Brother, face reality.
"...Hmph, what a piece of trash!" Yuan Shi kicked him, but he was still pretending to be dead.
The man's eyes were full of disdain. With such poor skills, he could only bully cubs. What a shameless fellow!
"...Stop, stop hitting me! I was wrong, I was wrong! Please, Master, spare me!" Zhunti was bruised and swollen, looking dejected, and could barely speak.
"Oh? So you know how to beg for mercy now? Why didn't you think about this consequence when you bullied my little brother? Hmm, how can an old Taoist bully a cub who can't lift a finger or carry anything? Let me ask you, you said you were wrong, but where were you wrong?" Yuanshi put away the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, leisurely stroked his chin, and said slyly.
Zhunti's lips twitched, but this tiny movement triggered his sore spot, causing his face to contort and him to unconsciously grimace. This was noticed by Yuanshi, who was secretly plotting to torment him. Yuanshi laughed, a wicked smile appearing on his face, which bore a resemblance to the little brat Tongtian.
Hahaha, so pathetic, it's absolutely hilarious! Why did you have such a stupid idea in the first place? Trying to steal the magical treasure, huh? I'll beat you to a pulp!
"What? You're not convinced? Speak up! What are you doing in the East? I've long heard of your infamous reputation. Wherever you go, it's like plucking feathers from a passing goose, leaving nothing but desolation... That's fine, we won't interfere, but that doesn't mean we'll let this go! Tell me why you would target my younger brother. If you can't give me a reason today, I'll show you how to deal with you!"
Zhunti panicked and hurriedly cried out, "Fellow Daoist, have mercy! Show mercy! We were just passing by by chance, we really had no other intentions!"
Yuan Shi was so angry he almost laughed. He had never seen such a shameless person before. It was obvious that they coveted his younger brother's Twelfth-Rank Merit Lotus and wanted to kill him to steal the treasure. The facts were right in front of him, yet they stubbornly refused to admit it! Besides, how could two outsiders like you covet the opportunities of the East? Fine, the more he looked at them, the more displeased he became. He might as well give them another beating!
Seeing that the other party was showing no martial ethics and was about to attack again, Zhunti panicked and hurriedly cried out, "Fellow Daoist, have mercy! I know I was wrong. Even ants can survive. Please, fellow Daoist, have mercy on me and spare me this time, considering how hard I worked to cultivate!"
Yuanshi sneered and coldly snorted, "You think cultivation is difficult? If you know it's difficult, why did you still commit murder and robbery? If I had arrived a step later, my younger brother would have been killed by you. You escaped, and how am I supposed to settle this score?"
No, I'm getting angrier the more I talk about it. I might as well just kill him to save other fellow cultivators from harming him!
Seeing the situation was dire and his life hanging by a thread, Zhunti unleashed the dazzling golden light of the Seven Treasures Tree, breaking through the defensive circle of the Taiji Diagram. He transformed into a streak of light and swiftly escaped. He vowed never to set foot in the East again! Eastern cultivators are terrifying!!! Zhunti shed bitter tears. This trip wasn't about finding an opportunity at all. He had been so happy for so long, who would have thought things would turn out this way? His original plan to take the cub along was completely shattered, and he was inexplicably beaten by two cultivators… Indeed, is the Heavenly Dao truly intolerant of the West? Not even a sliver of opportunity is given; is it truly determined to cut off their path to survival? This old Daoist is truly unlucky!!!
When Yuanshi saw that the guy had actually escaped, he subconsciously wanted to chase after him, but then he heard Tongtian calling out "Second Brother" in a childish voice behind him. It turned out that Tongtian was calling him. Oh well, let's just say that Heaven is kind to life. If we meet him again next time, it won't be too late to take action!
"My dear, your second brother has avenged you! If he hadn't escaped so quickly, hmph!" Yuan Shi angrily returned to his eldest brother's side and reached out to him with practiced ease. His eldest brother, though helpless, naturally handed the little Tongtian cub in his arms to him.
The little boy skillfully found the most comfortable position in his second brother's arms, stretched lazily with a contented look on his face, and sighed, "Ah, I really miss such a warm embrace."
