Elder Jie Liang still maintained his usual demeanor, a stoic expression as if he were giving a lecture in the hall. However, when Yu Ci looked at him, he slightly bowed his head, "I came especially tonight to express my gratitude."
"Eh?" Yu Ci felt like he was lost in a thick fog, utterly bewildered. He had no idea when he had managed to assist such a figure with vast divine power.
In the time it took to exchange these few words, the group had already entered the house. Only then did Yu Ci realize that, in his absent-mindedness, he had led the guest to the wrong room. The room he had just been in was not meant for entertaining guests, but rather a quiet room for rest. There was only a single desk in the room, and everyone would have to sit on the floor. Not to mention the clutter on the desk.
Yu Zhou stroked his beard and chuckled. Yu Ci put his doubts aside and apologized, "The room is a bit messy."
"It doesn't matter." Yu Zhou's attitude was even more casual. He waved his hand, walked straight over, and knelt down next to the desk. His seating was casual, but there was no distinction of rank in his position. Elder Jie Liang followed and sat down. Seeing this, Yu Ci felt even more inadequate.
Bao Guang took the initiative to serve tea and water. Yu Ci also relaxed, sitting across the desk from Elder Jie Liang.
His heart was at ease, but his doubts remained. As soon as Yu Ci sat down, he asked, "I am dull and do not understand what Master Jie Liang means by expressing gratitude."
"It's about the medicinal herbs."
Old Daoist Yu Zhou interrupted with a laugh, "You still don't know. The medicinal herbs I asked you to find that day were exactly what Junior Brother Jie urgently needed. Today, he saw the herbs and was very satisfied, so he specifically asked to come and express his gratitude."
Yu Ci hadn't expected this twist. Just as he was surprised, he saw Elder Jie Liang slightly bowing his body to him in respect. Even though he was a fearless figure, the solemn attitude of a Vacuum Walking Immortal Leader left him somewhat flustered for a moment.
Regaining his composure, he returned the salutation, "I dare not. It's an honor for me to be able to assist the Immortal Elder."
Of course, these were just polite words. As he spoke, he glanced at Yu Zhou, seeing the Old Daoist simply stroking his beard with a smile, without any hint of a hint, which made him feel even more strange.
However, upon hearing this, Elder Jie Liang responded, "This has nothing to do with Immortal Elder or disciples. At that time, you were not a disciple of the Sect, but you helped me find the medicine without expecting any reward. Naturally, I should come to thank you personally to fulfill the etiquette."
His tone was still stern, and he seemed even more rigid. But Yu Ci's impression of this Immortal Elder improved greatly. He didn't use his power to oppress others, didn't feel ashamed of being superior, and dealt with matters on their merits. This was the demeanor of an immortal, which was quite admirable.
Yu Ci, being adept at reading faces, understood how to communicate with this person. He humbly responded a few more times, then suddenly remembered the two words Elder Jie Liang had used earlier:
"At that time?"
His gaze shifted again to the Old Daoist. He saw Yu Zhou reach out and touch the box on the desk that contained the Fish-Dragon, laughing, "The second matter I came for is my suggestion: This Fish-Dragon of yours is of excellent quality. If you were to exchange it for a mere two thousand five hundred Merit Points, I would feel sorry for you. Junior Brother Jie is proficient in many fields of cultivation, especially in medicine and the Method of External Alchemy. Today, by chance, I asked him to take a look and see how to appraise a reasonable price for the Fish-Dragon, or to think of a long-term plan, so as not to do something as foolish as killing the goose that lays the golden eggs."
To Yu Ci's surprise, Yu Zhou was still preoccupied with the matter, eliciting a mix of helplessness and emotion within him.
The Old Daoist indeed had a rapport with him and had taken care of him in many ways. The goodwill was something that Yu Ci could clearly feel. However, their views did not align. In Yu Ci's perspective, although the Fish-Dragon was precious, it was not irreplaceable. What he valued more was the qualification to practice the Longevity Methods in the Lichen Sect.
