Looking at the suddenly appearing system prompt, Shen Gongbao was clearly startled.
Just like that, he had completed a task?
However, a smile quickly tugged at the corner of Shen Gongbao's mouth.
So curing the wildest brats in the laziest way meant "don't throw hands if you can just chat"!
Still, this arguably did achieve the goal of unity and friendliness.
Didn't you see how, even though Nezha cursed up a storm later, at least he couldn't lay a hand on him as an elder?
Looking at the task before him, Shen Gongbao suddenly grew interested.
Every time he was targeted by fellow disciples in the past, he used to rack his brains over how to make them see their mistakes and turn over a new leaf.
He never expected that he could switch to a different mindset to make them pleasing to the eye.
The lottery wheel pointer came to a halt, and the system reward information appeared:
【Congratulations to the host, you have gained ten years of cultivation!】
The moment the reward prompt appeared, Shen Gongbao only felt a majestic surge of spiritual energy pouring into his body like a tidal wave.
Shen Gongbao immediately sat cross-legged, guiding this torrent of energy to circulate through his meridians.
Two double-hours later, Shen Gongbao stood up with a smile, his eyes flashing with brilliant light.
With ten years of cultivation added, Shen Gongbao not only completely consolidated his realm as a Mid Mysterious Immortal, but also took a solid step forward along the path of the Mid Mysterious Immortal.
Although this step wasn't massive, the path of cultivation is arduous, and every breakthrough in realm relies on slow, steady accumulation step by step.
Taking this step meant that Shen Gongbao had firmly embarked on the journey toward the Late Mysterious Immortal stage.
"Junior Brother Shen, has your cultivation advanced once more?"
Taiyi Zhenren's voice suddenly rang out.
Shen Gongbao jerked his head up and looked in the direction of the voice, only to see Taiyi Zhenren standing not far away, accompanied by Nezha, who wore an expression of deep grievance.
"You flatter me, Senior Brother."
Shen Gongbao bowed modestly:
"I merely had some fortuitous insights."
His gaze slowly shifted toward Nezha, a tender and benevolent smile blooming on his face as he spoke in a soft voice:
"Speaking of which, I must thank Nephew Nezha. He has given me a deeper understanding of the hierarchy and etiquette of the Chan Sect. Senior Brother, the disciples you take in are indeed all blessed with profound karmic fortune."
With that, Shen Gongbao proceeded to shower Nezha with lavish praise from head to toe.
Not until Taiyi Zhenren was grinning from ear to ear did Shen Gongbao cup his fists in farewell and turn to leave.
The moment Shen Gongbao left, Nezha could hold back no longer and began to clamor loudly:
"Master, is this how you seek justice for me? As a master, you're utterly useless!"
Watching Nezha's huffy, puffing appearance, Taiyi Zhenren couldn't help but chuckle in spite of himself:
"Nezha, now you know how to snap at me, but why didn't you dare utter a single word just now when Junior Brother Shen was here?"
Nezha's words hitched. He had a bad temper, but he wasn't an idiot—Shen Gongbao was someone who would genuinely beat the daylights out of you!
Right now, his whole body still felt like it was falling apart!
Taiyi Zhenren looked in the direction where Shen Gongbao had departed and said solemnly:
"It seems all of us underestimated this Uncle of yours before. Now that he has achieved sudden enlightenment overnight, even I can no longer figure him out!"
With that, he cast a stern look at Nezha and said:
"As for you? Junior Brother Shen was right about one thing just now: that disrespectful attitude of yours really needs a thorough overhaul."
He paused for a moment, then continued:
"Respecting one's master and honoring the Dao is the foundational tenet upon which our Chan Sect is established. To dare show such insolence toward your own master—you are utterly lawless!"
No sooner had the words fallen than the horsetail whisk in Taiyi Zhenren's hand lashed out fiercely, cracking through the air like lightning to strike Nezha squarely on the bottom.
With a crisp smack, a flush of red bloomed across Nezha's backside.
One truly couldn't blame Taiyi Zhenren for this; the words Shen Gongbao had spoken earlier were simply too tempting.
Since beating Nezha could increase Shen Gongbao's cultivation...
What about him?
Could he also increase his cultivation by disciplining Nezha?
………
Shen Gongbao did not get to hear Nezha's miserable shrieks, for by then he had already scoped out his second candidate.
Although this round of the unity and friendliness task offered only a meager Bronze-tier reward, it was a rare hundred-stage recurring task.
After disciplining Nezha, Optional Task 2 automatically updated to Unity and Friendliness (2/100).
Even the leg of a mosquito is meat, let alone a fault-finding task that Shen Gongbao found utterly fascinating.
"To rectify the warped practices of the Chan Sect and restore a healthy, harmonious atmosphere of unity and friendliness for everyone, I, Shen Gongbao, am willing to go all out!"
In the days that followed, Shen Gongbao seemed to have unlocked a brand-new world. He roamed every corner of Yuxu Palace, deliberately singling out those arrogant third-generation disciples.
"Nephew Lutong, why do you not bow when you see your Uncle Shen? Could it be that Senior Brother Wuliang teaches you in such a manner on ordinary days?"
"Nephew Hetong, you are dressed in such a scandalous manner—what kind of spectacle is this? Go and change immediately!"
"Nephew Yang Jian, although I know you and Sky-Howling Celestial Dog are thick as thieves, but..."
……
The Chan Sect valued order of seniority above all else, so finding fault with fellow seniors wasn't easy.
But who asked all of you to take in so many disciples?
Shen Gongbao might not have had much else, but his seniority was right there!
Once you found the right angle, wasn't the place crawling with easy targets?
Faced with Shen Gongbao's almost provocative fault-finding behavior, the third-generation disciples within Yuxu Palace had certainly considered fighting back.
Yet how could their Mid Mysterious Immortal cultivation rival Shen Gongbao?
Not to mention that Shen Gongbao possessed a supreme lethal weapon like the Rift-Shattering Thunder Lord Whip, capable of beating even a supreme menace like Nezha to a pulp in mere minutes.
And so, for a time, the atmosphere throughout the entire Chan Sect truly took a turn for the better.
As Shen Gongbao continued his disciplinary crusade, those little demons who usually turned Yuxu Palace upside down all tucked in their sharp edges.
………………
Meanwhile, in the residential palace of Qingxu Daode Zhenjun,
Judulsun said with a heart-wrenching expression:
"Senior Brother, there is truly no living in Yuxu Palace anymore. If this goes on, the entire Yuxu Palace will sooner or later become a one-man show dictated entirely by Shen Gongbao!"
"What Junior Brother says is entirely correct."
Qingxu Daode Zhenjun's face was gloomy:
"This Shen Gongbao has indeed gone way too far lately."
"Bang!"
Judulsun slammed a palm down, shattering the armrest table as the teacups burst into shards.
"Senior Brother, this matter cannot simply be dropped!"
Fire burned in his eyes, and the hands hidden within his sleeves cracked and popped as he clenched his fists.
Qingxu Daode Zhenjun stroked his long beard, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes:
"Since that Shen Gongbao wants to meddle in other people's business, then let him meddle to his heart's content. I'd like to see whether carrying on like this provokes universal indignation and public wrath. Junior Brother Judulsun, you go first and... and then..."
Upon hearing this, Judulsun was startled at first, but then began to slap his thigh and roar with laughter:
"Brilliant! Truly, you are worthy of being Senior Brother Qingxu Daode. I'd love to see how that scoundrel Shen Gongbao manages to stay in the Chan Sect after this!"