Chapter 26

The handover ceremony for Medical Valley’s sect master was said to be kept simple, but not a single required step was missing.

The grand, ancient front hall for the sect master had been built around two ancient trees. The trees had already stood for over a thousand years, their canopies blotting out the sky and sun. Medical Valley had always taken the beauty of nature and living greenery as its ideal, and the branches of the two ancient trees grew intertwined, forming a natural sacred ground that could shelter those beneath from wind and rain.

Lu Yan’s seat was near the front. He wore the black Daoist robe that only personal disciples of Divine Creation Sect were qualified to wear, making him look much more mature. Behind him were a few exposed roots of the ancient trees, tough and vigorous, like the body of a giant python rooted in Medical Valley’s soil, endlessly alive.

Duan Tongfeng sat beside Lu Yan, with only one aisle between them. They could touch each other if they reached out.

After being mocked by Lu Yan the previous night, Duan Tongfeng had upheld the principle that “Lu Bupo is still young, so I must not lower myself to his level,” but in the end he still could not hold back. “Junior Brother Bupo, on such an important occasion, how can you bring a bird inside?”

Lu Yan had woken that morning with his eyelid twitching nonstop. To ease the unease in his heart, he had placed the hummingbird on his shoulder, connected to it with his divine sense so he could know Houtu City’s situation at any time. He was in a bad mood and had no time to bicker with Duan Tongfeng. “Senior Brother Duan should manage himself properly. If you have time to talk to me, you might as well go practice your sword.”

Duan Tongfeng was pushed back neither lightly nor heavily. He held it in for a while, then said earnestly, “Speaking of which, ever since my Sword Sect’s Junior Brother Changyue did business with you, he has abandoned cultivation and instead picked up quite a bit of mercenary stink from mortals. Forgive my impertinence, but let me advise you, Junior Brother. Once one enters the Dao, one is worlds apart from mortals. If you continue entangling yourself with the mortal realm, I fear ascension will be hopeless. Junior Brother Bupo’s Dao path is broad and open. Naturally, you should cherish it above all else.”

Oh, so he was going in circles to call me a bad influence on He Changyue.

Lu Yan supported his forehead and silently rolled his eyes. “The way you say that, could it be Senior Brother Duan wasn’t born human?”

Duan Tongfeng nearly choked on his next breath.

If he answered “yes,” he would be slapping himself in the face. If he answered “no,” what fool would admit they “weren’t born human”?

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Duan Tongfeng simply shut his mouth and stopped speaking.

Yuan Chi and Ying Sanliang were seated opposite Lu Yan and had heard the entire exchange clearly. Ying Sanliang could not resist poking Yuan Chi’s arm. “Tell me, what is wrong with Duan Tongfeng? Why does he insist on provoking our little ancestor?”

Even sitting down, Yuan Chi was taller than Ying Sanliang standing up. He bent down with some difficulty and said in what he thought was a very quiet voice, “That fellow Daoist talks a lot like my dad.”

Ying Sanliang answered sincerely, “To be fair, that insults your dad.”

Duan Tongfeng was a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator. How could he not hear them? Just as he was about to say something, Lu Yan cut him off directly. “Senior Brother Duan, on such an important occasion, it is best to speak less.”

Duan Tongfeng: “…”

Damn it. So angry.

“Dong.”

A bell rang out, as if carrying an ancient aura.

The bell tolled nine times in all.

Medical Valley’s sect master inheritance had begun.

Huaisheng had probably been looking forward to this day for a very long time. The little flower on top of his head kept swaying back and forth, and his two small leaves held up the petals. His whole body radiated delight. He was a little short, and when he wore the sect master’s ceremonial robes, the train dragged slightly on the ground. Huaisheng held the sect master’s seal token in both hands and began reciting an obscure and difficult edict, announcing before Medical Valley’s ancestral tablets that the position of sect master would be inherited by Meng Kongqing.

Meng Kongqing performed the great rite of three kneelings and nine kowtows. In front of the ancestors, his martial uncle, the elders, the disciples, and the disciples of the major sects, he solemnly accepted the sect master’s seal token.

“Medical Valley disciples greet the sect master!”

Outside the hall, Medical Valley’s disciples wore unified Daoist robes and knelt to pay their respects.

Lu Yan stood and exchanged the courtesy of peers with Meng Kongqing. “Congratulations, Senior Brother Meng.”

Meng Kongqing returned the salute. “Many thanks, Junior Brother Bupo.”

The leaves of the ancient trees swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound. Brilliant golden sunlight fell through the branches and leaves, plating everything with a layer of golden radiance.

From this day on, Medical Valley welcomed its young new sect master.

Houtu City.

A golden array formation appeared layer by layer with the City Lord’s Estate at its center.

Daoist Yichen and Daoist Yiwen of Divine Creation Sect, Elder Tanlang and Elder Pojun of Heavenly Evolution Sect—four cultivators extremely skilled in arrays—each occupied one of the four cardinal directions. At the very center, Houtu City Lord Yuan Shuo sat cross-legged and formed seals. Five different streams of spiritual power spread out, following the veins of the golden array formation to reinforce it anew.

