The Daily Task of Preventing My Disciple from Turning to the Dark Side: Chapter 5
Not waiting for Mu Chen to speak, the female cultivator from the sixth palace suddenly opened her mouth. “This disciple from Xiuyang palace carries Shishu’s portrait. Today, those who dare to wrestle Shishu’s face, this female of Xiuyang palace will not let them off.”
These words were not soft, though the voice of the woman is very pleasant to hear. In this group of old men it’s particularly striking and the main hall suddenly became peaceful.
Mu Chen: “…”
What would a female practitioner do with his portrait? Exorcise ghosts?
The man on her left looks honest and, seeing that the old men around are dissatisfied, speaks up. Though he doesn’t dare to show his contempt, he kindly reminded her: “Shimei (Younger Martial Sister), you are one of the Palace Lords, remember modesty and restrain yourself a bit.”
It sounded right, and carefully thought out because it had another meaning. It was a reminder that she should remember her place and hold back her opinion!
Bai Xunrong’s beautiful eyes swept around the hall, throwing back her chest, and sneered: “Modesty? The Cutting Soul Knife doesn’t know what restraint means.”
This sentence made all of the elders shrink back, not daring to have an opinion any more. Obviously, they all know that Bai is not someone who should be provoked.
Only a few of the main hall’s twelve elders have some spunk, the arrogant Bai Xunrong really is not ordinary. On her right side is an empty seat. Was it reserved for Sunshine Palace’s Lord?
The sixth is a solemn-faced blue-clothed elder. Noticing that several elders have discontented expressions, he tries to get them to cool off or calm down: “That unstable broken bell, if Mu Chen wants to take it away to please his disciple, give it to him.”
The one who spoke is Liu Han of Hanyang Palace, a practitioner who is currently in the middle stage of the Purification period. He and Mu Chen have an amicable relationship, having entered Cloud Gate sect together. Liu Han is the type who will not hesitate to draw his sword to chop people up. The man is a killer but his will is strong so he is not a person who is consumed by his heart demon. His swordsmanship is fierce. Since he called the sect’s treasure a broken bell, the others do not dare to refute his words because of the ice-cold aura emanating from his sword and his threatening manner. No one wants to look for trouble.
An old man quickly stood up, laughed and said: “To give the Soul Bell to Mu Chen, we cannot agree. There should be a condition. If the sect ever needs the bell, it must be handed over.”
Mu Chen saw their attitude and was unhappy. If their own masters were to speak, none of them would have dared to question but when it’s him they dare treat him this way?[^1] Do they really think of him as someone who cares for nothing but alchemy?
Very good! It seems he has not shown his power so that they all think they can bully him.
A white figure flashed, the old man fell down onto his seat. Mu Chen’s face is cold and his lips are curled in a sneer. Compared to the hypocrite, this group of old and pious men really are not hiding their thoughts. When would he ever need anyone from this faction? When he has no brains?
Mu Chen looked disgustedly at the other, saying: “You are not qualified to speak to this elder. Only your teacher has the right.”
“You…it was impolite of this disciple.” Sitting down, his face red, the elder shut his mouth, not daring to speak another word. Mu Chen really made his teeth itch with anger.
Lesson learnt, now the others in the main hall will have to think twice about speaking up.
A Palace Lord then stood up, cupping his hands to Mu Chen in a courteous salute, and politely asking: “If we cannot make the exchange with elder Mu Chen, what do you plan to do next?”
Mu Chen looked at the other party whose eyes are trying to mask a greedy mind. His tone is light: “I heard that Hunyuan Zong has a qin (musical instrument), the timbre is good.”
His words are slow and casual but the meaning is clear. If he cannot exchange the pills for the Soul Bell, then he can also give it to another sect to exchange it for other things. Though he has never done this kind of trade, as long as his heart is comfortable, Mu Chen never cared about rules.
To the dissatisfied elders, this sentence gives them an excuse to counterattack. Speaking in a low voice, the elder that Mu Chen rebuked before said: “This is to betray the sect, is it not?”
The five people in the seats of honor are dismayed. The snoring sound of the person who is asleep in his seat also vanishes. Liu Han’s hand fell on his sword hilt. Yue Ming Ze also frowned but it is Mu Chen who moves the fastest.
Long, white sleeves swaying, he places his hand on the other’s face. This is ruthless move that means he wants to take the other’s life.
Punish one as a warning to others!
He does not dare to contradict Bai Xunrong, but dares to contradict him? Does he think that it’s better to bully Mu Chen than a woman?
Mu Chen’s phoenix eyes are murderous. Today if his prestige cannot be raised then tomorrow some people will think he can be bullied and his disciples will be despised.
The thought of Gu Yunjue, that child with a sensitive temperament whose life became distorted and turned into a killer, being bullied… Mu Chen could not bear it. This time he will protect the little disciple and never let him be wronged.
Sensing this stream of familiar power fluctuations, the person sitting beside a window innocently swinging his legs turned his face towards the main peak. His eye color as deep as an ink stain, he wondered who the master is fighting. Who is dirtying his master’s white hands?
Mu Chen turned suddenly, no one had time react and the other was blasted into the center of the main hall by Mu Chen’s spiritual power. Lying there with an embarrassed, bloody face, the elder was completely taken by surprise. He had not expected Mu Chen to dare to lay hands on him.
