Zhao Xuan finished asking.
Guangchengzi did not answer.
Zhao Xuan continued:
"If you think I wrote something wrong, you can sign it."
"If you don't sign, I'll record things as they are."
"I'll send this record to Zixiao Palace."
"I'll also send it to Bajing Palace, Yuxu Palace, and Mount Sumeru."
"Let all the Sages take a look."
"The so-called profound virtue of Chan Sect."
"Just where does that profundity lie?"
A chill surged in Guangchengzi's eyes.
Yuqing Immortal Light suddenly roiled above the clouds.
Zhao Xuan's expression did not change.
"What?"
"Going to try and bully me with your power again?"
"That's fine too."
"I'll add another line."
Holy Mother Guiling laughed aloud.
"Senior Disciple Brother, don't forget to make this clear."
"The leader of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Sect couldn't win an argument, so he resorted to violence."
Zhao Gongming said coldly:
"Make sure to write this down too."
"When the East Sea was on the verge of collapse, he did not calm the sea. He only bullied people."
Guangchengzi's face turned ashen.
For the first time, he felt that standing here, he was trapped in an invisible net.
He couldn't win an argument.
He couldn't sign.
If he resorted to violence, it would be entered into the record.
If he left, it would look even more like he was guilty.
Zhao Xuan looked at him.
"Guangchengzi."
"You came today hoping to preserve Chan Sect's good name."
"But have you ever considered this?"
"Good names aren't something you can talk into existence."
"They're earned by what you do."
"The East Sea was in danger, and your Chan Sect didn't come to its aid."
"Heavenly Court summoned people, and your Chan Sect came to obstruct them."
"The merits and demerits of the Three Sects were put before you, and your Chan Sect refused to sign."
"And you still dare call yourselves profoundly virtuous?"
No one spoke above the sea.
Haotian did not stop him either.
Because Zhao Xuan was criticizing Chan Sect at that moment.
Not Heavenly Court.
In fact, the more humiliated Guangchengzi became, the more it proved that Haotian's seal just now had not cost him face. He had merely been cutting his losses.
Guangchengzi finally couldn't hold back and took a step forward.
Yuqing Immortal Light crashed down.
Holy Mother Guiling's gaze turned sharp.
But Zhao Xuan merely raised the Jade Slip.
"Go ahead and crush me."
"I'll write it down."
Guangchengzi's movement came to an abrupt halt.
Just then,
from the direction of Kunlun,
a Sage's pressure suddenly bore down across the East Sea.
The sea of clouds split open.
Every sound between heaven and earth seemed to be pinned down by an unseen hand.
The next moment,
a cool, detached voice came from beyond the Nine Heavens.
"Zhao Xuan."
"You've gone too far."
Yuanshi's voice fell.
The East Sea fell silent.
The sea breeze stopped.
Even the waves quieted.
At last, Guangchengzi straightened his back again.
The Sage of Yuxu had arrived.
Even if it was only a voice,
it was enough to help him recover from his earlier humiliation.
Holy Mother Guiling's expression darkened.
Mana stirred in Zhao Gongming's palm.
Zhao Xuan raised a hand.
"Don't move."
Holy Mother Guiling gritted her teeth.
"Senior Disciple Brother."
Zhao Xuan did not look at her.
He looked toward Kunlun.
Then he slowly bowed.
"Your disciple Zhao Xuan pays his respects to Uncle-Master Yuanshi."
As soon as he said this,
the atmosphere above the East Sea grew even heavier.
Zhao Xuan had not gone mad.
He was not angry.
He had not shown the slightest disrespect.
But the Jade Slip in his hand was still shining.
And those lines of writing were still there.
Guangchengzi had refused to sign.
He had refused to acknowledge the accounting of merits and demerits.
He had obstructed Heavenly Court's summons of a Jie Sect disciple to calm the sea.
Not a single item had been omitted.
Yuanshi's voice fell coolly.
"Since you know I am your uncle-master, you should know this."
"The merits and demerits of the Three Sects are not something a mere disciple like you can presume to discuss."
Zhao Xuan bowed his head.
"This disciple understands."
Guangchengzi's eyes flickered.
Holy Mother Guiling furrowed her brows.
Haotian also looked toward Zhao Xuan.
Zhao Xuan continued:
"This disciple would not presume to discuss the Sages."
"Nor would I presume to determine the Investiture of the Gods on Dao Ancestor's behalf."
"What I wrote today concerns only the East Sea."
"Who came."
"Who obstructed them."
"Who signed."
"Who refused to sign."
"Who calmed the sea."
"Who stood by with folded arms."
He raised the Jade Slip.
His voice remained calm.
"If I wrote even a single character incorrectly,"
"then I ask Uncle-Master to order Junior Brother Guangchengzi to sign and correct it."
The sea fell silent once more.
Guangchengzi's expression changed.
Those words were harder to answer than a direct challenge to Yuanshi.
Zhao Xuan had not said the Sage was wrong.
