Chapter 77 – Imminent war
After returning from Shangqing Sect, Yin Hanjiang shut himself in for an entire month. The seventh was tomorrow and Zhongli Qian had already prepared everything, pressuring the great sects so that they had no choice but to come, but would Yin Hanjiang be ready tomorrow?
While the two sect leaders secluded themselves, Zhongli Qian had to use various methods to “reassure” the Altar Masters and motivate the exceedingly lazy and individualistic Xuanyuan Sect key members to do work. He had finally completed the tasks the two sect leaders had set out for him, and when he thought he’d finally be free, the two refused to emerge.
In truth, the tracking curse and heart-linking parasite didn’t really matter to him. After thirty years, he’d long gotten used to them. Besides, after Baili Qingmiao reached Mahayana, he wouldn’t need the Altar Masters, as if he and Baili Qingmiao joined forces, they could simultaneously break the curse and expel the parasites.
As for this position as Altar Master, Zhongli Qian truly didn’t want it anymore. He hoped after the Blood Demon was dealt with, the sect leaders could let him free to wander the world as he pleased and prepare for his tribulation.
“Altar Master Zhongli.” The soft and feminine Altar Master Miao came up to him. “After you helped me tweak the method for raising king gu, I really have seen results. It’s already made a cocoon, and when it emerges in a few days, it should have the power to kill a wandering immortal. I really must thank you. Also, I have a few other ideas, and after the king gu emerges I’d like to raise a few more gu with different effects, so I hope Altar Master Zhongli will help out then too.”
Zhongli Qian maintained a faint smile, not mentioning how he had already decided to leave Xuanyuan Sect after everything was over tomorrow.
“Move!” Altar Master Ruan pushed aside Altar Master Miao. “Altar Master Zhongli, what you said was right. Things will tip back when at their extremes, so everything is at its strongest when it can find an equilibrium. After I added some flexibility to my Xuanwu Armor, its defensive power has skyrocketed. I grabbed a few gu and they were unable to burrow through my armor. In the past, they’d always find a way in.”
Altar Master Miao paled. “Ruan Weiyi, you stole my gu?”
“No way, I just borrowed a few of the righteous disciples,” Altar Master Ruan said, stiff-faced.
“Sir Zhongli, Sir Zhongli!” Helian Chu rushed over, holding a book. “Thank you so much for your pointers. When I presented the poem I wrote with your advice to the Protector, she especially favored me. I’ve written another poem today, so can you help me edit it?”
Zhongli Qian smiled slightly.
“Cough cough cough!” Altar Master Shi piled in. “Altar Master Zhongli, there’s still a point I don’t understand in desire of the seven sufferings, can you…”
Zhongli Qian kept smiling.
He didn’t have power that far surpassed the cultivation realm like Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang, so in order to get the Altar Masters working for him, he had to coax them a little and get them helping him of their own free will.
The four Altar Masters of the Xuanyuan Sect crowding cheerfully together was truly a sight unprecedented since the sect’s founding. With a yawn, Shu Yanyan leaned against a doorframe, watching them, a bit puzzled over whether Helian Chu was asking Zhongli Qian for poetry help in order to kiss up to her, or if he really wanted to spend more time with Zhongli Qian.
“What’s the racket?” A black-robed woman with a frosty expression marched into the hall—Qiu Congxue.
She hadn’t been in a good mood lately. It had taken a lot of effort to get rid of her flesh, but it had all regrown. Even though she’d risen in strength again, and it wouldn’t take long for her to ascend to the immortal realm, she was still unhappy.
Baili Qingmiao and Su Huai followed her. Baili Qingmiao wanted to leave Xuanyuan Sect. Her sect had never kicked her out, so she was still a Shangqing Sect disciple, and she really felt out of place in Xuanyuan Sect’s environment. Plus, the ghost taking care of her was the Violet Spirit Pavilion Master whom Qiu Congxue had refined into a puppet. She felt like she was sitting on needles all day and really looked forward to departing after the gathering.
In the past, that one line from Qiu Congxue would’ve had all the Altar Masters scuffling with her, but now Zhongli Qian was here. He greeted Qiu Congxue while unobtrusively placating the Altar Masters, preventing conflict from breaking out.
“Did Altar Master Zhongli call us all here in order to prepare for tomorrow?” Yawning, Shu Yanyan slowly wandered up.
“Precisely,” Zhongli Qian said. “Tomorrow, the righteous cultivators might turn on us, so we should be prepared. Everyone here is a pillar of Xuanyuan Sect, and even if one person gets injured, it’d be a loss to us. Sect Leader Yin isn’t allowing us to set an array in advance, but we at least have to take defensive measures.”
With just a few skillful words, he had all the Altar Masters looking proud of themselves, and even Altar Master Shi, who had his guard up toward Zhongli Qian, decided he was a decent guy.
Suddenly, a black blur flew into the main hall. In a clear voice, he said, “No need for preparations. Just follow this Venerable.”
It was Wenren È.
With a wave of his sleeve, he transformed the head seat into two. After Wenren È seated himself on the left one, another man in red flew in, sitting down at Wenren È’s right-hand side—Yin Hanjiang.
The sect members, all huddling in a group, instantly took their places, saying simultaneously, “Greetings to the Venerable.”
Everyone stopped there, with only Shu Yanyan and Zhongli Qian going on to say, “Greetings to Sect Leader Yin.”
Everyone hurried to greet Yin Hanjiang. Though deferential and polite, they secretly observed Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang together, and were bewildered.
According to Xuanyuan Sect’s customs, when Wenren È was gone, Yin Hanjiang took his position, so when Wenren È returned, shouldn’t he teach the new Sect Leader a lesson and take his seat back? How come they hadn’t fought?
