The incident where Cang Yun was beaten half to death by Monarch Chixiao was known to all. Though many years had passed, it remained a hot topic of conversation in taverns, a source of amusement discussed over tea and wine. This, more or less, brought some shame to the Taiji Sect, which prided itself as the number one great sect of Yanluo Kingdom. After all, Cang Yun was now the Deputy Sect Master of the Taiji Sect. That humiliating episode from the past was the greatest stain on his life, a disgrace he could never erase.
As Cang Yun's direct disciple, Li Juncai naturally felt very displeased whenever he heard people mention how his master was nearly beaten to death by Monarch Chixiao. Every time it was brought up, he would fly into a rage. This time, though no one had mentioned it aloud, merely gazing upon the tombstone of Monarch Chixiao was enough to make him feel extremely irritated.
"Hmph! A fraud who sought fame through deceit! If I, Li Juncai, had been born at the end of the Ancient Era, I would surely have achieved even greater glory than Gu Tianlang!"
Beside him, Lan Xingyu reminded him to watch his words, especially since many members of the Crimson-Letter Sect's Meishan Branch were present. However, Li Juncai paid no heed to his advice. Not only did he not stop, but he raised his voice even louder, as if deliberately speaking for the ears of the Meishan Branch members.
"Jun Cai, what nonsense are you spouting!" Elder Xu Mu of the Taiji Sect scolded. "How can you be so disrespectful before the Monarch's tombstone?"
Having said that, he turned to Elder Qinghua to express his apologies, blaming Li Juncai's youth and lack of understanding.
Elder Qinghua merely shook his head with a slight smile, not taking it to heart.
Faced with Elder Xu Mu's reprimand, Li Juncai simply ignored it, turning away as if he hadn't seen or heard.
"I hope Elder Qinghua will not take offense. Jun Cai has been spoiled rotten by his master, which is why he shows such disrespect for the Monarch," Elder Xu Mu said, glancing at Li Juncai with a sigh. "Young people these days truly have no sense of the immensity of heaven and earth."
Elder Xu Mu was a senior elder of the Taiji Sect who had lived through that frenzied Ancient Era. He naturally knew that Monarch Chixiao's dominance over the world back then was absolutely not merely a product of the times, nor was it due to luck. It was achieved through genuine skill, true capability, and real courage. When instructing his disciples, he often spoke of this, aiming to teach those talented prodigies to be humble and not become arrogant because of their gifts.
He taught this lesson over and over again, but sadly, only a handful of those prodigy disciples ever truly listened.
If possible, he truly wished he could take those prodigy disciples of the Taiji Sect back to the Ancient Era. Let these ignorant youths who knew no fear experience that mad era for themselves, and see for themselves whether Monarch Chixiao was truly just a product of circumstance or reliant on luck. Setting everything else aside, back when Monarch Chixiao swept through the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects within Yanluo Kingdom, how many others could have accomplished such a feat?
To clash head-on with the experts of the Immortal Dynasty in a fight to the death—how many could do that? Forget whether they *could*; who would even dare?
Back when Monarch Chixiao swept through the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects, Elder Xu Mu had been fortunate enough to witness the entire process. Even now, recalling it caused his long-quiet heart to tremble violently. The madness of Monarch Chixiao was undoubtedly unparalleled throughout the ages.
Moreover, what he admired most was that back then, the Monarch was not yet the Monarch. He was merely a young man in his early twenties, yet he dared to stand against the Four Great Families, the Seven Great Sects, and even the Immortal Dynasty itself. Now, look at the disciples of the Taiji Sect in their early twenties today. What do they do all day besides strutting about, flaunting their prodigious gifts?
Thinking of this, Elder Xu Mu couldn't help but sigh again.
He lamented that the young people of today had been spoiled rotten, corrupted by this era of recovery and destiny-bestowal in the Present-Ancient Era.
At that moment.
Another rather displeased voice rang out. "I was wondering who had such a big mouth. So it's the two direct disciples of the Taiji Sect."
The speaker was a man who appeared in response.
The man wore only a pair of long pants, his upper body bare, revealing solid, well-defined muscles that made him look exceptionally formidable. He walked over from the crowd of the Meishan Branch, as if he had just finished setting up an array formation, still holding some unused spirit stones in his hand.
This man was named Haoyang.
He was the biological son of Benlei, the current leader of the Meishan Branch, the elder brother of Liuyue, and could also be considered a disciple-grandson of the Black Buddha Master.
Haoyang's reputation in Yanluo Kingdom was immense, greater than that of Li Juncai, and even Lan Xingyu. This had something to do with his status as a disciple-grandson of the Black Buddha Master, but to a large extent, his fame was earned through his own efforts.
He was a master of both strategy and combat, iron-blooded and majestic. He also held the position of Commander of the Yanluo Kingdom's Imperial Guard, effectively wielding military power. Over the years, almost all those who caused trouble and chaos within Yanluo's borders had died by his blade.
His feat of slaying an Earth Immortal-level demonic fiend with a single strike over a decade ago was still praised by people to this day.
"Daring to spout such arrogant nonsense beneath the Monarch's tombstone," Haoyang said, casually tossing the spirit stones onto the ground. He picked up a wine jar and took several large gulps. "Li Juncai, looks like you're itching for a beating."
"What did you say!" Li Juncai's eyes flashed with ferocity. As a direct disciple of the Taiji Sect, he was not afraid of Haoyang.
"What about it?" Haoyang picked up a towel and began wiping the sweat from his body, his tone casual. "Want to throw hands with me?"
Just as Li Juncai was about to retort, Lan Xingyu stopped him and stepped forward. "My junior brother did not mean it that way. Brother Haoyang, please do not take offense."
"You should learn more from your senior brother in the future. His skills are far greater than yours, but in terms of arrogance, he's not even one-tenth of you."
"Hmph!" Li Juncai snorted coldly. Seeing that Elder Xu Mu and Elder Qinghua were both approaching, he said nothing more.
"When did you emerge from seclusion, Brother Lan?" Compared to Li Juncai's arrogance, Lan Xingyu appeared calm, steady, and somewhat inscrutable. Haoyang also knew that among the direct disciples of the Taiji Sect, Lan Xingyu's strength could definitely rank within the top five.
"Just a few days ago."
"If I remember correctly, you've been in seclusion for quite some years, right? Eight years? Or nine?"
"A full nine years."
"So that means you started your seclusion right after the descent of the Heavenly Mandate." Haoyang was tall and broad-shouldered, with a powerful build. He didn't seem particularly refined, bearing little resemblance to the Commander of the Imperial Guard. He sat down casually on the ground, drinking wine in large mouthfuls. "You didn't emerge early, nor late, but just happened to come out right before the Yanluo Kingdom's anniversary celebration and temple fair. What's the matter? Planning to join the fun at this year's grand celebration temple fair?"
"Brother Haoyang is overthinking it."
"I heard all the Taiji Sect disciples in seclusion have emerged this year, and it was on the orders of the Sect Master himself. Is that true?"
"It is." Lan Xingyu did not conceal it, as there was nothing to hide.
"In that case, that fellow Mu Dongsheng has also emerged from seclusion?" Mu Dongsheng was the Chief Disciple of the Taiji Sect, also a direct disciple of the Sect Master, and one who had obtained a Minor Heavenly Mandate nine years ago.