He had merely asked Guangchengzi to correct the record.
But Guangchengzi could not sign.
If he signed, the merits and demerits of the Three Sects would have a precedent.
If he signed, Chan Sect would no longer be able to simply stand on the shore and judge the virtue of others as True Immortals of Fortune and Virtue.
Yuanshi did not speak at once.
The Sage's pressure still hung over the East Sea.
But it did not press down any further.
Because Tongtian's sword intent had also risen from deep within Golden Turtle Island.
It had not been drawn.
But everyone knew—
it was there.
Zhao Xuan maintained his bowing posture.
Unhurried.
Unyielding.
That was what made this so unbearable.
He had not shown the Sage any disrespect.
Yet the Jade Slip in his hand was more conspicuous than any words of defiance.
After a long while,
Yuanshi's voice sounded again.
"Guangchengzi."
Guangchengzi immediately lowered his head.
"Your disciple is here."
"Come back."
Guangchengzi froze.
"Master..."
Yuanshi's voice turned cold.
"Have you not made yourself humiliated enough today?"
Guangchengzi's face turned deathly pale.
The words were not harsh.
Yet they weighed more than any punishment.
Because they had been spoken in front of Heavenly Court, the Dragon Palace, and the immortals of Jie Sect.
He, the leader of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Sect—
had indeed made a fool of himself today.
He had spoken of the Heavenly Mandate, only for Zhao Xuan to ask whether the Investiture of the Gods had even been decided.
He had spoken of karma, only for Zhao Xuan to ask where that karma had come from.
He spoke of the suffering of the East Sea's living beings, yet refused to go suppress the Sea Eye.
He had forced the Heavenly Court to halt the issuance of the list, only to be cut down on the spot by Haotian.
Now even his master was telling him to go back.
Guangchengzi's fingers clenched inside his sleeve until his knuckles turned white.
But he didn't dare say another word.
He could only bow.
"Your disciple obeys."
Zhao Xuan looked at him.
"Junior Brother Guangchengzi."
Guangchengzi stopped in his tracks.
Zhao Xuan said:
"After you return to Kunlun, remember to make this account clear."
"Don't just say that I, Zhao Xuan, acted arrogantly."
"Tell them, too, why you refused to sign today."
Guangchengzi whipped around.
The chill in his eyes was almost tangible.
Zhao Xuan's expression did not change.
"What I wrote is the truth."
"If you think otherwise, Junior Brother, you can amend it now."
The Jade Slip hovered in the air.
Its clear light never dimmed.
Guangchengzi stared at the Jade Slip, his chest rising and falling once.
In the end, he said nothing.
Yuqing Immortal Light swept around him.
His figure vanished above the sea of clouds.
Holy Mother Guiling sneered.
"Quick to leave, wasn't he?"
Zhao Gongming said quietly:
"He hasn't left."
"He just can't wipe this account clean today."
Haotian said nothing.
Taibai Jinxing was silent, too.
Because everyone knew Zhao Gongming was right.
This account couldn't be wiped away.
Guangchengzi was gone.
But the Jade Slip remained.
The Heavenly Court had seen it.
The Dragon Palace had seen it.
The Interception Sect had seen it.
Even Yuanshi had heard it with his own ears.
Yuanshi's voice rang out one last time from the direction of Kunlun.
"Zhao Xuan."
"That's not how accounts are settled."
Zhao Xuan looked up.
"Your disciple has learned from you."
"When the Investiture of the Gods List appears,"
"I will bring this account and ask the Saints again to teach me how it should be settled."
High above the East Sea, Yuqing Immortal Light suddenly turned cold.
Tongtian's sword intent trembled faintly, too.
A soft voice drifted out from Biyou Palace.
"If he wants to demand an accounting,"
"then let him."
"When have my Interception Sect disciples been forbidden even to ask a question?"
Yuanshi did not respond.
A moment later,
the pressure of the Saint from the direction of Kunlun slowly receded.
At last, the oppressive atmosphere over the East Sea eased.
Only then did many Interception Sect disciples realize their palms were drenched in cold sweat.
That had been a Saint.
Yet Zhao Xuan hadn't fought him head-on.
Nor had he backed down.
He had only asked Guangchengzi to sign the amended record.
And Guangchengzi had refused.
Yuanshi hadn't ordered him to sign, either.
That was enough.
Zhao Xuan raised a hand and put away the Jade Slip.
The last few lines on it were crystal clear.
Guangchengzi of the Chan Sect refused to sign the Three Sects Merit and Fault Audit.
Refused to acknowledge that those who had rendered no service could not claim divine positions first.
Refused to acknowledge that those who had not borne the tribulation could not claim their share of providence first.
And, when the Third Sea Eye was in peril, obstructed the Heavenly Court's request for Interception Sect disciples to suppress it.
One more line had been added beneath.
Yuxu Palace had not corrected its error.
This Account Temporarily Sealed.
To be discussed again when the Investiture of the Gods List appeared.
Before you continue