"No!" Yun Xian said in a voice transmission: "There is demonic energy!!"
This demonic energy was unusual, so intense it instilled fear. The demonic stone of the rogue cultivator Yun Xian had found in Xiaoshi Town, who had slaughtered an entire family, hadn't burned even one-fifth as hot as this one. Now, this demonic stone couldn't even rest against clothing; it was about to burn a red mark on his chest!
"There's a demon?!" The group of people acted as if they were facing a formidable enemy, and their eyes quickly turned to the person who had just walked in!
The procession was immense, numbering more than thirty or fifty people. Besides Nan Ronghong, the leader, there were not only the sect's wives and inner disciples, but also some attendants setting the table and serving the dishes. They blended into the hall in an instant. Furthermore, since they all wore similar body-building attire, it was even harder to tell them apart.
"Nan Ronghong isn't." Yun Xian said, "When I met her in the pavilion that day, the magic stone didn't get hot!"
There were at least a hundred people sitting at the table, each one a guest sent by various sects from the four realms. If something went wrong, how would the Body Strengthening Sect explain to those sects? Moreover, when the group thought of the miserable plight of the Smiling Buddha and the wandering cultivators in Xiaoshi Town, they knew that once a person was possessed by a demon, it would not be solved by just one or two mistakes.
There must be a river of blood!
"Damn it." Ji Rongxue's cheerful expression darkened again. "I told them in the letter to investigate their own sect... and they didn't even read a single word!"
If they want to gather all the disciples and test them one by one, this needs to be organized by the sect's top leaders themselves. They won't be so passive now and only discover the presence of demonic energy in such a situation.
Although the test may not necessarily detect the demon, at least such a large-scale mobilization can make everyone alert to the matter and realize its seriousness - but even Qiu Dan and Qiu Zhuo don't know about the demon, let alone everyone else?
Yun Xian could understand her feelings very well.
If the letter was intercepted en route by someone with ulterior motives, and that's why it wasn't read, then that's understandable. Judging from what Qiu and the other two had said before, it was clear they'd received the warning but didn't take it seriously. It's more likely that they'd read it but thought Ji Rongxue was just making it up and just tossed it aside. What a waste of time!
"Who are they?" Yun Xian stared at the dozen or so people in front. Everyone in the group divided the work and wrote down the positions of the people just now.
Remember, you can't test it in the short term. Everyone is still eating at the table. Is Yun Xian going to leave his seat without permission and walk around in front of everyone?
"I've noted it down." Su Chi said coldly, "West three, East nine, North twelve... three people disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Yun Xian asked, "Who?!"
"Ji Rongxue might remember the faces of the two inner disciples." Su Chi said, "The other one is Ji Shang."
"Ji Shang?" Xue Lingxiu asked in astonishment, "Where did she go?"
"I saw it, it seems...she was asked to leave by the Third Elder." Feng Ye said: "The Third Elder didn't want her to enter the hall in the first place, let alone sit here, so he found a chance to drive her out."
"How dare he do this?!" Qiao Lingshan said angrily, "The eldest lady is still here, he's going too far!"
Excluding the two most obvious ones, the rest is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Almost everyone present had their weapons taken away, and they were completely defenseless at this moment. Yun Xian's scalp tingled when he thought of the dense crowd that would surround the Smiling Buddha. He whispered, "If they're going to attack, we can only try our best to protect those with weaker combat power."
Su Chi said, "I'll do it. You protect yourself."
"We have a relatively high level of cultivation now, so we all have to protect others." Xue Lingxiu said solemnly, "The Yanmo Sect and the Wangchen Sect are both sects that are not good at fighting..."
"Oh, Brother Xue! You're still thinking about others. Don't be so kind!" Yun Xian said, "Just hold yourself with both hands! Why do you always forget that you are a medical practitioner?"
Xue Lingxiu: “…………”
Where does this anger come from?
The Buddhist beads in Qi Zhiye's hand were also burning. Yun Xian was really afraid that Qiu Mo would come back to life, otherwise what he had said to Ji Rongxue before would be too offensive. He asked in a low voice, "How is it?"
"Chaos." Qi Zhiye frowned, also in embarrassment: "I can't tell at all."
Come on, it's a mess.
But at least for now, it seemed that this demon, mingling with the crowd, had no intention of causing trouble. The great elder on the other side finally wiped his lips and spoke slowly, "On behalf of the Body Strengthening Sect, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the thoughtful gifts presented by all the guests..."
The technique he was practicing looked like the Black Turtle technique, and he spoke incredibly slowly.
Worried that the group's nervousness was too obvious and might give him away, Yun Xian decided to say something else to soften the blow. He transmitted a message, "When did we offer the gift? What was it? I have no idea."
"Of course you don't remember." Xue Lingxiu said coldly, "Because I offered it."
Master Xue was generous and paid for all the gifts from everyone at once.
"Fellow Daoist Xue, you are so kind." Yun Xian said, "Once I leave the Body Refining Sect, I will definitely return all the spirit stones I used as a gift to you."
