Chapter 97: Chapter 97: An Uninvited Guest at the Celebration, A Slap in the Face
Translator: 549690339
Xin Guangxuan fell silent for a moment, covered his eyes with his hand, and stammered, “Last night, I accidentally took a fall while sleeping.”
“You are a cultivator, how could you possibly fall like that? Plus, both eyes are swollen so symmetrically, and even the extent of the swelling is nearly the same. It’s clear you were beaten up,” Ye Feng said with a skeptical look.
Hearing this, Xin Guangxuan felt even more depressed: “I was not beaten. It was just because I slept too high up last night and fell straight from the fifth floor rooftop, headfirst… Huh, why is there so much more mist on Misty Peak now, and the appearance of the peak seems different.”
It was only then that Xin Guangxuan noticed the vast changes to Misty Peak.
In his memory, the summit of Misty Peak was an irregular oval shape with uneven ground, but now, it had turned into a circle, with the ground as flat as if it had been cleaved by a Heavenly Sword.
“Strange, the spiritual energy here also seems much denser.”
Xin Guangxuan took a deep breath and realized that the spiritual energy at the top of Misty Peak was very rich, almost on par with Liuyun Sect.
“Our Misty Sect has received the protection of heroic spirits, and significant changes have occurred over the last few days; that’s why such transformations have happened… Perhaps the heroic spirits are not satisfied with Misty Sect being just a high-ranked sect and hope that we strive forward to challenge for the star-level sect!”
Ye Feng never drafted lies, and as soon as he spoke, he sounded like an old hand at it.
However, leveraging his identity as the Chosen One, his words made Xin Guangxuan believe they were true.
“I knew it, Misty Sect could aim for star-level sect in the future. The Third Elder just doesn’t believe it and even beat me for it,” Xin Guangxuan laughed heartily.
When Ye Feng heard this, he found it somewhat unbelievable.
After all, Lu Shanyue was an elder. Would he really resort to violence over something like this?
“Nonsense! This elder thrashed you because you spouted nonsense, daring to say that I went to Goulan without you and tarnishing my reputation. Last night, I was clearly meeting an old flame; you don’t know a thing!” At this moment, a shout sounded from Lu Shanyue not too far away.
Xin Guangxuan was so frightened that he immediately shut up.
Ye Feng burst into laughter upon hearing this.
To dare to mock an elder, no wonder Xin Guangxuan got beaten; he had it coming!
At this time, Lu Shanyue, accompanied by Dong Qiang and Pang Haiyun, reached the peak and felt astounded by the tremendous changes around them.
“What an incredible Misty Peak, to welcome such changes; indeed, it seems to be the protection of heroic spirits, Sect Master Ye is truly the Chosen One!” Lu Shanyue looked around with envy on his face.
“Congratulations, Sect Master Ye!”
“Congratulations to Misty Sect!”
Just then, more sect leaders with their disciples started to ascend the mountain, calling out their blessings from afar.
“Thank you all for your congratulations!”
Ye Feng promptly responded.
Scanning the crowd, he noticed the leaders of over a dozen sects such as Falling Mountain Sect had arrived, and many more sects were continuously coming, creating a lively scene.
“It’s good that I closed the mountain’s illusionary formation earlier. Aside from a bit of mist, it doesn’t hinder the sects from climbing,” Ye Feng thought to himself.
At this stage, he did not wish to reveal the Five Elements Continuous Array.
“Congratulations to Misty Sect for their ascension to high rank, I, the Palace Master, am here on behalf of Nishang Palace to offer congratulations.” The next moment, a rather coquettish voice slowly drifted over.
Yan Ruyu, who stood behind Ye Feng, felt a discomfort in her soul upon hearing the voice and quickly lowered her head.
“Even the high-ranked sects have started coming,” murmured a sect leader.
“Even Lu Shanyue, the Third Elder of Liuyun Sect, has led a team here; how could the high-ranked sects not come?” whispered the Sect Leader of Falling Mountain Sect.
“Not to mention that even star-level sects have arrived. Sect Master Ye’s influence is indeed great, much stronger than that of a typical high-ranked sect.”
The sect leaders whispered among themselves.
Following the lead of Nishang Palace, another dozen or so lower- and middle-ranked sect leaders arrived.
“Feathers Sect has come to offer congratulations!”
“Tyrant Blade Sect has come to offer congratulations!”
Not only that, but even Feathers Sect and Tyrant Blade Sect, two high-ranked sects, had also arrived, and it was the sect leaders themselves who led the teams.
Ye Feng glanced at the Tyrant Blade Sect leader and noticed he was carrying a two-meter long blade on his back, his expression calm, as though the death of the Great Elder had no impact on him.
“With all three of Whitefloat City’s high-ranked sects here, it looks like the celebration will soon start,” muttered a sect leader.
But just as everyone thought the Deputy City Lord was about to make a grand entrance, another gentle voice was heard.
“Yunhua Sect’s Fourth Elder Liu Yuzhi, on behalf of Yunhua Sect, wishes to congratulate Misty Sect!”
