[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-invincible-female-ghost-is-a-bit-of-a-hopele":3,"chapter-the-invincible-female-ghost-is-a-bit-of-a-hopele-the-invincible-female-ghost-is-a-bit-of-a-hopele-chapter-136":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Invincible Female Ghost Is A Bit Of A Hopeless Romantic",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1706515,2180,"Chapter 136: Lu Yuan Challenges the Celestial Master","the-invincible-female-ghost-is-a-bit-of-a-hopele-chapter-136",136,"\u003Cp>Inside the carriage, Lu Yuan's breath froze for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lie?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those villagers who had trudged through a hundred-mile stretch of ice and snow, leaving prints with every step, their faces purple from the cold, the puffs of breath in the air, the hope in their eyes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it all a joke?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who waited bitterly outside the city, even clashing with officials for the chance, the jade beans they rubbed into their palms like treasured relics—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all a scam?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, Lu Yuan already had some understanding of the underhanded manipulations inside the Celestial Master Grand Ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the water ran deep here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was Celestial Master He Xun through his senior disciple Song Yan, or He Xun himself, they had all, openly or covertly, told Lu Yuan not to make trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time Song Yan almost laid the whole matter bare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current lineup of contemporary Celestial Masters had, in fact, been decided ten years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, his own master back then seemed to have suffered major upheavals because of these matters...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan had known about these things for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he still decided to keep fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: Lu Yuan knew there were dark manipulations at play, but at least some of the public-facing elements—if done thoroughly enough—still left openings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the Petition of Ten Thousand People.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan believed that if he pushed the \"will of the people\" card to the extreme, to the point where no one could ignore it, there would still be a sliver of hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why he had fought so hard to clear out the Nurturing Malevolence Sites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the jade beans on the Petition were piled into a mountain, they could pry open that tightly closed door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou suddenly said the Petition was fake, the Daoist rites were fake, the whole voting process was fake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real decision happened in a meeting cut off from the world...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A closed-door meeting?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou looked at Lu Yuan's shocked expression, a complex look passing over his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the pity an old hand feels for the naive, mixed with a barely perceptible sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think what the Celestial Master Grand Ceremony is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was calm, but it struck like a boulder dropped into an icy pool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it chosen by the people beyond the Great Wall, each handing in one jade bean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it decided by each temple's Merit Ledger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou lowered his gaze, his fingers gently stroking the ancient pattern on the ritual sword across his knee, the motion soft as if caressing a sealed memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Celestial Master Grand Ceremony is held once every five years.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The real core, from start to finish, has always been a closed-door deliberation of the original twenty temple heads from beyond the Great Wall, for three days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was soft, yet every word was utterly clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those twenty people are the ones who truly decide who becomes the contemporary Celestial Masters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The so-called public opinion period, the so-called Merit Ledger, the so-called Petition, the so-called Daoist hall...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All the bustle, all the shouting, all the running around, it's all put on for outsiders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifted his head and looked at Lu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is called face.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To make the people beyond the Great Wall feel that the Celestial Masters are chosen by popular will, that they are the people's rightful choice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the true 'selection' has never been contained in those jade beans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan lowered his head in silence, putting all of it together...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou seemed to see through his thoughts and said softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think this is very dark?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think those twenty people are villains manipulating everything?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can tell you plainly, the opposite is true.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those twenty are the real meritorious contributors to the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan shot his head up, his gaze full of incredulity and confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou met his stare, his expression as calm as a deep pool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not rush to explain. He gently set the ritual sword aside on his knee, folded his hands, and spoke slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many Daoist halls are there beyond the Great Wall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan, somewhat reflexively, answered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Large and small halls... at the very least, a few hundred, I suppose.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Differing lineages, differing philosophies, differing interests.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Some are rooted in towns, some scattered across the hills. Some specialize in talismans, some are precise in rites.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Normally they mind their own business, but when a matter arises that requires everyone to obey orders, whom do they listen to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Grand Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When halls quarrel, who mediates?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Celestial Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When a hall strays, who punishes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still the Celestial Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was not loud, but it carried an authority that brooked no argument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If this authority were left for everyone to scramble for, what would be the result?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou answered for him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chaos.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Factions would form, open and covert conflicts would erupt. Some would, in pursuit of that position, tear the halls beyond the Great Wall apart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, his tone growing heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think I'm trying to scare you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall have stood for centuries. We've seen this many times.