In a corner of a small world, starlight spilled across the lake's surface.
Daoist Duobao sat upon a green stone by the lake, his expression rather grim, lending the place a faintly oppressive atmosphere.
Before the green stone, Jie Teaching immortal Shi Ji sat kneeling, her eyes somewhat vacant and tears glimmering at their corners. Her on-the-verge-of-tears appearance made her seem especially frail.
Li Changshou had also appeared in the form of a young Daoist, prepared to play the good cop while Daoist Duobao played the bad cop. Starting with Shi Ji, they would tear open a breach in the black chain of "Jie Teaching immortals and Registered Disciples."
"How many times?" Daoist Duobao asked in a deep voice.
Empress Stone lowered her head. "Reporting to Senior Brother, ten... sixteen times."
"Roughly how many each time?"
"Several dozen..."
"Sixteen times, several dozen people each time!"
Daoist Duobao gritted his teeth and cursed, "You alone brought the Jie Teaching over a thousand Registered Disciples! Do you know each and every one of these disciples' character? Whether they carry karmic obstacles?"
Shi Ji's body trembled slightly. She bowed low and kowtowed. "Shi Ji's sins are beyond forgiveness. I beg Senior Brother to punish me!"
"Bastard!"
Daoist Duobao let out a low roar. The small world abruptly darkened, spiritual energy between heaven and earth stirred, and a number of living creatures fell into fearful unrest.
"You know your sins are beyond forgiveness, yet you still dare act so self-righteously and ask this poor Daoist to punish you?!
What were you doing earlier?
When they were carrying out such dealings here, where were you?!
Why did you not come and tell this poor Daoist?"
"I..."
Shi Ji raised her head as if to speak, then lowered it again and bowed over. She did not