The elder seated at the head suddenly shouted loudly to stop everyone.
The five immediately fell silent, all turning their eyes toward Elder Meng in unison.
Meng He pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. “Disperse. I will contact the Sect Master of Yiqi Sect about this matter.”
Without waiting for any response from the others, he transformed into a streak of light and flew out of the Grand Hall.
Seeing this, the others exchanged uneasy glances.
Inside the secret chamber, the formation isolated the inside from the outside. Meng He lit the Thousand Li Connecting Incense, and fragrant smoke curled upward, gradually forming the illusory image of a middle-aged cultivator.
The man wore a moon-white robe, a purple-gold crown on his head, his face square and resolute, with sword-like eyebrows slanting toward his temples. His eyes were deep and bright.
An immense aura radiated from him. Though he made no deliberate display, the air around him grew heavy with pressure—it was unmistakably Jindan cultivation!
Seeing Meng He, the middle-aged man nodded slightly. “I am already aware of your situation. Delay as much as possible. He is Jindan, and so am I. When the old Jindan dies, the new Jindan inherits—this has always been the Xianmeng’s tradition.”
“But succession also requires the Xianmeng to follow procedure, which takes time. The order to merge and restructure Sanshan Sect was activated upon the passing of your Old Sect Master. I am the first to execute it.”
“As long as the merger and restructuring order is implemented before Qingyang Daoist formally assumes the position of Sect Master, it will be a done deal. Even Qingyang True Person will be powerless.”
“At that point, it’s enough to leave him with one Deputy Sect Master position. It will also serve to divide the power of my Jindan Deputy Sect Master.”
The middle-aged man was none other than the Sect Master of Yiqi Sect, a confident smile playing on his lips.
“No!” Meng He gritted his teeth, his face twisted with rage.
“To be safe, I intend to contact Youlu!”
“You’re crazy!” The Sect Master of Yiqi Sect’s expression changed drastically. “Assassinating a Jindan is one thing, but Youlu is an assassination organization spanning five domains. Contacting them privately—if this leaks, even a Jindan like me could end up on the Execution Platform!”
“It’s only as a precaution.”
Meng He’s expression gradually calmed. “Rest assured, True Person, I will not act unless absolutely necessary.”
“Good.”
The Sect Master of Yiqi Sect breathed a sigh of relief, then looked deeply at Meng He. “Perhaps only someone as ruthless as you can survive in this cutthroat Xianmeng.”
“True Person flatters me.”
“No need for that. Once this is over, I will fulfill our agreement, pooling the strength of both sects to help you achieve Jindan. Afterwards, you will help me suppress that increasingly unruly Deputy Sect Master and assist me in reclaiming power.”
“You want Jindan, I want power. That is the Treaty of That Year.”
“Now, stir the waters—the murkier, the better. I will contact my comrades in the Xianmeng and pull some strings to get the order implemented as soon as possible.”
“Yes.” Meng He bowed his head. In his deep eyes blazed a fierce fire.
……
One day, word suddenly spread across Daotian like wildfire: A Jindan demon cultivator attacked the Ten-Thousand Souls Shadow City, killing over ten thousand, while Qingyang Daoist remained unscathed.
Suspicious circumstances abound.
For the sake of the Xianmeng’s thousands of cultivators and internal security, a thorough investigation is urged!
As soon as the news broke, countless cultivators flocked to comment—some in support, some in opposition, others merely bystanders, while some opportunistically sold Communication Daoist Artifacts. It turned into a massive, chaotic debate.
Rumors surfaced of a terrifying demon disguised as a cultivator descending on the Xuahuang Wujishi.
A forbidden possession demon approached Baicao Valley.
Rebels threatening cultivator safety and Xianmeng stability infiltrated Sanshan Sect territory.
Qingyang Daoist once again recruited a dispatched Foundation Establishment.
The Jindan True Person Qingyang Daoist approached the long-silent Sanshan Sect.
The exceedingly noble Qingyang Sect Master was to arrive at their loyal Sanshan Sect today!
Su Xiaobei withdrew his divine sense from Daotian, his mind dizzy from the endless flood of garbage information, making him stagger as he walked.
Once his head cleared slightly, he looked around. Including Su Bai, six or seven cultivators sat cross-legged on the deck, surrounded by countless floating Daoist artifacts for communicating with Daotian.
If you don’t fight for your position in the battle of public opinion, naturally enemies will take it.
Su Xiaobei recalled Su Bai’s recent mutterings, then saw her opening small accounts with the other Foundation Establishment cultivators, rapidly posting who-knows-how-many comments.
