Beaten While Hanging Up

Inside the Pure Immortal Temple, everything was as it had been before.

Gone was the pitch-black gloom of the old temple, and vanished was even the slightest trace of eerie, biting chill.

However, the sounds of miserable shrieks rose one after another without stop.

"Temple Master, I was wrong! Stop hitting me! I shouldn't have run my mouth off."

"Third Master, I've lost my mind, I'm old and senile! Stop hitting me, it hurts to death!"

Outside the grand hall lay a patch of open ground.

On the ground paved with bluestone slabs stood a crooked-necked tree.

At this very moment.

Chen Huangpi and the bronze oil lamp were hung up on the crooked-necked tree.

Meanwhile, the old Taoist in a green robe lay on a rocking chair, holding a bamboo switch, and lashed out fiercely at Chen Huangpi and the bronze oil lamp.

Swish, swish, swish...

That slender, flexible bamboo switch was clearly nothing more than an ordinary worldly object.

Yet in the hands of the green-robed old priest, it was like a divine weapon, whipping Chen Huangpi into bitter lamentations and forcing the bronze oil lamp to spit out massive pools of black lamp oil.

"You two bastards!"

The green-robed old priest said with irrepressible fury: "One stared at the sun until he blinded his own eyes, and the other ate so much lamp oil its brains rotted away, yet you still dare to shoot your mouths off here! Today, I, your priest, will definitely cure your bad habits."

"Third Master."

Chen Huangpi endured the pain and said: "I am well-versed in pharmacology; I am not blind, I simply cannot see at the moment. I will recover in a short while."

The Third Master's condition seemed different from both the First Master and the Second Master.

Sometimes he was mad, and sometimes he was clear-headed.

Now that he was viciously beating him with a bamboo switch, it was clear he must be having a bout of madness right now.

"Temple Master."

The bronze oil lamp shrieked: "I am sober now, I am already sober!"

It had indeed consumed a great deal of lamp oil.

That was why it had transformed into an evil entity, but now that those black lamp oils had been whipped out of it by the Temple Master's bamboo switch, it immediately regained its sobriety.

The bronze oil lamp hurt so badly that it couldn't help feeling aggrieved in its heart: "Even though I've sobered up, the Temple Master is still hitting me. He must be avenging the grudge when my avatar suppressed the old temple."

"The Temple Master is too petty!"

"Indeed, I am rather petty."

The green-robed old priest said coldly: "Huangpi is only thirteen years old now, where on earth would he have over thirty thousand years? Is it your turn to run your mouth?"

Chen Huangpi said: "That's right, I'm only thirteen, I'm not that old."

"Only, Third Master, will I really not live to see eighteen?"

He knew his origins were extraordinary.

Furthermore, he had once drained the Underworld and swallowed the Nether Earth.

It was impossible that he wouldn't live past eighteen.

Besides, ever since he began cultivating, his body grew by leaps and bounds every few days; in just half a month, he had shot up from eight years old to thirteen.

Calculated this way, didn't that mean he didn't have much time left to live?

The green-robed old priest said with a dazed expression: "The upheaval of heaven and earth has not yet ended, yet you are growing this fast. This is not good, very not good."

Chen Huangpi asked: "Then what if I stop growing?"

"That is not up to you."

The green-robed old priest stated: "Once you begin cultivating, you will grow continuously. Had I known this earlier, I should have sealed you into the old temple back then, and waited until I slaughtered all those things before hatching you out."

"Yet why did I not do that?"

"I know!"

Chen Huangpi said excitedly: "Third Master, I have experienced many things recently and also learned of my origins. This trip to the Underworld and Nether Earth made me realize even more that you were the one who took me to drain the Underworld and swallow the Nether Earth back then. You went to such great lengths to bring me into this world, you must have grand schemes afoot."

"Perhaps you want me to counter this upheaval of heaven and earth."

The confusion in the green-robed old priest's eyes vanished, and he asked in surprise: "Huangpi, why would you think such a thing?"

Chen Huangpi said smugly: "I saw many interesting things from the memories of those cultivators. Although they could only cultivate up to the Nascent Soul realm, they always fantasized about becoming immortals, so some cultivators fabricated storybooks."

