Being a Teacher

"It has nothing to do with me!" Zhang Sheng shouted in his heart.

But he couldn't move, couldn't even speak. All the Daoist magic and Spiritual Power in his consciousness were being wiped away in large swathes.

True Person Fen Hai saw that something was wrong and flew to block Zhang Sheng's path. But the fierce flames that ignited on his body met the gaze of the giant bird and were instantly extinguished. In the blink of an eye, his vital chest and abdomen were exposed.

At this moment, a giant hand dozens of feet long suddenly reached down from the sky and grasped the bird's head!

The three-headed bird let out an angry roar and disappeared into the giant hand unwillingly. The shadow in the full moon finally dispersed.

The giant hand loosened its grip. The little finger, ring finger, and middle finger suddenly changed color and then crumbled. True Monarch Xuan Yue let out a soft hum and withdrew his giant hand.

The several True Persons were all moved. They never expected the fortune from beyond the heavens to be so powerful. Even a mere illusion it conjured was beyond their ability to block. Even True Monarch Xuan Yue was injured, and not lightly. If True Monarch Xuan Yue hadn't intervened, everyone present would likely have perished on the spot!

True Monarch Xuan Yue lowered his gaze to Zhang Sheng and asked, "Why does that fortune from beyond the heavens keep pestering you?"

Zhang Sheng was also depressed and replied, "Disciple doesn't know. Perhaps I'm just unlucky?"

True Monarch Xuan Yue pondered for a moment and said, "That's quite possible! Go to Tian Ji Hall later and have them adjust your fortune."

Zhang Sheng said, "I have no money!"

True Monarch Xuan Yue fell silent, and the matter was dropped.

Between heaven and earth, the giant Jade Toad watched the True Persons coldly. The True Persons looked at the Jade Toad, then at True Person Fen Hai, then at the Jade Toad, then at True Person Fen Hai.

True Person Fen Hai immediately flew into a rage, "Why are you all looking at me?"

Someone immediately said, "Congratulations, True Person, on taking such an excellent disciple. However, the resources for Body Forging are probably something your disciple cannot handle. As his grand-master, you should also contribute."

True Person Fen Hai's eyes widened, and he spread his hands, "An excellent disciple is also a disciple of Azure Hall and Water Moon Hall! Everyone should contribute; no one is getting out of this!"

"What does this have to do with my Water Moon Hall?"

True Person Fen Hai pointed at the sky-reaching Jade Toad and said, "Such a huge bottomless pit, how can I fill it alone? We should all do it together; it's not like we're not fellow disciples!"

The several True Persons immediately began to shirk responsibility, with some trying to sneak away.

Which True Person wouldn't recognize the value of a visualization diagram? The size of these diagrams was specific; they couldn't be arbitrarily large. Wei Yuan's diagram already exceeded a hundred feet. Even if its texture was somewhat insubstantial, and filling each square foot required less Spiritual Power than for ordinary disciples, it would at most be half. If calculated seriously, by the time the entire visualization diagram was filled and Wei Yuan's Body Forging reached great completion, the resources consumed would likely be enough to cultivate hundreds of ordinary Dao Foundations.

Even the most ordinary Dao Foundation, hundreds of them, was something even a True Person couldn't afford. Even the Patriarch of Taichu Palace couldn't do it.

This was no ordinary bottomless pit, so naturally, everyone avoided it like the plague. The True Persons tried their best to refuse, but in reality, they were eagerly awaiting True Monarch Xuan Yue's decision.

Unexpectedly, True Monarch Xuan Yue said, "Everyone, let's all contribute!"

Although the True Monarch had spoken, this matter was too significant. One True Person from Water Moon Hall said, "To fill this foundation, it's likely that most of Azure Hall's accumulated resources will be used. But the fortune from beyond the heavens is ethereal and uncertain. It's still unclear what kind of Dao Foundation it will form. If the Dao Foundation formed in the future is mediocre, wouldn't Azure Hall's years of accumulation be wasted? Although Azure Hall has been poorly managed in recent years, with expenses exceeding income and its reputation plummeting, creditors knocking on the door daily... but even a dying centipede is still tough. There are still some reserves left."

True Person Fen Hai was furious, "What do you mean by poorly managed and expenses exceeding income?"

The True Person from Water Moon Hall said coldly, "It means exactly what it says. If Senior Brother Fen Hai has read little, I can spare half a day to answer your questions."

Another True Person from Azure Hall said, "Senior Brother Fen Hai, you keep mentioning Azure Hall. Don't you know that below Xuan Yue Patriarch, both halls are one? Cultivating Wei Yuan is also Water Moon Hall's responsibility."

A female True Person from Water Moon Hall immediately retorted, "You keep saying he's your Azure Hall disciple, what does it have to do with our Water Moon Hall? Why don't you have him pledge allegiance to me, Lan Hua? Then we can consider it."

"Dream on!"

