In the Spirit Seclusion Garden at the rear mountain of Yunxia Sect, Elder Huode sat alone, drinking his sorrows away. He glanced at the sun in the sky; it was almost noon. He couldn't help but curse.
"What time is it already? Why is that kid still sleeping?"
He stood up, intending to go wake Gu Qingfeng, but after a moment's thought, he decided against it. Since he'd already been playing the obedient grandson for so many days, a few more wouldn't make a difference. Moreover, Huode was prepared to keep up the act until Gu Qingfeng agreed.
Ever since learning that Jin De and Shui De were both scheming for the position of Sect Head, Huode hadn't enjoyed a single comfortable day. Over the years, it wasn't that he hadn't tried to groom disciples. Unfortunately, they either died, got injured, vanished without a trace, or ended up dead in the streets. He knew all of this was the handiwork of Jin De and Shui De.
But what was the use of knowing?
There was no use.
He was a rough man, lacking in cunning, without a powerful backer or his own faction. On top of that, he had sustained injuries during the Cataclysm that still hadn't healed. Faced with many situations, he could do nothing but feel helpless. If it weren't for the many old friends he had in the Qingyang region, whether he could have survived until now was a mystery.
Originally, he had prepared himself for the worst—if things truly became hopeless, he would have no choice but to fight Jin De and Shui De to the death.
But he never, in his wildest dreams, expected Gu Qingfeng to suddenly appear.
This gave him hope.
To be honest, if it weren't for having absolutely no other option, Huode wouldn't have dreamed of asking Gu Qingfeng for this favor. Because he understood better than anyone how much suffering Gu Qingfeng had endured in Yunxia Sect during his youth. Back then, after this kid made his name, it was already an immense act of mercy that he didn't wipe out Yunxia Sect. Now, asking him to turn around and help Yunxia Sect... it really was putting him in a difficult position.
Besides, this kid had been stripped of everything by the Heavenly Dao's Judgment...
Not only could Huode not help him in any way, but he was also making things difficult for him.
He truly felt sorry for this kid.
He also completely understood why Gu Qingfeng needed time to consider.
Huode sighed heavily, picked up the wine jar, and gulped down several mouthfuls.
"Why are you drinking alone in the middle of the day?"
Hearing the voice, Huode knew Gu Qingfeng had finally gotten up. He looked over and, sure enough, saw the kid standing in the doorway wearing only a thin robe, stretching and yawning, looking like he hadn't fully woken up.
"Well, well, Ancestor Gu, it's still early. Why are you up already?"
Huode couldn't resist a sarcastic jab.
"What's this? Getting impatient after just a few days of playing the obedient grandson?" Gu Qingfeng chuckled. "Giving up on having me help you?"
"Don't you push your luck, kid."
Huode stood up, tilted his head back for another swig of wine, and said indignantly, "I can't keep playing this grandson anymore! Kid, are you going to help or not? Give me a straight answer!"
Gu Qingfeng smiled but didn't reply. He fetched a basin of cold water and began washing up.
Seeing that Gu Qingfeng was ignoring him, Huode's earlier bravado instantly melted away. He hurried over with a grin, pulling out a fan to waft cool air toward him.
"Master Gu, this old man was wrong... Can I please go back to being your obedient grandson?"
"Ancestor, you are my own flesh and blood ancestor."
Huode began shamelessly flattering and begging for mercy.
Gu Qingfeng still didn't speak. After finishing his wash, he put on his clothes properly, then looked at Huode, shook his head, and sighed. "Let's go."
Let's go?
Go where?
Such an abrupt, context-less statement left Huode momentarily stunned.
"Didn't you want me to help you? We should at least find a place to discuss it, shouldn't we?"
"You... Gu, kid! You..." Perhaps the happiness came too fast and too suddenly, leaving Huode unable to react properly. He even stumbled over his words: "You... you've agreed?"
"You've been playing the dutiful grandson for so many days. How could I not agree?"
"Gu, kid! You~! I!"
Overwhelmed with emotion, Huode's eyes reddened.
"Getting emotional already?" Gu Qingfeng walked over and patted his shoulder. "Alright now, what's a grown man crying for? Let's go."
"Kid... do you want to think about it for a few more days...? This old man isn't forcing you!"
Huode's heart was deeply conflicted. He desperately hoped Gu Qingfeng would agree, yet also hoped he wouldn't.
He hoped because he truly had no other options left; Gu Qingfeng was his only hope.
He didn't hope because he knew the immense suffering Gu Qingfeng had endured in Yunxia Sect during his youth. Making him agree felt too much like taking advantage.
"I've considered it. No need for further consideration."
Gu Qingfeng's reply was calm.
He truly didn't need to consider it anymore.
Because he had never considered it from the start.
When Huode first asked for help, he had already agreed. Saying he needed to think about it was just a way to mess with him.
In Gu Qingfeng's heart, Huode was his lifesaver. If Huode was in trouble, Gu Qingfeng would never refuse.
Huode was so overjoyed he wept. He immediately ran to the cave dwelling to tell his Sect Head Senior Brother, Tu De. When Tu De learned of this, he too cried tears of joy, kowtowing repeatedly in gratitude. Seeing how weak Tu De was, Gu Qingfeng urged him to go back and rest. However, Tu De stubbornly refused, insisting on kneeling to atone for his sins and express his thanks.
