Free Web NovelChapter 1700: Chapter 914: The New Sect Leader Liu Yun (Part 2)
There were many disciples who came to attend the Sect Leader election ceremony. Originally, Taoxuan Heavenly Sect had three thousand disciples, but over a thousand were killed or injured in the Peace City battle. In the last two days, another thousand have perished, leaving less than a modest eight hundred disciples.
These people are all Inner Sect Disciples of Taoxuan Heavenly Sect, while the Outer Sect Disciples, who lack spells, are hardly capable of assuming significant responsibilities. Therefore, the future of Taoxuan Heavenly Sect still relies on these eight hundred disciples to flourish.
If we do not elect a new Sect Leader soon, organizing the disciples to recover the lost Soul Device will likely be too late.
Lin Feng didn’t miss the opportunity to investigate. When he arrived again at the bandits’ camp, only a few large brown bears clad in armor were visible; the bandits themselves were nowhere to be seen. Over the last two days, Lin Feng and Liu Qian discovered through investigation that these bandits aren’t locals but had been placed for this operation half a year ago.
Lin Feng was greatly shocked. Could it be that the person behind this knew about the Earth Core’s attack on the Human Realm half a year ago, knew that the Yunzhou Marquis was going to rebel half a year ago, knew that Lord Chang Xuan would certainly die in the camp half a year ago, and knew that the Court would inevitably break its promises to the Six Great Sects?
All of this seemed unclear to Lin Feng at first. However, when he thought of everything as being manipulated by someone in the shadows, it all made sense.
Only with the mastermind’s manipulation could everything be perfectly connected. Only with all the events linking together could the mastermind’s plan come to fruition.
Lin Feng said nothing to Qian Hua, knowing she wouldn’t understand such things. Nor did he speak to Liu Qian, because Liu Qian is the Princely Heir of the Yunzhou Marquis.
However, Lin Feng knew that with Liu Qian’s intelligence, he would inevitably see through the clues, and it was only a matter of time. When Liu Qian realizes the Taoxuan Heavenly Sect’s trajectory to this day is partly due to the contribution of the Yunzhou Marquis’s mansion, how would he feel? When he discovers that the mastermind played with the entire Human Realm, with the Yunzhou Marquis’s rebellion being just a pawn in the mastermind’s hands, how would the Yunzhou Marquis’s house react? All these things are like smoke, gradually burying the truth. When will the shadow of the mastermind finally become clear?
At that moment, Lin Feng was sitting in a seat. Today, Taoxuan Heavenly Sect finally prepared tables and chairs for them. Because they had become benefactors of Taoxuan Heavenly Sect, without their assistance, Taoxuan Heavenly Sect would have been destroyed, let alone today’s election ceremony.
"Now our Sect has reached a life-and-death juncture; the Soul Device has also been seized by the treacherous Arasha. Today, gathering everyone here is to elect a new Sect Leader from our Sect, to lead us in reclaiming the Soul Device and restoring the prestige of the Sect at this difficult moment."
An elder announced to the dozens of steward disciples below. Disciples with lower positions could not participate in the internal voting; they could only express their thoughts to their stewards who would then make informed choices and cast pivotal votes during the ceremony.
With the elder’s announcement, the election ceremony was officially underway.
Immediately, music began to play in the great hall, and all the disciples were enveloped in a solemn and sorrowful atmosphere. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
"Let us mourn in our hearts for the departed Sect Leader and Acting Sect Leader."
After the mourning, the election ceremony formally began.
Lin Feng observed that many disciples were in very low spirits, and some female disciples couldn’t help but cry. It seemed that the Six Great Sects had truly suffered, with the renowned Taoxuan Heavenly Sect also reaching a precarious point. It was truly regretful. After the destruction of the Star-Gazing Pavilion, Taoxuan Heavenly Sect emerged as the foremost sect in the world and the hope of the Mortal World. But now, with Taoxuan Heavenly Sect finding itself in such a position, one must reflect on how times change and fortunes rise and fall in an instant.
