Chapter 58

The grand competition among the disciples, held once every four years, was scheduled for the first half of December, which was already close to the end of the year.

It was now October, deep into autumn, but the humid and hot weather in Yunzhou had not improved.

There were about two months left until the competition began. This grand competition would serve as a selection contest for the second-generation disciples to choose their personal disciples. Once this news was announced, it immediately caused a huge stir throughout the Qingyun Temple.

Although several third-generation disciples were already registered under their masters, such as Lu Qingzheng having two disciples, Yun Chong and Jiang Yunhan, and Yue Qinglan having several female disciples including Yun Rui and Yun Xue; Qing Shi Daoist, besides Yun Yong, also had five disciples named Xi, Cai, Fu, Lu, and Shou; Lin Yuncun was a registered disciple of He Qingzhu; and Qingyan had just taken in the taciturn boy Xiao Yunfeng... However, these were merely registered disciples, and there was a significant difference between them and personal disciples. The most important difference was that personal disciples would receive more detailed guidance and higher-level martial arts. They would even receive auxiliary elixirs and other benefits, supplied regularly and in fixed quantities by the temple... These substantial benefits were absolutely not available to ordinary registered disciples.

Immediately, the third-generation disciples launched a frenzied martial arts advancement movement. For a time, the entire temple was filled with the sounds of martial arts practice from morning till night.

Since Ye Qingxuan had been given an "extremely arduous and important" task, he was temporarily out of the picture for this grand "Master's Competition" movement.

At this moment, in Ye Qingxuan's own independent courtyard, all the entrusted parties were present, standing in a row, waiting for the junior uncle's instructions.

Qingxuan looked over these seven little troublemakers from head to toe, the more he looked, the more he felt a headache coming on.

Lu Yunxuan, with her hair in a topknot and a mischievous smile on her face;

Lu Yunming, with a runny nose, seemingly quiet on the surface but mischievous at heart;

Ma Yunyong, with a full beard, towering over others, looking fierce on the outside but lecherous at heart;

Lin Yuncun, with clear eyes and a high nose, severely nearsighted, underdeveloped, and shorter than others, even shorter than Yunyong;

And the three new arrivals,

Xiao Yunfeng, with a stern face and a taciturn personality, who barely responded to questions;

Qian Yunzhong, as fat as a pig, as fawning as Yunyong, and even more lecherous;

Hu Yunzheng, as thin as a monkey, carefree, and looking around with a nonchalant expression...

Xiao Yunfeng was the little beggar who had followed the second senior brother to the temple. After a brief nap, he searched for food and met Qingxuan. Upon confirming that Qingyan Daoist was in the temple, he decided to stay and learn martial arts. The second senior brother seemed to have made a deal with the little beggar: if he could follow the second senior brother all the way to the temple, he would take him as a disciple.

Seeing his determination, Qingyan took him in as a registered disciple but immediately entrusted him to Ye Qingxuan. This was part of their plan from the night they discussed it.

Qian Yunzhong and Hu Yunzheng were both from merchant families in Kunyang, the largest city in the thirteen counties of Yunzhou.

The fat one, Yunzhong, was six years old, with the secular name Qian Zhong. His father, Qian Manchuang, was the head of the largest restaurant in Kunyang, "Songhe Tower," renowned for his culinary skills.

The thin one, Yunzheng, with the secular name Hu Zheng, was also six years old, two months older than Qian Zhong. His father was the head of the largest pawnshop in Kunyang.

Both boys, in terms of their background and family, were quite wealthy. Their families were neighbors and close friends, and the two boys had been playmates since childhood. Their fathers were busy with business, and their mothers doted on their precious sons, leading to a lack of discipline. The two boys often caused trouble together.

Since they lived in a commercial street, these two boys would either set fire to a shop today or smash one tomorrow... causing endless trouble for their fathers.