Xue Lingxiu paused before saying, "Are you serious about what you said?"
Yun Xian: "I can't be more serious."
Although he knew that he probably wouldn't be able to get many spirit stones back, Xue Lingxiu was still coaxed into a more relaxed expression and said, "Whatever you want."
Everyone: "..." Why does it look so strange? Yun Xian took the spirit stones from Xue Lingxiu's hand, and then returned some of them to Xue Lingxiu. Both of them seemed very happy.
Is this what they call taking from the people and giving back to the people?
The Great Elder's speech lasted for a long time, just like the leaders at various school sports meets who refused to let anyone leave until they finished speaking. Finally, he slowly got to the point.
"Next, I will deliver the gift to the tomb in exchange for the Sect Master's seal." He glanced at Ji Rongxue, whose expression remained unchanged, and said, "According to common sense, the successor should be chosen by the Sect Master himself. However, the circumstances were sudden, and the Sect Master did not leave any oral instructions. Therefore, not only have I troubled all the cultivators to come and offer their condolences, but I also want you to be a witness."
"The position of Sect Leader should be inherited by Qiu Zhuo, Qiu Dan... and Ji Rongxue."
Before this, those who came to mourn the passing of the head of the Body Tempering Sect were just a few unimportant cultivators selected by the various sects to show symbolic meaning and friendly intentions, but now, the situation is different from before.
As the Great Elder finished speaking, the man from the Yanmo Sect spoke first, "Everyone, listen to me. Qiu Zhuo is naturally the right person. First, Qiu Zhuo is the Sect Leader's eldest son. He has spent the longest time with the Sect Leader and they have a deep friendship. His style of doing things is also similar to the Sect Leader's. As the saying goes..."
He started quoting from classics, talking about Confucianism, Taoist heritage, hereditary rule, and the succession of sects. Every time he opened his mouth, he could speak at least four famous sayings, and added various abstruse idioms. Yun Xian felt dizzy and his head was swollen.
Seeing that everyone seemed to be listening attentively, and even those who held opposing opinions did not interrupt easily, she thought that everyone's quality was so high now. However, when she listened to the voice transmission, she happened to hear two young monks from the Northern Realm quietly complaining:
"Fuck it, can you please stop with all this nonsense? Isn't the first sentence enough?"
"He's just like that. I've known him for a long time. He's ugly, and his mouth is like a big colander. He can't stop talking once he starts. He's so annoying. No one wants to play with him..."
Yun Xian: “…”
She felt that if she listened any longer her accent would be distorted.
The Yanmo Sect member finally paused his high-flown chatter, took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and then said, "If you have other ideas, please feel free to speak up."
The Third Elder praised: "Not bad, not bad. What you said is exactly what I was thinking."
The other four elders all agreed. Qiu Zhuo said modestly, "Ah, that's really too much. I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it..."
Ji Rongxue said suddenly: "If you don't dare to take the responsibility, then let me take it."
Qiu Zhuo: “?”
Are you sick? !
Suddenly, Yun Xian almost burst out laughing, Xue Lingxiu closed his eyes, Qi Zhiye took a deep breath, Qiao Lingshan pinched his thigh, Su Chi smiled slightly for a moment, and quickly lowered the corners of his mouth.
Tiedan's eyes welled up with tears: "Miss... after all these years, you finally told a funny joke..."
"Ahem! Ahem!" The Third Elder stopped him with a stern look, then tried to soften his expression. "Everyone, feel free to speak."
This time, it was the Wangchen Sect's turn to stand up. Her standing up had a profound significance: it represented the sect behind Nan Ronghong, and to put it more extreme, it represented the Sect Master's wife herself! Both were children, each a precious gift to her. Which one would she choose?
"I think Brother Qiu Dan is more suitable," the Wangchen Sect disciple said politely and with reasoned arguments. "Judging from the sect's performance in recent years, we can see that Qiu Dan is more suitable to lead the sect. Come, everyone, look up at this bamboo slip. I gave a brief analysis yesterday..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she quickly opened the bamboo slips. The slips were covered with tiny characters so densely packed and terrifying that they nearly rolled all the way out of the hall.
The two young monks from the Northern Realm were complaining again:
"No way? This is so easy? How can you make it up like that? I was at the peak of my intelligence during the entrance exam, but I wasn't this amazing! This has to be fake!"
"Yeah. Let me tell you, I know this guy too, and he's always like this. He clearly made it a month in advance, but he insists he wrote it last night. He gets mad at you when you expose him."
Yun Xian: “…”
The magic stone in her pocket continued to heat up. The demon should still be in the hall, within three feet, and had not left.
What to do, I still want to listen.
Another long incense stick passed. The Wangchen Sect disciple finally finished speaking, neatly rolled up the bamboo slips, and said, "This is the content of my report today. Thank you all for listening."
Qiu Dan stood up, unable to conceal the high spirits on his face, and said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh."
Ji Rongxue: "It's really funny."
Qiu Dan: “?”
You are really sick!!
