I, the transmigrated villain, please wait, gentle master.

Chapter 187 Observing from the Sidelines and Discussing Cause and Effect (6)

Ren Pingsheng pondered, "This isn't the first time the Taiji Palace has done something like wiping out an entire family, is it? Before Penglai Continent, wasn't there a Zen sect called 'Qingliangmen' whose entire family consisted of bald monks?"

"The leader of Penglai Continent is also a bald monk. I heard that he fled from the Zen sect to Penglai, and I don't know how he managed to become the leader..."

Mei Shiyu said, “Master, although the Buddhist sect does not cultivate immortality, they are still considered to be of the same path as us. The term ‘bald monk’ is a derogatory term and is really inelegant. It’s best not to use it so often.”

"So what?" Ren Pingsheng asked back.

How do you know they don't secretly call us "bull noses"?

He twisted the meaning, saying, "Furthermore, 'bald donkey' is not a derogatory term. Aren't they bald? Aren't they begging for alms with donkeys? In my opinion, 'bald donkey' is the most suitable term for them, without any praise or criticism. If you think it's a derogatory term, it just means you've misunderstood. You've imagined your master, me, as a petty person who enjoys empty talk. Am I that kind of person?"

Mei Shiyu: "..."

Ugh.

"Master is right. I was mistaken."

Ren Pingsheng laughed and continued, "It seems that the Taiji Hall has a grudge against Buddhism, otherwise why would they always be picking on those bald monks? Hmm, what's the name of that guy from the Taiji Hall...?"

Mei Shiyu replied, "Li Tingyun."

"Yes, that's him. Haha, Li Tingyun, Tingyun... How's the name?"

"...Huh?" Mei Shiyu was puzzled as to why her master asked such a strange question.

"Just asking, don't worry about it," Ren Pingsheng said dismissively, then dropped the subject, only asking, "In your opinion, what is this person's character like?"

Mei Shiyu said: "He was violent and tyrannical, and committed all kinds of evil."

"anything else?"

"Gone."

"That's all? That means you don't know enough about it."

Ren Pingsheng played with the teacup in his hand with great skill, "I've been in seclusion for so many years, and I know that kid is searching the world for furnaces and plundering treasures. He's clearly a greedy and lustful scoundrel! Haven't you heard any of this?"

Mei Shiyu sighed softly, "Master, we should often reflect on our own faults in quiet contemplation and refrain from gossiping about others. Let's stop talking about others behind their backs."

"Alright, let's not gossip about others, but let's talk about how others are talking about each other. What's the rumor going around? Are they all vehemently criticizing the Taiji Hall, but when it comes to doing anything practical, they're all silent?"

"That's about right, that's how it is."

Moreover, they only dared to complain in the cultivation world; their words never reached the Taiji Palace or Li Tingyun's ears.

After all, the Master of Taiji Hall is a man who "holds a grudge and seeks revenge." He cannot tolerate being insulted and will pay with his life.

"Oh dear, the immortal sect hasn't changed in hundreds of years."

Ren Pingsheng expressed his feelings.

Back then, when they united to stop Fengdu from invading the human world, they were all shouting more and more enthusiastically than the other. But when they actually faced death, they were all more and more cowardly than the other. Anyone can talk a good game, but few can actually take responsibility. That's human nature, and you can't blame anyone else.

"The Taiji Palace acts erratically, slaughtering immortal sects one after another. If this is not stopped, it will surely accumulate and sink, causing a great disaster." At present, Ren Pingsheng can only "play with words" and say such things.

His "time limit" is approaching. He will either ascend to immortality or die and his soul will dissipate. At his level, he can no longer concern himself with worldly affairs. Whenever he takes action, he will be subject to heavenly calamity. Talented people emerge in every generation, each leading the way for hundreds of years. Everything must be handed over to the next generation.

"That kid was incredibly arrogant, saying that in the cultivation world, 'ants and grasshoppers are everywhere, and a hundred years of cultivation is not as good as a dog'... Although, I think he's right. There aren't many people in this cultivation world that I can look up to."

