Chapter 978 817: Expelled from the Sect

"You you you you..." Zhang Li stuttered, unable to speak coherently for quite a while.

"I I I I..." Old Ears stood in the sunset, gazing mockingly at Zhang Li, "Little Daoist, haven't seen you in years, how come you've started to stutter?"

Zhang Li babbled, "I... I stutter? No, not at all, I'm fine."

Old Ears led the way over the threshold, "What book are you holding that's so interesting, you didn't even hear someone come in?"

Zhang Li hurriedly closed the Wordless Heavenly Scripture, and sheepishly said, "An idle book, just a common storybook."

"Oh?" Old Ears curiously asked, "What's written in it?"

Zhang Li thought for a moment, "It writes about an old fool and a young fool taking a bunch of fools adventuring south and north."

Old Ears looked at Zhang Li, then at Chen Ji, and suddenly grew suspicious, "Is that really how it's written in your storybook? Let me see it, why do I feel I've been insulted?"

Zhang Li quickly stuffed the Wordless Heavenly Scripture into his jacket, "Idle book, idle book, not worth mentioning, it's a waste of your time even to glance at it."

Old Ears no longer pursued the matter, directly went to the tribute table, picking and choosing among the tribute fruits, "Earlier, you wrote this young Chen Ji into the Four Dreams of Bianliang, ending with him becoming a Taoist monk... In future writings, you won't also write me in, making me become a Taoist monk too?"

Zhang Li was shocked, nervously replied, "No way, no way, I haven't written a storybook in a long time, only read those written by others."

"That's good," Old Ears replied with satisfaction, picked up a peach from the tribute table, biting into it, mumbled while chewing, "If I find you've been concocting tales about me in your storybook, I'll twist your head off."

Zhang Li trembled slightly, but cautiously reminded, "Old man, robbers of offerings suffer longevity reduction..."

Mid-sentence, Old Ears glanced sharply at him, prompting him to shut up.

Old Ears chuckled, tossed peaches to Chen Ji and the others, "We've been on the road for days, haven't even had a sip of water today; eating a few peaches from your Dao Court is nothing. If the Immortals above want to settle accounts, let them come find me, meeting an Immortal is what I desire most, though I've never had the chance."

Zhang Li shrank his neck slightly, changed the topic, "What brings you all to my Chaotian Palace?"

Old Ears laughed heartily, "We stirred up a little trouble, now the whole Jiangnan is looking for us, suddenly remembered your Chaotian Palace is a place where no one dares to keep an eye on, with tasty vegetarian meals, so we came to seek refuge."

Zhang Li muttered quietly, "Call that 'little trouble'..."

Old Ears didn't hear clearly, "What are you muttering, kid?"

Zhang Li sighed, "To answer you, the Taoist who makes tasty vegetarian meals isn't here at Chaotian Palace currently, now there are only those who don't make tasty meals, not just you, even I can't eat them, better you leave."

"Where has the cook gone? Oh, right, your Huangshan Dao Court's Universal Sacrifice is about to begin, they need to host guests," Old Ears responded, "Wait a minute, you're the first disciple of Huangshan, why aren't you back to host the Universal Sacrifice, staying here at Chaotian Palace for what?"

Zhang Li hesitated for a moment, "The Universal Sacrifice lasts a hundred days, returning early isn't meaningful. Besides, Huangshan is filled with idlers discussing the Dao right now, I'm not fond of crowds, staying here is for some peace and quiet."

Old Ears grew suspicious, "You didn't cause any trouble and get expelled from your sect, did you?"

Zhang Li stiffened his neck, "What mistake could I make? I'm the senior brother of Huangshan Dao Court, even committing minor errors wouldn't warrant expulsion."

Old Ears ridiculed, "Do you really think I don't know your Dao Court's rules? For minor offenses, kneeling before the Divine; for intermediate offenses, they repossess talismans and suspend rituals, you're not even returning for the Universal Sacrifice—clearly Apostle Old is forbidding you."

Zhang Li defended, "My master hasn't forbidden me from returning."

Old Ears made a sound, "Then you must not dare to return yourself. Enough, no more arguing with you, quickly arrange a few guest rooms, after traveling for days, an old man like me is thoroughly exhausted."

Zhang Li questioned puzzledly, "You all came to Chaotian Palace just to find a place to stay?"

He added suspiciously, "So simple?"

Old Ears replied nonchalantly, "What else? Save some silver, right?"

Zhang Li commented in a huff, "Weren't you carrying a lot of silver..."

Old Ears gave him a keen look, "How do you know we have a lot of silver? Do you possess the ability to see through destiny?"

Zhang Li realized he slipped, hurriedly laughed it off, "Ha, the entire Jiangnan knows you took Dinghai Port, certainly you have plenty of silver."

Old Ears waved his sleeve, "Lead the way, quickly prepare the meals, even if not tasty, I can chew a few bites."

Zhang Li lowered his head and got up to leave, "Will you stay in the West Wing Room of the second entrance, or in Feixia Pavilion or Flying Cloud Pavilion behind Chaotian Palace? The West Wing Room is close to the side gate, Feixia Pavilion and Flying Cloud Pavilion offer elegant views, but aren't convenient for entering or leaving Chaotian Palace."

