Chapter 79

Yue Qing smiled and said, "I won't tell you now. You'll know when the time comes. Senior Sister, I've noticed that Ping'er and Sheng have been getting along very well lately, almost inseparable. This time, I'll let him go with you to the Northern Sea. Rongbo will go to Mangcang Mountain with Junior Brother Liu, and take Wei Kan to bring the filial son and his old mother back to the mountain."

Liu Quan asked, "If we all leave, who will guard the mountain gate?"

Yue Qing replied, "The mountain's protective array has been fully restored, connecting the five peaks. Both the maze and the killing array are set up. If ordinary people come to cause trouble, they will surely not fare well. Those with extraordinary magical power won't be interested in what we have here. Anyway, everyone's treasures are carried on their own bodies. Let them take the mountain if they want."

With the assignments settled, everyone split into three groups and walked out of the mountain gate. Xu Feiniang released a colorful mist, carrying Situ Ping and Sheng into the air, waved her hand, and flew northeast like a shooting star. Liu Quan, being the junior brother, asked Yue Qing to go first. Yue Qing instructed him to finish his business in Mangcang Mountain as soon as possible and head to Qingluo Valley. With a wave of golden light, he took Yang Li and shot southeast, breaking through the sky.

Yue Qing and Yang Li headed south until they reached Jiangxi Province, where they landed. The person he was looking for was named Tao Jun. He originally knew that Tao Jun lived in Nanchang, had lost his parents, and had a passion for martial arts from a young age. He had hired many teachers to teach him martial arts and, due to his generous spending, maintained a group of retainers, earning him the nickname "Little Mengchang." Using this information, Yue Qing performed a先天神卦 (先天神卦, a divine divination), and had already calculated his age, past and present life in detail. He directly went to Tao's residence and had Yang Li knock on the door.

A servant peeked out from inside, "What do you want?"

Yue Qing said, "I am Daoist Yue Qing, a cultivator from Taibai Palace on Wutai Mountain. I heard that there is a 'Little Mengchang' Tao Jun here who is obsessed with martial arts, generous, and has hired many experts to teach him. I have come to see his potential. If he is good, I will take him as a disciple and teach him martial arts. If not, I will go elsewhere."

The servant, seeing that Yue Qing and Yang Li had an extraordinary demeanor, did not dare to offend them easily. He asked them to wait and went inside to report.

Soon, the main gate opened again. In addition to the servant, two others came out. The one in front was a teenager of about seventeen or eighteen, with a face like a jade crown, long arms, and a narrow waist. His every move exuded youthful vitality. He first sized up Yue Qing and Yang Li, then bowed and said, "Junior Tao Jun greets the two Immortal Masters! My servant was impolite, please do not take offense. I have already arranged a banquet. Please come in and rest."

Yue Qing was also observing him. Tao Jun indeed had extraordinary roots, almost matching Yang Li. Wutai Sect was famous for swordsmanship, which was perfect for someone like him. He was secretly pleased and followed Tao Jun into the residence.

In the flower hall, Tao Jun introduced another young man, "This is my current martial arts teacher, Master Zhao Xinyuan, known as the 'Divine Falcon of the Mist.'"

Yue Qing nodded, "I know, the disciple of侠僧轶凡 (Xiaseng Yifan, the侠僧, a monk known for his chivalry)."

This one sentence made Zhao Xinyuan jump back three steps, drawing his flying sword, "You are indeed the demons of Wutai Sect!" He then said to Tao Jun, "Young Master, quickly get away. These two are demons of Wutai Sect, known for burning, killing, and looting!"

Tao Jun was also startled. Before he went out, Zhao Xinyuan had told him, "I heard from my master that Wutai Sect is the most evil cult in the world, and its members are all lecherous and violent demons. If they come, it won't be for anything good." Tao Jun had never seen what a demon looked like. According to his nature as "Little Mengchang," even if the visitors were evil, since they had come and waited politely, he would still treat them with courtesy. When he saw their dignified and divine demeanor, he began to doubt what Zhao Xinyuan had said. Now, seeing Zhao Xinyuan's strong reaction, he was even more surprised and quickly turned to look at Yue Qing and Yang Li, who remained unmoved.

Yue Qing said, "Is that what your master says about us? Did he tell you that Wutai Sect has been divided into two parts since four years ago? The lecherous and violent demons he mentioned have all been expelled and fled to Ciyun Temple."

Zhao Xinyuan said, "My master only said that the demons of Wutai Sect are all lecherous and despicable. If you encounter them, you should kill them to help the people. If you can't kill them, you should run away."

