Chapter 99: with translation of chapter title

Liu Yuanhong, who had succeeded as acting sect leader, stood behind; those before him were all the previous elders of Hunyuan Sect, and even the sixth sect leader Yuan Chang, this white-haired old ancestor, knelt on the ground.

"Hunyuan Sect sixth-generation disciples, pay respects to the Young Master."

"Pay respects to the Young Master."

Dozens of Hunyuan Sect members with the highest seniority and strongest cultivation all kowtowed.

The one they kowtowed to was a purple-crowned exalted being wearing splendid immortal robes.

Apart from his attire, no one could see his appearance clearly; he seemed unattainably distant, beyond reach.

This is an emissary from the divine realm!

Unless they wish it, no one can possibly see their true visage.

Even so, the natural aura of that exalted being caused Yuan Chang, a powerhouse on the verge of becoming a deity, to worship wholeheartedly.

Yuan Chang and the few others who had seen divine realm elders sensed even more strongly that this emissary from the Zhu Que Nu Di Palace far surpassed their elders in strength, and obviously held a far more exalted, inscrutable status.

"Rise." he said.

Only then did the kowtowing old men dare to move and rise.

From the other's voice, one could tell they were young.

He was probably not merely an eternally youthful person, but a noble young master of the divine race born in the imperial palace.

"This old man dares to ask, Young Master: why has the divine realm ceased sending down deities for ten thousand years, leaving us cultivators unable to ascend to godhood?" Yuan Chang asked the question all cultivators of Sheng Long Tian most wanted to know.

"The time has not come."

"?"

Yuan Chang and the other old men did not understand what that meant.

Yet they dared not ask further, waiting for the exalted emissary to say more.

However, the young master was sparing with words, having no intention to say more.

"Withdraw."

"Yes."

No one dared linger; they all withdrew from the Hunyuan summit.

This place, closest to heaven in Sheng Long Tian, was originally the Hunyuan Sect's cultivation holy ground and also the hall for major decisions.

Now that he has arrived, everyone must make way!

Those in seclusion emerge, and another hall is chosen for deliberations.

The key is——

They still do not know how he appeared!

It seemed he suddenly appeared there!

However, Liu Yuanhong, who closed the hall doors, was still dazzled by the golden light behind him.

Within that light cluster lay a vermilion scroll, clearly an imperial edict from the Zhu Que Emperor's Palace.

Moreover, when he appeared, a three-legged Jin Wu deity manifested—could this not be the legendary form of the divine realm's Zhu Que Palace emissary?

Hunyuan Hall.

Those who had just withdrawn from the Hunyuan summit had already taken their seats in turn.

Yet no one spoke; they had clearly not yet recovered from the earlier audience.

"... The Zhu Que Palace emissary has actually come to Hunyuan Sect."

Yuan Chang's voice trembled as he spoke—did this signify that Hunyuan Sect would encounter a great opportunity?

"Yuanhong, you were the first to see the emissary; why did you call him Young Master, and what did he say to you?"

Upon hearing this, the elders all turned to Liu Yuanhong, who had originally intended to visit Yuan Chang, but upon entering the Hunyuan summit unexpectedly witnessed that very scene of the emissary's descent.

"Reporting to the sixth-generation sect leader, when I saw the emissary I faintly heard someone address him as 'Young Master,' presumably a divine realm instruction, so I dared to call him that. Afterward, you and the other elders emerged." Liu Yuanhong reported truthfully.

Yuan Chang and the others nodded; they indeed, after hearing Liu Yuanhong's voice, successively sensed an exalted presence within the hall that could not be ignored, and thus appeared one after another, not daring to be negligent.

"Young Master?"

"Could he be the offspring of the Empress?"

"No, the Empress's offspring should be called a prince or crown prince."

The elders could not fathom it, and Yuan Chang already asked, "Yuanhong, why have you come today?"

"Reporting to the sixth-generation sect leader, it is the Heavenly Star Grand Uncle." Liu Yuanhong had no choice; after delaying so long, he still had to leave the sect.

Yuan Chang frowned, "Is this obstinate one still going to act willfully?"

