Chapter 105: Affairs of Lu Tai Mountain

Chiming Sect.

Lu Tai Mountain.

Dominating the ocean, commanding the jade seas.

Within this mountain, whose roots delve into the earth’s primal veins, towering and immense, piercing through the void winds and celestial clouds, two figures sat leisurely playing chess atop its summit.

The long-browed Daoist wore a nine-colored Li Luo robe, crowned with a Seven-Illuminating-Dawn cap, adorned with the Soul-Subduing Pendant, and shod in Yellow Sun boots; his face glowed golden, with a circular halo encircling his neck and back.

As his sleeves fluttered in the wind, a faint leakage of his aura erupted, roaring and illuminating the qi of sun, moon, stars, and cosmos—light and scenery ebbing and flowing, hidden and revealed beyond measure, like a great celestial waterfall flowing between existence and nonexistence, engulfing hundreds of mountains and thousands of rivers!

Even now, though restrained, it gave the terrifying impression that it could spread across heaven and earth, shake the weather and clouds for ten thousand li, and shatter all things into ruin.

If deliberately targeted, an ordinary Immortal Daoist before him could not maintain his composure—he would break into a cold sweat, lose his usual poise, and appear utterly unseemly.

Behind the long-browed Daoist stood six Golden Boys, circling around him, assisting him in cultivating, holding talismans, and burning incense.

“Core Formation? Wei Lingjiang is merely a True Disciple—not even a Dao Heir. Is such a trivial matter really worth your effort, Elder Longbrow, True Person?”

The one playing chess opposite the long-browed Daoist was only a faint, blurred silhouette, his features indiscernible; only from the melodic tone of his voice could one tell this was a woman.

Hearing the long-browed Daoist deliberately probe her with words, she paused her hand holding the stone and spoke coolly:

“What good has that clumsy Jing offered you, to draw you to her side? And isn’t your presence as a True Person already enough? Now you’ve turned your eyes even to me, a mountain hermit? I wondered why my younger brother invited me here today for a game of chess—it turns out he had no good intentions.”

“Sister Shang, you overstate it, you overstate it!”

The long-browed Daoist sensed the unmistakable mockery in her tone and immediately rose, clasping his hands in apology, shaking his head repeatedly:

“Sister, your grace to us is as weighty as mountains; every member of the Fa Zhang lineage remembers it, never for a moment forgetting—Sister Shang—”

“Enough! Spare me the empty words!”

Sister Shang cut him off with an impatient scoff: “My father died in the Fa Sheng Heaven; I am no longer the sect leader’s daughter. Spare me your needless formalities—they grate on my ears and fill me with revulsion!”

I thought you’d gone mad these past months—gifting fengdi, handing out talisman texts, even giving away the White Water Taiyi Land, which you’d nurtured for nearly a thousand years, and placing it under my name—only now do I realize your true intent, hah!”

“Sister—”

“You and Zhuojing want to elevate Wei Lingjiang as Dao Heir, is that not so?”

Sister Shang fixed the long-browed Daoist with a cold gaze.

Under her piercing stare, the long-browed Daoist fell silent for several breaths, then finally yielded, letting out a bitter laugh and nodding in assent.

“So you came to warm my cold hearth. Too bad—I’ve already resigned from the position of Master of Zhuoguang Palace; my authority in the sect no longer matches what it once was. Your scheme with Zhuojing will likely come to nothing.”

Sister Shang spoke indifferently.

—

The Chiming Sect comprises Five Palaces and Seven Observatories, each overseeing internal affairs, with the Seven Observatories subordinate to the Five Palaces’ seals, bound to obey their commands.

Thus, the status of the Five Palace Masters is exceedingly high and revered, ranking only below the Chiming Sect’s Sect Master, towering above all Elders and disciples, utterly transcendent.

Even normal succession and replacement of positions requires a written decree from a Dao Jun—neither the Sect Master nor anyone else may arbitrarily depose a Palace Master without inviting censure and losing public favor.

