Elder Ancestor of Lin Clan recalled the deeds of the Mount Taihua Goddess like counting his family treasures.
“The Mount Taihua Goddess was truly powerful,” he said.
Lu Changsheng was shocked as well.
In her time, the Mount Taihua Goddess was almost one of the strongest cultivators.
Having been the Holy Son of Tai Hua for many years, Lu Changsheng knew that in the ancient times of the Immortal Realm, two great wars took place. Each catastrophe brought countless fallen powerhouses and gave rise to batches upon batches of great human experts.
In the first ancient war, the human race clashed with the Demon Race, and ultimately, the most powerful experts from both sides reached a compromise, setting Demon-Suppressing Pass as the border, with no further conflict between the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm.
In the second ancient war, the Demon Lord led billions of demon soldiers and generals to attack the Ancient Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Court was destroyed by the Demon Lord, who was eventually defeated and retreated with Demonic Path Cultivators into the Demon Realm.
Having lived through two ancient catastrophes, the divine skills of the Mount Taihua Goddess were truly unfathomable.
As everyone was admiring the exploits of the Mount Taihua Goddess, they moved towards the depths of the palace.
Deep within the palace, there was another wooden door with two copper rings.
Lu Changsheng and Lin Qinghan held the copper rings at the same time and pushed the wooden door open.
An ancient breath of the desolate ancient times emanated from within the door.
Lu Changsheng and Lin Qinghan stepped inside.
The Elder Ancestor of Lin Clan, Jiang Family Ancestor, Patriarch Ye, and Lin Xuantong also tried to enter to uncover the secrets within.
But an invisible force prevented them; they were unable to take another step forward.
Attempting to force his way in through cultivation, Jiang Family Ancestor was stopped by the outstretched hand of the Elder Ancestor of Lin Clan, “It seems the Goddess does not wish for us to enter. The Godly Coffin is inside; we cannot barge in.”
Jiang Family Ancestor came to his senses. Deep within the palace lay the Goddess’s Mausoleum; forcing their way in would be seen as a sacrilege against their ancestor.
Jiang Family Ancestor said to Jiang Yu, “You try, see if you have a chance to enter.”
“Yes.”
Jiang Yu clenched his fists.
If Lu Changsheng and Lin Qinghan could get in, then he certainly should be able to as well.
However, after just two steps, an invisible force pushed Jiang Yu back out.
Jiang Yu’s face turned pale.
He had not been chosen by the Mount Taihua Goddess!
“Damn it, am I really inferior to Lu Changsheng in every aspect?!”
Jiang Yu was nearly frantic inside.
It was bad enough that he was beaten by Lu Changsheng and lost his position as the Holy Son of Tai Hua, but even the heritage of the Mount Taihua Goddess was out of Jiang Yu’s reach.
In this way, the gap between Jiang Yu and Lu Changsheng would only grow wider.
Ye Feng and the two Holy Maiden Candidates also attempted to enter deep into the mausoleum but were stopped by the invisible force as well.
Ye Feng had a resigned expression; at least Jiang Yu had been rejected too.
Seeing others suffer made his own disappointment somewhat more bearable.
“When the two of them managed to remove the outer talismans, I should have known that only they were qualified to inherit the legacy of the Mount Taihua Goddess,” he muttered.
Lin Xuantong was quite pleased with the outcome.
Lu Changsheng was his direct disciple, and Lin Qinghan was his daughter; regardless of the outcome, Lin Xuantong would greatly benefit.
The faces of the Elder Ancestors from the Holy Land, including those of the Jiang Clan and Ye Family, were quite hard to read, as their descendants had no chance of inheriting the Mount Taihua Goddess’s legacy.
Since Lin Qinghan was a direct descendent of the Mount Taihua Goddess, it wasn’t surprising that she qualified for the inheritance.
But Lu Changsheng, an outsider, could actually obtain the legacy of the Mount Taihua Goddess, whereas branch descendants like Jiang Yu and Ye Feng could not—this was somewhat odd.
“We’ll wait outside.”
Lin Xuantong knew that entering the Mount Taihua Goddess’s Mausoleum was an immense opportunity for Lu Changsheng and Lin Qinghan. Thus, he decided to personally wait outside for their return.
Meanwhile, the Elder Ancestor of Lin Clan was contemplating, “Why has Goddess Daoxu opened its final chamber at this time? In the past, whenever Goddess Daoxu presented a great treasure, it helped our Taihua Divine Mountain survive a disaster. Could another catastrophe be approaching? I can’t deduce it, can’t deduce.”
The Elder Ancestor of Lin Clan murmured to himself, unable to divine the destiny at play.
…
In the central lands of the Immortal Realm, within the Immortal Dynasty, there laid the imperial palace with six thousand palatial halls, jade towers, golden pavilions, countless terraces and exquisite buildings which rose high, their splendid canopies soaring into the sky.
