Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 1444 - 910: Martial Immortal Ceremony, Something Went Wrong (2)

Because of the establishment of Qingli Immortal City, both the Lingxiu Three Sects and the Nether Prison Sect could reap enormous profits from it. There was currently no major conflict of interest between the two sides; on the contrary, they needed to cooperate in many areas.

This time, Han Jiangche’s attendance at Zhang Xian’s Martial Immortal Ceremony represented the attitude of the Nether Prison Sect.

”Please be seated, seniors!”

On the high platform, Zhang Xian casually invited the few of them to take their seats.

”Mm.”

Lin Daoyuan took his seat, and at the same time exchanged a glance with Yue E.

Yue E only gave a light shake of her head, then calmly lifted her tea and took a small sip on her own.

They all knew of Zhang Xian’s hatred toward the Nether Prison Sect. Not long ago, Zhang Xian had still been inciting them to go to war with the Nether Prison Sect, yet now he was treating Han Jiangche with such courtesy. This made them feel something was off.

Lin Daoyuan’s eyes drooped slightly as he considered that this might be Zhang Xian putting on a show and playing nice with Han Jiangche. After all, few knew of Zhang Xian’s hatred toward the Nether Prison Sect; perhaps besides the inner circle of the Wuxiang Sect, only he and Yue E knew.

Once everyone had taken their seats, the Martial Immortal Ceremony officially began.

Yang Shenwu, dressed in a dark Cloud Brocade long robe, walked to the front of the platform and said in a loud voice, ”On this auspicious day and fine hour, Heaven and Earth rejoice as one! Today, a Disciple of the Wuxiang Sect, Zhang Xian, attains the Divine Soul Realm and thus opens this Martial Immortal Ceremony, respectfully inviting Heaven and Earth to bear witness together!”

As his voice fell, the bronze chime rack on the east side of the square and the vermilion-lacquered war-drum platform on the west side resounded at the same time.

Thirty-six chime bells, large and small, hung in sequence on the cloud-patterned wooden frame, their bell bodies cast with auspicious grain and spirit-beast motifs; nine war drums, covered with deerhide, stood on frames carved into coiling dragons with raised heads, while the drumsticks were wrapped with soft silk.

As the ceremonial officer lifted his hand in signal, eight Qingyi musicians lightly swept their sleeves, each hand wielding a jade mallet, wandering among the chime bells as they struck. The clear, ethereal bell tones tinkled like spring water, rippling layer upon layer across the square. The higher bells were like morning dew dropping on lotuses, bright and crystalline; the lower bells were like heavy stones striking a deep pool, humming and resonant.

At the same time, four yellow-robed Martial Artists stepped slowly onto the drum platform and gently tapped the drumheads with the silk-wrapped drumsticks. The drumbeats were like muffled spring thunder, low and rhythmic, echoing the bell tones and forming a soothing cadence.

The weighty and solemn music swept over flying eaves and painted brackets, startling the copper bells at the roof corners into a soft jingling.

The crowd in the square stood in solemn silence. When the piece ended, they voiced their congratulations in unison: ”Congratulations to the Master on ascending to the Martial Immortal Realm!”

Zhang Xian rose and stepped onto the raised platform, slightly nodding to Yang Shenwu before speaking: ”I recall in my weak-crown years, sword in hand to question the Martial Arts, cold soaking my blue robe, frost whitening my temples. Spring practice amongst a hundred flowers in bloom, autumn training as leaves fell in flurries; braving scorching heat in summer, battling bitter frost in winter—only then did I gain a glimpse of the threshold of the Divine Soul Realm. The hardships therein—were it not for the Sect’s gracious teachings, how could there be this day? Drinking water, one must think of its source; my gratitude is engraved in my very viscera!”​

Having spoken, he again bowed to Yang Shenwu and continued, ”I once beheld the boundless sea and then knew myself to be but a single grain; I gazed up at the lofty heavens and only then felt my body like a mote of dust. The Martial Arts are vast and illimitable, like a river of stars without end, inspiring awe within the Heart Spirit—sighing that human strength has its limits, yet yearning for the boundlessness of the Great Dao. And precisely because the road ahead is so shrouded in mist, does it draw we who follow the path to race toward it in our hearts!”​

His voice was clear and bright, his bearing transcendent; every word seemed to carry a pleasing melody, making those who heard it unconsciously sway in spirit.

In that string of words, he expressed his gratitude toward the Sect, and also his perseverance in and yearning for the Martial Arts.

The higher one’s cultivation, the more one feels one’s own insignificance. Compared with the vast Heaven and Earth, even Divine Soul Realm Martial Artists are but a single drop in the ocean.

Yet it is precisely because of this sense of smallness that one yearns all the more for the boundless Great Dao.

After that, Zhang Xian began to preach and impart the Dao; this was the most important segment of the Martial Immortal Ceremony.

