Chapter 1069: Clusters of Green Clouds, Jade Purity Palace
The peach blossoms of Shenxiao City were as renowned throughout the world as those of Xuan Du Temple.
Dong Huafu had built a thatched hut here to practice his sword, unaware of the cold and heat beyond the city.
The other eight fellow sword cultivators from his hometown had all begun practicing the dozen or so sword techniques that Shenxiao City had imparted to them as an exception. For ordinary Yushu City Daoist officials, even if they were sword cultivators, obtaining these superior sword secrets required them to honestly rely on their realm and accumulated merits.
Only Dong Huafu silently memorized those sword techniques without ever practicing these sword secrets that money could not buy.
Beyond that, Dong Huafu was the only one among the nine who had not yet received an ordination certificate from the White Jade Capital's Yushu City. There had been some internal discussion in Yushu City about this matter, but Wang Qing had suppressed it all. Wang Qing, one of the two Vice City Lords of Shenxiao City, was a middle-aged Daoist wearing a golden hibiscus crown. With a gentle demeanor and an easygoing manner, he often came to the thatched hut to chat with Dong Huafu.
Currently, the position of Shenxiao City Lord remained vacant, and there were many differing opinions on who should govern the city.
Of the two Vice City Lords, Wang Qing was an Immortal realm cultivator, while the other, a female Daoist with the Dao name "Ink Dipper" named Xiao Feibai, was also an Immortal. However, she was also a Daoist Sword Immortal with exceptional swordsmanship, so Xiao Feibai had more support than Wang Qing to fill the vacancy for City Lord. The interesting part was that Xiao Feibai and Wang Qing were Daoist partners, so no matter who took over Shenxiao City, it would be like keeping good fortune within the family.
The problem was that this pair of Daoist partners were only at the Immortal realm, which made them somewhat "mediocre" for the role of City Lord.
Thus, a variable had appeared recently with the arrival of an outsider in Shenxiao City—the sword cultivator Hao Su.
Although this Criminal Officer was obscure on the Sword Qi Great Wall, not even among the top ten sword immortals on the city wall, his fame bloomed outside his own garden. In the Haoran World, he had beheaded the Ascension realm cultivator Nan Guangzhao with his sword, and in the Barbarian World, he had beheaded the Ascension realm great demon Xuan Pu, who was also the City Lord of the so-called highest city in the human world, Xian Zan City.
Therefore, Daoist officials in the five cities and twelve towers, including Shenxiao City, were now speculating whether Hao Su might directly become the City Lord of Shenxiao City.
A guest had come to the thatched hut. As per the usual rule, the host was very poor, so the guest was asked to bring their own alcohol—this was called robbing the rich to feed the poor.
Dong Huafu raised a white bowl and took a sip of the peach nectar immortal brew, which tasted good no matter how he drank it. He asked curiously, "Criminal Officer, I heard you're about to become a high-ranking official again?"
According to the Second Shopkeeper, drinking wine from a cup instead of a bowl reduces the flavor by at least half.
The other eight fellow townsmen had all become Daoists in Shenxiao City and were doing quite well. They often came here to chat about the rumors from various cities and towers of the White Jade Capital.
When those eight young sword cultivators occasionally encountered bottlenecks in their cultivation, they would go to Hao Su to ask for guidance. At first, Hao Su would explain everything in detail, but soon he established a rule for them: one question per realm. That meant each sword cultivator could only ask Hao Su once within a given realm; the next question had to wait until they broke through to the next realm.
The sword cultivator before him was clearly "one of their own," and he had such good fortune in officialdom—he could become an official anywhere he went. How enviable.
Hao Su shook his head with a smile. "Rumors. I made an agreement with Lu Chen before I came: I'll only serve as a guest official of Shenxiao City."
Dong Huafu asked, "Are you being clever by pretending you can't get the position, or can you actually get it but just don't want to?"
Hao Su said, "I can get it if I want, but there's no need. Too many worldly affairs would only slow down my sword training."
Dong Huafu raised his wine bowl, holding it in midair, and asked, "Is that the reason the Criminal Officer never drew his sword on the Sword Qi Great Wall?"
