The arena was a gruesome sight.
Although Pharmacist Daoist had admitted defeat,
the lingering power of the Zha Zha Hui Sword Qi remained.
He was still like a broken faucet,
spurting out a jet of blood every now and then.
Daoist Jieyin simply couldn't bear to watch any longer.
With a pained expression, he sighed.
"Mercy, mercy."
He raised a hand and sent out a gentle golden radiance of a Sage.
It carried the healing power of the Golden Lotus of Merit as it entered Pharmacist Daoist's body.
Buzz—
A Sage's intervention was, as expected, extraordinary.
That stubborn True Damage Law was finally suppressed by force.
Pharmacist Daoist's wounds slowly healed.
At last, the exaggerated blood-spraying effect stopped, too.
But as long as he opened his mouth to speak, a little still leaked out.
Pale and weak, Pharmacist Daoist returned to the Western Teachings' group.
As soon as he stopped, he saw Maitreya Daoist squinting with his trademark smiling eyes.
He wore an expression of relief that it hadn't happened to him.
Pharmacist Daoist's anger flared, and he couldn't help complaining.
"Junior Brother Maitreya, were you just waiting down there to watch the show?"
"Your senior brother was up there spraying blood, and you were grinning harder than anyone!"
Maitreya's smile stiffened. He hurriedly waved his hands and defended himself with a straight face.
"Senior Brother, what are you talking about?"
"Would I really be the sort of person to delight in someone else's misfortune?"
"I was moved by your unyielding spirit!"
"Besides, the only reason I didn't go up was that I'm cautious and afraid of embarrassing myself."
Pharmacist Daoist rolled his eyes and snapped,
"As if I enjoy embarrassing myself!"
"Who knew Golden Spirit Holy Mother had such a sinister magical treasure?"
Dizang, still sulking nearby, slowly raised his head and twisted the knife.
"I told you there was something wrong."
"When Bixiao asked if my Dao Heart was steady, I should've known it was a trap."
"When Golden Spirit asked you, I even gave you a look."
"But you insisted you were steady. Well, look at you now—you're spraying blood higher than anyone."
The three senior brothers of the Western Teachings were busy hurting each other.
The Sages on the high platform weren't idle, either.
Daoist Zhunti looked at the chaotic scene below.
Unable to resist, he turned to the Three Pure Ones and asked in confusion,
"Senior Brothers, what exactly is going on?"
"Why have you Three Teachings started getting involved in such weird and occult things?"
"First you're shouting 'Unfilial Son,' then it's 'Zha Zha Hui.'"
"Hasn't this gone a little off track?"
Hearing this, Sect Master Tongtian didn't feel embarrassed at all.
Instead, he straightened his back and laughed proudly.
"Ha ha ha ha! Junior Brother Zhunti, you just don't understand!"
"This is called innovation! The Great Dao has three thousand paths, all leading to the same destination!"
As he spoke, Sect Master Tongtian swept out his hand.
A gentle wave of mana lifted Zhao Gongming from below and brought him to his side.
Tongtian looked like a father showing off his child's perfect exam score.
He patted Zhao Gongming on the shoulder and launched into a boast to the Two Sages of the West.
"Come, come. Let me introduce you."
"This is my Interception Sect's chief Outer Sect disciple, Zhao Gongming!"
"Those magical treasures that opened your eyes just now,"
"the Sword of Father's Love Like a Mountain and the Zha Zha Hui Blade—every one of them came from his hands!"
"So, what do you think of my disciple's talent in the Dao of Artifacts?"
"Isn't it terrifying? Aren't you envious?"
At this, the Two Sages of the West narrowed their eyes sharply.
Their gazes fixed on Zhao Gongming.
"So it was only the magical treasures' effects?"
"They can control people regardless of their cultivation realm and inflict damage that ignores defenses."
"Such artifact-refining skill is indeed terrifying!"
Though Jieyin and Zhunti felt a little sour inside,
they had to admit that Zhao Gongming was a true genius.
Under the gaze of the two Sages,
Zhao Gongming didn't let it go to his head. He maintained his usual humility.
He bowed slightly, then raised his index finger and thumb.
Making a gesture to indicate just a tiny bit, he modestly said,
"My two Martial Uncles are too kind."
"This disciple was merely lucky, with a little talent."
"Really, just a tiny bit."
Seeing Zhao Gongming's gesture, as if he were pinching the universe between his fingertips, Zhunti's mouth twitched.
Yeah, right!
A tiny bit, my foot!
Seeing that Tongtian was about to continue showing off,
Laozi spoke at the right moment and brought the topic back on track.
"All right. Since this debate,"
"was won in all three contests thanks to Zhao Gongming's magical treasures,"
"the greatest credit belongs to Gongming."
