513: Chapter 23 The Pine Tree Falls, Puzhi Dies

"Treasure-Swallowing Gourd? Does that mean this gourd can swallow people's Magic Treasures?" Hearing Meng Li's correction, Wu Da Yi guessed based on the name.

Meng Li nodded.

"For real?" Zheng Da Li's Face showed doubt.

It wasn't that he didn't believe Meng Li, but a Magic Treasure capable of seizing others' Magic Treasures was simply unheard of.

Meng Li gave a faint smile. "Whether it's true or not, Senior Brother, you'll know once you try it."

Hearing this, Zheng Da Li didn't stand on ceremony. He immediately summoned his personal sword and performed the Sword Flight Technique; one sword split into several, piercing toward Meng Li.

Seeing this, Meng Li opened the stopper of the Treasure-Swallowing Gourd, pointed the mouth toward those Flying Swords, and said softly, "Please enter, treasure!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zheng Da Li felt the Flying Swords he was controlling being pulled by an invisible force. They broke free from his control and flew toward the mouth of the gourd, shrinking rapidly as they approached before being sucked inside.

Du Bi Shu immediately let out an exclamation: "Holy cow, it really can take them!"

Lv Daxi followed up, "That's amazing, Seventh Junior Brother!"

Wu Da Yi and He Da Zhi also expressed their admiration.

Su Ru and Tian Linger, hearing the commotion inside the house, came out together to check. They arrived just in time to see Meng Li controlling the Treasure-Swallowing Gourd to release Zheng Da Li's Flying Swords.

Su Ru immediately smiled and said, "Old Seventh, is this the Treasure-Swallowing Gourd Linger mentioned?"

Meng Li nodded. "It is."

He wasn't surprised that Tian Linger had told Su Ru about the Treasure-Swallowing Gourd, nor did he mind.

Du Bi Shu added, "Ma'am, Seventh Junior Brother just pointed the gourd at Third Senior Brother's Flying Swords, said a word, and took them away. It's truly miraculous!"

To his surprise, Su Ru's Face hardened. "You still remember Old Seventh is your Junior Brother! He, as a Junior Brother, has already returned from his down-mountain tempering, yet you, as a Senior Brother, haven't even met the requirements to go down the mountain yet. You still have the heart to stand here and watch the excitement?"

"Go Cultivate immediately!"

Du Bi Shu's expression slumped, but he had no way to refute her and could only leave helplessly.

Next, Su Ru turned her focus toward Wu Da Yi, He Da Zhi, and the others. "You all as well! There are only a few years left until the Seven-Peak Martial Tournament. When the time comes, if Old Seventh steals the spotlight and you perform poorly, you'll lose Face when people start saying the Senior Brothers are inferior to their Junior Brother."

"Even if you don't care about your own Face, you should think about your lifelong happiness."

"The Seven-Peak Martial Tournament is a great opportunity to meet Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters from the other peaks. Your Eldest Senior Brother met Wen Min at the last tournament."

"If you perform poorly, how are you going to attract those Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters?"

The expressions of Wu Da Yi, He Da Zhi, and the others froze. They glanced at each other, cupped their hands, and said in unison, "We're going to Cultivate right now."

After saying that, they all left in a flash.

A moment later, Su Ru called Meng Li and Tian Linger into the Hall of Quiet Observance to continue questioning them about their experiences down the mountain.

Just as the three were finishing their talk, Tian Buyi returned, his expression looking rather grim.

By now, Su Ru already knew about Green Pine and understood what Tian Buyi had gone to do. Seeing him, she couldn't help but ask, "I've heard about the situation from Linger and Old Seventh. Why do you look so troubled? Did something go wrong?"

Tian Buyi shook his head and sighed. "Senior Brother Green Pine has crippled his own Cultivation."

Tian Linger and Meng Li were somewhat surprised.

Su Ru was stunned, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

She wanted to say that doing so was a bit extreme, but then she thought of what Green Pine had done: practicing evil arts, ambushing Universal Wisdom, harming the innocent, and attempting to assassinate the Sect Head.

Any one of these was a major transgression, let alone all of them combined.

