Chapter 165 Puppet Cult Leader
Yuanshi looked closely, and with a slight movement of his fingers, the peacock egg finally hatched.
"Second Brother, you're back!" Tongtian finally remembered to greet him. Seeing that Yuanshi's eyes were on the Black Lotus of Annihilation, he proudly introduced Kong Xuan to Yuanshi, "Look, this is that peacock egg. It couldn't hatch no matter what I did. But I was clever enough to put the peacock egg on the Black Lotus of Annihilation, and now it has finally hatched."
"Kong Xuan is really picky. He's already picky even before he's hatched. He'll definitely be a powerful Quasi-Saint in the future," Tongtian boasted.
"Hmm, not bad, take good care of it." Yuanshi stared at Kong Xuan's colorful feathers. No wonder Chang Hao wanted the peacock cloak; it would be an unparalleled and magnificent garment if made from it.
"Second Uncle, First Uncle is still waiting for you," Duobao said, keeping his eyes down and reminding him when he had a spare moment.
Second Uncle, First Uncle is still dealing with the visitors for you, don't waste your breath on his idle master.
"Second Brother..." Tongtian hesitated, "You'd better be mentally prepared."
Yuanshi almost couldn't resist trying to figure out what was going on. Wasn't it just that someone had passed through his chain formation? But the secrets of heaven were in chaos, and he really couldn't figure anything out.
"Duobao, someone else has passed through the formation. Go and bring him to Yuxu Palace." Yuanshi decided to meet this troublesome person.
"Yes, Second Master Uncle." Duobao hurriedly left, determined to lead the newly trained cultivators through the formation slowly.
Tongtian, eager to watch the spectacle, hurriedly followed behind Yuanshi, carrying the Black Lotus of Annihilation. It was a rare treat to witness his second brother's humiliation.
“Brother…” Yuanshi entered the hall and looked around. He saw that besides Laozi sitting at the head of the table, there was a Taoist standing below him.
“Yuanshi, you’ve returned just in time. This fellow Daoist insists on seeing you, but I cannot do so without permission.” Laozi’s eyelids twitched, but he didn’t lift his head; he really didn’t want to see this person.
How shameless! Even when Yuanshi set up the Chain Formation, he would only accept juniors as disciples. He wouldn't even accept a guest from the dignified Zixiao Palace who dared to challenge the formation.
"Randeng pays respects to Yuanshi Tianzun," Randeng rose calmly to bow, displaying a free and unrestrained spirit, "Paying respects to Lingbao Tianzun."
"Fellow Daoist Ran Deng, there's no need for such formalities. May I ask what brings you here?" Yuan Shi, considering that they had both listened to Daoist teachings at Zi Xiao Palace, reluctantly decided to listen to this person's purpose.
"Upon hearing that Yuanshi Tianzun had set up an array to recruit a few suitable disciples, Randeng shamelessly came to recommend himself and has already passed the linked array, hoping to become Yuanshi Tianzun's disciple," Randeng said with a do-or-die attitude.
As one of the three thousand guests of Zixiao, Ran Deng felt very uncomfortable watching his fellow Daoists who had listened to the Dao with him in the past break through to the Great Luo and become Quasi-Saints.
However, his cultivation level remained unchanged for countless years, which made Randeng anxious.
Yuanshi's face was already ashen. "Fellow Daoist, you jest. I once listened to the Daoist teachings under the Dao Ancestor's tutelage with you. Now that you've taken me in as your disciple, where does that leave the Dao Ancestor? And where does that leave me?"
Damn it, he actually forgot to set an age limit. Ran Deng is really shameless.
"This..." Randeng realized that he had been thinking too simply, only thinking that he would surely succeed in becoming a disciple by lowering himself, but he forgot to consider the face between Dao Ancestor and Yuanshi Tianzun, master and disciple.
“It was Ran Deng’s oversight,” Ran Deng readily admitted his mistake, then added, “If it is inconvenient for the Heavenly Venerable to accept Ran Deng as a disciple, Ran Deng is willing to serve as the Vice Leader of the Chan Sect, to convey the Heavenly Venerable’s decree, to teach the disciples of the sect, to manage the affairs of the Chan Sect, and to enforce the precepts and rules of the Chan Sect, so as not to trouble the Heavenly Venerable.”
