Three days later, Daoist Shen once again submitted a petition to the Profound Court.
The first time he had submitted a petition to the Profound Court, only a scant few people had added their endorsements. This time, however, the seals and names of nearly twenty Profound Venerables were attached.
Yet after barely two days, the petition was once again rejected by the Profound Court.
Daoist Shen was not discouraged. He continued persuading the other Profound Venerables in secluded cultivation, explaining the stakes involved. Since the petition had been rejected twice, some of those secluded-cultivation Profound Venerables had indeed begun to feel uneasy. Moreover, swayed by some of Daoist Shen's exaggerated words, even Profound Venerables who had originally been unwilling to involve themselves in the matter agreed to add their names to the new petition.
Thus, this petition now bore the seals and names of more than thirty Profound Venerables. Though it did not include every Profound Venerable in secluded cultivation, and neither Daoist You nor Daoist Yan—the two cultivators who had attained superior fruits of cultivation—had endorsed it, it was nevertheless enough to make the Profound Court take the matter seriously.
Looking at the attached names on the petition, Daoist Tong said admiringly, "Everything turned out just as you predicted, Fellow Daoist. After two petitions were rejected, even more fellow Daoists came over to our side."
Daoist Shen picked up the petition and said, "I must trouble you again, Fellow Daoist, to deliver this to the Tingzhis."
"Very well!" Daoist Tong solemnly accepted it. After hesitating a moment, he asked, "What if the Profound Court still refuses this time?"
Daoist Shen said carelessly, "Then we keep submitting petitions. So long as I find more fellow Daoists to add their names, the Profound Court will have to issue a reply." He