Chapter 181: 180. The Rise of a New Celestial Master

Chapter 181: 180. The Rise of a New Celestial Master

"By the way..."

The old man continued to gaze out at the snowy landscape outside the window. "Is there any further news about the person who plotted against Li Qingfeng?"

The middle-aged man replied, "No, that person is extremely mysterious, with high cultivation and strength. We have difficulty grasping their identity and whereabouts."

The third internal strife in the Celestial Master's Mansion began with Tang Xiaotang and Li Hongyu simultaneously breaking through to the Eighth Heaven realm.

During this internal strife, there were two crucial turning points.

Firstly, the Celestial Master's Sword automatically returned to the area of Longhushan and fell into Tang Xiaotang's control.

Otherwise, the outcome of this battle would still be unknown.

Then, the mysterious person who had ambushed and schemed against Li Qingfeng, leading to his death on the great river, reappeared.

Not only did he directly cause the death of Li Hongyu, but he also further altered the situation.

Otherwise, in the battle between Li Hongyu and Tang Xiaotang, Li Hongyu, at the very least, would have discarded the Celestial Master's robe and had a greater chance of escaping from Longhushan.

With Tang Xiaotang's attention focused on the robe, Li Song might have been able to escape.

Even the fate of Li Ziyang could have changed.

Even if Li Ziyang and Li Zhengxuan had perished due to Qi Shuo, Cao Chu, Zhao Zongjie, and Lin Yuwei, the Li clan would still have had Li Hongyu and Li Song to lead the clan.

The situation would have been entirely different then.

The Daoist Talisman sect would have been divided into three factions.

For the Ye clan of Jinzhou, this would have been a favorable outcome as well.

But unfortunately...

"There aren't many people with such cultivation and strength, and I have my suspicions."

The old man said, "There's still a possibility that a new expert might suddenly emerge from the Southern Wilderness, but if it's in the Central Plains of the Great Tang, they are mostly known."

He tilted his head slightly upward. "However, what their true intentions are and whether they have other plans is unclear."

The middle-aged man spoke softly, "It seems that a certain faction within the Huangtian Dao has connections with that mysterious person.

But our people in the Huangtian Dao are still lacking in status, and we haven't received any more conclusive information."

The old man said calmly, "Continue to investigate and don't relax your efforts."

"Yes, Father," the middle-aged man agreed.

After responding, he hesitated, unsure if he should say more.

The old man noticed his hesitation and said, "If you have something to say, speak freely."

"Father," the middle-aged man began, "if the Celestial Master's Mansion truly has the momentum of an old tree sprouting new shoots, then now is the time when the old tree is withered and the new shoots are still tender.

If we want to eradicate the Celestial Master's Mansion, now is the best opportunity. If we continue to wait, we will only give the new shoots a chance to grow.

If you are willing to take action and head south yourself, the situation will be settled.

While the disappearance of Xu Yuanzhen is indeed a concern, if we continue to wait, we may end up with more and more problems like this..."

If it weren't for Tang Xiaotang's rapid growth, breaking through the psychological safety bottom line of the Li clan, the Li clan, considering the unknown return of Xu Yuanzhen, might not have had the resolve to completely break ties.

As the saying goes, you can run away from a monk, but you can't run away from a temple.

But if there is no temple to speak of, then it's a different story.

A completely unfettered Eighth Heaven expert is a terrifying threat.

Of course, everything depends on weighing the options.

The power of the Ye clan of Jinzhou is not comparable to that of the Li clan of Lishui.

"Whether or not what you say makes sense, it's too late now," the old man finally said as he turned his gaze away from the window. "I just received news that the Wu and Yue disturbance has been pacified, and the King of Wu is dead. The threat of the East Sea monster disturbance will also be resolved soon."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man fell silent.

The turmoil in the lands of Wu and Yue had come to an end.

Even the threat of the East Sea monster disturbance was temporarily resolved.

The Tang imperial family could now turn their attention elsewhere.