Ren Pingsheng sighed, "Little Thirteen, to tell you the truth, I often think that it is precisely because there are no heroes in this era that a 'good-for-nothing' like me has become famous."

"Master...why do you think that?" Mei Shiyu was clearly taken aback.

“What I’m saying is the absolute truth.”

Ren Pingsheng said calmly, "The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is becoming increasingly depleted, and there are fewer and fewer people who can become immortals. In the past, every few hundred years, there would be a great power who would ascend to immortality, but in recent thousands of years, it has been difficult to see even one. Someone like me, in ancient times, would probably not be considered a rare talent, but now, I have become a unique existence in other people's eyes. I am not happy about this, but rather I feel very sad."

"The path to immortality is arduous, and ascension is a distant dream. That's why there are those with wicked intentions who seize bodies, hunt for spiritual roots, steal fortune, and even kill their wives to prove their Dao... Ha, it's all in vain. Perhaps it's because I'm getting old, but I'm increasingly inclined to accept my fate. Whether a person can ascend or not is determined by destiny. I can only try my best to get closer to that limit, but success is in the hands of fate, and everything is predestined. There's nothing we can do about it."

“We cannot accept our fate,” Mei Shiyu said firmly. “Master, we cannot accept our fate. If we take a step back, we will be at the mercy of fate, which will turn us upside down and play us like puppets.”

"Haha, Little Thirteen, you really enjoy it, turning around and teaching your master what to do and what not to do. Your master really wants to give you a beating to set some 'rules' for you, so you'll remember what 'respecting your master' means! But your master really can't bear to hit you."

Ren Pingsheng scolded, "You can go and ask your senior brothers and sisters. Which one of them haven't I beaten up? Only you have never suffered even the slightest bit of physical pain under my hands. You are probably the most afraid of pain of all of them."

“This disciple is not afraid of pain,” Mei Shiyu smiled. “After all, my original form was a piece of Kunlun jade, which can heal itself. The thing I fear least is injury. As long as it’s not Kunwu stone…”

As the saying goes, "stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade." Kunwu stone is a type of ore specifically used for cutting jade. This ore is extremely rare. Ren Pingsheng was fortunate enough to find a piece and forged it into a Kunwu knife. He took this knife with him to Kunlun Mountain to mine jade, but unexpectedly brought back a naturally formed jade embryo.

The Kunwu Blade was originally kept in the quiet room where Ren Pingsheng usually lived. The quiet room had a teleportation channel that led directly to the secluded cultivation area in the back mountain. During his seclusion, he almost never allowed anyone to disturb him, but Xiao Shisan was an exception. Whenever he encountered any difficulties, he could go to the back mountain to find him.

It wasn't that he was unfair to everyone, but rather that Mei Shiyu had only been cultivating with him for a short time and didn't yet have the ability to stand on her own. Various mishaps were bound to occur during her cultivation. Since he had become her master, he couldn't just ignore her. He had worried about every disciple before him.

Ren Pingsheng's tolerance towards Mei Shiyu was not entirely out of favoritism, but more so out of a sense of responsibility.

Mei Shiyu tried his best not to bother him and almost never took the initiative to contact him. Until one day, in order to stand up for a child who had encountered injustice during the initiation trial, he broke into the meditation room for the first time, only to find that his senior brother was already waiting for him there.

The entrance trial that year was presided over by the eldest brother. If anything went wrong, he would be held responsible. Naturally, he could not tolerate Mei Shiyu's "appeal to a higher level" and went directly to the master for handling.

The two brothers couldn't agree on what to say, and after talking for a long time, neither of them would give in, and they even started arguing. The senior brother picked up the Kunwu knife and turned it into a discipline whip, lashing the junior brother's back and hitting him right in the spine.

He may not have known that the knife was a deadly weapon for Mei Shiyu. He may have just found something to use as a discipline whip because he had nothing else to do with. He may have just wanted to teach his junior brother, who was not on good terms with him, a lesson as punishment. But he did not expect that things would become so serious, breaking one of his junior brother's immortal bones. There was no way to make amends after the incident.