Before the voice had faded, Liu Yuzhi, accompanied by Lin Yuyan and three other disciples, reached the summit, holding gift boxes in her hands. Upon discovering the tremendous change Misty Peak had undergone, astonishment flashed in her eyes.
“Truly worthy of being the Chosen One, such a transformation must be the protection of the heroic spirits, right?” Liu Yuzhi smiled at Ye Feng.
“Indeed,” Ye Feng nodded in reply.
Other Sect Leaders realized that even the Yunhua Sect had sent delegates, and they were amazed, contemplating how well-connected Ye Feng was.
At this moment, music wafted up from the steps leading down the mountain. Ye Feng and the others looked towards the source of the sound and saw a Deputy City Lord with white hair leading the way, followed by Zhou Jiaqian and other stewards from the City Lord’s Mansion carrying the Misty Sect’s plaque.
Following behind was a band.
“Sect Master Ye, congratulations on your sect’s promotion to high rank, I, on behalf of the City Lord’s Mansion, have personally come to present the plaque to you,” said the usually serious Deputy City Lord with a rare smile.
If it had been another sect being promoted to high rank, the Deputy City Lord might not have personally turned up, and would have likely just sent stewards instead.
But today, the situation was quite different.
“I appreciate the Deputy City Lord taking the trouble to come, please have some tea!” With a sweep of his large sleeves, Ye Feng’s four disciples, Ouyang Feng, Ouyang Yu, Xia He, and Qiu Ju, immediately brought out teapots and started to pour tea for everyone.
“This is tea brewed with Spirit Spring Water, having a cup is worth the trip alone.”
“Misty Sect truly has a profound foundation!”
The first Sect Leaders to receive their cups of tea recognized the special nature of the tea and praised it unanimously.
“Sect Master Ye, please unveil the red cloth by yourself and hang up the plaque to complete the enfeoffment ceremony,” Zhou Jiaqian said with a beaming smile.
Ye Feng was about to step forward.
But just at that moment, a group of uninvited guests ascended Misty Peak.
“Unveiling the red cloth before everyone has arrived, isn’t that against protocol?” a discordant voice sounded.
All eyes turned toward the source of the voice.
They saw four figures entering their view.
In front were two young men and a woman, all obviously young but already at least at the peak of the Qi Refinement seventh level.
Bringing up the rear was an old man leaning on a cane, emitting a faint aura of pressure characteristic of the Element Gathering Realm.
“It’s you, Xiao Fangu!” Huo Yunjie recognized one of the men, his face darkening as he spoke.
“He’s a genius disciple of the Qingyun Sect.”
“Look, the man with the cane resembles the legendary ‘Longguai Zhenren,’ the Ninth Elder of Qingyun Sect—could it really be him?”
“It must be him.”
“They say Longguai Zhenren is the only one out of the nine Great Elders of the Qingyun Sect who doesn’t use a sword, but his strength is still formidable.”
“I have a feeling that Qingyun Sect’s arrival bodes ill,” whispered the various Sect Leaders among themselves, sensing the atmosphere grow tense as their voices involuntarily lowered.
“I didn’t expect Misty Sect to survive the challenge from the Scarlet Serpent Sect, quite fortunate indeed.”
Xiao Fangu stood out and spoke.
Bearing the Xuan Ye Flying Sword that belonged to the Old Sect Leader, he stood in front of the gates of Misty Sect, looked around and noted the tremendous change on Misty Peak—thicker Spiritual Energy, smoother landscape, starkly different from before.
But so what?
Just a high-ranked sect, how could it be compared with the Qingyun Sect that I, Xiao Fangu, have chosen?
With that thought, Xiao Fangu raised his proud head.
Huo Yunjie stepped forward, admonishing, “Xiao Fangu, you have the audacity to appear, return the Xuan Ye Flying Sword of the Old Sect Leader now!”
Li Jiaojiao too was indignant, “How dare you take the Xuan Ye Flying Sword when you left? That’s our Old Sect Leader’s legacy, your actions are no different from a thief’s!”
Even the normally reticent Shi Lei spoke up, “Junior Brother Xiao, how can you justify your actions to our late Old Sect Leader?”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Fangu’s expression changed abruptly.
The others, learning the full story, looked at Xiao Fangu with contempt in their eyes.
“The Old Sect Leader is dead; his Xuan Ye Flying Sword was going unused, what’s wrong with me taking it? Besides, who knew Misty Sect would win against the Scarlet Serpent Sect challenge?”
Xiao Fangu showed no remorse, his voice icy.
Slap!
A crisp sound echoed.
Xiao Fangu was sent flying, his face swelling on one side.
“Daring to insult the Old Sect Leader, you deserve a beating!” Ye Feng spoke sternly, maintaining the position of his outstretched hand.
It was he who had made the move.
That slap rang throughout the assembly, thunderous, reflecting Ye Feng’s fury, and it was also in defense of the Old Sect Leader lying beneath the Nine Springs.