Hao Su's expression darkened, and he shook his head. "There are some difficulties. I didn't dare to die. But the fact that I never drew my sword to kill demons remains. I have failed the trust of the Great Sword Immortal."
On the battlefield of the Sword Qi Great Wall, every time a Sword Immortal was lured out of the city to fight, every time a Barbarian World great demon acted arrogantly or seemingly recklessly, it was often part of a far-reaching and insidious scheme. The Barbarian World would stop at nothing to earn the merit of killing a Sword Immortal. The bait they set could be the encirclement—without killing—of certain young sword cultivators on the Sword Qi Great Wall, or it could be Barbarian World demons forced by greater demons to risk their lives as decoys. It was said on the drinking tables of the Sword Qi Great Wall, a saying that reportedly originated from the Summer Retreat Palace, that for every Sword Immortal who grew up, at least five "future" Sword Immortals had died.
Dong Huafu nodded and grinned. "With such a high official position and a high realm, and still willing to say such humble words to a junior like me, the Criminal Officer has some conscience. Every family has its own troubles. Let's not talk about it. Cheers."
This was another reason Hao Su was willing to bring wine here to "be scolded." At least here, he could hear some sincere words. Regardless of realm, on the drinking tables of the human world, everyone was equal.
Dong Huafu asked, "With the Criminal Officer's realm, why don't you go to another city for a better position?"
An Ascension realm sword cultivator was a hot commodity anywhere.
Currently, among the five cities and twelve towers of the White Jade Capital, Shenxiao City's position was neither high nor low.
Hao Su said, "I still hold the title of former Criminal Officer, so I can take care of you all here."
Over at Ascension City in the Colorful World, the new Criminal Officer was Qi Shou, while Ning Yao was only the acting Hidden Officer. So, strictly speaking, Hao Su was indeed the former Criminal Officer.
Dong Huafu looked into the distance. The giant city hung high, with ethereal immortal energy.
Lingbao City was where the Second Sect Leader Yu Dou attained the Dao, while Nanhua City was the dojo of the Third Sect Leader Lu Chen.
Qingcui City, also known as Jade Emperor City, had been the place where the Great Sect Leader Kou Ming transmitted the Dao. It was the first city built by the White Jade Capital, with only the Purple Qi Tower, built personally by the Dao Ancestor, being its "peer" in age.
As for the Cloud Water Tower and the Luminous Tower among the twelve towers, both were Dao lineages passed down by the Great Sect Leader.
For unknown reasons, Jiang Yunsheng, who had just become the City Lord of Qingcui City a few days ago, soon went into seclusion.
The outside world speculated that Jiang Yunsheng had obtained a tremendous fortune and was about to achieve the feat of breaking through two realms within a few years to attain Ascension.
In reality, this speculation was both right and wrong.
Inside a Daoist sleeve of Sect Leader Lu Chen, which he had named "Beat All the Clever Ones in the World," there had once been an Outer Heavenly Demon captured from beyond the heavens. He had quietly thrown it into the Dao heart of Jiang Yunsheng, who was "rising in rank and getting rich." This was the so-called "a ten-foot Dao, a ten-foot demon." The City Lord of Qingcui City was not an easy position. If Jiang Yunsheng could not overcome the demon in his heart, he might have to undergo reincarnation immediately.
The Vice Tower Lords of the twelve towers numbered at most two, and only Daoist officials at the Immortal realm were qualified for the position.
However, the number of Vice City Lords for the five cities was not fixed, ranging from one to three, depending solely on the City Lord's preference.
The heights of the five cities and twelve towers rose and fell to varying degrees based on the accumulation of merits every sixty-year cycle.
Dong Huafu asked curiously, "Criminal Officer, do you know where the Great Sect Leader went?"
Hao Su smiled. "Such top-tier secrets of the White Jade Capital—how would an outsider like me know? Next time Lu Chen comes to visit, you can ask him yourself."
He had to admit, Lu Chen was an interesting person.
The immortal peaches of Shenxiao City and the Jade Emperor plums of Qingcui City were both recognized as immortal delicacies throughout the world.
