Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

“I say, Bilian, you’ve met so many people, why didn’t you think of meeting that Wudang sect leader? My senior brother met him once and benefited greatly from it; he said so himself,” Zhang Huaiyi said.

Wugensheng said, "A person's name is like a tree's shadow. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"What if he wants to take me as his apprentice if I really go to see him?"

"I'm not as strong as your senior brother, who can fight back. I can only obediently become a Taoist priest."

Zhang Huaiyi laughed in anger: "Being a Taoist priest is not good?! You've gained an advantage and you're still acting innocent."

You should know that being accepted as a disciple by the Wudang Sect is something that many people wouldn't even dare to dream of.

“If I become a Taoist priest, I’ll have to see your senior brother every day, but I dare not do that!” Wugensheng said with a smile.

“You wish! My senior brother isn’t so easy to see. He’s been in seclusion frequently lately, and even I rarely get to see him. Outsiders can forget about it,” Zhang Huaiyi said.

"You said your senior brother frequently goes into seclusion?" Wugensheng was startled.

“That’s right, I can’t see through him at all now. Compared to him, my progress is really insignificant. Bilian, do you have any other way to help me improve faster?” Zhang Huaiyi asked.

"Your cultivation speed is already like riding a train, and you want it to be even faster? Greed knows no bounds. You should calm down and settle down. Stop thinking about so many unnecessary things!" Wugensheng advised.

Zhang Huaiyi narrowed his eyes. He noticed that although Wugensheng had said he was greedy and wanted him to settle down, he hadn't said he didn't have any. Did this kid still have some in reserve?!
Seeing that Zhang Huaiyi remained silent, Wugensheng asked, "Big-eared scoundrel, what wicked scheme are you plotting now?"

Zhang Huaiyi collected his thoughts: "I'm planning to go to Wudang to attend the ceremony this time, do you want to come along?"

“If all the righteous people gather here, how can I save my life?” Wugensheng said.

“You can disguise yourself and ask Master Liu, the dough figurine maker, for help. With his skills, as long as you don’t do anything reckless at Wudang, no one will be able to spot you,” Zhang Huaiyi said.

“If your senior brother weren’t going, I would be somewhat interested, but judging from the current situation, he’s definitely going. Liu the Clay Figurine Maker is skilled, but he can’t compare to your senior brother’s discerning eye, so I won’t go and risk getting into trouble,” Wugensheng said.

"Are you that afraid of my senior brother?" Zhang Huaiyi retorted.

“Who in this world isn’t afraid of your senior brother?!” Wugensheng retorted.

“My master isn’t afraid!” Zhang Huaiyi said.

"..." Wugensheng waved his hand to shoo him away: "Can't you speak properly? If you can't, then you should leave. Just looking at you gives me a headache."

"Don't worry, as I said before, after you help me, I won't bother you for at least a year or two. I keep my word!" Zhang Huaiyi said.

"So you mean that after a year or two, you'll still have to stick to me like a leech?" Wugensheng asked.

"I don't like bullying the weak," Zhang Huaiyi said. "In a year or two, when my strength surpasses yours, I will defeat you cleanly and decisively, and naturally I won't challenge you to a duel again!"

"........."

Wugensheng was speechless. That was it. He was probably going to be stuck with this clingy person forever. The chances of Big Ear Thief surpassing him were extremely low.

Actually, it's not like he didn't try to pretend he couldn't win.

But Zhang Huaiyi is very astute; he can tell at a glance whether you've used your full strength or not, and even how much you've left unspent.

It's almost impossible to fool him in this way.

Seeing that Wugensheng remained silent, Zhang Huaiyi continued:

"By the way, why are you so afraid of my senior brother? Don't you two have a life-or-death bond? My senior brother isn't the type to turn his back on someone."

Wugensheng said, "It is precisely because of this friendship that I cannot keep hanging around in front of him. We are on different paths and cannot work together. We will only drift further and further apart. The friendship we had before is becoming less and less, and I don't want to waste it."

Wugensheng picked up a glass of wine and said as he drank, "So, I'm not going. If you're going, then you should go now. I have other things to do."

"In that case, I'll take my leave now. I'll come back to spar with you again in a while," Zhang Huaiyi said, standing up.

"Get out, get out!"

Wugensheng was somewhat helpless. This big-eared thief was like a stubborn mule, shameless and reckless. What could he do? He couldn't very well actually do it for him.

…………

…………

Meanwhile, on Wudang Mountain, Zhou Sheng, who had a face resembling a pig's kidney, sat on the tortoise-carrying stele, wearing a dirty Taoist robe, holding a long scroll in his hand.

The scroll depicts an extremely complex Bagua diagram, surrounded by densely packed characters resembling ants.

The text is interspersed with many obscure cloud patterns and seal script, making the content of the scroll look like a book written in the heavens.

