Chapter 697 - 147: Ministry of Rites Snatches People, Promotion

Despite this, the disciples outside didn’t know any better. They all thought Fang Bai was telling the truth. That’s why he was storming the hall, risking the wrath of a Master—the newly appointed Peak Master himself.

He had taken the risk, but in the end, disciples from every department had swooped in and reaped the rewards. He was not only about to go mad with rage, but he also felt an overwhelming sense of injustice.

Even though their Artifact Refining Department was at the front of the queue, the Magic Robe Department itself was scheduled at the very end of the Artifact Department’s slot.

But the later their turn, the less time they had to alter the Dharma Robe!!!

Yang Hongjun’s expression twisted for a long moment before he finally roared, "Fang Shouli, I’m not done with you!"

Inside the grand hall, Fang Bai heard the roar and thought sullenly, ’You can’t blame me. You already came storming over here. If I didn’t notify everyone else, and they all found out later, wouldn’t I have offended all of them? Anyway, my part is finished! You wanted to cut in line, so you can take the blame for the fallout!’

At the entrance to the hall, the two disciples who had accompanied Yang Hongjun watched him roaring, their hearts filled with apprehension.

After a long moment, one of them finally stepped forward and said, "Sir, what do we do? If we really just wait in line, our turn won’t come until tomorrow, right?

With only half a day, even if we could get Ancestor Quan himself, we wouldn’t dare make any rash alterations to the Dharma Robe!"

Even a small problem that arises from altering a Three-Star Magical Artifact can’t be fixed in just a little while.

Yang Hongjun took a deep breath and said, "Go back and get the robe. We’ll have the Master try it on along the way and ask for his suggestions."

"But... taking the Dharma Robe out of the department like this is a serious breach of protocol, isn’t it?" the disciple asked, hesitating.

"Who cares about protocol at a time like this? Besides, this isn’t some grand promotion ceremony, so the whole affair is already unconventional. Just do as I say. We really can’t wait any longer. Our fellow disciples in the Ministry of Rites should understand and make things easy for us," Yang Hongjun said rapidly.

"Uh... Alright then!" the disciple said.

"Right. When you take the robe out, make sure to clear it with Master Quan," Yang Hongjun said.

The disciple stiffened and asked hesitantly, "Is it really okay for us to pass the buck like this?"

"If something goes wrong with that Dharma Robe—a full-fledged Three-Star Magical Artifact—do you think you can handle the responsibility?" Yang Hongjun asked bluntly.

"...I understand." After saying that, the disciple quickly disappeared.

Yang Hongjun glanced back at the grand hall and shouted once more, "Fang Shouli, I know you’re listening! I’ll concede this time. But in the future, you’d better hope you never need any resources, or I’ll show you what it means to cross someone with the surname Yang!"

From inside the hall, Fang Bai could hear the real anger in Yang Hongjun’s voice. His own words came out, sounding slightly apprehensive. "Hey now, Senior Brother Yang, blaming me like this isn’t fair. I took the blame for snatching him first, so if you come to do the same, you have to take that blame too, right? You can’t be the one doing it and expect me to take the fall, can you?"

"Ha! And did you give me a chance to do that? If you had waited until I’d already collected the Master before notifying our other brothers from the Ministry of Rites, then I would’ve just accepted it.

But you wanted me to take the blame while you got to play the good guy. Real nice, Fang Bai. I’ll make sure I never have to ask your Fang Family’s Array Department for a single thing from now on. I hope you can do the same and never come begging to my Yang Family.

Unless, of course, you’ve got what it takes to make me eat crow and accept it! Consider this the start of a feud between us!"

With that, Yang Hongjun flicked his sleeve, put his hands behind his back, and vanished in a surge of Spirit Wind.

Fang Bai stood stunned for a long moment, then turned his head to Fang Qing, who had just arrived and remained silent the whole time. "Brother Qing," he asked, "did I really cause a huge problem this time?"

"Don’t look at me. I can’t solve this!" Fang Qing paused, then said, "Yesterday, when you asked for my help to ’abduct’ him, I told you not to drag it out, or you’d end up offending people.

A whole crowd of disciples from the Ministry of Rites is waiting for their turn with him. Don’t you realize how tight the three-day deadline is?

But you? Delaying things wasn’t enough. Hiding him away was one thing, but you even set a trap for the Master, using his casual remarks about his preferences to spread the word that it was all his idea.

You’re lucky the Master is good-tempered. He genuinely likes the ’shadow ceremony’ you made and even admitted it, so he’s not bothered by this little incident. If you had run into someone like Master Guk, the suffering you’d be facing today would be much more than just this.

And to manage to provoke Senior Brother Yang—a man who’s been navigating the Sect for years and always leaves himself an out—until he’s red-eyed with fury? I have to admit, I’m impressed.

My warnings didn’t work, so you can reap what you’ve sown.

From now on, besides your Monthly Interest, you’d better not apply for anything else. I reckon that with the ongoing war, the Sect is going to have to tighten its belt, especially where you’re concerned."

"But I was just... trying to create a ’shadow ceremony’ announcement that would make the Master look good," Fang Bai said weakly.

Fang Qing’s expression froze. "Cousin, have you spent so many years studying that ’Film and Television Dao’ of the Outer Realm that you’ve fried your brain? You can’t just throw the Master’s name around as a cover like this anymore.

If you don’t stop, I’m afraid one day I’ll have to disown you! Do you think the Master is a fool? He’s only indulging you because he sees how passionate you are about this ’shadow ceremony’ thing.

But him indulging you is one thing; you using him as a shield is another! Back in our own Array Department, it’s fine if you’re careless and thoughtless. The Ancestor is there to cover for us, so nothing truly bad can happen.

But Spirit Nurturing Peak? What kind of place is that? And a Peak Master? What kind of status does he hold? Is he someone you can just use as your personal weapon?

You must have watched so many of those films that it’s broken your brain!"

Having said his piece, Fang Qing also flicked his sleeve and stormed off.

Fang Bai stood frozen to the spot, speechless for a long, long time.

...

「More than a day later.」

Zhang Deming was being fussed over by a dozen or so disciples from the Department of Rites, who were using every trick in the book to stall for time.