“So hungry~”
“Craving Peach Blossom Soup~~”
Su Xiaobei stared at Su Bai with wide eyes. His stomach rumbled loudly, but his master was serious about work and would ignore everything else. Even if he shook her awake, she’d just toss him a Bigu Pill and tell him to play elsewhere.
“Tsk~ Little brat, you’re the most embarrassing Prison Master we’ve ever seen.”
“Peach Blossom Soup? What’s so good about that? My harem’s milk slaves and peach slaves are far better—playable and edible.”
“Always playing with women every day. Old Lu, you fell into a woman’s bosom and can’t get out! Hahaha!!”
The strange, complicated buzzing returned, but Su Xiaobei was used to it by now. He increasingly believed he’d damaged his brain in battle and would need to take several more healing pills after returning to the sect.
Time flew.
A large, magnificent flying boat sliced through the sky and slowly arrived outside Sanshan Sect’s towering formation, then hovered silently like a floating city.
Sanshan Sect—the mountain where the Old Sect Master once resided—stood alone among countless peaks. Even with the naked eye, that peak evoked a strange feeling, as if it was the most beautiful and magnificent mountain anyone had ever seen.
However, since the Old Sect Master’s passing, the spiritual energy here had shifted drastically.
Now, a massive Bronze Bell stood atop the mountain peak, covered with intricate and profound patterns, trembling on its own.
Boom!
A tremendous sound!
The sect elders gathered in the Grand Hall.
Boom!
Two tremendous sounds!
All disciples assembled in the Martial Arts Hall.
Boom!!
Three tremendous sounds!
All Sanshan Sect cultivators returned to the sect. Anyone absent without reason would be charged with sect betrayal!
In the Grand Hall, Meng He gazed at the giant flying boat beyond the formation. With a flash, he appeared before it, bowed deeply with his robe held tightly.
“Greetings, Elder Su. Congratulations on achieving Jindan. Longevity is in sight!”
“Meng junior brother.”
A clear, gentle female voice rang out, and a Qingyang aura shimmered upward from the boat, dazzling and radiant, piercing heaven and earth and illuminating the surroundings.
Then, a woman appeared, wrapped in a cyan robe, graceful and ethereal.
She smiled faintly, glanced at Meng He, and coldly snorted.
“I have not yet inherited the position of Sect Master. Within the sect, you may call me ‘Elder Su,’ but outside the sect, what should you call me?”
The Qingyang radiance flared like the midday sun, crossing the world. Meng He’s face paled, blood surged backward, and he fell to his knees, head bowed below his chest.
“True Person.”
Su Bai nodded slightly, lifted Meng He up, then vanished in an instant, reappearing inside the Grand Hall.
The hall was solemn and majestic, lined with standing elders on both sides.
Releasing Meng He, Su Bai tossed him aside and strode toward the head seat of the Grand Hall.
Directly to the chair symbolizing power and the Sect Master’s position.
Under the astonished gazes of Foundation Establishment elders and the stunned eyes of all disciples.
The elder sent to stop her hesitated, unsure whether to call Su Bai to halt.
Meanwhile, Zhao Shanming and the other newly arrived Foundation Establishment cultivators grew excited.
The crowd surged into the hall.
Su Bai took the place of the elder without ceremony, confidently stepping onto the jade stairs.
One step, two steps, three steps…
At that moment, a retreating light shot down from the Bronze Bell peak to the hall’s perimeter, transforming into a figure. Handsome, robed, it was Zhang Sanhong.
Su Bai ascended step by step until she reached the chair, then abruptly turned around.
A radiant Qingyang aura blazed behind her, brighter and brighter. The sun in the sky illuminated all directions!
Su Bai plopped down in the chair and looked down at the gathered crowd.
“Greetings, Sect Master!”
Zhao Shanming led the Foundation Establishment cultivators below, waving their robes and bowing in unison.
“Congratulations, Sect Master, on achieving Jindan. May you live a thousand years, transcend the mortal world, and gain the promise of eternal life!”
Outside the hall, other cultivators and disciples quickly bowed their heads and cupped their hands.
“Greetings, Sect Master!!!”
“Congratulations, Sect Master, on your Jindan achievement. Longevity is assured!!”
Over ten thousand voices rang out.
Even within the elder faction, some wavered, bowed in submission, and shouted congratulations!
“Achieved Jindan, longevity assured!”
“Achieved Jindan, longevity assured!!”
“Achieved Jindan, longevity assured!!!”
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