"I finally understand that there's always a higher heaven, and there's always someone greater!"
Zhao Gongming murmured under his breath, his spine prickling with cold. Like a mortal gazing up at the heavens, he was filled with nothing but shock and reverence.
"That senior's presence outshines all the gods and Buddhas in heaven, even the Saints of the myriad realms!"
"My master, Tongtian, isn't even worthy of tying this man's shoes!"
The words squeezed through his clenched teeth, and even he felt a chill at what he'd said.
He tightened his robes and looked toward the ancient willow in the distance, its mottled, timeworn branches spreading like clouds.
Beneath the old willow, the Daoist was peacefully dozing.
Zhao Gongming took a deep breath, a reverence unlike anything he'd ever felt welling within him. He walked forward, each step steady and measured.
At last, he reached the old willow once more.
Zhao Gongming bowed deeply, his tall frame bent low, and clasped his hands in salute. His voice was grave and respectful.
"This junior is Zhao Gongming. I spoke recklessly today and offended you, senior. I deserve a thousand deaths. I beg you to forgive me!"
When he finished, he lowered his head, not daring to look at the Daoist at all. Cold sweat trickled down his face, splashing into the dust in tiny droplets.
Beneath the old willow, the Daoist continued to sleep peacefully, though the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, as if he were smiling in his dreams.
Zhao Gongming gave him one last, profound look, then finally sat cross-legged ten paces away. Daring not to approach any closer, he quietly waited for this peerless great power to awaken.
The sun rose and set; the stars revolved.
After an unknown length of time, the Daoist finally stretched languidly and said:
"Oh, that was a wonderfully restful sleep!"
In an instant, flowers bloomed in profusion, and mountain birds sang in unison. The distant roars of tigers and cries of apes seemed to answer his voice.
Zhou Xuan rose from his reclining chair, his robes fluttering lightly in the breeze as a willow catkin caught on his hem.
He frowned slightly and looked at Zhao Gongming, who stood ten paces away.
Zhao Gongming hurried to his feet and bowed low, his voice filled with trepidation and reverence.
"This junior is Zhao Gongming. Greetings, senior! I spoke recklessly earlier and disturbed your rest. I am overwhelmed with fear and beg you to forgive me!"
Zhou Xuan said nothing. He merely lifted a hand and gave a light wave. The air rippled, and a simple, ancient square table appeared out of nowhere. Its jade surface gleamed with a warm, mirrorlike sheen, and a celadon tea bowl sat atop it, steam curling from within.
He picked up the bowl, gently blew away the leaves floating on the surface, and took a slow sip. His voice held both a sigh and a reproach.
"So, it's Zhao Gongming. Why aren't you cultivating properly at the True Lord of the Altar's residence? You trespassed in my Dao Field and disturbed my peaceful sleep. What punishment do you think you deserve?"
His tone was mild, yet his words rang like thunder. Zhao Gongming's face instantly turned pale, and his legs went weak; he nearly collapsed to his knees.
"Senior, I happened to meet your disciple, fellow Daoist Sun Wukong, on Flower-Fruit Mountain. Fellow Daoist Sun was the one who pointed me here to pay my respects!"
"Oh? How has my monkey been lately?"
Zhou Xuan seemed casual, but his eyes narrowed slightly.
Zhao Gongming's heart clenched, and he hurriedly replied:
"Fellow Daoist Sun's powers are immense. He once killed two Bodhisattvas from the Buddhist sect with a single punch, and he's now a mighty force in the Primordial Wilderness!"
"Good. That's good."
Zhou Xuan set down his tea bowl and narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze as deep and distant as an abyss.
As a thought crossed his mind, he sighed inwardly. The disciples of the Interception Sect were all sacrifices to the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation. Though Zhao Gongming was granted the title of True Lord of the Altar, he remained dissatisfied. For him to come here now must mean we were fated to meet.
After a moment, he spoke:
"Zhao Gongming, why exactly have you come to my Dao Field?"
Under that profound gaze, Zhao Gongming felt his insides turn cold, as if his blood had frozen. Still, he didn't dare hide anything.
Thump!
Zhao Gongming dropped to both knees. His voice trembled, but his resolve was firm.
"Senior, I used to be like a frog in a well, thinking I understood the Great Dao."
"After meeting you today, I finally understand that there's always a higher heaven, and there's always someone greater!"
