This Beating Had to Be Taken

Tu Shan was startled by the Sage Master and hurriedly said, "I just received news that One-Guard Monastery has announced that no one from the Langya Continent is allowed to set foot on their territory! Other sects have also sent messages prohibiting people from our Langya Sacred Land from entering. Our Langya Sacred Land is now completely isolated."

Elder Jia Sheng hurriedly added, "Heavenly Heart Island has decided to temporarily cease communication with us."

The other elders also reported their own reports, all of which were bad news.

After everyone finished reporting, they looked at the Sage Master and awaited his instructions.

The Sage Master was still smiling, but the smile was somewhat eerie. He said calmly, "Continue to send people to communicate with them. It doesn't matter if we adopt a humble attitude. However, our interests must not be harmed."

"Yes!" the elders hurriedly replied.

Because the Sage Master is behaving strangely now, and no one can quite grasp Sage Master intentions, this frightens everyone.

After everyone left, the Sage Master frowned, then chuckled to himself, shook his head, and fell into deep thought.

"A counter-strategy... going with the flow. Military tactics are unpredictable, like water with no fixed shape. Interesting!"

"Alas, I underestimated him after all!"

He had assumed that a young man in his twenties couldn't possibly outmaneuver him.

Although his son was also caught in the trap, how old is his son?

With 2,300 years of accumulated experience, he should have seen through the ways of the world long ago. Now, facts have proven that living a long life does not equate to high wisdom.

He had indeed accumulated some experience, but his past experience was useless against Zhang Yang.

He was quite pleased to think that Zhang Yang kept calling him "Sage Master," asking for gifts, and speaking so politely...

But who could have predicted that this kid would turn around and make a big joke on his face?

"Sigh, forget it, I'm getting angrier the more I think about it!" The Sage Master shook his head. "But what would that kid do if he were in the same situation as the Langya Sacred Land?"

Following his understanding of Zhang Yang's style, the Sage Master deduced the current situation in the Langya Sacred Land.

After pondering for a long time, he seemed to be deep in thought.

Back home, he went to his study and found Kong Xiuping deep in thought.

Suddenly, the Sage Master grabbed Disciplinary Ruler and struck Kong Xiuping on the Disciplinary Ruler with it.

"Ah!" Kong Xiuping cried out in pain and woke up.

Seeing his father holding Disciplinary Ruler, his face full of disappointment, he asked in shock, "Father, why?"

"Why?" The Sage Master raised his voice, "Look at you, you're about the same age, how come you're so much worse than Zhang Yang? How can you be so stupid?"

As he spoke, he gave Kong Xiuping two Disciplinary Ruler.

Kong Xiuping cried out in injustice, protesting, "Father, I fell for their trap by accident! I promise I won't fall for it again!"

He was genuinely frightened, because his father had never disciplined him like this before.

If this study hadn't been the Sage Master's sanctuary, filled with Vast Righteous Qi, he would have been terrified long ago.

He couldn't help but wonder, did his father no longer love him?

"Nonsense!" the Sage Master roared. "Being less skilled is being less skilled, stop making so many excuses. You said it was an accident, but did you think I was also an accident? This brat outsmarted me, are you trying to say that I wasn't on guard?"

Losing is not shameful; what is shameful is not daring to admit defeat!

Today, I must teach you a lesson!

He struck Kong Xiuping several more Disciplinary Ruler, making Kong Xiuping jump around wildly, shouting, "Dad, you've fallen for my trap! Go find Zhang Yang! This has nothing to do with me!"

"Hmph!" The Sage Master snorted coldly, sat down, and pointed to the seat with his Disciplinary Ruler, indicating that Kong Xiuping should sit down.

Kong Xiuping walked over with a fearful expression, and as soon as he sat down, he immediately stood up again.

Then, he sat down, halfway on the chair, and cautiously looked at his father.

The Sage Master took out the latest Azure Cloud Gazette and handed it to Kong Xiuping, gesturing for him to take a look.

When Kong Xiuping saw the Azure Cloud Gazette, he was immediately shocked and looked up at his father. "You actually gave the Dragon-Pointing Brush to Zhang Yang? I asked you for it, but you wouldn't give it up!"

The Sage Master sighed, "Do you think I'd give it to him willingly? That brat keeps calling me 'Uncle Sage Master,' and then he demands gifts... I've been put on a pedestal! Sigh, keep reading, keep watching!"

Kong Xiuping read through it all, then looked at his father with a strange expression.

Having had a similar experience, he knew his father would never express such a meaning, so his father had indeed been tricked.

The Sage Master glanced at his son and said calmly, "You have to get back the Spirit Artifact I lost!"

"Father, rest assured, I will go to the Azure Cloud Sect immediately to settle accounts with Zhang Yang!" Kong Xiuping said through gritted teeth. "No matter what, I will get your Dragon-Pointing Brush back!"

"Bullshit!" the Sage Master sneered. "Didn't that brat call me Sage Master Uncle? You can go and pay your respects to Azure Cloud Master, bow deeply upon meeting him, and call him Uncle!"

"..."

Kong Xiuping was stunned.

He felt his father must have been possessed. Why was he acting like this?

The Sage Master looked at Kong Xiuping and waved his hand. "You don't need to go into seclusion anymore. There's no use in burying yourself in cultivation. Besides, I get annoyed just looking at you. Get lost!"

"Yes!" Kong Xiuping hurriedly stood up, turned around and left.

He was worried that if he stayed, he would be beaten again.

He breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the Sage Master's study.

I felt wronged and aggrieved at the same time.

He's suffered an utterly undeserved misfortune!

And that damned brat Zhang Yang, how dare he scheme against them, father and son! We must settle the score with Zhang Yang.

However, he felt much better.

Because, in his view, if his father had been schemed against, it didn't matter much if he were schemed against as well, right?

Thinking about it this way, he felt happy.

In his study, the Sage Master observed everything his son did.

Seeing that Kong Xiuping's inner conflict had been resolved, he smiled slightly, "I've even put aside my own pride. If you still don't grow up, then you're truly hopeless."

He was initially quite frustrated, but after beating his son, he felt much better!

Then, he went through the entire process of his meeting with Azure Cloud Master, and then picked up the Azure Cloud Gazette and, in conjunction with Zhang Yang's article and interview, sorted out Zhang Yang's actions.

With his 2,300 years of experience and profound understanding, Zhang Yang's modus operandi was completely deduced.

At least, he deduced the entire sequence of events in this incident.

After all, he was involved, he was the victim!

Finally, he picked up a pen and wrote the phrase "emerging from the mud yet remaining unstained, washed by clear ripples yet not becoming seductive," and hung it in his study.

Looking at the pen in his hand, he immediately thought of the Dragon-Pointing Brush and couldn't help but sigh.

Utterly tasteless.

Oh dear, how did I fall for that?