Qingcui City was located at the northernmost part of the White Jade Capital.
One city possessed one of the ten great grotto-heavens, the Jade Emperor Grotto-Heaven; two of the thirty-six grotto-heavens, the "Spirit Stalk Grotto-Heaven" and the "Axe Handle Grotto-Heaven"; and also occupied three of the seventy-two blessed lands.
This was unique in the entire White Jade Capital, and even looking across several worlds, no second such place could be found.
In the Azure Underworld, mountain luck was the most abundant.
Heaven divided into yin and yang. When the cosmos opened and the clear and turbid began to separate, the clear rose to form seas, rivers, and streams, while the turbid descended to form mountains and ranges. Spiritual energy formed peaks, and beneath the earth, they hid grotto-heavens and blessed lands.
Within the territory of the Fourteen Prefectures, no country spoke of the "Five Sacred Mountains," but each prefecture had a famous mountain with the title "Zhen" (Guardian). Among them, four major prefectures, including You Prefecture, could also bear the title "Yue" (Peak), somewhat analogous to a minister of a ministry concurrently holding the title of Grand Preceptor or Grand Tutor in the mortal world. The other ten Guardian mountains that did not receive the Yue title only bore the Guardian title, so they were commonly called the Four Yue Guardians and Ten Guardians. Each "Yue Guardian" had its own Pure Chamber for the mountain god, while the other ten mountain lords had slightly lower divine positions.
Today, the two Vice City Lords who were supposed to attend the Jade Purity Palace meeting came together to the thatched hut.
Hao Su could naturally see that they had come in the form of their yin spirits leaving their bodies. For the eternal enterprise and incense transmission of Shenxiao City, this couple had truly put great effort into it.
As expected, Wang Qing addressed him by name and went straight to the point: "Hao Su, while the Jade Purity Palace has yet to discuss your position, my wife and I are both willing to recommend you as the City Lord of Shenxiao City. If you nod in agreement, our true bodies over at the Jade Purity Palace will have the confidence to propose this to the two Sect Leaders."
The entire ancestral hall of Shenxiao City had already made a decision, and they all felt that making Hao Su the City Lord was feasible.
Hao Su didn't mince words and directly shook his head. "That's a hot potato. I'd rather not eat it."
For a sword cultivator, everything was illusory except for realm, which was the most real.
Hao Su's sole ambition was to become a fourteen-realm pure sword cultivator; he had no other desires.
Hao Su said frankly, "Shenxiao City's foundation is limited. If it were the City Lord of Qingcui City, I might consider it."
If he became the City Lord there, he could legitimately occupy one of the grotto-heavens and turn it into his dojo, making sword training twice as efficient with half the effort.
In Shenxiao City, which only had one blessed land, Hao Su didn't see any real benefit in becoming City Lord. For an empty title, he would have to constantly divert his attention to worldly matters—not worth it.
Xiao Feibai smiled bitterly and said nothing. She looked at her husband—you guessed it. He really didn't think much of a Shenxiao City that was "like a clever housewife without rice to cook."
The five cities of the White Jade Capital were: Qingcui City, Lingbao City, Nanhua City, Yushu City, and Shenxiao City.
Previously, because Shenxiao City had produced nine sword cultivators, its position, which had been dropping again and again, finally rose by a hundred zhang. But a hundred zhang was negligible in the towering White Jade Capital.
Still, Shenxiao City had at least halted its decline, which was more important than anything else.
Although Qingcui City had been descending since the Great Sect Leader stepped down as City Lord, and its "landing" height had been the greatest among the five cities, it had the advantage of a thick family fortune. "The twelve towers of the Jade Capital tower high against the green and lush" was not an exaggeration. Compared to that, Shenxiao City was like someone who only had a Small Summer Coin to their name, while the other held a Grain Rain Coin. So if both spent a Snow Coin, who was more wasteful? The answer was obvious.
Currently, Shenxiao City's height had been at the bottom ever since it was surpassed by Yushu City. The problem wasn't just being last among the five cities; in the last five hundred years, it had been overtaken by two towers as well. If this continued, Shenxiao City would truly live up to its name in name only. As some harsh words from the outside prefectures said, it might as well be renamed "Shenxiao Tower," and its ranking would sound much better.
