Jie Yin arrived incredibly quickly. The moment Qing Xuanzi finished speaking, he appeared.
Qing Xuanzi felt that this guy must have been hiding in the void, only showing himself the instant he saw things had worked out.
"Ah, Senior Brother Jie Yin's divine ability is practically comparable to our Dao Ancestor's." The moment Qing Xuanzi opened his mouth, Jie Yin became awkward.
Damn it, comparing me to the Dao Ancestor? I'm not tired of living yet.
"Um, Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi, you jest. How could I compare to the Dao Ancestor? I was already on my way to congratulate you and had merely just arrived."
Jie Yin hurriedly distanced himself from the comparison. He did not dare place himself on the same level as the Dao Ancestor.
"Fine, but there is one more matter. I heard that Senior Brother Jie Yin possesses the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus. This junior brother owns nothing. If I join the Western Sect, may I ask Senior Brother to part with it?"
Qing Xuanzi's words made Jie Yin think secretly, As expected, this guy has demands too. I was wondering why his earlier condition was practically no condition at all.
Who would painstakingly recruit someone, only to personally send him away afterward? That made no sense.
But once he put it that way, it made perfect sense.
Qing Xuanzi quietly waited for Jie Yin's reply. He knew that his previous request would make them suspicious.
Now that he had directly asked for something, it would instead put them more at ease.
Though he wanted the very foundation of their lives, after weighing the matter, he believed they would agree.
Could a Thirty-six Petals bloom of his be worth less than a single innate spiritual treasure?
Jie Yin and Zhunti exchanged a glance. Though pain was evident in their eyes—
There was also a trace of delight.
Yes, delight.
"Senior Brother, Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi has boundless prospects. Why not make him our Third Sect Leader?"
Zhunti's words made Jie Yin consider for only a brief moment before nodding in agreement.
"That would be fine. Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi, if you join the Western Sect, you will become its Third Sect Leader. Giving you this Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus would not be impossible."
Seeing that the matter had succeeded, Qing Xuanzi did not waste words and immediately swore, "Heavenly Dao above, I, Qing Xuanzi, swear: if Jie Yin and Zhunti can make the following oath..."
Qing Xuanzi repeated the oath Zhunti and Jie Yin were to make, then continued, "...then I shall join the Western Sect."
A muffled rumble sounded from the sky. Qing Xuanzi's Heavenly Dao Oath was acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao—Hongjun.
Seeing that things were proceeding smoothly, Jie Yin and Zhunti said, "Heavenly Dao above, I, Jie Yin—Zhunti—swear: ..."
Jie Yin and Zhunti's oaths did not differ in the slightest from what Qing Xuanzi had said. They simply recited them word for word.
They did not want any more complications, nor did they want Qing Xuanzi to find an excuse.
Such a fine opportunity absolutely could not be wasted.
Another muffled rumble sounded from the sky as the Heavenly Dao accepted their oaths.
"Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi, you are now the Western Sect's Third Sect Leader. Come back to the Western Sect with us." Seeing the oath was complete, Zhunti—
Could not wait to speak.
Qing Xuanzi smiled. "Senior Brother Zhunti, no rush. Senior Brother Jie Yin has yet to give me the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus."
"Yes, yes, yes." Zhunti turned and glanced at Jie Yin.
Jie Yin could only painfully hand the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus to Qing Xuanzi. "Junior Brother Qing Xuanzi, I have already removed the primordial spirit imprint on it."
Qing Xuanzi happily accepted the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus from Jie Yin, placed his own primordial spirit imprint upon it, absorbed it into his primordial spirit, and said, "Please, my two senior brothers."
Upon hearing Qing Xuanzi's words, Jie Yin and Zhunti finally let out the breath they had been holding. The Western Sect finally had hope of rising.
"Then..." Zhunti had not even finished speaking when the sky suddenly darkened. He looked up.
Damn, Heavenly Tribulation again? It's coming again?
Heavenly Dao, could you not stand to see the Western Sect prosper? Qing Xuanzi had already joined the Western Sect, so why were you still sending Heavenly Tribulation down upon him?
Eh? Why were there two bolts of Heavenly Tribulation?
Zhunti had a bad feeling. When he looked again, Qing Xuanzi was nowhere to be seen. He had already run off!
The man had run, but the Heavenly Tribulation remained where it was—two more bolts of Heavenly Tribulation.
That was more than enough to explain the situation.
"Senior Brother, what did we do?" Zhunti asked with a dry mouth, struggling to force out the question.
Jie Yin was stunned as well. They had done nothing, had they not? They had merely invited Qing Xuanzi to join the Western Sect.
How could that bring down Heavenly Tribulation?
Even if there was Heavenly Tribulation, it should target Qing Xuanzi. Why was it targeting the two of them?
Seeing Jie Yin staring blankly without responding, Zhunti faintly sensed that they had fallen into an enormous pit.
A pit large enough to bury both of them.
Sure enough, Hongjun's voice transmission reached their ears:
"Sigh, you two actually dared to accept Qing Xuanzi into the Western Sect? Even taking him as my disciple was a struggle. Did you think the Heavenly Dao would spare the two of you?"
Hongjun shamelessly shifted the blame onto the Heavenly Dao. It was asleep anyway.
Only then did Zhunti and Jie Yin understand. Sure enough, the Heavenly Dao had sent down Heavenly Tribulation because of this matter.
They did not know the exact reason, but judging by Hongjun's tone, they guessed it was related to Qing Xuanzi's identity.
Zhunti and Jie Yin understood: they had been too idle and had dug themselves a massive pit for no reason.
If they jumped into this pit, the Western Sect would belong to someone else. No matter how flourishing it became afterward, it would have nothing to do with the two of them.
Would Qing Xuanzi erect a monument for them? Sing their praises in gratitude?
Even if he did, what would it matter?
They would be dead. What use was any amount of virtue after death? Besides, two of them would die, and they had even begged to hand their entire fortune over before dying.
What utter bastards.
"Teacher, we were wrong. Please save our lives." Zhunti fell to his knees and immediately began begging for mercy.
Jie Yin was not slow to kneel either, only half a beat behind.
They had not yet become saints. They were not Saints, and if they died, they would truly be dead.
The Hongmeng Purple Qi was still warm in their pockets. They had not even had the chance to enjoy it before dying like this.
It was truly too humiliating.
"Now, there is only one way: drive Qing Xuanzi out of the Western Sect."
Hongjun's words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving Jie Yin and Zhunti's entire bodies numb.
How could the outcome be this?
The oath was really going to take effect.
If it did not, the two of them would die, and their entire fortune would be given away.
Damn it, why did this feel so strongly like a conspiracy?
Jie Yin and Zhunti came to their senses. How could there be such a coincidence? Even novels would not dare write something like this.
There was definitely a conspiracy, and it was one jointly devised by that old bastard Hongjun and that little brat Qing Xuanzi.
Jie Yin cast Zhunti a resentful glance. Junior Brother, this was all because of you. Well, now the Twelve-Petal Golden Lotus no longer belonged to the Western Sect. Its surname had changed to Qing Xuanzi.
Zhunti was nearly dying of embarrassment. He had practically delivered a treasure right to someone's doorstep, a pure treasure-delivery boy.
"Senior Brother, I have made an enormous mistake. Please expel Qing Xuanzi from the Western Sect." Zhunti said with a mournful face.
Jie Yin: ...
Two consecutive Heavenly Tribulations appeared, shaking the entire Huang.
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