Outside the Cosmos Palace, the sea of clouds churned like snowy waves.
The five-colored carps, having just been fed, frolicked in schools, swimming beneath the rainbow-like Fleeting Water Bridge.
While the exterior of the grand hall appeared majestic and solemn, the interior was as chaotic as a marketplace quarrel.
"The Immortal Officials of the subordinate territories are all held by cultivators who have made significant contributions to the sect. In the local temples, mortals worship both our Golden Statues and those of the Immortal Officials. Song Qianji, a mere junior disciple, dares to ask for an entire commandery—doesn’t he fear his tongue being cut by the wind?" sneaked Zhao Taiji, the Peak Lord of Chishui Peak. "Does he think he deserves to be worshipped and revered by others?"
"We don’t yet know if he wants the fief to enjoy incense offerings and enhance his luck," Chen Hongzhu said gravely. "But trading a commandery for the Outer Sect’s return to normalcy—I believe it’s worth it."
"We shouldn’t have to pay the price of a commandery at all! Wouldn’t even a city be enough for him?" the Peak Lord of Mingxia Peak retorted sharply.
"In my opinion, what if we simply refuse? Forcibly expelling him and those Outer Sect disciples and recruiting a new batch of obedient ones is the real priority."
Chen Hongzhu scanned the indignant faces in the hall and patiently explained:
"Song Qianji is not as simple as you think. From what I know of him, if he asks for a commandery, he means exactly one commandery—not a sliver less, nor a sliver more. If he dares to say it, he must have a backup plan."
"Why do you always speak in his favor?" an elder murmured darkly. "What benefit do you gain from him obtaining a commandery?"
Chen Hongzhu started, her voice turning sharp. "I am trying to save all of you—I am doing this for the future of the Hua Wei Sect!"
Light laughter echoed in the hall, and distrustful gazes fell upon her one by one, including those of her father, True Person Xuyun, and her senior brother, Yuan Qingshi.
Chen Hongzhu suddenly felt exhausted.
If she had known it would come to this, she should never have kept Song Qianji until the Grand Audience Assembly.
She wanted to whip out the lash at her waist, overturn the jade table before her, and smash the Cosmos Palace to pieces—to jolt these people who had long resided in their greenhouse, clinging stubbornly to their decaying authority.
In the suffocating silence, Xuyun finally spoke, his tone slightly stern: "The first time, you begged me to keep him. The second time, you asked me for the Hua Wei True Token to track his movements. The third time, you come to demand a fief for him. Since childhood, I’ve indulged you in every way, but there’s a limit to everything. This time, I cannot let you have your way again—"
"Father," Chen Hongzhu’s voice trembled, slightly hoarse, "your daughter makes this proposal without any personal feelings or ulterior motives. Given the current situation, the choice is no longer in our hands. Last night, hundreds of Outer Sect disciples gathered together, nearly inciting a riot. If Song Qianji had given the order then, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
Zhao Taiji said, "The sect granted them a path to immortality, yet they show no gratitude. It’s all because we’ve been too merciful, too lenient with them. When we recruit new Outer Sect disciples, we must enforce strict discipline!"
The others chimed in agreement, deeply convinced.
"Merely a cheap disciple of 'that person,' yet he dares to be so arrogant." True Person Xuyun turned to the Daoist page beside him and said coldly, "Go, summon Song Qianji here."
Before his words faded, an announcement came from outside the hall:
"Sect Leader, esteemed Peak Lords—Song Qianji requests an audience—"
The expressions of those present shifted slightly. The timing was far too coincidental.
Chen Hongzhu was also taken aback.
This was Song Qianji’s second time ascending to the Cosmos Palace.
At first glance, the hall was packed, far livelier than the last time.
Yet as he drew closer, the entire hall fell silent. If looks could kill, he would have died a thousand times over.Song Qianji seemed completely unaware, bowing generously with a smile still gracing his lips.
True Person Xuyun felt that compared to their last meeting, Song Qianji had undergone subtle changes.
If before he appeared humble on the surface yet carried an edge of seizing initiative, this time the youth drifted into Cosmos Palace like a cloud floating over Passing Water Bridge—leisurely and untroubled.
Clouds drift aimlessly from the valleys.
This person seemed to act without intent, yet he had already stirred unrest throughout the Outer Sect.
Xuyun’s emotions were complex—part of him regretted not discovering such talent earlier and putting it to use, while another part resented Song Qianji’s profound cunning and audacity.
"Have you come to confess your role in leading last night’s rebellion?" Zhao Taiji demanded.
"No," Song Qianji replied amiably. "I’ve come to claim a county."
