Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao stood at the entrance to the courtyard outside Chen Xugu's pill-refining room.
Inside, Chen Xugu was holding a meeting.
It concerned how to distribute the Taiqing Cave Profundity Skill and who should cultivate it.
Because of the Dongxuan Technique's special nature, it had to be cultivated by kindhearted people without evil thoughts, so determining who met those requirements was essential.
That did not mean its cultivators had to be great saints without a trace of selfishness, because no such person existed in the world.
Even the best people occasionally felt desires, but whether people ruled their desires or their desires ruled them-that was the standard for cultivating it.
Chen Xugu first explained where this cultivation method had come from: those two fellows who had just arrived on the mountain had given it to them.
Apart from those who had heard about the pair, everyone in the room was astonished. Creating a cultivation method like this before turning twenty was truly shocking beyond belief.
Next came who should cultivate it, which was the meeting's main purpose.
The four old Daoists remaining in the Pure Yang Palace said they were too old to practice it.
Chen Xugu's fellow disciples coveted it, but they were all in their fifties or sixties, making it rather inconvenient to disperse their cultivation and start over.
The second-generation disciples were interested, but none knew whether they could master it.
Just how kind did one have to be to count as kindhearted?
Just how simple did one's character have to be to count as simple?
Chen Xugu's fourth disciple spoke first. "I can't. With my character, I'd definitely suffer Qi deviation if I practiced it."
Everyone else agreed!
The eldest disciple said, "It took me so much effort to cultivate the internal method in the Pure Yang Daoist Canon to this level. I can't bear to disperse my cultivation now!"
The second disciple said, "..."
The second disciple was still out roaming the jianghu.
The third said, "If there's no other choice, I'll practice it. I don't have any ambitions anyway. As long as I have food, I'm fine."
The fifth said, "I'm a girl, and I haven't even gotten started with the Pure Yang Daoist Canon. If there's no other choice, I can practice it too."
The other elders suggested finding some inner disciples of good character and letting them try as well.
That concluded the meeting.
As for why it had lasted until now, that was mainly because their grand-uncle-master and fourth senior brother had gone missing, and they had spent ages looking for the two.
While they were heatedly discussing things, Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao had also finished their discussion and reached an agreement.
They would lay their cards on the table with Chen Xugu and ask him exactly why he treated his wife this way.
If things really were as they imagined, they would state their position and correct their senior brother's assumptions.
Zhang Junbao swept all before him. Even if this was someone else's family business, he would intervene, because this was not just Chen Xugu's family business-it was also about saving a pitiful woman!
Zhang Junbao wanted to become a great hero, and great heroes did not concern themselves solely with the fighting and killing of the jianghu.
The greatest heroes had to protect all the weak who deserved protection and save all the people who deserved saving!
Wherever his gaze reached, he would sweep away these injustices.
And when faced with injustice, he would fight it to the bitter end!
His words set Zhang Qingyuan's blood boiling, leaving him only able to declare, "Same here!"
And so the two of them had come.
To uncover the truth and shatter injustice!
At noon, the door opened, and the Pure Yang Palace's leaders walked out.
The moment they emerged, they saw the two benefactors who had gifted them the cultivation method standing at the entrance.
The four supreme elders hurried forward, seized their hands, and thanked them over and over.
"So these are our two martial nephews. Fine-looking young men indeed." That was the first elder.
"I told you, didn't I? Anyone Senior Brother Xuanzhen takes a liking to must be a dragon or phoenix among men, with the bearing of an immortal." That was the second elder.
"You must stay at the Pure Yang Palace a while longer. We have fine mountains, fine waters, and fine scenery, wine, meat, and distant horizons. I'd like to share a drink and a pleasant chat with you two!" That was the third elder.
"Yes, yes! I'll make the decision: every classic and scripture in the Pure Yang Palace will be open to you both. You've been so generous; our Pure Yang Palace can't be stingy either. All Daoist sects under heaven are one family, after all." That was the fourth elder.
As mentioned before, three of the four supreme elders no longer participated in the Pure Yang Palace's affairs. Only one still struggled away at his post.
The one still struggling away was the third elder-the one who had suggested drinking and chatting.
The four supreme elders' enthusiasm blazed like fire, instantly taking all the fight out of Zhang Junbao and Zhang Qingyuan, who had arrived brimming with fighting spirit.
