Mo Tiange stood within the Cloud Carriage. Listening to the whooshing wind beside her ears, she kept her eyes lowered and her mind focused, standing motionless and with perfect decorum.
Ye Jingwen was also thoroughly practiced in this set of etiquette for meeting elders, and there was not a single mistake.
Thus, the two of them resembled statues, perfectly embodying the image of 'obedient good disciples'.
Dao Lord Jinghe glanced at the two of them for a while. Seeing that neither showed any intention of volunteering an explanation, he slowly produced a cup of steaming tea—in a flying Cloud Carriage, no one knew where he had procured this tea.
Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen remained silent, and Dao Lord Jinghe was even less inclined to speak. Within the Cloud Carriage, only the teacup steamed. Apart from the sound of Dao Lord Jinghe drinking his tea, there were no other noises.
Only after finishing the entire cup did Dao Lord Jinghe exhale contentedly and toss the teacup outside.
Mo Tiange instantly wondered: if there happened to be a cultivator down below right now, would they get a broken head? But the next moment, hearing Patriarch Jinghe's voice, she immediately withdrew her wandering thoughts.
"I say—" Dao Lord Jinghe leaned back in his chair, his gaze neither warm nor cold as he regarded the two of them. "Do you two really think this Dao Lord is someone you can fool so casually?"
Even though he wasn't releasing his pressure at that moment, a drop of cold sweat trickled down Ye Jingwen's forehead. He prostrated himself and knelt. "This unworthy disciple is incompetent. I beg the Patriarch to forgive this offense."
Mo Tiange's mind was still full of the Patriarch's earlier words about her being his Closing-Door Disciple, chaotic thoughts bubbling up without any focus. She hadn't even considered this matter yet. But seeing Ye Jingwen's reaction, she immediately snapped back to reality and gritted her teeth, kneeling down as well.
Dao Lord Jinghe gave a light humph, then suddenly roared loudly at the two kneeling figures: "You little brats! You think this Dao Lord knows nothing? Your guts are truly enormous! Killing seven Foundation Establishment cultivators in one go is one thing, but expecting your ancestor to help you sweep this matter under the rug, and you even dared to scheme for benefits from your own Patriarch!"
With this furious roar, the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator instantly spread out. The previously reluctant Mo Tiange, once touched by this pressure, felt her entire body immobilized, firmly pressed to the ground. Moreover, cold sweat poured down her forehead, and the spiritual energy within her body churned wildly, utterly uncontrollable.
However, the next moment, Dao Lord Jinghe's light, airy voice was heard again: "Still, after all, you are this Dao Lord Jinghe's disciples, aren't you? How could we let others just come knocking on our door whenever they please?" His tone was self-satisfied, brimming with pride.
Mo Tiange was stunned. This... what kind of act was this? She had thought that even if Dao Lord Jinghe was pleased, he would scold them on the surface first, then give rewards. She never expected him to be so direct...
It was Ye Jingwen who reacted first, immediately saying: "The Patriarch speaks wisely. This unworthy disciple thought the same. Those Ancient Sword Sect cultivators were truly shameless; how could we let them bully us? However, we couldn't let the old men of the Ancient Sword Sect tarnish the Patriarch's reputation either, so we acted on our own initiative..."
Hearing these words, Mo Tiange broke out in a sweat again. She had just discovered that Brother Ye could be long-winded, but she never knew Ye Jingwen could also be so silver-tongued, not only shifting all the blame but also making it sound as if they had acted for the Patriarch's sake.
Dao Lord Jinghe, however, seemed quite pleased. Stroking his short beard, he laughed heartily: "Not bad, not bad. You're quite clever, kid. Although this Patriarch knows you're not telling the whole truth, it's pleasing to the eye, so I won't hold it against you!"
Ye Jingwen let out a sigh of relief, and Mo Tiange also felt a weight lift from her shoulders. They had finally gotten past this hurdle...
"However..."
Both of them tensed up again, seeing Dao Lord Jinghe looking at them with an unfathomable expression. "Although this matter of yours is very much to my liking, it was also far too audacious! To shut others' mouths, starting today, you will enter seclusion on Clear Spring Peak for ten years. Within these ten years, you are not to leave without orders. Do you hear me?!"
Not being allowed to leave Mount Taikang for ten years—under Patriarch Jinghe's protection, outsiders naturally wouldn't dare touch them. This was clearly letting them off intentionally. Both Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen were delighted. They exchanged a glance and sincerely prostrated themselves: "Many thanks, Patriarch."
"Hmm." Dao Lord Jinghe closed his eyes but raised one corner to glance at Mo Tiange. "And why are you still calling me Patriarch?"
Mo Tiange was taken aback, momentarily at a loss for words. Was there something wrong with that?
Dao Lord Jinghe snorted. "Do you think everything I say is just hot air? Since you are my Closing-Door Disciple, there's no need for such a form of address."
"Ah?" Mo Tiange was truly dumbfounded this time. She had only thought Patriarch Jinghe's words were a temporary expedient, said for others to hear. Did he actually mean to take her as his Closing-Door Disciple?
