Chapter 211: Changing the Chief Disciple – Enjoying the Spectacle

Azure Profound Sect.

Since upgrading the Wealth Bringer, Lian Mu had been holed up in the Thousand Mechanisms Pagoda, tending to her fields. The artifact forging had drained her spiritual energy significantly, and she had used up all the spirit replenishing pills she had expected to last until the end of the Immortal Sect Grand Competition.

The batch of spiritual plants she had previously planted had grown well and was ready for harvest. After collecting them, Lian Mu made a new batch of spirit replenishing pills to have on hand.

This experience made Lian Mu deeply realize how much talent is needed in the field of artifact refining. Creating a high-level Spirit Artifact requires an immense amount of spiritual energy. She had merely modified a sword and was left utterly exhausted. Moving forward, with her Spiritual Root’s limitations, delving deeper into this field would be exceedingly difficult.

To be safe, Lian Mu had stripped the Thousand Mechanisms Pagoda of all its spiritual plants, believing that the more spirit replenishing pills, the better.

Xuan Che, using her destruction of the plants as an excuse, chased her around for a spar. Lian Mu could tell he simply had itchy hands and wanted a duel, so she obliged, using it as an opportunity to test her new sword and learn some of his techniques.

Of course, she was beaten quite badly; Xuan Che never held back.

Forced by him, Lian Mu’s strength increased significantly, and lately, she found herself irritable, wanting to fight anyone she saw.

Before the next round of the Immortal Sect Grand Competition in the Illusion Realm, she needed to acclimate to the Shifang Nether soil. Time passed quickly outside while she was in the Thousand Mechanisms Pagoda, and when she emerged, it was the day before they were to leave for the Shifang Nether soil.

The disciples at the Azure Profound Sect’s competition grounds were much more serious, no longer laughing and joking as before. Instead, they were earnest and focused.

Today was the day the leaders of the Four Great Sects were visiting, and no one wanted to show any flaws in front of such important figures.

Of course, some people didn’t care at all and even pestered the sect leaders relentlessly.

“Why, Uncle? I did nothing wrong, so why am I being removed from the position of Chief Disciple?”

The leaders of the three major sects gathered in the main hall, with each sect’s Chief team and Second Seat present to meet them.

Hua Qiuxin sat in the center, smiling at the disciples and elders around her.

Beside her was an empty seat, with the Crimson Sky Sect’s leader, Yin Chongyang, sitting to her left, and the Clear Thought Sect’s leader, Shen Minglu, to her right.

Below, the Clear Thought Sect’s Chief team was restless, with Shen Wuxie looking unconvinced, unable to believe what he had just heard.

Tang Wuxun stepped forward and, in front of all the sect leaders and disciples, stated openly, “I, Tang Wuxun, believe that Senior Brother Shen is unfit to serve as Chief Disciple. I hope we can follow the Azure Profound Sect’s example and replace our Chief Disciple.”

Shen Wuxie retorted, “What makes you say I’m unfit?”

In front of so many people, he restrained himself, lowering his voice, but his eyes were still filled with anger, as if he wanted to pierce Tang Wuxun with his gaze.

Tang Wuxun remained unfazed, his tone steady, “I ask the sect leaders to judge fairly. This is the unanimous opinion of our Chief team of four. Since the Azure Profound Sect can change their Chief Disciple, our Clear Thought Sect should have the same right.”

He repeatedly mentioned the Azure Profound Sect to suppress any objections from its leader, since changing the Chief Disciple requires the agreement of at least two sect leaders.

As expected, Hua Qiuxin chose to remain uninvolved, “Senior Shen, what do you think? This is your sect’s matter, and I, as an outsider, have no say.”

Yin Chongyang added, “Sect Master Shen is our senior. As juniors, we dare not speak out of turn.”

Shen Minglu sighed, “Since Wuxun has spoken, let it be as he says.”

It seemed he had anticipated this day and showed no hesitation.

Shen Wuxie protested, “Uncle, even you…”

Yin Chongyang chuckled, “In such a setting, why use personal titles?”

Shen Wuxie had no choice but to change his address, “Sect Master Shen, I am not convinced.”

The other disciples couldn’t help but steal glances at him. Despite his usual arrogance, he seemed like a quail before the sect leaders, though still a noisy one.

“This position of Chief Disciple was earned by my own merit. No one else in the Clear Thought Sect is qualified to take it,” Shen Wuxie declared. “On the contrary, Tang Wuxun, as Team Leader, has done nothing. The mediocre performance of the Clear Thought Sect’s Chief team is half his responsibility.”

Tang Wuxun nearly ground his teeth to dust, “…”

He dares to say that! Who’s really holding us back?

Tang Wuxun took a deep breath and, together with the other three Chief Disciples, stepped forward, “If the sect leader does not agree to the change, then the three of us will also withdraw from the Chief team. Please find someone more capable.”

Upon hearing this, the three sect leaders fell silent.

Everyone knew that this generation of the Clear Thought Sect had few Heavenly Spiritual Roots. If those three withdrew, unlike the Azure Profound Sect, they wouldn’t have other strong disciples to fill the gap.

Yin Chongyang remarked, “If these three juniors have spoken to this extent, wouldn’t refusing them hurt their feelings?”

Hua Qiuxin coldly replied, “Yin Chongyang, stop fanning the flames here. Mind your own business.”

The interactions among the three sect leaders subtly reflected the relationships among the three major sects. The Crimson Sky Sect’s leader appeared carefree but secretly sowed discord. The Azure Profound Sect, as the primary target of the Crimson Sky Sect, harbored considerable hostility towards them.