"Thank you, Second Brother! Second Brother loves Tongtian the most, mwah~ Little Tongtian didn't hold back in showering Second Brother with compliments. Yuanshi was all smiles and in a great mood. Hahaha, the more he listened, the more he was hooked. It must be because Tongtian has such a sweet tongue!"
"It's good that you know, kid. Don't run away from home again. This time your older brothers were able to come to your rescue, but what about next time? They can't always be there in time... Luckily, Qingping Sword went to deliver the message, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to find you here for so long~" Yuanshi pinched his cheek in annoyance. Tongtian was a little aggrieved. His second brother's grip was really strong. If he didn't know that he didn't mean it, he would have thought that his second brother did it on purpose...
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Yuanshi let go of his hand and then noticed that his younger brother seemed a little off. He looked listless and kept covering his right cheek with tears in his eyes.
"Ouch~ Second Brother, you're so strong!" Tongtian the little brat was on the verge of tears. The burning pain was very uncomfortable, and even his own spiritual power couldn't heal it...
Yuan Shi was utterly astonished: "...!" He stared speechlessly at the obvious red mark on his younger brother's rosy cheek... He had only poked it lightly, how could it be like this? Sigh, it's all his fault, so delicate, so delicate! Crying over a little redness, what kind of behavior is this? He hardened his face and sternly said, "Alright, it's just a little redness, Tongtian is a little man, how can he cry over something like this, what kind of behavior is that?"
He paused, then seemed to realize his tone had been a bit harsh, and gently coaxed, "Okay, it's your second brother's fault. Does it still hurt? Let your second brother blow on it."
Tongtian, the little brat, was tickled and giggled, looking from a distance like he was throwing a tantrum. Yuanshi's eyes lit up, and he mischievously tickled Tongtian's sore spot. Tongtian laughed even harder. The two were having a great time when Taiqing, who had been watching for a while, coughed and said leisurely, "Have you had enough?"
The two stopped abruptly, looking a little guilty as they turned their heads away. They were truly embarrassed, as if they had forgotten about their older brother's presence. They would definitely pay attention next time.
"You two, sigh!" Taiqing sighed helplessly and said nothing more. So the three of them set off on their journey back to Kunlun Mountain.
Not long after they left, Hongjun also appeared here. He calculated with his fingers and immediately knew what had happened here. His face instantly turned gloomy.
"Well done, Zhunti! How dare you bully my disciple? This matter of insulting my disciple is not over! If it weren't for the fact that you have a karmic connection with me, I would have already gone to the West to demand an explanation from you!" Clearly enraged, his eyes held a hint of murderous intent. Then, as if remembering something, he flicked his sleeve and vanished from the spot in an instant.
Rahu... there's Rahu's aura! Is he nearby?
Meanwhile, Zhunti, covered in wounds and barely alive, crawled back to Mount Ling, startling Jieyin, who was still meditating. Jieyin looked at his bruised and swollen brother with surprise, and without bothering with pleasantries, immediately helped him up and treated his injuries.
"Oh dear, brother, where have you been again? What happened to you, covered in injuries? Did that Eastern cultivator beat you up for no reason? Tell me what happened." Jieyin's expression was complicated; in truth, he could roughly guess the truth. Sigh, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened, but never in such a sorry state! Besides, even if his brother was incompetent, he could have run away; he shouldn't have been beaten like this…
"Waaah... Brother, it was them! The two of them took turns beating me... I was bound by some kind of magic weapon one of them used and couldn't leave at all! Brother, you have to get justice for me!!!" Zhunti cried loudly, tears streaming down his face. Coupled with his bruised and swollen face, it was truly a shocking sight. Even though they had gone through many years together and supported each other all the way to where they were now, and could understand each other's intentions with just a glance, Jieyin couldn't help but feel disgusted by the scene. It was too much to bear... But after all, the two had a deep friendship, so it wasn't good to make it too obvious.