With the Bodhi Temple already removed, the Great Tang Empress would not allow the Celestial Master's Mansion to fall in the short term.

Although the Li clan had previously aligned themselves with the Tang imperial family,

for the Empress, the outcome of the Li-external conflict, with the external branch ultimately winning and the Li clan losing, was probably the result she wanted to see...

As the old man said, it was already too late.

"Her Majesty the Empress..." The middle-aged man's expression turned solemn.

"Let's continue to observe for now," the old man said. "At least for now, she is very different from the previous emperor, even though they are siblings from the same mother."

"Yes," the middle-aged man replied and took his leave.

The old man slowly paced the room and sat down again.

Silence fell upon the large house.

...

On Longhushan, the most intense battle had reached its conclusion.

What remained were some aftermath and cleanup tasks.

After completely breaking ties, some members of the Li clan at the middle and lower Three Heavens levels also engaged in combat with the outer branch true disciples.

Led by their respective elders, the battles were not as bloody as the one between the high-achieving elders, but they were still brutal.

The scenes of the Celestial Master's Mansion's consecutive internal strife from over a hundred years ago were replayed today, resulting in numerous casualties.

However, with the conclusion of the battle between the high-achieving elders, the situation in other parts of the mountain became clear.

The momentum of the Li clan plummeted, and only a few chose to fight to the death. Most of them fled the mountain.

Elder Yuan Mokai and the other high-achieving elders did not pursue them but instead restrained the other outer branch disciples, instructing them not to pursue beyond a certain range and to return to the mountain as soon as possible.

This was mainly for safety considerations.

Although the experts from Huangtian Dao, Jin Chengzhai, and Yanshan Dong had retreated, it was still necessary to be cautious.

The Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhushan could be said to be at its lowest point in recent years.

In the aftermath of the successive upheavals, this was the inevitable price that had to be paid.

While Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang were indeed formidable, they were not yet invincible across the land. Moreover, as the old saying goes, the dead cannot be resurrected.

Many disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion had perished in the conflict, and although their fellow sect members could seek revenge on their behalf, for the deceased themselves, it all amounted to a pile of yellow soil.

Thus, Lei Jun and the others gradually returned to the mountain.

Now that the chaos had subsided, it was time to enter the stage of concluding matters and restoring order.

"There aren't many survivors among the Li clan, especially the direct descendants, who have almost all perished."

After returning to the mountain, Lei Jun immediately went to see Yuan Mokai: "The rest of them seem to be heading towards Mount Lan."

Mount Lan, like Mount Zi Xiao, Yuhe Sect, and Tianxu Sect, was one of the branch sects of the Longhushan Heavenly Master's Mansion, located west of Xinzhou.

The slight difference was that Mount Lan was founded by a Li clan elder a while back.

Most of the disciples under its roof were also members of the Li family.

Although it was a branch of the Daoist Talisman sect, it could also be considered an external branch of the Li family in Xinzhou.

At present, with the Li clan forced out of Longhushan, and even unable to continue standing their ground in their ancestral land of Xinzhou, they had no choice but to temporarily retreat to Mount Lan.

However, Mount Lan was just too close to Longhushan.

If several of the Li clan's high-achieving elders were still alive, they might have been able to try to regroup and regain their footing at Mount Lan.

But now, it would likely only serve as a temporary resting place, and they would soon have to continue their journey further away.

"Hmm, we can leave Mount Lan for later," Yuan Mokai said with a smile. "For now, let's focus on guarding our sect's mountain gate and ancestral court, and gradually re-establish contact with the various branch sects and other Heavenly Master's Mansions."

Lei Jun looked at his master and said softly, "Master, after returning to the mountain, I heard rumors that Li Zhengxuan also perished on the Great River?"

Yuan Mokai nodded slowly.

The usual smile on his face faded, and his expression became more genuine:

"This calamity will inevitably attract wolves from the outside world. The reason I didn't want to see the Li clan split into internal and external branches was because of this concern.