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There was once a Grand Ceremony where the squabbling was so fierce it led to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Two temple heads flipped in the hall. Afterwards, they gathered forces and waged war for three years.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"During those three years, no one policed the evil entities, the people suffered, and the deaths exceeded those caused by the initial dispute.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou softened his tone a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's why there is this closed-door meeting of twenty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These twenty are ancient lineages that existed when the Daoist halls were first established, carried there by centuries of storms.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shut behind closed doors, they can quarrel, quarrel and fight, but in the end they must produce a result everyone can accept.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That result is the contemporary Celestial Masters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The jade beans outside are a spectacle for the people, a tool to ease hearts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The real 'choice' has always been behind that door.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan fell silent for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly raised his head, his gaze bright as a freshly drawn sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why should what those twenty pick be necessarily correct?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What if they're wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of 'I knew you'd ask that' crossed Shen Jizhou's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good question.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then tell me, what is 'right' and what is 'wrong'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned forward slightly, staring at Lu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think your master should be Celestial Master—that's 'right' to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If Riyue Temple thinks he shouldn't, is that 'wrong'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But ultimately, does 'right' and 'wrong' really matter?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou's voice grew cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those twenty may not be the wisest, nor the most just.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But they can guarantee one thing—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He emphasized each word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They can keep the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall from falling apart!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They can keep these hundreds of halls, for hundreds of years, united like a fist!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When the evil rises, one order and the provinces respond!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is enough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice reverberated in the cramped carriage with a resoluteness like hammered iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think their aim is everyone's well-being, that everyone benefits?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is unity!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is stability!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unity and stability are above all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Shen Jizhou let out a long sigh, then picked up the Profound Origin Evil-Slaying Edict again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, this way has disadvantages. Some will be wronged.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For example, your master was not denied the Celestial Master title back then, he was only told to wait ten years.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But your master refused; he was stubborn, insisting on that generation's title.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But your master... he was too proud, too stubborn. Others waited—why could he not wait?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, Shen Jizhou stopped looking at Lu Yuan and bowed his head, fascinated with the divine weapon in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence in the carriage was like the silence of the grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan kept his head down; no one could read his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several breaths, he suddenly lifted his head and looked at Shen Jizhou with extreme seriousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Uncle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why didn't Senior Sister Shulan just wait?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou's fingers froze on the sword's hilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's voice was low but crystal clear in the carriage, like a needle that precisely pierced Shen Jizhou's lofty rhetoric.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"May I ask again, Master Uncle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since the Celestial Master seat rotates, and was decided ten years ago...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why can Senior Sister Shulan become Celestial Master this year?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the atmosphere in the carriage suddenly stiffened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shulan looked at Lu Yuan, a hint of embarrassment in her eyes, then turned her gaze to her father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan did not retreat; his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Shen Jizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan believed there might be a sliver of opportunity here; he had not imagined this out of thin air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before deciding to act, one prerequisite existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That prerequisite was Shen Shulan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Shen Shulan could become the new contemporary Celestial Master, that showed there was still room to maneuver in this matter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou set down the ritual sword and looked at Lu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no hint of embarrassment on his face; instead he lifted his chin, an air of pride about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because Shulan is my daughter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou's tone was utterly serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because Shulan is the next head of Wuqing Temple!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because behind Shulan is Wuqing Temple, the foremost temple beyond the Great Wall!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke plainly, without flowery circumlocution, as if his assertion were self-evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, a trace of mockery appeared on Shen Jizhou's face as he continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can tell you straight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The seven original contemporary Celestial Masters this term were supposed to be the three Upper Gates: Wuqing Temple, Riyue Temple, Tianlong Temple, along with Qingfeng Temple, Nanlin Temple, Yuxiao Temple, and Beidou Temple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shulan replaces Yuce Temple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even for Wuqing Temple to replace a Celestial Master slot, an enormous price was paid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou gazed contemptuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If Wuqing had to pay so dearly, what right does your Zhenlong Temple have to become Celestial Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What can you offer?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only the Nurturing Malevolence Sites you cleared in these last one or two months?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Childish, laughable!