The eldest brother was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison for ten years as punishment.

As for the reason for his argument with Mei Shiyu, neither of them told the truth. The senior brother was afraid of exposing the fact that he had been unfair in presiding over the trial, while Mei Shiyu was afraid that the clues would lead to the discovery that he had hidden Yuanbao's body in the Bodhi Ring. So they both lied, saying that they were just being impulsive and had a good time, and that they were both at fault.

Ren Pingsheng didn't have the time to investigate and pursue the matter repeatedly.

However, he entrusted the Kunwu sword to Mei Shiyu for safekeeping.

The safest way is to fuse this sword with your natal divine weapon. Qing Shuang was originally made of gold from Lishui, and later Kunwu stone was melted into it, making it even more powerful than before.

The sword has recognized its master and will not obey the call of a second person other than its master. Qing Shuang could not possibly turn against her and turn her sword to strike Mei Shiyu, could she?

"Thirteen, do you hate your senior brother?"

"I do not know."

He hated, but not for himself, but for the child who fell off the cliff.

Yuanbao was haunted by the death of his senior brother and the promise he made so easily, and Mei Shiyu felt guilty.

Ren Pingsheng scratched his head, looking equally troubled.

"I don't know what to say to your senior brother... He gained sentience because of me, and because of my youthful arrogance, I made an unrealistic promise to him, saying that cultivating immortality with mixed spiritual roots was not impossible. In the end, it only made him obsessed and ruined his life. I really feel ashamed of him... Thirteen, why do you have that expression? Have you seen a ghost?"

Mei Shiyu was stunned, even a little panicked, fearing that his master knew something like "mind reading" and had discovered his hidden thoughts and secrets. But judging from his master's reaction, it didn't seem like he knew what he was thinking. It was just a coincidence that the two were in similar situations and had similar states of mind.

Ren Pingsheng changed the subject and asked, "Over the years, your senior brothers and sisters have taken in many disciples, but only you and your disciple have remained on Hidden Sword Peak. Do you resent that I set a rule for you alone: ​​that no two disciples can meet, and that only one disciple can graduate before I can take in another?"

Mei Shiyu said, "I have never harbored any resentment towards my master, but I have indeed questioned the rule of 'kings not meeting kings.' Master, you only cast a divination back then, saying that if I had two disciples, they would surely turn against each other, one a calamity and the other a savior, so you forbade me to take on two disciples at the same time. This is really absurd. I mean, Master, your divination was too absurd!"

He stated frankly, "Whether it is 'bringing disaster to the world' or 'saving the world,' it is not just talk. What kind of powerful ability and extreme mentality is required to reach that level? I, your disciple, do not believe that I have the ability and luck to teach two earth-shattering figures."

"Moreover, Master's divination has never been very accurate. He has cast many hexagrams in the past, but his fellow disciples did not believe them. And indeed, Master's 'predictions' have never come true, so how can anyone believe them?"

Ren Pingsheng: "How dare you question my abilities in front of your teacher?"

Mei Shiyu: "Master, no one is perfect. You must acknowledge your shortcomings and not force yourself."

"Fine, I can't argue with you! If you don't believe me, then don't believe me, but you must remember that rule."

Ren Pingsheng secretly pinched his thigh hard, his face immediately turning sorrowful and heartbroken: "Otherwise, I will not be able to die in peace!"

Mei Shiyu choked up and knelt down again. "Master, please don't say such things... This disciple will definitely remember Master's teachings."

"That's good, that's good." Ren Pingsheng raised his hand to help him up, his eyes crinkling with a smile. "If I remember correctly, Che'er came from a place called 'Lingxi Village.' There's a Huangliang City near Lingxi Village. When you were little, you traveled with me and we passed through this city, staying there for a few days. Do you remember?"

