102: Chapter 102 The Shangqing Sect's Recruitment: A Polite Refusal!

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"Join my Shangqing, establish your own lineage, and serve as a Guardian Spirit Beast."

Immortal Master Luan Yuan's voice echoed through the sea of clouds, his tone indifferent yet carrying a will that brooked no refusal.

In his eyes, the fact that he was willing to set aside his Face and offer a sincere invitation was already an immense grace.

For a wild Yao Beast to be listed on the Shangqing Sect's Jade Register and enjoy the Sect's benefits was an Opportunity that countless Loose Cultivators and Yao Beasts could only dream of.

Hearing this, Shi Jian merely gave a simple, honest smile, his ten-foot-tall frame leaning forward slightly.

Those purple-gold thunder pupils quickly dimmed, and his violent thunderous Aura was completely retracted. In the blink of an eye, the majestic Thunder Bear actually appeared somewhat clumsy and simple-minded...

"Go to the Shangqing Sect to be a Guardian Spirit Beast?"

"Sounds nice, but isn't that just going to be someone's doorman or dog?"

"I'm a local patriarch here in Hongtian City, living the high life as a wealthy landlord with countless people serving me. I'd have to be out of my mind to go work like an ox or a horse for your Shangqing Sect."

Though he was cursing nastily in his heart, Shi Jian maintained an expression of fear and trepidation on the surface.

He folded his two large bear paws in front of him, performing a very human-like bow, and lowered his massive head deeply.

"The Immortal Master's favor moves this little Yao to the core; I wish I could break my body to repay it."

Shi Jian's voice was muffled and heavy, carrying an air of honest simplicity. "It's just... this little Yao truly cannot go."

Immortal Master Luan Yuan's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of displeasure flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"Why?"

Shi Jian sighed, his bear Face full of conflict and guilt.

"In my early years, before I had developed spiritual wisdom, I received kindness from the Sun Clan of Hongtian City."

"Later, I received guidance from Daoist Yun Du of the White Cloud Temple. Only then did I have today's fortune. Although I am a beast, I still know to repay kindness."

Shi Jian raised a claw and pointed toward the distant, dilapidated Main Peak of the Sun Clan.

"I once swore a Heavenly Dao Blood Oath to guard Hongtian City for this lifetime and protect the Sun Clan lineage."

"If I violate it, I will surely be struck by heavenly lightning and my Dao Heart will collapse. The Immortal Master is a high-minded person of the Dao; surely you cannot watch this little Yao meet an end where my Soul Flies Away and Spirit Scatters?"

His words were seamless and sounded perfectly dignified.

Zi Xiao was laughing hysterically within his Divine Soul, her body twitching from the laughter. "Silly bear, you can really spin a lie on the fly!"

"It's more like you're the one striking others with lightning. Even the heavenly thunder has to take a detour when it sees you now!"

"A black-hearted bear like you, repaying kindness?"

"Don't make me laugh!"

While Zi Xiao laughed wildly in his mind, Shi Jian ignored her internal commentary and continued to maintain his humble posture.

Seeing this, with this simple-looking bear having said everything there was to say, what else could he say?

Immortal Master Luan Yuan snorted coldly, his heart growing increasingly displeased. Suddenly, his mountain-heavy Aura crashed down.

"Dao Heart?"

"A mere Yao creature is worthy of talking about a Dao Heart?"

Immortal Master Luan Yuan's tone turned completely cold. "Since you are unwilling to join my Shangqing, then you should know the rules of the cultivation world."

"Everything within hundreds of thousands of miles is under the jurisdiction of my Shangqing Sect."

"Any Yao creature, if they are not registered in the Sect's Jade Register, may not occupy Spiritual Veins or blessed lands, much less rule over a city of the Human Race."

Immortal Master Luan Yuan looked down at Shi Jian, his words like knives.

"If you do not enter Shangqing, then Hongtian City cannot accommodate you."

"I give you three days to take your bear cubs and grand-cubs and get out of here, exiting the borders of the Wei State. If you are still here in three days, the Shangqing Sect's Law Enforcement Hall will treat you as a scourge and pull you up by the roots!"

The daggers were drawn.

If you don't become a dog, you die, or you get lost!

And 'getting lost' just meant the Shangqing Sect wanted to save some Face; they would wait until you left before killing you. Either way, it was death!

Shi Jian kept his head lowered, an extremely dangerous flash of lightning flickering in his eyes.

Just then, Daoist Yun Du, who had been standing to the side, took a step forward and blocked the space between Shi Jian and Luan Yuan.

"Fellow Daoist Luan Yuan, wait a moment."

Daoist Yun Du acted as a peacemaker, a warm smile on his Face. "Fellow Daoist Luan, this is all a misunderstanding!"

"Fellow Daoist Shi is not some wild Yao without roots. He established a good relationship with my White Cloud Temple years ago and has performed great service for this temple."

Daoist Yun Du paused, his voice rising a few notches.

"Just a short while ago, I officially hired Fellow Daoist Shi as a Guest Elder of my White Cloud Temple, also serving as our Temple Guardian Spirit Beast."

"This Hongtian City and its surrounding Spiritual Veins are the cultivation grounds specifically allocated to Fellow Daoist Shi by my White Cloud Temple..."

Daoist Yun Du turned to look at Shi Jian, their eyes meeting for a brief second.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, is what this poor Daoist said correct?"

Seeing this situation, Shi Jian immediately straightened his back and nodded repeatedly with an endearing, simple look:

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Immortal Master Daoist Yun Du's kindness to this little Yao is like being born anew. In life, I am a bear of the White Cloud Temple; in death, I am a dead bear of the White Cloud Temple!"

One human and one bear played off each other with seamless coordination.

Immortal Master Luan Yuan looked at the two characters before him, his expression turning sour. He had lived for hundreds of years; how could he not see the trickery involved?

This Thunder Bear had clearly just achieved Core Formation; what kind of long-standing roots could he possibly have?

But since Daoist Yun Du had acknowledged Shi Jian's identity to his Face, it meant this Thunder Bear was now part of the White Cloud Temple's system.

White Cloud Temple was also an important power under the Shangqing Sect, and Daoist Yun Du was a Golden Core Master and a fellow human Cultivator...

By the rules, White Cloud Temple was fully qualified to recruit a Yao General as a Guest Elder.

If Immortal Master Luan Yuan were to forcibly expel him now, it would be slapping White Cloud Temple's Face and interfering in the internal affairs of a subordinate Sect.

This did not align with his original intention of upholding the rules.

...

"Daoist Yun Du, you've certainly taken in a fine Spirit Beast. You and that old freak Zhao Qing are truly identical in how annoying you are!"

Immortal Master Luan Yuan's tone was flat, but the sound of gritted teeth was unmistakable.

Daoist Yun Du cupped his hands with a smile:

"It is all thanks to the protection of the Great Sect that White Cloud Temple has such fortune."

Shi Jian knew that relying solely on Daoist Yun Du's Face wouldn't be enough to completely shut the mouth of this Golden Core Elder from the Shangqing Sect.

Hoarding everything for oneself invited heavenly wrath; he had to provide some substantial benefits to send this great deity away, or they would still end up as enemies...

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