Chen Changsheng's patience made Qingfeng roll his eyes dramatically.

"This isn't about being slow; you never intended to reach Foundation Establishment, did you?"

"Others extend their time in the Qi Refining Realm to build a solid foundation, but no one drags it out for ten years like you."

"Even though you're at the ninth level of Qi Refining, you can't even beat an outer disciple at the seventh level."

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

Faced with Senior Brother Qingfeng's exasperation, Chen Changsheng smiled faintly.

"Cultivation is just cultivation. Why complicate it with so many goals?"

"Besides, when it comes to fighting, having you is enough. One more of me doesn't make a difference."

"Senior Brother, please don't trouble me any further."

Find the original at "pawread.com".

With that, Chen Changsheng prepared to dive back into his pile of books.

But Qingfeng, standing nearby, wouldn't let him have his way. He grabbed Chen Changsheng by the collar and lifted him up.

"Chen Changsheng, stop trying to dodge the issue. The matter of reaching Foundation Establishment is a direct instruction from Master."

"You have to break through, whether you want to or not."

"The Boundless Secret Realm is about to open, and Master personally secured a spot for you. You can't escape this time."

With that, Qingfeng led the reluctant Chen Changsheng out of the Scripture Repository.

...

In the grand hall of Shangqing Temple.

An elder with an ethereal presence stood in the center of the hall.

The ten inner disciples of Shangqing Temple stood neatly on either side, with Chen Changsheng at the end of the line.

After a long silence, the elder spoke, "Changsheng, how many years have you been at Shangqing Temple?"

Hearing his name called directly by the Master, Chen Changsheng immediately bowed and replied.

"Master, it has been ten years since I joined the temple."

Upon hearing this, the elder nodded.

"Ten years ago, it coincided with the time when the Grandmaster emerged from seclusion, and you happened to pass by Shangqing Temple."

"The Grandmaster chose you out of the vast crowd at a glance."

"At that time, the Grandmaster brought you directly to Shangqing Temple, saying you were destined for the Dao, and granted you the status of an inner disciple."

As he spoke, the elder slowly walked towards Chen Changsheng and gently placed his right hand on Chen Changsheng's shoulder.

"Ouch!"

"Master, my bones are going to break, please be gentle!"

Faced with the elder's immense strength, Chen Changsheng struggled continuously.

But with his feeble strength, how could he escape the grasp of the Shangqing Temple's leader, the Primordial Spirit Master?

At this moment, the Primordial Spirit Master's expression also twisted slightly.

Forcing a smile, he said grimly, "Whether you are destined for the Dao, I dare not presume."

"But can you explain why the lightning-struck jujube wood that has been in the back mountain for three hundred years has turned into a coffin?"

Hearing this, all nine of Chen Changsheng's senior brothers twitched at the corners of their mouths.

In Shangqing Temple, the Master favored this little junior brother the most.

For other senior brothers, there might be places in Shangqing Temple they couldn't enter freely.

But for the little junior brother, there were no such restrictions.

Anywhere within Shangqing Temple, the little junior brother could go as he pleased.

Even the Grandmaster's secluded place was accessible to him.

But no one expected that the little junior brother would dare to touch the Master's cherished possession.

The lightning-struck jujube wood in the back mountain was something the Master had snatched from a Golden Elixir stage demon three hundred years ago.

For this piece of wood, the Master had secluded himself to heal for thirty years.

Normally, the disciples of Shangqing Temple weren't even allowed to look at it, let alone touch it.

Now, the little junior brother had used the lightning-struck wood to make a coffin. That was truly audacious!

"Master, the little junior brother acted without malice. Please forgive him this once!"

Qingfeng stepped forward to plead for Chen Changsheng, and the other senior brothers also spoke up in his defense.

"Without malice?"

"I only gave him the route for the outer formation, never the core formation."

"Three years ago, that piece of lightning-struck wood was still there, but when I checked yesterday, it had become a fine coffin."

"I'm curious, what kind of unintentional act could silently break my grand formation and turn the wood into a coffin?"

As he spoke, the Primordial Spirit Master looked at Chen Changsheng again.

Facing the Master's gaze, Chen Changsheng appeared somewhat guilty.

"Master, that piece of lightning-struck wood has been there for a long time."

"Although such material is rare, it seems a bit redundant for your current realm."

Listening to Chen Changsheng's excuse, the Primordial Spirit Master released his grip on Chen Changsheng's shoulder and instead grabbed his ear.

Though the Primordial Spirit Master spoke harshly, he still cared deeply for this disciple.

Among the inner disciples, Chen Changsheng was the weakest and at the lowest realm.

If he wasn't careful, he might accidentally hurt him.

"Do I need you to tell me whether it's useful or not?"

"I kept the lightning-struck wood to carve statues of the Three Pure Ones."

"When outsiders visit Shangqing Temple and see the majestic statues of the Three Pure Ones, they will surely feel reverence for our Daoist sect."

"Now that the wood is gone, tell me what to do about it."

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng immediately shrank his head, freeing his ear from the Primordial Spirit Master's "claws."

Then, Chen Changsheng pointed to the clay statues of the Three Pure Ones in the hall and said.

"The Dao resides in the heart; clay statues of the Three Pure Ones are sufficient. To make others understand our Daoist sect, why rely on external objects?"

With that, Chen Changsheng took out a brush and walked straight out of the hall.

Watching Chen Changsheng's actions, the Primordial Spirit Master was somewhat puzzled.

According to custom, as long as this kid obediently admitted his mistake and the other disciples pleaded for him, he could let him off the hook.

But with this move, the Master felt a bit out of sorts!

Soon, the Primordial Spirit Master and Chen Changsheng's nine senior brothers followed him out.

They saw Chen Changsheng using spiritual power to smooth the couplet outside the hall, then writing twenty-two bold and vigorous characters in front of everyone.

"With a crooked heart, burning incense is of no benefit."

"With a righteous body, not bowing is no harm."

"Excellent!"

Seeing the couplet Chen Changsheng had written, Qingfeng couldn't help but praise.

"The little junior brother truly is destined for the Dao; these twenty-two characters fully display the spirit of our Daoist sect."

In response to Qingfeng's praise, Chen Changsheng merely smiled and said nothing.

Meanwhile, the Primordial Spirit Master, with a stern face, said, "Your comprehension is acceptable, but your strength is pathetic."

"I'll remember the matter of the lightning-struck wood for now. If you can't reach Foundation Establishment in the Boundless Secret Realm, watch out for your legs."

"Now get out of here, seeing you all annoys me."

Seeing that the Master was still upset, the senior brothers quickly led Chen Changsheng away.

After Chen Changsheng left, the Primordial Spirit Master carefully pondered the couplet in front of him.