Once all the tears were shed, and the music ceased, the elder stepped forward and urged everyone to cast their votes. There were three candidates: two Elders and Liu Yun.
The young disciples favored Liu Yun because Liu Yun was the only disciple of Lord Chang Xuan, inheriting his will. Even the two Elders felt that the position of Sect Leader in Taoxuan Heavenly Sect was a hot potato, doomed to bring misfortune regardless of who held it.
So, the two Elders calmly approached and announced to everyone: "Fellow disciples, our Sect is on the brink of destruction. We, the old ones, lack the strength to lead everyone out of the gloom, and can only contribute what little we can. Taoxuan Heavenly Sect has endured for over a thousand years and reaching today was not easy; it nearly fell to ruins at the hands of us elders. So, after discussing with Elder Feng, we have decided to jointly nominate Liu Yun as the Sect Leader, believing he can lead everyone out of the darkness and restore Taoxuan Heavenly Sect to its former vitality."
With the Elders’ announcement, the disciples in the great hall cheered with joy. With this, Taoxuan Heavenly Sect had a new Sect Leader, and Lin Feng and others could leave with peace of mind.
Having gone through the various ordeals within Taoxuan Heavenly Sect, Lin Feng still could not find any trace of Su Liqian. He had no idea where Su Liqian had gone or where she was.
After Liu Yun assumed the position, he reorganized the sect’s teachings, bringing order to Taoxuan Heavenly Sect in an instant.
The next day, Liu Yun personally escorted Lin Feng, Liu Qian, and a group of women from Phoenix Cliff down the mountain.
This was at the foot of Taoxuan Heavenly Sect’s mountain gate because Lin Feng and his group were granted the sect’s identification token. Therefore, they could use the sect’s Barrier to go directly from the mountain top to the bottom.
Qian Hua and the group of female disciples from Phoenix Cliff were extremely happy, thinking that descending the mountain required neither labor nor effort. Remembering how it took them half a day to climb the entire staircase to reach the immortal palace of Taoxuan Heavenly Sect, it left them grateful.
Upon passing through the Barrier and reaching the ground, Liu Yun did not hesitate and clasped his hands in respect, saying courteously to Lin Feng and the others:
"Once again, I thank you all for your help. I wish I could accompany you further, but the affairs of the Sect leave me no choice."
After speaking, Liu Yun smiled naturally and amiably, yet there was a hint of relief in his eyes, completely opposite to the tension he conveyed through his words.
After his speech, Lin Feng and the others exchanged some polite words with Liu Yun, whereupon Liu Yun used the Array to return to the mountain.
Lin Feng and the others boarded a carriage, and suddenly Qian Hua said to Lin Feng:
"Now that the sect’s Soul Device is lost, taking it back should be the new Sect Leader’s top priority. The Soul Device was stolen by Arasha bandits. Recovering it is a formidable task, yet Liu Yun seems completely unperturbed."
Hearing Qian Hua’s words, Lin Feng recalled Liu Yun’s previous expression. Lin Feng also felt something was amiss, compounded by Liu Qian’s investigation which revealed the Acting Sect Leader died from poisoning by a trusted person, someone he had complete trust in without an ounce of suspicion. Could it be that Liu Yun is involved?
Immediately, Lin Feng got off the carriage and entrusted Liu Qian and a capable woman together.
Lin Feng shared his suspicions with them.
Liu Qian remarked, "I actually suspect Liu Yun, too, but suspicions are mere suspicions. Without solid evidence, how can we prove he is the true mastermind behind the Acting Sect Leader’s death?"
Upon hearing Liu Qian’s response, the capable woman and Lin Feng exchanged a knowing smile.
After making arrangements, Lin Feng asked a group of women, including Qian Hua and the capable woman, to wait for him at the mountain’s base. Lin Feng and Liu Qian used the Teleportation Array from the bottom of the mountain to return to the Taoxuan Heavenly Sect.
Of course, Lin Feng wouldn’t be foolish enough to let others discover his whereabouts, so he took out the Spirit Communication Cloak he had in Peace City from his Storage Silk Bag.
