Wayfarer

Chapter 820: I've Seen the Grandmaster

In the plaza outside Shangqing Hall within the Shangqing holy land, as more and more Shangqing disciples learned of the Shangqing hierarch's demise, they began to panic.

"How could the Shangqing hierarch have fallen?"

"Where's Lady Yaoguang? Doesn't she know the truth? Just what could have happened?"

"She's inside with the division leaders and the supreme elders..."

The disciples muttered and cast glances at the closed doors of the hall.

Inside Shangqing Hall, the division leaders, supreme elders, and holy children of the Shangqing holy land had all gathered. Their gazes were fixed on Holy Maiden Yaoguang, who was standing reverently at the north of the hall and bowing toward a large statue of the Shangqing Grandmaster.

Though everyone was full of questions, they could hardly interject while she was paying respects to the Shangqing Grandmaster. A few black-robed cultivators stood beside her. Everyone watched her silently as she finished the routine and turned to face the assembly.

The high-ranking cultivators of the Shangqing holy land peppered her with questions immediately.

"Holy Maiden Yaoguang, why are you in possession of the hierarch's Deathbane Sword?"

"You claim that the hierarch has died. What happened? Did you witness his death yourself?"

"Hurry up and explain!"

The cultivators weren't particularly respectful when it came to the questioning. Though Lan Yaoguang was a holy maiden of Shangqing, to them, she was nothing more than a junior.

Holy Maiden Yaoguang turned toward them, and said, "I've met with the grandmaster."

The hall fell silent. Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief as they stared at her.

The cultivators who had been preparing to interrogate her based on their seniority abruptly found themselves at a loss for words. Who among them could take on the Shangqing Grandmaster himself?

"By the grandmaster, you mean..." one supreme elder began cautiously.

"The Shangqing Grandmaster, naturally," Lan Yaoguang replied.

The cultivators of the assembly glanced at each other.

"Holy Maiden Yaoguang, be prudent. Invoking the grandmaster's name is a grave offense," the supreme elder warned.

"I am aware," Lan Yaoguang replied. "I have returned to the Shangqing holy land on his orders. Before long, all of you will be able to meet the grandmaster and verify the truth of my words."

The cultivators looked doubtful. They wouldn't believe her so easily, but they wouldn't challenge her directly either.

"What proof do you have?" another supreme elder asked.

"This Cursebane Sword was recently wielded by the grandmaster and should still carry a trace of his aura. Please verify it, Division Leaders," Lan Yaoguang replied.

She handed the sword over.

The assembly stiffened. Could what Lan Yaoguang said be true?

The supreme elders and division leaders examined the Cursebane Sword using the secret techniques available to them.

Indeed, as claimed, they were quickly able to detect a wisp of an aura, weak but undeniably refined. The Shangqing Grandmaster had left a few relics behind in the holy land, and the division leaders familiar with his aura immediately turned to the Cursebane Sword and paid homage to it.

"It's the grandmaster's aura. There is no doubt."

"I examined the Cursebane Sword myself years ago, and the Shangqing Grandmaster's aura had long since dissipated from it. This aura is clearly new."

"Indeed, this is the grandmaster's aura."

After these senior figures of the Shangqing holy land confirmed the truth of the affair, everyone else quickly accepted Lan Yaoguang's words.

The assembly's attitude toward Holy Maiden Yaoguang changed significantly.

"Holy Maiden Yaoguang, could you tell us where you encountered the grandmaster? Did he leave us any instructions?" a division leader asked politely.

The hall fell silent as all eyes turned to her.

Lan Yaoguang, who had prepared for this conversation with Xiao Nanfeng's guidance, recognized that she had taken control of the hall.

"Division Leaders, Supreme Elders, Holy Children, I have gathered all of you here today to explain the circumstances under which I encountered the Shangqing Grandmaster, his instructions, and the death of the hierarch."

Everyone nodded fervently.

She had set the stage, and no one dared to interrupt her now.

"I will start after my meeting with the supreme elders who wielded the Earthbane and Heavenbane Swords. After they left Daliang's capital..." Lan Yaoguang began, recounting the events that had taken place thereafter. She described the situation carefully and framed it as if the Shangqing hierarch had maliciously conspired with the overseer to target her and the capital of Daliang. Then, the Shangqing hierarch and the overseer had a fallout and took each other down.

"What? How could the Shangqing hierarch do something like that? Why would he conspire against Holy Maiden Yaoguang?"

"To think he would help the overseer of the Enlightenment Grounds destroy Daliang's capital and kill the Shangqing disciples there..."

"This is unforgivable!"

The cultivators were all astounded.

Some remained skeptical of Lan Yaoguang's words, but the two supreme elders who were wielders of the four Shangqing swords corroborated her account with their own testimonies.

