Should He Go In? Better Play It Safe!

Bai Ze stood quietly before the doorway that had appeared in the void, his brows twisted into a knot, deeply conflicted.

"Should I go in, or not?"

After controlling the formation for a thousand zhang, he had already realized that beyond this doorway lay the dwelling place of the Three Pure Ones.

But when he searched his heart, he still felt uneasy about meeting the legendary saintly Three Pure Ones. He did not feel sufficiently prepared.

At present, the only thing he could be certain of was that the Three Pure Ones bore him no ill will.

That much was evident from the fact that he had studied the formation for thousands of years without anyone hindering him.

Yet he was still somewhat uneasy. Although the hexagrams on his companion spiritual treasure also confirmed that he would be safe—

He still found himself reluctant.

"Better play it safe and cast another divination first!"

As his consciousness entered his Inner Landscape, countless patterns upon the Fate Compass lit up, and silvery grains of sand slowly began to dance.

They gradually formed into a simple courtyard. Within it, a rockery stood in the pond, while willow trees grew along the water's edge.

And he was hanging from a tree, with a plump figure beside him, keeping him company.

Below them stood a Daoist whose face could not be seen, whip in hand, constantly lashing at the two of them!

The scene ended abruptly there.

Yet cold sweat covered Bai Ze's forehead. He slowly wiped it away and said with lingering fear, "No, the courtyard is dangerous. I need to wait a little longer!"

"Better play it safe first!"

With that, he sat down cross-legged and pretended not to see the doorway.

Then he turned his gaze toward the Mountain-Guarding Forbidden Formation here!

As the saying went, stealing was worse than pilfering, pilfering was worse than thieving, and thieving was worse than robbing!

The materials used for a Mountain-Guarding Forbidden Formation like this had to be exceedingly rare. If he gathered them alone, who knew how long it would take?

But there happened to be ready-made materials right here... If he secretly picked off a little, they probably would not notice, right?

Within the courtyard, Duobao had gained enormously and awakened from his seclusion. Seeing Bai Ze suddenly choose not to enter, he asked in confusion,

"What is Brother Bai Ze doing? Why did he suddenly retreat when everything was fine?"

Beside him, Guang Chengzi folded his arms. Having witnessed Bai Ze wipe away sweat and retreat at top speed, surprise flickered in his eyes.

"Perhaps he sensed something?"

At Guang Chengzi's words, Duobao's eyes lit up in realization. He slapped his thigh and said, "No wonder.

Brother Bai Ze once said that he possessed a talent capable of foretelling fortune and misfortune.

He must have sensed something amiss, which is why he refused to enter!"

Guang Chengzi froze at that, his face darkening as he silently turned to look at the enlightened Duobao.

"Junior Brother, where is your brain?

Apart from Master and the others, only the three of us are here. Who do you think this 'something amiss' refers to?"

Duobao gave a soft snort. With an expression as though he had seen through everything, he shifted several zhang to the side and glanced sideways at Guang Chengzi.

Brother Bai Ze and I are as close as limbs of one body, so it naturally cannot be me. It must be Senior Brother..."

"Bang!" A streak of purple light flashed by.

Before Duobao could finish, Guang Chengzi had already tucked his hand back into his sleeve and shot him a glance.

"If I held hostility toward him, I would have acted long ago. Would I have allowed him to cultivate here and comprehend the formation?"

Duobao rubbed the back of his head and gave an awkward laugh. "Just a joke. If it is not Senior Brother, then it should be..."

As he spoke, his gaze slid toward the empty stone table in the rear courtyard. He pursed his lips, and the implication was unmistakable.

Guang Chengzi's eyes widened at once. His junior brother truly dared to think of anything!

He hurriedly pressed Duobao's head back down.

"Are you itching for another whipping?

Stop making wild guesses. A thousand years ago, I already sought Master's and Martial Uncle's instructions. They agreed to let Bai Ze stay!"

Duobao's eyes filled with surprise, but seeing Guang Chengzi's certainty, he became even more puzzled.

"If that is so, why will Brother Bai Ze not come in?"

