Bai Jin immediately asked, "Master, how shall we deal with the two disciples kneeling outside?"
Primordial retracted his smile, saying indifferently, "Let them kneel for a day."
Bai Jin nodded in understanding, "I see. I will send a disciple to fetch Golden Light Immortal tomorrow at noon."
Primordial nodded, "Good!"
"Then I will take my leave now."
"After returning, properly discipline your fellow sect members. How long can a pandemonium reign? Tongtian has been far too insolent!"
"Yes!" Bai Jin respectfully complied, rising to walk towards the exit.
"And another thing, stop repeating that phrase."
Bai Jin paused in his steps, turning around in confusion, "Master, which phrase do you refer to?"
Primordial’s face twitched slightly as he spoke somberly, "The one about ’At the end of the great Dao, who will stand as the peak? When facing the Primordial Dao, all else becomes void.’ I still care about my reputation."
"But in my heart, Master, that’s the image you embody! To be an immortal is to be honest," said Bai Jin earnestly.
"One must be honest in moderation. The Primordial World is treacherous; otherwise, you won’t even know how you met your end. Now go!"
"Thank you for your teaching, Master. I will bear it in mind," Bai Jin said, turning to leave the grand hall.
A day and night passed, and the following day two auspicious clouds soared out simultaneously from Upper Pure Peak and Yuqing Peak, descending upon a shattered peak. Two figures were kneeling upright—Golden-haired Zombie and Taiyi True Man.
As the clouds dispersed, two people descended from the clouds—Shi Ji and Ci Hang.
Ci Hang, looking directly at Golden Light Immortal, said coldly, "My Master, the Saint, has forgiven you. Rise."
Golden Light Immortal bowed deeply three times and exclaimed loudly, "Many thanks to Master Yuan Shi."
Shi Ji also said, "Taiyi, considering this is your first offense, our Master has generously pardoned you. Dare you offend again, you will not be spared lightly."
Taiyi True Man also kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Master!"
The two stood up, exchanged a glance, and simultaneously snorted coldly.
Ci Hang looked at Golden Light Immortal, "Junior brother, there will be a long time for us in the future."
Golden Light Immortal opened his mouth to reveal two sharp zombie fangs, coldly saying, "I have witnessed the ability of my senior brother and concede defeat."
A flash of anger crossed Ci Hang’s face, think if you ever fall into my hands, I will make sure you can neither live nor die.
Taiyi True Man also looked at Shi Ji and said casually, "Junior Sister, until we meet again."
Shi Ji responded with detachment, "I’m not worthy of such attention from senior brother.
Golden Light, follow me back. Our senior brother wants to see you."
"Yes!" Golden Light Immortal hurriedly complied.
The senior brother whom Sister Shi Ji spoke of must be Outer Disciple Leader Bai Jin. At the thought of his identification token being shattered, the entire zombie felt uneasy. Bai Jin wouldn’t use this as an opportunity to expel me, would he?! He is very unfeeling and harsh; last time, he expelled hundreds of fellow sect members in one go.
With trepidation, Golden Light Immortal followed Shi Ji towards Upper Pure Peak.
Ci Hang also took Taiyi towards Yuqing Peak.
Golden Light Immortal followed Shi Ji to the gate of Bai Jin’s Tao Palace, which stood wide open.
Shi Ji descended from the cloud head and called out, "Senior brother, we have returned."
"Come in!" Bai Jin’s voice emanated from within the palace gates.
The two entered and saw Bai Jin seated in meditation on the bed, with a green identity card hovering in front of him.
Golden Light Immortal hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully, calling out, "Greetings, Senior Brother!"
Bai Jin waved his hand casually, and the identity card immediately flew out, hovering in front of Golden Light Immortal. Smiling, he said, "This is your new identity card. Take good care of it, and make sure it doesn’t get destroyed by others again."
Golden Light Immortal relaxed and immediately looked up with surprise, saying, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
He quickly reached out to take the identity card and sent a strand of Divine Thought into it. The card instantly displayed a three-dimensional image of Golden Light Immortal, with a few lines of text beside it.
Discipleship: Jie Sect Outer Disciples, Second Generation, Twentieth Disciple.
Place of Origin: Black Cloud Mountain.
Current Residence: Golden Light Peak of Kunlun Mountain.
Golden Light Immortal’s pupils dilated abruptly. The twentieth disciple? Wasn’t he ranked over three hundred? Looking up at Bai Jin in confusion, he said, "Senior Brother, what’s this?"
Bai Jin said with a smile, "Faults must be punished, but merits must also be rewarded. You stood your ground, neither servile nor overbearing, and dared to resist openly in the face of the siege by the Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, showing the true spirit of our Jie Sect disciples. Therefore, this is the position and status you deserve."
Golden Light Immortal clenched his fists, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
"Don’t get too happy just yet. If you act recklessly and violate the sect rules, I can also bring you back down to earth," said Bai Jin sternly.
Golden Light Immortal hurriedly said, "I wouldn’t dare! I will dedicate myself to cultivation, obeying only your command, Senior Brother, and I will not act imprudently."
Bai Jin shook his head with a sigh and said, "I don’t need you all to obey me in every matter. It’s better if you can just not cause me any worries." Waving his hand, he said, "You all may go now."
Golden Light Immortal and Shi Ji bowed and turned to leave through the grand gates of the Tao Palace.
In the following days, there was no improvement in the relationship between Yuqing Peak and Shangqing Peak. On the contrary, the atmosphere turned even tenser. It was as though an invisible barrier lay between the two peaks, creating two separate worlds.
As Bai Jin walked between the two peaks, he could clearly feel the difference and couldn’t help but think absurdly. Are Master and Master Yuan Shi really in a cold war over just a fight between juniors? Is it worth it?! One is proud, the other is arrogant; both are difficult to deal with. He felt an even greater sense of helplessness, realizing it was up to him to expend the effort.
First, Bai Jin went to Taiching Palace to pay his respects, then he discussed with Senior Master Taishang before heading towards Yuqing Peak.
In the bamboo forest next to Yuqing Peak, Ci Hang, who was weaving bamboo baskets, suddenly paused and turned her head towards the auspicious cloud descending from the sky, saying displeased, "He’s here again!"
Not far away, Taishi True Man, who was sitting in the bamboo forest, opened his eyes, suppressing the anger within.
Qingxu True Monarch said helplessly, "He visits Yuqing Palace more often than we do. In the end, is it us or him who is truly Master’s disciple?"
Guang Chengzi said helplessly, "Master dotes on him; what can we do?"
Several disciples had the same thought. Should we also pay our respects? No, they immediately dismissed this thought from their minds, as such obsequious behavior was not befitting of those pursuing the Tao.
A withered figure appeared; Ran Deng said with a smile, "Bai Jin is shameless and fawning, something we, who cultivate in purity, can certainly not compare with. However, it is possible to lower his standing in Master’s heart."
Guang Chengzi hastily said, "Please enlighten us, teacher."
Ran Deng pointed out, "The biggest reason he is favored by Master is that he once gave Master a vehicle as a gift."
The faces of the disciples all stirred at once. A vehicle?
Guang Chengzi asked, "Teacher, are you talking about the Nine Dragons Incense Chariot?"
Ran Deng said with a smile, "That’s right, the vehicle is indeed the Nine Dragons Incense Chariot. Though grand, it is a bit too extravagant and flamboyant.
The mount of Taishang Saint is the Green Bull, and the mount of Saint Tongtian is the Kui Niu. From this, it can be seen that saints prefer low-profile and steady mounts such as bulls."