Supreme Master - Chapter 18: Daoist Master Mu De

Translator – Misty

Chapter 18: Daoist Master Mu De

As Gu Qingfeng gazed at the white-robed elder before him, holding a Buddhist dust whisk, he couldn’t help but smile. Despite not having seen Elder Mu De for almost five hundred years, he recognized him at first glance. This old man was definitely the one who had once turned him away from the door.

Five hundred years had passed, and the elder seemed much older. His goatee was sparser, his eyes cloudier, and his vigor somewhat faded. The only thing unchanged was his attire from five hundred years ago: a white robe and a Buddhist dust whisk in hand. It seemed that the old man hadn’t altered his traditional and inflexible ways one bit.

On the other side, the Elder Mu De was seriously sizing up Gu Qingfeng. There was an undeniable excitement in his serious demeanor, especially when he saw the Flaming Sun Fierce Bird circling joyously around Gu Qingfeng, excitedly chirping. His murky eyes sparkled with an unusual light.

“Young man, who are you?”

“Me?” Gu Qingfeng looked at him with a smile, a hint of amusement crossing his lips. “My surname is Gu, named Qingfeng, and my daoist title is ‘Young Master of Crimson Flame’.”

“Gu Qingfeng?”

Perhaps disliking the surname Gu, the Elder Mu De paused, then repeated the name, seemingly without recognition. “You’re not a disciple of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect. Are you a menial worker?”

At this, Ouyang Ye quickly stepped forward, bowing. “Elder, he… he is my friend. I… I brought him in… I hope for your punishment.”

Ouyang Ye was almost in tears, regretting her decision. Bringing an outsider into the sect for a visit wasn’t usually a big deal, but she never expected the Flaming Sun Fierce Bird to react to Gu Qingfeng like this, attracting so many senior sect members, including the strict and stern Elder Mu De.

What to do now…

Ouyang Ye was on the verge of tears.

However, the Elder Mu De did not punish Ouyang Ye. He kept his gaze fixed on Gu Qingfeng, asking, “Young man, do you have any treasures containing fire?”

“No.”

“Oh?” Hearing this, the Elder Mu De became even more excited. “Do you have Fire Spirit special physical constitution?”

Gu Qingfeng smiled lightly, shaking his head.

“Do you possess Fire Spiritual Roots?”

Gu Qingfeng continued to shake his head.

The Elder Mu De, seemingly in disbelief, solemnly asked, “May I inspect you?”

“Sure!”

Gu Qingfeng, with an inscrutable smile, let the elder take his wrist to examine him. After five hundred years, he was curious to see if the old man’s discernment had improved and whether he was still as rigid as before.

“Elder Mu De, what about it? Does this young man have a Fire Spirit special physical constitution?”

The surrounding elders of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect were very concerned about this question. They knew that the Flaming Sun Fierce Bird was extremely sensitive to the aura of fire. Ten years ago, they found a disciple with four-colored Fire Spiritual Roots through the bird, who had now become an outstanding inner sect disciple.

Ten years ago, when they found the disciple with the four-colored Fire Spiritual Roots, the Flaming Sun Fierce Bird merely perched on the disciple’s shoulder. But now, seeing the bird’s excited dance and chirping around this young man, if he didn’t possess a powerful fire spirit treasure, then he must have rare Fire Spiritual Roots, possibly five-colored? Six-colored? He might even have a Fire Spirit special physical constitution!

If the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect could recruit someone with Fire Spirit special physical constitution, the future would be…

Thinking this, the surrounding elders were extremely excited, but they couldn’t understand why Elder Mu De’s expression seemed off, surprised and somewhat disappointed.

“Elder Mu De, doesn’t this young man have a Fire Spirit special physical constitution?”

Elder Mu De shook his head.

“Then what color are his Spiritual Roots?”

Elder Mu De shook his head again.

This left the elders of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect somewhat confused. Even if he didn’t have a Fire Spirit special physical constitution, having Fire Spiritual Roots would suffice. What did Elder Mu De’s shaking head mean?

“He…”

Elder Mu De looked at Gu Qingfeng with a complex expression and said, “He neither has a Fire Spirit special physical constitution nor possesses Fire Spiritual Roots… he– his attempt at foundation establishment failed… his spiritual roots have dissipated, his dantian is lifeless, and the meridians in his body are in disarray… he is… he is a failed foundation builder!”