"I beg you, senior, please accept me as your disciple!"
His words echoed through the forest. The breeze stilled, as if all of creation held its breath and waited.
The corners of Zhou Xuan's mouth lifted slightly. He spoke without inflection.
"Zhao Gongming, the fact that you came to my Dao Field means we're fated to meet."
"Under normal circumstances, I could accept you as my disciple... but you've violated one of my taboos!"
Zhao Gongming's heart lurched. His face turned deathly pale, and he hurriedly knocked his head against the ground.
"Senior, what have I done wrong? Please tell me!"
Zhou Xuan furrowed his brow slightly and spoke slowly.
"There are no complicated rules in my sect. There are only three taboos you must remember."
"First, do not disturb me while I'm sleeping."
"Second, do not disturb me while I'm reading."
"Third, after leaving the Dao Field, do not mention my name carelessly."
His voice was quiet, but every word cut like a blade, carving itself into Zhao Gongming's heart.
Zhao Gongming froze for a moment, then looked up in disbelief.
"Th-that's all?"
Zhou Xuan nodded lightly, his tone as calm as the breeze. "Yes, that's all."
Zhao Gongming was stunned. He'd assumed a great power like this would surely have strict rules, but the man was so carefree. It seemed the more powerful someone was, the more they did as they pleased!
His reverence deepened, and he bowed again and again.
"This disciple knows his fault! Please forgive me, senior. I'd be happy to pour tea and sweep the floor for you, even if that's all I ever do!"
Zhou Xuan considered this for a moment, then nodded slightly.
"I can accept you as my disciple. But since you've already made a mistake, I'll take you in as an odd-job disciple for now. You can advance once you've earned merit."
Zhao Gongming was overjoyed. He hurriedly knocked his head against the ground again and again, his voice ringing through the forest.
"Master, an odd-job disciple is fine! As long as I can serve at your side, I'll be content!"
After a pause, he asked cautiously:
"Master, what are the ranks of disciples in your sect?"
Zhou Xuan explained casually:
"Our sect has direct disciples, inner disciples, outer disciples, and odd-job disciples. I have two disciples under me at present. Your senior brother is Sun Wukong, a direct disciple. The other is you."
Zhao Gongming looked up. Seeing that this vast Dao Field had only two disciples, he couldn't help but marvel. He finally understood why no one in the Primordial Wilderness ever mentioned the master's name. True experts like this rarely got involved in karma and didn't take on disciples in great numbers, so it was only natural that they remained unknown to the world.
Zhao Gongming asked respectfully and quietly:
"May this disciple ask your honored title, Master? I still don't know it..."
Zhou Xuan's smile faded, and his voice echoed slowly through the mountains and forest.
"When Chaos first opened, I was the first humanoid spirit. After proving the Dao and becoming a Saint, I took the title Daoist Lingxuan. This place is the Lingxuan Dao Field."
The mountain breeze swept past, and the old willow drooped, its branches spreading like clouds.
Zhao Gongming bowed deeply, his heart surging with fervor.
"This disciple understands. From today onward, I am the number-one odd-job disciple of the Ling Xuan Sect!"
As he spoke, Zhao Gongming felt an immense pride well up inside him!
Even as an odd-job disciple, this was an opportunity that came once in countless ages!!!
"Oh, right, Master. On my way here, I saw the corpses of more than a hundred thousand Chaos Demon Dragons lying all over the place. Master, did you kill them?"
At that, Zhou Xuan nodded and replied indifferently:
"They were just a few little mudfish. Nothing worth mentioning!"
"Little mudfish?"
Zhao Gongming's eyes widened in shock, and his voice trembled.
"Master, those were Chaos Demon Dragons! Every one of them was at the Great Perfection stage of the Primordial Golden Immortal realm! You killed over a hundred thousand of them all by yourself—that's the same as wiping out their entire race!"
More than a hundred thousand Primordial Golden Immortals at Great Perfection!
And Chaos Demon Dragons had thick hides and incredibly strong defenses!
Even if they'd stood still and let him attack, he doubted he could've harmed them!
It took a long time for Zhao Gongming to recover from his shock. He stared in disbelief and asked:
"Master, what exactly did those Chaos Demon Dragons do to deserve being wiped out?"
Zhou Xuan took a sip of tea and smiled faintly.
"Nothing."
"They just disturbed my peaceful sleep!"
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