Shen Gurong angrily said, "Senior Brother!"
Jing Zhuchen clicked his tongue and said, "What's so hard to say?"
Mu Zhe blushed silently, more curious about how Jing Zhuchen had figured it out.
Shen Gurong almost spilled tea on Jing Zhuchen's face.
Seeing Shen Gurong's face turn red with anger, Jing Zhuchen withdrew his supernatural powers and said calmly, "Speak, what do you want from me? I won't give you a single spirit stone."
Shen Gurong glared at him and said, "Have Third Senior Brother and the others come to Suihan City to discuss... the um... matter."
Jing Zhuchen frowned: "What?"
Shen Gurong's ears turned red. He lowered his head, took a deep breath, and said, "The matter of Mu Zhe and I's joint marriage ceremony."
Jing Zhuchen: "..."
Half a day later, Chao Jiuxiao arrived riding the clouds. Xi Guxing and Lou Bugui jumped down from the sky before he even landed.
In Suihan City, at Jing Zhuchen's residence.
Xi Guxing, Chao Jiuxiao, and Lou Bugui sat with ashen faces. Lin Shuhe, unable to leave Xianyun City due to illness, could only possess Mu Xi and sit beside Xi Guxing.
Across from them sat Mu Zhe, expressionless.
Su Xiyan was temporarily unable to come due to business in Youzhou; otherwise, Mu Zhe might not have been able to withstand this imposing aura.
The five of them stared at each other for a long time, unsure how to break the silence.
After a while, the senior master's group decided to strike first.
Xi Guxing: "You really are..."
Chao Jiuxiao: "So bold."
Lin Shuhe: "Audacious."
Lou Bugui: "Ah."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Shen Gurong ignored their standoff and was talking to Jing Zhuchen.
Jing Zhuchen said, "There's one more thing. Master ascended to immortality two days ago."
Shen Gurong paused, then frowned and said, "What does his ascension have to do with me?"
Jing Zhuchen leaned back lazily in his chair: "Now that he's ascended, you can go back to Liren Peak."
Shen Gurong frowned: "I don't want to go back to Liren Peak. Taozhou is fine."
"That's true," Jing Zhuchen said, "but the joint registration ceremony should be held at Liren Peak, right? It's not easy for someone from Liren Peak to complete their registration. Are you planning to hold it outside? I bet Third Senior Brother won't allow it."
Third Senior Brother Xi Guxing was roaring at Mu Zhe: "He's your master! How dare you lay a hand on him?!"
Chao Jiuxiao cheered for his senior brother: "Awoo!"
Lin Shuhe tapped away on his abacus: "After the registration, I can finally collect my debt from Mu Zhe. Excellent."
Lou Bugui said: "Ah."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Shen Gurong fell silent.
Jing Zhuchen tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Oh, right."
He tossed Shen Gurong the jade marrow to him, saying, "Master seemed to have come looking for you a few days ago, but for some reason, he didn't go to the Great Swamp of Taozhou. Instead, he came and asked me to give you this jade marrow."
Shen Gurong held the jade marrow, his fingertips gently tracing the dark patterns on it. He paused, then stared at Jing Zhuchen in astonishment.
"When did he ascend?"
"Two days ago."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Two days ago, he and Mu Zhe were still in bed together.
Nan Yangjun might not have not gone to the Great Swamp, but rather, after going there, he saw something unpleasant, which is why he came to the nearest city, Suihan.
Shen Gurong... Shen Gurong was so ashamed and indignant that he wanted to die, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
'Ugh, I really want to die.'
Mu Zhe, who was confronting Xi Guxing, heard this and turned his head to look. Shen Gurong's face was blank, and he looked as if he wanted to jump off the high building.
Xi Guxing slammed his hand on the table, roaring, "Where are you looking? Look at me! What makes you think you can join the clan? Just that tiny patch of land in Taozhou's Great Swamp?!"
Seeing that Shen Gurong was alright, Mu Zhe had no choice but to avert his gaze and obediently replied, "The entire area within a hundred li of the Great Swamp belongs to me."
Chao Jiuxiao was green with envy; he also longed to wreak havoc in the Great Swamp.
