Hou Du raised his head. This Judge Wan was a ruthless fellow. Was he afraid the world was not chaotic enough?
Judge Wan remained nonchalant. "There are four other True Persons. Sea True Person and Wei True Person have traveled far afield, and their whereabouts are unknown. As for True Person Quan and True Person Yuan, their disciples lacked competitiveness, so they lost to the Duan Prince's Residence and the Prince of Martial Accomplishment's Household.
Hou Du chuckled. "You mean I should place myself under True Person Quan or True Person Yuan?"
Judge Wan nodded slightly. "Is that so shameful? Honoring one's teachers and respecting the Dao is the very path by which cultivators like us seek knowledge. From the moment a cultivator begins cultivating, he is constantly taking teachers. Some relationships are formal, with admission into a teacher's fold; others have no formal standing, only a bond held in the heart, just like yours with Li Chuping.
"Li Chuping could indeed give you considerable support when you first began cultivating, but when it comes to becoming a True Disciple, he is powerless.
"You cannot be blamed for that. After all, who can think so far ahead when first setting foot on the Dao Path? But a person cannot have only one teacher throughout his life, either. There will always be guides for different directions, different realms, and different levels. There is no reason to remain faithful to just one until the end.
"I, too, regretted it back then. My own strength fell short of others', and all I could do was sigh helplessly."
Judge Wan concluded, "Perhaps you think that anyone who offers kindness unasked must have something in mind?
"But what could I want from you? I am simply dissatisfied with the atmosphere within the sect these days.