Cultivating Zou Bugui

"Heaven and earth reversed, yin and yang created..."

Beside the hot spring where the Exalted One was recuperating, Zhang Xuezhou and Wu Chao each practiced the Great Wilderness Creation Scripture.

On the other side were the Golden Toad Dharma King and Jin Wanliang, both breathing sighs of relief.

Kong Ning and Zou Bugui remained uneasy, their heads bowed as they waited for the Exalted One's punishment.

Kong Ning was the main culprit, while Zou Bugui was wanted under the Xieluosi River Holy Land's execution order. Their offenses were far more serious than those of Zhang Xuezhou and the others, so their corresponding punishments could hardly be light.

"Kong Ning!"

"Yes, Ninth Master!"

Hearing the Exalted One call her name, Kong Ning immediately forced a smile.

"Kong Xuan was subdued by Zhunti and entrusted you to my care. I never expected that, after a little over a hundred years without supervision, you would have acquired a talent for stealing," the Exalted One said.

"Ninth Master, I've been working diligently for the holy land. I went to the Great Han Dynasty to capture that Jin Chang," Kong Ning said. "I just didn't expect to run into an expert like Emperor Jing, who could counter me. He destroyed my father's Dharma Body and nearly ruined my demon treasure too. I..."

"So you had the heart to take the creation mystic ginseng your Ninth Master was using to nourish his body?" the Exalted One said.

"I only ate a tiny bit," Kong Ning said, shrinking back. "I was going to ask someone to make it into pills and give them back to you. The pills would be more potent and effective, so they'd definitely make up for the little bit I ate!"

"That wasn't a tiny bit. You dug it up by the roots!"