Chen Ji spoke up, "We'll stay in the West Wing Room."

"Alright," Zhang Li led a few people southward, but just as they stepped out of the Great Tongming Treasure Hall, they saw Zhaolei idly kicking its hooves while Wu Yun basked lazily in the sun on Zhaolei's head.

The Big Green Ox by the bronze tripod eyed Zhaolei with shifty eyes, quietly moving over to sidle up to Zhaolei.

When it sidled up next to Zhaolei, Zhaolei merely glanced at it and ignored it further. The Big Green Ox mooed, attracting Zhaolei's attention, then trotted over to the tripod to inhale two wisps of incense.

It stopped and nodded towards Zhaolei, signaling Zhaolei to join, but Zhaolei still only glanced at it without paying any attention.

Not giving up, the Big Green Ox sidled up to Zhaolei again, nudging Zhaolei with its cow horn.

The next moment, Zhaolei erupted in anger, chasing the Big Green Ox around the courtyard kicking at it. It was only when Wu Yun grabbed the reins and jumped off the horse, along with Lian Yuanxi and Jiang Chai pulling the reins, that they barely managed to restrain the furious Zhaolei.

Zhang Li stood at the threshold, lamenting, "You all coming to my Chaotian Palace without prior notice is one thing, but why are you beating my ox!"

Old Ears chuckled, "What's wrong with beating your ox, don't worry, once we've beaten the ox, we won't beat you."

As he was speaking, suddenly over ten blue-robed Daoists appeared, led by a young Daoist wearing a Mixed Element Scarf and a crane robe with a blue and white pattern.

The Daoists stood at the foot of the hall's stone steps, bowing to greet him, "Master Brother."

Zhang Li hesitated, "Zhang Ning, aren't you at the Dao Court presiding over the Universal Sacrifice, why have you come down the mountain?"

The young Daoist named Zhang Ning spoke softly, "Master Brother, by the decree of the revered authority, we've come to clean up the mess, we can only return once it's dealt with."

Old Ears quietly muttered to Chen Ji, "See, I told you he's definitely caused trouble, which is why he doesn't dare return to the Dao Court."

Chen Ji whispered, "They don't recognize you?"

Old Ears snorted, "Do you think this old man is someone everyone gets to meet?"

Zhang Ning heard the muttering and calmly glanced across Old Ears and the others, "Who are you all?"

Old Ears laughed, "Followers."

Zhang Ning politely clasped his hands, "If you are followers, please leave Chaotian Palace promptly. It will no longer accept incense offerings from tomorrow, only after the Universal Sacrifice. For now, this is a family matter of our Huangshan Dao Court, please do not interfere."

Old Ears let out an "Oh," pulling Chen Ji away, stopping a dozen steps outside to secretly look back.

They heard Zhang Ning speaking to Zhang Li, "Master Brother, you've thrown the Ten Thousand Gods' Residence into the Jianghu, many have already died competing for the Path..."

Zhang Li interrupted, "Those mountain bandits deserve to die, it's not worth blaming me. Besides, the revered authority has never cared about their lives, nor would you come down the mountain specifically for a few villainous lives."

Zhang Ning sighed, "Master Brother, the Ten Thousand Gods' Residence is the Protective Path of our Huangshan Dao Court, how can it be given to outsiders? So far, only a few have cultivated, it's still possible to find them, but if hundreds or thousands practice together, our Dao Court will never be able to invite the revered authority to descend again."

Zhang Li sneered, "Just what I wanted."

In the distance, Chen Ji looked at Old Ears, "What is the Ten Thousand Gods' Residence? What is the Protective Path?"

Old Ears smacked his lips, "The Dao Court has two types of people, one is the Protectors, like Zhang Li, who guard the Mountain Gate and deter riffraff. The other is the Seekers, exceptional talents like the Yan Chi of Huangshan Dao Court, expected to reach the Divine Realm, they're destined to ascend to the Forty-nine Heavens."

Old Ears continued, "But there're so few Paths, the Protectors of each sect always practice one Path between ten or so people, destined to never reach the Divine Realm in their lifetime, let alone merge the Dao and ascend. Yet the Ten Thousand Gods' Residence is the Path most suitable for Protectors to practice in the Huangshan Dao Court, since even with dozens practicing, some can touch the threshold of the Divine Realm."

Old Ears clicked his tongue twice, "This kid Zhang Li threw the Ten Thousand Gods' Residence into the Jianghu, no wonder he doesn't dare return to Huangshan Dao Court to preside over the Universal Sacrifice."

Chen Ji asked in confusion, "Why did he throw his own sect's Path away?"

Old Ears pursed his lips, "How would this old man know."

Right then, Zhang Ning clasped his hands, "Please return the talisman, Master Brother."

Zhang Li frowned, "Exile me from the sect? Is this the revered authority's instruction or the master's?"

Zhang Ning spoke softly, "Master Brother, things have come to this point, does it make a difference?"

Zhang Li was silent for a moment, "It does."

Zhang Ning also paused momentarily, "It's the revered authority's instruction."

Zhang Li breathed a slight sigh of relief.