The old City Lord Yao Kejiu, with the Dao name "Imitating Antiquity," had already perished on the Sword Qi Great Wall, his body and Dao gone.
The old Daoist was also the master of Wang Qing and Xiao Feibai.
The city had over six thousand Daoist officials, but there was a gap in talent between the old and new generations.
For nearly a thousand years, there hadn't been a single Daoist official of great talent who could confidently claim to have the qualifications to attain Ascension.
Wang Qing and Xiao Feibai both believed they had no hope of reaching the Ascension realm in this lifetime. Thus, the next City Lord of Shenxiao City had to have a sufficient realm to shoulder the burden, continue the incense of Shenxiao City, and revitalize the Dao lineage.
Hao Su clasped his fists. "I'm truly sorry to have let you down."
Wang Qing sighed, unable to hide his disappointment. Still, he smiled slightly and said, "I won't force you. Having you as a guest official of Shenxiao City is already a great fortune."
After the two Vice City Lords took their leave, Hao Su smiled. "Dong Charcoal, do you really think so highly of the Hidden Officer?"
Dong Huafu nodded. "I'm too lazy to use my brain. He thinks things through thoroughly, and Chen Ping'an has an aura about him that I can't quite put into words. It's not common."
Hao Su asked, "Tell me about it."
In truth, as the Criminal Officer, he hadn't known the Hidden Officer Chen Ping'an very long, nor had they spoken much.
Dong Huafu hesitated for a moment. "Just a feeling. For example, even if I don't know you while walking on the road, I can sense the 'qi' around you. Vice City Lord Xiao Feibai is even more so. One look and you know you're not to be trifled with. Even those fellow townsmen—younger and lower in realm than me—I can clearly feel the 'qi' around them growing heavier day by day. Daoist qi, immortal qi, heroic qi, wealth qi, official qi, scholarly qi, aloof pride, the arrogance of the petty man who attains his ambition, the intimidating aura of being aggressive... Anyway, there are many. They're all vague feelings. Wang Qing might be an exception, so he's a bit like Chen Ping'an."
Hao Su was silent for a moment, then said a single word: "Calm."
Dong Huafu took a sip of his wine and nodded. "That's the feeling. The way he walks, talks, his expression, his gaze, the way he sits down to drink—Wang Qing gives me the feeling of being very calm. And it's not that aloofness or the sense of detachment that comes from being without desires. On the contrary, he's very full of human vitality. But no matter his status, he carries it well. You may not click with such a person, but it's hard to dislike them."
At the highest point of the White Jade Capital, there was no formal name, commonly called the Upper Clarity Pavilion.
The Dao Ancestor occasionally preached here. By rule, except for the three Sect Leaders and the youngest Daoist disciple "Mountain Green," no one was allowed to set foot here without permission.
The ancestral hall of the White Jade Capital was called the Grand Clarity Hall. Apart from the Dao Ancestor and the three Sect Leaders, it only displayed portraits of past Ascension realm Daoist officials.
However, the "ancestral hall" meetings of the White Jade Capital were held in a place called the Jade Purity Palace, a landscape secret realm that was a world within a world, not within the boundaries of any city or tower.
Today, the Jade Purity Palace was hosting a large-scale meeting.
Those qualified to attend included the city lords, tower lords, and their deputies from the five cities and twelve towers, as well as specially invited Celestial Immortal Daoist officials who were "burdened by no office and thus light." They were very old and had deep experience—some of the most respected old Celestial Lords had even served as full-time city lords or tower lords for many years.
The Jade Purity Palace hung as if in the void amidst emptiness.
Clusters of green clouds rolled, and Daoist officials stood or sat.
During the closed-door meeting, one agenda item was a suggestion by Sect Leader Lu Chen: that the sword cultivator Hao Su, serving as a guest official of Shenxiao City, would have half of his merits from moving the Bright Moon and Brilliant Colors to the Azure Underworld deducted in advance. In the future, if Hao Su killed an Ascension realm cultivator in the Azure Underworld, the White Jade Capital would not investigate. As for matters outside the White Jade Capital, they would be handled accordingly. As long as Hao Su went out, he could take revenge as he wished—the White Jade Capital would also not interfere.