The pure spiritual energy belonging to the Supreme-grade spirit stone was triggered. In an instant, golden light blazed from the City Lord’s Estate.

The city lord’s wife wore a golden hairpin on her head and was dressed in light armor. A smile appeared on her worried face. “It worked!”

Once the golden light disappeared, the array formation was completely reinforced. The city lord’s wife jogged into the City Lord’s Estate. Reinforcing the array formation required a great deal of spiritual power, and Yuan Shuo’s cultivation realm was the lowest among them. This was exactly when he would be weak. She had to go keep him company.

The four elders slowly landed. The senior brother and junior sister pair, Tanlang and Pojun, had not seen each other for ten years, so they had many things to say. As for the reactions of Divine Creation Sect’s two elders, those were much more thought-provoking.

Daoist Yiyue looked at his fourth junior brother, then looked at his youngest junior brother. Confused, he said, “You two…”

Before he could finish speaking, Daoist Yichen’s face abruptly darkened.

Daoist Yiwen’s long white hair was not tied up. It hung loose on both sides of his face, hiding his expression. “I’m sorry, Senior Brother…”

“Don’t.” Daoist Yichen flung his sleeve. His eyes were a little red, clearly from extreme anger. “I can’t accept it.”

Daoist Yiwen seemed to deflate. He quickly walked to Daoist Yichen’s side, lifted the hem of his robe, and knelt cleanly and decisively on both knees. A muffled thud rang out.

Even Tanlang and Pojun, who had been chatting nearby, were startled. “Your Divine Creation Sect… what kind of procedure is this?”

Daoist Yiyue: “…”

I also want to know what kind of procedure this is.

As the one ranked highest among them, Daoist Yiyue had question marks all over his face. He hurried forward to help Yiwen up. “No, hey, hey, hey, what’s going on? If you two have something to say, then say it. If you’re sick, then get treated. Yiwen, get up first!”

“Second Senior Brother, don’t interfere.” Daoist Yiwen was determined to kneel. Under the cover of his white hair, no one could see his expression clearly. “Fourth Senior Brother, whether it was Bupo’s matter or Eldest Senior Brother’s matter, I wronged you.”

Daoist Yiyue became even more confused. His cultivation was high and his strength great, so he lifted Yiwen with one hand. “You’re making me dizzy. Never mind that Eldest Senior Brother reincarnated a few hundred years ago—what does this have to do with Bupo?”

“Of course Second Senior Brother doesn’t know.” Daoist Yichen turned his back, completely unmoved by Yiwen’s kneeling. “Our youngest junior brother, whom we once held in the palms of our hands, had already grown up before you or I realized it.”

Daoist Yiyue was impatient by nature and had never liked listening to riddles. “Nonsense. He’s almost four hundred years old. If he hadn’t grown up, would he still be hiding in his senior brother’s arms crying?”

“Heh. Then why don’t you ask him exactly what your youngest junior brother has been hiding?”

“Crack.”

Daoist Yichen’s question mixed together with another faint sound. In the unseen order of things, it seemed that something was about to snap.

An elder from Sword Sect abruptly raised his head. His longsword left its sheath. One became two, two became four, and four became eight. Densely packed sword shadows covered the City Lord’s Estate.

“Get out of the way!”

“Crack, crack.”

No one knew where it began, but strands of black qi seeped up from underground, slowly corroding the earth and wood. The golden array formation flickered faintly, trying to lock this black qi firmly in place, but it had the will and not the strength. It could only allow the black qi to eat away at it.

Daoist Yichen had no attention to spare for anger. He shouted sternly, “Form the array with me!”

The four elders skilled in arrays acted again, yet they still could not suppress this seemingly soft and weak black qi. The next moment, the City Lord’s Estate collapsed with a thunderous crash.

“Buzz.”

At the very center of the City Lord’s Estate, a soft light rose, forming a semicircular defensive net amid the ruins.

The strong men of Houtu City held long sabers in their hands and suddenly let out breaths of relief. “It’s the city lord and madam!”

The city lord’s wife hugged Yuan Shuo tightly. She slowly opened her eyes, then seemed to think of something and reached up to remove the golden hairpin from her hair. That defensive array formation shone gently, holding up enough space.

It was the golden hairpin Lu Yan had given her. It had actually come in useful at the critical moment between life and death!

Yuan Shuo had exhausted his strength and fallen unconscious. The city lord’s wife put the golden hairpin back into her hair, then carried her Dao companion on her back and ran out of the range of the black qi and sword shadows.

The black qi surged forward without restraint, and the Sword Sect elder’s countless sword shadows fell hard with mountain-lifting force.

“Boom!”

The black qi scattered in all directions, then wound upward again in the next second, swallowing the Sword Sect elder’s sword shadows completely.

Daoist Yiyue’s arm muscles bulged. He clasped both hands together, and a heavy sword appeared in his grip.

