Chapter 7 How can I follow the Righteous Path with you bunch of bugs!
"The blessing, the blessing just dissipated like that, the path to immortality, gone just like that..."
While Zhang Fei Xuan was privately criticizing the old man in his heart, Jin Guang at last regained some sense. He stared intently at the puddle of mud, walked over with a shaky gait, and then suddenly knelt down on the ground, reaching his hands into that mud.
But no sooner had his hand touched the mud than it was grabbed by another.
Song Yin looked at Jin Guang with concern, "Master, what are you doing?"
Jin Guang turned his head in a daze, staring at Song Yin for a while before suddenly shivering.
"It's nothing, your master just suddenly felt a little tired. Let me be alone for a while, I beg you..."
Looking closely, one could see an additional layer of mistiness in Jin Guang's eyes.
But Song Yin, as if he had not seen anything, grabbed Jin Guang's hand and said firmly, "Master, you agreed to me being Big Senior Brother, so there are a few words I want to say to my fellow disciples, may I?"
"Sure, everything is fine, do whatever you want..."
Jin Guang was just staring at the mud, his tone a bit wistful.
"Good, then I won't disturb Master with this Demonic Path study."
Song Yin nodded, let go of Jin Guang's hand, and the latter immediately scraped up the mound of mud and quickly returned to the Elixir Room. Following that, a stone wall appeared out of thin air at the entrance of the Elixir Room, sealing it off.
Song Yin then walked to the front of the Great Hall, looking out at all the disciples outside, and took a deep breath:
"Stand at attention!"
With a furious look at the disciples outside the hall, he bellowed with vigor, especially Zhang Fei Xuan, who trembled at the shout and instinctively straightened his body.
The disciples outside the hall did much the same, each of them standing up straight after a jolt.
Song Yin frowned and continued, "Get in formation."
About a dozen disciples, as if they had been trained, quickly formed three rows, squared and very orderly.
"Right, right, everyone get in order! Get in order!"
Zhang Fei Xuan stood behind Song Yin, frantically fanning him with his Folding Fan, groveling like a sycophant.
He was terrified, considering that the pile of mud next to the statue had already made the situation very clear; defying this fearsome man would likely mean joining it.
"Little brother, you go stand there too," Song Yin glanced at him.
"Eh, right away!"
Zhang Fei Xuan immediately ran to the front of the row, placed his hands on the outer sides of his thighs without leaving any gaps, and stood as straight as a javelin, imitating who knows whom.
After scanning them, Song Yin nodded, and then he said, "My fellow disciples, I am honored by your support in electing me as Big Senior Brother. Since I am now Big Senior Brother and for the sake of our Sect's development, there are a few points I must raise."
"Our Jinxian Sect is an Orthodox Sect, a sect of Danfa. The Master often tells me that every Jinxian Sect member has a heart set on eliminating Demons and protecting the Dao, with the benevolence to heal the world. I believe that everyone who follows the Master must have the same idea."
The disciples standing in the square looked at each other, all falling into confusion and bewilderment.
"But our..."
One of the disciples, daring to speak up, was suddenly glared at by Zhang Fei Xuan, who shut him up, and then loudly said, "Senior Brother is right!"
Of course, he was right.
Although Zhang Fei Xuan didn't know what kind of entity Old Man Jin Guang had let into the Sect, one thing he could be sure of;
This guy was still believing in Jin Guang, not just believing, but also intending to practice the deceit Jin Guang peddled on a regular basis.
You'd say he's stupid, and he definitely is.
But when this fool's martial might becomes so overwhelming that you despair, that's when you don't know who the real fool is anymore.
As for whether it would shatter their cultivation or not, Zhang Fei Xuan hadn't thought about that; all he knew was that if they were exposed, they could only keep company with the meat mush their master took away.
"I know there is some resentment in your hearts..."
Song Yin looked at them and suddenly said, "Just in this short day since I joined, two from the Demonic Path have broken into our Sect, which shows what the Sect is usually like. And you people, to be honest… I am very disappointed in you."
As he spoke, he paused for a moment, observing everyone's expressions.
But the expressions of these disciples didn't change; they seemed to have grown numb...
Song Yin shook his head and continued, "Not to mention my talent as a Great Immortal, which even the master acknowledges, your own talents, from what I've seen now, are terribly lacking!"
Still no response.
A look of disappointment appeared in Song Yin's eyes, but he gathered his energy and went on, "Don't think I am belittling you at random. The 'Great Golden Immortal Elixir Decree' contains methods to observe qi. I've watched you, with your scattered qi and unstable steps, not one of you is proper. The Sect is in ruins, yet you do not think to maintain this place, but!"
Song Yin raised his voice, "Have you ever thought about why Master chose this place, why he took you under his wing even though your talents are lacking, and taught you with such care for so long? What is this? This is 'teaching without distinction.' Our Jinxian Sect does not judge by talent but by whether one has the heart to save and help others!"
Smack!
Song Yin slapped his chest, tears in his tiger eyes.
He thought of his master, who descended from the heavens that day to take him as a disciple. Could it really have been seen that he had a Great Immortal's Talent then?
Now that he had read the 'Jin Xian Grand Elixir Scripture' and understood its method to observe qi, he realized it was something one simply couldn't see; thus, there was only one truth...
The Master was truly teaching without distinction, seeing that he was lost at the time, he took pity and wished to take him in to provide support.
In the second month down the mountain, to dispel the impure qi, Master also took great care of him, explained patiently; could that be summed up by merely 'Great Immortal's Talent'?
"And you guys, not only are you lazy, but you also lack the courage when faced with the Demonic Path. If I hadn't happened to enter the mountain gate, how much loss would have been inflicted? If you continue in your muddled ways, how will you uphold the Righteous Path?! It must change! All of this must change! Master pities and cares for you, but things still need to be done! Master finds it hard to say, so I, as the Big Senior Brother, will say it!"
Song Yin's gaze was firm, "As members of the Righteous Path, you cannot disgrace the Jinxian Sect, you cannot tarnish the reputation of our Sect. Starting today, as the Big Senior Brother, I will supervise your change. If we cannot clean a single room, how can we clean the world? If we cannot sweep away one speck of dust, how can we sweep away the troubles of the world? From today on..."
Song Yin raised his arm high and declared, "We begin a great cleanup! Repair the buildings!"
This was something Song Yin had wanted to do ever since he entered the Sect.
The place wasn't just broken, it was dirty as well.
And these disciples, he didn't know what they did all day; as an Orthodox Sect, no matter how small, it must possess the dignity of an upright Sect.
If the houses aren't clean, if the buildings aren't repaired, they simply can't attract good disciples, they just can't become renowned!
"A, a great cleanup?" Zhang Fei Xuan was stunned.
All that impassioned speech, and this was the result?
"Junior brother, do you have a different opinion?" Song Yin looked over.
He was very fond of this junior brother who first spoke out the idea of "no order in learning," a humble peer.
Though dressed in flashy clothes, he had a kind heart; he was a good person.
"No, nothing..."
Zhang Fei Xuan said dryly, "I fully support the senior brother's call to action!"