Chapter 38

They had long since studied it inside and out.

Therefore.

Without much thought, they all spoke up in unison.

"I second that!"

"Agreed!"

"It ought to be so!"

"..."

Amid a chorus of approvals.

It took less than half a quarter-hour.

They had already settled the details for tomorrow.

They exchanged greetings and dispersed.

At the same moment.

Inside a courtyard thirty li away.

Minmin Temür, disguised as a Han Chinese and using the name Zhao Min, stood before the pavilion, fanning herself with a folded fan.

Her large eyes gazed toward Mount Wudang.

A faint smile curled at her lips.

"Does the Princess seem to have it all planned out?"

At that moment.

A figure appeared silently beside her.

"Does the Demon Master not think so?"

Zhao Min smiled playfully.

Without waiting for Pang Ban to speak, she continued on her own.

"With my Great Yuan's five thousand elite troops, plus the Ten Aromatic Weakness-Draining Powder, effective against all below the Peerless Realm."

"And the host of Wu Lin aoshou I've recruited."

"What does the Demon Master think—they can still escape?"

Her voice was quiet.

But it brimmed with confidence.

In response,

Pang Ban shook his head slightly and murmured.

"Princess, don't underestimate the Wu Lin aoshou of Central Plains."

"Zhang Zhenren is at least one who stands on the verge of breaking into the Heavenly Being Realm."

"If these Men Sects had no confidence at all, how would they dare such a move?"

"Not to mention, I've sensed no fewer than three Earthly Immortal Realm experts!"

Clearly,

in his view,

Zhao Min's forces, though impressive on the surface,

were in truth merely ornamental.

Against Earthly Immortal Realm experts,

five thousand troops—even double that—would be utterly useless!

"Oh? Really?"

"If they've concealed their strength, does the Demon Master truly believe I have no hidden cards?"

Zhao Min raised an eyebrow.

On her exquisite face appeared a mysterious smile.

Pang Ban froze.

He gazed at her deeply, then fell silent.

028-All Come to Pay Respects: Zhu Wushi's Grand Gesture! (Request flowers, request tips)

Some rejoiced, others grieved.

That night,

was destined to be a sleepless one!

The next day,

the sky, usually clear and boundless, seemed to sense the coming storm and grew gloomy.

Even the air grew heavy and oppressive.

Unlike Zhang Sanfeng's deep anxiety,

early that morning,

Mount Wudang was adorned with lanterns and decorations, brimming with joy.

Every Wu Dang disciple wore radiant smiles.

At the mountain's base,

countless wandering cultivators gathered in dense throngs.

The sheer number of them

made the entire Mount Wudang noisy and bustling, full of liveliness.

"Whoa! There are way too many people here to witness the ceremony! I feel like every sect in the Great Ming Jianghu has shown up!"

"What's so surprising about that? Master Zhang is a flagship figure of our Great Ming—this kind of spectacle is only natural!"

"Exactly, exactly—you're overreacting. Even a larger display would still be fitting for Master Zhang!"

"Sigh~ I was hoping to catch Master Zhang's attention, maybe he'd be pleased enough to take me as his closed-door disciple! But now, with so many here, how could he possibly notice a lowly nobody like me?"

"Bro, don't push me—I may have yellow urine, but I don't plan to piss on you! It's still daytime, don't be daydreaming!"

Just as the scattered cultivators were whispering among themselves and murmuring in speculation.

A voice infused with spiritual power suddenly rang out.

"In tribute to Master Zhang, the Qingchengzhang Sect, led by its leader, arrives to witness the ceremony, offering a gift: one hundred-year-old purple ginseng!"

A single stone stirred a thousand waves.

Before the words had even finished echoing.

Like a chain reaction.

Several more voices followed in quick succession through the air.

"In tribute to Master Zhang, the Songshanzhang Sect, led by its leader, arrives to witness the ceremony, offering a gift: one stalk of cold-ice herb!"

"In tribute to Master Zhang, the Huashanzhang Sect, led by its leader, arrives to witness the ceremony, offering a gift: one piece of black iron ore!"

"In tribute to Master Zhang, the Hengshan Sect, led by its leader, arrives to witness the ceremony, offering a gift: one piece of crimson-gold xuantong copper!"

"In tribute to Master Zhang, the Emeizhang Sect, led by its leader, arrives to witness the ceremony, offering a gift: one hundred-year-old red fruit, and one embroidered tapestry of the Hundred Longevity Peaches!"

"In tribute to Master Zhang...."

Listening to the wave after wave of congratulatory voices rising beside him.

The scattered cultivators gathered to witness the spectacle all grew expressions of strange unease.

Some were stunned, some envious, some excited, some filled with jealousy—each reaction different.

Yet.

Before the commotion had lasted even a few breaths.

A deep, overwhelming voice drowned out all the noise in the courtyard.

"In tribute to Master Zhang, Abbot Kongwen of Yunzhou Shaolin, accompanied by all his disciples, arrives to witness the ceremony, offering a gift: one Yunzhou Shaolin Great Return Pill!"

What?!

The Yunzhou Shaolin Great Return Pill??

Everyone froze for a moment, then erupted in shock.