He thought to himself: I only want a desolate, isolated wasteland where I can enjoy the pleasure of reclaiming land for farming. I’m not asking for auspicious feng shui sites or spiritual mountains and clear waters—how difficult could this be? If I stay here any longer, you’ll suffer more than I will.
The Huawel Sect members were indeed suffering, all bristling with anger, unwilling to let him continue.
"Our Huawel Sect possesses countless territories, each governed by Immortal Officials at Golden Core stage or above who have accumulated merit!" Xuyun preempted. "You’ve been in the Outer Sect for three years—what achievements have you made? What virtues do you possess? How could you presume to receive the incense tributes of an entire county?"
Song Qianji wondered what this had to do with incense tributes.
"One county in exchange for my immediate departure from the mountain," he declared. "I will never set foot in Huawel Sect again in this lifetime!"
His words fell like stones, echoing through the hall.
The Peak Lords and elders exchanged glances. Though they spoke firmly, they knew the truth—killing him risked retaliation from Xian Jianchen, while keeping him in the sect promised daily turmoil. Even if they could deal with him, it would be troublesome compared to him leaving voluntarily. But the price of a county was too steep—Song Qianji was asking for the moon. With Huawel Sect’s numerous powerful cultivators, allowing a junior disciple to dictate terms would be humiliating.
Chen Hongzhu scanned the hall, her lips curling in mockery.
"Out of respect for that senior, we can grant you one city," Xuyun said, inwardly cursing Xian Jianchen.
"Unacceptable," Song Qianji shook his head. "One city is too small."
As his farming skills improved with practice, he’d inevitably work faster. What would he do when he ran out of empty land while still alive? That would be unbearable.
The two bargained back and forth like merchants haggling over goods.
Xuyun had numerous Peak Lords and elders supporting him:
"You’re lazy and undisciplined—neither cultivating nor working. How would you govern a county if we gave you one?"
"You produce nothing, relying entirely on Outer Sect disciples for support. Without a single Spirit Stone to your name, would you let the county’s people starve with you?"
"Your cultivation is weak. If demons invade the county, how will you defend it?"
Though standing alone in enemy territory, Song Qianji remained unyielding.
Xuyun narrowed his eyes, implying threat: "Three cities at most. Don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."
Just as Song Qianji was about to respond, a guard disciple announced from the hall entrance:
"The Abbot of Purple Cloud Temple, True Person Qingwei, has arrived—"
The Peak Lords instantly changed expressions, rising with composed smiles to greet the visitor. On Huawel Sect’s Domain, they refused to let Purple Cloud Temple witness their disgrace.
Song Qianji had been subjected to the purple-robed taoist’s "Aura Observation Art" in his previous life, but they had no connection this time. He only thought: Why did he have to visit Old Man Xuyun right now, interrupting my bargaining?Qingwei exchanged a brief greeting with Xu Yun, yet walked directly toward him: "Congratulations, junior brother."
Junior brother?
The smiles of everyone in the hall froze, replaced by shock and horror.
Xu Yun's face twitched slightly, the ominous premonition surfacing once more.
Song Qianji initially thought the man had mistaken him for someone else, then suddenly remembered something: "Wait!"
But Qingwei had already spoken: "Last night at the Star-Picking Platform, junior brother played a game of Blind Chess with my master. It was truly exquisite, and the game record was noted down by Junior Sister Li. My master ordered the urgent production of a batch of jade slips..."
His voice echoed through the hall, making Song Qianji's head buzz.
That sickly old man enjoying the cool breeze last night was truly the Chess Devil!
"Such a famous game ought to be shared with the world. My master has decreed that whether they are disciples of our Purple Cloud Temple, formation masters from other sects, or chess enthusiasts, all may pre-order the jade slip game record for the minimum price of one Spirit Stone to study the intricacies of the game. Junior brother has promoted the art of chess, an immeasurable merit."
Song Qianji suddenly felt the half-rolled chess manual in his sleeve grow warm.
"Now the first batch of two hundred thousand jade slips has already sold out, generating an income of two hundred thousand Spirit Stones. I have been tasked with delivering them to Junior Brother Song. Please accept them."
Qingwei shoved a Storage Bag into his hands. Song Qianji's wrist sank, nearly dropping it.
The Huawel Sect members stared in stunned silence. Even the most worldly cultivators found this absurd.
Song Qianji could play chess?
Not only that, but he was a chess prodigy, far surpassing this year's chess champion, capable of playing directly against the Chess Devil.
They recalled how they had just accused him of being unproductive, living off the Outer Sect disciples, without a single Spirit Stone to his name.
In the blink of an eye, Song Qianji had two hundred thousand, and that was only the first batch.
