I'll Just Rub Against It...

After a long while, Bai Ze stared blankly at the heavens.

Question: "What is the biggest social death in the Primordial World?"

Answer: "Talking about the Three Pure Ones themselves right under the Three Pure Ones' noses—and getting caught!"

Question: "Will you get beaten up?"

Answer: "It hurt like fucking hell!!!"

After this incident, he understood that even Sages could be this wickedly mischievous!

They actually liked eavesdropping on juniors' private conversations!

He looked at Duobao beside him, who had been whipped by five lashes until he was foaming at the mouth and rolling his eyes, and silently mourned for him for one second.

Originally, Venerable Lingbao had merely doubled the punishment, but Duobao insisted on courting death by mocking Venerable Lingbao.

So enraged was Venerable Lingbao that he directly brought out the sub-body of the top-grade Innate Spirit Treasure, the Fishing Drum.

And just like that, a single strike knocked both of them unconscious. Bai Ze had been relatively lucky, but Duobao was different—he had pressed himself right up against it and taken the blow directly beside his ear.

He was still unconscious even now!

Still, it was not as though they had gained nothing. Venerable Lingbao had promised them that if they could take away the sub-bodies of these two Innate Spirit Treasures, he would give them to them.

Upon hearing this, Bai Ze had been overjoyed. But before he could agree, Duobao had gone and said something utterly suicidal.

"Master, write it down and ask Second Senior Uncle to serve as a witness. Your disciple can't trust your character!"

And the result...

Bai Ze turned to look at Duobao, who was being thrashed by the doubled-power Thunder Whip until he foamed at the mouth and twitched from time to time, and thought, Serves him right!

Why did you have to run your mouth when nothing was wrong?

Now things were great. He, too, was occasionally getting jolted by the Fishing Drum's sound waves!

"Ugh, when will these days ever end?!"

Bai Ze gazed at the sky. He had thought ten years would pass in the blink of an eye, but now...

Every second felt like a year!

If Huangzhong Plum's ripening were not still tens of thousands of years away, he would have started cursing long ago!

For now, he could only endure these painful ten years first...

"Bzzz—"

The Fishing Drum shook again, and sound waves swept over them.

Bai Ze's eyes widened as he thought.

Oh no, I'm going to pass out!

In the front courtyard, Guang Chengzi looked at the suddenly surging lightning in the rear courtyard, as well as the sound waves that shook one's very soul, his expression exceedingly strange.

Lowering his head to look at the cultivating Huanglong, he cautioned:

"Junior Brother, if you ever want to use that Violet-Gold Hammer to temper your body, remember this well: never let Duobao stand beside you!"

Huanglong looked doubtful. "Why?"

Guang Chengzi stared at the alarming commotion in the rear courtyard. After a long while, he slowly uttered:

"Because... it costs lives!"

The sun and moon turned, and the sea of stars shifted.

Bai Ze slowly awoke from cultivation. During these ten years, aside from being whipped, he had spent his time listening to lectures and cultivating.

At present, his cultivation was still at the Early True Form Stage.

Yet after many years of tempering by the Violet-Gold Hammer, specks of golden light had already appeared on the bones of his other hand. That was a sign that a Fleshly Body Inscription was about to condense.

But due to his body's insufficient foundation, coupled with the lack of Heavenly Treasures to replenish it, it had never fully condensed.

After years of tempering by the Fishing Drum's sound waves, his Primordial Spirit had become much smaller, yet increasingly solid.

Over these years, neither Venerable Lingbao nor Venerable Yuanshi had appeared again.

Instead, Guang Chengzi came to teach every year, and the tempering from the Thunder Whip and Fishing Drum would also cease.

After years of lectures and explanations, Bai Ze had gained a much deeper understanding of cultivation.

In the current Primordial World, all cultivators regarded Pangu's Force-Proving Dao as their ultimate goal.

The names of the realms could vary as well.

But broadly speaking, they followed four stages: Awakening Spirit, True Form, Tracing Origin, and Limitless.