An ordinary person would feel dizzy and disoriented after just one glance, but Zhou Sheng found it fascinating and even recited it quietly.

He had seen this scroll, which was like a book written in the heavens, countless times and could almost recite it from memory, but this time, he made frequent mistakes when he tried to read it aloud.

Because his mind was in turmoil, he found it difficult to calm down even when reading scriptures.

The reason for my distress is naturally related to the passing of the sect leader.

To be honest, although he was a disciple of Wudang, his master was not the head of Wudang, and he didn't have much contact with the head of Wudang on a daily basis. Logically speaking, this shouldn't be the case.

In the past, many old Taoist priests from Wudang had passed away, some of whom had a deep friendship with him, but he had never felt so disturbed as he had this time.

"Ugh……"

Zhou Sheng finished reciting and let out a long sigh.

Actually, what troubled him was not the passing of the Wudang sect leader.

The real question is, how should Wudang cope without its old sect leader?

Wudang is, in fact, one of the most prestigious Taoist sects in the world.

But in reality, Wudang reached its peak right from the start.

After the founding patriarch, Zhang Sanfeng, ascended to heaven, each generation became less capable than the last.

It was the appearance of the Wudang sect leader that allowed Wudang to once again reach its peak.

But what happened after the sect leader, nicknamed "Martial Saint" and "Number One Hand Under Heaven," passed away?

Who will safeguard Wudang's vast territory?

A new goalkeeper?

Zhou Sheng shook his head.

The new sect leader is his master and the old sect leader's senior brother. He is also considered a top-notch expert in the martial arts world.

However, he was far inferior to the old sect leader, and could not compare to figures like the left sect leader or the Celestial Master.

Currently, the Left Sect Master of the Sanyi Sect is at the height of his power, with outstanding junior disciples such as Lu Jin and Li Muxuan, a new disciple who has recently made a name for himself in the martial arts world...

It can be said that after the destruction and reconstruction of the Sanyi School, it became a place teeming with talent and flourishing.

Needless to say, the Celestial Master's Mansion is quite formidable. Even without considering the Little Celestial Master who suppresses everything, Zhang Huaiyi alone is extraordinary. And among the current generation of disciples of Wudang, he is only so-so.

The others, such as Zhou Meng, Hong Yin, Xiao Lu, and Xiao Fang, are all quite outstanding in the martial arts world, but they are somewhat inferior to those mentioned above.

"After the old sect leader passed away, we, the younger generation, must also carry on Wudang's legacy!"

Zhou Sheng unfolded the scroll in his hand, somewhat tempted. Supporting Wudang was not impossible, but then he remembered Zhang Zhiwei's previous instructions.

"Senior Brother Zhang said that this method should not be easily passed on, otherwise it will only harm people."

“Senior Brother Zhang wouldn’t let things go without a reason. He must have his reasons for saying that.”

“But I have studied Qimen Dunjia for so many years, and I have thought of ways to deal with every detail and every difficulty.”

"Even if the person being taught doesn't understand, with my oral and personal instruction, they will definitely be able to learn it. Why don't you give it a try!"

Standing on the tortoise-carrying stele, Zhou Sheng looked at the Wudang Mountain steps shrouded in mist and thought of his childhood.

When he was young, the previous dynasty was in its final years, on the verge of collapse. Everyone was suffering, and many people starved to death. Fortunately, he and his younger brother were sent to Wudang Mountain at a young age.

Life on the mountain was tough, but at least we didn't have to worry about food and clothing.

He still remembers the scene when he went up the mountain. It was winter, and it was snowing heavily. The stone steps were covered with thick snow, and the Taoist priests didn't have time to clear the snow. He and his brother were so hungry that they were thin and weak, and they couldn't climb up the mountain at all.

It was their elderly master who carried them up. To be honest, the master was nothing like the senior disciple of the old sect leader. He was not tall, nor did he have a sharp aura. He was just an ordinary old man.

And now, this old geezer is going to take over from the former Martial Saint Sect Leader and become the new Sect Leader of Wudang.

I must prove the old man right and uphold Wudang's current position... Zhou Sheng's eyes narrowed:
"It's unrealistic to expect the older generation to make further breakthroughs, and it's also unrealistic to expect the next generation of disciples. Only our own generation can shoulder the responsibility."

"In order to revitalize Wudang, the best course of action now is to teach Hongyin and the others the Tiantong Qimen."

"As long as you master the Heavenly Connection Qimen, it doesn't matter if your life force and cultivation are a little lacking."

"However, before we can teach Hong Yin and the others the Tian Tong Qi Men, we must first obtain Senior Brother Zhang's consent."

Will Senior Brother Zhang agree?

Zhou Sheng asked himself this question.

He didn't know the answer either.