Of the four martial uncles, three went back to meditating and reciting scriptures. Only the third martial uncle remained, because he still had work to do later.
No one had used the third martial uncle's personal name in ages. His Daoist name was Chenyuan.
After they finally saw off the four martial uncles, the current generation of elders came forward to exchange pleasantries and offer their thanks.
Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao could only respond to each in turn with stiff smiles. There were eleven of these senior brothers in total. When they had arrived on the mountain yesterday, Dahua had introduced them: five were in charge, three men and two women.
After all that back-and-forth, it was the martial nephews' turn, led by Chen Xugu's eldest disciple, Yuan Heqing. He was thirty-five this year and a fairly steady man.
But his steadiness came with a sternness that was the complete opposite of his master Chen Xugu's personality.
There was also the fourth disciple, whom they had not met before: the Phoenix Sect's young master, the twenty-four-year-old Zhao Nianzhi.
It sounded like a girl's name, but that was not the case. He was a genuine fellow with a dick.
His full name was Zhao Nianzhi. One look at that name told you the Phoenix Sect's sect master had a story from his younger days. Why else would he have chosen it?
Zhang Qingyuan even asked him, "Does your mother's name have the character 'Zhi' in it?"
Zhao Nianzhi exclaimed, "Martial Uncle, your mastery of the Daoist arts is truly profound! You predict things like a god! My mother's name is Hua Zhiyun. It does indeed contain 'Zhi'!"
What the fuck was so surprising about that? Anyone could have guessed it!
Chen Xugu was a bastard too. His disciple was named Nianzhi, yet he had deliberately given Zhao Nianzhi the Daoist name Wangnian.
After a round of mutual compliments and introductions, the group left.
And Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao had lost their earlier drive.
There was no helping it. It was like entering the bridal chamber full of joy on your wedding night, your blood surging and your fighting spirit at its peak, only for a bunch of buddies to insist on dragging you out to drink, sing, and play Fight the Landlord.
By the time you finished the whole fucking circuit, it was past midnight. What drive could you have left? Go to sleep. The fucking would have to wait until tomorrow.
Once everyone had left the courtyard, Chen Xugu invited the pair inside.
After they entered, Chen Xugu personally poured them each a bowl of tea.
"What brings you two junior brothers to see me?" He grinned, his face brimming with irrepressible delight.
They stood at the entrance for so long, so they must have come to see me. Probably want to see their sister-in-law again. Heh, as if I don't know them!
Zhang Qingyuan picked up his tea bowl, then put it down again and glanced at Zhang Junbao.
Brother Bao no longer had that righteous indignation either. After all that commotion, he could not quite pick the emotion back up.
Zhang Qingyuan sighed and decided to speak plainly after all.
They were already here. The first drumbeat roused the spirit, the second weakened it, and the third exhausted it.
Zhang Qingyuan said, "Senior Brother, we've come to ask about a village woman down in that village below the mountain whose words and actions contradict each other."
After saying this, Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao both looked at Chen Xugu, watching his fleeting expressions.
Sure enough, Chen Xugu's brows suddenly furrowed, then quickly relaxed. He sighed. "You met her?"
"Yes." Zhang Junbao nodded, then asked, "Is she that wife of yours?"
"Yes." Chen Xugu nodded, admitting it openly.
"Since he's your wife, why leave her in the village? Is it because you despise her looks and fear bringing her out would make you lose face?" Zhang Qingyuan pressed.
Chen Xugu froze, utterly bewildered. "Who said that? Who's slandering me like this?"
"Does anyone need to say it? Isn't it obvious?" Zhang Junbao pressed his advantage. "If not, why haven't you brought her to the Pure Yang Palace? Senior Brother Chen, you still claim you don't despise her looks!"
Looking utterly wronged and aggrieved, Chen Xugu said, "Damn, so you two came to call me to account?
"Fine, shall we have a fight first?"
"We wouldn't go so far as to call you to account. We're just afraid you've strayed down the wrong path, Senior Brother.
"But if it's a reasonable sparring match, we would indeed like a friendly exchange with you," Zhang Qingyuan said.
They were no match for him in a fight right now, but having a good exchange and getting some pointers from their senior brother was still possible.
Zhang Junbao slapped the table. "Sparring can wait! First, confess what you've done!"
Chen Xugu: "..."
If he had known these two little brats would be so persistent, he would have let him see her!