Primordial World: Big shots are all my friends
Chapter 68, Lamenting at Shangqing Palace

Chapter 68: Chapter 68, Lamenting at Shangqing Palace

Bai Jin, walking neatly to the cushion, knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Disciple Bai Jin pays respect to Master."

Tongtian spoke in a taunting tone, "Bai Jin, you still remember you have me as a master?

First, you expelled over six hundred fellow sect members, and then came the claim ’Who peaks at the end of the Great Dao’, encountering the Primordial Dao and becoming void. I have become empty, what master do you still have?!"

Bai Jin hurriedly explained, looking up, "Master, you are indeed my dear master! If I said, ’Who peaks at the end of the Great Dao,’ and encountered the Tongtian Dao becoming void, what would that become? Wouldn’t that be self-praise? Others might think our Jie Sect has thick skins! We need to be modest and keep a low profile."

"I see you are not low profile at all, first penalizing our Jie Sect members, then punishing Chan Sect senior disciples. You are quite imposing indeed!"

Bai Jin grimaced as he spoke, "Master, do you think your disciple wishes to do this? When you all don’t take charge, what can I do? Should I just watch as things go from bad to worse, letting outsiders laugh at you and my mentors?! In the end, I could only bravely take control, and ended up offending all the sect members, who knows what they’re cursing at me now in their minds!"

He got up and ran toward the main seat, plonking down on the steps and stubbornly cried out, "I don’t care anymore, Master, you have to remove my position as the Outer Disciple Leader today. There’s not a single benefit, only offenses caused; I’m done, I quit, let whoever wishes to take it. I think Senior Brother Duobao is quite suitable."

The irritation in Tongtian’s heart momentarily stalled. Watching Bai Jin behave in an obstinate manner, a laugh emerged from his heart, yet he feigned annoyance and said, "What kind of lazy attitude is that? Sit properly!"

Bai Jin immediately floated up and settled properly on the cushion below.

"About handling the disputes between Chan and Jie, you have some merits. Now let’s discuss the matter of you ’deliberately’ expelling my disciples!" Tongtian emphasized the word "deliberately" deliberately.

Bai Jin said bewilderedly, "Deliberately? Not at all!" He spoke with a painful heart, "It was clearly they themselves who absorbed the merit within the identity cards and lost their proud bearings. Disciple sadly had no choice but to tearfully expel them from the sect. Master, you do not know how painful it was for me when I expelled them! They betrayed your earnest expectations, they betrayed your earnest love for your disciples."

"Humph~" Tongtian scoffed while watching Bai Jin’s performance below.

Bai Jin sneaked a glance at Tongtian, repressing his grief-stricken expression, chuckled embarrassedly, "Alright! I did it on purpose.

Master sees all, nothing your disciple does can escape your eyes."

"Tell me! Why did you expel my disciples?"

Bai Jin, with a solemn expression, earnestly spoke, "Master, from the moment I first saw them, I knew they were not worthy of you! Pah—is not worthy of being your disciples.

Thus, I merely used a small tactic to expose their true nature. Under your wise judgment, master, they were expelled from the sect. Doesn’t the fact that they dared to fight in the Saint’s Dojo afterwards prove how lawless they are?"

Tongtian was amused and exasperated, saying, "So, you deliberately expelled my disciples, and I should thank you for that?"

This was bad. Bai Jin immediately wilted, bowed deeply, and honestly admitted his mistake, "Disciple was wrong, Master, whether to beat or to punish, I accept all penalties."

Observing Bai Jin’s readiness to accept punishment, Tongtian both chuckled and felt helpless, grunted, and said, "Considering both your merits and faults, you are excused this time. But if there is a next time, I will not be so lenient."

"Thank you, Master!" Bai Jin smiled, standing up straight.

Tongtian looked distantly toward the west and said, "How should these two be dealt with?"

Bai Jin, smiling, replied, "This is simple, if Master feels that their attitude of acknowledgment is sincere enough, let them go. If you feel they still need discipline, let them continue kneeling."

Tongtian mused to himself, "If I let that old man go, but Second Master doesn’t let my disciples go, then my disciples will be the ones kneeling on the mountain peaks, wouldn’t that make me look bad?"