His eyes turned green with envy. Hearing Mu Zhe's words, he felt it was boasting, and for a moment, he was both angry and envious, roaring, "We at Liren Peak also have an entire mountain! It's far better than your Great Swamp?!"
When he said "an entire mountain," he drew out the word "mountain," to flaunt Liren Peak's wealth.
Mu Zhe humbly replied, "I am aware of that."
Xi Guxing asked, "So, what kind of betrothal gifts do you plan to offer?"
Mu Zhe: "..."
Shen Gurong, who happened to hear this, nearly spat out his tea again. He stood up angrily, "Senior Brother, Sect Leader!"
Xi Guxing clicked his tongue impatiently, "You've already personally offered yourself up, so what's wrong with me ripping him off with a small betrothal gift?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
Ripping him off! You actually used the word "ripping"?!
Is the finances of Liren Peak really that bad?!
Shen Gurong remained expressionless, a blush creeping onto his usually cold face. He tried to maintain his composure in front of his senior brothers, walked over, and slammed his hand on the table. The table, where the two groups were facing each other, shattered into dust.
"Keep it simple, don't do anything fancy," he threatened.
Xi Guxing frowned, completely unfazed: "Simple it is fine. Why are you slamming the table? This table is very expensive; Liren Peak doesn't have the money to pay for it."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong almost coughed up blood in anger.
Jing Zhuchen leaned lazily to the side, twirling his hair with his fingers, and said casually, "Of course it should be simple. Do you know how many spirit stones Liren Peak can afford for your marriage ceremony? One hundred spirit stones is already a favor from your third senior brother."
Everyone: "..."
Xi Guxing said expressionlessly, "Sorry, I'm not that stingy."
Jing Zhuchen smiled enigmatically: "Have you counted how many spirit stones Liren Peak owes my Suihan City over the years? I've kept track of them all..."
Before he could finish, Xi Guxing interrupted him with an "Ah," changing the subject: "Then let's hold it on a different day. This is the first time Liren Peak has held a marriage ceremony."
"It must be done well." Xi Guxing looked at Lin Shuhe and said, "Sixth Brother..."
Lin Shuhe: "???"
Lin Shuhe's lips twitched: "Third Senior Brother, do you have any conscience? Have you ever calculated how many spirit stones I've spent for Eleven over the years? I've kept track of it all..."
Xi Guxing: "..."
Xi Guxing glared at them and said irritably, "Keep it simple, keep it simple. Just invite a few friends over for some plain water."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Chao Jiuxiao watched for a long time, then suddenly said, "Before Master ascended to immortality, he asked me to give a mustard seed to...Shen Eleven."
Everyone looked at him.
Chao Jiuxiao coughed awkwardly, tossed a ball of light to Shen Gurong, and whispered, "Catch it."
Shen Gurong frowned: "What's in there?"
Chao Jiuxiao snorted: "How would I know? See for yourself."
Shen Gurong instinctively didn't want it, but after thinking for a moment, he still sent a wisp of his divine sense into the mustard seed.
Sure enough, Nan Yangjun's divine sense was inside, his black robes fluttering in the wind, seemingly having waited for a long time.
Sensing someone enter, Lord Li Nanyang turned around and glanced at Shen Gurong, then suddenly looked away for some reason.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Why don't you dare look at me?! You weren't this guilty even when you were atoning for Li Genglan's sins?!
So, did you even come to the Great Swamp two days ago?! Shen Gurong's previous feelings towards Li Nanyang stemmed from his resentment towards Li Genglan, but now, perhaps because his revenge was complete, or something else entirely, Shen Gurong's resentment had vanished. His first reaction upon seeing him was a strange sense of shame and embarrassment.
Li Nanyang appeared nonchalant, saying calmly, "You've come."
Shen Gurong didn't want to speak.
Li Nanyang said softly, "Do you still hate me?"
Shen Gurong remained silent for a long time before whispering, "No."
Li Nanyang sighed silently, saying, "Eleventh, of all my disciples, you are the one I admire most."
Shen Gurong was taken aback, wondering why Li Nanyang was praising him, and looked up at him with a puzzled expression.
“To be honest, I used to look down on mortals. In the eyes of cultivators, mortals are nothing more than ants, incapable of achieving anything significant,” Li Nanyang said. “Perhaps it was because of this narrow-minded thinking that, although I possessed the cultivation to become a saint, my state of mind had never reached the level of ascension, which is why I lingered in the Three Realms for so long.”