Guang Chengzi looked at Bai Ze, who sat cross-legged cultivating before the doorway, his eyes flickering. "Perhaps he is afraid."

Duobao looked toward Bai Ze upon hearing that. Recalling when he had first met Bai Ze, the other had also delayed and waited again and again.

He could not help laughing helplessly. "Brother Bai Ze is good in every way, except that his courage is too small.

I will report to Master and personally bring him through the door!"

Guang Chengzi nodded slightly. Bai Ze had already succeeded in comprehending the formation, and it was not good to keep dragging things out. Thus, he did not stop Duobao, merely reminding him,

"Junior Brother, when you report this, know what should be said and what should not."

Duobao chuckled carelessly. "Rest assured, Senior Brother. When your junior brother handles things, you can rest easy!"

Watching Duobao's lively, unrestrained manner, Guang Chengzi felt an indistinct sense of foreboding. But Duobao had already run far away.

He helplessly shook his head. "Let us hope you do not turn cleverness into clumsiness."

In the rear courtyard, within the mysterious void.

Venerable Lingbao and Venerable Yuanshi played chess while leisurely drinking tea.

"Senior Brother, your tea truly goes down smoothly. Could you pack several hundred jin for your junior brother?"

At those words, Venerable Yuanshi's face twitched. He lifted his eyelids and looked at Venerable Lingbao.

"This Enlightenment Tea takes tens of thousands of years to mature one batch. Each batch amounts to only a few dozen jin, and there is not much left once it is divided. Where would several hundred jin come from?"

Venerable Lingbao chuckled and leaned closer to Venerable Yuanshi. "If there are not several hundred jin, then a dozen or so jin will do!"

Venerable Yuanshi looked at Venerable Lingbao's grinning face, his own expression darkening. With a sweep of his hand, two liang of Enlightenment Tea appeared out of thin air.

"That is all. Take it or leave it!"

The instant Venerable Lingbao saw the Enlightenment Tea, he hurriedly put it away.

"I will take it, of course I will. But this is only two liang, not even enough for two servings.

Senior Brother, give me a little more."

Venerable Yuanshi's face remained dark. Ignoring him, he changed the subject. "Your disciple has arrived!"

"What is that rebellious disciple coming here for?"

Venerable Lingbao looked toward the outside world in confusion, but the more he watched, the darker his expression became.

Duobao had entered with his hands clasped behind his back, swaggering about. After looking around for a moment, he discovered that the medicinal field planted by his eldest martial uncle had ripened considerably.

He leisurely passed by it, but the medicinal field that had once been shrouded in immortal mist had inexplicably lost a patch, as though a dog had gnawed it bare.

Yet he was still not satisfied. He then looked toward the jade cup on the stone table. Sneaking closer, he raised a hand to smooth his hair—and the jade cup vanished.

Duobao could not help chuckling. "Brother Bai Ze truly is a genius. After he deduced and improved this Spatial Divine Ability, taking things has become more and more convenient!

Another day, I will go to Undying Volcano and dig out some bird eggs!"

Duobao chuckled and looked around, but after a long while, he still failed to find what he wanted. He could not help scratching his head.

"Where exactly did Master hide the treasures?"

He searched carefully for quite some time without finding anything. Left with no choice, he could only give up for now.

"Forget it. I will handle the proper business first. Once Brother Bai Ze enters our sect, we can search together later!"

As he spoke, he restored Venerable Lingbao's room to its original state and slowly backed out.

"Hm? Why is it so cold?"

As Duobao closed the door, he suddenly felt a chill wash over him. He could not help shuddering, and just as confusion rose in his heart—

A familiar voice sounded behind him.

"Rebellious disciple, what did you go into my room for!"

Duobao's body stiffened as he slowly turned around.

Venerable Lingbao's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He looked at Duobao with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

For a moment, Duobao felt as though he had fallen into an ice cellar, chills rising all over his body.

Interlacing his fingers and twisting his body, he gave an awkward laugh.

"Hehe, Master, when did you come out? Weren't you comprehending the Great Dao?"