"Storybooks are always like this: when a great upheaval of heaven and earth occurs, a youth is born to meet the tribulation. Though he appears ordinary on the surface, his identity is actually extraordinary, his Dao heart is firm, and he cultivates to become a true immortal, and then props up the tottering mansion and turns the tide against the roaring billows."

"And my origins are likewise extraordinary, my Dao heart is firm, and I am also a youth. I must be the protagonist born to meet the tribulation."

Within the Pure Immortal Temple, everything was as it had been before.

"Third Master, do you think what I said is right?"

"There is a certain twisted logic to it."

The green-robed old priest said in a peculiar tone: "I have never read any storybooks, but if we are to go by what's in them, you shouldn't be the protagonist."

"Why shouldn't I be?"

Chen Huangpi became anxious: "Every single condition matches me."

"They don't match."

The green-robed old priest shook his head slightly, shifted his body on the rocking chair a bit, and then said: "You are twelve years old now. Although you are different from others, your cultivation does not distinguish realms; purely based on combat power, you should be somewhere between Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation."

Chen Huangpi said: "Nascent Soul is like slaughtering dogs to me, and divine beings even more so."

"I am speaking of cultivators before the upheaval of heaven and earth."

The green-robed old priest said in a calm tone: "Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, Tribulation Crossing, Void Returning, Dao Integration, Ascension. Beyond that are immortals, and among immortals, there are further distinctions."

"Some cultivate Ghost Immortals, some cultivate Earth Immortals, some cultivate Loose Immortals, and others cultivate Corpse-Dissolution Immortals."

"Further up are True Immortals. Once you reach the stage of True Immortal, there is no longer any talk of realms. What you compete in is your respective Dao; the Dao must be walked further and further, and principles must be debated clearer and clearer."

"Refining the Dao and returning to the true allows one to perceive the self."

These were things Chen Huangpi did not know.

Now that the path of cultivation had been explained to him in broad strokes, Chen Huangpi's mind was instantly enlightened.

At that moment, the Fox Mountain God skipped over holding a teapot and curried favor, saying: "Temple Master, please have some tea."

"Mm."

The green-robed old priest picked up the teapot, and then pointed at the crooked-necked tree, saying: "Go hang yourself up there too."

"You got it."

How could the Fox Mountain God dare disobey? It obediently walked under the crooked-necked tree and hung itself right up.

With a smack.

The bamboo switch lashed down against its body.

That single strike made the Fox Mountain God let out shrieks akin to a butchered pig.

"Ah!!!" The Fox Mountain God wailed in agony: "Temple Master, it wasn't me who nailed you to the wall! I only started it, I never expected he would pull off a stunt like that."

Its body was molded from clay.

Being whipped by this bamboo switch instantly caused debris and soil to flake off.

The green-robed old priest glanced at it and said calmly: "Hold on a bit longer."

"You got it, Temple Master!"

A deep sorrow filled the heart of the Fox Mountain God.

Just a single strike from the bamboo switch made it feel like it was about to crack apart.

If it had to hold on a bit longer, wouldn't it be beaten into dust?

The green-robed old priest paid no heed to this ungrateful little fox and continued: "Huangpi, do you know what my cultivation level was when I was your age?"

Chen Huangpi thought for a moment and said: "With origins like mine, I only equate to somewhere between Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation before the upheaval of heaven and earth. You definitely weren't as good as me, Third Master."

The bronze oil lamp at the side was dumbfounded.

It desperately wanted to speak out and remind him that the current Temple Master was not the Third Temple Master.

The Temple Master was sober.

If you, Chen Huangpi, talk like that, who knows how the old man will beat you.

Yet with the words right on its tip, the bronze oil lamp didn't dare run its mouth again.

The green-robed old priest smiled faintly as he glanced at the bronze oil lamp, and then delivered another lash with the bamboo switch.

With this strike, all the remaining black lamp oil inside the bronze oil lamp was whipped clean out of it.

Having done this, the green-robed old priest shook his head and said: "When I was your age, I had already cultivated to become a True Immortal."

"Ah?"

Chen Huangpi was dumbstruck: "Third Master, you became a True Immortal at twelve? How on earth did you cultivate?"

"I achieved it without paying attention, it's nothing much to speak of."

The green-robed old priest said calmly: "In the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty, there were those even younger than me who became True Immortals, leading the fashion of their era. Perhaps those people regarded themselves as protagonists, but if you think that way too, you will inevitably take a tumble sooner or later."