Precisely because of this, cultivators at each stage differed enormously in strength.

Within the Three Pure Ones' Courtyard, the True Form Stage could be divided into four levels: early, middle, late, and Grand Perfection Realm.

Each level was further divided into minor achievement, major achievement, completion, and the Extremity Realm.

For someone like him, condensing Fleshly Body Inscriptions was one of the signs of entering the Extremity Realm.

As Guang Chengzi had said, everyone's opportunities differed, and the powers gained after entering the Extremity Realm were likewise not the same.

For example, when Duobao entered the Extremity Realm, he gained a spatial Innate Divine Ability. It was precisely the ability Duobao had exchanged with him!

Guang Chengzi, however, had not revealed what power he gained upon entering the Extremity Realm.

He had only said that none could enter the Extremity Realm unless they possessed extraordinary talent, exceptional opportunities, and destiny aura that defied the heavens.

He also warned Bai Ze that even though he had entered the Extremity Realm now, he might not necessarily be able to do so again at the middle, late, or Grand Perfection levels of the True Form Stage.

Therefore, Guang Chengzi had specifically told him that entering the Extremity Realm was not easy. He might as well stay a while longer, push this realm to its very limits, and only then break through to the Middle True Form Stage.

Guang Chengzi's words coincided perfectly with his own thoughts. Especially after learning that he might not be able to enter the Extremity Realm again in the future, he treasured this hard-won opportunity even more.

It was only that, due to the insufficient foundation of his body, the second Fleshly Body Inscription had never taken shape.

He looked at the familiar figure beneath the tree, steadied himself, and asked:

"Fellow Daoist, is it time for another lecture today?"

Guang Chengzi nodded with a smile. This was already the tenth year.

He had been teaching Bai Ze and Duobao for ten years now, though Bai Ze was still the main focus.

Although his Martial Uncle struck hard, the more he did so, the more it showed how greatly he valued Bai Ze.

Perhaps Bai Ze would become his junior brother someday.

After all, in terms of innate foundation, Bai Ze was no weaker than either him or Duobao—perhaps even purer.

As for temperament and comprehension, they were even more obvious to all. In merely five thousand years, Bai Ze had completely mastered the Mountain-Guarding Formation, something even Guang Chengzi himself would need ten thousand years to fully comprehend.

The only minor flaw was that he was far too timid and cautious!

But to Guang Chengzi, that was actually a bonus!

If another Duobao came along, with his unrestrained tongue, contempt for everyone, and habit of courting death whenever he had nothing better to do, Guang Chengzi would truly have a headache on his hands.

Guang Chengzi looked at Bai Ze and smiled faintly:

"Junior Brother Bai Ze, haven't I told you? You share a close relationship with Junior Brother Duobao, and with your talent, you will sooner or later become one of us.

There is no need to be so formal. You may call me Senior Brother together with Duobao."

Bai Ze smiled awkwardly. This was enormous Karma—how could he dare call him that?

Even if Venerable Yuanshi and Venerable Lingbao did not mind, he still would not dare.

Even if his status within the courtyard was rather awkward right now, it was still far better than actively drawing Karma onto himself.

"Fellow Daoist, I have not been accepted into the sect. Without the seniors' permission, such a form of address would inevitably be somewhat inappropriate."

Guang Chengzi shook his head helplessly. He knew Bai Ze did not wish to overstep his bounds, but was he not being too cowardly?

"Very well, I will not force you. I only look forward to the day you change how you address me."

Seeing that Guang Chengzi did not insist, Bai Ze let out a long breath of relief and smiled. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your understanding."

Guang Chengzi shook his head indifferently. With a flick of his finger, a round cauldron landed upon the ground as he said:

"Today, I will explain the Dao of artifact refinement to you."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ze immediately straightened his posture and listened attentively.

Though he did not want to become entangled in excessively deep Karma, he was still willing to listen to teachings such as these.

The main thing was, I'll just rub against it...