"You little rascal..." Watching his apprentice finish the medicine, Yue Dewen’s face twisted. He wanted to scold him, but he dared not utter the words he had in mind.

Afraid of provoking this kid to retaliate against him again.

With his hands behind his back, he paced back and forth a few times.

"Fine! You want to retreat, I will satisfy you! Choose a place now, and I’ll arrange it for you. You can retreat as long as you want, but you have to promise! Absolutely no more contact with the people of the Reverse Time Society."

"...I’ll try my best." Zhang Rongfang nodded.

"Try your best!!? You rebellious disciple! I’m going to die of rage because of you sooner or later!" Yue Dewen roared.

He calculated everything, but he did not expect his apprentice to throw a fit and act stubbornly.

In this world, who doesn’t want to worship the gods? Especially the kind of chance that turns you into a Spirit General just by worshiping them.

Seems like this guy is still too young, too impulsive.

"It’s good for you to rest as well. When you’re young, you always think you can do anything. But you don’t realize, the path in this world, the one arranged by elders, is actually the best."

Yue Dewen tried his best to suppress his fury, as he was startled by Zhang Rongfang’s actions, and dared not provoke his apprentice further.

Worshiping the gods also requires willingness to become a Spirit General, otherwise, you’re just a puppet. If I can’t turn this kid’s head around, it will be quite troublesome in the future.

Might as well let him retreat, find an opportunity to repair and fix his mindset.

"Thank you, Master, for making it possible!" Zhang Rongfang pulled out the hand from his chest, bringing out a spurt of blood.

"Be careful, damn it! You want to die faster, is that it!!?" Infuriated, Yue Dewen slapped Zhang Rongfang on the forehead. He then promptly took out a needle and thread, using catgut to stitch the wound.

"So young and already wanting to retreat, I’ve lived over a hundred years, and I’ve never seen someone like you!"

"Disciple just feels that I am still young, there are so many things I want to do. I don’t want to settle down so early." Zhang Rongfang said calmly. "Besides, I’ve also grasped the secret to restraining the worship of gods, if..."

"Restrain the worship of gods? With your mediocre skills, restrain? You think killing a few Spiritual Veins means restraint?" Yue Dewen’s anger boiled over again.

"I painstakingly paved the way for you, you’ll only need to worship occasionally to enjoy the fruits! And now, you’re telling me you want to retreat!?"

"Retreat!!?

In the end, are you ninety-eight or am I ninety-eight??!?

Wait, I’m already a hundred years old now! You rascal didn’t even come for your master’s birthday! You’re a downright rebellious disciple!!"

Yue Dewen slapped Zhang Rongfang on the forehead again.

"I never planned to retreat, and here you are trying to run away! Zhang Qingzhi’s irritating enough, and you’re even worse! He’s stuck because he’s useless, you’re running toward being useless!! You two!"

The more Yue Dewen thought about it, the angrier he got...

"Unbelievable!"

Ultimately, he concluded with a sentence, his face turning pale again.

"Training in martial arts on the sly, almost becoming a Grandmaster, and not informing your one and only master! Do you want to drive me to my grave!?"

"I thought you didn’t care about being a Grandmaster..." Zhang Rongfang’s face stiffened slightly, he argued.

"...You...!"

This is truly the saying, "what goes around comes around!"

Yue Dewen felt this old saying was indeed wisdom beyond words.

He, Old Yue, lived a wise life, only to be annoyed in his later years by a brat deliberately sent to enrage him.

He was so obedient when he first joined the court, calling his master constantly, obedient and gifted.

It turns out it was all a facade! Now that he looked, he was a real thorn in the side!

Taking a deep breath, Yue Dewen looked at this apprentice in front of him, suppressing a bellyful of anger.

He knew well, this kid was just at that rebellious age; many young people think they’re invincible, their talent unparalleled, hadn’t he felt the same back in the day? Young and becoming a Grandmaster, he thought he could aspire toward the realm of an Imperial Tutor.

But in the subsequent stages, he got stuck for many years, slowly worn down, losing his arrogance.

Finally realizing that the path of cultivation was not as easy as it appeared.

The path in the early stage was traceable.

But after reaching Grandmaster, everything had to rely on oneself.

No master to guide you, only giving a rough direction. That’s all.

"What you think you see, in truth...many things, you simply don’t understand. Because many things can’t be spoken of. They can only be experienced." Yue Dewen tried one last time to struggle.

"Master, please don’t try to persuade me, I’m still young, and the heavens granted me such talent, not for me to waste away, to humble myself. But to carve out a path uniquely mine!" Zhang Rongfang’s expression was serious yet firm.

"....." You truly are my good disciple...

Yue Dewen wanted to curse inwardly, but feared provoking this kid further, so he restrained himself.

"Then what kind of path do you wish to create?" He asked cautiously.

"Naturally, a unique path, reliant on no external help!" Zhang Rongfang said earnestly.

"Can you go into detail for me?" Yue Dewen asked.

"Of course." Zhang Rongfang felt a movement in his heart.

He immediately began to explain his understanding of Daoist arts to Yue Dewen in detail.

Cultivation of Literature accumulates Essence Qi and spirit, and then through special condensing methods, the Three Flowers are formed.

This path theoretically sounds very promising and feasible.

