After Gu Ting finished speaking in one breath, all the disciples immediately broke into discussion.

Baize Dijun smiled: “Xuan Yi is only nine thousand seven hundred years old. Since she doesn’t understand things yet, you as her senior brothers and sisters naturally should teach and support her. How is it that instead you’ve adopted an attitude of exclusion? When did this one’s disciples become so lacking in magnanimity?”

Gu Ting said in a low voice: “Master, it’s not that we are excluding her. It’s just that Master’s disciples have long enjoyed a prestigious reputation. Princess Xuan Yi may not live up to that reputation and instead lose face for you.”

“If it’s a false reputation, then it’s fine not to have it.” Baize Dijun waved his hand. “Jade cannot become a vessel without being carved. Without carving and polishing, do you expect fine jade to fall from the sky? Alright, let’s not mention this matter for now. This one is leaving.”

As if afraid they would pester him further, he slipped away extremely quickly. In a flash he was gone, leaving behind only a group of disciples still discussing heatedly.

Gu Ting shook his head and sighed. Master was only reluctant to part with that Zhuyin Clan dragon scale. This greedy love of treasures truly left him speechless.

Xuan Yi, who had been silent all along, suddenly gave a light laugh, staring at Gu Ting with sparkling eyes: “I have a question I’d like to ask all the senior brothers. Could it be that no matter what Master orders, you do it without hesitation, not asking right or wrong, not asking about safety or danger, not asking whether it’s possible or not?”

Gu Ting said in a deep voice: “These words show deep scheming again! How would Master ask us to do things that disregard our lives?”

“Every single disciple has been sent by Master to ask Feilian Shenjun for his hair, and every one has also been beaten by Shenjun. These words were spoken by you, were they not?” Xuan Yi looked at him with a calm expression. “Since you clearly knew Feilian Shenjun has a violent temper, why would Master send disciples to get beaten again and again? Master wants Feilian Shenjun’s hair, so from the very beginning he could have exchanged items for it. Why does he always send disciples to shamelessly beg for it freely? I don’t understand this logic. Please, Senior Brother, explain.”

“This…” Gu Ting was momentarily stumped by the question, a sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Xuan Yi swept her gaze around in a circle, smiling slightly: “Only one sentence was correct—this disciple is dull-witted. Not asking for reasons, only knowing blind obedience—if this is called benevolence, elegance, and magnanimity, I dare not agree. After all, I don’t want to be Master’s dog.”

“Who are you calling a dog!?” The disciples flared up in anger.

She turned to leave triumphantly, saying as she went: “Whoever barks the loudest is the dog. I’m going back. Senior Brother Gu Ting, you’d better worry about your own affairs first. Listening to your mouth full of benevolence, righteousness, elegance, and magnanimity makes my ears hurt.”

“This Zhuyin Clan member is too arrogant!” The disciples trembled with rage. “Let’s simply submit a joint petition to Master, demanding that he drive this princess out!”

Gu Ting couldn’t help but smile bitterly: “If Master wanted to drive her out, he wouldn’t have accepted her as a disciple in the first place. Forget it, don’t mention this matter again. Perhaps… what she said also has merit.”

Baize Dijun had accepted countless disciples. Every disciple had hit a wall with Feilian Shenjun. Only she had easily obtained the hair and even forced Master to exchange golden bells for it. Just based on this point alone, she was far superior to them.

He shook his head, sighing as he left.

Zhi Xi also couldn’t help but want to sigh. Before this Princess Zhuyin arrived, everything was fine—colleagues were friendly, the master-disciple relationship was harmonious. As soon as she came, she made this place full of smoke and miasma, and did such excessive things to Fucang…

Thinking of Fucang, she hurriedly searched for his figure. Her gaze passed over the various divine lords in the courtyard and fell upon a snow-colored figure.

Every disciple under Master’s tutelage was of noble birth, dignified and elegant. Randomly pick one out, and among the young generation of divine clans in the divine realm they would all be outstanding. Yet she just felt that all of them together were not as heart-stopping as Fucang’s single blurred figure in snow white.