Yet after the previous Sect Master passed away in the Fa Sheng Heaven, the sect plunged into great turmoil, sparking a major upheaval, only calmed when the Taiwen Miaocheng Dao Jun personally intervened to suppress it.

The long-browed Daoist knew that his sister Shang, though defeated in that upheaval and forced to resign from the position of Zhuoguang Palace Master, now held only a leisurely, nominal post in the sect.

But she was the only daughter of the former Sect Master; not only was her lineage illustrious, but even the lingering spiritual legacy left by her late father ensured that every member of the sect treated her with at least three parts of respect.

The path of cultivation: Law, Companion, Land, Wealth.

The long-browed Daoist mused: had this sister Shang not, after her father’s passing, been overcome with rage and grief, ignored the elders’ counsel, and without the Sect Master’s decree, mobilized troops to launch a surprise assault on the Fa Sheng Heaven—

resulting in heavy losses and the tragic deaths of several Elders and True Disciples—

given the former Sect Master’s prestige,

even if she wished to relinquish the talisman of Zhuoguang Palace, it would not have been so easy…

Among the Eight Sects and Six Clans, ordinary Elders and disciples are commonplace.

But every True Disciple is the very heart’s blood of their sect, painstakingly cultivated over years to produce just one; they are the future pillars of the sect, strong contenders for the Dao Heir position.

Losing even one is nearly equivalent to a calamity!

For instance, the Xudu Tian and the Buddhist Wuliuliutian have been locked in covert and open rivalry for ten thousand years, killing countless Dao soldiers and demonic constructs, their corpses enough to fill an entire realm.

Yet because a newly elevated Great Bodhisattva, perhaps ignorant of protocol or provoked into wrath, allowed his protectors to massacre several Choudou Sect True Disciples and sent a letter to the Choudou Sect’s main temple—

this act enraged the Shenwu Shuhua Dao Jun of the Choudou Sect to personally intervene, slaying that newly elevated Great Bodhisattva and breaching the Pure Land where He resided.

He seized all scriptures stored there, captured two million Peacock Monk soldiers, and presented them as captives at the Choudou Sect’s mountain gate, inviting all Eight Sects and Six Clans to witness the ceremony.

Over the lives of a few True Disciples, the Choudou Sect nearly went to war with half of the Wuliuliutian, becoming outright enemies.

Yet before that incident,

no matter how fiercely the two sides fought,

the Xudu Tian’s [Danyuan Assembly] always saw several Bodhisattvas and Great Masters arrive with disciples to observe;

the Wuliuliutian’s [Wu’ai Assembly] likewise drew Dao Jun from both the Mystic and Demonic factions to visit their Pure Land as guests.

But after the Choudou Sect’s captive presentation ceremony, save for a few Demonic Sects like the Primordial Demonic Sect, which still occasionally tangled with the Wuliuliutian, nearly all Eight Mystic Sects severed all communication with that Buddhist celestial realm.

Neither side would send envoys to observe the other’s assemblies anymore…

Sister Shang’s unauthorized assault on the Fa Sheng Heaven had failed, and it had cost the lives of several True Disciples.

Had her father not been the former Sect Master, leaving behind enough residual influence for many Elders to plead on her behalf to the Dao Jun—

the punishment would not have been merely resignation from office.

It would not have ended so lightly…

As the long-browed Daoist’s thoughts raced, seeking to propose further terms to win her aid, Sister Shang suddenly laughed.

“Who does the Dao Jun truly favor as Dao Heir?”

She asked.

“Dao Jun? Which Dao Jun, Sister Shang, do you mean?”

The long-browed Daoist first froze, then shook his head with a bitter smile.

Of the three Dao Jun in the Chiming Sect, Taiwen Miaocheng Dao Jun had always been ambiguous, disliking mundane affairs, preferring amusement and pleasure, wandering with the Lingming Golden Mist Seal to observe spectacles and bestow blessings.

The last time they’d seen this Dao Jun with a serious, solemn expression was when the former Sect Master perished in the Fa Sheng Heaven and the sect’s factions stirred.