The several True Persons argued, each unwilling to back down. True Monarch Xuan Yue did not show himself, lost in thought. The True Persons of the two halls argued more fiercely, on the verge of resorting to physical confrontation.

Azure Hall had produced many talents over the past century, but its expenses were also high, truly running a deficit. Although its ranking among the twelve halls was high, it was fraught with hidden dangers. Water Moon Hall, on the other hand, had a different style, steadily advancing, with profits every year. Its strength would increase by a small level every twenty to thirty years. Although Water Moon Hall ranked at the bottom among the halls, its upward momentum was evident. In terms of Immortal Silver income, Water Moon Hall far surpassed Azure Hall.

To fill Wei Yuan's bottomless pit was not a matter for one or two True Persons; it would significantly impact the cultivation of all True Persons in the hall. After all, the entire Taichu Palace only cultivated a little over a hundred Dao Foundations every five years. Therefore, the True Persons of Azure Hall wanted to rope in Water Moon Hall, while Water Moon Hall was determined to distance itself.

At this moment, True Monarch Xuan Yue, who had been silent for a long time, finally said, "Zhang Sheng, he is your disciple. What do you say?"

Zhang Sheng silently walked to the center of the great hall, knelt down, and touched his forehead to the ground. "Disciple is willing to pledge his Dao Foundation and immortal path as collateral, begging the Patriarch to give Wei Yuan a chance! Regardless of Wei Yuan's future achievements, disciple will repay the resources he consumes!"

"And if I refuse?"

Zhang Sheng was silent, then said, "Then disciple will earn the resources himself. If I have them, he will have them."

True Monarch Xuan Yue sighed, "You clearly have an unparalleled immortal path yourself. Why go through all this trouble?"

"As a teacher, one should act thus!"

True Person Fen Hai's eye twitched. He stood beside Zhang Sheng, bowed deeply, and said, "Disciple is also willing to offer all his resources. What I have, Wei Yuan will have!"

Unexpectedly, a large hand descended from the sky, grabbed True Person Fen Hai, and tossed him aside. "Azure Hall has been running a deficit all these years, and it's all your doing! Your annual salary has already been deducted fifty years in advance. What resources do you have left?"

The several True Persons' eyes were sharp. Amidst their schadenfreude, they noticed that the large hand that descended from the sky was the left hand, not the right hand that had just grabbed the bird's head.

True Person Fen Hai mumbled, at a loss for words. The main reason Azure Hall had been running a deficit all these years was compensation for those injured by True Person Fen Hai.

True Person Fen Hai looked at Zhang Sheng, who was prostrate on the ground, gritted his teeth, and plopped down on his knees. "Disciple is willing to serve the Palace for a hundred years, go through fire and water without complaint! I beg my teacher to give him a chance!"

At this, all the True Persons were moved.

True Persons of Dharma Idol status were highly respected. Within Taichu Palace, except for the birthdays of their respective masters and the rare occasions of ancestral worship, they were not required to kneel. True Person Fen Hai, with his formidable combat power, also held a significant position within Taichu Palace. Yet, he was kneeling now!

True Person Fen Hai, with his fiery temperament, would never kneel for himself. This kneeling was half for Zhang Sheng and half for Wei Yuan.

Hearing the word "teacher," True Monarch Xuan Yue also fell silent for a long time. True Person Fen Hai was his last disciple, whom he had watched grow up. In a daze, both of them had grown old.

True Monarch Xuan Yue sighed and said, "When you first joined, you were only seven years old, a skinny child. In the blink of an eye, you have grandchildren of your own. Get up."

A gentle force lifted True Person Fen Hai and placed him to the side, leaving only Zhang Sheng kneeling in place.

True Monarch Xuan Yue said, "Zhang Sheng, since you are willing to guarantee with your immortal path, I will ask you one more time. In the future, no matter what kind of Dao Foundation Wei Yuan cultivates, the consumed resources will be borne by you and Wei Yuan together. This is no small matter. Are you willing?"

Zhang Sheng replied without hesitation, "This disciple is willing!"

"Very well, then the Water Moon Hall will do its best to supply what Wei Yuan needs from now on, using funds from the public treasury. If the Hall doesn't have something, everyone can chip in from their private collections."

Every True Person felt a gaze from above, and the three True Persons of Water Moon Hall were no exception. Since True Monarch Xuan Yue had made a decision, even though the other True Persons felt a pang of regret, they no longer raised any objections. The matter was settled. The True Persons now looked at Yu Chan with less favor.

Someone suddenly said, "This visualization diagram doesn't seem to have any unusual phenomena?"

True Person Fen Hai snorted and said coldly, "It's already reached this level, what more unusual phenomena do you want?"

The other True Persons couldn't refute him, as even the most miraculous ant would still be crushed to death by an elephant's foot.

Yu Chan still faced the full moon above, but in its eyes was the image of Zhang Sheng kneeling.

With the matter decided, True Monarch Xuan Yue's aura faded, and everyone dispersed.