However, Mu Chen is not finished. His long fingers flashed and, suddenly, numerous white flames appeared. The temperature of the flames was not clear but the space around them seemed to be distorted. The air beside Mu Chen was full of flames. They looked like groups of butterflies and in the blink of an eye had multiplied into thousands. Each one can take the life of the practitioner on the on the floor, burning him away in an instant.
Yue Ming Ze sees that the flames were not stopping. He hurriedly cried out: “Please spare his life!”
Mu Chen snapped his fingers to stop the flames, giving Yue Ming Ze some face.
The people in the audience are shocked at this fantastic scene. The way they now look at Mu Chen has changed. This white flame is a legend! One of the three ancient fires, nine Yang Minghuo! Burned by this flame, even the spirit cannot stay. Mu Chen unexpectedly wields this type of supernatural power. The rumors are true!
And Mu Chen’s spiritual power control is almost to the point of metamorphosis, shaping the flames in a lifelike form, and even the word “genius” cannot describe this ability.
How old is he? Only a hundred years old and he has already reached the Purification stage.
Yue Ming Ze’s hands, hidden in his sleeves, are trembling. Shishu seems more frightening now. Before, he had never tried to ruthlessly kill people without a word.
With indifferent, pitiless eyes, Mu Chen coldly said: “Those who do not understand how to respect the teacher, stand up.”
No one spoke. Mu Chen grunted contemptuously. Sure enough, if he beats one of them up, the rest will become more obedient.
Yue Ming Ze waved his sleeves and in his role as sect master solemnly said: “The soul bell will be exchanged for the two pills. Elder Li defied a superior, threfore he will be placed in the detention peak for a hundred years. If there is a next time he will be punished mercilessly.”
When some people wanted to open their mouth to object to Yue Ming Ze’s words, Mu Chen humphed…the sound was chilling, implying a dormant but murderous mood. Those people closed their mouths obediently.
Again Mu Chen thought: I really need to beat up people more!
—–
Mu Chen went with Yue Ming Ze to the sanctuary to take the soul bell then returned to the Sunshine Palace. Gu Yunjue was in his little attic room. Seeing that he has changed his clothes, Mu Chen gave a satisfied nod. The little disciple looks good and the clothes suit him well.
Happy that his master did not bring one of the mud monkeys with him, Gu Yunjue laughed, squinting his eyes merrily.
To Mu Chen his disciple’s innocent face and uncalculated laughter were very soothing. He perked up instantly, spirits greatly improved. Lifting up his disciple and throwing him up in the air, Mu Chen was in a playful mood.
Gu Yunjue’s eyes opened wide. He was thrown up so high that the three-meter high roof was only an inch from his head! He fell… to be caught by a thin arm, then thrown up again…
The disciple was thrown up in the air seven or eight times. Gu Yunjue couldn’t stand it anymore, his tiny body really couldn’t cope with this. Quickly, he grabbed Mu Chen’s sleeves, saying: “Shizun…”
In Mu Chen’s cold face his eyes are exceptionally bright, “Up high.”
Jing Ting is envious of Gu Yunjue. He also wants the Palace Lord to throw him up high!
Gu Yunjue: “…”
Having given his disciple an exclusive love reward, Mu Chen’s mood is good. Glancing at the room’s furnishings, Mu Chen saw that it was like the rest of the Palace. He had never cared about such things, simply using whichever furniture was most convenient, but he remembered that in his past life his disciple liked gorgeous, luxurious things. The Gu Yunjue of the past preferred fancy and expensive food and clothing. He ordered Jing Ting: “Go to the treasure house and pick some furniture. The things here are to be changed.”
He felt that he should satisfy the child’s fondness for lavish things now. Otherwise, if he had too little during his childhood then when he grew up he would want more and become too greedy.
Jing Ting eyes held complex emotions as he glanced at Gu Yunjue. With a cold expression on his face, he left.
A moment later Gu Yunjue’s room held new furniture. All of the items were treasures and gave off the white glow of spiritual power. Gu Yunjue knew that these are some rare spiritual items.
The tables and chairs were of Qingyang wood which was grown from trees in the Demon World’s evil valley. It has the function of driving out demons and nourishing the spirit. This kind of material, a small piece of it is worth thousands of Lingshi but his master casually used it to make furniture.
At the window was a black guqin glowing with a blue light, obviously a magical weapon.
Mu Chen asked him gently, “Do you like it?”
Gu Yunjue plucked the strings, strumming a few atonal notes. He smiled gently and cutely proclaimed: “I love it, Shizun is the best.”
Mu Chen felt that words of praise from little children are the best to listen to. He rubbed Gu Yunjue’s head then embraced him, throwing him up in the air again.
Gu Yunjue: ”…“
Translator’s notes:
[^1]: It seems that most of the elders in the hall are Mu Chen’s martial nephews and nieces who are a generation beneath him. Mu Chen is of the generation of their masters. Therefore, the people in hall should not rudely talk back to him since he is their uncle. Mu Chen feels that their teachers, who are of the same generation as Mu Chen, are the only ones who can talk to him as equals.