Chapter 187: Elder Ku Tears Down the Notice
On the Isle of Xiao, as Xiao Nanfeng ingested the Wingform-realm serpent king's inner core, tremendous energy erupted from his body, causing it to glow in golden light.
After a full two hours, a gust of energy seeped out of his body and he opened his eyes.
"The seventh stage of Ascension? It feels like a waste to have exchanged a whole draconic vein for this paltry amount of energy," Xiao Nanfeng sighed as he exhaled.
He got up and walked out of the room, where You Jiu was waiting for him.
"You're back!" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes lit up.
"Master, we rescued Zhao Yuanjiao. He really is skilled. Even poisoned, he was able to take down two giant golden serpents by himself. The remaining three, Croak and Warble tore apart. They're at the back of the mountains now, clamoring for cooks to make them roast serpent meat," You Jiu reported, smiling.
"Well done." Xiao Nanfeng mirrored his smile. "Where's Zhao Yuanjiao?"
"In the cottage beside the Xiao Academy. Please go have a look at him."
Xiao Nanfeng nodded, then immediately set off. When he arrived, he saw that Zhao Yuanjiao's body was pitch-black all over. He was meditating as he recuperated, with a group of Taiqing disciples nearby to guard him.
"Senior Brother Xiao!" Everyone bowed upon seeing him.
Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "How's Elder Zhao?"
"The serpent king's poison is too concentrated. It may take Elder Zhao significantly more time to expel it all," one disciple reported.
"In that case, please don't leave his side. Guard Elder Zhao alertly."
"Of course, Senior Brother," the disciples replied.
They were Zhao Yuanjiao's confidantes and trusted subordinates to begin with, and they would naturally take on this duty.
"Something's wrong, Senior Brother!"
Xiao Nanfeng glanced over to see Ye Sanshui and a group of Taiqing disciples rushing over.
"What's the matter?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.
"The Ascended division leader has notified everyone that he's going to be stripping you of your position as seniormost Ascended disciple," Ye Sanshui shouted.
"What?!" The Taiqing disciples in range of hearing all looked toward Ye Sanshui angrily.
"The division leader put up a notice?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.
"Yes, Young Master! It states that you deliberately and intentionally violated inter- and intra-sect relations, destroyed the alliance between the Taiqing Immortal and Demonic Sects, behaved disrespectfully toward elders, disregarded sect commandments, and represent a negative, corrupting influence for Taiqing disciples. As a result of the above judgment, you were found unsuitable for the role of seniormost Ascended disciple and stripped of your status!"
"What nonsense! When has Senior Brother Xiao been a negative, corrupting influence? Should we Taiqing Immortal Sect disciples watch on as demonic disciples kill our comrades?"
"Senior Brother Xiao is only maintaining the reputation and prowess of the Taiqing Immortal Sect!"
"Senior Brother Xiao's the only disciple I'll recognize as the seniormost disciple!"
The disciples all around began to vent in outrage.
"Stripping me of my position...?" Xiao Nanfeng seemed to be deep in thought.
He had already obtained the respect and acceptance of the majority of the Taiqing disciples. Even if his position were stripped from him, he could still command the vast majority of them. Why would Zhao Tianheng make this move now, despite the loss of reputation that he himself would suffer as a result?
"You can't lose that position!" a voice shouted hoarsely, then devolved into a fit of coughing.
Everyone turned to see Zhao Yuanjiao having awoken despite the strain to his body. He spat out a mouthful of black blood.
"Senior Brother?" Xiao Nanfeng rushed forward to help him up.
"You can't let him strip you of your position," Zhao Yuanjiao rasped. "You might not have the status of an elder, but you share some privileges that elders possess. You may oversee and manage ordinary disciples, and, more importantly, choose the sect responsibilities that you undertake. You may refuse tasks otherwise assigned to you. If you lose that privilege, sect elders could target you by assigning you some particularly dangerous quests, which you are bound to undertake. You've offended quite a number of elders with what you've done, and you'll suffer if you lose your status as seniormost disciple."
"What? The division leader's trying to target Senior Brother Xiao, isn't he?" The disciples gasped.
Xiao Nanfeng narrowed his eyes. So this was Zhao Tianheng's intention! To strip him of authority, and then to bully him at will...
"Elder Zhao, is it possible to make the division leader retract his decision?" one Taiqing disciple asked anxiously.
"The position of seniormost disciple of a division is a role of symbolic importance, and only refutations from certain high-ranking positions in the sect will be acknowledged. For instance, the initial appointment of a seniormost disciple requires the division leader's confirmation and a defense against any challengers among the ordinary disciples. Similarly, the deposition of the same requires the division leader's confirmation and a public notice. This time, however, the deliberation doesn't involve any ordinary disciples, but rather the elders themselves. The public notice will be up for ten days. If over half the elders disagree with the deposition, it will be nullified," Zhao Yuanjiao continued.
"Are Ascended elders the only ones who can weigh in?" one disciple asked.
"The matters of the Ascended division are only to be determined by those of the Ascended division. Unless the division leader interferes, no other can change this rule. Ahem! Quick, bring me over to Taiqing Island. I need to pay a visit to each of the Ascended elders and help Xiao Nanfeng secure his position," Zhao Yuanjiao wheezed, arduously getting up.
