Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

Sweet wine slips down my throat, causing my heart to ache.

The Old Celestial Master sat on the small horse stool provided by Zhang Ze, wearing a light robe, holding a cup of warmed sweet wine in one hand and rubbing the sole of his foot with the other.

The wine belonged to Zhang Ze, the heartache was from being kicked by the Water Monkey, and the foot pain was from being stabbed by Huang Silang.

His protective magical artifact could ward off masters but not small fry; all of Tang and Big Head's punches and kicks were blocked by the artifact.

But the Water Monkey's earnest kick and Huang Silang's jabs to the sole of his foot weren't blocked at all.

However, you can't blame Tang and the others for being rough since the Old Celestial Master didn't exactly look like a good person before.

The Old Celestial Master himself was dark and skinny. Saying he was a Taoist Sect expert, he looked more like a mountain villager scraping for food in the mountains.

He also had his clothes stolen by the Water Monkey, leaving him bare-bottomed beside a coffin. Anyone who saw him would think an Old Zombie Master had risen.

Those people who had just participated in the righteous nine-against-one didn't feel quite comfortable now.

At this moment, Huang Silang was busy massaging the Old Celestial Master's shoulders and legs, embarrassedly avoiding eye contact with him.

Tang stood behind the Old Celestial Master like a child who had done something wrong, head down and silent.

As for those big heads, they squatted in the corner of the tomb chamber, picking at their fingers.

"It's clear now. The Water Monkey crawled in from the Inner Hidden Cave, likely due to the recent surge in water levels of the Jade Dragon River, connecting to the underground waterway." Zhang Ze, after making a round in the tomb chamber, had figured out the origin of that Water Monkey.

"So what do we do with it?" Zhang Ze gestured to the captured Water Monkey.

The Water Monkey, already captured, was kneeling on the ground, pressed by a Talisman.

But it seemed rather defiant, baring its teeth and making strange growling sounds at the crowd.

The Old Celestial Master pondered for a moment before speaking.

"This time I, the Taoist, have lived a reversed life; this creature is a calamity of this world.

Remember, it's not an ordinary Water Monkey; it's one who kicked the Sect Leader of Dragon Tiger Mountain, a Water Monkey tinged with fortune and cause-effect."

Grandson, warm me a cup of wine, and don't spill it.

Watch how I end this karmic cycle today."

Huang Silang nudged Tang's heel with his arm, and Tang finally came to and quickly took the still-warm wine cup from the Old Celestial Master's hand.

"Will grandpa be fine?" Tang softly transmitted this to Zhang Ze while holding the cup.

"Your grandfather is extraordinary, although starting over now from Qi Cultivation, handling a Water Monkey is a piece of cake. Pay attention; your grandfather is teaching you." Zhang Ze stepped aside to make room for the Old Celestial Master.

"Is grandpa not mad at me?" Tang still felt uneasy, considering he was quite heavy-handed before.

"Your grandfather called you grandson and asked you to get wine. It's fine, just watch." After comforting Tang, Zhang Ze turned his attention to the Old Celestial Master.

When the Sect Leader trained him, the released Sword Qi had only Foundation Establishment power, but each strike was unfathomable.

Now having the chance to see the Old Celestial Master in action, Zhang Ze was quite keen to witness the mysteries of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Taoist Technique.

The Old Celestial Master calmly stood ten steps away from the Water Monkey and waved his hand.

He intended to retrieve the Talisman suppressing the Water Monkey.

However, after waving his hand for a while, the Old Celestial Master remembered that he had already lost his cultivation and could no longer summon objects out of thin air.

Yet, without a trace of awkwardness, he pretended to stretch and naturally said to Zhang Ze.

"Hey, you from Sword Sect, go take down the Talisman for me."

"Okay." Zhang Ze picked up a stone from the ground and flicked it, splitting the Talisman atop the Water Monkey's head in two.

The Water Monkey was freed but didn't run away; it seemed to sense a sliver of destiny falling upon it.

A flash of inspiration lit up in the Water Monkey's mind, vaguely envisioning itself ruling over the waters.

