A Sect Should Give First, Then Talk About Returns!

"Sect Master, I..."

"Don't call me Sect Master." Du Busi cut him off, waving a large hand.

"Since you told me your secret, I'll tell you my stance as well. From today onward, you, Dai Tu, are my, Du Busi's, personal disciple—the future hope of the Body Sect. Your enemies are the enemies of the Body Sect."

He patted Dai Tu on the shoulder. The force was still heavy, but this time, Dai Tu did not feel any pain.

He only felt... secure.

"Come on. Right now, I can accompany you and kill that so-called White Tiger Duchess!"

Du Busi started to leave as he spoke, but Dai Tu shook his head.

"However, I want to take revenge myself!"

"Good, you've got ambition." Du Busi grinned. "Then I'll help you—no, not help you kill people, but help you grow stronger. Strong enough that one day, you can openly march back into Star Luo City, tear down the White Tiger Duke Mansion, and make Dai Hao and that woman kneel before you, kowtow, and beg forgiveness from your mother and the fifty-three people of Konoha."

He paused, then added:

"Of course, before that happens, if anyone from the White Tiger Duke Mansion dares trouble you, I'll kill one if one comes. I'll kill a pair if two come. I'll keep killing until they no longer dare come."

Dai Tu looked at Du Busi, at the undisguised sincerity and domineering resolve in those emerald-green eyes. The last shred of wariness in his heart finally vanished completely.

He stepped back, dropped to one knee, and cupped his fists in salute.

"This disciple, Dai Tu, greets Teacher."

His voice was not loud, but it was firm.

Du Busi burst into laughter and reached out to help Dai Tu up.

"Good! Good disciple! From today onward, you are my, Du Busi's, personal disciple! In the entire Body Sect, seeing you is the same as seeing me!"

He turned toward Wang Changbi, who was still standing there in a daze, and roared:

"What are you standing around for? Go bring me the Millennium Whale Shark I've been saving! And go to the treasury for three Mystic Water Pills, three Soul Ascension Pills, and ten Foundation Strengthening Pills! From now on, supply my disciple with this amount every month!"

Wang Changbi jolted and hurriedly nodded. "Yes, Sect Master!"

He turned and ran, but after only a few steps, he stopped again. Looking back at Dai Tu, a simple, honest smile appeared on his face.

"Little Junior Brother, welcome home."

Only then did he truly leave, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.

Dai Tu stood where he was, looking in the direction Wang Changbi had vanished, then at the excited Du Busi. The complicated emotions in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

The Millennium Whale Shark was a priceless treasure. It could greatly improve a soul master's physical constitution, widen their meridians, and strengthen their bones.

Mystic Water Pills could raise Soul Power and purify impurities.

Soul Ascension Pills could directly increase one's Soul Power Level.

Foundation Strengthening Pills could stabilize one's foundation and prevent cultivation deviation.

Out in the world, any one of those resources would make soul masters fight until their heads bled. Yet Du Busi did not even blink before giving them all to him—and he even intended to supply them every month.

"Teacher," Dai Tu finally could not hold back any longer and asked, "You're treating me so well... what do I need to give in return?"

Du Busi froze, then looked at Dai Tu as if he were an idiot.

"Give in return? Give what?" He snorted and waved his hand.

"You're my disciple. It's only natural for me to treat you well. What, are you going to play that fake routine with me? 'A disciple should brave fire and water for the sect,' 'I will never fail my teacher's kindness'? Save it. I don't buy that crap."

He walked over to a stone stool and sat down, picking up his wine gourd again. When he realized all the wine had spilled out, he cursed and tossed the gourd aside.

"Dai Tu, remember this. The Body Sect is different from other sects. We have few people, and every disciple is a treasure. A genius like you is a treasure among treasures. I treat you well because you deserve it, because I want to, because..."

Du Busi paused and looked at Dai Tu, his gaze serious.

"If a sect does not treat its disciples well, what right does it have to demand that its disciples treat the sect well? If a sect does not give first, what right does it have to demand returns? That Shrek Academy nonsense about 'testing one's character' and 'tempering one's will' does not work in the Body Sect.

"What we want is for every disciple to grow stronger without distractions, to cultivate without any worries. As for loyalty and a sense of belonging... those are built through getting along, not demanded."

As Dai Tu listened, something deep in his heart was fiercely shaken.

That was right.

If a sect did not treat its disciples well, what right did it have to demand that its disciples treat the sect well?

Such a simple principle, yet how many sects across Douluo Continent could truly achieve it?

Shrek tested people. The Tang Sect tested people. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect tested people. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan tested people... every sect used all kinds of methods to test a disciple's loyalty, character, and whether they were "worth cultivating."

But the Body Sect did not.

They gave first. They gave resources, protection, and wholehearted trust. As for returns? That was something for the future. At least for now, they treated you as one of their own first and treated you well first.

"Besides," Du Busi continued. His tone was casual, but his words carried great weight.

"The cultivation of a Body Martial Soul is different from that of ordinary martial souls. Every person's martial soul is different, so their cultivation methods are different too. How do you cultivate eyes? How do you cultivate arms? How do you cultivate a heart? There is no standard answer. You can only figure it out yourself, exchange experiences with fellow disciples, and help each other."

"So in the Body Sect, everyone is part of one group and should help each other. I treat you well because you're new today and need help. Tomorrow, perhaps I'll be the one who needs help, and it'll be your turn to help me. It's that simple."

He stood and walked over to Dai Tu, patting him on the shoulder.

"So don't overthink it. If I give you resources, use them. If you have difficulties, say so. If you want revenge, grow stronger. As for everything else... wait until the day you're truly strong enough to overturn the White Tiger Duke Mansion, then come talk to me about 'repayment.'"

Dai Tu looked at Du Busi, at this rough, domineering, yet endearingly straightforward man. The last trace of doubt in his heart completely dissipated.

He nodded heavily.

"Yes, Teacher."

This time, there was a little more warmth in his voice.

Over the next few days, Dai Tu thoroughly integrated into the Body Sect.

Du Busi kept his word. Early the next morning, Wang Changbi delivered Whale Shark blood essence and all kinds of pills.

Under Du Busi's protection, Dai Tu consumed the Whale Shark. His physical constitution soared, his meridians widened by nearly half again, and his Soul Power directly rose to level twenty-six.

He ate Mystic Water Pills, Soul Ascension Pills, and Foundation Strengthening Pills like candy beans. Of course, that was under Du Busi's strict control, with fixed daily doses.

As for cultivation, Du Busi truly did not interfere too much. He only explained some basic theories of Body Martial Soul cultivation to Dai Tu, then let him explore on his own. Only when Dai Tu occasionally encountered problems and sought his advice would he offer a few pointers.

But more often, it was exchanges among fellow disciples.

The Body Sect did not have many people. Including Dai Tu, there were fewer than a thousand.

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

When Du Busi's two personal disciples came looking for him, Dai Tu was cultivating beneath a secluded waterfall in the back mountains.

The waterfall was about two hundred feet high. Water poured down from the cliff top and smashed into the deep pool below, producing deafening roars.

Mist filled the air, refracting rainbow-colored halos beneath the sunlight. The rocks by the pool were covered in moss, so slippery they could have served as mirrors.