What!
A failed foundation builder?

Elder Mu De’s words left everyone in shock. They had thought that, given the Flaming Sun Fierce Bird’s excitement, if not a Fire Spirit special physical constitution, Gu Qingfeng must at least possess colored Fire Spiritual Roots. How could it turn out that he was a failed foundation builder? Despite his strong physical body and immense strength, without spiritual roots or a dantian, he could no longer cultivate.

“Elder Mu De, if he is a failed foundation builder, why was the Flaming Sun Fierce Bird so excited?”

“Perhaps he once possessed Fire Spiritual Roots. Though his foundation building failed, there might still be remnants of the fire spirit in him. Since he could excite the Flaming Sun Fierce Bird to such an extent, it’s likely that his former Fire Spiritual Roots were extraordinary, possibly above five colors… what a pity, such a waste!”

From initial excitement and joy to now disappointment and regret, the feeling was like falling from the heavens into an abyss for Elder Mu De, hard to accept.

In the field, Gu Qingfeng looked at Elder Mu De’s regretful demeanor and felt an urge to laugh. He said, “What’s there to pity? Just a failure in foundation establishment, it doesn’t mean I can’t cultivate anymore.”

“Young man, I sympathize with your failure in foundation establishment, but I must tell you, failing in foundation establishment means the end of the cultivation path. There’s no more possibility of cultivation.”

“In this world, nothing is absolute. The way of heaven and earth, human effort is the decisive factor.”

“Sigh… Young man… youth!” Elder Mu De stroked his sparse goatee, shaking his head and sighing.

Seeing him like this, Gu Qingfeng couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

This scene was so similar to his first entry into the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect.

Back then, he passed the entrance exam with excellent results but was turned away by Elder Mu De due to his poor innate talent and weak spiritual roots.

Today, after five hundred years, when Gu Qingfeng, having lost everything and reverted to his original form, stood again in the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect, Elder Mu De still judged him by his talent and spiritual roots, concluding that he could no longer cultivate.

It seems that after five hundred years, the old man hadn’t changed at all, still so rigid and fixated on innate talent and spiritual roots.

Perhaps Gu Qingfeng laughed too unrestrainedly, causing the people of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect to look displeased, especially Ouyang Ye, who wished she could strangle him. How dare he laugh so blatantly in front of Elder Mu De? Did he not wish to live? Elder Mu De was known for his stubborn, harsh, and merciless nature!

“Young man, what are you laughing at?”

Elder Mu De’s face, which had been filled with regret, gradually turned stern and cold, his voice filled with ruthlessness.

“I’m laughing… laughing at your stubbornness, your fixation on innate talent and spiritual roots, not realizing that in the pursuit of cultivation, talent and spiritual roots are not the most important. What’s essential is a tenacious heart. You, old man, have always valued talent and spiritual roots, not knowing how many young seekers you have misled. You’re really leading them astray.”

Gu Qingfeng had wanted to say this to Elder Mu De five hundred years ago but never had the chance. Now that he had said it, he felt quite relieved, as if fulfilling a regret from his youth.

However, when Ouyang Ye heard these words, she was so scared that her scalp tingled, and her pretty face turned pale.

Throughout the entire Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect, no one had ever disrespected Elder Mu De.

And this man, not only did he show disrespect, but he also brazenly lectured Elder Mu De.

Saying that innate talent and spiritual roots were not important, accusing Elder Mu De of misleading others, saying… Elder Mu De was leading people astray.

Oh my!

Ouyang Ye was scared out of her wits, her mind blank, standing there, at a loss.

Elder Mu De, on the other hand, was shaking with anger, and the surrounding elders of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect were vocally chastising him, with some ready to teach Gu Qingfeng a lesson.

At this moment, a loud laugh suddenly echoed from the sky.

The laughter was powerful and deafening.

“Talent and spiritual roots are not important, a tenacious heart is enough, well said! Brilliantly said! This old man completely agrees, finally meeting someone who understands!”

“Misleading the young! Hahaha! Well said… Mu De has indeed been misleading the young for years, hahaha!”

(End of Chapter)