In the courtyard, even the wind had fallen still.
The tea leaves hung motionless in their cups.
Guangchengzi stood frozen in place like a stone statue weathered by the ages.
As he looked at Chen Changsheng, turbulent waves rose for the first time in those ancient-well-still eyes.
Custody rights.
Compulsory preschool education.
Those two terms were like two invisible Chaos divine swords stabbing into his primordial spirit, shredding the Dao heart that had just been tempered into iron and stone through countless trials.
He could endure humiliation.
He could pay fines.
He could even take all his junior brothers to learn that unheard-of "Crisis Public Relations."
Because all of that was merely a means.
It was for the Chan Sect to survive and win this utterly derailed Tribulation.
But what Chen Changsheng wanted now was the Chan Sect's foundation.
Its future.
"Junior Brother Chen."
Guangchengzi's voice was dry, like two stubborn stones grinding against each other.
"You want my Chan Sect to sever its lineage!"
This was no longer a transaction.
This was bone-scraping and marrow-sucking extortion!
Yet Chen Changsheng merely looked at him calmly and shook his head lightly.
"Senior Brother, you exaggerate."
He sat back down and filled a cup of tea for himself, his movements unhurried.
"This is not custody rights."
"This is a 'Strategic Cooperation Agreement for Joint Talent Development and Pre-job Training.'"
He had started using those incomprehensible yet extremely dangerous-sounding terms again.
"Senior Brother, think about it."
Chen Changsheng took a sip of tea and spoke leisurely.
"The future Heavenly Court, the future Three Realms, will be places that value rules, Process, and KPIs."
"Even if every disciple of your Chan Sect has exceptional bones and peerless talent, if they do not understand these things, do not understand the Heavenly Dao Labor Law, and