Chapter 149: Huben Marches Out, Meiying Follows
Chapter 149 – Huben Marches Out, Meiying Follows
After dashing off a reply, Chen Changsheng casually flipped the envelope to Gongsun Huaiyu.
“Girl, deliver this letter back.”
“Furthermore, remind your master that while our relationship is amicable, I am now the Holy Son of the Purple Mansion Holy Land.”
“Public duties remain public, private matters remain private. On this front, the Purple Mansion Holy Land will yield absolutely nothing.”
Hearing Chen Changsheng’s brazen words, Gongsun Huaiyu stared at the envelope in her hands, her face a portrait of sheer bewilderment.
No, what kind of theatrical farce are you playing at, old man?!
Even if you intend to usurp the throne of the Purple Mansion Holy Land, you can’t be this outrageously blatant about it!
As your grand-disciple, I am now gravely suspicious that you orchestrated this entire kidnapping yourself.
Chen Changsheng’s maneuver not only left Gongsun Huaiyu dumbfounded, but the surrounding Purple Mansion disciples were equally stunned.
“You dare!”
Lin Kaishan roared, thrusting his right hand forward to seize Chen Changsheng by the throat.
“Boom!”
Facing Lin Kaishan’s wrathful strike, Chen Changsheng naturally did not sit back and wait for death. The old and the young instantly clashed palms.
The terrifying shockwave of spiritual essence blasted countless disciples backward into the air.
“Crack!”
A dense web of fractures shattered the stone slabs beneath Lin Kaishan’s feet, yet Chen Changsheng remained rooted to the spot, immovable as a mountain.
“Third Elder, I have been pondering certain Daoist truths recently, and thus, my control over my own cultivation is somewhat unstable.”
“For the sake of your own life, I strongly advise against carelessly raising your hand against me.”
“According to the ancestral laws of the Purple Mansion Holy Land, in the Holy Lord’s absence, the Holy Son assumes sovereign command.”
“If you wish to tear authority from my grasp, you must first secure a mandate from the Elder Council.”
“Unfortunately for you, I claimed the Elder Council’s blessing a step ahead.”
With a flick of his wrist, Chen Changsheng revealed a dark, heavy token.
At the sight of that token, Lin Kaishan’s face contorted, turning black as pitch.
He could never have fathomed that in the scant few months of his absence, the entire Purple Mansion Holy Land had effectively changed masters.
Now, not only was Chen Changsheng the reigning Holy Son, but he gripped the absolute authority of the Elder Council.
With that token in hand, Chen Changsheng could legally command the entire Holy Land to execute Lin Kaishan where he stood.
“Good! Very good!”
“To think the Elder Council has decayed into such senility! I will take this before the Supreme Elder myself.”
“I refuse to believe the majestic Purple Mansion Holy Land cannot suppress a mere Chen Changsheng!”
Spitting out his venom, the Third Elder stormed off in a tempest of rage.
As for the other newly returned Elders, they wisely chose to consult the Elder Council first; not everyone possessed Lin Kaishan’s explosive temperament.
Once the returning Elders departed, Chen Changsheng swept his predatory gaze over the gathered Purple Mansion disciples.
“The Elders of the Purple Mansion Holy Land have returned. It is time for you all to move.”
“From this day forth, all disciples of the Purple Mansion Holy Land fall under the command of Zi Ning and Gongsun Huaiyu. The Holy Land’s treasure vault is yours to plunder as needed.”
“The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion will offer absolute support. You two possess the authority to deploy the Outer Sect Elders at your discretion.”
“In moments of crisis, I, your Holy Son, and even the Elder Council will intervene.”
“I have but one decree: eradicate every force beneath the first-rate tier across the Middle Heavens.”
“I care not whose shadow protects them, nor to which banner they pledge loyalty.”
“Those who block your path, kill!”
“Those who refuse to kneel, kill!”
“Those who stubbornly resist, kill!”
Three consecutive decrees of death sent a glacial chill through the crowd, making the hair on their arms stand erect.
For they understood with terrifying clarity exactly what Chen Changsheng’s edict entailed.
“This subordinate accepts the command!”
Gongsun Huaiyu was the first to step forward, cupping her fists to receive the mandate.
“Huaiyu will not fail the trust you have placed in her. Sir, I beseech you to bestow a title!”
