LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 217: The Teaching Elder's Troubles
At this instant, Tian Lin no longer harbored any doubts in his heart.
He couldn't help but say, "So it's Brother Zhai Xingzi after all. I had heard of him when I was in Tianbei County, and I even met him once."
What he was thinking was, no wonder Mei Immortal was so relentlessly chasing after Zhai Xingzi.
As far as Tian Lin knew, not every disciple of the Goddess Sect could possess a Divine Lady Tree.
And aside from the disciples of the Goddess Sect, there had never been a precedent of bestowing Divine Lady Trees to outsiders.
Zhai Xingzi getting his hands on the Divine Lady Tree meant it was no surprise Mei Immortal would chase after him.
But what puzzled Tian Lin was how Zhai Xingzi managed to acquire the Divine Lady Tree from the Goddess Sect.
"Tian, you actually met with Brother Zhuang?"
After his surprise, Zhou Jin asked, "Did you receive any gifts from Brother Zhai Xingzi after you met?"
Tian Lin thought for a moment, then said, "Considering carefully, I indeed did take advantage of Brother Zhai Xingzi."
At that time, when he 'divvied up the spoils' with Zhai Xingzi, he got a ferry and a bamboo pole along with some copper coins.
Tian Lin didn't know the value of the ferry and bamboo pole, and in his mind, it was actually Zhai Xingzi who had the real advantage.
After all, if Zhai Xingzi hadn't acted, he could have obtained the Residual Soul of the Ferryman, the copper coins, and the ferry and bamboo pole without having to share any of it with Zhai Xingzi.
But this was something Zhai Xingzi didn't know. Perhaps Zhai Xingzi even thought that Tian Lin was the one who had benefited.
"What, you took advantage of Brother Zhuang?"
After Zhou Jin spoke, the other disciples who were paying attention to their conversation looked over.
Tian Lin didn't feel like he had the upper hand, and his previous statement was just a bit of insincere modesty.
But seeing that Zhou Jin's expression was amiss, Tian Lin, somewhat puzzled, asked, "Is there something inappropriate about what I did?"
Zhou Jin furrowed his brows in thought and did not speak immediately.
At this moment, Senior Brother Changxue walked over and sat down next to them:
"It's better for Tian to repay Brother Zhuang's favor sooner rather than later."
Hearing Senior Brother Changxue's words, Tian Lin was even more confused.
Senior Brother Changxue said, "You can't take advantage of Brother Zhuang. If you take a small advantage from him, he'll make you pay back a hundredfold.
If you take a big advantage from him, he might demand your life in return in the long run."
Tian Lin's face darkened as he said, "Is this charging exorbitant interest?"
Senior Brother Changxue said, "This isn't charging exorbitant interest, but rather his practice of the Way of Cause and Effect. His approach to Cause and Effect is quite unique, believing in paying back tenfold.
People outside say Brother Zhai Xingzi doesn't like to get involved in cause and effect with others. This is both right and wrong.
He doesn't touch others' good causes because he doesn't want to return their good effects. But he himself likes to leave good causes behind, expecting others to repay his 'good effects'."
Tian Lin still didn't fully understand Senior Brother Changxue's explanation, but at this point, Wang Yanyu came over and said:
"We are all brothers of the same sect, Tian can seek Elder Xue's counsel and explain the situation, hoping Brother Zhuang could go easy on you."
At this moment, Zhou Jin also asked Tian Lin, "Did Brother Zhuang mention when he would return?"
Tian Lin shook his head, "When I returned to the sect, Brother Zhai Xingzi had already gone to the Goddess Sect."
Hearing his words, Senior Brother Changxue exclaimed:
"He cheated the Goddess Sect's female disciples out of the Divine Lady Tree and came to our Wendaos Sect, yet he still dares to go to the Goddess Sect without fear of their uncles and seniors making trouble for him?"
Zhou Jin chuckled, "With Brother Zhuang practicing the Way of Cause and Effect, what trouble can he fear? Even if a disaster befalls him, it would be those who have received his benevolence who'd shield him from calamity."
Tian Lin's face turned pale, there's a way in this world that allows one to pass on disasters and misfortune to others?
In the end, who took advantage of whom between him and Zhai Xingzi?
Was the cause and effect between them good or bad?
"Regardless, Brother Zhuang won't be coming back for a while. Instead of worrying about this, Tian should seek out Elder Xue and explain the situation as soon as possible."
As the mealtime was set to a specific hour and the Dao Bell was about to ring, Zhou Jin started to organize the cleanup of the meal.
They had a brief chat and began to head towards the Academy, and it was at this time that Yu'er came forward to hand Tian Lin a towel, saying with concern, "Master, what should we do about this matter?"
Tian Lin handed back the towel he had used to wipe his mouth to Yu'er, saying, "Senior Brother Zhou and the others are right; I need to consult with Elder Xue and let him decide."
Although there was a shadow in his heart, he wasn't completely panicked.
No matter how powerful Zhai Xingzi's Dao, after all, he was still only a cultivator at mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Even if he were to reach the Late-stage Foundation Establishment and become an Inner Sect Disciple shortly, he would still be just a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
How formidable can a Foundation Establishment cultivator's Dao be?
If all else fails, before the good connections form bad consequences, just eliminating Zhai Xingzi would be an option.
——
"In the various Daoist arts, Swordsmanship, Funeral Science, Array Formation, Alchemy, and Talisman Making, without exception, are all studies that lead directly to the Great Dao."
On the podium, the Teaching Elder's gaze was like lightning, ensuring that not a single student below the podium dared to be distracted.
Actually, there was nothing wrong with what the Teaching Elder was saying, but as someone who taught these five heterodox subjects, his statement couldn't help but seem a bit self-aggrandizing.