“His Majesty has summoned Mr. Mo to the Imperial Study Room for an audience,” said a eunuch with a soft and high-pitched voice, leading a woman dressed in black and white Confucian robes into the palace and towards the Imperial Study Room.
This eunuch surprisingly possessed the aura of someone in the Immortal Emperor Realm, which was startling to behold.
The woman was brought to the Imperial Study Room where a middle-aged man with face shaped like Chinese character ‘国’, clothed in a yellow robe, was holding a cultivation technique scroll, studying it intently.
His aura was restrained, inscrutable to others.
Yet, in his presence, the eunuch, despite himself being at the level of Immortal Emperor Realm, was utterly respectful, not daring to give the man an extra glance for fear of provoking royal ire.
The Emperor of the Immortal Dynasty, with a cultivation unfathomable, ruled over countless divine domains for over a hundred million years.
In front of him, even an Immortal Emperor was as insignificant as an ant.
Upon seeing the woman in black and white Confucian robes enter, he slightly raised his eyes, “You are the new direct disciple taken in by the master of the academy?”
“In response to Your Majesty, yes,” she replied.
“The reason I have summoned you today is to inform you of a joyous matter. My ninth son is still in need of a suitable match, and since you have been chosen by the master of the academy, you would be a fitting match for him,” he said.
The Emperor’s attention returned to the cultivation technique in his hands, believing she would not refuse.
Mr. Mo, despite being endowed with the Body of the Literary Sage and being taken as a direct disciple by the academy’s master, was still merely at the Quasi-Emperor Realm, whereas the Immortal Dynasty’s Ninth Prince held a position of utmost reverence and was now a Great Accomplishment Immortal Emperor.
The Emperor, offering a marriage proposal for his Ninth Prince, expected her to be overwhelmed and accept immediately.
“Your Majesty’s kindness is gratefully acknowledged, but I must beg your pardon for I cannot give my consent. I am simply not a worthy match for the Ninth Prince.”
Contrary to his expectations, Mr. Mo had no intention of accepting the proposal!
The Emperor’s hand that was holding the cultivation technique trembled slightly.
This was the first time someone had dared to decline his marriage proposal.
For his other sons or daughters, anyone who dared refuse his marriage proposals met with the extermination of their entire family, which is why no one ever dared to refuse.
Yet this woman at the Quasi-Emperor Realm had just rejected his offer.
“Are you not afraid of death?” the Emperor asked.
His aura became slightly manifest, the whole Imperial Study Room quaked violently, and the eunuchs and Imperial Guards outside exchanged looks of sheer terror.
When the Emperor of the Immortal Dynasty was enraged, countless heads would roll.
The woman, with neither arrogance nor servility, said, “Your Majesty is generous and will not make things difficult for a woman. The master has lessons for me on cultivation today, so I must take my leave.”
“Ha ha ha, I was merely testing you. You may leave,” the Emperor suddenly said, his anger dissipated, and he laughed heartily as he allowed her to depart.
Once the woman had left, the Emperor’s face turned ashen.
She had used the academy’s master to threaten him, forcing him to relinquish the idea.
The academy was a gathering place for Confucian sages within the Immortal Dynasty, and even he, the Emperor, could not command the absolute obedience of the academy’s Literary Sages.
The academy’s master, with cultivation profound and inscrutable, was not someone to be offended lightly.
“Since the academy’s master made an exception in accepting a woman as his disciple, it signifies her extraordinary character. My intention to seek her hand in marriage for my son was to draw the academy to our side, as well as to secure a potential Literary Sage for the future. But since she shows no appreciation, it seems I must find another solution, such as having my unworthy son woo her,” reflected the Emperor.
The Emperor sank into deep thought.
The art of imperial governance lies in balance.
Ziyang Academy, an aloof entity within the Immortal Dynasty, and Mr. Mo, the academy master’s most valued direct disciple, possessing a cultivation at the Quasi-Emperor Realm despite her young age—if the Ninth Prince could win her over, it would not only bring the academy’s master to their side but also a spouse of extraordinary talent.
Ziyang Academy boasted millions of Confucian scholars, categorized into nine ranks.
It was considered a Holy Land of Confucian Dao within the Immortal Realm.
The woman known as Mr. Mo returned to Ziyang Academy to continue her Confucian Dao cultivation.
Meanwhile, the Ninth Prince came to visit from time to time, attempting to win over the lady’s heart, but Prince Xiang was earnest while the Goddess was indifferent, leading to the Ninth Prince being repeatedly turned away at the door.
The Ninth Prince, frustrated and indignant, was, however, powerless. Even as a prince, he dared not provoke the Ziyang Academy or its master.