The moment their master left, the Daoists Qingquan and Songjian, who remained behind, were overjoyed, almost jumping for joy.
It wasn't for any other reason.
It was simply because, even before Qingfeng died back then, the two had been filled with envy and hatred towards Qingfeng and Mingyue. Now, to have their own chance to replace them, they were naturally ecstatic!
“Junior Brother Songjian, did you hear clearly what Master just said?”
“This time, nominally, we are to receive Sun Dasheng and his companions. Secretly, I suspect it has much to do with the first round of the Journey to the West in our Earthly Immortal Realm.”
“Although Master didn't explicitly state what we should do, and our cultivation is shallow, we cannot deduce any heavenly secrets related to it.”
“However, with Qingfeng and Mingyue gone, I am now the senior disciple. You had better not disobey me.”
“If this is handled well, perhaps you and I will receive some merit rewards. Even if not, being able to befriend important figures like Sun Dasheng and Jin Chanzi would be quite good.”
As expected, after Qingfeng and Mingyue were no longer present, Qingquan Daoist became arrogant.
It wasn't as obvious when Zhenyuanzi was around.
Now, taking advantage of Zhenyuanzi's actual departure to ascend and listen to the teachings, Qingquan Daoist decisively adopted the air of the senior disciple, lecturing Songjian Daoist, who had also been appointed as the second disciple.
At the same time, he displayed a superiority that was even more sickening than the former Qingfeng, thus directing the hundreds of junior disciples throughout Wuzhuang Temple to work for him.
Seeing this, Songjian Daoist, though unwilling, dared not confront this former third disciple, now the senior disciple.
Furthermore, besides Qingfeng and Mingyue, it was indeed this Qingquan Daoist who most accurately understood Zhenyuanzi's intentions.
To avoid offending this new senior disciple.
And to genuinely obtain some merit rewards.
Songjian Daoist dared not truly offend Qingquan Daoist; on the contrary, he adopted a fawning attitude, constantly flattering Qingquan Daoist.
Then.
He even resorted to the tactic of a fox borrowing a tiger's might, leveraging Qingquan Daoist's position as the de facto second-in-command of Wuzhuang Temple and his own as the third-in-command, to reprimand the other junior disciples!
“All of you listen carefully.”
“Master has ascended to heaven to lecture the great immortals of the Heavenly Realm, and he is going to listen to teachings. This Wuzhuang Temple is now Senior Brother Qingquan’s and my territory. No one is allowed to slack off.”
“From now on, it is expected that, in addition to the protagonists of the first round of the Journey to the West in our Earthly Immortal Realm, Sun Dasheng and his disciples, who will come to pay respects and must be well received.”
“Other individuals who may have some connection with Wuzhuang Temple will also appear. Although we cannot casually participate in the tribulation of the Journey to the West like the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, we must still work hard. Perhaps, in the end, you will all receive some merit rewards.”
“These merit rewards are wonderful things. It is said that Patriarch Dipankara was inferior to Sun Dasheng in the past. Now, he has recently broken through to the Lower Grade of Quasi-Sage after completing the tribulation of Yellow Wind Ridge. You must not be negligent!”
With Songjian Daoist's words, the other young disciples of Wuzhuang Temple, who already feared the two, became even more proactive and enthusiastic.
They worked diligently in various tasks.
Some weeded the Ginseng Fruit Tree, others cleaned the courtyard.
Those assigned to carry water and wash the floors immediately went to do so.
And those who were closest to Qingquan Daoist and Songjian Daoist.
Were arranged to be responsible for welcoming Sun Kong and his group, a task considered exceptionally lucrative!
In short.
Due to the arrival of the eighteenth and nineteenth tribulations, the entire Wuzhuang Temple was abuzz with activity!
However.
What these people did not know was that, while they were working their hardest, Zhenyuanzi, who appeared to have left far behind, was actually in the clouds tens of thousands of miles away.
Secretly watching and listening.
This was not because he intended to harm his disciples, but rather for two reasons. Firstly, during the previous seventeenth tribulation, the four individuals, including Mother Li Shan, had treated the Heavenly Dao perfunctorily, and the Heavenly Dao had also treated them perfunctorily. While he had no intention of truly making things difficult for Sun Kong, he dared not defy the Heavenly Dao's ordained count. He had to let Qingquan Daoist and Songjian Daoist go through the motions! Thus, he dared not leak any secrets.
Secondly, he remembered that, due to his own momentary negligence in the past, Qingfeng had colluded with members of the demonic race and learned too much about the heavenly count beforehand. Although it seemed secure, in the end, he was still killed by Sun Kong. This lesson caused Zhenyuanzi immense pain and remained in his memory. For these two rounds of the Journey to the West, regardless of how much heavenly information was deduced beforehand, it was best to follow the original plot. Otherwise, not only might he offend a great figure like Sun Kong, but he might even lose any merit rewards that were originally available! In this regard, he and the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain were the most tragic examples!
…
“This humble Daoist has made all the necessary preparations. Qingquan Daoist has been chosen to replace Qingfeng, and Songjian Daoist to replace Mingyue. As for Sun Dasheng, he will likely arrive soon.”
“Given my relationship with him, he will, as the heavenly count indicates, damage the Ginseng Fruit Tree and trigger two tribulations, merely to teach these two fellows a lesson. He should not deliberately overstep his bounds.”
“In comparison, other individuals related to the eighteenth and nineteenth tribulations, such as Guanyin Bodhisattva, who should be responsible for healing the Ginseng Fruit Tree, and the Three Immortals of Penglai.”
“These two groups are likely less reliable than Sun Dasheng.”
“Whether Guanyin Bodhisattva will cause trouble this time is uncertain.”
“As for the Three Immortals of Penglai, namely Shou Xing, Fu Xing, and Lu Xing, they are nominally loose immortals of the Heavenly Realm, but who knows if they have been assimilated by the Jade Emperor over the years? If they are truly following the Jade Emperor's arrangements, then this matter might be quite unpredictable.”
“Not to mention, behind these two groups are Patriarch Dipankara and the Jade Emperor, respectively.”
“Recently, these two have not had a good relationship with Sun Dasheng. It is best not to implicate this humble Daoist!”
With such thoughts, Zhenyuanzi, who was already cautious in his dealings, truly dared not relax his vigilance. While continuing his journey towards the gathering of loose immortals in the Heavenly Realm, deliberately adhering to the procedures stipulated by the heavenly count, he had to, before ascending, take out the Book of Earth and point his finger, summoning forth his good corpse avatar.
The Daoist of the Book of Earth!
“I trouble you, Daoist friend, to make a trip and give Sun Dasheng a heads-up. This humble Daoist has not leaked any secrets to those two disciples, so please ask him to go easy on them.”
“Furthermore, if other fated individuals insist on interfering forcefully, or even causing trouble, please, Sun Dasheng, assist us in some way.”
“In short, let him know that although this humble Daoist remains neutral, he is quite fond of them, master and disciple.”
Hearing this, the Daoist of the Book of Earth did not dare to hesitate.
He truly went to find Sun Kong!
…
Almost at the same time.
Just as Zhenyuanzi had predicted, Guanyin Bodhisattva, backed by Patriarch Dipankara, and the Three Immortals of Penglai, backed by the Jade Emperor, namely Shou Xing, Fu Xing, and Lu Xing, were indeed stirring up trouble due to the two tribulations related to Wuzhuang Temple!