According to the rules of the Jade Purity Palace, Daoist officials attending the meeting could reject any decree from the three Sect Leaders. However, today, seeing that Sect Leader Yu Dou had nothing to say, most went along with the flow and didn't oppose Sect Leader Lu Chen.
But then Lu Chen added something, and the meeting hall was no longer so silent. Some Daoists let out cold laughs.
It turned out that Sect Leader Lu Chen was acting up again, proposing that Hao Su's remaining half of the merits could be used to challenge any Daoist official within the White Jade Capital to a sword duel, again without consequences.
Seeing the situation go south, Sect Leader Lu Chen became anxious.
In fact, he had previously found a few friends, brothers, and seniors whom he considered close, and they had all agreed. Sect Leader Lu Chen had personally visited them, talked things over, and gotten their consent.
For example, before coming to the Jade Purity Palace meeting, Tower Lord Wang Dongzhi of the Luminous Tower had just hosted Sect Leader Lu Chen with a cup of clear tea.
Sect Leader Lu Chen had talked with spittle flying, describing how he had gone through hardships, perilous situations, and life-threatening dangers to pick up a coral brush rest from the Barbarian World's Jade Plate City... Today during the meeting, no matter what I say, Wang Dongzhi, you have to nod and support your brother, right?
It seemed those ungrateful fellows couldn't be relied upon.
No matter, I still have my senior brother!
Yu Dou, looking at his junior brother, the "talisman," finally spoke.
During the hundred-year period when Lu Chen governed the White Jade Capital, if Shenxiao City guest official Hao Su challenged anyone to a sword duel, besides deducting the remaining half of his merits from moving the moon, the deduction would also be taken from Lu Chen's own merits.
"Lu Chen" immediately clarified: "Everyone, let's be clear—it's deducted from Nanhua City's merits. The debt has its owner. If anyone wants revenge in the future, find Hao Su. A thousand times, ten thousand times, don't come looking for trouble with me!"
Madam Wei smiled and corrected him: "To be precise, what City Lord Lu just said is wrong. It's deducted from 'Sect Leader Lu Chen's' merits, not from our Nanhua City. We must separate public and private matters."
The other two vice city lords of Nanhua City publicly echoed Madam Wei, showing no respect for their own city lord.
With Sect Leader Lu acting as city lord to this extent, there was nothing more to say. This was called winning people's hearts.
Lu Chen looked at Wang Qing, who shook his head.
Lu Chen felt a bit regretful. In truth, Hao Su would be very suitable as City Lord of Shenxiao City.
But there was no helping it—Shenxiao City couldn't provide Hao Su with the private dojo he wanted. As for Qingcui City, Hao Su certainly shouldn't govern that city. If Lu Chen dared to bring that up, the Jade Purity Palace would drown Sect Leader Lu in spittle today. Besides, the number of vice city lords was already full, or rather, had always been fixed. With his senior brother not in the White Jade Capital, even if Lu Chen had some ideas, given Senior Brother Yu's temperament, he wouldn't agree. Otherwise, it wouldn't be bad for Hao Su to transfer to Qingcui City as a vice city lord.
Xiao Feibai signaled with her eyes for Sect Leader Lu to say a few fair words, regardless of what Hao Su thought. Make it a fait accompli, claim it was a resolution of the Jade Purity Palace, and force Hao Su into the position.
Sect Leader Lu, however, yawned loudly and began to close his eyes in meditation.
The oldest Daoist officials in the Jade Purity Palace today were, of course, the old-timers of the White Jade Capital like Huang Jieshou and Pang Ding.
But there were also two of the youngest juniors, who had been allowed to attend the meeting as an exception. They were far too young, standing in the Jade Purity Palace like young green cranes on top of green clouds.
Recently, several major events had occurred in the White Jade Capital.
First, nine sword cultivators from the Sword Qi Great Wall had entered Shenxiao City to practice their swordsmanship. It was said that one young sword cultivator named Dong had exceptional talent, and he was also a descendant of Dong San'geng.
