Don't let Yu Ding take on any more disciples.

Chapter 299 Don't Entrust My Son to Me Again (6k Medium Cup)

P.S.: Ahem, everyone, sorry to keep you waiting. I didn't cut it out; I wrote a chapter and presented it here!

Upon hearing this, the young armored soldier looked at the Taoist priest with surprise. He saw that the Taoist priest was dressed in a purple Bagua Taoist robe, was about fifty years old, had gray hair, a handsome appearance, and was full of energy. He had a whisk hanging on the crook of his left arm, which made him look somewhat otherworldly.

Little did he know that Yu Ding had changed his old Taoist robes and donned a new Bagua Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe to attend his disciple's wedding and to give his disciple a respectable appearance.

As his disciple's only relative, Yu Ding's visit this time was truly heartfelt.

"General, you are very busy with military affairs. Daoist priest, if you don't tell me what you need to see the General, I really can't inform him," the young soldier said, shaking his head.

"Is your general named Li Jing? Are you getting married soon?" Yu Ding asked with a smile.

"No, our General of Chentang Pass is surnamed Yin."

The soldier shook his head: "Is the one you're talking about, Taoist priest, Li Jing, the deputy commander of Chentang Pass?"

"Deputy Commander-in-Chief?"

It seems we've arrived too early... Yu Ding raised an eyebrow: "Where is your deputy commander's residence?"

He had some impression of the military positions in the Shang Dynasty. The General Commander was the highest military officer in charge of guarding local passes, and below the General Commander were military positions such as Deputy General Commander, Assistant General, and Guerrilla General.

He remembered that when Li Jing appeared, he was already the general of Chentang Pass, but Nezha had already been born by then. He was still unmarried this time, so it was normal for him to be the deputy general who had not yet been officially appointed... Bullshit!

Yu Ding was somewhat speechless. Becoming Du'e Zhenren's disciple according to the original schedule was fine, but this time it was his disciple who was promoted to general ahead of schedule. Isn't it normal for him to be promoted to general ahead of schedule?

You know, his senior brothers and sisters didn't take long to make a name for themselves after they went down the mountain, and this kid still only became a deputy commander...

Upon hearing this, the soldier gave Yu Ding a strange look, then pointed and said, "Go down this street, turn left at the intersection, turn left again, then... Hey, where is everyone?"

When the soldier finished pointing out the way and turned around, he was surprised to find that there was nothing in front of him. The old Taoist priest had disappeared without a trace.

Chentang Pass!
Located in the northeast of the Great Shang Dynasty, adjacent to the East China Sea, this important pass serves as the northeastern gateway to the Great Shang Dynasty, and its importance is self-evident.

Therefore, there were more than 100,000 troops stationed in the area, and in addition, there were more than one million civilians living in the territory of Chentang Pass.

Yu Ding strolled through the pass, watching the people coming and going on the street, and couldn't help but nod in approval.

In this ancient world, the human race has indeed flourished, with such a large population existing in just one pass.

Yu Ding strolled through the city. Since he came to this world, he had spent most of his time traveling between the immortal realms and rarely visited the mortal world.

At this moment, the streets were bustling with noise, the cries of vendors filled the air, and the steam from various snacks wafted through the air, creating a vibrant atmosphere of everyday life.

Yu Ding also slowed down, concealing his cultivation, and walked among the crowd like an ordinary old Taoist priest, feeling the long-lost... human warmth.

Before he knew it, he arrived at a mansion with the words "Deputy General's Residence" on the plaque. There were two heavily armored soldiers guarding the entrance, but the mansion was several levels smaller than the General's Residence.

Yu Ding's gaze deepened, and he turned to look into the city again before finally turning his gaze back to the deputy commander's residence.

It seems this apprentice isn't doing so well... Yu Ding's eyes flashed. The residence of a dignified deputy commander-in-chief is so simple that it's not even as good as the residence of a military officer. Isn't that a bit underwhelming?

It seems that Bifang did not have a significant impact on Li Jing. Otherwise, given Bifang's lawless and demonic nature, it would probably have already wreaked havoc in the area.

"Master, you're looking at my master's residence, shaking your head and sighing. What advice do you have for me?" The armored guard at the gate couldn't help but ask.