Shen Gurong frowned: “Why are you telling me this?”
Li Nanyang walked over and gently patted his head. Shen Gurong wanted to dodge, but forcibly restrained himself.
Li Nanyang said: “Now I understand. Perhaps the Heavenly Dao's warning to me about the ascension opportunity in Huitang City wasn't about slaying the plague demon.”
Shen Gurong looked up at him.
For the first time in his life, Li Nanyang showed a gentle smile. He said softly, “It was because I met you.”
Meeting this mortal who entered the Dao with a mortal body, fearless of death, resolute and courageous, unknowingly changed his narrow-minded and laughable views.
Li Nanyang had taken in so many disciples, yet he had never praised them even a single word.
But towards Shen Gurong, he felt an unprecedented admiration and appreciation.
Li Nanyang had never imagined he would admire and praise a mortal. Perhaps it was the change in his state of mind over the years that allowed him to ascend to sainthood the moment his inner demons were expelled.
Li Nanyang said, "I'm glad you don't hate me."
Shen Gurong knew very well that his anger towards Li Nanyang was unfounded, but because he had previously been blinded by hatred, he couldn't let go even knowing it. Now, however, he had inexplicably let go of his stubborn hatred.
Holding a grudge against someone is extremely tiring. He had been tired for so many years and didn't want to live the rest of his life burdened with it.
Shen Gurong nodded gently and said, "Thank you for your cultivation and indulgence over the years." If it weren't for Li Nanyang, he would probably still be that self-pitying child, long since perished without a trace.
He took a half step back, completing the disciple ceremony he had skipped due to a fit of pique at the time of his apprenticeship.
"Master."
Li Nanyang's eyes slowly widened. He stared at Shen Gurong for a moment before suddenly smiling.
"I'm leaving. Everything in this mustard seed is for you. You can use it as you like."
Shen Gurong didn't want Li Nanyang's things. He bowed only for peace of mind and casually replied, "Yes."
Li Nanyang patted his head again before his divine sense slowly dissipated.
Shen Gurong casually looked up and was almost blinded by the mountain of spirit stones piled up like a continuous mountain.
Li Nanyang had left him countless piles of spirit stones mined from spirit stone mines, and countless rare and precious materials.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong: "???"
Shen Gurong emerged from the mustard seed in a daze. Mu Zhe was still being bombarded by his senior uncles. It seemed that Xi Guxing and the others wouldn't fully accept him for at least half a month.
After Shen Gurong emerged, he remained silent for a long time before looking at his fellow disciples with a troubled expression. "Senior brothers, did Master Nan Yangjun... leave you anything?"
Xi Guxing shook his head. "No, he just told me to manage Liren Peak well."
Lin Shuhe and Jing Zhuchen also shook their heads.
Lou Bugui exclaimed, looking at Shen Gurong in surprise, "Eleven, you're back!"
Shen Gurong: "..." (Sigh, I've been back for half a day.)
Chao Jiuxiao said smugly, "Master gave me a thousand spirit stones, telling me to cultivate diligently and find him after my ascension!"
Xi Guxing was instantly consumed by jealousy. A thousand spirit stones!
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong remained silent.
Xi Guxing then remembered and asked, "What did Master leave you?"
Chao Jiuxiao snorted, thinking that since Master loved him so much, what he gave him was definitely less than what he received in spirit stones.
One hundred was the limit! Shen Gurong silently tore a slit in the mustard seed, letting them see for themselves.
A few breaths later, the entire pavilion fell into a deathly silence.
Xi Guxing expressionlessly drew his short sword, the tears or blood streaming from his eyes unreadable.
Chao Jiuxiao roared, his dragon scales practically standing on end in jealousy and envy. He counted the scales on his tail, one after another, muttering, "Master loves me," "Master doesn't love me," "Master loves me," "Master doesn't love me"...
Jing Zhuchen and Lin Shuhe reacted quickly, immediately pulling out stacks of bills and slamming them at Shen Gurong's face.
Lou Bugui asked blankly, "Ah, who will Eleven be registering with?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Haha these senior brothers. Thank you
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