To be honest, our sect's fate is not yet exhausted, and the outside world is also in a state of turmoil, with each sect preoccupied with their own problems. The top experts don't have the leisure to pay attention to us, so the situation hasn't deteriorated to the worst-case scenario.

Therefore, regardless of the internal and external Li clan, it's not entirely unexpected for some to lose their lives in this conflict.

I won't hide it from you, Chongyun. I myself had mentally prepared for this a long time ago, but fortunately, Heaven has spared me."

Yuan Mokai lifted his head to look at the roof of the large house, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions: "However, with the Second and Third Senior Sisters and Li Zhengxuan all perishing, it's still difficult for me to suppress the emotions that are stirring within me."

Lei Jun stood silently by his side.

Yuan Mokai turned to look at him: "Chongyun, if you have something to say, speak freely."

Lei Jun said, "Master, Li Xuan has also perished."

Yuan Mokai sighed softly: "I've heard about what happened at Fenghe. If we add Li Chongxuan to the list..."

Starting with his master, the third Celestial Master Li, Li Qingfeng, Li Hongyu, and Li Ziyang, all three siblings had perished.

Li Hongyu himself had no descendants.

Li Qingfeng's son, Li Zhengxuan, and Li Ziyang's two sons, Li Xuan and Li Ming, had also met their end.

Even the next generation, Li Fenghe, was no more.

Now, only Li Ziyang's young daughter, Li Ying, remained.

Li Ying had previously fled to Mount Lan with the other members of the Li clan.

Lei Jun looked at Yuan Mokai with a worried expression.

However, at this moment, Yuan Mokai's emotions had already calmed down.

Seeing Lei Jun's expression, the purple-robed youth shook his head slightly and once again wore a serene smile on his face, but he remained silent.

With things having come to this point, words were meaningless.

At this moment, Yuan Mokai's mind suddenly conjured up a clear image from over a hundred years ago.

It was the scene of his master, the third Celestial Master Li, passing away.

Back then, during the second internal strife of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, the second Celestial Master Li's son, Li Cangting, had perished together with his uncle, the third Celestial Master Li.

Yuan Mokai remembered that at the time of his death, the third Celestial Master Li did not show any signs of resentment or regret. Instead, his expression reflected a complex mix of emotions.

He gently shook his head, brushing away the image from his mind, and turned his gaze back to his disciple, Lei Jun, changing the subject: "Regarding the Three Caverns Spirit Tribulation of the Huangtian Dao, tell me again the details of what happened at that time."

Lei Jun nodded and proceeded to describe the events carefully. Finally, he took out the pair of Heavenly Wilderness Opening Orbs.

Yuan Mokai examined them closely before returning the pair of precious orbs to his disciple, and then fell into deep thought: "According to the information you've gathered, the success of this method was ultimately due to the person backing Qi Shuo, and this person... is the same mysterious individual who attempted to seize the Celestial Master's Robe today."

In other words, it was the same powerful expert who had ambushed the previous Celestial Master, Li Qingfeng, in the past.

Lei Jun said, "Qi Shuo and the others have this speculation."

Yuan Mokai said, "Although we don't have more evidence, my intuition agrees with this view."

He looked at Lei Jun: "Do you remember, three years ago, you obtained a piece of Yin Moon Soul Stone at the Evil Star Peak?"

Lei Jun nodded firmly: "Today, when that mysterious expert tried to seize the Celestial Master's Robe, he also seemed to reveal a piece of Yin Moon Soul Stone.

However, the mysterious person who was driven away from the Evil Star Peak by the master of the Moon Pavilion back then seemed to only have the cultivation of the Seventh Heaven, far inferior to the prowess displayed by today's expert."

Yuan Mokai said, "But there may be a connection between the two."

Lei Jun asked, "What is this mysterious expert from today trying to achieve?"

Yuan Mokai shook his head: "We don't know yet, so it's not good to make groundless speculations."

Lei Jun asked, "Master, does this person... possess the cultivation of the Ninth Heaven?