Yue Qing frowned slightly, "Your master is a monk, a disciple of the Three Treasures. It's inappropriate for him to speak about us like that behind our backs."

Zhao Xinyuan said, "Demons and heretics should be eliminated by all!"

Yang Li, angered by his repeated insults, slammed the table, "What kind of person is your master? Why does he defame our Wutai Sect?"

Yue Qing waved to stop Yang Li and said to Zhao Xinyuan, "Put away your flying sword. Your skills are not refined. If you wave it around carelessly, you might hurt others. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't need to move a finger; a mere thought would scatter your soul. Even my disciple could easily take your life. Whether you have a sword or not makes no difference. If we were truly as your master described, how could you still be alive? I originally respected your master, known as the侠僧 (chivalrous monk) with a good reputation. But seeing your behavior today, I am disappointed. As a disciple of the Three Treasures, he speaks ill of others behind their backs, which is slander. Calling us demons and heretics is harsh speech. Wanting to eliminate us is a sin of killing. There is also greed, anger, and ignorance involved, breaking six of the Ten Good Deeds. With such arrogance, he will not only fail to achieve enlightenment but may even fall into the three evil paths."

"You scoundrel!" Zhao Xinyuan shouted, "My master is righteous and compassionate. His sternness is for the sake of the people. You defame a disciple of the Three Treasures; are you not afraid of falling into the hell of tongue-pulling?"

Yue Qing smiled, "Just pointing out your master's faults should send me to the hell of tongue-pulling? Then what hell should your master go to for falsely accusing us of being demons and heretics? Hell is not created by the Buddha but by the karma of sentient beings. He cannot send anyone to hell or pull them out. People must cultivate and achieve on their own. If your master wants the Buddha to give him special treatment, that is a delusion. With such delusions and distinctions of right and wrong..."

"Is it wrong to distinguish right from wrong? Should everyone in the world be like you, unable to tell good from evil?"

"The Sixth Patriarch Huineng said: 'A true cultivator does not see the faults of the world.' The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment also states, 'Not respecting those who keep the precepts, not hating those who break them.' Respecting a person who strictly follows the precepts and has high virtue is not a virtue. Treating a lecherous and despicable demon with courtesy, without harsh speech, arrogance, or anger, is the true state of a Bodhisattva."

"Phew!" Zhao Xinyuan shouted, "Heretic's sophistry, twisting words..."

Yue Qing waved his hand, "Your sword skills are too poor. I don't want to take advantage of you. Since you are Yifan's disciple, I will debate the Dharma with you. But I didn't know you are ignorant of the Five Precepts, Ten Good Deeds, Six Realms, and Three Evil Paths. Truly, a reputation without substance. Sit down and be quiet!" As he spoke, Zhao Xinyuan was restrained by his magic, involuntarily putting his sword aside and sitting back in his original position, straightening his back, hands behind his back, solemn and silent, with only his eyes helplessly darting around.

Tao Jun looked at Zhao Xinyuan with concern. Yue Qing said, "It's fine. Although he keeps cursing me, I won't take it to heart like a child. His master, Yifan, is a junior brother of the ascetic monk in the Emei Sect. The Emei Sect and our Wutai Sect have had a grudge for hundreds of years, so it's common for him to say bad things about us behind our backs. I have been cultivating for three hundred years and have the heart to tolerate this. This time, I have come to Sichuan and Yunnan, where a new demon lair has emerged, and many demons gather. I came to see it. When I performed the divination, I calculated that I should take a few disciples. I came here first to guide you. You have good roots and a pure character. I have decided to take you as a disciple. However, as the saying goes, a teacher chooses a student, and a student chooses a teacher. I am willing to teach, and you must be willing to learn. This is a mutual agreement, so it's up to you."

Tao Jun was completely impressed by his demeanor. Although Zhao Xinyuan had said many bad things about the Wutai Sect, he saw Yue Qing as a great virtuous immortal, nothing like the despicable and lecherous demons described by Zhao Xinyuan. He had always loved martial arts and admired those who could leap over eaves and walk on water. Later, he heard about the existence of immortal techniques and was even more envious. He had begged many times, but Zhao Xinyuan always said he was still learning and was not qualified to take disciples. Now, a great opportunity had fallen from the sky, and he couldn't let it go. As soon as Yue Qing finished speaking, he knelt down, both grateful and delighted, and said, "Master, please accept your disciple's bow!"

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