The Three Pure Ones Leave the Mountain

Duobao stood with his hands behind his back and said, "Junior Brother, you cannot get through."

"I think he can!" A clear voice rang out.

Duobao's pupils contracted as he cried out, "Junior Sister!"

Bai Jin also abruptly looked up and called out in delight, "Senior Sister!"

An Auspicious Cloud slowly drifted down, with Holy Mother Wudang standing upon it.

Duobao subconsciously asked, "Junior Sister, why are you here?"

Then he turned to Bai Jin and said, "You actually invited Junior Sister Wudang here."

Bai Jin rolled his eyes. Not me, I didn't. Forget it, I can't be bothered explaining. Talking to Senior Brother is exhausting.

Holy Mother Wudang said, "Junior Brother is right. The Saint's path is no trivial matter. Senior Brother, you were too reckless."

Bai Jin immediately said gratefully, "Thank you, Senior Sister!"

Holy Mother Wudang nodded to Bai Jin and said, "Go!"

"Mm!" Bai Jin answered, then flew directly toward Shangqing Peak.

Duobao's expression changed, but he still did not move to stop him. With Wudang here, he truly could not stop him.

Riding an Auspicious Cloud, Bai Jin descended before Shangqing Palace and hurried inside. He cupped his hands in salute and called out, "Disciple pays respects to Master!"

There was no response.

From a small forest in the distance beyond the palace came a simple, honest voice. "Senior Brother, Master has gone out."

Bai Jin immediately turned his head and saw a gray-blue Kui Ox walking out of the woods.

Bai Jin hurriedly asked, "Kui Ox, where did my master go?"

The Kui Ox shook his head and said resentfully, "I don't know. Master went out without even riding me. Senior Brother, do you think Master dislikes me now?"

Bai Jin immediately rose on a cloud beneath his feet and flew toward Taiqing Peak.

The Kui Ox looked up and hurriedly shouted, "Senior Brother, you didn't prepare a new mount for Master, did you? I am the best mount in the primordial world."

Bai Jin had no time to care about mounts. He went first to Taiqing Peak and then to Shangqing Peak, only to find that neither of his two uncles was there either.

At last, Bai Jin returned to Shangqing Peak, where Holy Mother Wudang, Shi Ji, Bai He the Attendant, and the others came forward to meet him.

Holy Mother Wudang asked, "How was it?"

Bai Jin shook his head and said, "Master and the two uncles have already left." He could not help adding, "Senior Sister, why did Senior Disciple Brother have to come up with such a ridiculous idea? If something goes wrong with Master's and the uncles' Saint paths and damages their Dao foundations, he will not be able to escape blame either."

Holy Mother Wudang comforted him, "Don't worry. Master and the uncles have their own plans."

Bai Jin said helplessly, "At any other time, I really would not be worried. But Empress Nuwa has only just become a Saint, so Master and the uncles are at their most restless. Senior Brother came up with such a foolish idea. It would be a miracle if they could stay calm."

Holy Mother Wudang thought about it. That did seem to be the case. She asked, "Do you think the method of attaining the Dao that Senior Brother Duobao proposed will definitely fail?"

Bai Jin nodded firmly. "It will definitely fail. The idea he gave one uncle must have been to refine an unprecedented Saint Artifact, the idea he gave the other uncle must have been an unprecedented Saint Pill, and for Master, it must have been an unprecedented Saint formation."

Holy Mother Wudang asked in confusion, "I think it makes quite a bit of sense!"

If I did not know the future, I might think it made sense too. But in truth, Master and the uncles' methods of attaining the Dao are not this at all. Bai Jin sighed and said, "Senior Sister, these are all side paths. Master and the uncles are direct disciples of the Dao Master. How could they possibly attain the Dao through side paths?"

Uh... what Junior Brother said seemed to make sense as well.

Bai Jin waved his hand and said, "Forget it. We have already done all we can. Let us hope Master and the uncles have some sense of caution!" He could not help lamenting, "They are already so old, yet still so impulsive. When will they ever let us disciples stop worrying about them?"

Holy Mother Wudang's expression turned strange, while Shi Ji was trying even harder to hold back her laughter.

"Cough, cough..." Bai Jin raised a hand to cover his mouth and coughed twice. The backlash from that force of heaven and earth truly did not feel good.

Holy Mother Wudang advised, "Junior Brother, your injuries are not light. Go back and heal first. As for Senior Brother Duobao, I will return and try to persuade him."

"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Bai Jin looked at Shi Ji and said, "Junior Sister, take Bai He around Shangqing Peak."

Shi Ji nodded and said, "All right, Senior Brother."

Bai He the Attendant hurriedly said, "Senior Brother, you need not worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Bai Jin drifted away toward his own palace.

Before long, word that Bai Jin had returned empty-handed spread without prompting. Duobao immediately felt relieved. He had truly been worried that Bai Jin would meet Master. Given Bai Jin's abilities, it was not impossible that he could persuade Master and the uncles to abandon this method of attaining the Dao. That was why Duobao had intercepted him halfway up the mountain.

On the mountainside, Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears cupped his hands in salute and said excitedly, "Thank you, Senior Brother, for illuminating the path of the Dao for Master and the uncles."

Ling Ya Xian also laughed excitedly. "What is Bai Jin worth? Our Senior Disciple Brother came up with three paths to sainthood in one stroke. With such comprehension, who in the Three Realms can compare?"

A faint smile appeared on Duobao's face. He pressed a hand down and said, "Keep a low profile, keep a low profile. Sharing Master's and the uncles' burdens is simply what disciples ought to do."

Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears said in a strange, mocking tone, "Senior Brother Bai Jin only thought of Uncle Nuwa. He never considered that she was also the master of one teacher and two uncles."

An Outer Sect Disciple with protruding fangs shouted excitedly, "Senior Disciple Brother has illuminated the Saint paths for Master and the uncles. With three Saints protecting us in the future, we can roam the primordial world unhindered. Who would dare provoke us?"

Duobao said in displeasure, "As cultivators, how can we rely on power to run rampant and act tyrannically?"

The disciple with protruding fangs hurriedly said, "Please forgive me, Senior Brother. I misspoke."

Qiu Shou Xian suddenly had an idea and said, "Great cultivators have always had honorific titles. Senior Brother, you should also choose one. How about Dao Lord Who Points Out the Saint Path?"

Duobao shook his head and said, "No. That is too high-profile. How can cultivators act in such a high-profile manner?!

Besides, I merely offered a suggestion. Whether it can truly work is still unknown."

Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears laughed. "Senior Disciple Brother is too modest. The methods you suggested have already been adopted by Master and the uncles. How could they possibly fail?"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

The other disciples all chimed in as well.

The next day, Bai Jin was still healing when a rapid series of knocks sounded at his door.

Bai Jin opened his eyes, withdrew his Shangqing immortal qi, and rose to walk outside. With a creak, he opened the door, finding a pretty little girl standing beyond it.

Bai Jin smiled and said, "Gu Liang, why have you come?"

Gu Liang walked into the palace on her own, pouting as she said, "Senior Brother, they are so annoying!"

Bai Jin followed her inside and said with a smile, "Who has upset little Junior Sister Gu Liang again?"

Gu Liang walked to the table and sat down in a chair, propping one arm on the tabletop as she pouted. "Those senior brothers and junior brothers who follow Senior Brother Duobao!"

Bai Jin sat down opposite Gu Liang and said with a smile, "How did they upset you? Did they go cause trouble at Quiet Self Lake again?"