Second, Sect Leader Yu Dou, who had not taken a disciple for a long time, finally accepted a personal disciple from the Haoran World after six hundred years.
Third, the Criminal Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall, Hao Su, had flown his sword from the Bright Moon Brilliant Colors to Shenxiao City and settled there. It was said that the White Jade Capital might offer him a city lord position.
In the past, the "Dao boy" Jiang Yunsheng, who had guarded the gate of the Inverted Suspension Mountain, had just entered the Immortal realm when he was exceptionally promoted to City Lord of Qingcui City.
The term "exceptionally" referred to the fact that Jiang Yunsheng had thus become one of the very few full-time city lords or tower lords in the long history of the White Jade Capital who were not at the Ascension realm. Moreover, this matter had directly bypassed the Jade Purity Palace meeting; it was a private decision between Sect Leaders Yu Dou and Lu Chen. At the same time, it was obvious that the Dao Ancestor had tacitly approved the resolution, so it caused no ripples within the White Jade Capital.
Finally, Zhang Fenghai of Yushu City had left the Guardian Peak Palace's Misty Grotto the same day and defected from the White Jade Capital, choosing to establish his own sect. He found the Leap Month Peak and the toiler Xin Ku, publicly declaring the formal founding of a new sect. Zhang Fenghai would be the first sect leader, and the vice sect leader was an obscure Qi refiner named Lu Tai.
This newly emerged sect had very few members—only six—but it was already enough to draw the attention of the fourteen prefectures in the Azure Underworld.
This was because among the registered cultivators, besides the martial artist Xin Ku, who was one of the latest top ten in the world, there was also the scattered immortal Lü Bixia, a candidate for that list.
Additionally, there was Shi Xingyuan, the female founder of the Immortal Staff Sect of Yong Prefecture, who was said to have already reincarnated and left the world, with the Dao name "Cloud Seizer."
Yuan Ying, once one of the young top ten candidates across several worlds, had two Dao transmitters: Liu Qi and Cao Zu of the Poetry Surplus Blessed Land.
Therefore, it was especially strange that Lu Tai was serving as vice sect leader while also concurrently holding the position of chief patron.
There were very few Daoist officials outside the White Jade Capital who could stir up such heated discussion within it. Zhang Fenghai was one of the rare exceptions.
Every time Zhang Fenghai was mentioned, the Daoist officials of the White Jade Capital, regardless of realm or lineage, all felt regret. After all, with Zhang Fenghai's aptitude for cultivation, it seemed he could even become a direct disciple of the Dao Ancestor without issue.
The key point was that with this one departure, the White Jade Capital had effectively "lost" two Zhang Fenghais.
Pang Ding, the City Lord of Lingbao City with the Dao name "Humble Heart," spoke up, asking, "Who exactly is this Lu Tai? How did he end up mixing with the traitor Zhang Fenghai?"
The old Daoist emphasized the character "Lu" heavily.
Lu Chen began to look at his nose and concentrate on his heart, his mind wandering far away.
Are all people surnamed Lu in the world related to me?
The two vice city lords of Yushu City, Guo Jie and Shao Xiang, one snorted coldly, while the other directly retorted: "May I ask, City Lord Pang, how exactly is my junior brother Zhang Fenghai a traitor?"
Pang Ding narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Junior brother? Have I misremembered? Zhang Fenghai only left the White Jade Capital's Daoist registry; does he still retain his Yushu City ordination certificate?"
The old Daoist Xu Zujing, who had recently drunk a jar of Ten Thousand Year Wine in the Bright Moon Brilliant Colors, held his horsetail whisk. This Law Keeper of Yushu City, known for his soft heart and good temper, sneered, "Whether Zhang Fenghai has a Yushu City ordination certificate or not is none of your Lingbao City's damn business."
The master's final disciple, little junior brother Zhang Fenghai, was the biggest knot in the hearts of this group of senior brothers—the only one.
The old Daoist Huang Jieshou, with the Dao name "Balance," was the former Tower Lord of the Green Cloud Tower. He had recently stepped down from the position of Guardian Peak Palace Lord as well, so the old man no longer had his signature large bunch of keys hanging at his waist.
