Chapter 113: The Kid Seeking Credit
Jiang Ce returned to his own courtyard; it was already late at night.
In the end, the Old Celestial Master still agreed to his request. Of course, Jiang Ce had not given him any room to refuse.
However, he was also a bit puzzled. Originally, he had prepared himself to have to talk more, but who would have thought that although the Old Celestial Master looked as uncomfortable as if he had eaten shit, he still agreed to everything.
It was just like a married woman who had no choice but to bow her head to her husband’s superior for the sake of livelihood. To be honest, it was a bit strange.
But Jiang Ce did not think too much about it. After all, the path had been pointed out to him, and any normal person would know how to choose; it was just a matter of fast or slow.
Next, it depended on how the Old Celestial Master planned to handle the Lu Shan Sect.
After thinking about it, Jiang Ce was somewhat worried that the Old Celestial Master would act like a suicide truck and directly badmouth him to Wei Lao. Although he could smooth it over, passive explanation was always not as good as proactive reporting.
So he dialed Wei Lao’s phone.
Soon, Wei Lao’s voice came from the other end of the phone.
“Jiang Ce, how is it? Did you get the Five Thunder Pill?” Wei Lao’s voice was somewhat tired, as if he had just been woken up.
Jiang Ce decisively pretended not to notice and replied, “Yeah, Wei Lao, I’ve got it. I just came back from the Old Celestial Master; everything went smoothly.”
“That’s good.” Wei Lao was very pleased: “Since that’s the case, once you resolve the issue on your body, prepare to set off to complete the task I assigned to you.”
Jiang Ce originally wanted to report directly, but he was also a bit worried that if both he and the Old Celestial Master had guessed wrong, the situation would become very awkward, so he decided to probe first.
If he guessed right, he could confidently claim credit; if he guessed wrong, he could pretend it never happened and exploit him as much as possible before the Old Celestial Master found out.
“Okay, Wei Lao, but I have some things here that I need to report to you.”
Jiang Ce pondered and said:
“It’s about that Daoist Grand Ceremony I mentioned to you before. In the end, I represented the Daoist Sect in the fight and won. I’m a bit worried that the Daoist Sect and Buddhist Sect joining together is not just about dealing with the Gluttonous Ghost so simply.”
“Oh?” Mentioning this topic, Wei Lao on the other end clearly perked up: “What ideas do you have?”
“It’s not that I have any specific ideas, mainly to see if you and Cao Gong have any thoughts. After all, the two sects combined, two Perfect Enlightenments, quite a few Return to Origin Limitless. Although there is no top pillar like Cao Gong, it’s still a force that cannot be ignored.”
“So you’re worried they pose a threat to the Gatekeeper?”
Wei Lao smiled meaningfully and said:
“What you’ve thought of, Cao Gong and I have naturally also thought of, but you don’t need to worry. The things you think will happen won’t occur. As for your safety, you don’t need to be nervous either. Although I can’t tell you the reason for now, you can rest completely assured.”
Oh, so it really is the case; then there’s nothing to panic about.
Jiang Ce organized his words and said slowly: “Wei Lao, it sounds like you have some arrangements. Why don’t you tell me if I can help?”
Wei Lao laughed on the other end: “You don’t need to worry about this. First, focus on cultivating to Heaven-Reaching Dharma Master peacefully; there will be times when we need you later.”
“I know you and Cao Gong are strategizing from behind the scenes, but I’m at the Celestial Master’s Mansion right now; it’s convenient for me to do anything you need.”
Wei Lao was silent for a moment: “The Buddhist Sect people have already left, right?”
“Correct.”
“Before you leave the Celestial Master’s Mansion, go privately find the Old Celestial Master one more time. You can act a bit arrogant, subtly remind him that you suspect him, and that will be enough.”
Jiang Ce was stunned, then reacted.
It was probably because his description made everything sound too normal, and Wei Lao did not yet know that he had already confronted the Old Celestial Master.
