The Daily Task of Preventing My Disciple from Turning to the Dark Side Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After he finished washing, Gu Yunjue found the attic had been tidied up. Though called a small attic, it wasn’t actually small at all. It spanned three floors, with only a wall separating it from Mu Chen’s room. Even if Gu Yunjue grew up, he would still be able to live comfortably.

At the entrance, two men and two women stood on either side, all wearing pristine white robes with beautiful features, low brows, and gentle expressions, waiting silently for orders.

Jing Ming knocked on the door, holding a piece of clothing and the flute hanging from his belt. He entered without waiting for Gu Yunjue’s response. “Wear my clothes for now; your custom-made outfit will be ready tomorrow.”

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Doubtfully, he glanced at Jing Ming, who coughed and looked away, pretending to ponder. Gu Yunjue wordlessly undid the hairband on his head, styled his hair neatly himself, and tied the sideburns behind his head, letting the rest of his hair cascade freely. It felt light and comfortable. After tidying up, he turned to Jing Ming. “Has Master not returned yet?”

Imitating Mu Chen’s usual puzzled look, Jing Ming tilted his head and thought for a moment. “Perhaps the Palace Master went to see the Trial Assembly and is thinking of taking another disciple to keep you company?”

Gu Yunjue’s hand paused, a trace of displeasure flashing in his eyes. His Master only needed him as a disciple, and if he dared to take another one, he would strangle them. If he dared to take a pair, he would kill both!

Completely unaware of Gu Yunjue’s dissatisfaction, Jing Ming’s curiosity was now piqued. “Are you really a boy? Are you human or demon? Where were you picked up? Has the Palace Master developed a fondness for adopting people? Your hair doesn’t look very good…”

Gu Yunjue smiled, raised his eyebrow, and suddenly became serious. He hooked his finger, and Jing Ming quickly lowered his head, attentively listening. Gu Yunjue gently brushed the mole near his eye and said in a soft voice, “Actually, I was a pill mistakenly swallowed by my Master, and I accidentally grew out of him.”

Jing Ming was shocked, inhaling a sharp breath of cold air.

Gu Yunjue tilted his head, lightly touching the tear mole at the corner of his eye, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

At this moment, Jing Ming also realized that Gu Yunjue was teasing him and pouted in dissatisfaction. “You little rascal, you’re not being honest!”

—

On the main peak, in the grand hall of Chongyun Sect Palace.

Unlike the luxurious decor of Yan Yang Palace, Chongyun Sect Palace had an overall grayish-blue theme, with towering pavilions and an imposing presence that showcased the majesty of the main peak.

Inside the hall, a huge water mirror broadcasted the ongoing trials on the mountain, leaving nothing unseen. The heads of various peaks and halls, led by the Sect Master Yue Mingze, were almost all present. Every ten years, they replenished fresh blood from new disciples, and everyone wanted to pick the best talents.

The new disciples were desperately climbing, with coarse sand splashing on their faces, but they had no time to wipe it off. The light rain soaked the mountain path, and in some places, they had to rely on both their hands and feet to advance. As cultivators, their greatest fear was being indecisive and giving up halfway. Lack of perseverance and mere talent could lead to walking the wrong path, and Chongyun Sect attached great importance to this test of perseverance.

Mu Chen stepped into the hall, and his dust-free robe gracefully followed his movements, dazzling the elders’ eyes. When they looked at his extraordinary face, it seemed to be covered with frost. His slender phoenix eyes swept across the crowd, making those who met his gaze shudder and stand up.

Fortunately, Mu Chen only glanced at them briefly and then looked away. His gaze never lingered, and he showed no intention of causing trouble for them. Those who were looked at breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, some people sneered; Mu Chen only had a handsome face, and that’s why Dan Yangzi chose him. Even though he was appointed as the sole master of Yan Yang Palace at such a young age, if others had the same conditions, they might surpass him in cultivation.