Got it~ Bai Jin stood up, bowed, and said, "Master, your disciple needs to bid Second Master goodnight, I shall take my leave now."

"Um~" Tongtian nodded satisfactorily and said, "Go ahead! Wouldn’t want those from the Chan Sect to say our Jie Sect lacks manners."

"Yes!" Bai Jin turned and walked towards the exit. Just as he reached the doorway, he paused, turned his head to look at Tongtian, and expectantly said, "Master, do you think you could reimburse the merit money for making the identity card for your disciple?"

"Scram!" Tongtian waved his hand grandly.

Bai Jin’s figure instantly vanished, and sounds of him shouting in fright echoed distantly, a meteor spiraling into the sky.

...

After a substantial time, a cloud descended from the sky and landed in front of Yuqing Peak.

Bai Jin stepped off the cloud and covertly peeked into the grand open Yuqing Palace, only to see Guang Chengzi and a group of Golden Immortals all kneeling on futons, with Ran Deng standing head-bowed beside them, a heavy atmosphere permeating the Tao Palace.

Bai Jin bowed deeply and loudly called out, "Disciple Bai Jin seeks an audience with Second Master!"

All the Chan Sect Golden Immortals shifted slightly, a thought emerging in their minds: Why has he come again? Anger then surged, Are they still not willing to let things go?!

From the main seat, Primordial opened his eyes and said, "You all leave; let Bai Jin come in."

"Yes!" All the Chan Sect Immortals rose and walked outside, where Bai Jin was respectfully bowing in salute.

As Ran Deng passed by Bai Jin, he said lightly, "The master permits you to enter."

"Thank you, Uncle Master, for conveying the message!"

Bai Jin rose, straightened his clothes, and then walked inside, the palace doors thunderously closing behind him.

All Chan Sect Disciples turned their heads to gaze at the closed palace doors.

Ci Hang spoke softly, "Why does Master value him so much?"

Guang Chengzi spoke gravely, "This Bai Jin is not simple; we must investigate his matters thoroughly as soon as possible."

The other Chan Sect Disciples nodded in agreement.

Within the Shangqing Palace, Bai Jin knelt on a futon, bowed respectfully three times, and said, "Today, I have offended the Chan Sect Disciples, and I ask Master to forgive me."

From the main seat, Primordial’s voice came forth, "Heaven and Earth follow order, with harvest in autumn and storage in winter; only by following the rules can one endure long. Where lies your fault?"

Bai Jin respectfully replied, "Thank you for your teaching, Master; your disciple will keep it in mind."

"Rise!"

Bai Jin stood up and sat cross-legged on the futon, sitting upright and formally.

Primordial nodded in approval and asked, "What brings you here today?"

Hesitating momentarily, Bai Jin asked, "Master, do you truly disdain us of the Demon Clan who are born from damp eggs?"

Primordial smiled faintly, responding, "As you’ve said, if I disdained the Demon Clan, would I have taken Bai He as a Child or Huang Long as a disciple? However, indeed, I do not think highly of the Outer Disciples your master has taken.

Do you understand the divisions within the Demon Clan?"

Bai Jin shook his head blankly and replied, "I do not know!"

"The Demon Clan refers to plants and fierce beasts that absorb nature’s spiritual energy and gain spiritual wisdom; newly awakened, wild by nature. It’s easier to deal with plants that attain the Tao, but fierce beasts that attain the Tao still harbor their beastly nature—consuming flesh and blood, indulging themselves, filled with violence and brutality in their hearts. Over time, as their mana deepens without proper Dao Heng, they enter into the Demon Path. Hence, the Demon Clan divides into two types—Demon Spirits and Evil Spirits, with Evil Spirits also known as Demons.

Demon Spirits receive the elegance of Heaven and Earth, while Demons inherit the brutality of Heaven and Earth. I do not disdain the entire Demon Clan but rather the rampaging Demons without cause. Do you understand now?"

Bai Jin nodded repeatedly and said, "I understand, I understand!" and with a laugh, added, "Then I suppose I must be a Demon Spirit, right?"

Primordial chuckled and replied, "You are different; you have already entered the Tao, with merit adorning you. You can be called a Demon Immortal."

Bai Jin, brimming with pride, said, "It seems I am indeed a saint among the Demon Clan."

Primordial smiled and remained silent.