"In the human cultivation world, including the Southern Wilderness, there are only a handful of known Ninth Heaven cultivators. A few years ago, the previous emperor, Zhang Qilong, fell to the great demon of the Western Regions."

"Even if he isn't, he's not far off." Yuan Mokai said.

Lei Jun nodded slightly.

Yuan Mokai continued, "But speaking of this, there might soon be a new addition to the ranks of Ninth Heaven cultivators."

"Wei Ancheng!" Lei Jun exclaimed.

Yuan Mokai nodded gently.

With the battle on Dragon Tiger Mountain concluded, the members of the Heavenly Master's Mansion could now turn their attention to other matters of significance.

One such event would have far-reaching consequences, shaping the present and the future.

The Abbot of Bodhi Temple, Lianyuan, had perished at the hands of Wei Ancheng, the leader of the Blood River Sect.

Following the Western Regions demon disturbance and other events, the strength of the Blood River Sect's cultivators had increased significantly.

Wei Ancheng was especially remarkable among them.

It was rumored that during his recent appearance in Youzhou in the Northern Region, he displayed power at the peak of the Eighth Heaven realm.

After the battle in Youzhou, he personally slew Lianyuan, the Abbot of Bodhi Temple, who was also at the Eighth Heaven realm. One could only speculate about the gains Wei Ancheng had made from this experience.

If he could build upon this series of accumulations and breakthroughs, the landscape of the Southern Wilderness would undoubtedly undergo a significant transformation.

This would inevitably have an impact on the Central Plains and the Great Tang as well.

At present, the world was brimming with spiritual energy, favoring the cultivation of immortals.

Although the Blood River lineage involved the use of demonic energy, spiritual energy was equally important for their cultivation.

"Fortunately, the disturbances in the Wu and Yue regions and the Eastern Sea have gradually subsided," Yuan Mokai said. "The situation in the North will also come to a close."

Lei Jun's eyes flickered slightly. "The Ye Clan of Jinzhou, the Lin Clan of Youzhou, and the Ye Clan of Qingzhou..."

These prominent families had certainly played their part in the events without getting their hands dirty.

Lianyuan and the others had perished due to the great demon and Wei Ancheng.

Bodhi Temple, on the other hand, had been eradicated by Dakuang Temple.

The blame for the demon disturbance was also pinned on Bodhi Temple.

The major northern clans only needed to supervise the development of the situation, staying vigilant against any unforeseen circumstances.

Nominally, they were still victims of the demon disturbance caused by Bodhi Temple, valiantly fighting against the northern demons and driving them back to the barren lands beyond the northern border.

They had truly gained both substance and appearance.

Although one might argue that they were taking advantage of the situation.

To a certain extent, Bodhi Temple had taken a hit for the Heavenly Master's Mansion.

Otherwise, if external forces had intervened in the Li family conflict, the outcome might have been unpredictable.

Of course, not only would it have been difficult to predict the outcome for outsiders, but also for the Li family themselves...

"We'll take it one step at a time," Yuan Mokai said with a smile.

Lei Jun smiled as well. "As you say, Master."

Yuan Mokai continued, "For now, let's focus on what we can do. With the mountain in a vulnerable state, many things must be handled with expediency.

I know that you, Chongyun, are more passionate about cultivation and the Dao, but in the short term, you'll need to take on some responsibilities within the sect. At least until we can transition out of this difficult period."

After the battle, Dragon Tiger Mountain not only lost four high-achieving elders but also faced a significant shortage of middle-ranking elders and executives.

This situation called for exceptional promotions to fill the vacancies.

Lei Jun had already reached the Fifth Heaven realm, and with the enhancement of the talisman and the conferment of a fifth-grade Taoist position, he had met the requirements in terms of cultivation and status long ago. The only hindrance was his youth and previous lack of interest.

Yuan Mokai and the others had allowed him to focus solely on his cultivation.

However, with the current shortage of personnel, Lei had no choice but to step up and help stabilize the situation.