Mu Chen didn’t care about how others perceived him. He looked at the young men in the water mirror, who were crawling like monkeys covered in mud, and felt fortunate that he had taken his little disciple away earlier. His little disciple was covered in injuries and wouldn’t be able to climb the mountain.

On the seat of the elders, a female cultivator saw Mu Chen and exclaimed in surprise.

Mu Chen raised his head and saw her along with the other three people seated in a row. He was slightly stunned, aside from the one who was still sound asleep, the other three were also looking at him. He hadn’t expected to see all four of them together.

“Greetings, Shishu!” The three stood up and saluted along with Yue Mingze.

Mu Chen nodded in acknowledgment, returning the gesture.

It then occurred to him that Yue Mingze had just taken over Chongyun Sect, and there were several factions within the sect that were unwilling to submit to his rule. They were engaged in both open and hidden conflicts, and some resisted authority. As the heads of the six main peaks of Chongyun Sect, apart from Mu Chen, the leaders of the other four palaces all showed up to support Yue Mingze. Thinking of this, Mu Chen felt somewhat ashamed; he had been indifferent to many things. In his previous life, he hadn’t even appeared at this assembly. Seeing the expressions of the others, he realized they might have considered it normal for him not to come.

Yue Mingze, with a good temper, asked, “May I ask what brings Shishu here?”

Yue Mingze appeared to be in his early twenties. Thanks to the chaotic seniority system in Chongyun Sect, he had become the eldest shixiong despite being the youngest. Perhaps to exude a more dignified aura, he dressed very formally in a white robe, draped with a blue cloak, and held a jade-colored measuring ruler in his hand. From afar, he appeared quite serious, but unfortunately, he had a face that was easy to bully, along with a pair of lovable dimples. He didn’t seem very reliable, and coupled with his limited experience and cultivation level compared to some elders in the sect, it seemed as though he was several ranks below other sect leaders who could control everything in their respective sects. This made some people within the sect unwilling to submit to him, often leading to conflicts.

Seeing the young and inexperienced Yue Mingze, Mu Chen couldn’t help but sigh. If it hadn’t been for the previous Sect Master’s impatience in breaking through a bottleneck, Yue Mingze wouldn’t have taken on the position so early. It was quite a burden for this child.

Before his rebirth, Gu Yunjue had frightened everyone in the immortal realm. The group of righteous cultivators, pretending to be virtuous, placed half the blame on Mu Chen, claiming that he should die to atone for raising such a sinful disciple. By protecting him, Chongyun Sect would be at odds with the entire immortal realm.

At that time, after a hundred years of careful planning, Yue Mingze had finally consolidated his power and firmly established himself as the head of Chongyun Sect. The others in the immortal realm wanting to kill Mu Chen was merely venting their frustration. Handing over Mu Chen wouldn’t change the fact that Yue Mingze would remain as the carefree master of his sect. However, unexpectedly, in order to protect his Shishu, Mu Chen, Yue Mingze deviated from his usual weakness and confronted the entire immortal realm with determination.

Thinking of this, Mu Chen felt that in his previous life, he had been too self-centered and hadn’t done enough for the sect. Now that he had been given a chance to be reborn, he would resolve all those regrets. From now on, he would help protect Chongyun Sect, and anyone who dared to oppose the sect would be dealt with firmly – either beaten or eliminated!

Yue Mingze noticed Mu Chen looking at him without saying anything and subconsciously straightened his posture, swallowing nervously. He wasn’t afraid of anyone else, just this shishu in front of him. His face turned slightly red, and he nervously called out, “Shishu?”

Mu Chen glanced at him helplessly and spoke in a calm tone, “I want to discuss something with you.” With that, he took out two jade bottles from his spatial ring. “These two combined pills can add two more powerful Nascent Soul stage cultivators to our sect. Now, I want to exchange them for something within the sect.” These combined pills were originally refined for himself, but now that he had the ability to produce higher-quality pills, these two were perfect to exchange for something to protect his disciple.