Wei Lao probably still thought the two sides were getting along very harmoniously, and the Old Celestial Master did not know he was only at the first layer, wanting to give him a tight squeeze.
This move, this is using himself as bait to teach the Old Celestial Master a lesson about the waters.
“Wei Lao, actually, I’ve already been arrogant to the Old Celestial Master.”
Wei Lao did not know what Jiang Ce had done and corrected him: “I’m not talking about your usual kind of arrogance. I mean the arrogant and domineering kind like a spoiled young master.”
Jiang Ce thought about it: “I seem to be that arrogant usually.”
“Then why on earth are you showing off to him? I see that you usually at most bully those whose cultivation realms are not as good as yours; you’ve never offended anyone more powerful than you. When did you dare to provoke a figure like the Old Celestial Master?”
Wei Lao was surprised by this.
Although Wei Lao’s perception of Jiang Ce was something he himself did not recognize at all, he had no mind to refute it.
Because he silently recalled how he had just been scolding his little brother, thinking that this was probably more than just showing off.
He hesitated for a long time, finally deciding to explain it directly:
“Wei Lao, let me tell you something.”
“Go ahead.”
“I just took on a little brother.”
“Took on a little brother?” Wei Lao thought for a moment: “Joining the Gatekeeper requires assessment; not everyone is a special case like you. But first tell me what makes him exceptional. As long as he’s not a waste, you can arrange it then.”
“As for exceptional qualities… he’s a Heaven-Reaching Dharma Master, Perfect Enlightenment.”
“Hmm, not bad cultivation, Heaven-Reaching Dharma Master, and Perfect Enlightenment… what the hell?!”
Jiang Ce moved the phone a bit away from his ear, but still felt that Wei Lao’s nearly cracking voice was a bit ear-piercing.
He dug at his ear, then explained the whole story, of course hiding the conspiracy against the Lu Shan Sect, emphasizing how the Old Celestial Master had tried to deal with him multiple times, how hard and difficult it had been for him, and ending perfectly with a choked-up “Wei Lao, you have to stand up for me.”
Wei Lao on the other end was silent for a long time after hearing it; Jiang Ce even thought the call had dropped, checked the screen, then puzzledly said “Hello?”
“You… let me take a moment.” Jiang Ce clearly noticed that Wei Lao’s breathing rhythm was off, not knowing if it was shock or something else.
After a long while, Wei Lao helplessly said: “I really don’t know what to say about you. Aren’t you afraid that you misjudged and provoked the Old Celestial Master to anger and kill you on the spot?”
“How to put it? Because I’ve thought through all possibilities and couldn’t think of anything else that fits except this; only this one possibility.”
“Then why didn’t you ask me first? This was way too risky.” Wei Lao reproached.
Jiang Ce jokingly countered: “If I asked you, wouldn’t you definitely say I was overthinking? But the opportunity is rare; right now is when the Old Celestial Master is intimidated by the Gatekeeper. After a while, who knows if he’ll come up with other ideas.”
Wei Lao sighed: “Fine, anyway, it’s the same result sooner or later. For you to achieve this step is already impressive; future matters will be much simpler.
Since you have such ability, I’m relieved about you. The matters of the Daoist and Buddhist Sects will be handed over to you together from now on.
But since you’ve already confirmed these with the Old Celestial Master, there are probably some things you plan to ask me, right?”
“As expected, I can’t hide it from you.”
Jiang Ce flattered him, then seriously asked:
“Is there something wrong with my cultivation path, or rather, what secret is there about me that surpasses the Four Gods Hall Blessing and is even more valued by you and Cao Gong?”
Wei Lao on the other end was silent for a long time again; Jiang Ce patiently waited, and finally, a voice came from the other end.
“Your body has Divine Material that does not belong to this world.”
These past few days have been really suffocating, meetings, writing proposal reports, no ideas so started typing, then after finishing a chapter continued the proposal report—pure torment wuwuwu, but even so, we’ll keep the minimum two updates of four or five thousand words without breaking!
