The voice of rebuke was utterly severe, like the descent of a ruler’s decree, like the crack of a criminal’s whip, possessing the very momentum to tear space asunder.

When the initial ring echoed, none knew its origin. But as the voice settled, a monk clad in black robes materialized behind Ku Jue.

Purely by appearance, among the disciples of Ku Jue’s generation, the Head Seat of the Hall of Discipline, Ku Di, seemed the youngest.

Ku Jue bore a somewhat sallow, gaunt look, while Ku Bing was even thinner, skin stretched over bone, a picture of perpetual illness. The Abbot, Ku Ming, was a portly monk, yet his brow was perpetually furrowed in worry, adding seven or eight years to his apparent age.

Only Ku Di could be considered well-proportioned. Though habitually stern, he was undoubtedly the most presentable among the monks of the Ku generation.

Just as a confrontation teetered on the brink, the timely arrival of Ku Di, the Head Seat of the Hall of Discipline, caused Yuan Ye to exhale a sigh of relief.

Yet, Ku Jue himself remained lost in his own pursuit, still rushing forward without a backward glance. He merely addressed Yuan Ye, saying, “See that bald donkey behind you? He’s been stealing chickens and dogs since he was young, never learned anything good. If you have any treasures hidden in the Tian Ma Yuan, you must keep a close eye on him!”

As he spoke, he reached out and scooped Ku Jue, tossing him behind Yuan Ye as if he were a human projectile, aimed directly at Ku Di.

With one hand, Ku Di gently steadied Yuan Ye, while his other formed the Great Fearless Seal, pressing down remotely.

No sooner had this hand seal fallen than a colossal golden hand appeared before Ku Jue, conjured from thin air. Its upright palm formed a barrier, standing like a towering mountain, its five peaks raised in parallel, its momentum majestic and utterly unyielding.

Ku Jue, his face a picture of displeasure, turned back, muttering in a stream, “Ku Di, old bald donkey, are you playing for real with Buddha Grandpa?”

“Who is playing with you?” Ku Di snapped, his brow furrowed in annoyance. “The Abbot Master Brother strictly ordered you to return! My Xuan Kong Temple is a Buddhist holy ground, possessing its own profound wonders, we do not involve ourselves in these messy affairs. Why do you still linger here and cause trouble?”

“Abbot, Abbot, Abbot!” Ku Jue’s forehead creased into the shape of a river character. “I don’t need any of your help, nor do I concern myself with any of you, so why do you all exhaust yourselves worrying about me?”

Ku Di was nearly angered into laughter. Was it not Ku Jue who went about flaunting the name of Xuan Kong Temple everywhere? Without Xuan Kong Temple, could you have chased the heavens-proud talents of Jing Guo everywhere they went?

Of course, these words were not suitable to utter in the presence of outsiders. His face only grew sterner, becoming as rigid as carved stone. “This time, it was originally Ku Bing who wished to come find you. The Abbot Master Brother did not permit him. Do you know why?”

“Too lazy to know, and don’t want to know, you’re long-winded and annoying to death!” Ku Jue glared at him. “Finish delivering your message and leave quickly, don’t delay Buddha Grandpa’s time!”

Ku Di finally could not restrain himself, his voice sharp with anger. “Not letting Ku Bing come was out of fear that he would try to move you! As a Master Brother, can you not act like one?”

Ku Jue roared back with an even louder voice, “Then all of you, acting as Master Uncles and Master Granduncles, do you possess the demeanor of Master Uncles and Master Granduncles?”

Ku Di’s surging anger was suddenly choked, leaving him momentarily stunned. He then reacted, “Jiang Wang has fundamentally not even entered the gates of my Xuan Kong Temple, has never called you Master once, nor called me Master Uncle. Must we still concern ourselves with his birth, aging, illness, and death?”

Ku Jue’s old face slumped, suddenly revealing a look of sorrow. “You do not care about Jing E, you do not care about Jing Shen. If one day Jing Li faces misfortune, will you all still not care? Must you force this Master Brother into loneliness and destitution, with no one to inherit my robes and bowl, no one to carry on my lifetime of achievements?”

The Abbot had personally issued a decree, yet it was unable to summon Ku Jue back. Jing Guo, on their side, had already exerted pressure multiple times. Ku Di had originally come with a surge of anger, quite intent on upholding the rules of the sect. But somehow, after Ku Jue’s roundabout words, he suddenly felt a touch of guilt.

