Chapter 755: Chapter 754: Shan Sect Annual Meeting 05
“This coward, to think he promised me he’d make a difference, and this is the outcome?”
Hou Niao gnashed his teeth in frustration. The man was someone he was responsible for contacting, and was supposed to be someone with a Dao Heart and clear understanding. But clearly, under the pressure of our Manor, he hadn’t been able to hold firm and ultimately chose to compromise.
Hou Niao laughed, “Normal, if it were me who entered the Dao over a decade ago, I wouldn’t do as well as him! I wouldn’t just compromise; I’d brag and boast even more… This kid is not bad, has much more potential than I had.”
Fang Yazi just curled his lip, “What you did wasn’t bragging and boasting, it was more like honeyed words with a hidden sword, wasn’t it?”
Hou Niao was speechless, “Yazi, what kind of books have you been reading lately? You’ve gone off track, you know. Read less of the desperate literati’s feeble essays; they don’t benefit you in any way other than giving you a sharp tongue.”
The situation wasn’t as smooth as imagined, but this was also expected. After all, Sidesplice Wild Crane had been away from the core of Yujing for too long. Without your own efforts, how could you have followers to make use of?
Yu Shangjiang’s testimony was very brief, not even a quarter of an hour long. That’s the rule — could a minor Tongxuan Realm cultivator have more speaking time than those Upper Cultivators and Great Cultivators? There was no profound wisdom to speak of, just a demonstration of stance due to limited ability.
Next up was Lan Kecheng, a God Sensing Realm cultivator from Situ Mansion.
His experience was much older than Yu Shangjiang’s, with a lifetime dedicated to Dao and countless battles. He was a cultivator whose ideals had fully formed. By this point for someone like him, many things were no longer swayed by outsiders.
Ascending the pavilion and facing the high, he felt extremely proud. Enjoying this sensation, the opportunity to show his face on such an occasion was the fruit of his own efforts. Therefore, he didn’t need to listen to anyone; every word he spoke was heartfelt, free from others’ control — no matter who they were!
“As the world passes by like light clouds, I lodge my life in this homely dwelling. The lamp flickers over youthful dreams, white hair finds a stranger in foreign lands. My sword startles the mountain ghosts, and the Swallowing Elixir nurtures the valley spirits. After rigorously reviewing Huangting, I’m able to preserve my true self…”
As the song ended, the faces of the audience below varied.
Quan Yuan of Haiwei exchanged glances and sighed to each other; the song’s meaning was clear. Speaking of the sword without being solely about the sword, it was about seeking truth within the sword and wielding the sword within truth.
They had thought that, coming from Situ Mansion, he would be fierce and aggressive. But who would have thought that he was also delicate within his coarseness?
But that was normal too. Ever since Seeking Truth Hall was established by the other party, it had indeed changed many people’s perspectives, especially giving hope to those in the God Sensing Realm. They were more willing to strive under the condition it didn’t affect the overall atmosphere of the Sect. In this sense, it was about considering the bigger picture.
Not surprising at all.
The three Masters from Sima Mansion smiled. They hadn’t interacted with this disciple from Situ Mansion, as Situ Mansion did not permit it; however, the topic of Seeking Truth Hall they set up before the annual meeting had played a significant role. Every ambitious individual who was aware of the big picture and inclined towards Quanzhen knew the right choice to make.
This was strategy, imperceptibly influencing, far more sophisticated than the old-fashioned aggression of those four elders.
But this wasn’t enough. They hoped this annual meeting would result in a complete triumph, not just an edge. They wanted to set a precedent for Quanzhen Sect’s future with the meeting’s outcome, instead of having those annoying voices regain strength after a few years.
Therefore, they had to slap those four old fossils in the face hard, to shame them to the point that they could only retreat to their traveling and bitter cultivation, never daring to return with their nitpicking and troublemaking.
“You can go and try now. The so-called ‘a wise man submits to circumstances.’ If there’s only that one left, things can be discussed more easily.” Master Shi indicated with a glance, and a Golden Core disciple from Sima Mansion understood instantly.
… On the platform above, Lan Kecheng was still speaking eloquently. But below, near Hou Niao, several friends appeared somewhat dejected. They never expected that what was supposed to be a three-person revolt had now dwindled to just Hou Brother standing alone?
Seeing his friends’ silence, Hou Niao smiled slightly, “What’s this? Why the long faces, like frostbitten eggplants? If it comes to it, we’ll rebel together. I’m the best at this sort of thing — I’ll rebel better, completely and beautifully.”
“Everyone is waiting for someone else to step forward, these people… sigh… There’s a problem with the order of speaking. Shouldn’t Brother have gone first; might there have been a difference then?”
“The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. In such an occasion, everyone knows that whoever is the first to speak out will surely have a hard time afterward!”
“I don’t see any difference; it’s all pre-arranged. We can’t compete with Sima Mansion in terms of resources and connections. Whoever lets Sima Mansion handle personnel, resources, training, and the transmission of skills…”
“I think the power and responsibility of the three Mansions should be redistributed. Sadly, it’s too late.”
“How can we explain the intricacies of this to them effectively?”
“Bees don’t waste time explaining to flies why honey is better than manure. Remember this phrase whenever someone tries to persuade you to give up your dreams!”
Fierce glares shot towards him, and Wang Mian said menacingly, “Fang Yazi, we old folks don’t need a life coach!”
While they were still quarreling and showing grim faces, a very clear Divine Sense transmitted directly into Hou Niao’s mind,
“Hou Niao, there’s a deal on the table, would you care to discuss it?”
Hou Niao kept his expression neutral, “And you are?”
The direction of the voice flitted unpredictably, “It doesn’t matter who I am, that’s not important! What I want to tell you is, it’s not too late to bow your head now!
If you don’t step forward and cause trouble, but instead follow the mainstream trend, then naturally, we’ll have a reward for you. Aren’t you just striving for a position as a True Inheritor? We’ll give you one, right here at this annual meeting, announced right after your testimony—a place as a True Inheritor!
This isn’t just empty talk, please look up…”
Hou Niao looked up and met the warm gaze of the three Masters from Sima Mansion, their eyes heavy with implication.
The voice was full of temptation, “A True Inheritor position will be vacated from among Sima Mansion’s three True Disciples. Lin Kaoxian’s Realm is becoming unstable, and within a few years, he will attempt to form his Golden Core. You’re aware of this situation, and you’ve even had dealings with Constellation True Inheritors, right? Let me tell you, such circumstances are quite common among the True Disciples.
This is a win-win. We can offer one or several True Inheritor positions, but we will not tolerate and insult to the customs this way! This is a challenge to tradition, an insult to us!
As long as you bow your head, the position of True Inheritor is yours.”
Hou Niao felt a flicker of interest inside; the offer had come without any effort on his part. However, he was quite curious, “And if I refuse?”
The voice became more stern, “Look to your left.”
Hou Niao looked to the left, and through the crowd, he saw a young man, upright as a pine, smiling faintly at him.
The voice grew more erratic, “Duan Wuqian, he came back especially for you. If you bow your head, the two of you will be friends, gaining each other’s friendship and dissolving any enmity with the two Prince Manors; everything will be forgiven and forgotten.
If you remain stubborn, then he will challenge you, right here at the annual meeting, in the Sword Pavilion!
Believe me, you won’t live past today!”