With the previous two leaders as role models, several factions displayed their respective strengths. One praised Qiu Zhuo's steadiness, another his innovation. Another praised Qiu Zhuo's vision, another his ambition. The debate was so heated and chaotic that those who didn't know better might have thought they were the ones taking the throne, their excitement surging.
But no matter who they were, they all ignored Ji Rongxue, who was sitting at the head of the table. No matter how much they argued, they treated her as invisible. The Great Elder had clearly mentioned her as the third option, but no one mentioned her name.
This was already a humiliation, happening in public.
And everyone felt that she had brought this upon herself.
Wouldn't it have been better to quit long ago? Why do you have to hope for something you can't have? If you don't care about power, just pursue the world. Wouldn't that also earn you a good reputation? Why do this now?
Ji Rongxue sat quietly. Many people were laughing at her, but her expression remained motionless, without any sadness or joy.
Maybe she had suffered a lot of humiliation since she was a child, and this was not even a small thing.
Until Xue Lingxiu's voice came from behind, the team's representative stood up and said, "I think Miss Ji is more suitable, right?"
His gentle voice, which was clearly non-aggressive, was like a stone that caused a thousand ripples. Even those who had remained silent before were surprised.
"She... Miss Ji is nice, but after all... her status is there."
"She...she's not bad, but...if the Sect Master were here, he would never choose her."
"You know..."
He hesitated, and although he wanted to say something, it sounded like something dirty, and in the end he swallowed it all in a blur.
Ji Rongxue had long been numb. At this moment, he could feel Yun Xian's warm breath on his back, but he still felt a little tired, like a person returning home on a snowy night who had finally found his temporary resting place.
"Master Xue, you are still young. Are you sure you can represent the Miaoshou Sect? At least your third sister should come before you dare to express any opinions here! These are all elders!"
"Unfortunately, I think so too."
"Xiao Qi, you're all just... young people! You have to consider the overall situation and not just act on your emotions! If you choose her now, what if something happens to the Body Refining Sect later? Can you bear the consequences?"
"Oh? What I mean is, if anything happens to the Jianti Sect after Qiu Zhuo and Qiu Dan take over, everyone will ask you to bear the consequences? Remember, this is the Yanmo Sect. If you don't help if something happens in the future, you will be breaking your promise and will be punished by thunder and lightning."
"...Who told you to speak to your elders like that?! Yun Xian, right? I've heard of you a long time ago! You're so unruly and uneducated!!"
"Sir, please be careful with your words. My mother and my senior brother are both very fierce. If you keep swearing at them, it might not be thunder that strikes you."
“You!! You you you you you you you!!”
Ji Rongxue almost laughed at the ups and downs of the vibrato.
"Okay." She knew everyone was standing up for her, so she said, "No need. Thank you."
Yun Xian was arguing with the old man with white beard in a treasonous manner. Upon hearing this, he took the time to add, "If you asked me not to apologize to you, then you don't have to thank me either."
Ji Rongxue was stunned.
At this moment, amidst the clamor, a rugged man slowly approached the hall. He had a sword on his waist, was dressed in fur, and had an unshaven beard with stubble on his face. He even dangled a wine gourd in his hand. As he entered, he was nearly knocked over by the noise and wondered if he had come to the wrong place: "...?"
Isn't this the headmaster's funeral banquet? Why is it so noisy like a market?
The Great Elder was furious, unable to restrain himself. Upon seeing the man, his eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "Brother Fengtian! You're finally here! Come, come, take a seat!"
Qiu Zhuo and Qiu Dan's expressions darkened.
They only learned about Jiang Fengtian's coming a few days ago, but they didn't know why he was coming.
Did the other party use some trick to find Jiang Fengtian to endorse it? It's really abominable!
The hall was instantly silent. Jiang Fengtian was enveloped by the gaze and asked in confusion, "Huh? I brought a gift. Where should I put it?"
"Whether it's a gift or not, it's just a token of my appreciation." This situation couldn't be dragged on any longer, otherwise it would definitely turn into a farce. The Great Elder gave Yun Xian a subtle sidelong glance and said, "Brother Fengtian, are you here for Qiu Zhuo or Qiu Dan?"
The two people on the platform held their breath for a moment and looked at each other with hatred.
"...What do you mean?" Jiang Fengtian came here to save his hapless son. He hesitated and said, "How about you guys vote? I'm abstaining."
What about giving up? How can you give up? The elder took the trouble to explain the matter again, and finally asked expectantly: "What do you think?"
The reason for all this verbal sparring is to avoid a forced takeover. One side can make the other retreat, realizing their own weakness, and give up. Otherwise, if the leader's seal really has to be seized by force, it will be a complete farce! This cannot happen!
Jiang Fengtian finally understood what was going on.
His drunken eyes looked at the two nervous people on the platform, and after several glances back and forth, he finally settled on one spot.
"This one. This girl." Jiang Fengtian asked the instantly petrified crowd in confusion, "No, what's there to choose from? Are you blind? She looks the smartest among these three!"
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