Chapter 888: Who Objects
Gou Hanshi smiled and said, "Back then, when your senior brothers first arrived in the capital, they thought the same way. Your fourth senior brother, in particular, felt so irritated the moment he saw him that he wanted to draw his sword and cut him down. Only later did he realize that his sharp tongue was merely annoying, not a sign of being a bad person. Otherwise, why would your fourth senior brother have wanted to go to Wenshui to save him a few days ago?"
"I won't owe him any favors for that. Next time he wants to cut me down, he's welcome to try again," Tang Thirty-Six said indifferently.
Gou Hanshi suddenly thought of something and asked, "And that one?"
Tang Thirty-Six knew he was asking about Zhexiu and replied, "He went to Lishan."
Gou Hanshi was slightly startled, but after a moment, he realized Tang Thirty-Six was just trying to scare him. With such a major event as the Nanxi Zhai merger happening, Zhexiu would surely be by Chen Changsheng's side, likely hidden in the shadows to guard against any sudden changes. Why would he suddenly go to Lishan?
"It's been years now. When will you ever grow up?" he said, looking at Tang Thirty-Six helplessly.
Tang Thirty-Six sneered, "Think it's childish? Then why did I manage to scare you? That just proves you know this matter is on your side's conscience."
Gou Hanshi thought of how his junior sister had grown increasingly silent over the past few years and sighed softly. The strict command left by the Grandmaster before her departure was something no one dared to break. So what was to be done about this situation?
...
...
Huai Ren's speech was very calm. In a tranquil voice and gentle tone, she recounted the historical origins of the merger and the practical needs for it today. Though she didn't state it outright, everyone knew it was to avoid the war between the State Religion and the imperial court. At the same time, she subtly indicated that she and her two junior sisters had no intention of meddling in Nanxi Zhai's affairs. Once the merger began, they would formally enter seclusion and never again express any opinions on the Zhai's matters. And if the Saintess ended her seclusion early, she could announce the dissolution of the merger at any time.
Her pale white ceremonial robes complemented the faint daylight perfectly, and paired with her gentle expression and compassionate aura, she appeared very persuasive.
Some cultivators who had initially been shocked and resistant to the Nanxi Zhai merger—especially those affiliated sects with the closest ties and the strongest opposition—gradually began to feel that this might be the best choice for both Nanxi Zhai and themselves.
Next, Huai Ren's talk moved into the specific arrangements after the merger.
The Saintess Peak was a sacred land, the ancestral court of the Southern Daoist Sect. It was not as simple as just one peak and one Zhai, nor was it merely a matter of a few hundred disciples cutting off contact with the world. Nanxi Zhai governed countless affiliated sects and owned vast industries and lands. All of these needed to be arranged in advance to avoid major upheaval.
First, she addressed the imperial court's delegation, broadly stating that she hoped the court would prioritize the welfare of the people and not waste the good intentions behind Nanxi Zhai's merger. Prince Xiang rose to represent the Emperor and the court, making a solemn pledge that they would certainly do so.
Then, she spoke to the fellow Daoists of the Southern Region, announcing that all affiliated sects, industries, lands, and estates of the Saintess Peak would be handed over to the Lishan Sword Sect for management. Gou Hanshi was quite surprised to hear this, but he still stood up and nodded without further comment, because he knew this matter wouldn't end so simply.
"With these arrangements, does anyone have any objections?"
Huai Ren looked at the elder of the Everlasting Sect and asked. The Everlasting Sect had long since declined. This second-generation elder was a generation younger than the three Daoists like Huai Ren, but since the Everlasting Sect and the Saintess Peak were both ancestral courts of the Southern Daoist Sect, she had to at least seek his opinion on the surface.
Unsurprisingly, this second-generation elder of the Everlasting Sect directly expressed his agreement, even adding a few words of praise.
Gou Hanshi said nothing. In the Southern Region's cultivation world, the Saintess Peak and the Everlasting Sect were the highest authorities, and even the Lishan Sword Sect found it inconvenient to speak up.
Finally, Huai Ren looked at Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was the Pope, nominally representing the entire State Religion, or the Daoist Sect. The Nanxi Zhai merger nominally required his approval.
But in the end, it was only a formality.
Countless pairs of eyes also fell on Chen Changsheng.
He was the Pope, seated in the highest place.
He appeared to be above all, but in reality, he was somewhat isolated. He seemed very powerful, yet it was difficult for him to stop any of this.
Unless the State Religion was willing to first wage war against Nanxi Zhai before fighting the imperial court.
"I wonder what Chen Chang... no, His Holiness the Pope will say," Bai Cai said, watching nervously.
Gou Hanshi said, "Usually, he doesn't say much in front of others. And when Tang Tang is around, Tang Tang does the talking."
Sure enough, Tang Thirty-Six stood up and walked from the Lishan Sword Sect's seats to the center of the field.
Countless eyes shifted from Chen Changsheng to him, but he seemed unfazed and asked Huai Ren, "What's your surname?"
Huai Ren replied calmly, "My Daoist name is Huai Ren."
If Tang Thirty-Six intended to provoke her into finding some opening, she would not give this junior from the Tang family any chance.
Having cultivated at Nanxi Zhai for over a hundred years and traveled the world for even longer, though her cultivation level had yet to break through that threshold, her Dao heart had long been clear and bright.
She hadn't expected that Tang Thirty-Six had no intention of provoking her at all. He simply wanted to use this to say his piece.
"So you don't have the surname Xu. Then you're definitely not Xu Yourong's real aunt."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at her and said, "Of course, even if you were the Saintess's real aunt, everything you just said would be useless. It's all nonsense."
At these words, the entire venue erupted in uproar.
Huai Ren's earlier speech, which had been so reasonable and even moving, was all nonsense in his eyes?
These three Daoists were highly senior grandmasters of Nanxi Zhai. Both Prince Xiang and the two family heads had treated them with great respect.
Who would have thought that Tang Thirty-Six would speak to them so rudely?
"Even if you have the highest seniority, what right do you have to decide Nanxi Zhai's future?"
Tang Thirty-Six sneered at her and said, "This is the Saintess Peak, not Huai Ren Peak. When you become the Saintess, then you can hold this kind of inexplicable meeting. It won't be too late then."
These words were harsh and hard to counter. Huai Ren looked at him quietly and said nothing.
Tang Thirty-Six turned to the elder of the Everlasting Sect and said, "Agree to the merger? Does the current Everlasting Sect have the right to say such things, or do you think your words carry any weight?"
This elder was silent for a moment before saying, "You're right. My words indeed carry no weight. Consider what I just said unsaid."
Hearing this, Huai Ren's gaze sharpened slightly, while Huai Bi and Huai Shu's expressions shifted.
The Everlasting Sect's strength was far from what it used to be, but like the Saintess Peak, it was still an ancestral court of the Southern Sect, with deep foundations remaining.
Even if Tang Thirty-Six was the eldest grandson of the Tang family, why would this elder be so easily intimidated by a single sentence from him?