"I fear that my youth and inexperience may hinder me from fulfilling such a heavy responsibility," Lei Jun said solemnly. "But given the special circumstances our sect finds itself in, I will, of course, put the interests of the sect first. I only ask that you continue to guide me, Master."

Yuan Mokai smiled and said, "I've always had full confidence in you. If you set your mind to it, you will surely succeed."

Lei Jun suddenly felt that his master was hinting at something.

"Master, what about Xiao Tang right now..." Lei Jun glanced in the direction of the Wanfa Zongtan.

"It should be over by now," Yuan Mokai said.

After the great battle, Yuan Mokai had handed over the responsibility of leading the Wanfa Zongtan to Tang Xiaotang, without even mentioning the Heavenly Master's Sword.

This move clearly conveyed Yuan Mokai's personal stance.

Today's battle had propelled Tang Xiaotang to the pinnacle of prestige within Dragon Tiger Mountain.

First, she defeated Li Song, a fellow elder at the Eighth Heaven realm. Then, she overcame Li Hongyu, also at the Eighth Heaven realm.

Aside from the First Senior Sister, Xu Yuanzhen, whose whereabouts remained unknown, Tang Xiaotang was now the strongest cultivator in the Heavenly Master's Mansion.

Regardless of any twists and turns along the way, she had made great contributions to Dragon Tiger Mountain and successfully retrieved the lost treasure, the Heavenly Master's Sword!

With the sword in hand, Tang Xiaotang defeated Li Hongyu once again, despite her opponent wielding the power of the Heavenly Master's Robe. She swept through opponents like Tian Linlong, Li Zhengxuan, and others.

Finally, she personally slew Li Song, an elder at the Eighth Heaven realm.

In the conflict between the Li family's internal and external branches, she directly contributed to the resolution and the downfall of the Li family.

In terms of personal strength and achievements, no one would remember Tang Xiaotang's past as a mere disciple.

Especially in the eyes of the younger disciples, this Tang Xiaotang was the ideal candidate for the new Heavenly Master.

At most, a few elders might have concerns about her character and style...

The cultivation world differed from the mortal realm in that the leader of a sect had to possess exceptional personal strength.

However, there were also many similarities, as leadership and decision-making abilities were equally crucial.

This time, Yuan Mokai had revealed his true form to everyone.

The matter was neither too big nor too small.

Although the frequent demon disturbances had made the situation sensitive, there was a distinct difference between Immortal cultivators and demonic cultivators. Similar situations had occurred in the human cultivation world, including the Southern Wilderness, not just with Yuan Mokai as an isolated example.

However, if one were to compete for the position of Celestial Master, it would be an entirely different story.

Fortunately, Yuan Mokai himself had no such intentions.

In this situation, his initiative to hand over the Wanfa Zongtan to Tang Xiaotang served as a clear statement of his stance, effectively settling the matter.

The Wanfa Zongtan was traditionally presided over by the Celestial Master.

"Haha!"

Tang Xiaotang, having emerged from the Wanfa Zongtan, greeted Lei Jun and Yuan Mokai with exuberance, laughing heartily, "I told you I could do it!"

She seemed to have reverted to her youthful self, hugging Lei Jun and jumping with joy.

Lei Jun shared in her delight, "Congratulations."

After Tang Xiaotang calmed down a bit, she slapped Lei Jun's shoulder playfully, "The first thing I'll do as Celestial Master is to promote you to Elder!"

Lei Jun: "Master Sister, don't say that. You're making me feel like a scheming and unfaithful official."

Tang Xiaotang glared at him with round eyes, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Yuan Mokai smiled as he watched from the sidelines.

Lei Jun: "But, Master Sister, you should be prepared. After today's battle, our sect needs to rebuild, and there's a lot for you to handle."

"Why should I be busy?" Tang Xiaotang asked in surprise. "We have you and the others!"

"..." Lei Jun could only concede that she made a good point, leaving him speechless.