“You strike with savage, boundless ferocity, like a starved beast descending the mountain. You shall bear the name ‘Huben’.”
“May your banner shatter every defense, and your blade taste endless victory!”
“Thank you, Sir, for the bestowed name!”
Seeing Gongsun Huaiyu secure her vanguard, Zi Ning hurriedly stepped forward.
Though she remained ignorant of the true machinations between the Seventy-Two Wolf Smokes and her Master, she placed absolute faith in Chen Changsheng.
If he truly hungered for the Purple Mansion Holy Land, a predator of his caliber would never employ such crude, clumsy methods.
“Zi Ning respectfully accepts the mandate. I beseech Sir to bestow a title!”
Sweeping his gaze over the girl before him, Chen Changsheng stated, “Your movements are spectral, coming and going without a trace.”
“Your legion shall be called ‘Meiying’.”
“Like shadows clinging to the flesh, from this day forth, you shall be the nightmare that haunts your enemies.”
“Thank you, Sir, for the bestowed name!”
With his decrees cast, Chen Changsheng turned and walked away.
The disciples hesitated for a fleeting moment before scrambling to align themselves with the two new banners.
Though blind to the political wars raging among the Holy Land’s elites, they recognized the scent of a monumental opportunity.
In the blood-soaked ruins of the Mad Dragon Fort, the Purple Mansion disciples had carved their names into the Middle Heavens.
Now, a path to absolute glory lay paved before them. As long as Chen Changsheng wore the mantle of Holy Son, as long as he gripped the reins of power,
none of them would dare let this heavenly fortune slip through their fingers.
……
Lin Kaishan’s explosive tantrum quickly faded into memory, and the immense machinery of the Purple Mansion Holy Land resumed its grinding march.
Zi Ning and Gongsun Huaiyu marched out of the Holy Land, leading their legions to conquer the Middle Heavens.
Chen Changsheng dove back into the “Sea of Learning,” vanishing from the public eye. An eerie, undisturbed tranquility settled over the entire Holy Land.
Yet, the few perceptive souls remaining within the sect noticed an intriguing anomaly.
Lin Kaishan had ventured deep into the forbidden back mountains. Since his return from that summit, he had sealed his lips regarding Chen Changsheng.
However, the stubborn old man still refused to utter the title “Holy Son.”
As for the unseen truths exchanged in the depths of the back mountain, save for Lin Kaishan himself, none could deduce the laws of the Dao that took place there.
……
Within the encampment of the Seventy-Two Wolf Smokes.
Staring at the returned parchment, Wu Li’s brows twisted into a dense, agonizing knot.
He was utterly blind to whatever unfathomable scheme the Sir was weaving this time.
Unable to shrewdly weigh the fated paths of Chen Changsheng’s logic, Wu Li turned his exasperated gaze toward Nalan Jing.
At that moment, Nalan Jing was curiously inspecting the room’s rustic furnishings, entirely devoid of the terror expected from a captive meant for the slaughter.
“Purple Mansion Holy Lord, it appears your Holy Son holds no desire to pay your ransom.”
“Perhaps you should draft a missive to persuade him. If we are forced to spill your blood, it will end poorly for all involved.”
In the face of Wu Li’s thinly veiled threat, Nalan Jing continued to idly poke at his bedding.
“The embroidery on this pillow is quite exquisite. I don’t believe I’ve encountered this stylistic weave before.”
“Why don’t you lend it to me for a few nights? The stone slab you provided is far too rigid; I simply cannot find peace upon it.”
Wu Li: “……”
I am threatening you with execution, can you muster a sliver of gravity for your impending doom?!
“Nalan Jing, do you truly believe I lack the nerve to sever your head?”
Seeing her treat him like thin air, Wu Li’s voice dropped several degrees, chilling the room.
Hearing this, Nalan Jing cast a detached, fleeting glance in his direction.
“Such childish intimidation tactics. Dig a little deeper.”
“Chen Changsheng’s labyrinthine ties with the Seventy-Two Wolf Smokes are an open secret across the Middle Heavens.”
“He now sits as the Holy Son of the Purple Mansion Holy Land. Do you truly believe you are permitted to kill me?”
“Speak such absurdities abroad, and you’ll find no fools to believe you.”