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Shen Jizhou's words fell, the carriage sank into a strange silence again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sound, yet the air felt thick with the smell of invisible gunpowder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan and Shen Jizhou stared each other down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Shen Shulan looked anxious, not knowing how to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an unknown span of time, Lu Yuan's mouth lifted slightly; he suddenly smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smile was faint but carried something hard to name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Uncle, I understood all those points you just made.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's voice was calm and even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unity above all, stability above all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The closed-door meeting of twenty is to keep the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall from falling apart, to keep households from fighting each other.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those points, junior accepts as reasonable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan paused briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Master Uncle said just now that Shulan replaces Yuce Temple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wuqing Temple paid a great price for that slot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"May I dare to ask—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked Shen Jizhou straight in the eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did Yuxiao Temple willingly relinquish that slot?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou's brow twitched faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan did not wait for an answer and continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Or was Yuxiao Temple wronged in the name of 'unity' and 'stability' this time?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air inside the carriage froze for a split second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou did not answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's voice remained steady:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said the closed-door meeting of twenty is meant to keep the Daoist halls from falling apart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But what maintains that 'not falling apart'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it everyone willingly accepting the 'arrangement'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Or is it that temples like Wuqing Temple, part of the Upper Three Gates, hold enough chips to make a temple like Yuxiao Temple accept being 'wronged'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou's expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan acted as if he didn't notice and pressed on:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said my master only had to 'wait ten years'—that he was too stubborn to wait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I ask, by what right must he wait?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because he lacked a backing like Wuqing Temple?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because he wasn't someone from the Upper Three Gates?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's voice was not loud, but each word hammered like a nail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Uncle, you say unity and stability are above all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"May I boldly ask—whose unity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whose stability?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it stability for the people beyond the Great Wall to live in peace, or stability so certain people can remain forever seated at that table?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou's pupils constricted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan stopped not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said those twenty are meritorious because they can keep the Daoist halls from falling apart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I ask: if a hall cannot rely on true merits, not on the public will, not on real skill in Demon Subduing and Monster Exterminating;\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But relies on a closed-door meeting, on being decided ten years in advance, on Wuqing Temple paying a price to exchange seats to maintain so-called 'unity'...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that hall truly not falling apart?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Or has it already fallen apart, merely maintaining a surface-level pretension of harmony?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage was so quiet only the creak of wheels over snow was heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou stared at Lu Yuan with an expression impossible to describe: shock, scrutiny, a flicker of stung anger, and a thread...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thread of complicated feeling he himself would not admit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan did not stop, meeting Shen Jizhou's gaze, every word clear as a cut on ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said others could wait, why could my master not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was low but sharp as a blade in the cramped space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then I want to ask: were those 'waiting' people truly willingly waiting, or did they wait because they dared not offend, forced to wait?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Were those being 'wronged' truly accepting for the sake of unity and stability, or have they been wronged so often they no longer feel pain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou's face fell fully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lu Yuan!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How dare you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan snorted coldly, lifting his chin and looking at Shen Jizhou with undisguised contempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You speak so righteously and loftily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But that's only because you are a vested interest—you are Wuqing Temple, so you can speak so loftily!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you were from Yuxiao Temple, I'd like to see what face you'd show now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Would you still be sitting there with that 'for everyone's good' look?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's words were heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calling him out like that was almost pointing a finger in Shen Jizhou's face and scolding him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shulan no longer wore her earlier cold composure; she panicked and hurriedly said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Uncle...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou stared fixedly at Lu Yuan, his chest heaving violently; the composed face he always wore now full of shock, anger, and a hint...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hint of embarrassment at being struck in a sore place he would not admit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan stared coldly back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Uncle, you asked me earlier why Zhenlong Temple could become Celestial Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said it's because of the Nurturing Malevolence Sites I cleared in the last month or two?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Childish? Laughable?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Lu Yuan raised his chin, his voice ringing out:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll tell you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is not laughable at all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because in those Nurturing Malevolence Sites, there are actual evil entities buried there!