Huang Jieshou said, "Fair is fair, Zhang Fenghai is not a traitor. The Dao Ancestor personally escorted him out of the Misty Grotto."
Pang Ding was momentarily speechless.
He had accidentally hit a hard nail.
Lu Chen clapped softly but without sound.
Let him find trouble with me—he asked for bad luck, didn't he?
A green cloud beside Sect Leader Lu was empty.
It was for the Daoist disciple Mountain Green, also a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, but he was far away in the Colorful World, so he couldn't attend the meeting.
In truth, the private opinion of the White Jade Capital regarding the Dao Ancestor's final disciple was not high.
He had actually been sought out by Ning Yao for a sword duel and had lost miserably, losing all face.
Even if the opponent was the number one person in the Colorful World, that Ning Yao, no one expected Mountain Green to win. But at least he should have put up a fight that earned respect in defeat. Instead, he was utterly powerless to resist.
Since when was a disciple of the Dao Ancestor so incompetent? Could he truly become the future Fourth Sect Leader of the White Jade Capital?
Also absent today was Jiang Yunsheng, the new City Lord of Qingcui City.
Then, in the Jade Purity Palace, the high-ranking and powerful Daoist officials began to throw one question after another at the two Sect Leaders.
An elderly woman, a Vice Tower Lord of the Purple Qi Tower, took the lead in asking, "Should we interrupt the Great Purgation Ritual of the Yu Fu Dynasty in Yong Prefecture, or seal off the divination results afterward?"
Although Yong Prefecture was the smallest in territory among the fourteen prefectures, there was a Lotus Goddess Shrine built on the "mountain peak" beneath the water of a major river at its border. Outside the shrine stood a ten-thousand-year-old camphor tree.
The dynasty that occupied this underwater mountain god shrine, if it constructed the highest-specification Purgation altar, needed only to cut a branch from the camphor tree to divine the fortunes of four prefectures.
Not long ago, the female emperor Zhu Xuan had built a Great Purgation Ritual with as many as 3,600 divine seats, and she personally served as the chief sacrificer.
The camphor tree naturally divided into four branches in four directions, pointing respectively to the four prefectures, including Yong and Pei. Each branch governed the rise and fall of one prefecture's fortune. This was not some vague claim but a recognized conclusion across the world.
Inside the Lotus Goddess Shrine was enshrined a divine weapon that served as the Yu Fu Dynasty's national guardian—a spear named "Break Formation."
The reason the Yu Fu Dynasty had been able to stand firmly in Yong Prefecture for so long was largely due to this divine weapon, which was recorded in the White Jade Capital's registers, as it was a token of love that Wu Zhou gave to the founding emperor of the Yu Fu Dynasty's Zhu clan.
So who dared covet this item?
If Lu Chen were governing the White Jade Capital, whether by throwing a tantrum or being unreasonable, he would "persuade" that young female emperor not to act so rashly.
But the problem was that his senior brother Yu Dou was currently in charge of world affairs.
Thus, regarding such internal affairs of the Yu Fu Dynasty, Lu Chen could only advise; he could not intervene. So when he himself had gone to the Lotus Goddess Shrine last time, he had no just cause and returned empty-handed.
The key point was that within that Lotus Goddess Shrine lay a great secret. The White Jade Capital was naturally aware of it, as it was originally the work of the Dao Ancestor.
The reason for building a mountain god shrine under the water, where the river raged for ten thousand years, constantly washing over the shrine, was to use the river's fortune to suppress... martial luck.
This was because inside that Lotus Goddess Shrine, besides enshrining the famous spear "Break Formation," it also suppressed one of the former "Co-Cutters."
For ten thousand years, it had been like a lotus root cut but still connected by threads, like a giant spirit holding an object, long imprisoning that unruly divine weapon.
Sect Leader Yu Dou said with a calm expression, "The Yu Fu Zhu clan building the Great Purgation Ritual is within the rules. The White Jade Capital does not need to interfere."
Since the Sect Leader had said so, the Daoist officials had no objections.