However, he also knew that his master came from a Taoist family and had great respect for Taoists, so his words were not too rude.

"Thank you for your trouble. Young man, go in and tell your master that Master Taixu has arrived," Yu Ding said, sweeping his whisk.

The armored soldier glanced at Yu Ding, then turned and went inside to report, while Yu Ding nodded and looked around.

Is that Taoist priest right outside the door?

Before long, a middle-aged man in his thirties with a beard and a tall, upright figure arrived, looking excited.

Upon seeing the jade cauldron, her eyes reddened, and she rushed forward with delight, kneeling down with a thud, saying, "Master has arrived! Master, please accept my bow."

Master… The two armored guards at the door looked at their master, then at the Taoist priest, their eyes filled with shock.

"Get up!"

With a flick of his jade whisk, he smiled and reached out to help Li Jing to his feet, saying, "How could I, as your master, not come to my disciple's wedding!"

Li Jing looked up, scratched his head, smiled, and quickly ushered Yu Ding into the mansion and sat him down in the living room.

“Master is traveling around, and I was afraid that Master would not be able to keep up, so I sent a letter half a year in advance and asked Fire Crow to deliver it to Master.”

Li Jing laughed and said, "Of course, it doesn't matter if the fire crow is found late. This disciple will always wait until Master receives the letter before taking any action."

"That won't do. It's an auspicious day; how could I let you miss it?"

Yu Ding smiled and said, "There's not much time left until the wedding day, is there?"

"Only half a month left!" Li Jing couldn't hide the joy on his face.

Yu Ding glanced at him: "Have you lost your virginity yet?"

Li Jing blushed and said, "Not yet!"

"Good lad..." Yu Ding glanced at him and pointed with his finger.

Li Jing's expression changed as he looked at the finger that had been pointed at him. He sensed a dangerous aura emanating from it. What was even more terrifying was that this tiny finger seemed to have blocked all escape routes, leaving him with no choice but to fight back.

He immediately understood his master's intention in testing him, and dared not be careless. He immediately moved his mind and commanded his powerful true energy to circulate throughout his body.

With a "thud," a faint golden light appeared on his body in an instant, making him seem as if he were cast from metal.

Ding!
Yu Ding's finger landed lightly on Li Jing's chest, making a soft sound like metal clashing. However, Li Jing's face changed drastically as he felt a terrifying force, like a raging storm, coming from that finger.

One wave is stronger than the next!
Click!

Finally, the golden light emanating from Li Jing's body could not withstand the onslaught and dissipated. The chair beneath him shattered, and he sat on the ground, his eyes bulging as he nearly suffocated.

After a long while, Li Jing finally let out a breath, then gasped for air, raised his hand to his chest and said with a wry smile, "Master really went too far!"

"A strict teacher produces outstanding students, have you ever heard that? The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in war."

Yu Ding glanced at him and laughed, "Just now, I used the power of a True Immortal in the back of my attack. The fact that you could withstand it shows that you haven't been slacking off all these years. Nowadays, ordinary Qi Refining Earth Immortals and Martial Dao Heaven Realm cultivators are no match for you."

"How dare I slack off!" Li Jing chuckled dryly and then sighed, "It's a pity that after I'm crippled... this skill that I've practiced for so many years will be ruined."

"Who said that?" Yu Ding stroked his beard and smiled smugly.

"Huh?" Li Jing stared in disbelief and hurriedly said, "The jade book clearly states that this skill must be practiced by a virgin, otherwise it will be ruined after losing one's virginity!"

"If you fail to master it, you'll be ruined; but if you do succeed... how could that happen?"

Yu Ding smiled slyly, stood up and gently patted Li Jing on the head: "Silly disciple, I was just afraid that you would be blinded by the temptations of the world and neglect your training, right? You won't hold a grudge against your master for lying to you, will you?"

If Li Jing were to remain unmarried and unable to have a son, would those three old bastards, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Taiyi, ever spare him?
He could disregard the opinions of Manjushri and Samantabhadra, but he had to give face to Old Taiyi!

Li Jing sat blankly on the ground, then suddenly hugged Yu Ding's leg with great joy: "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master! I know that you did this for my own good, how could I dare to resent you?"

Haha, thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!

The hall was filled with Li Jing's hearty and joyful laughter.