”In cultivating the Martial Arts, the first lies in the word ’enlightenment.’ When I first entered the Golden Body Realm, I was once trapped in the permutations of techniques, until one day I watched a mountain stream’s waterfall, its waters ever-shifting in form, yet still able to bore through stone and cleave cliffs. From that, I understood that true Martial Arts do not lie in the subtlety of a single move or form, but in following nature and moving in accord with one’s heart!”​

As he finished speaking, he flicked his finger lightly, sending a strand of True Yuan into the green stone of the square; in an instant, a crystal-clear ice lotus bloomed forth. ”Second, it lies in ’stillness.’ Like this ice lotus—seemingly motionless, yet it secretly contains the force of ten thousand jun. A Cultivator must settle himself within stillness in order to perceive nature’s spiritual energy and comprehend the essence of the Martial Arts.”

He did not speak of the process of breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm; instead, he spoke of his insights into the Martial Arts.

The crowd listened with great relish.

Perhaps these insights could not directly raise their cultivation, but they could allow everyone to infer by analogy and thus comprehend a Martial Arts path of their own.

Time flowed on slowly; about two hours passed before Zhang Xian ceased his preaching.

The ceremony entered its final segment: the banquet.

On each low table were placed all manner of rare delicacies; rising steam wrapped with the aroma of meat and wine drifted wantonly through the wind.

The atmosphere instantly grew lively, and everyone began exchanging cups of wine.

However, there were also some who now felt their Heart Spirit grow uneasy.

Ding Qiu’s brows furrowed even deeper, and his gaze became all the sharper.

”Master!”

He reminded in a low voice.

Yang Mingcheng looked at the rare delicacies before him and regretfully set down his chopsticks.

He actually really wanted to taste them.

It wasn’t that he had never eaten such rare delicacies, but that he was very interested in the cuisine of the Wuxiang Sect.

Lu Fusheng said softly, ”There’s no need to be so tense. With several Martial Immortals present, nothing will happen.”

Ding Qiu himself did not know why; he just felt a terrifying sense of crisis descending, as though boundless seawater was about to drown him.

Yang Mingcheng said, ”Better safe than sorry. Uncle, it’s best if you don’t eat.”

It was only a single meal. They were all Golden Body Realm Martial Artists; even if they didn’t eat for several days, they wouldn’t feel hungry.

Lu Fusheng felt that Ding Qiu was a bit overly nervous, but he still gave Yang Mingcheng face, nodded slightly, and also set down his chopsticks.

Just as the three were waiting for the ceremony to end, a faint trace of blood scent slowly blended into the aromas of meat and wine. The blood scent was very, very faint, perhaps merely the smell contained in the meat itself, and thus no one noticed.

Until night fell and the moon climbed the branches, when the blood scent suddenly grew thick.

On the high platform before the hall, Lin Daoyuan’s expression changed slightly. ”What is going on?”

He looked toward Yang Shenwu and Zhang Xian; Yue E had also noticed something amiss, her willow brows faintly knitting.

The smile on Yang Shenwu’s face receded, his deep eyes growing immeasurably dark. ”My apologies, this old man is also left with no choice.”

Yet Zhang Xian still kept his indifferent smile. He raised his cup toward Lin Daoyuan and said, ”Why should Senior be so tense? Why not drink another cup?”

”What have you done?” Lin Daoyuan’s face sank in an instant.

Yue E slowly rose to her feet, a few shades of anger entering her cold, aloof features.

Han Jiangche also furrowed his brow, looking at the four of them in confusion.

Here, he alone was an outsider.

Below, the crowd also noticed the abnormality up there and turned their gazes over. The lively atmosphere gradually quieted down.

”Something’s wrong,” Ding Qiu said in a low voice.

Yang Mingcheng also saw that things were off and nodded silently.

Lu Fusheng’s expression tightened. ”What’s going on?”

How could Ding Qiu know what was going on? He merely felt that something was wrong, the sense of crisis in his heart growing ever stronger.

”Master!”

Yang Mingcheng turned his hand over and took out the Jade Token, preparing to flee at any moment.

”Senior, grab my arm!”

”Er... why?” Lu Fusheng was puzzled.

”Just grab it first!”

Yang Mingcheng stretched his arm out in front of him. Lu Fusheng hesitated for a moment, but still grabbed it. Although pulling and tugging like this was a bit improper, he felt it was better to hold on for now; after all, it wouldn’t affect anything.

At this moment, Yue E on the high platform suddenly took flight. The snow-white hem of her dress blossomed with cold moonlight, lifting her as she leapt into the sky.

This sudden move left everyone momentarily stunned.

But just as Yue E was about to fly out, a vast and intricate net suddenly surfaced in the dim night sky, covering the entire square.

Countless scarlet threads wove densely together, dyeing the moon and stars alike a bloody red.

Yue E looked at the great net barring her path and swept out her sleeve, her jade-white palm striking forth.

With a bang~~

The next instant, she was flung down from midair.

”Hahahaha~~ Since everyone has come, why rush to leave?”

A hearty laugh rang out, sending ripples through the air like a stone thrown into a lake.

”We respectfully welcome the Honored Deacon!”

Yang Shenwu, Zhang Xian, and the Foundation Establishment Cultivators within the crowd all rose and bowed toward the main hall.

Immediately after, a figure walked out from the hall. He wore a blue long robe, his hair white as a crane’s and his face like that of a child, with a gentle smile upon his lips; in his deep eyes there was nothing but mild warmth.