Chapter 86, Escalation of Conflict

Words : 1330 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 86: Chapter 86, Escalation of Conflict The next morning, Bai Jin had just stepped out from his own palace. "No good! Senior Brother, it’s bad~" A cry of alarm came from a distance. Bai Jin’s heart trembled, a foreboding feeling rising within him, Oh come on! What now? Can’t things be quiet for a moment?! A swift auspicious cloud came floating in, with Shi Ji standing amidst it, anxiously saying, "Senior Brother, Yun Zhongzi has accused Long-eared Light-fixing Immortal of stealing his rabbit." Bai Jin, irritated, said, "The Long-eared Light-fixing Immortal was originally a Rabbit Demon, how could he steal a rabbit?! Does Yun Zhongzi think we are fools?" Boom~ A powerful aura rose from the foot of the mountain. A roar sounded, "Yun Zhongzi, don’t run!" "It’s a misunderstanding! Fellow Daoist, this is all a misunderstanding!" A figure dashed across the sky, fleeing frantically towards Yuqing Peak. Shi Ji hesitated and asked, "Senior Brother, it seems Yun Zhongzi can’t beat Long-eared Light-fixing Immortal! What should we do now?" Bai Jin replied annoyedly, "Forget it, I’m going back to sleep." He turned and walked into the palace, the palace doors slamming shut with a bang. ... "Senior Brother, it’s bad! Ci Hang has been ambushed and beaten badly." "Senior Brother, it’s bad! Lingya Immortal has been ambushed, and his long teeth have been pulled out." "Senior Brother, it’s bad! The Eldest Senior Brother has beaten up all fourteen Jie Sect Disciples." "Senior Brother, it’s bad! The Eldest Senior Brother has been ambushed by Ran Deng and knocked down." ... Over the next few days, Shi Ji was constantly running back and forth outside, conveying one piece of bad news after another to Bai Jin. The friction between the two sects kept escalating, resulting in an unstoppable fiery conflict. Bai Jin, despite his efforts, couldn’t suppress it at all, especially with the likes of Ran Deng and Senior Brother Duobao, who didn’t listen to him, and the two Sect Hierarchs seemed oblivious to everything as if they hadn’t noticed at all, not showing the slightest reaction. At noon, Bai Jin sat on the back mountain heaving sighs of despair, it’s hopeless, might as well disband. "Senior Brother, it’s bad!" Once again, an urgent shout came. Bai Jin’s whole body trembled, and he leapt up subconsciously. A flash of green light shot down and transformed into the figure of Shi Ji, who turned to look at Bai Jin. Shi Ji urgently said, "Senior Brother..." Bai Jin put up his hand to stop him, cutting in, "Hold on, let me mentally prepare myself." He took a few deep breaths and nodded, saying, "Speak! What’s happened now?" "Disciples from both Chan Sect and Jie Sect are battling it out below! Senior Brother Duobao, Senior Sister Wudang, and Uncle Ran Deng have all joined the fray." Bai Jin instinctively clutched at his chest, staggered back two steps, and murmured in despair, "A melee, a melee has started?!" At once, he leapt into the air and flew off into the distance. Shi Ji hastily shouted, "Senior Brother, you’re flying in the wrong direction, it’s this way!" Bai Jin rode on a cloud to arrive at Taiqing Peak, and upon landing on the Cloud Head, he respectfully bowed deeply and said, "Disciple seeks to see the Eldest Uncle!" A little Taoist boy with a Golden Horn emerged from Taiching Palace and solemnly said, "Senior Brother, the master wants you to come in." "Thank you!" Bai Jin stood up and walked towards Taiching Palace, entered the Tao Palace, approached a meditation mat, knelt down and kowtowed, "Paying respects to the Eldest Uncle!" "Rise," a gentle voice sounded. Bai Jin stood up, seated himself on the meditation cushion, and began to lament, "Eldest Uncle, now the Chan Sect Disciples and Jie Sect Disciples are in constant conflict. I have already tried my best to quell the disruptions, but the effects are minimal. Please, Eldest Uncle, teach me what I should do. What exactly are Master and Second Master thinking? Why do they never speak out to stop this?" Taishang sat cross-legged in the principal seat, slowly shaking his head, "We have seen your efforts, but some things cannot be achieved through effort alone." "I don’t understand, why must the Jie Sect and Chan Sect be in endless dispute? Please, Eldest Uncle, enlighten me." "The paths are different and do not scheme together. Your Master’s Expounding the Way of Heaven and Second Master’s Extolling the Way of Heaven are in opposition, contradicting each other, and they cannot coexist. Hence, the feuds amongst disciples are also influenced by their respective paths." Bai Jin, bewildered, said, "Influenced by Master and Second Master, why don’t I feel anything?" Taishang looked at Bai Jin and said nothing, "You have adopted both of their paths, I’m not sure if I should say you are broad-minded or lack your own convictions." Bai Jin said awkwardly, "I think Master’s Tao is very true! And I also find Second Master’s Tao very reasonable." Taishang burst into a chuckle and slightly shook his head. "Eldest Uncle, water and fire can complement each other, Yin and Yang can merge, so why can’t Chan and Jie coexist? Don’t you see I’m learning very well?" "This way, you will not go far," Taishang abruptly changed the topic. "Do you know why a Saint is invincible?" "Saints are very powerful and won’t be defeated, it should be like that, right?" "Not so. Saints can be defeated by Saints. The so-called invincibility of Saints means within their own Tao, Saints are unbeatable. Every Saint firmly believes in their Tao, pursuing it to its utmost, using their Tao to suppress other great Taos. That is the invincibility of Saints, the invincibility of their own Tao. There is complementarity between water and fire because there exists a power stronger than water and fire intervening; the integration of Yin and Yang because a power stronger than Yin and Yang is maintaining harmony, but the Saint Dao cannot coexist side by side, for there is no power greater than the Saint Dao." Bai Jin said despondently, "Is there really no solution at all?" Taishang shook his head slightly, said sorrowfully, "Haven’t you already tried? Having made the effort is enough." "Disciple understands!" Bai Jin stood up, bowed to Taishang once more, and then turned to walk outside. Upon leaving the grand doors of Taiching Palace, Bai Jin looked at the vast Kunlun Mountain Range and his heart was restless. All his efforts had been in vain; some things indeed cannot be achieved through effort alone! Since it is destined that we will eventually part ways on bad terms, it might be better to amicably separate now, while we are still on good terms, considering it a peaceful farewell. Bai Jin rose on an auspicious cloud and flew toward Upper Pure Peak, his mind now at peace with his decision. Bai Jin landed on Upper Pure Peak and bowed towards Shangqing Palace, saying, "Disciple seeks an audience with Master!" A graceful little Taoist disciple came out from a side door, bowed, and said, "Senior Brother, Master has entered seclusion. Master said that matters concerning the Jie Sect are to be completely handled by you and Senior Brother Duobao." Bai Jin straightened his Daoist robe, formally knelt down, and kowtowed, "Disciple, seeks to see Master!" The little Taoist disciple was somewhat at a loss, thinking: What should I do now? Master didn’t mention this! Should I also kneel down and pay respects with Senior Brother?! Moments later, the grand doors of Shangqing Palace slowly opened, and a solemn voice came from within, "Come in." Bai Jin stood up, patted off the dust on his clothes, and walked into the Tao Palace as the doors once again closed. The little Taoist disciple felt a sense of relief. Bai Jin entered Shangqing Palace, knelt on the meditation cushion, and respectfully bowed, "Disciple pays respects to Master!" "Rise and speak," came the reply.

Chapter 86, Escalation of Conflict

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