Because he was afraid.
Afraid that Lord Chixiao would come to settle the old scores from back then.
Also afraid that after stepping out, people would point fingers at him.
That one or two hundred years he remained within the Taiji Sect were the most unforgettable and also the most painful period of Cang Yun's life.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought about revenge.
He just didn't dare.
Nor did he have the ability.
Even less the capability.
Especially later, when Lord Chixiao ascended to the dual throne of Immortal and Demon Monarch, becoming both an Immortal King and a Monster King, feared by immortals, demons, and humans alike—back then, his own cultivation was merely at the Dharma Aspect level. What could he possibly use to seek revenge?
Many times, Cang Yun wished he could just die.
But each time, he was talked out of it by the elders of the Taiji Sect.
Fortunately, he persevered.
When he heard that Lord Chixiao had been judged by the Immortal Dao and turned to ashes, Cang Yun knew he had finally endured through it. The feeling was truly like clouds parting to reveal the blue sky. He repeatedly hosted grand banquets within the Taiji Sect, wishing he could tell everyone under heaven: No matter how formidable Lord Chixiao was, in the end, wasn't he still judged by the Immortal Dao and reduced to ashes? Meanwhile, I, Cang Yun, who lost to Lord Chixiao back then, am still alive and well.
He originally thought that after Lord Chixiao was judged by the Immortal Dao, his own good days would arrive.
However, facts proved that was merely what he thought.
Although Lord Chixiao had been judged, his lingering prestige remained. The Chixiao people and the Deficit Faction were spread across every major domain in the world, and the legendary tales of Lord Chixiao were known far and wide. Naturally, the story of how he was beaten half to death by Lord Chixiao back then for pursuing Empress Yanluo Tang Henghe was also widely circulated.
That incident from back then was like a tightening curse firmly clamped on his head. No matter how he tried to shake it off, he couldn't.
It was the greatest stain on his life, the greatest humiliation, and a shadow in his heart that could never be erased.
He hated!
Hated Lord Chixiao for ruining his entire life.
Thankfully.
As year after year passed, Lord Chixiao gradually faded from the world's memory, and that incident from back then was rarely mentioned anymore.
Only, Cang Yun was no longer the Cang Yun once hailed as the number one figure in Yanluo. Today, although he had attained the Dao and become an immortal, because he failed his tribulation, he only achieved the status of a Loose Immortal.
A Loose Immortal, as the name implies, is a wandering, scattered immortal. Though bearing the title of 'immortal', it lacks the substance of a true immortal and has no qualification to ascend to the Nine Heavens. Such a person can only remain a Loose Immortal for their entire life. In other words, his fate was sealed; there was no further possibility of ascension.
Therefore.
He pinned all his hopes on his disciple, Li Juncai.
Li Juncai was innately intelligent, with extremely high comprehension. Coupled with having awakened the great fortune of the White Flame Sacred Body, with careful guidance, his future was absolutely boundless.
In royal families, a mother can gain honor through her son.
In great sects, a master can gain honor through his disciple.
As long as Li Juncai attained the Dao and became an immortal in the future, his master's status within the Taiji Sect would rise accordingly.
However.
Now Li Juncai had been severely injured, his awakened White Flame Sacred Body utterly destroyed. Whether he could continue cultivating in the future was a complete unknown.
For Cang Yun, this was undoubtedly a catastrophic disaster. All his hopes had been utterly shattered.
What was even more unbearable for him was this:
Back then, he himself was beaten half to death by Lord Chixiao.
Now his precious disciple had also been beaten half to death by a Lord Chixiao.
The only difference was:
Back then, he was beaten by the real Lord Chixiao.
While his precious disciple was beaten by a Lord Chixiao whose authenticity was unknown.
However.
This was not important at all to Cang Yun. What mattered was Lord Chixiao. Being beaten by the real Lord Chixiao was a humiliation. Being beaten half to death by an imposter Monarch was an even greater humiliation. This was something he absolutely could not tolerate. If not for the group of Taiji Sect elders restraining him, Cang Yun would have long since charged into Yunchuan Garden Pavilion, found the man claiming to be Lord Chixiao, and torn him to pieces.
"Right now, whether that man is truly the Monarch or not, no one knows. Opinions vary; everyone is speculating."
The speaker was Elder Xu Mu. He still looked rather pale. Although he wasn't severely injured by Gu Qingfeng's Powerful Roar last night, his spirit had yet to fully re-coagulate, and his Primordial Spirit Dharma Aspect was quite chaotic. He couldn't recover in a short time.
"I heard that the man claiming to be the Monarch inspired reverence and affinity from the Chixiao people's Bloodsha Dragon-Elephants. Is that true?"
Facing Sect Master Cang Kong's inquiry, Xu Mu nodded and said, "Last night, we personally witnessed Shi Lingkai's Bloodsha Dragon-Elephant being forced out by the force of his shout. Then they circled around him, emitting waves of joyful dragon roars and elephant trumpets. Afterwards, I also consulted Senior Yuheng and the others. They said they could clearly feel the reverence within their own Bloodsha Dragon-Elephants."
He paused, then continued, "In my view, that man claiming to be the Monarch, even if he isn't the real Monarch, must have some connection to the Monarch. Otherwise, the Bloodsha Dragon-Elephants wouldn't show him such reverence. Moreover his strength is truly profound and unfathomable, bizarre yet supremely powerful. Our Taiji Sect should temporarily refrain from acting rashly."
"Xu Mu!
What do you mean by that!"
Cang Yun stepped forward, shouted harshly, Dao: "Are we just going to let this matter drop?
Do you know how much effort I spent helping Juncai awaken his White Flame Sacred Body?
Do you know how important Juncai is to our Taiji Sect?
Even now, Juncai is still lying unconscious in bed. You, as an elder to Juncai, how can you say such a thing?"
"I didn't say we should let the matter drop. I only said we should temporarily refrain from acting rashly."
"What 'do not act rashly'? I think you're just afraid!"
Cang Yun stood up, angrily rebuked, Dao: "Our dignified Taiji Sect has now seen its direct disciple beaten half to death. If we just let it go, how will our Taiji Sect establish itself in Yanluo in the future?
Hmph!
He's nothing but an imposter Gu Tianlang. Never mind that he's fake; even if he were real, would our Taiji Sect fear him?"
Seeing Cang Yun so furious, Xu Mu said nothing, because he could completely understand why Cang Yun was so angry.
Of course.
It was only understanding.
Understanding did not mean agreement.
Back then, when Cang Yun was beaten half to death by the real Lord Chixiao, he was present.
Now, when Cang Yun's disciple Li Juncai was beaten half to death by a Lord Chixiao of unknown authenticity, he was also present.
To be honest.
In Xu Mu's view, regarding both the incident back then and last night's incident, the fault lay neither with the real Lord Chixiao nor with last night's Monarch of unknown authenticity.
Cang Yun's beating back then was entirely due to his refusal to listen to advice and his willful actions—one could say he brought it upon himself. Last night, Li Juncai's beating was similarly due to his refusal to listen to advice and his willful actions—both were cases of brought it upon themselves.
It was just that Xu Mu only thought these words in his heart. Knowing this was Cang Yun's sore spot, he naturally wouldn't say it publicly.
Cang Yun coldly snorted, then clasped his hands and said, "Sect Master, this matter is of great importance and concerns the reputation of our Taiji Sect. We absolutely cannot let it go, especially at such a critical juncture. I suggest we immediately report this to the Inner Council Ancestral Patriarchs and request the various Ancestral Patriarchs to take action."