He had no choice but to first calm down Zhunti, who was on the verge of a breakdown. While thinking about how to comfort him, he was furious at the culprit who had beaten his brother so badly—it was outrageous and extremely arrogant! However, his cultivation was currently inferior to theirs, and he lacked spiritual treasures. If he rashly went to their door, wouldn't he be throwing his life away? Besides, there were three of them, and their cultivation was not to be underestimated. They were probably quite powerful.
"Brother! You must get justice for me! Otherwise, I will die with my eyes open!" Zhunti was still crying and sobbing, his mind only on how to get revenge on the other party. He didn't think about anything else at all. What a brainless guy!
Jieyin sighed helplessly, his face contorted with frustration. He thought, "Could it be because my younger brother is a manifestation of the Bodhi tree, and is he inherently a bit dim-witted? Even if his background is decent, he shouldn't have provoked cultivators he shouldn't have! Bullying a cub—what kind of behavior is that! It's incredibly shameful! Although my brother's initial intention was good—to secure a chance for the West—it's still unacceptable to be so utterly shameless and indifferent! Just because the Bodhi tree is unaffected by karma, and karma can be extinguished, does that mean he can disregard all living beings and kill them at will?"
In my opinion, it's fortunate that the other party didn't actually kill him; they were just venting their anger. That's enough to prove their compassion and magnanimity. Instead of being repentant and grateful, you actually dared to instigate me to do such a despicable thing to get revenge? Haha, isn't that just walking into a trap and ruining your own future?
After much deliberation, Jieyin decided to try to persuade him gently, knowing there was nothing he could do if he didn't listen.
“Brother, listen to my advice. There’s plenty of time in the future.”
Zhunti was completely shocked. He never expected that all his wailing would only result in his brother's nonchalant "Never mind"? Brother, you've changed. You weren't like this before!
"Cough cough cough cough, you're still recovering from your injuries, so don't think about fighting all the time. It's quite detrimental to your cultivation path... If you're worried that those two enemies will come knocking on your door, you don't need to worry. When you're out and about, you like to disguise yourself as this old Taoist priest, so most cultivators can't tell the difference." Jieyin awkwardly touched his nose.
To be honest, it's really too embarrassing. If you can't beat someone, you can't beat them. Is it so hard to admit it? Okay, anyway, I'm not going to die just to save face. Bro, face reality.
Zhunti: "..." As expected, you still dislike my appearance. Tsk tsk, brother, you really don't love me anymore QAQ
He silently reverted to his original skin, looking much younger and more pleasing to the eye than the old Taoist. However, his bruised and swollen face was quite pitiful.
Is this the consequence of Heaven's resentment towards us for going to the East to plunder—I mean, to seek opportunities? Is this the punishment Heaven deliberately inflicted? What a calamity! When will the West finally prosper!
Seeing that his words of comfort had no effect, but instead caused Zhunti to be heartbroken, weeping bitterly, his heart breaking, Jieyin was filled with grief. He looked at him with a troubled expression. Had he used the wrong words and hurt his younger brother's fragile little heart? What should he do?
Back then, the West wasn't as barren as it is now, but it was barely enough for the two of them to take human form. The spiritual energy within a hundred miles was so scarce that it wasn't enough to support more plants, insects, and fish gaining sentience and taking human form. They both believed that their own transformation was the reason why no spiritual beings had been born for millions of years, and they felt guilty about it, secretly vowing to develop and strengthen the West. Unfortunately, ideals are beautiful, but reality is cruel. Along their journey, they only managed to find some still intact spiritual veins. Although these veins were rare and their spiritual energy thin, they were the reason the two brothers persevered.
So they decided to go to the richer and more spiritually vibrant East to seek more opportunities. The journey was long and the hardships were known only to the two of them. But when they thought of the West, which was desperately in need of resources, they gritted their teeth and risked being relentlessly pursued by Eastern cultivators, only to be repeatedly thwarted. They also developed a very negative impression of Eastern cultivators.
Fortunately, there's still a glimmer of hope. Although the risks are great, it's not all for naught. Over the years, they've accumulated a modest fortune, enough to make them presentable. Little by little, they've built up a substantial foundation for a future breakthrough!
However, we must stop my brother's reckless thoughts no matter what; getting revenge isn't something we should be doing now.
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