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墨書 Inktalez
Indefinite Return Date?
Tenglan, known as Zhongshang, looked at the Master in surprise. The position of Eldest Disciple represented the entire academy; no matter where it was in the World of Mortals, it could mobilize all the elders and disciples to the east, including the Steward. Moreover, it could gain unconditional support and resources from the academy. What immense power that was! Naturally, someone who had once held the title of Eldest Disciple would understand Minghong very well.
However, no Eldest Disciple had ever stayed in the World of Mortals for more than a hundred years. That was a constraint, a boundary. A hundred years was enough time for a cultivator to progress from the Nascent Soul Stage to Transcendence. Once one reached Transcendence, they were no longer considered part of the younger generation, thus unable to compete with other sects for cultivation resources outside that realm.
But this time, the Master did not specify a term or a return date. What did that mean? Did he want that young man to remain in the position of Eldest Disciple indefinitely? That was truly terrifying. If too much time passed, those disciples cultivating outside might not obey the academy's orders anymore.
Thinking about this, Tenglan unconsciously recalled another possibility—one he had previously been reluctant to consider. The Master seemed intent on entrusting the entire academy to that young man.
Indefinite return date?
All the elders and Stewards who heard those words looked at the Master in astonishment. Unlike what Tenglan had thought, these individuals first considered themselves. The position of Eldest Disciple held a special power; while in the World of Mortals, one could execute punishment on anyone who committed errors within the academy without going through the Master or the Law Enforcement Hall. This included everyone from elders to ordinary Outer Sect Disciples. It was like a sword hanging over their heads.
That sword had not fallen upon any elder's head for nearly ten thousand years. After all, everyone at Mok Ming Academy was a middleman, and relationships were generally good. Even in cases of betrayal or severe misconduct, they would at least bring such individuals back to the academy for handling by the Law Enforcement Hall instead of executing them outright. But Gu was different.
Since Gu entered the Outer Court, he had attracted attention from many elders, including his own unofficial master, Liu Shizu, who belonged to Light Path Classic but had no clear stance on Gu. Those elders would not allow anyone to threaten their positions and were trying every means possible to eliminate Gu. If Bei Qin truly seized an opportunity, it would be no less than Bone Elder's situation.
Wasn't that a Ceasefire Agreement? It was clearly a truce; one could never tell when both sides might clash again violently. At that point, it could evolve into chaos sweeping across the entire academy. The Master likely did not wish to see such a scenario unfold, which is why he allowed Gu to operate in the World of Mortals. This way, Gu remained out of sight from the elders and eased tensions between both sides.
The resources for cultivation as Eldest Disciple came directly from the academy's treasury; no one would dare take from what belonged to those elders. This eliminated potential conflicts over resources and combined with an indefinite return date could restrict those elders from secretly developing their own power outside the academy while thoroughly winning over a talented cultivator—truly a multi-faceted scheme.
An elder who had been thinking about Minghong sighed softly and said, "The academy has already changed since those years ago, but which Master is Renran?"
After Yin Tianheng disappeared, the academy did not experience the turmoil one might have imagined. Instead, the previous master, who had already reached the Transcendence Stage, was elected as the new master of Mok Ming Academy by the collective support of the people. It had been over twenty thousand years since this master took on the role of Master of the Academy.
Since Yin Tianheng vanished from the academy, it began to decline. Although it remained a vast entity in the World of Mortals, its former glory was no longer present. Even during those twenty thousand years, despite the emergence of legendary figures like Ke Zhen'e, a Mahayana Practitioner, and an increase in high-level combat power, none could compare to Yin Tianheng.
Some said that Yin Tianheng had truly achieved immortality and found a way to evade Heavenly Tribulation. Many believed he had transcended humanity, wielding such immense power that even Heaven could do nothing against him.
It was known that Yin Tianheng was the only mortal who had ever slain an immortal. This marked the first time an immortal's status was challenged on the Altar by a mortal. It was a unique event recorded in both the World of Mortals and the Cultivation World; never before had someone like Yin Tianheng existed, and it was unlikely anyone would again.
The response from Master Gu brought everyone back to reality. All present bowed in unison, loudly expressing their congratulations to Gu.
Having met with the senior brother, they wished him success in his cultivation.
I came with him.
Master led Gu away into the sky above the Law Enforcement Hall. The competition continued onward, but everyone knew that Jie Donglai's match had lost its significance. That battle would forever be passed down among the Disciples of the Academy; those present at Tian Zai's venue understood they were witnesses to the beginning of a legend.
Gu and Master once again arrived at Chengdao Peak in the Lianping Mountain Range. They stood before the bridge leading to the Earth Immortal realm once more, but it had been two months since their last visit. Though not long, much had changed.
The academy was vast. Master rested a leg on Gu's shoulder as if it were that of a beloved junior. With a hint of nostalgia, he spoke about how expansive everything was, reflecting on aspects he hadn't touched upon during those twenty thousand years. He gazed at the mountain they stood upon, uncertain when it had first risen there. Regardless of whether he or Yin Tianheng acknowledged it, reality remained unchanged; even he did not know how long that mountain had existed—perhaps one hundred thousand years, three hundred thousand years, or even longer—since the world itself began.
Thus, he understood that even now, he longed for those distant clouds in the sky. Compared to the vastness above, they were but a drop in the ocean. He sought to maintain a sense of reverence so that he could travel further along that path for a longer time.
The mountain had decayed like an ancient tree; though towering high, its core had been completely consumed.
At the summit of Chengdao Peak, there stood a tall pine tree, which, as Gu mentioned, had indeed been completely hollowed out by ants.
Yet, no matter what, they pressed on with their weary bodies. He hoped that one day he could bear that responsibility.
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