Chapter 153 - Master, I'll be Your Kindred Spirit
The students of the Grand Temple exchanged puzzled and awkward glances upon hearing the Supreme Marshal's words, their whispers growing into a buzzing discourse. The chatter swelled as more and more joined the conversation.
Most students felt slighted! So, they found it hard not to believe what the Supreme Marshal had said. The Nine Heavens Immortal Army, the legion of countless cultivators, was indeed the sword of the Heavenly Realm!
This Supreme Marshal was not only renowned for his might but also for his prestige, earning the unwavering loyalty of the entire army.
"Mu Tianshi," Li Shishi whispered, "when scholars meet soldiers, words fail. Further discussion is pointless. It's time to show them out."
"Hmm..." Mu Tianshi's gaze lingered on his son's lifeless body, a sight that tore his heart apart. "Chen Xiao,..." he murmured, "He must have anticipated my trap during the assessment. He waited outside, ready to seize any advantage. He has such faith in his son-in-law."
Mu Tianshi's eyes were filled with a chilling malice. Twice! Twice, it had been Yun Xiao who'd foiled his plans! He'd built this high-stakes game built around the Grand Temple's entrance examination, where the fate of the younger generation determined the confidence and mindset of the higher-ups. And he'd lost it completely, with his hubris costing him his son this time.
Mu Tianshi's patience had snapped. Regardless of his bravado, the news of this would surely tarnish the Grand Temple's reputation for the next century... undoubtedly affecting their profits.
"Supreme Marshal..." Mu Tianshi said with a cold edge, "From today, the sacred ground of the Grand Temple no longer welcomes a slanderous brute like you. Goodbye!" He pointed towards the exit, his voice hardening, "Effective immediately, all members of the Chen Clan will have their enrollments in the Grand Temple revoked, forever!"
"Oh?" The Supreme Marshal chuckled, "The enrollment of my Chen Clan members into the Grand Temple is a decree of the Immortal Empire. I might leave, but you don't have the authority to revoke it, understand?"
"As long as I'm in the Grand Temple, none of your barbaric Chen Clan members will set foot in here!" Mu Tianshi declared coolly.
"Well, it's simple." The Supreme Marshal chuckled. "Once you're dead and they find a new dean, my people can stroll right in, can't they?"
Mu Tianshu's face turned even icier at the comment.
"Something's up," Li Shishi whispered. "He seems ready for a confrontation. Is there any point to this?"
"I'm not sure. He's always been unpredictable... but this insult won't be forgotten easily. It feels like my insides are tearing apart," Mu Tianshi gritted out. The man before them, adorned in white tiger armor, didn't strike anyone as a mere brute.
Just then, Chen Xi, standing next to him, suddenly interjected, "Father, you can have the others withdraw if you want, but I'm staying."
"Why won't you leave? Are you defying me?" the Supreme Marshal shot back, eyes glaring.
"No!" Chen Xi lifted her chin defiantly, looking at Mu Tianshi. "I've said that once I returned to the Heavenly Realm, I was going to top the Dragon Ranking. I'll trample over everyone who mocked me a year ago. How can I do that if you pull me out of the Grand Temple?"
"Fine." The Supreme Marshal nodded in resignation. "You and Yun Xiao can keep your positions. The rest will withdraw."
"Father, I want to head to the Star Scholar Platform now and issue a challenge on the Dragon Ranking!" Chen Xi's cold eyes shifted to Mu Lingyi, declaring confidently, "All you top ten prodigies on the list, be ready for my challenge!"
When one wave subsided, another arose! After the son-in-law's brawl, now the daughter was stepping up!
The students of the Grand Temple were buzzing with excitement, many shouting, "Fight!"
"This is going to be a great show!"
After the heated exchange between the Supreme Marshal and Mu Tianshi, with tensions boiling, and after the blow Mu Tianshi had taken, he'd surely want some redemption, right?
However, according to the rules of the Dragon Ranking, whether to fight or not wasn't up to him. If someone issued a challenge and the person who was challenged refused, that person would be dropped from the ranking, surrendering their rank to the challenger. And worst of all? They'd become a laughingstock for life!
"Dean!" Chen Xi said with a feigned respect. "I've always been a good student at the Grand Temple, never once breaking its rules. Surely, you wouldn't expel me for no reason? If it's because you're sore with my father and want to vent your anger on me, I can just sever our father-daughter ties. Honestly, I've been annoyed with him for a long time now."
The Supreme Marshal raised an eyebrow, looking as if he'd been slapped with filial ingratitude.
Mu Tianshi stayed silent, lost in thought.
"Since Mu Tianshi seems to acknowledge my legitimacy," Chen Xi smirked, "I'll head to the Star Scholar Platform now." With that, she took Yun Xiao's hand and left gracefully in her flowing white dress.
"Let's go watch the show my former daughter is about to put on," the Supreme Marshal said with a sly grin, turning to Zhao Xuanjian and Qi Lan.
"My heart goes out to you, brother," Zhao Xuanjian consoled, patting the Supreme Marshal's shoulder. "Losing a daughter like that. If you ever feel the lack of family, I can always pretend to be your dad..."
"Buzz off..."
After their departure, the atmosphere in the Lesser Temple Hall grew more peculiar. One by one, the students of the Grand Temple gave Mu Tianshi a customary salute before respectfully stepping back. Once outside the hall, the young group couldn't hold back any longer and rushed toward the Star Scholar Platform.
"Mu Tianshi?" Li Shishi raised an eyebrow at him.
"He only has three people with him!" Mu Tianshi directed his gaze to the golden-eyed woman. "Call your older brother. I'll summon the Ye Royal Family and Han Clan."