The Clear Thought Sect’s leader remained detached from worldly affairs, even indifferent to his own sect’s internal matters. Such a significant issue as changing the Chief Disciple was handled casually, and he maintained a semi-neutral stance among the Four Great Sects.

As for the Returning Immortal Sect’s leader…

The disciples of the Returning Immortal Sect couldn’t help but glance at the empty seat beside Hua Qiuxin, feeling a sense of loss.

As expected, their sect leader did not show up again.

While the other sect leaders at least made an appearance during conflicts, their Returning Immortal Sect leader never got involved because he never left his quarters.

Leading the group, Murong Yi quietly reassured them, “The sect leader is busy with other matters and couldn’t make it. Let’s secure a good ranking in this round. Even from afar in Black Tortoise North, the sect leader will surely be pleased.”

Guan Huailin nodded. “I just returned from Black Tortoise North. The Sect Master is indeed unable to leave at the moment, but he mentioned you all. He has been closely following the Immortal Sect Grand Competition.”

Lian Mu didn’t feel much about this. To her, it didn’t matter whether the Sect Master came or not. After all, the competition relied on the disciples’ performances. The Sect Master could at most serve as a source of inspiration.

She stood silently in the team, expressionless.

Similarly expressionless was Qian Songshi from the Azure Profound Sect Chief team. His eyes were unfocused, arms crossed, and he seemed quite impatient.

Standing close to him, Lian Mu overheard him muttering, “Such a boring show. If there’s going to be a fight, let’s just get on with it instead of wasting our time…”

Looking closely, she noticed he wasn’t even wearing the sect’s uniform. Among the white-robed Azure Profound Sect members, his blue robe stood out conspicuously.

Because he was so conspicuous, Jiang Yuechen and the other Azure Profound Sect Chief Disciples kept their distance from him, though it was unclear who initiated it.

Qian Songshi’s voice wasn’t quiet. Even the slightly more advanced elders in the arena could hear him, let alone the Sect Master.

Shen Minglu, still in the midst of making a decision, couldn’t be bothered with the idle chatter of disciples from other sects. Hua Qiuxin turned a blind eye, but Yin Chongyang was the first to speak. “Sect Master Hua, is this your sect’s new Chief Disciple? Your sect has quite a unique eye for talent, but the previous Chief Disciple seemed more composed.”

Hua Qiuxin replied, “The Azure Profound Sect is full of talent, so naturally, we have all kinds of personalities. We have dozens of disciples with Heavenly Spiritual Roots, each with their own character. It’s not unusual.”

Her words hit a sore spot for the Crimson Sky Sect. The Azure Profound Sect, with its Pearl-Seeking Instrument, far surpassed the Crimson Sky Sect in terms of disciple aptitude. Despite the Crimson Sky Sect’s efforts to catch up in other areas, this was one aspect where they still lagged significantly.

“People say the Azure Profound Sect cultivates virtue, yet you’ve raised such an outspoken young man. I suspect it’s because Sect Master Hua spoils him. I heard you even gave him your famous ‘Twin Aspect Sword’. It seems he’s relying on the Sect Master’s backing to act so rudely,” Yin Chongyang said.

“Sect Master Hua is usually strict with disciples, yet you indulge him alone. I wonder how Ying You, the former Chief Disciple who was strictly disciplined from a young age, feels about this?”

Hua Qiuxin calmly replied, “As the Sect Master of the Crimson Sky Sect, you’re so concerned about my disciples, yet since you arrived, you haven’t asked a single question about your own. I wonder how they feel about that?”

Lian Mu maintained her composure, but inside, she was amused. She enjoyed watching such lively and chaotic scenes.

She glanced at Qian Songshi, who didn’t seem the least bit angered by the Crimson Sky Sect Master’s comments. Instead, he even smiled.

Lian Mu thought, “…”

Could it be that he said those things on purpose, just to stir things up?

Amidst the confrontation, Shen Minglu interrupted, “The Clear Thought Sect Chief Disciple talisman cultivator can be replaced. Wuxun, choose someone.”

With his intervention, Hua Qiuxin and Yin Chongyang finally quieted down.

Hua Qiuxin said, “I naturally support Senior Shen’s decision.”

Yin Chongyang added, “You’re ruthless even to your own nephew. No wonder you forced the Feng Clan ancestor to abdicate just two years after entering the sect, Senior Shen.”

Feng Huanyin from the Clear Thought Sect Chief team suddenly changed her expression, clenching her hand hidden in her sleeve.

Shen Minglu finally looked at her, giving her a brief, indifferent glance before saying nothing and stepping down.

Meanwhile, the Crimson Sky Sect Chief team was under intense scrutiny, with sharp gazes from the Clear Thought Sect and Azure Profound Sect disciples shooting towards them, carrying a hint of hostility.

Even Lu Feishuang was momentarily silent. “…”

Their Sect Master was clearly drawing enmity. Couldn’t he consider their position?

At this moment, disciples from the other three sects couldn’t help but secretly admire the Returning Immortal Sect. The Sect Master of the Returning Immortal Sect was truly wise. In a situation like this, it’s best not to attend if there’s someone who loves to stir trouble.

Lian Mu was enjoying the spectacle when she suddenly noticed Shen Minglu glancing at her, giving her a slight smile.

In the previous Illusion Realm, Shen Minglu had given her guidance, and she couldn’t forget his kindness. So she returned the smile, silently mouthing from a distance: Thank you, Sect Master Shen.