Of course, without the Shangqing Grandmaster's 'backing', few would have believed a mere holy maiden so easily, especially given how many of the Shangqing hierarch's supporters were present.

Even so, there were quite a few dubious cultivators.

"Allow me to continue my account. Please hold any questions for the moment," Lan Yaoguang said.

The crowd quieted down.

Lan Yaoguang continued, "After the Shangqing hierarch and the overseer perished, the Enlightenment Grounds disintegrated. At that point, the Immortal Emperor of Daliang arrived with a group of black-robed cultivators, including the former Immortal Emperor of Dahan, Han Gucheng."

"What? Han Gucheng isn't dead?!" the assembly exclaimed.

Clearly, many were familiar with Han Gucheng.

Lan Yaoguang nodded and explained how Han Gucheng had tried to seize the blue praying mat, only to be struck down by the Shangqing Grandmaster with the Cursebane Sword.

Upon hearing this, the entire hall grew silent.

Lan Yaoguang then revealed the blue praying mat. After the cultivators sensed the Shangqing Grandmaster's lingering aura on it, many immediately bowed in reverence. They were starting to believe Lan Yaoguang.

"The Shangqing Grandmaster handed the blue praying mat to me and instructed me to return to the Shangqing holy land and erect the Heavens-Extinguishing Formation, at which point he will unlock the blue moon illusory realm. Those wielders of the four Shangqing swords will then lead the disciples within to seek great opportunities within the realm."

"Indeed?" The crowd could barely contain its excitement.

"The grandmaster himself commanded it. I dare not disobey his instructions. He may very well be aware of our words and actions even now—and he may be able to sense the conduct of all within this hall."

Everyone fell silent and straightened up.

"We greet the grandmaster!" Everyone bowed deeply toward the blue praying mat.

No one dared show any disrespect to the Shangqing Grandmaster after his promise of unlocking the blue moon illusory realm. Those who had wanted to question Lan Yaoguang were now secretly relieved that they had held their tongues.

"In that case, shall we begin preparing the formation immediately?" one division leader suggested.

The crowd nodded quickly.

Lan Yaoguang, however, shook her head. "If I may, let us first discuss the matter of the new hierarch."

This time, no one objected.

The Shangqing hierarch had committed unforgivable acts against Holy Maiden Yaoguang, by attempting to cast a curse of infatuation on her; Daliang's capital, by causing its demise, and even Shangqing disciples, by leading them to their deaths. Moreover, he was dead.

No one spoke up on the former hierarch's behalf.

"Indeed, no one would dare claim Yan Ziqun as hierarch any longer. He has violated every law that Shangqing upholds. He must be stricken from our histories!"

"Yan Ziqun has committed heinous crimes. We can't have a hierarch like him!"

"Yan Ziqun got what he deserved!"

The supreme elders and division leaders on bad terms with the former Shangqing hierarch, Yan Ziqun, spoke up without hesitation. No one dared to argue in his favor, especially with the Shangqing Grandmaster tacitly supporting Lan Yaoguang.

Lan Yaoguang nodded. "Then we must discuss the matter of appointing a new hierarch."

Everyone turned to Lan Yaoguang in surprise.

"Once the Heavens-Extinguishing Formation is complete, we'll be in the presence of the grandmaster. We'll need someone to lead the Shangqing disciples in paying homage to him and accepting his directives. We would hardly want him to be displeased by the chaos otherwise," Lan Yaoguang began.

The assembly eyed each other.

With the Shangqing Grandmaster having appeared, the position of hierarch was far less significant than before, since all the Shangqing cultivators would end up obeying him instead.

Even so, before he showed himself publicly, many still coveted the position of hierarch.

"Holy Maiden Yaoguang, are you seeking that position for yourself?" a supreme elder asked, sounding conflicted.

Lan Yaoguang replied, "The grandmaster instructed that the wielders of the four Shangqing swords will lead us into the blue moon illusory realm to seek our fortunes. I already possess the Cursebane and Deathbane Swords, the latter of which I attuned to in the Shangqing Grandmaster's presence. All those who support me as hierarch, I will welcome when it comes to exploring the blue moon illusory realm."

Her declaration was straightforward, even audacious, and she risked bad publicity and the possibility of subsequently being overthrown as a result. However, she didn't care about retaining the position; she only needed the special authority that came with the position to enlist Xiao Nanfeng's followers as disciples for the subsequent venture into the illusory realm.

The crowd fell silent, clearly conflicted. Considering the Shangqing Grandmaster's instructions, it was clear that the four Shangqing swords would play a critical role in the blue moon illusory realm.

Lan Yaoguang wielded two of the swords herself, and she could very well provide double the potential rewards.

Who would dare to contest her for that position now?

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