"The Heavenly Star Grand Uncle has repeatedly said this was a promise made by the fifth-generation sect leader. All these years he has not mentioned it, waiting for the fifth-generation sect leader to return and give instructions, but ten thousand years have passed and he is unwilling and unable to wait any longer."

"That's mere speculation!" Yuan Chang rebuked angrily, "When our master was alive, he had not even been born—what promise could there be? This is utter nonsense!"

"The Heavenly Star Grand Uncle said he wishes to publicly swear a Dao oath at the alchemist competition in the Cave Heaven Mansion. I could not stop him, so I had to come report." Liu Yuanhong had no choice; his cultivation could not compare to the Heavenly Star Elder.

"Absolutely impossible, and absolutely not allowed!" Yuan Chang said with a cold old face, "The Heavenly Star lineage concerns the Star‑Symbol Mountain, which has always been an indispensable part of our Hunyuan Sect. Unless he can leave the Star‑Symbol Mountain in Hunyuan Sect, there is nothing to discuss."

Moreover, the Star‑Symbol Mountain has never manifested according to human will.

It is now on the Xuanti Continent, but a thousand years ago it was in Hunyuan Sect.

Ten thousand years ago, it was elsewhere.

Regardless of where it appears, the Heavenly Star lineage can always find it, yet cannot control or move it; sometimes they cannot even open it.

For example, in recent years on the Xuanti Continent, the Star‑Symbol Mountain has been opened only a handful of times, and it admits only Heavenly Star lineage disciples, barring all other Hunyuan Sect members outright!

Hunyuan Sect has not lacked the idea of letting other disciples join the Heavenly Star lineage, but those of the Heavenly Star lineage are stubbornly unyielding; if they dislike someone, they simply refuse to accept them, no matter what.

If you tried to kill them, you'd be reluctant, since only those few can open the Star‑Symbol Mountain—killing them would make opening it even harder. Moreover, the Heavenly Star Elder is no pushover; if his people were truly killed, he would surely raise heaven and earth.

Although Hunyuan Sect does have those capable of subduing him, doing so would exact a tremendous price—especially in this special period when ascension is impossible, the cost is nearly the scattering of soul and spirit, so no one wishes to provoke him.

After straining to make do this long, the Heavenly Star Elder suddenly insisted on splitting off; Yuan Chang could bear it no longer and resolved, "Activate the plan."

Liu Yuanhong was a bit worried, "The Imperial Envoy being here, would that be inappropriate?"

"The Imperial Envoy won't bother with our trivial matters; no need to worry."

"Yes." Liu Yuanhong asked again, "What about the other people of the Heavenly Star Lineage that day—how should they be dealt with?"

"Keep those who can open the Astrology Mountain; the rest, useless followers, dispose of them all together."

"Yes." Liu Yuanhong asked no more, then immediately bowed and left the hall.

After he left, the hall was still heatedly discussing.

"Old Yuan, really going to do something so drastic?"

"It's that wicked wretch who's gone too far—how long have we tolerated him?"

"If his lineage would rather be shattered jade than whole tile? They're all stubborn as oxen; this possibility is extremely high."

"Over the years, the Astrology Mountain has never been usable for our sect; keeping or not keeping them makes little difference—if we don't press them, how would we know they haven't been deceiving us all along?"

"For a thousand years, the Heavenly Star Lineage has been to the Primordial Origin Sect like a tasteless rib—hard to discard, a pity to keep; Yuan Changzai decided not to let them obstruct anymore!"

"Anyway, the Imperial Envoy has descended upon the Primordial Origin Peak; good days are coming for our Primordial Origin Sect! Those stubborn, unrepentant wretches of the Heavenly Star Lineage—just dispose of them all, save us the trouble."

"Has Ji Bai not yet left seclusion?"

"Soon."

"Yuan Changzai was counting the days; it should be soon."

"We can't be without a Sect Master; let him resume the position, and Li Ye that brat shouldn't have died in vain."

"That eye—if it truly comes from the Divine Realm, what then?"

"Wasn't it said that the Shen clan girl, when she was in the Su Nv Sect, displayed a similar eye technique?"