Forty Thousand Whips, Another Two Thousand Years Imprisoned

After returning to Mount Kunlun, Xian Junyu knelt directly in the Daoist Sanctuary without a single word of complaint.

The Jie Sect disciples who had rushed back behind him also knelt one after another in the sanctuary. This time, they had defied their master's orders, so there was nothing left for them to say.

Once the sky-mending matters were concluded, Tongtian returned to the Jie Sect sanctuary as well. Looking at the disciples kneeling in a vast stretch before him, he did not speak at first, simply sitting on the High Platform.

Just as the sky-mending was fully complete, Heavenly Merit Descended. Nuwa and the Black Tortoise of the North Sea took the lion's share—one had mended the sky, the other had supported heaven and earth with its four limbs.

If they didn't take the bulk, who would?

Next came the several Saints who had lent their aid.

A vast amount of merit fused into Tongtian's body in a golden radiance.

The Jie Sect disciples all looked on with envy at their own Master.

Merit—this thing could not only offset karmic obstacles but also accelerate cultivation and enlightenment, could be used to refine merit-based spiritual treasures, and even affected fortune. It was a universal panacea.

Such a good thing—no one didn't want it.

It was just too hard to obtain.

Yet just as Tongtian received his own portion of merit, another great swath of merit descended, distributed to the cultivators who had saved the living beings of the Primordial during the calamity of the Heavenly Pillar's collapse.

In an instant, the Jie Sect disciples all received merit. Xian Junyu, as the leader, especially obtained a massive Golden Merit Cloud.

More than all the Jie Sect disciples combined.

With the entire Jie Sect deployed, the sect itself also received a share of merit, and its fortune rose as well.

Having gained so much merit, Xian Junyu finally breathed a sigh of relief. His desire to save the Human Race was genuine, and so was his desire to obtain merit.

Now that merit adorned him, anyone who wanted to move against him would have to consider the karmic consequences.

It was like putting a life-saving talisman on himself.

Seeing that the entire sect had received merit, Tongtian was no longer so angry. This act had invisibly increased the Jie Sect's fortune as well.

Moreover, since every disciple in the sect had participated, it was hard for him to impose punishment.

Though punishment was difficult, Xian Junyu, as the ringleader, absolutely had to be dealt with.

He was certain that the disciples leaving the sect had been stirred up by this reckless brat.

"Since all of you disciples went out to save the living beings of the Primordial, and heaven has sent down merit to prove the correctness of your actions, this time you have defied my orders, but I will not hold it against you!"

"But never let there be a next time. If there is, I will not spare you. Return to your cultivation, all of you—except for Xian Junyu!"

With the sect's fortune on the rise, Tongtian did not bother to argue with these disciples. He only intended to keep Xian Junyu behind.

The crowd wanted to leave, but seeing that the Personal Disciples and the Seven Attendant Immortals had not moved, they too remained seated.

"You still haven't left—is there something else?"

Seeing that none of the disciples below had departed, Tongtian narrowed his eyes slightly.

Jin Ling, whose status was second only to the Senior Disciple Brother, was the first to speak.

"Master, this time Senior Disciple Brother simply could not bear to see the living beings of the Primordial suffer. Everything had its cause. Disciple Jin Ling presumes to beg Master to forgive Senior Disciple Brother!"

With Jin Ling taking the lead, the others also began pleading for Xian Junyu.

"Disciple Duobao presumes to beg Master to forgive Senior Disciple Brother!"

"Disciple Wu Dang presumes to beg Master to forgive Senior Disciple Brother!"

..., "Disciples presume to beg Master to forgive Senior Disciple Brother!"

Once Jin Ling, Duobao, and the other Personal Disciples had spoken, the Seven Attendant Immortals and all the disciples in the sect joined in.

Tongtian looked at these disciples, his expression darkening. Listening to their words, he sensed an undertone of coercion.

In response to readers' requests, a VIP membership ad-free feature is now available.