With destiny arriving, dragged by the Old Celestial Master's fortune, the Water Monkey's intelligence awakened.

It now had only one notion in its heart.

And that was, it wanted to become immortal, to start its path to immortality from being a Water Monkey!

In the moment the Water Monkey's eyes cleared, the Old Celestial Master immediately pointed behind it and shouted.

"Look! Female monkey!"

"Gurgle-gurgle!?"

Now understanding human speech but unaware of human deceit, the Water Monkey instinctively turned its head.

Then, it heard the old man across the way say another sentence.

"Demon-subduing Skillful Method of Five Thunders Golden Light Talisman, die foul beast!"

Who knows where the Old Celestial Master pulled that Talisman from, but with amazing speed, before the Water Monkey could react, he had launched the Talisman capable of killing a Nascent Soul cultivator.

And the backlash from forcing out this Talisman was absorbed by a magical artifact on the Old Celestial Master.

Zhang Ze only saw a flash of white before his eyes and heard a few claps of thunder. When his vision cleared, not even ashes remained of the Water Monkey.

Its dream of beginning its journey to immortality as a Water Monkey shattered before it even started.

The Old Celestial Master nonchalantly flicked his Taoist Robe, as if having undergone a life-and-death battle, and took back the wine cup from Tang's hand.

"Grandson! Did you learn it?"

"Yes, I learned it, grandpa!"

Li, perched on Zhang Ze's shoulder, whispered, "What do you think Tang learned?"

Zhang Ze shook his head, "I don't know."

The Old Celestial Master's methods were too abstract and defied his status, and Zhang Ze's thoughts drifted elsewhere.

He suddenly thought it might have been fortunate that the Old Celestial Master wandered outside all these years; had he stayed at Dragon Tiger Mountain, the place might have been truly ruined.

Just as Zhang Ze was dazing off, the Old Celestial Master patted him on the shoulder.

"It's boring with just wine. Get something to eat, preferably a hock, the fatter, the better," the Old Celestial Master said.

However, it was a tough request, as Zhang Ze's Hundred Treasures Bag, akin to a junk basket, held bits of this and that, but he wasn't in the habit of storing cooked food inside.

The half-roast chicken from before had already gone into Huang Silang's stomach, and Zhang Ze's Hundred Treasures Bag now only contained dried fruits and melon seeds.

"Will melon seeds do?"

"Fine, for now." The Old Celestial Master took the bag of melon seeds that Zhang Ze handed over and sat back on the small horse stool again.

"Grandpa, want a Grain Avoidance Pill?" Tang took out his gourd.

"No, no, I never eat those things, ruin the appetite."

Feeling delightful after dealing with the Water Monkey, the Old Celestial Master munched on melon seeds along with drinks, sitting happily on the small stool.

While munching, he imparted some odd principles to Tang.

Zhang Ze noticed the jug of sweet wine in the Old Celestial Master's hand was empty, so he took out another jug from his Hundred Treasures Bag. However, he hadn't noticed that this jug of wine was a gift from Chen Qin earlier.

And the alcohol his Junior Sister drank was quite strong.

So after just a sip, the Old Celestial Master's face flushed. Yet he was too proud to admit he couldn't take it and had never said as much in his life.

After stubbornly downing several cups, the evidently tipsy Old Celestial Master draped an arm around Zhang Ze's shoulder. Like good brothers, he patted him while saying, "You're from Sword Sect…"

"I see extraordinary fate in you, bound to have great fortune in the future.

You're tied to Tang, and also to me, Old Tang; that makes us father and sons.

So let me tell you, take my Old Tang's advice… Sword Sect is no good.

Especially Zhengyi, that bastard! His disciples, grand-disciples are likely the same.

If you hang out with them, you're done for.

Here's what you do, you betray them, no need to stay in Sword Sect! Follow me. I'll make you, make you Sect Leader…

Tang… he'll move back a spot. Once you've had enough, he takes over, he had enough, I return to it.

The three of us, whoever's happy, they rule.

This Dragon Tiger Mountain, we three call the shots.

What do you say?"

Zhang Ze, "?"