Taiyi Dao Fruit

Although he was the Master of the Seven Halls, it wasn't necessary for the Master of the Seven Halls to reside within the Qixing Palace.

In particular, Yaoguang Hall was the Sect's mission center, where various tasks were taken up every day, with people coming and going; it was never tranquil, so naturally, Elder Tianpeng wouldn't make Yaoguang Hall his permanent residence.

He actually lived on a small island to the north of Dinghu, named "Beixuan Island."

The warmth of summer struggled to penetrate the island, and as soon as one approached, they would be met by a sudden blast of cool air.

The island experienced eternal spring, maintaining a stable temperature throughout the year.

On Beixuan Island, at the cliff on the back of the island mountain, Elder Tianpeng sat on the ground, exuding a sense of solidity like a small mountain.

Opposite him was Elder Kaiyang, with a bold and unrestrained appearance. At this moment, the elder was curled up with a book, lounging and reading, occasionally nodding his head or making audible exclamations.

"The plot is rich and varied, with many styles—this book written by Jiang Li is indeed exceptional," Elder Kaiyang propped himself up and said, "Why don't you let me take him as my disciple?"

"Don't you already have a disciple?" Elder Tianpeng replied, none too pleased.

"Ugh, don't get me started."

The moment it was mentioned, Elder Kaiyang sighed, "To think that I, Guan Wuyang, lived a carefree life only to have taught such an obsessively loyal disciple, completely devoted to Yun Jiuye."

"The people I dislike the most in my life are those two fools, Tianquan and Yuheng. To my surprise, my own disciple has turned out to be just like them."

"At least those two are hopelessly in love with a woman, but my disciple is hopelessly devoted to a man. That ingrate has completely thrown away my face."

Towards the end, Elder Kaiyang looked utterly vexed.

"Heh," Elder Tianpeng gave a derisive laugh, "They are devoted to people, but you are devoted to the Sect. Anything that might harm the Sect, you strive to prevent with all your might. Handing Jiang Li over to you, I'm afraid he might be ruined and end up just as a host for the Ochre Whip."

After so many years as best friends, how could he not know Elder Kaiyang's thoughts? It was true he felt disgrace because of his disciple, he might truly want another disciple, but wanting to take Jiang Li as his pupil was surely false.

"Tsk, I knew I couldn't hide anything from you."

Elder Kaiyang clicked his tongue, dropped the pretense, and looked seriously at his old friend, asking, "Then whom do you want to take him as a disciple? It seems to me you don't really want to take him yourself."

Suddenly, Elder Tianpeng fell silent.

He seemed unsure of how to answer, or perhaps he didn't want to.

But it was apparent he indeed didn't want to take Jiang Li as his disciple.

At that moment, the sound of a boat cutting through water reached them, faint though it was, but both elders were aware.

Elder Kaiyang's eyebrows slightly raised, and suddenly, his figure flashed and disappeared from the spot.

Elder Tianpeng, on the other hand, composed himself and quietly waited.

After a while, footsteps approached steadily, and Jiang Li's figure appeared on the path, gradually drawing near to the cliff.

"You have come," Elder Tianpeng said without turning toward the path.

Having reached the stone cliff, Jiang Li stopped in his tracks, pondered briefly, and then replied, "I have come."

"You shouldn't have come."

"Yet I still came."

"Do you know," Elder Tianpeng's voice grew increasingly somber, "if you take me as your master, you will completely lose any chance of ascending to the Sect Leader position. My surname is also Jiang, just like you. If I take you as my disciple, and with the clan members who follow you, the Jiang Clan within the sect will become an entity, an even more powerful and influential entity than Jiang Zhuyun."

This kind of entity, should it wish to do anything, would be more difficult for the other elders to stop.

Even when the Ji Family and Jiang Clan were in their honeymoon phase, such an entity had to be guarded against, let alone now.

"If I become a disciple of another elder, will the elder sever ties with me and other members of the Jiang Clan?" Jiang Li replied, "If I take another as my master, it's equivalent to having an additional elder. If I manage to gain that elder's support, coupled with your help, Elder, I would be even less tolerated by the other elders of the sect. It seems taking you as my master is indeed the best choice."

"You don't wish to ascend to the Sect Leader position?" Elder Tianpeng turned, his gaze as striking as thunder, piercing to the heart.

"If the disciple had designs on the Sect Leader position, I would not have ignored the rumors prevalent within the sect," Jiang Li responded frankly.

He declared loudly: "I have no ambitions for the Sect Leader's role, but only wish for the sect's peace. My sole desire is the well-being of the sect and for our clan to have a place to stay. As for anything else, it is not what I seek."

At least for now, it is not what Jiang Li seeks. As for the future...

Who knows?

As long as one has sufficient strength, what does it matter if they've been deemed ineligible to contend for the position?

In this world where great power is vested in oneself, everything still comes down to strength, not social graces or favors.

After all, Jiang Li now possesses nothing but sincere devotion to the sect, prioritizing it above all else. Even if one were to open up his heart, they would find only the word "loyalty."

Having invested so much of his blood and sweat in acting, due to the solidification of cause and effect, none of it had been in vain. His efforts had borne fruit. When he performed, he could even deceive himself.

"In that case, how about taking me as your master?" The figure who appeared was none other than Elder Kaiyang, laughing as he said, "My name is Guan Wuyang, the Master of Kaiyang Hall—the Kaiyang Martial Arts."

With a flash, Elder Kaiyang reappeared, only to hear him say with a laugh: "Take me as your master, and all you desire shall be fulfilled. Moreover, I will earnestly impart martial arts to you, but let me clarify one thing—I will absolutely not let you compete for the Sect Leader position."

Perhaps moved by Jiang Li's words, Elder Kaiyang spoke with utmost sincerity, even promising not to hinder cultivation. Yet at the same time, he also preemptively warned of the cost of becoming his disciple.

Upon hearing this, Elder Tianpeng snorted, "Taking him as your master is inferior to taking me as your master. Jiang Li, you practice Dual Cultivation of martial and magical arts, while he specializes only in Martial Arts. If you take him as your master, you might just end up as a mere Martial Artist, wasting your magical cultivation."

If not competing for the Sect Leader position, it would be better to take me as your master, thus avoiding many troubles.

"You practice Thunder Technique, yet isn't it all for close combat fighting? How does that differ from a Martial Artist?" Elder Kaiyang retorted unconvinced.

We're both brawlers skilled in close combat—who is more noble than the other?

The two elders, differing on who to take as a master, each began to show signs of disagreement.

And then, a third party appeared.

"Elder Yaoguang practices Dual Cultivation of martial and magical arts but is not proficient in Divination. Elder Kaiyang specializes in Martial Arts, which is even less suitable," said Elder Tianxuan, stepping forward gracefully and majestically from the ripples shimmering over the cliff. She looked at Jiang Li and said, "How about, you become my disciple instead?"

Her voice was gentle and melodious, indescribably pleasing to the ear, but upon her appearance, both elders immediately showed serious expressions.

Elder Tianpeng spoke gravely, "Using the Ethereal Illusion Realm to induce dreams, yet pulling Jiang Li and Jiang Zhuyun out at the last moment, letting the two of them fight to the death, you indeed kept your promise to punish only the ringleader. But the other Jiang family's children couldn't handle the shock to their Divine Souls from being killed and died in reality just the same. You fulfilled your promise, yet left me without anything to criticize. Sister, your actions were flawlessly executed, and I admire that."

"But I do not trust you."

"Rather than hand over Jiang Li to you, I would prefer to entrust him to this fellow, Kaiyang."

Elder Kaiyang: "..."

Thanks, I feel so honored.