"Old schemer..." Bifang sneered in Li Jing's mind, "And this kid, I told you long ago that old guy was lying to you, but you wouldn't believe me. Now it proves I was right, doesn't it?"

As he was speaking, his expression suddenly changed, and he became nervous.

Because he saw that Yu Ding seemed to sense something and looked at Li Jing, his deep gaze seemed to penetrate Li Jing and see him.

"So, how's that dangerous thing sealed inside you... is it behaving itself?" Yu Ding asked.

You're the one in danger, your whole family is in danger... Hearing Yu Ding bring up the old topic again, Bi Fang's expression twitched. If he weren't outmatched, he would have exploded on the spot.

You say I'm dangerous, and I can't beat you, so who's in danger?

Upon hearing this, Li Jing's lips curled up: "He's quite honest."

The master and disciple were reunited after a long separation and began to reminisce... Yu Ding listened to Li Jing's experiences in pursuing love over the years and couldn't help but slap Li Jing again, scolding him: "If you had this kind of mind and perseverance in your cultivation, you would have become an immortal long ago."

In response, Li Jing chuckled awkwardly, "Different pursuits! Cough cough, people have different pursuits!"

When Li Jing mentioned what happened later, Yu Ding's expression changed slightly: "You said... a few years ago, you were appreciated by the Third Prince?"

"That's right, the Third Prince was missing for two years. After returning, he began actively vying for the throne..."

Li Jing continued talking to himself, while Yu Ding's expression became somewhat subtle, and he finally sighed.

See... doesn't this all make sense now?
Having an answer in your heart is one thing, but once that answer is truly confirmed, it's another matter entirely.

He should have firmly followed his master's lead, helped Zhou overthrow Shang, and quickly settled the matter of the Investiture of the Gods so that everyone could live in peace.

But now both the future Shang king and the Zhou king are his disciples, so... what's the point of fighting?!

Whom should I ask him to help?

Yu Ding suddenly said, "The general of Chentang Pass is making things difficult for you. Can you swallow this insult?"

“Master, you may not know this, but the General of Chentang Pass is Guangling’s third uncle. I had some conflicts with the Yin family because of Guangling.”

Li Jing gave a bitter smile and said, "Secondly, the Third Prince offended the Yin family in order to help me, causing them to turn their support to the First Prince. Although the King favors the Third Prince as the Crown Prince, the court officials are not convinced. I'm afraid there will be a great upheaval in the court on the day the King passes away..."

"Don't worry, things won't get chaotic in the imperial court."

Yu Ding wasn't too worried. Not only was he a disciple taught by Guigu, but he also knew about the original Investiture of the Gods... How could this play be performed without Di Xin?
It can be said that the succession to the throne was already predetermined, and there will be no surprises.

As he spoke, Yu Ding suddenly looked up at Li Jing and asked, "Is your wife of one mind with you?"

“Of course! Guangling almost severed ties with the Yin family to come with me... She’s now back in Chaoge to bring her mother and brother here,” Li Jing said, his face beaming with pride. “That’s good!” Yu Ding nodded with satisfaction.

"Report!"

As the two were talking, a sergeant rushed in: "General Li, urgent report!"

"What is it?" Li Jing asked in a deep voice.

He does have the air of a general... Yu Ding smiled and nodded slightly.

The messenger presented the document, saying, "Someone has reported that a monster is causing trouble and harming people outside the pass. The General has ordered General Li to go and apprehend it!"

After reading it, Li Jing's expression darkened, and he waved his hand, saying, "Understood!"

After the messenger left, Li Jing said, "Master, I have some things to attend to here. Would you mind staying at the manor for a while? I've already had the east courtyard cleared out; it's been waiting for you for quite some time. It's a bit more peaceful there!"

"It's alright, you go ahead and do your thing!" Yu Ding waved his hand.

"This disciple takes his leave!" Li Jing stepped out of the living room, his expression immediately turning serious. He strode forward and said, "Bring me my armor!"

“It shouldn’t be a big problem…” Looking at Li Jing’s back, Yu Ding’s eyes flickered, not too worried.

Then he looked up and glanced in the direction of the General's Mansion.

After a long while, he finally looked away.

It would be best to leave Li Jing's matter to him; his disciple is capable enough to handle it.