“Jing Li is a direct disciple of my Xuan Kong Temple; he is naturally not the same as others,” Ku Di said sternly. “You do not wish to cause trouble with me here! I ask you once more, are you coming with me or not?”

Ku Jue pursed his lips. “I am not.”

“Then do not blame me,” Ku Di began to roll up his sleeves.

“Hey!” Ku Jue’s eyes widened. “Is Buddha Grandpa afraid of you?”

From within his sleeve, Ku Di produced a string of prayer beads densely carved with Buddhist images. On each and every bead, a miniature Arhat was meticulously carved, each with a different expression, lifelike, totaling one hundred and eight beads.

Ku Jue immediately loosened his fist, retreated backward, and with a stiff neck said, “Hit me then, hit me dead, so be it! Let the world see how Xuan Kong Temple brethren harm one another!”

The veins on Ku Di’s smooth bald head throbbed. “You wish to chase Zhao Xuan Yang, you wish to rush to the Tian Ma Plateau. How many disastrous matters must you provoke before you stop? Xuan Kong Temple is a Buddhist pure land, not your Ku Jue’s refuge!”

“What disastrous matter or not disastrous matter? That is a disciple I acknowledge! Can I not care about him?!”

It was then that Ku Di discovered, he did not know when, but this sallow-faced old man’s eye sockets had actually turned red.

The Arhat prayer beads he held in his hand finally could not be thrown out.

He sighed and said, “Others cannot possibly hide within the Tian Ma Yuan either. Both Jing Guo and Jing Guo are watching closely.”

Ku Jue argued, his words brimming with conviction, “Precisely because those old ox-noses of Jing Guo are watching here, they might just let that little ox-nose in!”

Ku Di turned his head to look at Yuan Ye, the young Daoist priest who had been left standing in the cold for half the day. “This benefactor, perhaps this old monk should not ask, but… did Zhao Xuan Yang and Jiang Wang enter the Tian Ma Yuan? This answer is very important, benefactor, please think carefully before answering.”

Although threatened, Yuan Ye felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Now, this was the familiar strong demeanor! Even the threat was quite euphemistic!

Unlike that sallow-faced old monk, whose thoughts were completely impossible to follow!

“I swear on the faith of Yuan Tian Shen,” Yuan Ye said seriously. “These past few days I have been guarding here, and I have not seen Zhao Xuan Yang and Jiang Wang even once.”

Ku Di looked back at Ku Jue. “Are you satisfied?”

Ku Jue still murmured unconvinced, “Should have said so earlier!”

Yuan Ye was indignant. Then why didn’t you ask me?! You barbaric and rude old bald donkey who bullies the weak!

Fortunately, the Head Seat of the Hall of Discipline, Ku Di, possessed a strong sense of propriety.

He proactively offered a ritualistic palm to Yuan Ye. “Today’s matter… truly disturbed this benefactor. Xuan Kong Temple expresses its deepest apologies for this. Afterwards, we will send a portion of Buddhist gifts to your door, a token of our sincerity.”

“It is nothing. Great Master is too polite,” Yuan Ye replied with proper demeanor. “It is good that the misunderstanding has been clarified.”

Ku Di then looked back at Ku Jue. “You have searched for so many days. The worries that should be had and the pressures that should be borne, Xuan Kong Temple has borne them all. There is no trace on the Tian Ma Yuan now. Can you return with me?”

Ku Jue let out a “hey hey” laugh. “Let’s search for a few more days.”

“Master Brother,” Ku Di said, his brow furrowed. “If someone else comes to find you, it might not be so easy.”

How many years had it been since he last heard that address, “Master Brother”?

Whether it was Ku Bing or Ku Di… it had been a very long time since they had called him that.

Ku Jue remained silent for a moment, then with a finger, he gently drew a line on his left sleeve. Half of the sleeve fluttered down, revealing his dry, thin, and wrinkled old left arm—

“From today onwards, Ku Jue leaves Xuan Kong Temple. My future actions shall have no involvement with Xuan Kong Temple. May heaven and earth bear witness to these words!”

*Rumble!*

A true person’s true words, heaven and earth answered with a peal of thunder.