Everyone present was a cultivator, and they heard Mu Chen’s words loud and clear. For a while, the entire hall fell silent.

Nascent Soul stage experts were rare even in the entire immortal realm, and currently, Chongyun Sect only had three of them. Moreover, they all usually secluded themselves from the world and didn’t meddle in affairs. With their presence, Chongyun Sect could establish a firm foothold in the immortal realm and become one of the four major sects in Canglan Continent. Adding two more experts would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the sect. Furthermore, everyone present had reached a certain level in their cultivation and strongly desired to advance further. The combined pill could allow a Nascent Soul stage cultivator to break through without any bottlenecks. Such a divine pill was undoubtedly precious.

Yue Mingze exclaimed, “I never thought you could refine such a high-level pill. It’s not impossible to consider exchanging something with you.” He coughed and straightened his posture, assuming the dignified demeanor of a sect master, “May I ask what Shishu wants to exchange for?” 

Mu Chen replied, “The Qiankun Soul-Protecting Bell.”

The Qiankun Soul-Protecting Bell was an ancient artifact left behind from ancient times. Unlike other magical treasures with singular functions, the Qiankun Soul-Protecting Bell possessed the abilities of both attack and defense. When infused with spiritual energy, it could also harm the souls of others. Originally, the Soul-Protecting Bell came as a pair, consisting of the Qian Bell and the Kun Bell. It was said that the second-generation Sect Master and his partner jointly owned them. When used together, their power could destroy the heavens and the earth, making it the treasured emblem of Chongyun Sect. 

However, during a war between immortals and demons, the cultivator who possessed the Kun Bell disappeared without a trace, and the Kun Bell was unfortunately lost, leaving only the Qian Bell behind. Until now, no one had been able to become its master, rendering it like a lifeless object.

Yue Mingze looked puzzledly at Mu Chen, asking, “What do you want the Soul-Protecting Bell for?”

“To present it to my newly accepted disciple as a master-disciple gift.” In his previous life, the Soul-Protecting Bell was one of Gu Yunjue’s commonly used magical treasures, taken from Chongyun Sect’s forbidden area during their first meeting. Mu Chen thought that if he could prepare all the things his disciple desired, perhaps it would sever the connection leading his disciple astray and allow Chongyun Sect to stay peaceful.

Mu Chen said this with a nonchalant expression, but the listeners were shocked to the core, and even Yue Mingze’s solemn face showed signs of twitching. While the other disciples were still striving to complete their trials, Gu Yunjue’s fate was enviable. Even before the trials began, Mu Chen had already taken a liking to him and accepted him as his personal disciple. Not only were they peers, but Mu Chen also used two combined pills to exchange for a treasured artifact to protect him.

If they looked at it from another perspective, how many jealous gazes would Mu Chen attract for Gu Yunjue? Observing Mu Chen’s emotionless expression, Yue Mingze couldn’t fathom whether Mu Chen was intentionally challenging his disciple or simply acting unintentionally.

The elders exchanged glances. They were first astonished that Mu Chen had actually accepted a disciple, but when they considered the combined pills for the Soul-Protecting Bell, their faces turned somewhat unpleasant.

Exchanging two Nascent Soul stage cultivators for a seemingly unimportant bell that was rarely used was a profitable deal for anyone. However, these two pills had the potential to disrupt the balance between various factions.

Seeing the disapproval in everyone’s expressions, Mu Chen’s face also turned cold. It seemed that they all had opposing views. Tsk, from his previous life’s experience, this bunch of people was simply asking for a beating! Whoever was dissatisfied, he would just give them a good beating until they dared not speak anymore.

***

Author’s notes: 

Small theater:

Gu Yunjue: “Someone left a message yesterday, saying that the best way to prevent bedwetting is to block it. Master, what do you think?”

Mu Chen: “Call someone to buy a thousand porcelain bottles, the smallest ones available, extremely tiny!”

Gu Yunjue: “……”

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