Chapter 891: Wind and Rain at the Mountain Cliff
The mountains were utterly silent.
The disciples of Nanxi Zhai exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what to say, especially the young girls like Ye Xiaolian.
Those disciples who had never interacted with Chen Changsheng before were comparatively calmer. In their minds, His Holiness the Pope was the most revered figure in the world, possessing natural dignity and authority. Even if he scolded their Grandmaster a few times, what did it matter?
Ye Xiaolian and the others, however, knew that Chen Changsheng's temperament had always been calm and gentle. Why was he being so unyielding today? Had his position truly changed him? Or was it the power of time?
...
...
It had nothing to do with his position, nor with time.
Tang Thirty-Six and Hu Thirty-Two knew that yesterday, Chen Changsheng hadn't been like this. They were slightly startled, wondering what on earth had happened at the peak.
The warning sign before the stone wall on Saintess Peak, and Prince Xiang's seemingly casual remark earlier—these were the fundamental reasons for the change in Chen Changsheng's attitude.
Moreover, what these three Grandmasters of Nanxi Zhai had done had already exceeded his tolerance—whether it was their attitude toward the sect's disciples or their forceful push for the merger of the sects, which might disturb Xu Yourong in her secluded cultivation. The latter might even have been done deliberately!
"The matter of merging the sects ends here. Do not bring it up again. Everything will be discussed after the Saintess emerges."
He looked at Huairen and said, "Regardless of whether your intentions are malicious or benevolent, this matter is not acceptable."
It didn't matter that their seniority was extremely high, their prestige immense, and that their disciple was acting as the sect's manager. He had appealed to their emotions, their reason, and their principles.
It didn't matter that the imperial court was fully supporting it, that the Daoist Master had personally planned it, and that countless people wanted to see that scene unfold, united in purpose.
He said no, so this matter was not allowed. Yes meant no, and no meant no.
Because he was the Pope.
...
...
"Wait for the Saintess to come out?"
"When will she come out?"
"Ten years? Twenty years? Or fifty years?"
"What if she never comes out in her lifetime?"
"What if she dies?"
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out among the peaks.
At first, people thought the speaker was asking a question, but then they realized something was wrong.
That voice was filled with venom and malice. It wasn't truly seeking an answer—it was a curse that pierced to the bone.
That person was cursing Xu Yourong, wishing she would never emerge from seclusion, or even die!
Hearing this, even Huairen and the other two Daoist nuns couldn't help but change expression, let alone the disciples of Nanxi Zhai.
Clang, clang, clang, clang! Countless sounds rang out as cold swords were drawn from their sheaths. Sword intent filled the cliffside platform, vigilantly and angrily aimed at the mountain path.
Countless gazes followed that sword intent.
At the junction of the mountain path and the peak, two figures gradually emerged.
One was a middle-aged scholar, the other a Daoist nun.
Seeing these two, many people rose abruptly, their faces full of shock. Prince Xiang raised an eyebrow slightly, glanced at a divine general beside him, and slowly stood up as well.
There were very few people on this continent worthy of Prince Xiang rising to greet them. This middle-aged scholar and this Daoist nun were among them.
The Eight Directions Winds and Rains—Bie Yanghong and Wuqiong Bi.
Their identities quickly spread among the thousand or so cultivators on the peak's cliffside platform.
The crowd rose like a tide, bowing in greeting, then felt a surge of doubt and suspicion.
Why had these two continental powerhouses suddenly appeared here?
Many sects knew that Wuqiong Bi had old grievances with Chen Changsheng and the National Academy. But why would she come here and curse Xu Yourong with such venomous words? Even if she was as violent and vulgar as the rumors claimed, what kind of person was Bie Yanghong? How could he allow his wife to be so hysterical?
Had something new happened recently, adding fresh hatred to old grudges?
Under the gaze of countless eyes, Wuqiong Bi walked to the center of the cliffside platform.
She cast a venomous and cold glance around, and finally, as expected, her eyes settled on Chen Changsheng.
"Where is that demon princess? Did you hide her in the Zhou Garden?"
The Zhou Garden was now in Chen Changsheng's hands—this was something many in the cultivation world knew, though most thought he merely held the key to it.
That the demon princess Nanke was by Chen Changsheng's side was also an open secret.
But no matter how arrogant or greedy someone was, they wouldn't dare try to take the Zhou Garden from Chen Changsheng.
No matter how rigid or passionate someone was, they wouldn't dare publicly expose the latter matter to question Chen Changsheng's virtue.
Because Chen Changsheng was the Pope.
And although it wasn't his intention, his reputation had only grown after the Cinnabar Pill incident.
Now, in the northern borderlands, he was seen by many believers as an embodiment of compassion and sacrifice, revered with awe.
Even in the south, because of Su Li and Wang Po's influence, the people felt he was more trustworthy than previous Popes.
Today, Wuqiong Bi suddenly exposed both matters directly. What was she trying to do?
The cliffside platform fell into an eerie silence.
Wuqiong Bi stared into Chen Changsheng's eyes and said, "That demon princess once killed many human powerhouses. Your Holiness the Pope, what do you mean by harboring her?"
Chen Changsheng had long known he would face such accusations. He was mentally prepared and said, "During the battle at Snow Ridge, Nanke's sea of consciousness was damaged helping me escape. She is now mentally unstable. I promised at the time to cure her. Once she is healed, I will naturally drive her away. If we meet again, she will be my enemy."
"Cure her? What if her illness is never cured? What if she remains a fool until she dies?"
Wuqiong Bi's words were still as venomous, filled with the flavor of curses.
Even with Chen Changsheng's calm temperament, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly, wondering what had happened to make this person seem so unhinged.
"You won't hand over Nanke. Then that damned black dragon—you should at least hand her over, shouldn't you?"
Wuqiong Bi stared into his eyes, a smile on her lips, but her expression was so sorrowful that her smile looked like crying—ugly and twisted.
Her smile gradually faded, and her face became expressionless. "I want to skin her alive, pull out her tendons, slice her flesh piece by piece. I'll eat it raw or boil it into soup—I'll consume every bit, leave nothing behind. Even the plates and bowls, I'll chew them up and swallow them."
Her voice was as cold as the chill rising from the abyss behind Snow Old City.
Her words were venomous to the extreme, cruel to the extreme, echoing across the cliffside platform like gusts of dark wind (yin feng), sending chills down everyone's spine.
At this point, even the dullest person could guess the overwhelming hatred Wuqiong Bi held for Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment, then turned to Bie Yanghong and asked, "Master Bie, what exactly has happened?"
The upheaval at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum had caused many continental powerhouses to fall, and the Eight Directions Winds and Rains had withered away one by one. Even if Prince Xiang, the head of Lishan Sword Sect, and Wang Po were now included, they couldn't make up the original number. Among those who remained, Bie Yanghong's reputation had never waned, and he was deeply respected—a stark contrast to his wife, Wuqiong Bi.
Back then, the Heavenly Sea Saintess had greatly admired Bie Yanghong, and Chen Changsheng was willing to trust him.
Bie Yanghong remained silent, not answering him.
"What has happened?"
Wuqiong Bi shrieked at Chen Changsheng, "Your Holiness the Pope, you let that evil dragon kill my son, and you still have the nerve to ask me what has happened!"
Hearing this, the cliffside platform erupted in countless gasps, and the silence was shattered.