He believed that as long as he truly practiced the Longevity Methods and further improved his abilities, coupled with the support of the Divine Map, acquiring something as precious as the Fish-Dragon would just be a matter of time. There was absolutely no need to haggle over it at this point.
On this matter, the Old Daoist evidently did not share his viewpoint.
Of course, Yu Ci would not be so foolish as to not appreciate the efforts of the Old Daoist and Yu Zhou, who had built bridges and paved roads for him. If he were to be picky now, he would be beyond foolish.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, he maintained a calm exterior. Firstly, he expressed his gratitude to Yu Zhou and Elder Jie Liang. Then, under the Old Daoist's guidance, he held out the Stone Box with both hands and handed it to Elder Jie Liang.
Elder Jie Liang received it but did not rush to open it. After some thought, he swept his gaze across Yu Ci's face, sharp as it was in the Moral Hall. Yu Ci was momentarily taken aback, then he saw Elder Jie Liang place the Stone Box back on the table.
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"Elder Yu, there's no rush. May I ask you a few questions?"
The question was directed at Yu Ci. He wanted to see Yu Zhou's reaction, but for some reason, when Elder Jie Liang's gaze fell on him, his entire body stiffened. His mind and body seemed disconnected, and even the reflexive act of shifting his gaze was frozen.
Impressive! It did not have the grandeur of Jin Huan's Great Dazzling Extreme Yang Method, but that Sha aura had achieved complete control without him realizing it. Yu Ci wondered if this Immortal Elder could kill him without even lifting a finger.
Yu Ci did not believe that Elder Jie Liang would harm him, but being completely passive in this situation was indeed uncomfortable. He slowly regulated his breathing, maintaining a calm demeanor, and responded respectfully, "Please enlighten me, Immortal Elder."
Elder Jie Liang did not show any change in emotion.
"Today, you've traded the Fish-Dragon, one of the Miraculous Treasures of Heaven and Earth, for the status of an Outer Disciple. What is your aim?"
Without hesitation, Yu Ci answered, "For Immortality."
Elder Jie Liang stared at him and continued, "Outer Disciples, as a rule, can only acquire one Innate Method for Qi Cultivation, which at most can enable you to condense a Yin Spirit. As for the Method of Longevity, the hope is faint, let alone the higher-level Vacuum Walking Method and Thunderbolt Tribulation Method. What will you use to seek Immortality?"
Yu Ci, a man, responded with a frown, "The Sect has not blocked the progress of the Outer Disciples. I have seen in the One Mind Hall, one can exchange Merit Points for Elixir Formulas."
Elder Jie Liang, a man, interrupted him, "Now there's a superior Alchemy Formula, which doesn't require any Merit Points, as long as you betray the Sect."
"Master Jie Xian!"
Yu Ci, in turn, interrupted Elder Jie Liang, showing no courtesy, "If I understand correctly, what I exchanged with the Fish-Dragon was the qualification to become an Outer Disciple, not merely the Longevity Methods. I chose this path when I exchanged the Fish-Dragon for these qualifications. Once I enter the Sect, what I should and shouldn't do, I will naturally abide by the rules of the Sect.
"Even if I did exchange the Fish-Dragon for the Longevity Methods, it was within the range that the Sect allows and even encourages. Isn't One Mind Hall established for this very reason? Why should the Immortal Elder be overly demanding?"
Knowing that Elder Jie Liang was likely testing him, Yu Ci was still annoyed. It was one thing to probe, but to do so in this manner was to consider him a fool.
"Very well."
Elder Jie Liang's rigid face showed no change in expression, but he slightly bowed, seemingly apologizing for his previous behavior, then said, "You understand this principle, but there are still those who do not."
As he spoke, he looked at Old Daoist Yu Zhou.