He lowered his head, gazing at the precious sword in his hands—his handsome profile, butterfly-wing-like long lashes, and cold yet focused gaze.

Zhi Xi recalled that startling glimpse at the Emperor’s Daughter’s wedding banquet years ago. She had followed her father to attend that long and noisy banquet, her heart full of impatience, until she caught sight of Fucang dancing with sword, his bearing clear and elegant, graceful as a swan in flight.

From then on, she could never forget his profile in that instant when he finally sheathed his sword.

Learning that the Celestial Emperor had actually arranged a match between Fucang and Princess Zhuyin, she only felt the sky darken and the earth spin. That day in Hua Huang’s rear garden with countless celestial deities watching, she had also been one of them.

However, Fucang was different from those shallow divine lords who only valued appearance. She didn’t know why, but Zhi Xi was certain from the bottom of her heart—he was different. Yes, what he needed was a kindred spirit, a companion who understood and respected him.

Zhi Xi felt her face heating up a bit and hurriedly covered it.

She had been arrogant, actually deciding that she herself was that “kindred spirit.” But somehow, she didn’t dislike her current arrogance at all. It must be because she’d spent too long with that Princess Xuan Yi and caught this bold streak.

Zhi Xi barely managed to calm her mind and hurriedly left Mingxing Hall with her head lowered.

*

When Fucang found Tai Yao behind the hall, this eldest senior brother was leaning against a pillar with a pale face. It seemed the three thousand three hundred jin of golden bells from earlier had been a heavy burden for him. Even now he was still too exhausted to speak.

Fucang stepped forward and respectfully presented the precious sword with both hands: “Senior Brother Tai Yao, thank you for the precious sword.”

Tai Yao took several heavy breaths before accepting the precious sword. However, he didn’t return it to his waist. Instead, he drew it out to examine it carefully for a few moments. Suddenly he looked up with a smile: “This sword is named Chun Jun. It is an incomparably noble precious sword. In Father’s youth, he personally held the charcoal to forge it. In the past, I was weak and sickly, so Father gave me this sword. Unfortunately, to this day I still don’t understand the way of the sword and have wasted its peerless courage and decisiveness. I see that Junior Brother Fucang is divinely brave and resolute, a sage in using the sword. This sword is also infinitely joyful in your hands, so I will formally gift it to you.”

Fucang couldn’t help but be astonished: “Since it was given to Senior Brother Tai Yao by the Celestial Emperor, how can I accept it? Moreover, I never wear a sword, and regarding the way of the sword I only know superficial knowledge. Senior Brother Tai Yao praises me too highly.”

Tai Yao coughed dryly twice: “Well… you’ve already used it to cut Feilian Shenjun’s hair…”

After pondering for a moment, Fucang finally understood. He immediately didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This eldest senior brother was clearly a celestial deity who didn’t want to provoke the slightest trouble. His status was special, and even more so he couldn’t have the tiniest dispute with the various deities. Since he himself had used Chun Jun to cut Feilian Shenjun’s hair, he had formed a grudge with Feilian. If he took Chun Jun back, who knows when it might be seen by Feilian Shenjun one day, and at that time he would inevitably be in a difficult position.

Fucang accepted Chun Jun and said in a low voice: “Senior Brother Tai Yao bears quite a resemblance to Master.”

Tai Yao shook his head: “Not so. I’ve simply followed Master for a longer time. Actually, don’t look at how Master sighs and groans about Junior Sister—in his heart he must be ten parts delighted. Junior Sister and Master are truly on the same path.”

Fucang’s long eyebrows rose slightly: “How can you tell?”

Tai Yao said: “All of those who are exceptionally clever are not very obedient. I see Junior Brother Fucang is also one of them.”

Fucang lowered his head and said calmly: “I’m just one of those who are ‘dull-witted disciples,’ that’s all.”

Tai Yao shook his head and sighed: “No disciple here dares to cut Feilian Shenjun’s hair, and there’s no way to protect Junior Sister’s safety under Feilian Shenjun’s pursuit. Alas, who knows what chaos will arise in the future. Gu Ting and the others are all rigid thinkers—how could they be Junior Sister’s match… Forget it, go on. I need to rest well for a while.”