Chapter 21, Forming Cliques and Factions

Words : 1287 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 21: Chapter 21, Forming Cliques and Factions Bai Jin shifted his gaze away from Long-Eared Ding Guang. Long-Eared Ding Guang looked up at Bai Jin, his eyes faintly tinged with anger. What do you mean by looking at me?! Am I one who betrays his Master and ancestors? Bai Jin continued, "Master has always doted on his disciples, and has been particularly lenient with them. However, I must say this now: do not take Master’s favor as a license to indulge yourselves, as even if the Master does not punish you, as your senior brother, I will not let you off easily. Before you joined our sect, you were all unrestrained and loved freedom, nobody governed you. But after joining the sect, some habits need to be changed: consuming raw flesh and blood, using foul language, tendencies of killing, disrespecting hierarchy, once I discover any of these, I will immediately report to the Master and have you expelled from the sect." All disciples from Upper Pure Peak stood solemnly and respectfully said, "Thank you for your instruction, senior brother, we dare not offend." Satisfied, Bai Jin smiled and made a bowing gesture, "That is good, you are dismissed!" All Outer Disciples returned the bow and then dispersed in small groups. The corners of Bai Jin’s mouth curled into a barely perceptible smile. These Outer Disciples love freedom and unrestraint, don’t they? Now that I have imposed so many restrictions on them, certainly they will feel dissatisfied. Eventually, when one or two troublemakers emerge, I will strictly punish them, creating a situation leading to public outrage. Then the title of Outer Disciple Leader will surely be taken away by the Master, haha~ I’m indeed clever! Now I will go and pay respects to the Master and Elder. ... Behind the mountain at Youquan Waterfall, the roaring sound of flowing water echoed as Duobao Taoist sat cross-legged under the waterfall, his single palm raised in front of his chest, his body emanated the glow of Upper Pure Immortal Light. A streak of clear light descended from the sky and landed on a rock beside the waterfall, transforming into a young man with large ears. Long-Eared Ding Guang respectfully bowed and said, "Greetings to the First Senior Brother!" Duobao Taoist’s eyes suddenly opened wide; a domineering aura spread from him. Long-Eared Ding Guang’s pupils shrank, his heart quaked with fear, thinking his First Senior Brother looked much more fearsome than Bai Jin, thus he bowed even deeper. Duobao Taoist lowered his raised hand and said displeasingly, "Long-Eared Ding Guang, what are you doing here?" Long-Eared Ding Guang quickly replied, "Senior Brother, your junior brother has come to seek your support." Duobao Taoist looked at Long-Eared Ding Guang, asked, "To seek my support?" He shook his head and said, "I don’t need it, Bai Jin is the Outer Disciple Leader." Long-Eared Ding Guang respectfully said, "It is you who are our First Senior Brother, the Outer Disciple Leader is just an Outer Disciple Leader. Bai Jin has only just returned and laid down a series of rules, restricting our hearts, what then is the meaning of pursuing the Tao of Cultivation? Senior Brother, we need you to uphold justice for us." A few more streaks of green light fell, half-kneeling on the ground, respectfully saying, "We beseech you, Senior Brother, to uphold justice for us." Seeing the few people half-kneeling beside the lake, Duobao’s heart quivered, his long-absent Dao Heart was momentarily touched, surprising himself. After pondering, he said, "We shall discuss the Tao here tomorrow morning." Long-Eared Ding Guang and others joyously said, "Thank you, First Senior Brother!" From the beginning, Long-Eared Ding Guang looked down on Bai Jin, who was only more lucky in starting earlier with the Master. As a being from the Primordial Strange Species, he deemed himself not inferior to a direct disciple, how could he willingly submit to a mere ordinary Crane like Bai Jin?! But this First Senior Brother, possessing outstanding talent with potential to question the Great Tao, was indeed the only person worth following. ... The next dawn, Bai Jin had arrived early at Mirror Lake, and soon, Outer Disciples from Upper Pure Peak began to gather. Bai Jin looked around and was inwardly pleased, as the number of people had diminished by nearly half. He directly asked, "Why haven’t Long-Eared Ding Guang and the others come?" Shi Ji respectfully answered, "Senior Brother Long-Ears has gone to the back hill to discuss the Tao with the First Senior Brother." "First Senior Brother? I understand." Bai Jin nodded smilingly[cntd in next message] He immediately floated up and headed towards the back mountain. The remaining disciples all whispered quietly. "Is the first disciple going to the back mountain?" "No way! Long Ears and the others are with Senior Brother Duobao." "I feel something might happen, the first disciple is ruthless, he even dared to slap Western Brother in front of our master." "Let’s go! Let’s see~" "Let’s go see!" ... Everyone quietly followed them. At the Youquan Waterfall on the back mountain, Duobao was sitting on a green stone, with a table placed on the riverbank holding leftover food, and the campfire nearby had already gone out, sending up wisps of smoke. Long Ears and the others all lay on the ground, squinting slightly inebriated. Long Ears burped and said, "First disciple, what do we cultivate for?" Duobao replied calmly, "Cultivation is to enlighten the mind towards nature, striving for the peak." Long Ears laughed heartily, "First disciple, we can’t compare with you, you are like the Nine Heavens Roc, while we are just sparrows in the forest, we dare not even think about striving for the peak. What we seek is to follow our hearts and be free." The other junior brothers also laughed and said, "That’s right!" "Exactly! First disciple, you are destined to become a famed figure in the Primordial World, and in the future, we would simply run errands for you." "Yes! As long as the first disciple looks after us a bit, we can freely wander the Primordial World." "When the first disciple reaches out to the sky, we will cheer and shout for him." ... Flattering words were spoken. Taoist Duobao’s face held a trace of a smile, as if he could suddenly feel the joy of his master. Bai Jin, a person who flatters such as this, though useless, was quite comforting to have around. Tap~ Tap~ Tap~ A sequence of footsteps sounded. Everyone immediately fell silent, all turning their heads to look, only to see Bai Jin wrapped in a white mist, walking towards them in the morning light. Bai Jin walked to the side of the waterfall, bowed, and said, "I’ve seen the first disciple!" Bai Duobao smiled and said, "Junior Brother Bai Jin, what brings you here?" Bai Jin straightened up and said, "Yesterday, I set the outer door sect rules, other than those in seclusion, all outer disciples must go to Mirror Lake to recite scriptures in the morning. Today I heard Long Ears and others came to listen to teachings from the first disciple, so I came to see." Looking at the leftover food, he said sarcastically, "First disciple, what teachings did you give them?" Indeed, Bai Jin was here to pick a fight, the bigger the issue, the better, so he could use this to shed his identity as the leader of the outer disciples. Duobao remained silent. Bai Jin looked at Long-Eared Ding Guang and said, "Junior Brother Long Ears, tell us, what did the first disciple teach you?" Long-Eared Ding Guang stood up, bowed, and said, "Reporting to the first disciple, the first disciple taught us the way of combat."

Chapter 21, Forming Cliques and Factions

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