His intervention was... inappropriate!
The reason Li Jing didn't take action was undoubtedly due to the constraints of these rules and regulations, and also due to his personality.

If it were Yang Jian or Long Ji in this situation, would they suffer such injustice?
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of miles away, a light drizzle fell on Chaoge.

King Di Yi of Shang lay on his royal bed in his palace, his hair gray and disheveled, his life force waning, as if his life could be extinguished at any moment, like a candle flame in the wind.

Outside the palace, a large number of civil and military officials of the Shang Dynasty were kneeling.

Inside the bedchamber, several ministers knelt, while Grand Tutor Wen Zhong, with his white hair and beard, and three middle-aged men stood by the bedside.

"Listen up..."

Di Yi stared at the three middle-aged men, and finally reached out his hand to Zi Shou. Upon seeing this, Zi Shou quickly reached out and grabbed him.

The two middle-aged men standing nearby changed their expressions upon seeing this, with the older one clenching his teeth.

Emperor Yi, barely able to speak, said, "I pass the throne to my third son... Zishou!"

Upon hearing this, the older middle-aged man swayed, closed his eyes dejectedly, and clenched his fist in his sleeve.

Wen Zhong stared at the dying Emperor Yi, feeling a pang of sorrow, but his eyes still revealed anticipation and a longing for freedom.

move!
Now that I'm gone, my promise to your father is fulfilled...

Zi Shou looked at Wen Zhong and said tearfully, "Teacher, please use the life-extending method to help my father live for another year!"

Wen Zhong sighed after a moment of surprise, saying, "The method of prolonging life is against the will of Heaven, and a person can only use it once in their lifetime."

"Shou'er, it's alright, don't make things difficult for the Grand Tutor."

Emperor Yi smiled, waved his hand, and looked at Wen Zhong, saying, "Grand Tutor!"

Wen Zhong hurriedly bowed and said, "This old minister is here!"

"I still remember when I was a child, cough cough, I often played on the Grand Tutor's back. The Grand Tutor carried me to the highest point in Chaoge, looking down on the world."

Emperor Yi smiled and said, "Today my time has come... cough cough, but I still wish to have the Grand Tutor carry me one last time to see the scenery of the world... how is it?"

Wen Zhong sighed, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This old minister... obeys!"

Then a group of palace servants helped Emperor Yi get dressed, and Wen Zhong stepped forward, carried Emperor Yi on his back, and headed out of the palace.

"Your Majesty!" The ministers were filled with grief upon seeing this scene.

“Father…” Zi Shou looked at this scene, his expression and eyes filled with sorrow.

He remembered the instructions his father had given him the night before when he secretly summoned him to the palace.

"Your elder brother is ambitious for the throne and is learned and talented, but he is of a peaceful nature. It is difficult for him to carve out a way out for our Great Shang Dynasty when it is beset by internal and external troubles and surrounded by wolves."

"Your second brother is neither good at literature nor martial arts; he is incapable of shouldering great responsibilities!"

"After I leave, you must treat them well and never take their lives unless absolutely necessary!"

"The Grand Tutor once predicted the fate of the Shang Dynasty, saying that it had more than thirty years of life left. I do not want to believe in this destiny, but I am powerless to do so."

"Now, at this critical juncture for the survival of our great Shang Dynasty, I have no choice but to entrust this vast land and immense responsibility to you. This path will be difficult and arduous, but I believe that my son will surely carve out a bloody path for our great Shang Dynasty!"

"The Huang family has been a family of loyal and virtuous people for seven generations. Huang Feihu is exceptionally talented. I have arranged for him to be your study companion since childhood, so he can become your right-hand man. You and your sister are childhood sweethearts. After I leave, you can marry him. The Huang family will surely become your strong support!"

"As for whether we can retain the Grand Tutor..."

The three princes and the courtiers watched silently as Wen Zhong carried Emperor Yi out of the palace.

"Grand Tutor's back is still as broad and comfortable as it was when I was a child!" Di Yi said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhong sighed with a look of pity.

After all, he had watched Di Yi be born, grow up, grow old, and now die.

He witnessed the life of Emperor Yi, and this is the fragility of mortals!