"It's about time," Li Shishi scoffed. "We shouldn't waste time reasoning with such brutish monkeys like him."
Mu Tianshi blinked, taken aback. The illustrious Marshal of the Immortal Empire had just been called a brutish monkey by a monkey! The irony was not lost on him. After a moment's thought, he added, "And summon Lady Hua Lian too."
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In the Grand Temple, within the Pavilion of Etiquette, sat a residence whose splendor was unmatched. The scene looked as though it had been plucked from an exquisite painting. The aroma of blooming flowers pervaded the air, while soft murmurs of flowing water filled the silence.
The courtyard was blanketed in a mystical fog that played hide and seek with a lake, miniature mountains, and a villa.
Within the villa, a plush chaise lounge was placed. As the fog danced around it, one could see a languid woman reclining. She was draped in a dress adorned with cherry blossoms, its neckline daringly low, revealing her ivory shoulders. Her arms lay elegantly, her flawless skin pressing together to form alluring contours. Her hair, tinted with a soft pink hue against its silvery white strands, sprawled on the lounge like cascading silver blossoms, complementing her jade skin. Through the haze, her eyes looked dreamy, her lips were a soft shade of pink, and every glance seemed like a silent plea, as if she had a myriad of tales to share.
She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her beauty was unlike any seen in the mortal world or among the nobility of the Heavenly Realm. She exuded an enchanting allure, yet retained an air of purity. She was like a pot of floral wine, with a gentle fragrance yet a potent taste. Her slender fingers, graceful figure, and elongated legs concealed an allure that tugged at one's heartstrings. Yet, her face was so tender it evoked a deep sense of pity and protection. She lay there, basking in the afternoon sun, humming a ditty from the mortal realm.
But then, a moment was interrupted. A silver-haired individual with moonlit eyes approached her, barefooted, careful not to gaze directly at her overwhelming grace.
"My dear Moon," she beckoned softly, her lustrous eyes fixed on the silver-haired figure. "Come closer."
"Yes, Master," the silver-haired youth replied, moving closer. His gaze now met the face of this enchanting woman.
At that moment, six pink fox tails emerged from behind her, gently caressing the face of the silver-haired youth. In a soft whisper, she asked, "Oh? Have you made another breakthrough?"
"Yes," Moon Fairy replied, trying not to flinch from the tingling sensation on his face.
"How wonderful," the enchanting woman said, stretching out her porcelain arms. "Come here."
"Of course..." Moon Fairy leaned in, allowing the woman to pull him into her embrace, his face enveloped in her intoxicating fragrance.
Elsewhere, Blue Star and Red Moon were fussing about wanting to follow the body double. Yun Xiao gave them a playful pinch and then turned his attention back to the pair of foxes.
The beautiful woman held Moon Fairy, her six pink fox tails winding around him. Yet, she didn't say a word.
"Master, what are you thinking about?" Moon Fairy whispered, listening to the slow beat of her heart.
"The human world is such a delightful place," she murmured dreamily.
"What's so great about it?" Moon Fairy asked.
The beautiful woman traced a finger gently down his cheek, her gaze lost in the babbling brook of the courtyard. "Humans have profound loves and fleeting passions. They cherish moments under falling petals and by meandering streams. They share drinks by the river, lament lost loves, compose songs about the river's tales, and bask in countless lantern lights."
"Human hearts are complex. What's good about that?" Moon Fairy shook his head.
"It's precisely their complexity that gives rise to such deep emotions and close bonds," she said, her gaze distant. "Look at the bustling world. Everyone, from the common man to the soldier, has a story. They have families, fulfill their life's purposes. They create literature, art, and history that stand the test of time. Festivals light up the world..."
"Isn't that also true in the Demon Continent?" Moon Fairy felt a haze cloud his vision.
"How could it be?" The beautiful woman sighed softly. "Humans have humanity, while demons act on base instincts. In the world of demons, there's only desire, hunger, battle, and plunder. The Demon Continent doesn't have cities, only lairs."
"Master, it's okay," Moon Fairy reassured her softly. "Whether human or demon, the path for both leads to becoming Immortals. If one becomes a True Immortal, the human world's glories and the demon world's chaos are but fleeting dreams. If a world for Demon Immortals exists, surely it must be a place of peace? After all, a demon that achieves Immortality would surely have risen above its primal desires, embracing its immortal nature."
She looked down at him, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "You're quite the idealist, aren't you?"
"Why do you say that?" Moon Fairy inquired.
"The Heavenly Dao is fleeting, the path to immortality distant and illusory. In the history of the Divine Continent and the Demon Continent, everyone claims to be an Immortal. Yet, no one truly is. Where does the path to true immortality lie? Who truly knows? Be it the human world or demon world, we're all just living beings scuttling at the bottom, seeking enlightenment," the woman said, her voice tinged with self-mockery. "If we're all adrift, it's far more pleasurable to be a human in this bustling world than a demon."
"You wish you were human?" Moon Fairy asked curiously.
The beautiful woman offered a melancholic smile. "In this life, I started as a fox. After a life of diligent cultivation, I took on a human form. But while I may look human, my heart remains that of a fox. Standing here, in this world of humans, many fear me. How can I find a true companion to share my life's journey? I've wandered alone, always searching, yet never finding."
Hearing this, Moon Fairy remained silent for a long while. Finally, a gleam in his eyes, he softly spoke, "If you wish for a kindred spirit, I volunteer."
The beautiful woman looked taken aback, gently pinching his cheek. "My dear Moon Fairy, you're a demon. You don't understand humans."
Moon Fairy offered a slight smile. "But I do, Master."
As the words left his mouth, a voice from outside interrupted, "Lady Hua Lian, Mu Tianshi wishes to see you."
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