Sect, Second Martial Uncle would surely regret it for the rest of his life, wouldn't he?
Yuanshi came to a sudden realization and murmured,
"So they betrayed the Exposition Sect and joined the Western Sect?"
The faces of Jie Yin and Zhun Ti surfaced in his mind, instantly making him feel sick.
Those two shameless bastards probably had hides thicker than the Primordial Earth Membrane.
"Hmph. It would be one thing if they founded their own sect, but they actually dare join the Western Sect? They must be punished!"
"Ju Liusun, Cihang, Wenshu, and Puxian, come to the Jade Void Palace at once!"
On their way to the Jade Void Palace, the legs of the three and a half male immortals had gone weak.
"Senior Brother Li couldn't have told Master about what just happened, could he?"
"Probably not. I don't think Senior Brother Li is that kind of person."
"But Master's timing for summoning us is far too coincidental."
"Exactly. Master hardly ever summons us apart from the regular checks on our studies, but he checked them not long ago."
With uneasy hearts, Ju Liusun and the other three arrived at the Jade Void Palace.
"Greetings, Master!"
Yuanshi nodded faintly, his gaze sweeping across the four of them as he thought to himself,
"They are all such good children. They absolutely cannot join the Western Sect. Do those two bald idiots think they are worthy of taking this daoist's disciples?!"
With that in mind, Yuanshi said softly,
"I already know about what happened earlier."
Thump...!
The hearts of Ju Liusun and the others instantly leaped into their throats.
As expected... Senior Brother Li really did rat us out?!
"My instruction of you was indeed lacking in the past. Therefore, I will specially lecture on the Dao for the four of you today. Listen carefully and do not let your minds wander."
A bewildered expression appeared on Cihang's little face as she asked doubtfully,
"A... a Dao lecture?"
"Isn't that a privilege reserved solely for Senior Brother Guangchengzi and the others?"
"Wah..."
Cihang hurriedly covered her mouth, her face filled with terror.
Oh no, I actually said what I was thinking. Master won't blame me, will he?
Yuanshi's old face reddened after being exposed by his disciple, but he coughed twice and said,
"What privilege? As your master, I have always treated everyone equally. If there is anything you do not understand in the future, simply come ask me."
"As for these Dao lectures, they will also be held after every check on your studies. Do any of you have objections?"
Ju Liusun carefully asked,
"Master, we teased Senior Brother Li earlier. Aren't you going to punish us?"
Yuanshi snorted coldly, making them tremble inwardly once more.
"What use is excessive corporal punishment? What matters is sincerely realizing your mistakes. Remember Li Yuan's words firmly. Otherwise... do not blame your master for disregarding our master-disciple bond!"
"We shall obey Master's decree!"
Within the Jade Void Palace, heavenly flowers rained down and golden lotuses surged from the earth as phenomena of the Dao lecture condensed!
Boom!
Three hundred years later, a Daoist suddenly arrived at Kunlun Mountain.
He wore a black Daoist robe woven from stardust. His eyes were gold and silver respectively, his figure was plump, and he exuded an aura of decay. Taking a deep breath, he proclaimed,
"This daoist is Ran Deng, here to pay respects to Yuanshi Saint!"
In an instant, Li Yuan awoke within the Celestial Abode and drew the flickering Primordial Chaos Divine Fire back into his body.
With an amused look, he gazed toward Ran Deng and chuckled.
"Oh, oh, oh, isn't this Daoist Ran Deng, king of the traitors?"
"Later, you will join the Western Sect's Buddhist Sect and become Dipankara Buddha, the Past Buddha among the Buddhas of the Three Ages. You will do quite well for yourself."
"When it comes to padding your seniority, you've really mastered the game. Why not write you into the Diary..."
Just as Yuanshi finished his Dao lecture and dismissed Ju Liusun and the others, he welcomed Ran Deng with a smile.
"So it is Fellow Daoist Ran Deng. Please, come in quickly."
Yet inwardly, he was deeply puzzled.
"What does this old coffin want with me?"
"..."
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