This effortless shift of focus left Yu Ci confused, but Elder Jie Liang didn't attempt to hide his intentions and directly said:
"Brother Yu, I have always disapproved of the Merit Deeds Exchange in the One Mind Hall. This disciple understands that what is exchanged in the One Mind Hall is an opportunity, not a physical object, yet you do not. Over the years, you have recommended many disciples to the Sect, but they have been of mixed quality. This should serve as a warning."
Yu Zhou, a man, furrowed his gray eyebrows, looking rather displeased, "The One Mind Hall has been established for three Thunderbolt Tribulations, and there is a reason for it. At the very least, without this system, wouldn't those who seek Immortality but cannot attain it be cut off from advancing?"
The "Thunderbolt Tribulation" mentioned by the Old Daoist is a unit of time. Each Thunderbolt Tribulation is three thousand six hundred years, originating from the Cultivation World's once-every-three-thousand-six-hundred-year Thunderbolt Tribulation that affects all cultivators, known as the "Four Nine Heavy Tribulations", representing one cycle of reincarnation.
The history of anything measured in "Thunderbolt Tribulations" is undoubtedly ancient.
Elder Jie Liang, with a shake of his head, said, "In the pursuit of the Immortal Path, serendipity is paramount. The Sect established the One Mind Hall for the internal purpose of providing an opportunity for Sect disciples to interact and broaden their connections, thereby increasing our chances of encountering serendipity. Externally, it offers those who are ardently seeking immortality an opportunity for advancement, but it is merely a chance.
"The Sect chooses its disciples with utmost caution. In addition to serendipity, comprehension, aptitude, and virtue are all indispensable. However, most of the Outer Disciples you selected through the One Mind Hall have misunderstood from the very beginning. They are often distracted by external objects, quibbling over every ounce, believing that with Merit Points, they can gradually ascend. They fail to realize that Merit Points themselves are worthless, and the resources obtained through Merit Points are not the goal of cultivation. One wrong step leads to a string of errors, which is truly regrettable.
"They are trapped within, unable to transcend, due to their lack of insight and comprehension. This is understandable. However, if you, my elder brother, also fall into this trap and even mislead them from the beginning, how absurd is that? Just like the disciple you recommended, his initial idea was quite good, but the final statement, I'm afraid, was instilled by you, wasn't it?"
Yu Zhou merely sneered, "I know you have a lot of objections to the One Mind Hall, but the Sect's four doctrines of Morality, Theory, Discipline, and Empiricism can all lead to enlightenment. This has been verified by our ancestors. The One Mind Hall is the key to Empiricism. If you want to deny it, you should take it up with our uncles and granduncles."
Elder Jie Liang pursed his lips, displaying his most apparent expression of the day, "The Empirical Department walks the path of proving the Dao through strength, wishing to quantify everything. However, when facing the Thunderbolt Tribulation, one must return to the cultivation of the heart. Just like you, over the years, to help you break through the Stasis Stage, the Sect not only allowed you to examine all the secret Elixir Formulas but also exceptionally passed on the Feather Concealment Ascension Method to you, hoping you would make further progress. Yet, to this day, you are still trapped in the cage of self-limitations, blaming yourself daily. Is this also a problem of resources?"
The so-called Stasis Stage refers to the lifespan limit of 300 years for a Golden Elixir cultivator, a well-known cultivation bottleneck, even a half-baked cultivator like Yu Ci has heard of it.
Having listened for so long, although Yu Ci didn't understand what the four doctrines of Morality, Theory, Discipline, and Empiricism really meant, he felt more in agreement with Elder Jie Liang's words. However, he also felt that this Immortal Elder's way of speaking was too terrible. Although he clearly meant well, every sentence poked at Yu Zhou's sore spots. This was not persuasion, it was an argument!
As expected, Yu Zhou's face turned very unpleasant.
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Ah, the debate of philosophies. However, there is no debate about clicking to bookmark. I want them all, please fulfill this wish, dear brothers and sisters!
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e