Faced with Chen Changsheng's particular brand of "patience," Qingfeng couldn't help but roll his eyes dramatically. "This isn't about being slow or fast anymore. You simply have no intention of building your Foundation, do you? Others prolong the Qi Refinement stage to solidify their foundation, but none drag it out for a full decade like you. And even though you're at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, you can't even defeat an outer sect disciple at the seventh level. What exactly are you trying to achieve?"
Confronted by his senior brother's seeming "anguish," Chen Changsheng offered a faint smile. "Cultivating the Dao is simply cultivating the Dao. Why attach so many purposes to it? Besides, when it comes to fighting, having you, Senior Brother, is enough. One more or one less like me makes little difference. Please, don't press me further on this." Having said that, Chen Changsheng made to turn back and burrow into his book pile.
But Qingfeng, standing nearby, wouldn't let him have his way. He grabbed Chen Changsheng by the collar and hauled him upright. "Chen Changsheng, none of your evasive talk! This Foundation Building matter comes from the Master's personal instruction. You will break through, whether you want to or not. The Wuliang Secret Realm is opening soon. The Master personally secured a spot for you. This time, you won't escape it." So saying, Qingfeng marched off, dragging a resigned Chen Changsheng out of the Scripture Library.
...
Main Hall of Shangqing Temple
A venerable old man with an immortal's bearing stood in the center of the main hall. The ten inner disciples of Shangqing Temple stood in orderly rows on either side, with Chen Changsheng positioned at the very end.
After a long silence, the old man spoke. "Changsheng, how many years has it been since you entered our Shangqing Temple?"
Hearing the Master address him directly, Chen Changsheng immediately bowed respectfully. "Answering Master, it has been ten years since this disciple entered the temple."
The old man nodded. "Ten years ago, it coincided with the Grandmaster concluding his seclusion, and you happened to be passing by Shangqing Temple. The Grandmaster picked you out from the vast sea of humanity. He brought you directly to Shangqing Temple, stated you had an affinity with the Dao, and even bestowed upon you the status of an inner disciple." As he spoke, the old man slowly walked towards Chen Changsheng, then gently placed his right hand on Chen Changsheng's shoulder.
"Ouch! Master, my bones are going to break! Please be gentler!"
Chen Changsheng squirmed under the immense pressure from the old man's hand. But with his meager strength, how could he possibly break free from the grasp of the Shangqing Temple's leader, the Primordial Spirit Expert?
By now, the expression on the Primordial Spirit Expert's face had also become somewhat distorted. He forced a strained smile, his expression almost狰狞 (ferocious). "Whether you have an affinity with the Dao, I dare not recklessly conclude. But could you perhaps explain to your Master why the three-hundred-year-old Lightning-Struck Jujube Wood from the back mountain has been transformed into a coffin?"
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng's nine senior brothers all twitched at the corners of their mouths. Within Shangqing Temple, the Master doted on this youngest junior brother the most. For the other disciples, there were places within the temple they couldn't enter or leave freely. But for the junior brother, no such restrictions existed. Anywhere within the Shangqing Temple grounds, the junior brother could go as he pleased. Even the Grandmaster's seclusion site was accessible to him. Yet, no one had ever imagined the junior brother would dare to lay hands on the Master's most prized possession.
That piece of Lightning-Struck Wood from the back mountain was something the Master had seized three hundred years ago from a Great Demon at the peak of the Golden Core stage. For that piece of wood, the Master had spent thirty years in seclusion recuperating from his injuries. Normally, disciples of Shangqing Temple weren't even allowed to touch it, let alone look at it without permission. Now, the junior brother had actually used the Lightning-Struck Wood to make a coffin? This was truly audacious!
"Master, Junior Brother acted completely without forethought! Please forgive him this once!" Qingfeng stepped forward to plead for Chen Changsheng, and the other senior brothers also chimed in to beg for mercy.
"Without forethought?" The Primordial Spirit Expert's voice was icy. "I only gave him the access routes for the peripheral formations. I never told him the paths through the core formations. Three years ago, that Lightning-Struck Wood was still safely stored there. But when I went to check yesterday, it had been transformed into a finely crafted coffin. I am deeply curious what kind of 'unpremeditated act' could silently breach my grand formation and turn the wood inside into a coffin." His gaze fixed once more on Chen Changsheng.
Faced with his Master's stare, Chen Changsheng visibly wavered. "Master, that Lightning-Struck Wood had been sitting there for a very long time. While such material is exceptionally rare, for your current realm, it's somewhat... superfluous."
Listening to Chen Changsheng's excuse, the Primordial Spirit Expert released his shoulder and instead grabbed Chen Changsheng by the ear. Although his words were stern, in his heart, he still cherished this disciple. Among the inner disciples, Chen Changsheng was the weakest and had the lowest cultivation level. If he weren't careful with his strength, he might accidentally crush his shoulder.
"Whether that thing is useful to me or not, do I need you to tell me?" the Primordial Spirit Expert retorted. "I was saving that Lightning-Struck Wood to carve statues of the Three Pure Ones. When outsiders visit our Shangqing Temple and see the majestic statues of the Three Pure Ones, they will surely feel reverence for our Daoist tradition. Now the wood is gone. Tell me, how should we handle this matter?"
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng immediately ducked his head, freeing his ear from the Primordial Spirit Expert's "clutches." Then, he pointed at the clay statues of the Three Pure Ones within the hall and said, "The Dao resides in the human heart. Simple clay statues for the Three Pure Ones are sufficient. To help others understand our Daoist path, why rely on external objects?"
So saying, Chen Changsheng took out a calligraphy brush and walked straight outside the hall.
Watching Chen Changsheng's actions, the Primordial Spirit Expert was somewhat baffled. According to precedent, if this kid just meekly admitted his fault and his senior brothers pleaded for him again, he could smoothly let the matter drop. But this new development... he wasn't quite prepared for it.
Soon, the Primordial Spirit Expert and Chen Changsheng's nine senior brothers followed him out. They saw Chen Changsheng use his spiritual power to smooth out the couplets flanking the main hall's entrance. Then, wielding the brush with vigorous, flowing strokes, he inscribed twenty-two bold and elegant characters before everyone's eyes.
With a heart inclined to evil, your burning incense brings no benefit.
With a body upright and righteous, what fault is there in not bowing to me?
"Excellent!" Qingfeng couldn't help but praise, looking at the couplets Chen Changsheng had written. "Junior Brother truly has an affinity with the Dao. These twenty-two characters perfectly capture the essence and dignity of our Daoist tradition."
In the face of Qingfeng's praise, Chen Changsheng merely smiled slightly without saying anything. The Primordial Spirit Expert, however, maintained a stern expression. "His comprehension is passable, but his actual strength is utterly worthless. The matter of the Lightning-Struck Wood is noted for now. If you fail to build your Foundation within the Wuliang Secret Realm, watch your legs. Now, get out of my sight, all of you! Seeing you irritates me."
Seeing the Master was still displeased, the senior brothers promptly ushered Chen Changsheng away from the scene.
After Chen Changsheng had left, the Primordial Spirit Expert stepped closer to carefully ponder the newly written couplets.