Half of that heavy sword’s blade was thrust into the earth. Its unrivaled power shook all of Houtu City, even sending the hummingbird secretly observing from the shadows flying. Daoist Yiyue shouted, “What a fine demonic thing!”

Lu Yan supported his forehead and withdrew his divine sense in time. The dizzy feeling still lingered in his mind. Without control, the hummingbird on his shoulder rolled off and tumbled to the ground.

Medical Valley’s sect master ceremony had already reached its end. Meng Kongqing had changed into the sect master’s Daoist robes and was speaking with Medical Valley’s various elders.

Opposite him, Yuan Chi suddenly clutched his heart and stood up with a whoosh. He had risen too quickly, so his footing was unsteady and he staggered in place.

Ying Sanliang, seated beside Yuan Chi, was so startled that the wine almost spilled. “What’s wrong? Where do you feel unwell?”

“No, I just feel…” Yuan Chi’s eyes were lost. The unease transmitted through his bloodline caused thin silver-white lightning to spark out, abruptly leaping over his dark skin. “I just feel like something happened in Houtu City.”

Houtu City!

The little flower on Huaisheng’s head shot upright. He knew what was being suppressed in Houtu City. Hearing this, he immediately stopped Yuan Chi. “Wait…”

“Martial Uncle Huaisheng.” Lu Yan picked up the hummingbird and held it in his hand, interrupting an elder for the first time in a breach of courtesy. “Martial Uncle Huaisheng, let the young city lord go back.”

“Whoosh.”

A gust of wind swept in. The leaves of the ancient trees rustled and swayed. At some point, the brilliant golden sunlight had been covered, leaving only shadow.

Huaisheng sensed something. “Bupo.”

Lu Yan’s expression did not change as he arranged matters. “Ying Sanliang, you are fast. Take the young city lord back to Houtu City. Yuan Chi, remember one thing I say.”

Yuan Chi said, “Tell me, Bupo.”

“After you return to the city, if you see anything unusual around the City Lord’s Estate, do not hesitate.” Lu Yan slowly stood, walked in front of Yuan Chi, and patted his arm. “Crush that Ultimate Element Ring and throw it in!”

Yuan Chi repeated it quietly, then nodded heavily. “I’ll remember!”

Lu Yan looked toward Ying Sanliang. “Fellow Daoist Ying, I trust you very much.”

If it had only been because of his debt, Ying Sanliang had many chances to simply leave. But he had not. Not only had he not left, he had even delivered the unconscious Lu Yan safely and steadily to Medical Valley.

Ying Sanliang feared solemnity the most. He raised his hands in surrender. “Don’t worry.”

After Yuan Chi and Ying Sanliang left, Lu Yan bowed in Huaisheng’s direction. “Martial Uncle Huaisheng, Bupo is ashamed. I have disturbed Medical Valley greatly. Please forgive me, Martial Uncle.”

“You little brat.” Huaisheng sighed. The two leaves of the little flower on top of his head drooped down in an angry pose. “Kongqing, have the disciples move aside. Your Junior Brother Bupo is about to undergo his tribulation.”

The Nascent Soul lightning tribulation!

Overhead were familiar black clouds. Silver lightning brewed continuously inside them. Lu Yan stood beneath the black clouds, rubbed the hummingbird’s soft feathers, and pressed his forehead against the hummingbird’s. Through his divine sense, he issued an order to the other end of the connection. Then he put the hummingbird into his sleeve, lifted his head slightly, and stood with his hands behind his back.

In Lu Yan’s eyes, the golden lines failed to merge into the silver dragon. Purple qi so faint it was invisible to the naked eye transformed bit by bit into particles.

Meng Kongqing’s pupils contracted slightly. “That is…”

Huaisheng clutched his beard. “Purple Abyss Lightning Tribulation.”

Duan Tongfeng was also a Nascent Soul cultivator. “How could a Nascent Soul tribulation produce Purple Abyss Lightning Tribulation?”

It had appeared before. When Fuyi underwent the Nascent Soul tribulation, the final bolt had been Purple Abyss Lightning Tribulation.

Lu Yan was different. His first bolt was.

“This is the third time you’ve tried to kill me. The first time was when I was little, and you controlled He Nian. The second time was in Baiqiu City, when you tried to use Huangliang to scatter my soul and spirit completely. But both times, you failed. This is the third time. You are using the rules of tribulation to try to make me fall beneath the lightning tribulation.”

“Because you want this plane to return to chaos. So first you used spiritual energy and lightning tribulations to restrict cultivators. Then you used the strange illness to make the human race lose its foundation. Then you allowed the Demon Race to break through the seal. But the Heavenly Dao had just formed sentience and was unwilling to be annihilated, so it found me, this variable. The Heavenly Dao wants to protect me, while you want to kill me.”

The first bolt of tribulation lightning finished brewing. It roared down in fury, drowning Lu Yan’s final words between his lips and teeth.

“Am I right? Great Dao Rules.”

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