Click to view.

Xian Junyu also caught that undertone of coercion. Perhaps his Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters did not mean to coerce, only to plead for him—but this kind of pleading was wrong.

This wasn't helping him; it was harming him.

Seeing that the Master's face had darkened, Xian Junyu sensed trouble. He quickly turned around and scolded the Junior Brothers and Sisters behind him.

"How dare you! What do you think you're doing!"

"Whatever decision Master makes is Master's business. When did it become your place to interfere? I, Xian Junyu, take responsibility for my own actions—I don't need anyone to plead for me!"

"Master told you to leave, so leave quickly! What are you still kneeling here for?"

After scolding them, Xian Junyu also shot meaningful glances at Duobao and Jin Ling, shaking his head slightly.

He signaled them not to get involved and to quickly lead the Junior Brothers and Sisters away.

Seeing this, Tongtian inwardly exclaimed that this senior disciple understood him too well. What Tongtian hated most was anyone forcing him to make a decision or interfering with his actions.

Xian Junyu's move had undoubtedly won the Saint's deep approval.

Indeed, this little rascal Yu'er understood him...

Duobao and Jin Ling saw that their Senior Disciple Brother didn't want them involved. After a moment's hesitation, they exchanged a glance and also rose directly.

"It was this disciple's impertinence, Master. This disciple takes leave!"

"Master, this disciple takes leave!"

Led by the Personal Disciples, everyone bowed to their Saint Master and then departed the Daoist Sanctuary entirely.

After the disciples had left, Tongtian spoke with a sarcastic edge: "Not bad, Xian Junyu. Your words carry more weight than mine. It seems I should hand over the position of Jie Sect Sect Master to you!"

Hearing this, Xian Junyu looked genuinely surprised.

Was his Master jealous of him? He'd never noticed his Master having such a petty side before...

Immediately, he hurried to explain: "Master will always be the Sect Master of the Jie Sect. How could this disciple compare to Master? This disciple's temperament isn't suited to being a Sect Master..."

"Just now, Junior Brothers and Junior Disciple Sisters were pleading for this disciple out of concern. It was worry clouding their judgment, not intentional pressure on Master. I hope Master won't blame them!"

"Everything is this disciple's fault alone. This disciple is willing to bear all consequences without complaint or regret. I hope Master will grant this!"

He wasn't some masochist, but to prevent misunderstandings between his Master and his Junior Brothers and Sisters, he would accept anything this time.

Whether it was a beating or confinement, he would take it all. For the Junior Brothers and Sisters who had returned his cultivation, it was worth everything!

"I didn't realize you had such a sense of responsibility, boy. That's worth praising!"

"Originally, since you schemed for merit for the sect this time, I planned to let your merits offset your faults. But since you're now demanding punishment yourself, if I don't grant it, wouldn't I seem too unreasonable?"

As he spoke, Tongtian looked at Xian Junyu with a sinister expression.

This reckless brat just didn't learn from punishment. He'd only been released ten years early from his three-hundred-year confinement, and he was already stirring up trouble again.

Truly, three days without a beating and he'd be tearing off the roof tiles. If he wasn't properly disciplined this time, who knew what he'd cause in the future.

Xian Junyu, hearing this, showed no great emotional fluctuation. Whatever punishment came, he would accept it. Whether there was punishment or not, he didn't care.

"Two thousand lashes each with the Thunderfire Whip, plus face-the-wall confinement until your Second Martial Uncle's next sermon, which is 2690 years from now. Do you have any objections?"

After announcing the punishment, Tongtian looked at Xian Junyu again.

"No objections. A mistake deserves punishment. This disciple thanks Master!" With that, Xian Junyu kowtowed three times to his Master.

Over two thousand years of confinement—that wasn't a big deal. But forty thousand lashes with the Thunderfire Whip was no light punishment. Being struck by that divine whip would be excruciating.

He'd probably have to lie in bed for a few years to recover.