Laozi's gaze swept across the crowd as he said calmly,
"The remaining rewards, including Junior Brother Tongtian's Formation Insights,"
"as well as the Daluo Sarira from our two Junior Brothers in the West,"
"will all be bestowed upon Zhao Gongming."
"Does anyone have any objections?"
The disciples of the Four Sects below fell silent and shook their heads in unison.
As if!
Who would dare object?
Couldn't they see Pharmacist Daoist clutching his chest over there?
Couldn't they see Cihang covering her face over there?
Zhao Gongming was a walking Social Death machine.
They couldn't afford to offend him. Absolutely not!
Seeing that no one objected, Laozi swept his sleeve and sent the rewards into Zhao Gongming's hands.
Then the Three Pure Ones exchanged a glance with the Two Sages of the West.
"Now that the debate is over, we Sages should head to the Eight Sceneries Palace and discuss the Hunyuan Dao Fruit."
"You disciples can stay here, mingle, and deepen your bonds."
With that, the Five Sages faded away and vanished into the clouds.
As soon as the Sages left, the atmosphere turned delicate.
The disciples of the Three Teachings looked at Zhao Gongming.
Their eyes burned with interest, but they knew the rules.
"Top-grade heavenly treasures? Sigh, we don't have any."
"Let's go, let's go. We'll head back and search for treasures. Maybe one day we can ask Senior Brother to refine something for us."
Most of the disciples, short on funds, could only leave regretfully.
Just then, Daoist Duo Bao came over with a sly grin.
He hooked an arm around Zhao Gongming's neck and said familiarly,
"Heh heh, Junior Brother."
"Now that all the irrelevant people have left,"
"shouldn't we talk about that magical treasure of mine?"
"Your senior brother brought the treasures he keeps hidden away..."
Before Duo Bao could finish, hurried footsteps sounded nearby.
The three disciples of the Western Teachings—
Pharmacist, Maitreya, and Dizang—came over in perfect unison.
Leading them, Pharmacist Daoist was still pale,
but his manner was exceptionally courteous, even a little ingratiating.
"Um, Senior Brother Zhao Gongming, please wait."
Pharmacist Daoist cupped his hands in salute, his tone sincere.
"I was thoroughly convinced by my defeat in that last fight."
"The magical treasures you refine truly rival the creations of heaven and earth; their mysteries are beyond even ghosts and gods!"
"I'd like to ask you to make one for me, too!"
Zhao Gongming raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
Were the people of the Western Teachings really this bold?
They'd just been beaten up, and now they were here to buy weapons?
"You three Junior Brothers want one, too?"
Zhao Gongming smiled.
"But you know my rules. You'll need top-grade heavenly treasures..."
"We have them! We do!"
Pharmacist smiled and clapped his hands.
"Though the West is poor, we're still direct disciples of Sages. We have that much to our names."
Seeing this, Daoist Duo Bao's eyes shifted.
He immediately released Zhao Gongming's neck.
Putting on the magnanimous air of the Interception Sect's Senior Disciple Brother, he said,
"Since the three Junior Brothers from the Western Teachings are so sincere,"
"then I, your senior brother, won't insist on going first."
"Our guests come first. We should show them proper hospitality!"
"Junior Brother Gongming, make theirs first!"
"I'm in no hurry, no hurry!"
Duo Bao's mind raced as he worked out the odds.
He'd let those three suckers test things out first.
That way, he could see what bizarre side effects there were this time,
and be mentally prepared!
Zhao Gongming knew exactly what Duo Bao was thinking, but didn't call him out.
He smiled and gestured for Pharmacist Daoist and the others to go ahead.
"In that case, Junior Brothers, please follow me to my cave abode for a chat."
On the way to Zhao Gongming's cave abode,
Pharmacist Daoist was so excited that he circled around Zhao Gongming, talking nonstop.
"Senior Brother Zhao, your sword was incredible!"
"Pfft—!"
As he spoke, a mouthful of blood sprayed out.
"It ignores defenses! Even my Sixteen-Foot Golden Body couldn't withstand it!"
"Pfft—!"
Another mouthful of blood splattered across one of Zhao Gongming's sleeves.
"Senior Brother, look at my build. What kind of magic treasure would suit me?"
"Pfft—!"
As Zhao Gongming walked, he had to keep dodging Medicine Master's blood arrows.
Medicine Master was covered in blood, yet still excitedly chattering away.
Zhao Gongming finally couldn't take it anymore. His face crumpled as he said,
"Junior Brother Medicine Master..."
"I'm begging you, can you please stop talking?"
"Every time you open your mouth, you spray blood."
"This robe is really hard to wash, you know!!!"
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