Seeing Duobao's look of utter surprise, Guang Chengzi immediately sighed.
"You could tell you hadn't listened carefully when Master explained the Artifact Refining Dao. Otherwise, with your origins as Innate Treasure Qi, you would definitely advance faster than I did in artifact refinement."
Duobao scratched his head and gave an embarrassed laugh.
"You can't blame me entirely. Whenever Second Senior Uncle lectures on the Dao, it sounds like droning music. I always get sleepy as soon as I listen, and he insists that everyone keep their clothes and posture proper. It makes me feel uncomfortable all over."
Guang Chengzi nodded in agreement. When his Master lectured on the Dao, there were far too many rules, and everything was done rigidly and methodically. He truly was not as flexible and varied as their junior uncle.
It was precisely because of this that Duobao had developed such a lively, bold, yet deeply loyal character.
"You really have no filter. Be careful, or your mouth will bring trouble upon you someday."
Duobao, however, did not care much. He swayed his head smugly.
"With Master, our senior uncles, and Senior Brother around, wouldn't I be able to swagger sideways through the entire Primordial World?"
Guang Chengzi smiled helplessly. Still, Duobao was right. With him around, no one could bully his junior brother.
But he still needed to give him a warning.
"The path of cultivation is inherently filled with hardships and dangers. Even though Senior Brother and the elders will protect you, you must still remain cautious and prudent."
Duobao immediately pulled a long face.
"Senior Brother, why have you become as nagging as Senior Uncle and the others? I understand all those grand principles. Let's hurry up and start the second round of our wager instead!
This time, I'll bet two Acquired Spirit Treasures!"
Looking at the two Acquired Spirit Treasures that had just left his hands, Guang Chengzi was rendered speechless by Duobao's behavior.
"You're using the Spirit Treasures I gave you to wager against me. Junior Brother, you really know how to scheme."
Duobao quickly pulled the Spirit Treasures back and defended himself.
"What are you talking about, Senior Brother? I won these fair and square!"
Within a hidden space in the courtyard, a young Daoist in a black robe heard his disciple mocking him and angrily tossed away the black stone in his hand.
"This rebellious disciple! It seems I haven't disciplined him enough. He actually dares to mock me!"
A middle-aged Daoist in white beside him had also heard his disciple and grandnephew. A faint smile appeared on his dignified face.
"What are you doing, Junior Brother? It is merely a joke between disciples. If you go out now, wouldn't that confirm you were eavesdropping?
That would be beneath your dignity. Besides, now that the disciples are grown, you truly cannot be too stingy with treasures. That would be far too shabby."
Venerable Lingbao looked at Venerable Yuanshi's teasing expression and smiled bitterly.
"Senior Brother, are you mocking me too? Don't you know what my disciple is like? No matter how many treasures I give him, he still thinks it is too few!"
Venerable Yuanshi put away his smile and advised him.
"Play chess, play chess. Let the disciples handle their own fooling around."
Hearing this, Venerable Lingbao sighed, returned to his stone stool, and resumed the game. Yet he had already resolved to properly deal with that rebellious disciple Duobao.
The two of them then continued placing their pieces absentmindedly. Clearly, however, their attention had been drawn to the disciples' conversation.
After all, this concerned their own reputations. How could they not care?
They also greatly wished to know what image they held in their disciples' hearts.
As Duobao began criticizing Venerable Yuanshi's lectures, Venerable Yuanshi's expression became increasingly stern.
"This rebellious disciple is truly too bold and reckless!"
Seeing Yuanshi's serious expression, Venerable Lingbao immediately rebuked him sharply before apologetically saying,
"Senior Brother, my disciple is simply too spoiled. He actually dared to discuss you behind your back. I will certainly teach that brat a proper lesson another day!
But honestly, Senior Brother, your lectures truly are too rigid. Even Eldest Senior Brother said one should follow the natural course of the Heavenly Dao. Being deliberately obsessed with rules will not do."
Venerable Yuanshi saw the trace of smugness in his junior brother's eyes.
There was not the slightest sign that he intended to punish Duobao. His thunder was loud, but his rain was light. He was clearly taking the opportunity to tease him for being rigid.
Venerable Yuanshi immediately replied with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
"It does not matter. Everyone has their own Dao. It can only be said that my Dao does not suit Duobao.
Moreover, without rules, there can be no order. Look, my disciple is stronger than yours. He can already refine Acquired Spirit Treasures!
Doesn't that prove you spoil your disciple too much and neglect to discipline him?"
Venerable Lingbao curled his lips.
"Senior Brother just loves showing off!"
Venerable Yuanshi smiled. He did not care in the slightest about Venerable Lingbao's words, nor would he argue for the sake of a momentary verbal victory.
As long as my disciple was stronger than his, that was enough.
While the two eavesdropped and played chess, Guang Chengzi's agreement with Duobao's assessment of Venerable Yuanshi reached their ears.
A brilliant smile immediately appeared on Venerable Lingbao's face as he laughed without concealing it.
"Oh my, it seems Senior Brother also spoils his disciple greatly and neglects to discipline him!"
Venerable Yuanshi heard Venerable Lingbao throw his own words back at him.
His dignified face immediately darkened so much it seemed water could drip from it.
He said nothing.
Venerable Lingbao beamed and tried to soothe him.
"Senior Brother, it is just a joke between disciples. Don't take it seriously. Come, continue. Let's continue our game."
Venerable Yuanshi gave a humorless chuckle, picked up a chess piece, and placed it down.
"Your turn."
"Alright!"
Venerable Lingbao answered, grabbed a chess piece, and set it down.
But at that moment, Duobao and Guang Chengzi's complaints about the two of them entered their ears.
Both of their expressions changed at once, and they exchanged a glance.
"Senior Brother, I suddenly feel my cultivation realm loosening. I urgently need to enter seclusion for three days!"
Venerable Yuanshi nodded as well.
"Junior Brother, I feel the same. Let us pause this game for three days. We shall battle again after three days!"
Venerable Lingbao looked at Venerable Yuanshi, and a shared smile appeared in their eyes. Then, with a flash, he vanished from the space.
Inside the Array Formation, Bai Ze, who was cultivating in seclusion, suddenly raised his head and looked toward the center of the formation.
Yet he found nothing and scratched his head in confusion.
"Why did I feel as though I heard Senior Brother Duobao screaming?
That should not be possible. Duobao is powerful, and this is the territory of the Three Pure Ones. Who could ignore the Three Pure Ones and beat up Duobao?
Could it be that I had been in seclusion too long and started hallucinating?"
Bai Ze shook his head, quickly cast the thought aside, and continued his secluded cultivation and contemplation.
Meanwhile, the Three Pure Ones' Courtyard was extremely lively.
The sounds of whips and screams rang out from time to time.
"Master, I was wrong! Please stop hitting me!"
"Hmph! You rebellious disciple, instead of learning what is good, you learned to mock your Master!
Could it be that I have not given you enough treasures?"
"Master, let's be reasonable here. Everything you gave me was junk you did not want, and the restrictions inside those treasures were so damaged they could not have been worse.
I had to rely on the resources I slowly accumulated myself to repair and perfect them!"
Duobao lay on a long bench with a pitiful expression, straining to lift his head as he corrected Venerable Lingbao's claims.
Before you continue