“I don’t remember,” Mei Shiyu said. “I only remember that Master later said that you had taken a liking to a child from a certain family with exceptional talent, so you left a token, wanting to take him as your disciple. But this happened too long ago, probably three hundred years ago? And that child had never been to Cangyou Mountain, so he was probably not destined for the path of immortality.”

"Who said I was going to take him as my disciple? I clearly found him for you!"

Ren Pingsheng said, "I told you long ago that you are my last disciple. I'm getting old and don't have the energy to teach new people from scratch until they graduate. It's too much trouble. To be honest, I raised my first few disciples according to the book, but I raised my last few disciples like pigs... especially you! I raised you with less care than I raised pigs."

Mei Shiyu frowned. "Master, what you said is...too harsh."

"The words may be rough, but the principle is sound. I've always felt that I haven't disciplined you enough and have failed you. Before you even grew up, I was already in seclusion and didn't see you often, which led to my oversight. In a moment of inattention, my eldest brother injured your spine with the Kunwu Blade..."

The more Ren Pingsheng spoke, the more heartbroken he became. This time, it wasn't an act. He tilted his head, deliberately gathering his emotions, before turning to Mei Shiyu and saying:

“Three hundred years ago, the boy I had my eye on failed to embark on the path of immortality due to unforeseen circumstances. Perhaps it was fate. Everything has a cause and effect. Regardless of the rights and wrongs, he was indeed not destined for the path of immortality. From now on, just forget about this matter and pretend that I never took you to Huangliang City three hundred years ago.”

"A hundred years ago, when I revisited the mortal world, I passed through the territory of Huangliang City again. It was very different from before. Huangliang City had become a desolate city, but the village guarding the 'Spirit Stream' was still there. I went in for a visit, and strangely enough, I found another promising talent. I left him a token as before, letting nature take its course. If he comes, it will be fate."

“Yes, it’s fate.” Mei Shiyu looked out the door and saw his disciple sitting under a tree, diligently studying the mental cultivation method.

Many plum trees were planted in the Taoist temple. In late winter and early spring, they were in full bloom. When his second senior brother passed by, he laughed and asked if the place should be renamed "Plum Blossom Temple". Petals fell on Yuan Che's shoulder, but he seemed not to notice and remained unmoved. Gradually, his head and shoulders were covered with a layer of fallen flowers.

Ren Pingsheng looked for a while, then stood up and said, "Thirteen, I should go now. You don't need to see me off."

“Master,” Mei Shiyu called out to him, “the matter in Penglai Continent is causing quite a commotion between the eldest and second eldest brothers. Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”

Ren Pingsheng waved his hand, "Never mind, never mind."

"And I advise you not to get involved. No matter how much trouble they cause, you shouldn't get involved."

"From now on, you should be like me and travel around the world more often. The world can teach you many things."

"You will see a world that is completely different from what you imagined, and being in it will make you more like a 'human being'."

Mei Shiyu asked, "Am I not acting like a 'person' enough now?"

Ren Pingsheng said, "It doesn't seem like it."

"What's the difference?"

"You're too kind."

He laughed and said, "But the most prominent characteristic of humans is evil."

Mei Shiyu then asked, "Aren't we cultivating immortality? Of course we should do good, so why do evil?"

Ren Pingsheng replied, "Yes, we want to cultivate immortality, but how can we become immortals if we are not human?"

"Heaven and earth are my teachers, the sun and moon are my friends, and my path is not lonely. If you don't walk among heaven and earth, if you don't see the sunrise and sunset, how can you know whether the path you cultivate is truly lonely or not? Aren't you afraid I'm deceiving you? Perhaps this statement is wrong?"

"Perhaps many of the principles I taught you before were wrong?"

Ren Pingsheng stopped there and left gracefully.

Mei Shiyu stood there alone, lost in thought for a long time.

He sighed deeply: "Master... is there anything that can't be explained clearly?"

He thought there would be plenty of opportunities in the future to have a heart-to-heart talk with his master.

Little did they know that it would be the last time they, master and disciple, would ever meet.

He asked his master three times: Why did you suddenly come out of seclusion?

The answer is, to say goodbye.