"Ah what?!" Dao Lord Jinghe shot her a look, his tone full of menace. "Don't tell me you don't want to be this Dao Lord's disciple?!"
Mo Tiange blinked, still not fully recovered, when Ye Jingwen nudged her and whispered urgently: "What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and kowtow!"
Only then did she fluster and kowtow: "This disciple... this disciple pays respects to Master!" What was this all about? She had even met a God Transformation cultivator before, so she shouldn't be scared out of her wits by Patriarch Jinghe. But she really couldn't adapt to this Patriarch's way of handling things...
"Hmm..." Dao Lord Jinghe nodded with satisfaction. "That's more like it! Your Master isn't feeling too pleased right now, so there won't be any formal ceremony. Any objections?"
"No..." How could she dare object? A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator with no backing, being accepted as the Closing-Door Disciple of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—what an immense honor! Even Core Formation cultivators would fight tooth and nail for such an opportunity. How could she have objections? She was just a bit worried. This Patriarch had a strange personality and wouldn't be easy to get along with...
Her mind was in turmoil, unable to sort things out, when she heard the still-eyes-closed Dao Lord Jinghe snort. At that moment, both Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen shuddered, sensing an immense pressure. With her current experience, the moment this pressure appeared, Mo Tiange knew it should be the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Another Nascent Soul cultivator had appeared?
At this moment, Dao Lord Jinghe curled his lips into a cold sneer. "Such petty tricks, you think you can pressure me?"
With a flick of his sleeve, a barrier materialized out of thin air, enveloping the Cloud Carriage so tightly not a drop of water could leak through. Then, bringing his hands together, a startling aura erupted. Unexpectedly, Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen inside the Cloud Carriage were still at the Foundation Establishment stage and were only inches away from Dao Lord Jinghe. The moment Dao Lord Jinghe unleashed this move, the two instantly spat blood and directly fainted inside the Cloud Carriage.
Dao Lord Jinghe frowned. This was the first time he had encountered an enemy while others were inside his Cloud Carriage, so he had overlooked this point.
Dao Lord Jinghe muttered with great displeasure: "So useless." After speaking, he stopped the Cloud Carriage, lifted the gold-trimmed curtain, and stepped out.
When Mo Tiange awoke, she felt her body as if sunk in clouds, unable to find purchase anywhere. She didn't even have the strength to open her eyes, and there was a dull ache within her meridians.
Just as Mo Tiange wanted to move, she heard a gentle female voice beside her ear: "Uncle-Master Mo, this is the Patriarch's Warm Nurturing Pool. On the way, we encountered enemies, and the Patriarch inadvertently injured you. After returning, the Patriarch sent you here and instructed us to take good care of you. Uncle-Master, are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
Mo Tiange thought, I'm uncomfortable all over, and even speaking is difficult.
Then another female voice spoke beside her ear: "Meng Zhu, since Uncle-Master has awakened, first serve him the pill the Patriarch left."
Mo Tiange then felt someone bring a pill to her lips. With great effort, she opened her mouth, only to find she didn't even have the strength to swallow.
The earlier female voice said: "Uncle-Master, pardon the rudeness."
Then someone pinched her jaw, opening and tilting it, forcing the pill into her body.
Once the pill entered her body, medicinal potency spread along her meridians, and the dull ache in her meridians eased considerably. However, it was utterly incomparable to the efficacy of the medicinal herbs the Fiery Beast had gathered within the Void Heaven Realm.
Frowning, Mo Tiange tried her best to absorb the medicinal potency while feeling incredibly unlucky.
During that Demon Beast battle, of all things to provoke, she had to provoke a fifth-rank demon beast. If not for the Five Element Body Refinement and the Void Heaven Realm, she would have long ceased to exist.
After finally recovering from her injuries, just as she had reunited with her sectmates, she encountered Brother Ye being ganged up on. Then, because of this incident, through a strange twist of fate, she was accepted as an Inner Disciple by a Nascent Soul Patriarch. Who would have thought that before the title of Inner Disciple could even warm up, she would be severely injured by her own Master?
Let me ask, how many Inner Disciples in this world get severely injured by their own Master right after becoming a disciple?
Probably searching throughout the entire Western Kunwu, she was the only such rarity. She truly didn't know what kind of fate this was.
After thinking this, Mo Tiange finally felt she had regained some strength. Struggling to open her mouth, she asked: "Brother Ye... is he alright?"
"Reporting to Uncle-Master, Senior Brother Ye has already been taken back to Clear Spring Peak by Uncle-Master Qingyuan for treatment. The Patriarch has bestowed some pills, so he should be fine."
Bestowed... Clearly, you were the one who injured him, and you call it 'bestowed'...
Sensing the circle of people surrounding her, Mo Tiange felt quite helpless. If she were still a registered disciple, she would probably be left to fend for herself right now. That way, she could enter the Void Heaven Realm to recuperate. Whether it was medicinal herbs or spiritual energy, it was countless times better than this Master's so-called 'bestowal'.