At all other times, He was rarely seen in proper form—wild, unrestrained, behaving absurdly.

Not only the long-browed Daoist, but even all Five Palace Masters had been thoroughly humiliated by Him on multiple occasions, left embarrassed and disgraced—all because this Dao Jun merely sought amusement, to elicit a laugh.

Of course, he dared not voice this aloud; he could only harbor such thoughts privately.

As for the other two Dao Jun, they were like dragons glimpsed only in fleeting claws and scales; no reliable word of them had been heard in thousands of years.

Those two cared only for the ultimate aspiration of immortal longevity, seeking only to pluck a Heavenly Immortal Dao Fruit; all other sect affairs were utterly indifferent to them.

Even the appointment of a Dao Heir, a matter of paramount importance to the sect, had received no comment from them.

The long-browed Daoist suspected that only when the Chiming Sect faced existential peril would these two deign to reveal their true forms…

“Those two Ancestors have roamed beyond the cosmos for so long, long lost to contact; as for Grandmaster Taiwen Miaocheng…”

The long-browed Daoist winced, carefully choosing his words, speaking as if weighing each syllable:

“The Grandmaster’s supreme intentions are beyond the comprehension of us lowly disciples—Sister Shang, you jest.”

“Si Ma Fang, Xie Tan, Zuo Peng Zong, Song Lun, Yin E Xu, Guo Dai Jun…”

Seeing the long-browed Daoist speak with caution, Sister Shang lightly tapped the chessboard and said coolly:

“Aside from Wei Lingjiang, these others all seek the Dao Heir position. Tell me—whom should I support?”

“Have all these people already approached you?” The long-browed Daoist’s expression changed.

Sister Shang smiled but said nothing.

“Wei Lingjiang’s talent is simply unmatched by those others; she—”

“Brother Longbrow, you jest again. All are True Disciples of the sect; Si Ma Fang and Xie Tan are hardly inferior to her. Moreover, Wei Lingjiang holds a patricide grudge against the current head of the Siye Wei clan—they are deeply hostile.”

Sister Shang shook her head: “Though the Twelve Clans are now but withered bones, destined for annihilation, I have no wish to become an enemy of a clan lord without cause.”

“If I were to accept your request and aid Wei Lingjiang…”

Sister Shang sighed deliberately: “Wouldn’t that mean I’m directly opposing the Siye Wei clan?”

The long-browed Daoist’s gaze darkened slightly.

How could such a great sect Elder, especially one who had once held real power, harbor such fear of the Twelve Clans?

Though his sister spoke with solemnity on the surface, her true intent was simply to drive up the price!

“Have all those fengdi and elixir texts not satisfied your appetite? I’ve already given away the White Water Taiyi Land—still not enough?! Do you truly believe your father still lives?”

Though inwardly he longed to curse, the long-browed Daoist kept his face expressionless, clasping his hands and smiling:

“Forgive this younger brother’s boldness—may I ask which of your fellow disciples Si Ma Fang and Xie Tan sent to negotiate with you, and what terms did they offer?”

After Sister Shang spoke, the long-browed Daoist’s expression instantly darkened.

After several moments of hesitation, he finally steeled himself and raised his bid.

The two sides continued to hammer out minor details, trading words back and forth for nearly half an hour before finally reaching an agreement.

“Sister Shang, thank you. When Lingjiang ascends to her position, I shall never forget today’s favor!”

At this, the long-browed Daoist’s face lit up again with a sincere, grateful smile.

“From now on, we are all one family—why distinguish between ‘you’ and ‘me’?”

Sister Shang’s tone softened considerably, clearly satisfied with the terms he had just agreed to; she smiled warmly for once:

“Yet the selection of a Dao Heir concerns the sect’s ten-thousand-year future—it cannot be rushed. We must deliberate carefully…

Moreover, figures like Si Ma Fang, Xie Tan, and Yin E Xu have powerful backers behind them. Brother, you and Zhuojing must not let haste ruin future prospects.”

Finally, Sister Shang gave one last warning.