The second question of the Jade Purity Palace meeting: "Since that Daoist companion 'Tai Yin' has merged her Dao with a divine weapon that is a relic of ancient times, she can refine this item to improve her own cultivation. Can the Green Cloud Tower bestow upon her that suit of armor that has been sealed for many years? In return, recruit her as the Green Cloud Tower's chief guest official? That way, while Shenxiao City has the Ascension realm sword cultivator Hao Su as a guest official, the Green Cloud Tower would also have the fourteen-realm Wu Zhou as its chief guest official..."
Before the steady-handed Daoist official could finish speaking, Yu Dou had already said, "Wu Zhou previously made a voluntary proposal: in exchange for that suit of armor from the Green Cloud Tower, she would be willing to become the Green Cloud Tower's vice tower lord. I have already refused. There is no need to discuss this further."
In an instant, the Jade Purity Palace fell into dead silence.
Lu Chen sighed softly. He knew it.
The female Daoist Wu Zhou—she could no longer be described simply as a genius among geniuses. Her existence caused all Daoist officials of her era to pale in comparison.
In terms of aptitude, talent, opportunity, temperament, achievements... Wu Zhou had once been unparalleled in the world.
She had come from a small Daoist temple. With only a few of the most ordinary Daoist texts and a few heart-method formulas passed down by her master, she had already reached the Jade Skin realm as a young girl. During a training journey, she obtained a key portion of the inheritance of one of the twelve high-ranking ancient gods, the "Forger." After that, on the path of cultivation, she advanced by leaps and bounds. With this divine ability, she could refine objects and break through realms simultaneously, ultimately becoming the number one Refiner across several worlds.
Within six hundred years, the half-immortal treasures she personally forged that were considered "defective" and thus given away, sold cheaply, or casually left somewhere—those recorded by the White Jade Capital alone numbered sixteen.
Since the White Jade Capital neither interfered in the Yu Fu Dynasty's affairs nor recruited Wu Zhou, whose old dojo was in Yong Prefecture, it meant that Zhu Xuan's plan to cut camphor branches and divine the fortunes of four prefectures was now a foregone conclusion.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the Jade Purity Palace grew heavy.
Lu Chen said, "Then let's continue the meeting."
"How should we deal with that Leap Month Peak?"
"Sun Huaizhong of Xuan Du Temple, Gao Gu of Earth Lung Mountain, and Yao Qing of the Azure God Dynasty—have any of them entered the fourteen-realm?"
"The Great Tide Sect and the Two Capitals Mountain, within Yin Prefecture, have arbitrarily built a Purple Palace Grand Formation to alter a prefecture's customs. Is that within the rules?"
"The results of this selection of the top ten in the world and the ten candidates—extremely suspicious. Is the reincarnated mountain dragon Xin Pu stirring muddy waters? Is the Yong Prefecture's Hongnong Yang clan involved?"
"Someone from the Hongnong Yang clan, at the end of last year, erected a banner on a mountain peak in the ancient battlefield ruins of You Prefecture, proclaiming they would eradicate a demon for the world. Who is this demon?"
"The literary master Gao Ping of the Year-End Palace has actually stooped to allying with the Dawn Watcher Bai Luo, who destroyed his country and killed his past life—isn't that the strangest thing in the world? Furthermore, the Year-End Palace has the figure with the Dao name 'Safe and Sound' under the alias 'Huan Jing' supporting them. Isn't that like adding wings to a tiger? What Wu Shuangjiang thinks and plots is already known to everyone! The White Jade Capital should not raise a tiger to invite disaster. Letting it grow strong—naturally, this hidden danger should be eliminated sooner rather than later."
"The monk Jiang Xiu is extremely skilled in swordsmanship and is now in You Prefecture. We absolutely cannot let him have his way, stirring up trouble in both Bing and You prefectures. Should we invite him to the White Jade Capital as a guest?"
"May I ask Sect Leader Lu, what is Chen Ping'an's actual realm now? Approximately when will he reach the Ultimate Realm of Divine Arrival? Can he become an Ascension realm sword cultivator? In the future, will he challenge the White Jade Capital with his sword?"