At first, Yuan Shi thought it made sense; wasn't this exactly what Duo Bao had done? But something just felt off.
After Yuanshi Tianzun went over Randeng's words in his mind again, he suddenly became furious. With a flick of his sleeve, Randeng was sent flying backward...
"Second Brother, why are you angry?" Tongtian was puzzled. Just a moment ago, the atmosphere was harmonious and they were exchanging questions and answers, but suddenly his second brother turned hostile.
Yuanshi was still furious. "Randeng is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He wants to be the leader of the Chan Sect. He teaches his disciples, conveys imperial edicts, enforces precepts, and sets up sect rules. What use is he to me as the sect leader?"
"Isn't Duobao doing these things too?" Tongtian asked, puzzled.
Yuanshi patiently explained the differences to Tongtian: "Duobao is different from Randeng. Randeng is of the same generation as us. He must feel humiliated to come here today. Duobao, on the other hand, is the chief disciple of the Three Pure Ones and the current senior brother. He can do these things in a just and proper manner. But would Duobao dare to arbitrarily reward or punish his disciples?"
“Duobao knows his place. If we were both direct disciples, Duobao would naturally come to report. How could he make decisions on his own?” Tongtian understood a little.
"Chang Hao once said that rewards and punishments should be controlled by oneself and not easily delegated to others. Today, I have taken in Randeng in the Chan Sect, so that Randeng can use both kindness and severity to teach his disciples and build up goodwill. In the long run, where will he place me? Is this Chan Sect the Chan Sect of Yuanshi Tianzun or the Chan Sect of Randeng?"
The words "hidden power" and "puppet" that Chang Hao had once mentioned came to mind. If Yuanshi could tolerate this, he wouldn't be Yuanshi.
Duobao, who was waiting at the foot of the mountain to meet his future junior brother, looked up and, in a moment of alarm, quickly pulled Guangchengzi aside. The next second, Randeng crashed heavily at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, clearly indicating that Randeng was to return to where he came from.
Randeng fiercely wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, feeling as if his internal organs were being torn apart. "Why is the Heavenly Venerable doing this? Even if he looks down on Randeng, he could have simply let him leave. Why resort to such cruelty?"
"Get out! Don't defile my Jade Void Palace. If you dare to set foot in the Kunlun Mountains again, I will make sure you die and your soul is extinguished." Yuanshi's majestic voice, filled with raging anger, floated above Kunlun Mountains.
Seeing that things were hopeless, Randeng descended Kunlun Mountain with hatred for Yuanshi. What a bunch of Three Pure Ones! They were indeed arrogant and overbearing. Not only did they not treat him with courtesy when he came to submit, but they even dared to call for his attack. It was simply outrageous.
In the primordial world, you are not the only saints. Randeng went westward in a huff, but Kunlun Mountain did not care about him. There were many saints who did care.
Guang Chengzi's hand, hidden in his sleeve, trembled violently. "Brother Daoist, what did that fellow Daoist do just now?"
“You failed to become an apprentice,” Duobao blinked and gently comforted the serious Guang Chengzi in front of him, “But you don’t need to worry, you will definitely not be treated like this.”
Duobao had high hopes for Guangchengzi. Look at this junior brother, he speaks in a serious and methodical manner. Although he is a bit old-fashioned, he is polite and looks very capable.
Guang Chengzi followed Duobao with skepticism and unease, his fear of Yuanshi Tianzun reaching its limit.
"Duobao greets his eldest uncle, second uncle, and master..." Duobao bowed and meticulously completed a set of etiquette that he rarely used.
"Guang Chengzi pays respects to Yuanshi Tianzun, Daode Tianzun, and Lingbao Tianzun." Although Guang Chengzi's face was young, his demeanor was meticulous. Seeing Duobao perform the ceremony, he followed suit without hesitation, kneeling on the ground and not daring to get up.
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