Lively Three Pure Ones' Courtyard

Guang Chengzi saw Duobao's utterly astonished expression and immediately sighed.

"You can tell at a glance that you didn't listen carefully when Master explained the Dao of artifact refinement. Otherwise, with your origins as innate treasure aura given form, you would definitely advance faster than me in artifact refinement."

Duobao scratched his head at that and gave an embarrassed laugh.

"You can't blame it all on me. Whenever Second Uncle-Master lectures on the Dao, it sounds like decadent music—I always get sleepy the moment I hear it. And he insists that people keep their robes and posture perfectly 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 rigid and methodical. He truly was not as flexible and varied as their junior uncle-master.

It was precisely because of this that Duobao had developed such a lively, bold nature, while still being deeply loyal and righteous.

"You really have no filter. Be careful not to bring disaster upon yourself because of that someday."

Duobao did not care much. Shaking his head smugly, he said, "With Master, Uncle-Masters, and Senior Brother backing me, wouldn't I be able to strut 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 had to give him a warning. "The path of cultivation is filled with hardships and dangers. Though Senior Brother and your elders will protect you, you must still remain cautious and careful."

Duobao immediately pulled a bitter face.

"Senior Brother, why have you become as long-winded as Uncle-Masters and the others? I understand all those grand principles. Let's hurry up and begin the second round of our wager!"

"This time, I'll bet two Acquired Spirit Treasures!"

Looking at the two Acquired Spirit Treasures that had only 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 calculate your gains."

Duobao hurriedly pulled the Spirit Treasures back at those words and defended himself.

"What are you saying, Senior Brother? I clearly won these!"

Within a hidden space in the courtyard, a young Daoist in black robes listened to his disciple mocking him and angrily tossed aside the black chess piece in his hand.

"This rebellious disciple! It seems I have not disciplined him enough. He actually dares to mock me!"

The middle-aged Daoist in white beside him had likewise heard the words of his disciple and nephew. A faint smile appeared on his dignified face.

"What are you doing, Junior Brother? It is merely a joke between disciples. If you went out now, wouldn't that confirm that you were eavesdropping?"

"That would be beneath your status. 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 gave a bitter smile.

"Senior Brother, are you mocking me too? You know perfectly well what my disciple is like. No matter how many treasures I give him, he always thinks it is too little!"

Venerable Yuanshi reined in his smile and advised, "Play chess, play chess. Let the disciples handle their own squabbles."

Venerable Lingbao sighed at that and sat back down on the stone stool to continue their game. Yet he had already made up his mind to properly deal with that rebellious Duobao!

Afterward, the two played chess absentmindedly, placing their pieces one after another. Clearly, however, their attention had been drawn away by their disciples' conversation.

After all, this concerned their own reputations. How could they not care?

They also very much wanted to know what sort of image they held in their disciples' hearts.

As Duobao began criticizing Venerable Yuanshi's lectures, Venerable Yuanshi's expression grew increasingly stern.

"This rebellious disciple is truly too bold and reckless!"

Seeing Venerable Yuanshi's grave expression, Venerable Lingbao immediately gave a harsh rebuke before apologetically saying,

"Senior Brother, my disciple has simply been spoiled too much. He actually dared to discuss you behind your back. I will definitely teach that brat a proper lesson another day!"

"But honestly, Senior Brother, your lectures really 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 caught the trace of smugness in his junior brother's eyes.

There was not the slightest sign that he intended to punish Duobao. This was clearly thunder without rain, merely an excuse to tease him for being rigid!

He immediately replied with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"It is nothing. Everyone has their own Dao. It can only be said that my Dao does not suit Duobao."

"Besides, without rules, there can be no square or circle. Look—my disciple is stronger than yours. He can already refine Acquired Spirit Treasures!"

"Does this not precisely show that 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 contend for a momentary victory of the tongue.

As long as my disciple is stronger than yours, that is enough.

While the two eavesdropped and played chess, they heard Guang Chengzi affirm Duobao's assessment of Venerable Yuanshi.

A brilliant smile immediately blossomed across Venerable Lingbao's face, and he laughed without concealing it.

"Oh my, it seems Senior Brother also dotes on his disciple too much and neglects discipline!"

Venerable Yuanshi heard Venerable Lingbao throw his own words back at him.

His dignified face immediately darkened until it seemed water could drip from it.

He said nothing.

Seeing this, Venerable Lingbao beamed and consoled him.

"Senior Brother, it is only a joke between disciples. Do not take it seriously. Come, continue. Let us continue playing chess."

Venerable Yuanshi gave a hollow laugh, pinched up a chess piece, and placed it down. "Your turn."

"Fine!" Venerable Lingbao answered, grabbing a piece and setting it down.

But at that moment, Duobao and Guang Chengzi's complaints about the two of them reached their ears.

Both men's expressions changed at once, and they exchanged a glance.

"Senior Brother, I suddenly feel my realm loosening. I urgently need to enter seclusion for three days!"

Venerable Yuanshi nodded as well. "Junior Brother, I feel the same. Let us suspend this game for three days. Three days from now, we shall battle again!"

Venerable Lingbao looked at Venerable Yuanshi, and a shared smile appeared in their eyes. Then, with a flash, he vanished from the space.

Within the formation, Bai Ze, who was cultivating in seclusion, suddenly raised his head and looked toward its center.

Yet he discovered nothing, and could not help scratching his head in confusion.

"Why do I feel as though I heard Senior Brother Duobao screaming?"

"That should not be possible. Duobao is immensely 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 have been in seclusion for too long and started hallucinating?"

Bai Ze shook his head and quickly cast the thought aside, continuing his secluded cultivation and contemplation.

Meanwhile, Three Pure Ones' Courtyard was filled with merriment.

The sounds of a whip and screams rang out from time to time.

"Master, I was wrong! Please stop hitting me!"

"Hmph! You rebellious disciple, you do not learn what is good, yet you have learned to mock your master!"

"Have I not given you enough treasures?"

"Master, let us speak according to conscience! Everything you gave me was junk you did not want. And the restrictions inside those treasures were so badly damaged they could not have been worse."

"I had to rely entirely on the resources I painstakingly saved bit by bit to repair and complete them!"

Duobao lay aggrievedly across a long bench, straining to raise his head as he corrected Venerable Lingbao's version of events.