It certainly wasn't something that could be simply brushed aside as 'understandable under the circumstances.'

Thus, she swallowed her words and asked instead, "What about Great Master Universal Wisdom's side?"

Tian Buyi replied, "The Sect Head temporarily gathered several Peak Lords to discuss it. He plans to plead with Universal Wisdom and the people from Tianyin Pavilion to see if we can save Senior Brother Green Pine's life."

"Will that work?" Su Ru asked.

"I don't know, but we have to try."

...

The next day.

Tian Buyi received news that someone from Tianyin Pavilion had arrived—it was Universal Wisdom's Junior Brother, Pu Kong.

He happened to be traveling nearby and rushed over immediately upon receiving the message from his sect.

Mysterious Dao was in seclusion to purge poison and heal his wounds, Wan Jianyi could not conveniently appear, and Green Pine's Cultivation was crippled and he was a party involved; none of them could represent Qingyun, so only Tian Buyi could step up.

Meng Li wasn't clear on the specifics of how the matter was handled.

He only heard that Green Pine didn't die; after passing the position of Dragon Head Peak Lord to his eldest Disciple, Qi Hao, he went to the back mountain to guard the Ancestral Hall.

Universal Wisdom, on the other hand, was beaten to death by the villagers of Caomiao Village.

This was his own choice.

In addition, Tian Buyi brought back two people—Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu!

The situation of the two joining Qingyun was similar to the original story: Lin Jingyu was fought over by several Peak Lords due to his outstanding Aptitude, while Zhang Xiaofan suffered a cold reception due to his poor Aptitude.

The difference was that, influenced by Meng Li, Lin Jingyu chose Dazhu Peak when it was his turn to pick.

Zhang Xiaofan was still taken in by Dazhu Peak after being rejected by the others.

However, Tian Buyi didn't feel as resentful about it as in the original story. Firstly, he felt somewhat guilty about the Caomiao Village incident. Secondly, Dazhu Peak already had Meng Li, an Innate Dao Body, and had gained the highly talented Lin Jingyu; taking in one more Zhang Xiaofan with poor Aptitude didn't matter much.

Meng Li didn't feel anything special about Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu joining.

Song Da Ren, Wu Da Yi, and the others, as well as Tian Linger, were quite happy—especially Tian Linger.

The addition of two Junior Brothers allowed her to experience the feeling of being a Senior Sister again.

Although Meng Li was technically her Junior Brother, the two had spent so much time together that the gap in talent and Cultivation, along with other feelings, meant she could no longer view him simply as a Junior Brother to gain a sense of achievement from. Her occasional displays of 'Senior Sister' authority were merely her being temperamental.

After a simple apprenticeship ceremony, Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu officially entered the gates of Dazhu Peak.

Since they joined on the same day, their seniority was determined by age. Lin Jingyu was two months older than Zhang Xiaofan, making him the eighth Disciple, while Zhang Xiaofan was the ninth.

Although he had accepted Lin Jingyu and Zhang Xiaofan as Disciples, Tian Buyi did not immediately begin teaching them personally.

First, according to the rules of Dazhu Peak, the two had to chop bamboo for three years to train their basic skills and temper their Heart-Nature.

Second, he was busy handling sect affairs lately.

Mysterious Dao was in seclusion for healing, and Green Pine had gone to the back mountain Ancestral Hall, so the burden on the remaining Peak Lords increased. Tian Buyi specialized in Alchemy and was originally mainly responsible for the Qingyun Sect's Medicinal Pill affairs; now he had to take on extra duties, frequently running to Tongtian Peak, sometimes even needing Su Ru's help.

The affairs of Dazhu Peak fell onto Song Da Ren.

He had plenty to do as well, such as supervising the Cultivation of Wu Da Yi, He Da Zhi, and the others, arranging people to look after the Spirit Medicine, and coordinating the consumption of resources.

The task of taking Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu to chop bamboo and teaching them basic skills fell to Tian Linger and Meng Li.

Thus, the day after the apprenticeship ceremony, Tian Linger and Meng Li found them.

"Junior Brothers, let us take you to chop bamboo."

...