He had expected Tang Xiaotang to be more concerned with the title, prestige, and perks of being the Celestial Master rather than the actual power.

She didn't seem to mind if the position was merely symbolic.

However, only she could make such a bold statement and get away with it, and Lei Jun couldn't help but admire her for it.

"We'll take a few days to make some simple arrangements. On New Year's Day, our sect will officially announce to the world that Xiaotang will be taking over as the Celestial Master. As for the formal inauguration ceremony, we'll need more time to prepare, so it won't be rushed," Yuan Mokai said with a smile.

The inauguration of a Celestial Master was certainly a significant event.

A propitious date and time would have to be carefully selected.

However, before going through the formal procedures, the new Celestial Master could assume the role temporarily and announce it to the world.

Normally, there would be no need to rush.

But following the major upheaval of the Li family civil war, it was crucial to stabilize the morale of both the inner and outer branches of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

With the New Year approaching, the Mansion also needed some uplifting news.

Originally, the next transmission ceremony was scheduled for the 15th of the first lunar month after the New Year.

However, due to the turmoil within the Mansion and the impending ascension of the new Celestial Master, Yuan Mokai and the others had decided to postpone the ceremony for a year.

The new Celestial Master, Tang Xiaotang, would preside over the ceremony herself when the time came.

"With this time, Xiaotang will also have the opportunity to familiarize herself with the rituals and procedures. When the formal inauguration ceremony takes place, we will offer prayers to heaven and inform the ancestral masters," Yuan Mokai said.

Yuan Mokai smiled, "There are some things that Xiaotang can delegate, but there are also matters that she must handle personally."

Tang Xiaotang pouted, "I'm not a fan of those things."

Most of the time, her enthusiasm lasted only three minutes.

Her excitement hadn't faded yet, but her thoughts had already wandered elsewhere, "I wonder when Master Sister will return? It would be great if she could come back before the formal inauguration. I want her to see me become the Celestial Master!"

Yuan Mokai: "I, too, hope that Yuan Zhen will return soon."

Tang Xiaotang suddenly laughed, "Hehehe, what do you think? If I pass on the position of Celestial Master to her in the future, what will her reaction be? Won't that be a nice surprise for her?"

Lei Jun shook his head and once again experienced the new Celestial Master's unreliability.

With a few days left until the New Year, Yuan Mokai didn't bother to correct her address of him, as they were familiar with each other, "I've compiled all the ritual books for the various ceremonies. Xiaotang, take a look at them first."

Tang Xiaotang straightened up, "Alright, it's a challenge, but I won't back down!"

She strode off with enthusiasm.

Lei Jun, on the other hand, was headed to the Gao Gong Pavilion with his master, Yuan Mokai.

He, too, had some learning and guidance to undergo, gaining experience to prepare for his upcoming duties.

The Fourth Shibo, Yao Yuan, was already there.

Later, the Fifth Shibo, Shangguan Ning, arrived as well.

He presumably brought news from the Tang imperial court.

The civil war within the Celestial Master's Mansion had come to an end.

However, there was still much to be done in terms of aftermath management.

"Please ask Tang to come over. Later, we will go to the ancestral mausoleum to pay our respects to the ancestors," Yao Yuan said solemnly.

Shangguan Ning: "Yes, let's discuss it together."

Yuan Mokai nodded, "Different people should be treated differently."

They weren't discussing whether or not to go to the ancestral mausoleum in the forbidden area behind the mountain.

Instead, they were deliberating on the decision to expel the Li family from the sect, whether to punish them all or to make specific judgments for each individual.

This matter couldn't be decided by a single person. Tang Xiaotang and the three high-achieving elders would first discuss and come up with a preliminary result, and then they would consult with the others in the Mansion to make the final decision.

"There's one more thing..."

Shangguan Ning's expression turned solemn, "Her Majesty will be returning to the capital before the New Year after her trip to the East China Sea. However, before she returns, she intends to visit our sect."

The Empress was going to personally visit Dragon Tiger Mountain.

PS: 6k chapter

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end