Chapter 39: The Wager with Wu Gensheng

"My apologies, Sect Leader. Circumstances left me no choice. There are some things I wish to discuss with you in all candor, which is why I used the Golden Escape Flowing Light to bring you here alone."

As he spoke, Zhao Zhen offered a calm, polite bow toward Wu Gensheng. Despite the apology in his words, Wu Gensheng did not hear a shred of sincerity in his tone.

*An invitation? You certainly have a unique way of inviting someone...*

However, adopting the philosophy of "make yourself at home wherever you are," Wu Gensheng simply found a rock and sat down cross-legged.

"Fine, so you brought me out here. As long as you remember to send me back later, that’s all that matters. So, Brother Zhao, what exactly do you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk to you about the old man."

Zhao Zhen did not beat around the bush; he went straight to the point.

"The Venerable One? What about him?"

"It’s not about how he is, but how you want him to be."

"Me?"

Wu Gensheng smiled faintly. He rose slowly, his gaze fixed calmly on Zhao Zhen’s eyes.

"It is not about how I want him to be; it is simply that the Venerable One has come to his own realization."

"Realization of what?" Zhao Zhen frowned.

"Although I do not know exactly what the Venerable One told you just now, Brother Zhao, you must be well aware that as a veteran of the Quansheng, he has committed his fair share of evil deeds over the past few decades, right?"

"I don't care what he did in the past. I only know that he raised me from childhood so that I wouldn't starve to death on the side of the road."

"Indeed. Human nature is complex; there is no pure evil, nor is there pure good. That is why I have always categorized people into four types. The first type: those without skill or path. These are ordinary people who survive passively; they possess no remarkable abilities and have no clear direction in life. They follow rules mechanically, unable to break or exploit them. To put it bluntly, they are merely 'tools' that form the foundation of society, existing only to provide a survival base for the elite classes."

Zhao Zhen remained silent, though this did not mean he agreed with Wu Gensheng’s views. Wu Gensheng’s perspective was limited by his era, but history would eventually prove that it was precisely this "first type" of person—the one Wu Gensheng held in the lowest regard—who would become the theoretical core of the ultimate victory for the people of the future.

Seeing that Zhao Zhen did not speak, Wu Gensheng continued: "The second type: those with skill but no path. They stand out in specific fields and possess exceptional abilities, but lack clear life goals or values. The third type: those with skill who have lost their way to evil. These are Quansheng members who possess great power but are headed in the wrong direction—people like the Venerable One used to be, and most of those in the Quansheng today. Because they cannot find the right path, they act recklessly and become uncontrollable factors that harm society. And the Quansheng is precisely the 'sanctuary' for this third type."

"I know what you're trying to say. Precisely because most of the Quansheng are the 'third type' you described, you, as the Sect Leader with both skill and a path, need to guide them, is that it?"

"Hahaha! Though no one truly knows who birthed me, you, Brother Zhao, certainly understand me better than anyone." Wu Gensheng laughed, his eyes full of admiration as he looked at Zhao Zhen.

"It is because I know what you are trying to do that I brought you here alone. Perhaps the old man was a bastard in the past, but in all the years I've spent wandering, I have never once heard of him committing any evil. Compared to him, aren't there many others in your Quansheng who need your guidance as Sect Leader far more than he does? Why fixate on him?"

"You are mistaken there, Brother Zhao. It was not I who chose the Venerable One; it was the Venerable One who approached me, seeking help."

"What did he ask for your help with?"

"My apologies, but that is a pact between the Venerable One and me. I cannot disclose it." Wu Gensheng shook his head.

"Heh. This 'guidance' of yours is ultimately nothing more than helping him achieve a moment of 'enlightenment.' But as far as I am concerned, I would rather he live his whole life in confusion. At least that way, he wouldn't leave me so soon..."

At these words, Wu Gensheng fell silent.

"I understand. The old man has done too much evil in his life. If he truly were to reach complete enlightenment one day, that would likely be the day his time runs out, wouldn't it? As his disciple, I know I shouldn't stop my master from walking the right path. But as the 'brat' he calls me—call me selfish, call me lacking in vision—how could I possibly watch the old man go to his death?"

"So, what is it you want to do?"

"There are few clear-headed people in this world; most live their lives in a fog and are happy nonetheless. Leave the old man alone and go guide someone else. Among your Quansheng, aren't people like Mo Ming or 'White Owl' Liang Ting typical examples of the third type who need your redemption more?"

"I am sorry. Since I have taken on the role of Quansheng Sect Leader, and a member has proactively asked for my help, I will naturally take responsibility for the person and the matter, regardless of anything else."

Upon hearing this, the expression on Zhao Zhen’s face grew cold.

"Wu Gensheng, must you insist on holding onto the old man?"

Watching the anger in Zhao Zhen’s eyes, Wu Gensheng shook his head with a look of pity.

"I thought you were different from Li Muxuan, Brother Zhao, but looking at you now, there is little difference between the two of you. Li Muxuan knows what the right path is for him, yet his stubborn nature prevents him from choosing it. How is that any different from you, now blinded by emotion and losing your ability to judge for yourself?"

Zhao Zhen fell into a long silence. No one is perfect. Zhang Zhiwei had his arrogance, and Li Muxuan had his "untainted" neuroses. He was no saint, let alone a god—why should he, Zhao Zhen, be "perfect"? If one were already "perfect" from the start, why bother with the practice of cultivation?

He knew that if he let Wu Gensheng continue to guide the old man step by step, it would lead to an "inevitable death." He truly could not allow that.

With that thought, Zhao Zhen let out a long sigh in his heart.

"Fine, Wu Gensheng. Let’s make a wager."

"What shall we wager?"

"Let’s bet on who wins when we clash. If you win, I will no longer interfere with the old man’s choices, and I will even tell you a more efficient way to guide your Quansheng members to exhaust their own power. But if I win, you must promise to leave the old man alone and never involve yourself in his affairs again. How about it?"

"A method to guide members to exhaust their own power? That sounds rather interesting..."

Wu Gensheng stroked his chin, looking at Zhao Zhen with genuine intrigue.

"Very well. I accept this wager."