He knew that Emperor Yi was definitely worried about his son and the country at this moment, but he had been waiting for so many years to build up the Shang Dynasty, he couldn't just give up his whole life, could he?
Wen Zhong, you can't be soft-hearted, you have to harden your heart... Wen Zhong told himself.

"I remember that the Grand Tutor looked just like this when I was a child, and so many years have passed, yet the Grand Tutor still looks the same."

Emperor Yi smiled and said softly, "If I hadn't been born into this imperial family, but was just an ordinary person, how wonderful that would have been. I could have seen the scenery outside and done what I wanted to do, instead of being locked up and trapped in this cage of the palace for my entire life."

Sigh… Wen Zhong’s nose tingled with emotion. He comforted him, saying, “Things in this world can never go as planned. If you enjoy what ordinary people cannot enjoy, you will naturally lose what ordinary people will not lose. This is the nature of gain and loss. Just strive to have a clear conscience!”

"Over the years, the person I feel most guilty towards is the Grand Tutor."

Emperor Yi sighed, "The Grand Tutor was originally a divine being, free and unrestrained, but my father entrusted his son to him, and the Grand Tutor has wasted so many years on me..."

As long as you don't make me waste any more time... Wen Zhong said with emotion, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? These are all things that Wen Zhong is willing to do, not things that others are forcing me to do."

"The Grand Tutor once predicted the fate of my Great Shang Dynasty, saying that it had more than thirty years of life left. I did not want to believe this fate and wanted to defy the heavens to change the destiny of my Great Shang Dynasty, but I... failed."

Emperor Yi suddenly burst into tears, sobbing, "Is the empire that my father, the Grand Tutor, and I have built with my life's blood and sweat... destined to perish? I am so unwilling, but I... have no time left."

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhong sighed deeply, feeling both sorrow and alarm.

Are you going to entrust your child to someone else again?
Don't tell me Wen Zhong is entrusting his son to someone else! Please don't bring up that, I don't know how to refuse!
"Grand Tutor, you should leave!" Emperor Yi cried.

"Huh?" Wen Zhong was suddenly stunned. Something seemed... off!

“I have no time left. The empire that my father entrusted to me, I will pass on to Zishou. He was trained by the Grand Tutor.”

Emperor Yi said sorrowfully, "Let that child carry the weight of his father, the Grand Tutor, and all my efforts to the very end!"

"This..." Wen Zhong thought of Zi Shou and said softly, "Your Majesty, don't be so pessimistic. Things can be done by human effort. Perhaps things will turn around in the future!"

"Maybe it exists, maybe it doesn't, but I can't see it anymore, so I don't care about anything else."

Emperor Yi was barely breathing at this moment, and murmured, "In the end, the only thing Zixian can't let go of is you. After all... you have accompanied Zixian throughout his life and done more than enough for the Great Shang and for Zixian."

If the Great Shang Dynasty encounters danger in the future, Zixian only hopes that you can withdraw as soon as possible... Master..."

With his last breath, Di Yi uttered the word "teacher," then his head slumped against Di Yi's back, and he closed his eyes forever.

Wen Zhong abruptly stopped, and he had already stepped onto the last step of the tallest building in the palace.

Just a few more steps ahead was the view that the person behind him was hoping for...

But I can never see it again.

This great merchant king, who reigned supreme for over two decades, met his end on this day.

Zi Xian was Di Yi's real name. He had never heard it since the day he ascended the throne, but just now, at the moment of his death, Di Yi seemed to have transformed from a king back into the student he once was.

Wen Zhong stood there quietly, motionless, feeling an emptiness in his heart, even more sorrowful than the death of his dearest friend, Emperor Yi.

Suddenly he raised his hand, and a tear appeared on his fingertip.

"Zixian, oh Zixian..."

Wen Zhong looked up with a wry smile and muttered, "You really know how to give your teacher a difficult problem!"

If Emperor Yi were to ask him to stay and entrust his son to him, he would certainly not agree.

Because he had fulfilled his promise to Emperor Yi.

But if things continue like this, he will be in a real predicament.

To be honest, he still doesn't know whether the student's last words were genuinely for his sake or just an attempt to appeal to his emotions and get him to stay.

Or maybe both.

But he knew he could no longer abandon the great Shang dynasty and simply leave.

(End of this chapter)