Yue Dewen immediately understood that it was possible, but... the threshold for it is quite high.

Moreover... the condensation of Essence Qi into a Blood Lotus will definitely interfere with the ritual process of divine transformation.

Besides, he doesn’t believe any Blood Lotus could be stronger than a Spirit General.

"Qiankun, you made many valid points." Yue Dewen nodded repeatedly after listening, his expression returning to gentle and kind.

"However, although your Blood Lotus state is strong, let me ask you one thing. Can it surpass a Spirit General?"

"....." Zhang Rongfang opened his mouth, but his previously eloquent speech suddenly halted.

He thought carefully and remained silent.

"You only need to achieve the requirements for the Cultivation of Literature, then attain divine transformation to become a Spirit General, and step into absolute immortality. Do you know why the status of a Spirit General is so special?" Yue Dewen asked again.

"I don’t know...." Zhang Rongfang had long wanted to know this higher level secret, and now that Yue Dewen was finally willing to explain, he naturally couldn’t wait.

"It’s because... a Spirit General cannot be killed." Yue Dewen said solemnly, "Even for me, if I kill a low-level Spirit General, I can do so temporarily, but before long, he will emerge from his divine palace once more, reconstructing everything.

And this resurrection can continue indefinitely as long as the religious sect still has followers. Essentially, Spirit Generals are bound to their gods and buddhas, making them immortal..."

".....Is there no way to deal with them?" Zhang Rongfang paused and asked.

"There is, as long as you completely destroy their religious sect, it will effectively solve the problem. The essence of a Spirit General lies in the gods and buddhas, and the foundation of gods and buddhas lies in the followers. Without followers, they will be forgotten, eternally asleep in the abyss of oblivion, unable to rise again. Until they completely vanish." Yue Dewen replied.

These words made Zhang Rongfang unconsciously recall the half-crippled Spirit General that Emperor Jiang had taken him to see before.

He seemed to be like this, eternally asleep in a narrow little place, remembered by no one, worshipped by no one ever again. Forgotten by the gods and buddhas, he had completely lost the possibility to awaken.

"It seems you may have encountered some things outside. The benefit of being outside is thus, as it can increase experience. However, the situation outside is currently too dangerous, your master has many opponents, most of whom harbor ulterior motives. If you still want to stay outside and do not wish to return, you must make thorough preparations.

Instead of grandly facing all incoming enemies as you are now."

"What does Master mean?" Zhang Rongfang recognized the deeper meaning in his words.

"Very simple, since you have not understood, I will give you ten years to think it through. In those ten years, no matter what you encounter, you will have to rely on yourself. I will only help you at the most critical moment. Are you willing?" Yue Dewen asked.

"Why not?"

"Then it’s settled."

"Settled! However, Master, if I truly find my own path, then what will you do?" Zhang Rongfang suddenly asked.

"Truly find your path? Hahaha..." Yue Dewen laughed, "Then I will relinquish my position to you, wholeheartedly support you in doing whatever you want to do! I won’t be the Sect Leader anymore! Is that alright?"

For a mortal to surpass a Spirit General is simply a fantasy.

Yue Dewen has seen many peerless talents, unparalleled grandmasters, they all attempted to rely on their own strength, their own talent for everything, to break free from divine worship.

The Imperial Tutor once cooperated with Tian Gong, attempting to traverse the path of weaponry, ultimately he failed.

The Saint Emperor relied on his own talent, attempting to walk another path of martial arts.

Then he disappeared, leaving behind the Extreme Realm system, creating a group of lunatics.

Now, don’t be fooled by the chaos of the Reversal Society, it’s actually just a minor nuisance, not worth mentioning.

Having no impact on the Spirit General.

Immediately, the master and disciple carefully discussed and agreed that if a decade later, Zhang Rongfang truly manages to defeat a Spirit General on his own, then the position of Sect Leader of the Great Dao Teaching will be given to him, and Old Yue will change course, join him on the so-called path of forming the Three Flowers.

Confirmed this matter, Yue Dewen hesitated repeatedly, but still refrained from acting, instead stood up, prepared to leave after Zhang Rongfang’s injuries stabilized, with a sigh.

He had still many tasks to attend to, the ability to take time out to come here was already a tremendous effort.

Many matters and people would cause trouble whenever they saw him absent.

"Master, please wait!"

Seeing Yue Dewen about to leave, Zhang Rongfang stood up, anxiously calling out.

"What? Have you figured it out? Ready to return and undergo divine transformation with me?!" Yue Dewen’s eyes flashed with a hint of hope.

"Uh... no, it’s that I want to ask you for one last favor." Zhang Rongfang chuckled dryly, responding.

"What favor?"

"I want to feel again the move you just used, what was it exactly!" Zhang Rongfang said earnestly.

"That move just now?" Yue Dewen squinted his eyes, slightly stunned.

Immediately, he seemed to understand what his apprentice wanted to do, a light smile appearing on his face.

"Then are you ready."

In the snowy forest, at this moment, the distant sky gradually showed a hint of white.

Unnoticed, the master and disciple had actually talked through the night in the snow forest.

"I’m ready!" Zhang Rongfang nodded earnestly.

"Good then...."

Yue Dewen raised his right arm, the tip of his forefinger gently shining with a hint of silver light.