Thinking this, Mo Tiange felt somewhat better. Searching throughout the entire Western Kunwu, the one who dared disdain the bestowal of her own mid-stage Nascent Soul Master was probably her alone.
Only, Brother Ye probably had it rough this time. Not to mention meridian damage, his cultivation might even regress.
She didn't know if she had implicated him or if she had just been unlucky along with him.
Thinking of this, Mo Tiange remembered another matter: "How come you all are fine?"
Mo Tiange remembered that these few female cultivators outside the Cloud Carriage were also at the Foundation Establishment stage like her. How come she and Ye Jingwen were severely injured, while these few still had the ability to take care of her?
"Reporting to Uncle-Master, the eight of us sisters were positioned within a barrier inherent to the Cloud Carriage that protected our surroundings. So, no matter how earth-shattering the Patriarch's battle with others was, it had no effect on us. However, usually only the Patriarch is inside the Cloud Carriage, and Uncle-Master and Senior Brother Ye were too close, which is why you were affected." Before Mo Tiange could even start complaining internally, she heard the female voice continue: "The honor of sharing a carriage with the Patriarch—if word got out, who knows how many sectmates would be green with envy. Moreover, the Patriarch truly didn't do it on purpose. We hope Uncle-Master won't take it to heart."
Mo Tiange thought: You ride in the same carriage with him every day, and I don't see anyone being particularly envious.
But then she heard a slightly mocking female voice: "Senior Sister Meng Zhu, I'm afraid whether Uncle-Master takes it to heart or not isn't for you to explain on his behalf."
Huh? Such an impolite tone stunned Mo Tiange. What was going on?
The female cultivator called Meng Zhu now changed her gentle tone, giving a light cold humph: "I am speaking with Uncle-Master Mo. What need is there for you to interrupt?"
The female cultivator mocking Meng Zhu grew even more annoyed upon hearing this reply, sneering: "The Patriarch instructed all of us to attend to Uncle-Master Mo together, not Senior Sister alone. Why can't I interrupt?"
"Junior Sister Ruolan!" Meng Zhu's voice suddenly became much sharper. "Are you the senior sister, or am I?"
"You—" Ruolan paused, then said unwillingly, "Naturally, you are the senior sister."
Meng Zhu then resumed that slightly arrogant tone: "Since I am the senior sister, naturally, I should be the one speaking!"
After she said this, the room quieted down for a moment. Then the woman called Ruolan said indignantly: "So what if you're the senior sister now? Who the Patriarch favors isn't determined by seniority!"
Hearing this, Mo Tiange belatedly realized: Could this be the legendary rivalry for favor?
Thinking of that unreliable Patriarch Jinghe—oh, now her Master—and then thinking of these beautiful female cultivators, probably not over a hundred years old, she felt a chill run down her spine. The Daoist path advocated purity and restraint. While dual cultivation wasn't forbidden, taking concubines was rare. Could it be that her newly appointed Master was an exception?
Meng Zhu, Ruolan—these names were really not ordinary... vulgar! The self-proclaimed noble and dignified Patriarch Jinghe actually loved this style? Would there be Plum and Chrysanthemum next?
Just as she thought this, she heard Meng Zhu shout: "Shuangju, what expression is that?!"
Mo Tiange nearly spat out a mouthful of blood! Unfortunately, she didn't have the strength now. She could only contort her face while desperately absorbing the medicinal potency to regain control of her body as soon as possible, all while continuing to listen to these female cultivators verbally attacking each other.
"Senior Sister Meng Zhu, I didn't say anything!" This Shuangju's voice was cold, seemingly unwilling to get involved.
But Meng Zhu sneered: "You didn't say anything? It's written all over your face!"
Shuangju didn't reply, and silence ensued.
Then they heard Ruolan give a contemptuous laugh and say: "Senior Sister Meng Zhu, in terms of seniority, you're not the eldest either. Why bully Shuangju?"
"When did I bully her?" Meng Zhu argued indignantly. "I merely asked her a question. What does her ignoring me mean?"
"She..."
"Enough!" This time, as soon as Ruolan opened her mouth, the rarely speaking female cultivator spoke with authority. "You really think I'm just decoration since I don't speak! What's the use of fighting over this? The Patriarch instructed us to take care of Uncle-Master Mo. Aren't you afraid Uncle-Master will find your words offensive?"
Once these words were spoken, the room quieted for a moment. Shuangju said: "Senior Sister Momei, don't be angry. We'll stop talking."
But as soon as she finished speaking, Ruolan continued: "Senior Sister Momei, being so diligent in taking care of Uncle-Master Mo, don't tell me you want to curry favor with the Patriarch through Uncle-Master? I'm afraid you've miscalculated!"
Hearing this, Mo Tiange felt even more helpless. These few people quarreled right in front of her. Although they addressed her as Uncle-Master, there was no respect in it. Wasn't it just because they looked down on her as a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Dao Lord Jinghe's way of managing his subordinates truly wasn't great!