In a fit of anger, Gu Qingfeng simply knocked him unconscious and had Huode carry him back.
When Huode returned, the two of them drank and discussed the specifics.
Initially, Gu Qingfeng thought it would be simplest to just have Sect Head Tu De directly appoint him as the Heir Apparent Disciple. Anyone who objected would be taught a lesson on the spot, suppressed directly by force.
Gu Qingfeng wasn't an advocate of violence, but after five hundred years of cultivation, one thing he had learned deeply: using force to suppress opposition was the most effective and fastest way to resolve matters. Any schemes or plots were meaningless in the face of absolute power.
However, his idea was immediately rejected by Huode.
"Ancestor! Things can't be done that way. Yunxia Sect might be a small sect in your eyes, but we've been around for over a thousand years! The selection of the Heir Apparent Disciple is a major event; they will lead the sect in the future. We can't be so careless about it."
With a mournful face, Huode poured Gu Qingfeng a cup of wine and explained, "Forget that you're not even a disciple of Yunxia Sect; even if you were, Sect Head Senior Brother doesn't have the authority to simply appoint you as the Heir Apparent Disciple. This matter needs to follow proper procedures. Otherwise, those little bastards in the sect won't be convinced."
"People are already trying to steal your Sect Head position, and you're still talking about following procedures? I say, Huode, is there something wrong with your head?"
"Ancestor! Listen to me carefully. Let's set aside whether Sect Head Senior Brother has the authority to appoint you. Even if he forcefully did so, what then? Shui De and Jin De, those two bastards, would definitely jump out to oppose it, saying we're not following the rules. They'd have the high ground! Others in Yunxia Sect would side with them."
"If you then tried to suppress them by force, you'd push Shui De and Jin De to the brink. Those two bastards would definitely lead their disciples in rebellion. Don't forget, they control half of Yunxia Sect's power. If they rebel, many others will inevitably follow. Plus, since we didn't follow proper procedures in the first place, those who were neutral would also definitely side with Shui De and Jin De."
"Furthermore, Yunxia Sect has been around for so many years, with extremely complex relationships of interest with surrounding major sects and families. If we act rashly, we'll only damage those relationships, causing them to overwhelmingly side with Jin De and Shui De. In that situation, what would be the point of even reclaiming the Sect Head position? We'd be left as a commander without an army... All the hard work Yunxia Sect has put in over the years would be completely ruined."
Listening to Huode's explanation, Gu Qingfeng pondered it carefully. It did seem to make some sense. Perhaps having spent too long in the Heavenly Realm, he had forgotten that the mortal world was a place governed by relationships and interests. An entity like Yunxia Sect, with over a thousand years of legacy, had deep roots and many branches. As Huode said, it had intricate ties of interest with the various sects in the Qingyang region. It was a situation where pulling one thread could unravel the entire tapestry.
"So, what do you suggest we do?"
"Although Jin De and Shui De have gathered a lot of connections over the years, most people in Yunxia Sect still have good sense. They know those two are no good. If Yunxia Sect fell into their hands, disaster would surely follow. However... everyone lacks a central pillar of support. More precisely, they lack a convincing and qualified candidate to compete for the position of Heir Apparent Disciple."
"And then?" Gu Qingfeng took a sip of wine, continuing to listen.
"As long as we make them see that you, Ancestor, have the qualifications, then when this old man steps out and does a bit of persuasion... everything will fall into place."
"You mean I should put on a show, display my strength? And this show must be one that neither Shui De nor Jin De can find fault with, while also convincing the rest of Yunxia Sect?"
Huode nodded excitedly. "Yes! That's exactly it."
"I've put on plenty of shows in my youth, but making it both reasonable and convincing... that's no small feat."
"It's no feat at all! For you, kid, it's a piece of cake. Simply put, we just need to follow the proper procedures, so no one can pick holes. Here's the plan: tomorrow, I'll give you the status of a laborer. The day after, you'll go take the Outer Gate assessment. Once you become an Outer Gate disciple, you'll compete for the top position among the twelve Outer Gate courtyards. After securing the Outer Gate top spot, you'll go for the Inner Gate's nine great hall disciples... Step by step, I believe no one will remain unconvinced."
"That troublesome?" Gu Qingfeng raised an eyebrow, displeased. "I'm a grown man. You want me to go play games with a bunch of kids?"
"Ancestor... This is the only way to handle it. There's no other method."
Huode stood up, walked over, and poured Gu Qingfeng another cup of wine. "And don't underestimate those little bastards. Kids these days are no joke. Haven't you been asking me how I got injured? I didn't want to say before, afraid you'd laugh at me. To tell you the truth, my dantian was injured by a demon during the Cataclysm, but my golden core... it was shattered by a direct disciple of our Yunxia Sect who had just established their True Body."
"Shattered by a direct disciple who had just established their True Body?"
Gu Qingfeng looked Huode up and down skeptically. "Are you pulling my leg? Even if your dantian is severely injured, your golden core still contains seven or eight hundred years of spiritual power. How could a kid who just established their True Body harm you? I say, Huode, do you think I'm a three-year-old child?"