For instance, Funeral Science. I know in your eyes, this subject is merely for passing the monthly exams, and isn't seen as particularly worthwhile. But have you ever considered why even students from the Deck, as well as Inner Sect Disciples, also study this heterodox Funeral Science?"
Everyone in the venue sat upright and attentive, no one opened their mouth to question, only to hear the Teaching Elder speak of his own accord:
"Because only Funeral Science can ensure your survival in the secret realm of Wendaos Sect. Without Funeral Science, how would you escape with your life from the hands of the Night Patrol Deity or the Day Patrol Deity?"
With a slap on the lectern, the Teaching Elder startled everyone present, then went on to say, "Cultivators, spanning the Three Realms and Six Paths, from the high heavens to the netherworld, should have no taboos. Without studying Funeral Science, how would you dominate the realms of life and death?
Now, everyone, start crying for me."
At the Teaching Elder's command, the crying and wailing of Class Dinggui became unprecedentedly loud.
But most were just dry howling. The Teaching Elder grew furiously angry and slapped a fat man down.
The fat man's head lurched, and with a crack, he fell to the ground.
With that slap, the Teaching Elder not only killed the fat man but also frightened the female cultivator next to him to tears.
The female cultivator burst out crying, and the Teaching Elder nodded in satisfaction, saying, "That's right, this is what real mourning sounds like."
The students of Class Dinggui felt a chill on their scalps, and when they looked into the Teaching Elder's eyes again, they dared not take it lightly.
But tears aren't something that can be summoned upon demand.
Under the watchful eyes of the Teaching Elder, they imagined their parents dead, with no one left to provide them with Spirit Stones.
Upon this thought, a hint of sorrow appeared on some faces.
Only Tian Lin, he really couldn't think of any way.
He looked at the body of the fat man on the ground, and saw with his own eyes the fat man's soul emerging from his body, then drifting out of the Academy.
Tian Lin was able to clearly see the soul of the fat man because he had consumed the True Eye Fruit.
But Senior Brother Changxue and a few others were powerful in Spiritual Sense, sensing the commotion nearby.
As they all looked towards the entrance of the Academy, the Teaching Elder said, "Now, let me show you the power of Funeral Science, and soon you'll understand the benefits of practicing it."
After finishing his speech, he summoned the fat man's body onto his lectern with a wave of his hand and suddenly spoke out, "My good disciple, your soul—return—"
The Teaching Elder's normal speech was bearable, but no one expected his mourning tone to be so unpleasant.
All the students in the Academy were nearly scared out of their wits by his wailing.
Fortunately, everyone present was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and they weren't affected by the Teaching Elder's spell.
It was at this moment that Tian Lin saw at the entrance of the Academy, the fat man's confused soul appearing, drawn slowly closer by the Teaching Elder's wailing.
The Teaching Elder slapped his Storage Bag and a Soul-Collecting Pearl appeared instantly.
Senior Brother Zhou from below the lectern was shocked, hurriedly stood up and said, "Elder, that is not a Night Patrol Deity, please don't make a mistake."
The Teaching Elder replied, "How could I not know? I just picked the wrong item."
Such words were nothing but a joke; how could a Foundation Establishment Cultivator possibly pick the wrong item from a Storage Bag, let alone a Golden Core cultivator?
Clearly, the Teaching Elder had captured too many souls and had become somewhat muddle-headed from exorcising 'demons.'
He didn't hesitate to refine any soul he saw, momentarily forgetting that this one was knocked out by himself.
"Fat man, when will you wake up if not now?"
The Teaching Elder took an empty bamboo tube, sucked toward the fat man's soul, and instantly inhaled it.
Then everyone saw him aim the bamboo tube at the fat man's body and blow the soul back in through the tube.
As soon as the Teaching Elder slapped the fat man's head, the man's eyes snapped open, obviously revived.
Students below the lectern exclaimed insincerely, the Teaching Elder proudly said, "People often say that the dead cannot be brought back to life, but can they really not be resurrected?
Just now, I have demonstrated the use of Funeral Science for you. Now, do you understand its function?"
Everyone here was from noble families, and these families had been following Wendaos Sect for at least a thousand years.
The effectiveness and strength of Funeral Science were known to all present; did they really need the Teaching Elder's demonstration?
But everyone was unsure of the Teaching Elder's intentions, not knowing what madness had taken him, and fearing trouble, they could only nod in agreement as if they had learned something.
Only the fat man on the lectern was crying without tears; his head was completely drooping onto his neck. At this moment, he could neither live properly nor die.
But the Teaching Elder didn't care about the fat man's fate; he turned his gaze towards Tian Lin below, "Tian Lin, do you now understand that Funeral Science is not a useless discipline?"
Tian Lin was stunned, not understanding why the Teaching Elder had singled him out.
Likewise, the students of Class Dinggui also looked at Tian Lin, with many having a realization, then looked at Tian Lin with uncertainty.
If initially, senior brother Zhou befriended Tian Lin because of Ju Yunhai, then now, for the sake of emphasizing Funeral Science to Tian Lin, the Teaching Elder had made such a commotion in the Academy, under whose instruction was it?
Everyone only knew that Tian Lin was of Huahua Lang origin, but his lineage was unknown.
Or rather, it was assumed that all Outer Disciples from Gourd Peak followed Elder Xue's lineage.
Therefore, no one suspected Elder Yu at this moment.
Even Tian Lin himself did not feel there was anything special about the disciples of Elder Yu; he knew that Ju Yunhai was aware of his apprenticeship to Elder Yu.
"The disciple will certainly not disappoint Elder's meticulous guidance, and will diligently practice Funeral Science."
The Teaching Elder, upon hearing this, stroked his beard and nodded, secretly thinking: "Whether you understand my painstaking efforts is not important, but it is crucial that Elder Xue understands."