The events that transpired at the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion spread across the entire Yanluo Kingdom almost overnight. By the next day, everyone from men to women, old to young, was discussing the matter in the streets and alleys.
At first, many did not believe it, thinking it must be someone deliberately fabricating false facts to create a stir. Even if it were true, they felt the story must have been embellished and exaggerated.
However, the incident had, after all, occurred at the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion, and many people had been there enjoying the gardens last night. After seeking confirmation, everyone realized it was not a fabricated story, nor was it embellished or exaggerated.
It was exactly as the rumors said. The man impersonating the Monarch possessed mysterious power that could shake heaven and earth and move ghosts and gods. With a mere gesture, he stirred space itself; with a flick of his finger, he could obliterate prodigies like Lü Tianze and Qiao Yu. Not only did he seize Zhou Ting's Lesser Mandate, but the might of a single roar also caused the Feiyu Cloud Lord, Wang Feiyu, who bore the Edict of Humanity, to bleed from his seven orifices, and left thousands present injured or maimed.
After confirming the veracity of the events, no one could believe such a world-shaking, earth-shattering occurrence.
At the same time, their hearts were filled with doubt. Who exactly was that man impersonating the Monarch?
How could he be so powerful?
Was he truly a master found by the Black Buddha Patriarch, deliberately impersonating the Monarch to intimidate others?
Or was there another reason?
No one knew.
No one was clear, and everyone was discussing it.
What was even more bizarre was that after the incident at the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion, neither the Four Great Families, nor the Seven Great Sects, nor even the Yanluo Immortal Court or Zhou Taihe's Chixiao faction made any move. They merely sent people to the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion once, and then returned. None launched a large-scale manhunt for the departed Chixiao Monarch.
Some said the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects must be afraid.
Afraid that the Monarch was not fake, but the genuine article.
After all, rumors said the Bloodfiend Dragon-Elephant showed immense reverence towards that Monarch, and everyone knew that under the heavens, only the true Monarch could command such reverence from the Bloodfiend Dragon-Elephant.
Others said that whether the Monarch was real or fake was no longer important. Even if he were a fake, the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects would not dare to mobilize troops for a punitive expedition.
Why?
No reason needed.
The man impersonating the Monarch had, with a single mighty roar, injured and rendered unconscious thousands of people, among them numerous Earth Immortals of various Great Perfection, Spirit Origin, and Facing Origin levels. Even the famous Ziyun Immortal Official Qi Mu of the Yanluo Immortal Court could not stand steadily before him.
One must know that Qi Mu was a Return to Origin Earth Immortal, possessed the Ziyun Protection bestowed by the Immortal Court, and was hailed as an existence with one foot already in the Immortal Gate. Yet, to save his life, he even knelt and begged for mercy. Under such circumstances, how could the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects dare act rashly?
What if they went?
What if they found the man impersonating the Monarch?
Wouldn't it just be sending themselves to their deaths?
Yes.
Sending themselves to their deaths.
Those present during last night's events still remembered it vividly. They clearly recalled how ruthless and brutal the impersonator was. When he acted, his methods were swift as thunder; when he killed, he was cold-blooded and merciless. He dared to extract Zhou Ting's Lesser Mandate, dared to kill an Immortal Court Noble like Bi Qiao, and even dared to move against someone of Wang Feiyu's noble status who bore the Edict of Humanity. What wouldn't he dare to do?
Under heaven, those impersonating the Chixiao Monarch were countless. Among them, there were certainly those with vast supernatural powers and terrifying strength. However, most of those impersonators were elusive, rarely showing themselves, and even more rarely taking action in public. One could say it almost never happened.
Take, for example, that fellow in Yanluo Kingdom who previously claimed to be the Monarch. For several decades, not to mention seeing him take action, even people who had seen that Monarch could be counted on one hand.
How could he compare to this Monarch? The first time he appeared, he crippled an Immortal Court Noble at Linglong Mountain Villa and openly played with the Great Sun Radiance Dharmakaya, publicly blaspheming the Immortal Court's dignity.
The second time he appeared, he went on a killing spree at the Shanhe Branch, killing nearly a hundred people from the Mingyu Branch. People like Tan Tong and over ten other Chixiao members were still clinging to life.
The third time he appeared was even worse. After the descent of Yanluo's Heavenly Mandates, the prodigies were either dead, injured, or crippled. The elders of the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects also had their Dharma Aspects thrown into chaos by his mighty roar, and they would be unable to recover for three to five years.
On this day.
In the main hall of the Taiji Sect.
Sect Leader Cang Kong.
Four Vice-Sect Leaders headed by Cang Yun.
And all the Grand Councilors, Chief Stewards, Managers, and Executive Elders of the Taiji Sect were gathered in the hall.
With the temple fair approaching, the various elders of the Taiji Sect had originally been making preparations for it. Upon learning of the events at the Yunchuan Garden Pavilion, they all immediately dropped their tasks at hand.
To say that a disciple being injured was nothing unusual for any sect. After all, with so many disciples, there were always a few who were aggressive, competitive, young and hot-blooded. Losing a fight, even being severely injured, was not surprising.
However.
This time was different.
Li Juncai was a direct disciple of the Taiji Sect. The sect had invested untold effort and resources into nurturing him. Now, not only was he severely injured, but his Primordial Spirit Dharma Aspect was also in complete chaos. Whether he could continue cultivating in the future was an unknown.
Most importantly, the White Flame Treasure Body he had awakened was also crippled.
In other words, even if Li Juncai recovered from his injuries, he would no longer possess the powerful fortune of the White Flame Treasure Body.
Under heaven, there might be many prodigies who possessed Treasure Bodies, but those who could awaken them were exceedingly rare.
For a great sect like the Taiji Sect, hailed as Yanluo's number one sect with a long heritage, there were dozens of disciples who possessed Treasure Bodies. Yet, only two had awakened theirs, and Li Juncai was one of them.
And to awaken Li Juncai's White Flame Treasure Body, the Taiji Sect had expended an unknown amount of precious resources over the years.
Now it was ruined.
All the effort, resources, and investment had gone down the drain.
The entire Taiji Sect, from top to bottom, was seething with rage.
Especially Vice-Sect Leader Cang Yun. He was Li Juncai's master, and Li Juncai was his only prized disciple. Usually, he treated Li Juncai more dearly than his own son. He understood better than anyone how much effort and resources had been spent to awaken Li Juncai's Treasure Body. He had placed high hopes on Li Juncai and was counting on him to solidify his own position within the Taiji Sect.
Although Cang Yun held the position of Vice-Sect Leader of the Taiji Sect, he was not content with it.
In the past, he was the direct disciple of the Taiji Sect's Old Sect Leader, with a future considered limitless. Everyone looked favorably upon him and believed he would take over as the next Sect Leader of the Taiji Sect.
However, fate played tricks.
Several hundred years ago, he was beaten half to death by the Chixiao Monarch at a temple fair. Not only did his cultivation subsequently deteriorate, but his reputation also plummeted, and his status within the Taiji Sect was no longer what it once was.
In the following years, as the Chixiao Monarch's fame grew greater and his power stronger, Cang Yun's own reputation grew fouler. He even dared only to hide within the sect, not leaving the Taiji Sect for a full two to three hundred years.