Shi Congxin was especially worried. He had wanted to support Sect Leader Yin, but who could’ve imagined that the two leaders would settle everything amicably? Who should he kiss up to now?
He secretly looked at Zhongli Qian and felt bitterness in his heart. Zhongli Qian had been the confidant of both sect leaders from the beginning. How was he so perceptive?
Sweeping his gaze over the assembled crowd, Wenren È spoke calmly, with his right hand holding Yin Hanjiang’s left. “Today, I have an announcement. From now on, Yin Hanjiang is Sect Master of Xuanyuan Sect alongside me. His words should be considered this Venerable’s words. If my ideas conflict with his, you should listen to Sect Master Yin.”
The two’s auras had now far surpassed the cultivation realm. No one understood why these two villains hadn’t been taken by a heavenly tribulation to the immortal realm, and were still lingering about the cultivation realm. They didn’t dare to question though, and only answered obediently, “Understood.”
Shu Yanyan bowed her head, cursing in her heart. “After learning my techniques, you only secluded for one month? Useless!”
When she lifted her head, her face was filled with smiles like usual, as she decided she couldn’t just tutor Yin Hanjiang, the key to having them seclude for longer would be Wenren È.
Though everyone’s thoughts were going in wild directions, Zhongli Qian’s attitude was unwavering from the start. He took a step forward. “Reporting to the two Sect Masters, everything has been arranged. At noon tomorrow, the righteous sects and cultivation clans will gather at True Yin Mountain. The message carriers have brought info that they’ve already set up a Heavenly Net Array at True Yin Mountain and are awaiting us.”
“Oh?” Yin Hanjiang seemed a bit tired. Propping himself up one one arm, he lazily swept a gaze over Zhongli Qian. “How did you manage to get them to come quietly?”
Zhongli Qian smiled lightly. “I simply asked the message carriers to investigate a few matters, and found out several secrets from the righteous disciples Sect Master Yin captured earlier. I sent word to each of the sects that if they didn’t attend, these matters would be spread to the public, so naturally they each had to come.”
“Well done,” Yin Hanjiang praised.
“It was Sect Master Yin who originally captured the disciples. I also had Altar Masters Shi and Miao’s help, and Protectors Shu and Qiu went out to interrogate righteous cultivators. Also, Altar Master Ruan led the members of his Tortoise Shell Pavilion to handle the cowards harassing Xuanyuan Sect. I only made use of everyone else’s abilities,” Zhongli Qian said. “One person can’t accomplish much alone. I was only able to complete the two Sect Masters’ tasks in a month thanks to the Xuanyuan Sect members acting in harmony and working toward a common goal.”
He made everyone happy with those words, and several people puffed out their chests unconsciously.
Wenren È fell into thought, wondering when his Xuanyuan Sect had become something that could be described as “acting in harmony”.
Yin Hanjiang was tired, and hearing that Zhongli Qian had gotten everything done flawlessly, didn’t feel like speaking. He closed his eyes, leaning back against the chair. The interpersonal relationships of the sect members were nothing to him, as long as they didn’t fight in front of him.
Wenren È saw he was resting and knew he wanted to save his strength for tomorrow, so turned the topic back. “Zhongli Qian, you’ve done admirably. Altar Master Shi, Altar Master Miao, immediately remove the tracking curse and heart-linking gu from Altar Master Zhongli. We’ve been rude to Sir Zhongli over the past thirty years.”
Zhongli Qian shook his head. “It is thanks to the Sect Master that I can be here today, after I was given the opportunity to leave the Zhongli clan.”
The Zhongli clan’s prestige, influence, and power were what the disciples of other clans longed for, but to Zhongli Qian, who had been brought up as an heir from his birth, they were only chains. From youth, his cultivation had progressed faster than his fellow disciples, but no one recognized it as his own talent, just the prestige that he carried. The Zhongli clan didn’t need Zhongli Qian. They just needed a person who could gather prestige. It could be Zhongli Qian or anyone with the name Zhongli.
He had always wanted to know what kind of person he would be if he left the Zhongli clan. If he followed his own ideas, what path would he walk down? With his own power, could he open the way to the heavens?
Now, he knew the answers.
After the curse and gu were removed, Zhongli Qian took off his blindfold. The Xuanyuan Sect main hall was bathed in sunbeams. He blinked a few times, feeling like the world he saw was different from what he remembered. His hair also slowly returned to black.
Baili Qingmiao also removed the blindfold around her left eye. Her heart felt lightened, knowing that they had finally reached the end of their journey together. From now on, she and Zhongli Qian would part ways, each walking their own paths.
They shared a smile with each other and bowed with cupped hands, thanking each other for their companionship and wishing each other well on their future journeys.
Seeing that they had finished their farewells, Wenren È said, “There’s no need to prepare too much for tomorrow. Just follow this Venerable closely. The righteous sects’ traps will be nothing to this Venerable. As for how Hè Wenzhao should be dealt with and how we’ll negotiate with the righteous sects, that can all be left to Sect Master Yin, so you don’t need to interfere.”
The battle at the Blood Hell had been planned by Wenren È. He had only used the righteous sects and the Blood Demon to achieve his goal. This grudge didn’t belong to Wenren È, just Yin Hanjiang.
Yin Hanjiang hated the righteous sects’ blind slandering of Wenren È, and how their scum had pushed countless crimes onto his Venerable.
Wenren È didn’t care about empty fame, but Yin Hanjiang did.
Tomorrow, he would bring forth Hè Wenzhao and let the righteous cultivators see just how much filth hid beneath their dignified facades.