"Count me in. I'll accompany Elder Zhao to pay a visit to the various elders!"
"Count me in!"
"I'll go as well!"
Many junior disciples prepared to speak up on Xiao Nanfeng's behalf.
Only Xiao Nanfeng continued to frown. He didn't think anything would come of the disciples' visits. The fact that Zhao Tianheng had put up this notice meant that he was confident he could get the support of over half the elders. Even if Zhao Yuanjiao and the other disciples were to go around begging, there was likely little they could do.
Even so, he wanted to see how the elders reacted in order to plan his next move.
On a mountain peak of Taiqing Island, Zhao Tianheng looked down at the island from above, at the plaza of the Hall of Immortal Recruitment which was now filled with people.
"To think that Xiao Nanfeng has won the hearts of so many in such a short period of time. The entire plaza's in an uproar, and the disciples of every division are criticizing this notice for being unjust. Division Leader, your actions are likely to be spoken ill of," one elder commented.
"Of course I'm aware, but what else can I do? I won't be able to hold off going to the draconic palace for long. Although Xiao Nanfeng might have lost his formation of red fog, he's acquired the Ghosts' Parade. Using that as a basis for the defenses around the Isle of Xiao might even be an overall improvement. The Taiqing disciples all treat him like a star, and he doesn't leave his island. How else would I be able to claim the Immortal's Destruction?" Zhao Tianheng replied coldly.
"The Pestilence Sage and the others were too useless. We even delayed the other elders for them, but they all perished," the elder murmured, sighing.
"What's done is done. The majority of the Ascended elders listen to me, and those that don't don't dare to offend me. In ten days, once Xiao Nanfeng's deposed as the seniormost disciple, assign him a dangerous task that requires him to leave the sect."
"Understood!" the elder replied.
Suddenly, cheers rang out from the plaza of the Hall of Immortal Recruitment.
"Well done!" Countless disciples began to cheer.
"Someone tore down the division leader's public notice? How could that be? Who would dare do so without the approval of half the Ascended elders?" the elder cried out.
Zhao Tianheng narrowed his eyes. "We'll see who dared to do that."
Zhao Tianheng soared into the air as he headed for the Hall of Immortal Recruitment.
At the plaza, the Taiqing disciples cheered for Xiao Nanfeng as Xiao Nanfeng glanced at the person who had torn down Zhao Tianheng's notice.
"Master!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.
"We greet Elder Ku!" countless Taiqing disciples called out.
Zhao Yuanjiao smiled even as he coughed up blood.
Elder Ku turned toward Xiao Nanfeng and nodded at him. "Nanfeng, I'm very pleased to see that you've won the hearts of so many."
"Thank you, Master."
Elder Ku was still blind, but he turned unerringly in a certain direction.
Everyone looked in that direction to see Zhao Tianheng flying over. Perhaps because of the commotion, a large number of elders who had been paying attention to the scene were likewise approaching.
"When did you return, Elder Ku?" Zhao Tianheng landed and asked.
"I just did. I heard the commotion over here and came to check it out." Elder Ku smiled.
Zhao Tianheng stared at the public notice that Elder Ku held in his hands. He frowned. "Elder Ku, do you know what it is that you hold?"
"Oh? You mean this? It's just an unreasonable public notice. I took it down so that it wouldn't ruin the clan's atmosphere," Elder Ku replied, a small smile still on his face.
The plaza quieted down. Everyone stared at Elder Ku in disbelief. Zhao Tianheng had motioned to depose Xiao Nanfeng as seniormost disciple because he was a 'negative, corrupting influence.' Elder Ku was staunchly defending his disciple, and even throwing Zhao Tianheng's accusation back at him!
The elders that had rushed to the scene gasped in astonishment. Was this a feud between the higher-ups of the Ascended division?
Zhao Tianheng gave Elder Ku an incredulous look. "Elder Ku, have you forgotten the rules of the sect? The division leader's public notices can only be taken down with the objection of over half the elders of the division. Although you may possess the Ascended token, my judgment takes priority while I'm at the sect. You have no right to do so."
Everyone stared at the two cultivators with bated breath. Zhao Tianheng was the Ascended division leader, but Elder Ku held the Ascended token. The clash between the two bigshots of the division could well lead to internal conflict.
Elder Ku smiled. "Before the sect master headed out, he passed me his token and told me that I would be able to arbitrate all matters within the clan in his absence. I believe this would be an appropriate use of the sect master's token, no?"
Everyone's eyes bulged as they stared at the token in Elder Ku's hands. Elder Ku had clearly won the confrontation—none could find fault with him in this contest of power!
Zhao Tianheng glared at the sect master's token, aggrieved. You should have mentioned that from the get-go!
"If you believe this to be unreasonable, then in accordance with sect law, you may invite the division leaders of the other three divisions to contest my judgment," Elder Ku offered, smiling.
Zhao Tianheng had a nasty look on his face. His public notice had been unpopular from the start. If he were to make a fiasco out of this, it would only put him in dire straits.
"There's no need, Elder Ku. I was clearly too rash. If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave," Zhao Tianheng replied stiffly.
He whirled around and took to the air. The other elders greeted Elder Ku, then departed themselves.
Another cheer rang out in the plaza of the Hall of Immortal Recruitment.
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