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because the villagers outside the city were not 'arranged' to come—they came sincerely in wind and snow, walking a hundred-mile mountain road!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not face; that is sincere!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is the will of the people!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's voice gradually calmed, but carried a resolve he had never shown before. He rose abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His look of contempt did not fade. He cupped his hands slightly, looking down on the seated Shen Jizhou, and said coldly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We have different ways, we will not cooperate!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the instant those words dropped, Lu Yuan whipped open the carriage curtain!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bone-piercing wind rushed in, sending sparks from the coal into eddies, making Shen Jizhou's robe billow fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shulan's face changed drastically; she sprang to her feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Uncle!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan did not look back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaped from the speeding carriage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow exploded beneath his feet as he landed and took two strides to steady himself, standing proudly in the open snowy field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, the carriage kept going, the curtain flapping wildly in the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master Grand Ceremony site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside a massive temporary tent, the major figures of the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall had gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along both sides of the long table sat the temple heads who decided the region's balance of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More ordinary temple representatives could only sit around on chairs, silently observing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan and Song Yan sat in the least conspicuous corner, watching Celestial Master He Xun argue forcefully for the villagers from outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, the decision passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those villagers who braved wind and snow would be allowed to cast their jade beans early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not hard to grant; as Shen Shulan had said, delaying this long had already damaged the reputation of the entire Daoist halls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou had not said much from beginning to end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if the near-brawl in the carriage never happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat composed, indifferent to such a 'minor matter,' with no reason to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The decision was quickly sealed and polling points immediately set up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers outside finally poured into the place where \"public opinion\" would be decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, weak sunlight lay feebly over the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ceremony site overflowed with people; the Daoist halls had long departed, leaving a sea of villagers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan stood at a distance, quietly watching those honest, devout faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You overturned the table with her father?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Celestial Master He Xun's voice sounded from behind, tinged with lingering weariness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan turned and saw He Xun and Song Yan; their senior's eyes were surrounded by deep dark rings, as if he hadn't slept in days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan saluted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He straightened and answered calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn't overturn the table.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xun was taken aback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan's eyes were clear; he spoke each word distinctly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just called him shameless to his face.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xun: \"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A look of helpless amusement crossed his face. He sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your guts, boy... even I give that old Shen Jizhou some leeway, but you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan snorted and turned his gaze back to the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Called him out. Nothing to fear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt some faint regret only for Shen Shulan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this storm, she was the hardest place to stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was innocent, and he was innocent too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He must have shown you the closed-door meeting's bottom line.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xun followed his gaze and said with feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan did not hide it and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xun paused, surprised that Shen Jizhou would be so candid. He was silent for a long moment, then smiled wryly and shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He really... doesn't treat you like an outsider.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exhaled a long breath of visible mist, the breath hanging in the cold air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You and your master were carved from the same mold...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xun stepped forward and clapped Lu Yuan heavily on the shoulder, his expression complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look after yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is reality. These are rules. The rules of the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall, unchanged for centuries...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, he turned and walked away with heavy steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yan watched his master's lonely back and then his junior brother's straight posture, and hurried to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he turned, he leaned in briefly and said quickly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Junior brother, live to fight another day. Don't do anything foolish!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the next seventeen days,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Ceremony's proceedings ran in full swing,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Yuan's figure disappeared from the high-level gaze of the Daoist halls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not stay sealed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He left the Zhao Residence and entered the makeshift camps where the villagers had set up outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each day he stayed with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He listened to them tell of the evil entities in their hometowns, drew talismans to repel evil for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Occasionally he helped treat elderly people tormented by malevolent energy for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never mentioned the Grand Ceremony or Zhenlong Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if he had lost interest—no longer wanting to fight, no longer wanting the seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When He Xun learned of Lu Yuan's state, he only said softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He is smarter than his master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he said so, his voice carried an endless hush and a touch of disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventeen days later, at noon,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final ceremony site was packed shoulder to shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The great circular platform looked to Lu Yuan like a carefully decorated mound of a grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red silk covering it shone like fresh blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven-colored banners at the corners whipped wildly in the cold wind, wailing as if mourning the spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the platform, a dense mass of people stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of Daoist halls had gathered from across the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Robes in flowing hues formed a sea: slate gray, moon-white, deep black, ochre...