Chen Huangpi asked: "Then why did you go to such great lengths to bring me into being, Third Master?"

The green-robed old priest laughed helplessly: "In this world, there are parents who grant every request of their children, and there are those whose children demand everything of them. I am close to the Dao; what could I possibly lack? If I truly must give a reason."

"Then it would be that I simply wanted a disciple."

As these words fell.

Chen Huangpi could not help weeping tears of sorrow.

Only then did he realize that the master before him was not the Third Master, but the sober master.

Yet, his master's words made his heart ache with bitterness.

Chen Huangpi said despondently: "Master, you are so powerful. If you wanted a disciple, there must be countless people in the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty scrambling for the chance. With my age and paltry cultivation, they might be much more suited than I am."

"Not really, they aren't as shameless as you."

"Ah?"

The green-robed old priest realized: "You don't remember, but I still do. When you were still just an egg, you would bounce incessantly the moment you saw me. I couldn't drive you away even if I tried, so I had no choice but to take you as a disciple. Besides, you are no worse than anyone else."

"Had there been no upheaval of heaven and earth, you would have been born a True Immortal, and a True Immortal born of heaven and earth at that."

"I am a True Immortal!"

Chen Huangpi's eyes lit up, and he immediately beamed with joy, saying: "So I share such a karmic affinity with heaven and earth after all."

The Great Qian Immortal Dynasty had a bond with him, and the Underworld and Nether Earth also had a bond with him.

Now even heaven and earth had a bond with him.

The word "affinity" was truly marvelous beyond words.

The green-robed old priest said with a mixture of amusement and helplessness: "Huangpi, you haven't actually been truly born yet. Moreover, this heaven and earth has undergone an upheaval, and it will only view you as a thorn in its side, a thorn in its flesh; it is not your ancestral estate."

Chen Huangpi said thoughtfully: "So this is why I am not a True Immortal?"

"Naturally."

The green-robed old priest said with a sense of loss: "Emperor Chen, which is your uncle, gambled everything on you and consumed countless resources trying to bring you into the world. Yet I knew that the upheaval of heaven and earth had left no chance for you to be born."

"First refine the five viscera temples, and only then give birth to the primordial spirit."

"Shatter delusions to behold the true self."

"Only then will you be truly born."

The green-robed old priest's voice grew distant and near by turns.

Hearing it gave Chen Huangpi an inexplicable illusion that his master was about to vanish soon. Panic-stricken, he said: "Master, my eyes are blind right now, please help me cure them. I want to see you."

The green-robed old priest smiled and said: "You are well-versed in pharmacology, why would you need me to make a move? Besides, being a little blind for a few days isn't bad either—it keeps you from running around everywhere."

"However, you must remember, you truly will not live to see your eighteenth year."

"The heaven and earth of today will not permit it."

"When that time comes, no matter where you are, you must return to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, return to the temple. I will bestow upon you a fortune of cosmic proportions. As for how the outside world fares, I care not; here in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, I am the one who grants permission."

Chen Huangpi said anxiously: "Master, I will not leave the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. I do not want to part from you."

"Silly disciple, I didn't say to leave right now."

"Temple Master."

The bronze oil lamp couldn't help chiming in: "If Chen Huangpi leaves the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, you won't be able to see him anymore. Fortunately you have me, Old Huang, keeping you company, otherwise wouldn't you end up an old widower?"

"It won't be that I cannot see him."

The green-robed old priest looked at the bronze oil lamp with a half-smile.

This look instantly caused a bizarre thought to pop into the bronze oil lamp's head.

The Temple Master cannot leave the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

Because in a sense, the Temple Master is the Heavenly Dao of these Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

Yet once Chen Huangpi leaves the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, it is equivalent to going to another world.

How could he still be seen?

Unless there was another Temple Master outside.

But how could that be possible?

The green-robed old priest stretched lazily, then finally waved his bamboo switch and gave the Fox Mountain God two more lashes, knocking it cold, before he picked up the teapot and strolled leisurely toward the grand hall.

"The upheaval of heaven and earth is for me to worry about."

"You are only thirteen, you should be enjoying yourself and playing around. Otherwise, wouldn't you just end up living like me?"