“How dare we, how dare we.”

The long-browed Daoist waved his hands repeatedly.

The two then chatted for a while, exchanging tales of oddities and the sect’s past glory; since they were at least on the same side, the atmosphere was unusually harmonious.

And just before they bowed to take leave.

Sister Shang suddenly seemed to recall something and added another question:

“I heard Wei Lingjiang is now in the Southern Region, and has taken a fancy to some ordinary hermit Daoist—true or not?”

“This…”

The long-browed Daoist’s face instantly flushed with awkwardness; he could not answer, nor could he refuse.

As he was about to fabricate some excuse to brush it off, Sister Shang spoke again:

“And this hermit Daoist appears to be the offspring of Yuanshu Zhenjun, Chen Yushu—how intriguing.”

“Where did you hear that?”

The long-browed Daoist cut in sharply.

“Where I heard it matters little—I have my reasons, younger brother. Male and female affection is natural, and technically, this is none of my business… but Zhou of Chisong Palace is different. She cultivates the Supreme Emptiness Path of No Emotion, and may not tolerate such a speck of sand.”

Sister Shang spoke with deep implication:

“If Wei Lingjiang truly delays her cultivation due to romantic entanglement, even with my intercession, you’ll hardly gain any aid from Chisong Palace. You just said she’s nearly ready for Core Formation? Then let her refine the Three Treasures well within the Grotto Heaven!”

“If she can form a first-rank Golden Core, the resistance from the Five Palaces and Seven Observatories to her becoming Dao Heir will diminish considerably.”

The long-browed Daoist’s heart tightened; he wished to explain further.

But Sister Shang’s form dissolved instantly, leaving the peak summit, vanished to parts unknown.

Mountain winds swept, storm clouds surged like tides.

After a long while, the long-browed Daoist let out a slow sigh and shook his head.

“Now that the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon has been eradicated, I’ve roughly repaid half the debt owed to the Ai clan for their gift of the method. According to the Dao Lord’s revelation of heavenly fate, the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon was meant to become a minor threat to the Ai clan three centuries hence—Mu Yuan—”

Behind the long-browed Daoist, a plump child holding a treasure fan knelt prostrate, listening respectfully.

“Take the box of Hunyuan Pearls I acquired last year, go to the Ai family of Shangyu, clarify the matter of the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon, and make those fools end their foolish schemes at once! Do they truly believe the favor of their past method-gift entitles them to meddle in our sect’s true transmission? Utterly foolish!”

The child named Mu Yuan replied “Yes,” then rode off on a green cloud, bowing farewell.

“Great Lord, what of Sister Wei and Chen Hang?”

Seeing the long-browed Daoist’s brow still tightly furrowed, a bold child dared to ask.

“What talk of male and female affection? Let her form a first-rank Golden Core before we speak of it!”

The long-browed Daoist snapped impatiently, his gaze darkening:

“So many are working tirelessly for her—how can she step back now? How dare she step back! In the Wei family of Siye, she still has her father’s murder to avenge!”

“Without becoming Dao Heir, how can she dominate a province? How can she avenge her father?!”

With that, the long-browed Daoist sighed again:

“Yet fortunately, I need not be the villain here and earn her resentment…”

“What do you mean, Great Lord?”

The child was puzzled.

“Sister Zhuojing has already waited for her at Fuyu Lake in the Southern Region, foolish boy—surely you don’t know? With her there, I’m happy to stay idle and avoid the trouble of offending anyone.”

The long-browed Daoist chuckled:

“With Sister Shang persuaded to lend her aid, this matter is settled! I hear Yin, junior brother of Yucheng Sect, spent eight hundred years brewing a flask of Huosu Immortal Wine—excellent vintage. I shall pay him a visit. Farewell! Farewell!”

As he spoke, his figure vanished from the peak.

Mist and fog drifted past.

Only emptiness remained.

…

…

And at the same moment.

Southern Region, Fuyu Lake.

Wei Lingjiang gently set down her teacup, smiled, and a faint joy touched the corners of her brows.