He and his senior brother Zhang had run out of the yin-yang paper they used to communicate, and they hadn't been able to communicate for some time.

However, when they could still communicate, he had asked his senior brother Zhang several times whether he had passed on the Tiantong Qimen technique to his fellow disciples at the Celestial Master's Mansion.

The answer I received was always no; the risk was too great, and it would harm my fellow apprentices.

"Senior Brother Zhang won't even pass on his skills to his own fellow disciples, would he agree to me passing them on to Hong Yin and the others?"

Zhou Sheng frowned, his already bitter-looking face appearing even more miserable.

"Senior Brother Zhang will also be attending the old sect leader's ascension ceremony. Should we ask for his opinion during the ceremony?"

"But what if he disagrees?"

After much deliberation, Zhou Sheng made a difficult decision: to act first and report later, first teaching Hong Yin and the others the Heavenly Path of Qimen, and then going to tell Senior Brother Zhang the truth.

In this way, he not only taught his junior brothers Qimen Dunjia, but also kept it a secret from his senior brother Zhang.

This approach is somewhat unethical.

However, this was a last resort for the sake of the sect's development, and we hope Senior Brother Zhang can understand.

Upon realizing this, Zhou Sheng jumped down from the tortoise-borne stele, only to find that his younger brother, Zhou Meng, had appeared at the foot of the stele at some point.

With high cheekbones and a short stature, Zhou Meng curled his lip and said:
"What are you muttering and muttering about up there? Are you studying your damn Qimen Dunjia again?"

Over the years, Zhou Sheng has been studying Tian Tong Qi Men.

Seeing his obsession, his fellow disciples couldn't help but be curious and wanted to see what extraordinary things he was studying.

But to their surprise, Zhou Sheng acted like a dog guarding its food, keeping it tightly covered, as if afraid they would even glimpse it.

This attitude was truly disgusting to everyone, including his younger brother, because he wouldn't let his brother see it either.

Zhou Sheng turned to look at Zhou Meng, who was mocking him, and said, "Little monkey, I will teach you the Heavenly Connection Strange Gate!"

Zhou Meng was taken aback, then burst into laughter: "You want to pass on your precious treasure to me? No way, you're obviously trying to trick me."

Although they are brothers who have relied on each other since childhood, they are both stubborn but soft-hearted. They may have good intentions, but they are very sarcastic, so they often quarrel, somewhat similar to Lü Ci and Lu Jin.

Upon hearing Zhou Sheng say he wanted to pass on his Tian Tong Qi Men technique, Zhou Meng instinctively didn't believe it.

"Who wants to learn your stuff? I won't. You should keep this precious thing to yourself."

Zhou Sheng scratched his head helplessly and sighed, "Little monkey, I'm not joking with you, I'm serious."

"Whether it's true or not, I'm not learning it. The old sect leader's ascension ceremony is imminent. I'm not like you, hiding here and slacking off. I'm very busy and don't have time to chat with you."

After saying that, Zhou Meng turned and quickly left.

"Go on, go on, you brat. Once I've taught Xiao Hong and Xiao Lu a lesson, you'll regret this," Zhou Sheng said softly, watching Zhou Meng's retreating figure.

Actually, Zhou Meng's refusal made him breathe a sigh of relief and calm him down a lot.

I can't explain why. Maybe I remembered Senior Brother Zhang's instructions, or maybe I wanted to teach Hongyin and the others first to accumulate more teaching experience before teaching my younger brother.

"It should be fine..." he muttered to himself. "It's just teaching someone a Qimen Dunjia technique. If they really encounter a problem they can't overcome, they can just stop learning it. What danger could there be? It'll definitely be fine."

He was encouraging himself.

After saying that, he was still a little worried, so he jumped back onto the tortoise-carrying stele, closed his eyes, sat down, calmed his mind, entered the inner realm, and began to deduce and calculate whether his fellow disciples would learn Tian Tong Qi Men from him.

The result, however, was... an enormous fireball.

The fireball spun, radiating intense heat, threatening to engulf him.

Zhou Sheng was startled and immediately stopped his deduction, withdrawing from the inner vision.

He was covered in cold sweat: "Why is this happening? Is this matter so serious? Does it involve heavenly secrets?"

But he quickly realized that it wasn't that this was serious, but that the Tian Tong Qi Men was too heaven-defying. All information about it was a secret of heaven within the inner realm, and could not be deduced.

"If that's the case, then it also means that the fireball just now doesn't mean that we can't teach them the Heavenly Connection Strange Gate."

"But it's still a bit risky. Should we do another simulation?"

After pondering for a moment, a good idea flashed through Zhou Sheng's mind, "Since the divination using the Heavenly Connection Qimen method is inaccurate, why not divination how many years Xiao Hong, Xiao Fang, and Xiao Lu can live?" (End of this chapter)