Xu Yun ignored the two hundred thousand, focusing only on how Qingwei had addressed Song Qianji as "junior brother."
Unless the Chess Devil intended to take this kid as a disciple, why would the usually arrogant and aloof Qingwei lower his own seniority?
Chen Hongzhu, though surprised, faintly felt that "it made sense."
It seemed that no matter how many shocking, world-defying things Song Qianji did, she could accept them.
Qingwei bid farewell to Xu Yun, smiling at the Huawel Sect members whose faces were shifting between green and red.
Song Qianji stood dazed, only he hearing Qingwei's transmitted message:
"My master awaits you under the eaves of Song Courtyard. Once you've settled your trivial matters here, return quickly."
He recalled that drunken night and wished he could slap himself.
To others, however, he appeared unmoved and unruffled, as if he had anticipated this all along.
A vein bulged on Xu Yun's forehead.
Had Song Qianji foreseen this moment? Demanding a fiefdom was merely an excuse; his true goal was to seize this chance to humiliate him and all the Peak Lords and elders of the Huawel Sect!
What a vicious, sinister scheme.
And this kid had unique luck—first with Xian Jianchen as a backer, and now the Chess Devil.
"Sect Leader, let us continue." Song Qianji snapped back to reality. "A minor interruption. Let's not delay our important matters."
Xu Yun felt blood clog his throat when suddenly an announcement came from outside the hall:
"The Dean of Azure Cliff Academy has arrived—"
The dean, dressed in the attire of a blue-robed scholar, entered the hall. Sensing the tense atmosphere, he did not comment, merely smiling and greeting everyone.
Xu Yun forced a smile and exchanged pleasantries: "Has the Calligrapher Sage any instructions?"
"Instructions are too grand a word." The dean smiled, retrieving an exquisite small box from his sleeve and walking toward Song Qianji.
Xu Yun's face turned deathly pale. It couldn't be.
Song Qianji instinctively took a step back."Junior Brother Song, after you wrote the Hero Summons on the Star-Picking Platform last night, many juniors have been studying, copying, and making rubbings of it today, comprehending the true meaning in your brushwork. My master wishes to thank you for your contributions to the Calligraphy Way and all talisman practitioners under heaven, and has specially gifted you this item as a reward."
The courtyard head slipped the small rouge-box-shaped case to Song Qianji.
While transmitting a private message: "The Calligrapher Sage himself is waiting for you under the flower trellis in Song Courtyard, and the Chess Devil is there too. Junior Brother, you'll have to handle this appropriately."
Song Qianji didn't accept it, transmitting back: "That Hua-named cultivator who pretended to be the treasure appraiser Wang Tugen and the distressed Bai Lianlian appearing before me - was that all the Calligrapher Sage's doing?"
"Correct." The courtyard head nodded, transmitting in reply: "Junior Brother, even if you don't want this case, you should return it to my master in person. Don't make things difficult for a mere messenger like me."
Song Qianji smiled bitterly and accepted it: "Please, don't call me junior brother."
The courtyard head waved his sleeves, bidding farewell to the Huawel Sect members.
But everyone was so dizzy they couldn't properly hear what he said, forgetting even basic etiquette.
Xu Yun suddenly fell backward.
Chen Hongzhu moved quickly, rushing forward to support him: "Father!"
Xu Yun closed his eyes for a moment, regulating the chaotic Spirit Qi within his body.
When he reopened them, he seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.
Heaven's way is unjust, why must it show such favoritism to Song Qianji.
He laughed loudly, his laughter tinged with sobs: "That a disciple of our sect could make such contributions at the Grand Audience Assembly, performing such meritorious deeds for all cultivators under heaven - of course he must be rewarded! Someone, bring me the territorial map of our Huawel Sect! I shall select a treasure land for 'Junior Brother Song'! What's a mere commandery worth!"
Everyone stared at the Spirit Stone storage bag in Song Qianji's left hand and the treasure case in his right, forcing smiles as they cried out in unison:
"What's a mere commandery worth!"
Song Qianji blinked, thinking this could be considered a blessing in disguise:
"When will the selection be made?"
"Tomorrow!"
Song Qianji said earnestly: "Long nights bring many dreams, and I'm pressed for time. Could the True Man help expedite this?"
Xu Yun gritted his teeth until blood seeped through: "Before midnight tonight! Is 'Junior Brother Song' satisfied?"
Song Qianji nodded contentedly: "The True Man has worked hard, everyone has worked hard."
He walked out of the main hall, gazing distantly at the boundless sea of clouds, his smile gradually turning bitter.
There were still two people waiting for him in Song Courtyard.
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