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arranged by lineage and status, they extended to the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the innermost circle sat the current seven contemporary Celestial Masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some sat, some stood, their expressions composed, occasionally whispering to one another but maintaining a tacit restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuqing Temple's seat was at the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou sat on a sandalwood Grand Master's chair, wearing a dark ritual robe embroidered with faint golden cloud patterns that glinted in the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across his knee lay the Profound Origin Evil-Slaying Edict, his fingers lightly resting on the sword's scabbard; he showed no emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shulan stood half a step behind him, her moon-white robe lending her a chilly aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes flicked occasionally to the distant corner where Lu Yuan stood alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head of Riyue Temple, He Ming, sat to Shen Jizhou's right, eyes closed as if cultivating spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the slight tremor of his long brows betrayed that he was not truly calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianlong Temple's Celestial Master He Xun sat to Shen Jizhou's left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark rings under his eyes were deeper than days ago; he murmured to his disciple at his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other Celestial Masters sat scattered around with varied expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them were representatives from hundreds of ordinary halls—no seats, only standing, but no one complained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was custom, a rule centuries old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan stood on the outermost edge,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blending among the allowed commoners and ordinary disciples, wearing a half-worn blue robe, his hair tied casually with a wooden hairpin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face held neither anger nor resentment, only a dead-still calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at the platform, at those people, at the banners whipping above,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>as if watching a farce unrelated to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At high noon, a long horn sounded from the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bovine-horn blast, low and sonorous, pierced the whole site and every ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the horn fell silent, an ancient, resonant voice boomed from the platform:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The auspicious hour has come—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please—present—the Celestial Master Golden Volume—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the platform an old Daoist with white hair and beard, wearing a bright red robe, held a golden-volume wrapped in bright yellow silk. He walked slowly onto the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the ceremony's \"presenter\" of the Daoist proclamation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each Grand Ceremony had such a respected retired temple head serve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist reached the platform center, faced the crowd, and slowly unfolded the jade volume in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The volume was bound with green jade slips and gold thread, gleaming warmly in sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Characters written in cinnabar stamped the surface; each stroke full of solemn antiquity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence blanketed the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist drew a deep breath and spoke loudly so every corner heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall uphold the Way, protect the land.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On this occasion of the Celestial Master Grand Ceremony, we deliberate together and select seven worthy persons as contemporary Celestial Masters to lead the halls and suppress evil to guard the Dao.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, his gaze sweeping the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The first—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was clear even in the cold wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wuqing Temple, Shen Jizhou!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Applause rose from the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou rose slowly, bowed slightly to all directions, then sat again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face showed no expression, as if it were only right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came Riyue Temple's He Ming, then Tianlong Temple's He Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was unsurprising; the Upper Three Gates always remained as such regardless of how affairs shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one objected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What everyone cared most about was what came next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next four Celestial Masters were the main event!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the rumor was Wuqing Temple might claim two Celestial Masters this year!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The fourth—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qingfeng Temple, He Yi!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burly middle-aged Daoist rose, cupped his hands and bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The fifth—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nanlin Temple, He Zhu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An elderly Daoist with delicate features rose and bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The sixth—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist's voice stalled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes turned toward Wuqing Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wuqing Temple, Shen Shulan!\" Roar!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A commotion erupted like a pot suddenly boiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A twenty-six-year-old contemporary Celestial Master!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youngest Celestial Master in the history of the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shulan stepped from her father's side. Sunlight landed on her and made the moon-white robe seem heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face remained devoid of joy, a composed coldness like a delicate mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She bowed perfectly to the crowds and returned to her place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her gaze, in that moment, flicked to the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It flicked to that blue figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan and her eyes met for an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Shen Shulan lowered her eyelids, not daring to look again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist's voice continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The seventh—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Beidou Temple, He Cheng!