Chapter 343 - 164: When the Time Comes, Heaven and Earth Lend Their Strength; Do Not Force What Is Not Fated! Ten Thousand Laws True Inheritance, Chi Jing Daoist

Chapter 343: Chapter 164: When the Time Comes, Heaven and Earth Lend Their Strength; Do Not Force What Is Not Fated! Ten Thousand Laws True Inheritance, Chi Jing Daoist

He had stubbornly held on through the fall of the Three Yang Sect and the decline of the Celestial Blade School, all the way to reaching the Peak of the Dragon and Tiger Realm.

No one knew the true depths of his skill in the Qi Dao.

Yet, both within and without Jiangyin Prefecture, whenever the greatest Qi Cultivation Grandmasters were ranked, he was, without exception, the one who claimed the top spot.

To be fair, as Disciples of the Purple Mist School, these Grandmasters had long harbored the desire to contend for more.

The Martial Dao is built on contention.

Though the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

But given their old Gate Captain’s current standing in the Jianghu, and his connection to a True Inheritance Disciple from the Dragon Elephant True Sect...

If they could help that person successfully ascend to the rank of True Sect Disciple, they would gain the backing of the Dragon Elephant True Sect—a behemoth that dominated the Three Mansions and cast a hungry eye toward Cangdu...

In all of Jiangyin Prefecture, what would be beyond their grasp?

’He’s just too cautious, that old man. Otherwise, would there even be any talk of "six great mountains" anymore?’

’If he had just fought for it years ago, directly seizing the legacies of the Three Yang Sect and the Celestial Blade School, he would have long since become a Martial Saint, suppressing all enemies in the prefecture. Why would he still be holed up in seclusion, trying to comprehend the path to a Title?’

And so, as Zhou Changming finished speaking, one of the Grandmasters looked toward the young man in the seat of honor, his eyes glinting with intent.

"Gate Captain, Grandmaster Changming is right. Let’s fight for it!"

"Wang Xuanyang’s inheritance, the Blessed Land of Golden Turtle Island... all of it, left to the Celestial Blade School. I ask you, can a man like Chen Hex, who hasn’t even reached the rank of Sect Leader, possibly hold onto such treasures?"

Wei Changkong fell silent for a long moment. His gaze drifted upward, past the hall’s ornate openwork ceiling to the vast expanse of sea and sky beyond, and a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes.

"I understand the reasoning."

"But..."

"A figure like Wang Xuanyang, one who broke through the Six Great Limits... can someone like that truly be dead and gone?"

To Wei Changkong’s left sat Qi Yue. A man who appeared to be in his thirties, he was the Chief Seat of one of the peaks and, by both seniority and strength, held the firm number-two position in the Purple Mist School. Upon hearing Wei Changkong’s words, his face twisted with an expression of pure frustration, like a blacksmith lamenting brittle iron that would never become steel.

"Senior Brother, for how many years have you been this ’cautious’? Even back then, Master said you lacked a fighting edge! You’re at the Peak of Dragon and Tiger now, and in my view, that’s the very thing holding you back from the final step!"

"When the Three Yang Sect had three Dragon and Tiger masters in their prime, it was understandable for you to bide your time. When Wang Xuanyang, a remnant of a shattered Celestial Pillar lineage, broke through the Six Great Limits and shone so brightly, it was one thing to endure."

"But we’re the top dogs now! Why in the world should we keep enduring?"

"Besides, I told you before: among the True Inheritance Disciples that Chen Hex accepted, the fifth one is my man. According to his letters, Chen Hex even gave that kid artifacts left behind by his Martial Saint father! That shows how highly he regards him!"

"If you still refuse to act, and you wait until that kid receives the Martial Saint’s Inheritance and truly rises to power, then yes, he probably won’t do anything to our School."

"But when your own Great Limit draws near, what happens if you still can’t break through that final barrier, Senior Brother?"

"We’ve waited over a decade. If Wang Xuanyang were ever going to return, he would have done so back when our martial nephew met his doom while probing Duan Chenzhou to pave the way for you."

"There hasn’t been so much as a whisper about him since. He can only be dead, and thoroughly so."

"So what are you still waiting for?"

Seeing the Grandmasters below urging him on, Wei Changkong took a deep breath. He was tempted, but the psychological scars from his past suppression by Wang Xuanyang remained, leaving him hesitant.

Just then, a young man strode into the hall. He wore a Profound Gold Robe, its sleeves embroidered with the image of a Red Dragon and an Ancient Elephant.

"Gate Captain Wei, the Elder Martial Saint of my Dragon Elephant True Sect once accepted a single disciple—Senior Ye Wenjiang, who held the esteemed rank of Daoist."

"But because he became entangled with that band of traitors from the Sword Dao Ancestral Court, he was led astray. In the end, he was stripped of his title and died far from home!"

"This left the Elder Martial Saint with a heart-knot that has yet to be untied. He was grievously wounded during that upheaval and only managed to recover a fraction of his strength after sixty years of seclusion, which is why he has only just emerged."

"Back when the Sword Dao Ancestral Court was at its zenith, that Sword Master was ranked among the foremost of the Ten Great Celestial Pillars."

"He even defied all consensus to support the Human King. Their foundations run incredibly deep!"

"Even if Wang Xuanyang is just a remnant from a shattered lineage, the inheritance he carries must not be underestimated."

"Gate Captain Wei, if you can attain a Title and rank among the Martial Saints, and if you also recover the remains of Senior Ye Wenjiang, then I will surely gain the favor of the Dragon Elephant Martial Saint and claim the title of Dragon Elephant Daoist—a position that has been vacant for a full sixty years!"

"If the Purple Mist School dare not act alone, then how about I, in the name of the Dragon Elephant True Sect, join you in seizing the very foundation of the Celestial Blade School?"

"I’ll take my share of the spoils, and we will bear both the consequences and the rewards together."

Jiang Yue, a Disciple from the Dragon Elephant True Sect and one of the three most promising True Inheritance candidates vying for the title of Daoist, stepped into the hall with an air of complete confidence.

Seeing that the situation both inside and outside his School looked so overwhelmingly favorable...

Wei Changkong felt as if he were being carried along by the tide.

’But what they’re saying... it does seem to make a certain amount of sense...’

’I’ve endured for so many years. I’ve finally, finally managed to get ahead. With such a massive opportunity right before my eyes, why shouldn’t I reach out and take it?’

Thinking of all the Disciples and members of his School who had been lost to the Celestial Blade School over the years... Wei Changkong felt a knot tighten in his chest.

And so, after a long moment of silence, he abruptly rose to his feet.

"Fine!"

"Then..."

"I will fight for it! I’ll make the Celestial Blade School build Wang Xuanyang a grave!"

"As long as Wang Xuanyang is dead, and with Chen Hex not even being a Sect Leader, then according to the rules of Jiangyin Prefecture, their School must scatter to the winds."

"Therefore, everything from the ’No. 1’ plaque on Daoist School Street to the Blessed Land, Golden Turtle Island, that Wang Xuanyang seized from the Three Yang Sect—they’ll have to spit it all back out!"

And seeing Wei Changkong—the Purple Mist roiling above his head as he flicked his great sleeves—finally take this step after more than a decade, having waited for the perfect alignment of time, place, and people.