Just as the fifth disciple of the old immortal from Qingyun Temple was seeking disciples, the two families decided to send their sons to the mountain for some training. Qingyang Town was not too far from Kunyang, a four-day journey at most, and Qingyun Temple had a good reputation among the people. The two families did not expect their sons to learn any extraordinary skills, but hoped they would endure some hardship and suffering, understand the value of money, and become more mature.

Moreover, Qingyun Temple belonged to the Zhengyi Sect, where Taoists could marry and have children, ensuring the continuation of their family lines. Thus, the two families, after much discussion, found Qing Shi Daoist, begged and pleaded, and offered a substantial amount of silver, promising to provide more incense money in the future, to have Qing Shi reluctantly take the two boys back to the temple.

From the beginning, these two boys came to the temple with a reputation for trouble.

"Junior Uncle, what are your instructions?"

Looking at the round body, round hands, round head, and round face, Qingxuan really wanted to kick him and see how far he would roll.

"Stand up straight for me. Look at you all, some tall, some short, some fat, some thin—"

Yunxuan covered her mouth and laughed, but was immediately glared at by Qingxuan, scaring her into silence. Ye Qingxuan sighed inwardly, shook his head helplessly, and continued, "Those who look normal are not in good spirits."

Ma Yunyong, Lu Yunxuan, Lu Yunming, and Lin Yuncun were all veterans of the temple and knew the power of Junior Uncle Qingxuan, so they all stood obediently without a word.

The three new arrivals, however, were like young bulls, not taking Qingxuan seriously. After all, they were just six or seven years old, why should they listen to him?

Xiao Yunfeng was naturally taciturn and cold, but he knew some of Qingxuan's methods, so he remained silent; Qian Yunzhong, though fat, was cunning and knew to avoid trouble with a senior; only the thin and temperamental Yunzheng, who was sent to the mountain by his father, was already full of anger and planned to cause a ruckus and be sent back down the mountain. He could not tolerate a little brat giving him orders.

Qingxuan's words immediately infuriated this thin boy. Before Qingxuan could finish, Yunzheng jumped out, pointed at Qingxuan's nose, and cursed, "Stinking Taoist, stop pretending with me, in Kunyang, I can beat up seven or eight big Taoists a day... You little Taoist, still wet behind the ears, dare to tell me what to do? You're asking for it!"

"Don't, Ah Zheng," the little fat boy Yunzhong rushed out to stop him, his face worried and his tone sincere, "Ah Zheng, how can you talk to Junior Uncle like that?" Turning around, he gave a thumbs-up to Yunzheng and mouthed, "Real man!"

Encouraged, Yunzheng became even more arrogant, but he only saw the excited expression of the little fat boy and missed the shocked looks of the others, who were all staring at him as if he were a monkey about to be executed.

Hu Yunzheng didn't care about any seniority. He thought to himself: It's because of these Taoists that my carefree life in Kunyang came to an abrupt end. Because of these guys, my days of freedom are over.

Thinking of this, Qingxuan's smiling face became increasingly infuriating. He punched Qingxuan.

"Wow—" The disciples already in the temple all gasped in unison, thinking, "He's got guts!"

Seeing the rebellion, Qingxuan was actually quite pleased.

From the beginning, Qingxuan knew that to make these boys listen, he needed to establish his authority. He was looking for someone to pick on, to set an example, and he was worried that the others wouldn't dare to step forward. But he found just the right candidate in this hot-headed boy. He thought to himself, "Little boy, you're out of luck. If not you, who else?"

Qingxuan remained calm, his usual faint smile on his face, his hands behind his back, standing alone.

As the punch approached, he casually extended his left hand, or rather, just one finger. Qingxuan's index finger lightly tapped Yunzheng's elbow, and "Ouch," Yunzheng felt his entire right arm go numb, unable to muster any strength. The punch was stopped in mid-air.

Qingxuan grabbed Hu Yunzheng's sleeve with his left hand, turned him around, and kicked him in the buttocks.

Thud—

"Ah—"

With a scream, Yunzheng flew through the air like a rag doll, tumbling uncontrollably...