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small, dark-featured old Daoist stood, grinning and showing white teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus the names of the new seven contemporary Celestial Masters were all announced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist closed the jade volume and his tone rose high, ringing through the site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please invite the seven Celestial Masters to ascend the platform to receive the volume!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou rose tall, his dark robe lifting as if of its own accord. Step by step he walked up the stairs toward the platform symbolizing the pinnacle of Daoist authority beyond the Great Wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ming, He Xun, He Yi, He Zhu, He Cheng followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shulan walked last, her moon-white robe cold as frost in the falling snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven figures stood on the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They faced the thousands of Daoist peers below, the whipping seven-colored banners, and the vast desolate land beyond the Great Wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist held the jade volume reverently and walked to Shen Jizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please, Celestial Master, receive the volume.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou reached out both hands to accept the weighty scroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd held its breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at this most sacred moment symbolizing power handover and the transmission of rules, a voice rose unexpectedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I object to this!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice was small but like thunder, cutting through the crowd and banners, stabbing into every ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could hear a pin drop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of gazes were pulled by an invisible hand toward the source of the voice—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most remote, most inconspicuous corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man in the half-worn blue robe with a wooden hairpin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the platform, Shen Jizhou's raised hands froze midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fingers clutching the jade volume went pale at the knuckles; his eyes, which had looked down on the world, pierced the blue figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xun's body jolted; his face showed a mix of shock and bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shulan went pale in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Representatives from hundreds of halls below were stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who is that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another shook his head blankly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't recognize him...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone recognized him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lu Yuan of Zhenlong Temple!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The nineteen-year-old Celestial Master!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old presenter on the platform paled too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hands holding the jade volume trembled, and a complex emotion passed over his clouded old eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By regulation, the proclamation at the Grand Ceremony is the most solemn moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For centuries no one had interrupted at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—actually thirty-three years ago... no, thirty-four years ago, someone did this at Tianmu Mountain...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist inhaled and said in a cracked voice into the cold:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who dares shout in the Grand Ceremony?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan did not move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still stood in that corner, but lifted his head and looked straight at the seven on the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhenlong Temple, Ling-generation disciple, Lu Yuan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was calm yet carried clearly across the site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I object to the election of these seven contemporary Celestial Masters!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pandemonium erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Voices surged like a tide and were then immediately suppressed by an even greater shock-induced silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the platform, He Xun stared at Lu Yuan, a scene that felt strangely familiar to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Ming slowly opened his eyes; a faint, unreadable light flickered in his clouded orbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jizhou still held the jade volume aloft, motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face showed no expression, but his eyes were as bottomless and cold as a deep pool, locked on Lu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan raised the faintest corner of his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not mockery, but resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke slowly, each word ringing through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to the rules of the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, every syllable echoing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If a disciple is dissatisfied with an elected Celestial Master, they may, at the Grand Ceremony, invoke the 'Questioning Heaven' challenge!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an ancient regulation from the founding days of the Daoist halls beyond the Great Wall, unused for centuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said the ancestors left this final backdoor to prevent later nobles from monopolizing power and suppressing true talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who could gather one thousand jade beans from the Petition of Ten Thousand People as 'Questioning Heaven' credentials could challenge any elected Celestial Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the challenger won more than half, a replacement could be chosen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he finished, Lu Yuan bent slightly, and with his left hand picked up a heavy cloth sack by his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, his right hand thrust in without hesitation and tore the sack open with force!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rip—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sack burst!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter—clatter—clatter!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless crystal-clear jade beans poured out like a breached dam!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one represented a piece of public will!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each sparkled fiercely under the winter sun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yuan straightened slowly, lifted his head, eyes like a sword pointed at the seven figures on the platform!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He summoned every last breath and let out a roar that stunned the crowd!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I, Lu Yuan, today exercise the right of 'Questioning Heaven'!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I challenge the contemporary Celestial Masters!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",5131,"2026-06-06T14:45:54.833Z",1,"novelbin.me","9c8dc6efa7369695c07a79f1c07441ff9f65729f41a4537cb602c0a1ccad65a8","the-invincible-female-ghost-is-a-bit-of-a-hopele-chapter-137","the-invincible-female-ghost-is-a-bit-of-a-hopele-chapter-135",241,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-invincible-female-ghost-is-a-bit-of-a-hopele-cover.jpg"]