Chapter 523: Chapter 515: This Junior Temple Master is Indeed Troublesome
In Master Chi Yuan’s Daoist Room, Qin Liuxi was formally introduced to Xuan Qingzi and Yao Feifei.
“Pleasantly surprised to see the Junior Temple Master of your esteemed temple is so young,” Xuan Qingzi examined Qin Liuxi with a hint of curiosity.
Yao Feifei’s tone carried a different implication. “When I was touring the temple with my senior brother just now, although the number of disciples here does not surpass our Jinhua Temple, there are quite a few who have attained Qian Dao. We have heard much of the Junior Temple Master’s exploits and had thought that Qingping Temple’s Junior Temple Master was of Qian Dao. Yet, unexpectedly, you are a practitioner of Kun Dao, and such a young one at that. You must be quite cherished by the temple’s disciples.”
What did she mean by that? Was she suggesting that Qingping Temple was so lacking in people that they needed to appoint a Kun Dao as the next successor?
Qin Liuxi glanced meaningfully at Master Chi Yuan. To come intruding with such a level of thoughtlessness?
And, what’s with her aggressive tone – does she find me an eyesore?
Master Chi Yuan replied with a light smile, “Our Junior Temple Master naturally assumes her position because of her exceptional abilities, which have nothing to do with whether she is of Qian Dao or not.”
Xuan Qingzi quickly realized his fault and scolded Yao Feifei, “Junior sister, the affairs of Qingping Temple are theirs to manage. We should not interject. Apologize promptly.”
Yao Feifei was about to speak, but Qin Liuxi interjected coolly, “Daoist Brother Xuan Qing need not be so formal. If we really compel Daoist Sister Qingling to apologize, it would make our Qingping Temple seem petty. Small as Qingping may be these days, why should we quibble over petty issues?”
Xuan Qingzi felt his face heating up.
Yao Feifei’s complexion changed, but she held back her anger, knowing that she couldn’t overstep on someone else’s territory.
“And what brings the two of you here?” asked Qin Liuxi.
Master Chi Yuan was eager: My turn to enter the stage.
He promptly relayed Xuan Qingzi’s problem and then sighed deeply, “If they hadn’t mentioned cultivation, I wouldn’t have remembered my own cultivation has regressed so much, it’s far from what it used to be. Otherwise, I would have exerted all my strength. Ah, if only I, like Master Tai Cheng, had been able to successfully establish my foundation. I remember you forbidding me to use Divination, so I called you here. Could you help them out?”
Xuan Qingzi felt his scalp tingle.
Here we go again – that feeling of being ratted out by the old Taoist resurfaced.
Hearing Master Chi Yuan, Qin Liuxi didn’t even deign to give the two siblings across from her a glance, her eyes turning frosty as she activated her ‘Qin Duidui Function’.
“I’ve told you time and again, if you don’t have the skills, don’t take on the task. You, an old man with regressing cultivation, should focus on nurturing health to preserve your remaining years, instead of meddling in excessive affairs. You knew to ask for me, yet if you hadn’t, and you tried to go ghost hunting, what if the Evil Ghost turned out to be more powerful and strung you up like a punching bag? Who would compensate me with a master then? Not to mention, if you failed to capture and it escaped, the blame would still fall on your head.”
Her pointed mockery made both Xuan Qingzi and Yao Feifei grimace.
Unable to restrain herself, Yao Feifei raged, “Hey, what’s wrong with you? We are simply asking for help, for the sake of all living things, not ourselves. If you’re unwilling to help, so be it, but why berate us with veiled insults?”
“You are mistaken,” retorted Qin Liuxi coolly. “When I scold someone, I do it openly, not by beating around the bush. What, do you think I scolded you? You’re overthinking it!”
“You!” Yao Feifei’s eyes bulged with anger.
Xuan Qingzi didn’t expect this Qingping Temple’s Junior Temple Master to be so unreasonably confrontational; like a firecracker – igniting and exploding in an instant – he said, “We thought since your temple also follows the Righteous Path, we came to see if there was any way to drag that thing out.”
“That’s correct, for the sake of all living things. Aren’t you afraid of being blamed by the Grandmaster for turning a blind eye to the Evil Ghost plaguing the mortal world?” Yao Feifei indignantly added.
Qin Liuxi curiously countered, “Who encountered that Evil Ghost?”
“Of course, it was us.”
“And who injured it?”
“It was indeed us.”
“Then who let it escape because their Spells were inadequate?”
“…”
Qin Liuxi smirked, “Wasn’t it all you? Since it’s your problem, why would the Grandmaster blame me? If he were to hold me responsible for someone else’s mistake, do you think I’d take the fall?”
Grandmaster: I bet you’d rebel!
Xuan Qingzi, unsure whether he was more choked by the block or the sarcasm, his face turning from red to green.
More infuriated, Yao Feifei shot back, “So you just ignore it, indifferent to the plight of all living things? Is this how your Qingping Temple on the Righteous Path behaves, indifferent unless directly involved?”
Qin Liuxi chuckled, “Some people lack the capability to save all living beings, yet such people insist on replacing the Buddha in the temple with themselves, shining brightly as if they were a beacon of righteousness, believing that they can command the masses with just a word! Oh, I wasn’t speaking about you, though. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
Yao Feifei: “…”
Brother, don’t hold me back. I must scratch her face; this is too much bullying, aawoo!
Master Chi Yuan intervened timely as a well-meaning senior, tapping Qin Liuxi on the head with his horsetail whisk, “Alright, you’re grown up now, why are you still so prickly, always jabbing at others? Is this what I taught you?”
He then addressed Xuan Qingzi, “This child has been spoiled since childhood by me and all the brothers in the temple; naive and fearless, speaking without realizing how offensive her words can be. Please be tolerant.”
Xuan Qingzi gulped; he seemed to have said something similar to someone else that morning, and now it rang unpleasantly in his ears.
Master Chi Yuan continued to Qin Liuxi, “And you, stop with the jabs. If it’s indeed an Evil Ghost causing harm, we naturally cannot ignore it. If you can help, it is meritorious. Please look into it conscientiously. I also have some personal acquaintance with their Master Tai Cheng, so consider it a favor for my sake.”
Qin Liuxi huffed softly, muttering, “So, you’re the good guy, and I’m naturally the villain. Fine, I’ll give it a try.”
Yao Feifei thought to herself, what a grand act of pretense they were putting on, fooling who exactly? They clearly didn’t want to help; that’s why they were being so performative, right?
If even the master couldn’t reach Foundation Establishment, what could be expected from the disciple?
Qin Liuxi asked Xuan Qingzi, “Did you say you’ve branded the Evil Ghost with the Soul Chasing Bell Seal?”
Xuan Qingzi nodded, “But by now, the Soul Seal is likely ineffective. We can no longer trace it.”
Qin Liuxi was noncommittal, “And the Magic Artifact? Bring it for me to see.”
Xuan Qingzi frowned.
Yao Feifei jumped up, “This is our Jinhua Temple’s Magic Artifact, it’s not something to be freely handed over on request!”
Qin Liuxi truly found this amusing and laughed, “Is your Jinhua Temple’s Magic Artifact so fragile that it shatters upon touch, so delicate that it can’t even be looked at? If you want our assistance in pursuing it, how should we proceed? Should we give you a Magic Artifact or Spirit Talisman, or use Da Yan Divination? Surely you’re not expecting us to expend all our resources to capture the Evil Ghost for you only to then hand it over?”
This streak of mockery finally cracked even Xuan Qingzi’s composure.
How could this Junior Temple Master be so difficult to deal with?