About the events that occurred in the Cangyuan Realm all those years ago, there were many rumors in the Yaoguang Heavenly Realm. However, very few people truly knew the inside story, as it was only circulated within a very small circle. If it weren't for the series of events that later shocked the entire Yaoguang Heavenly Realm, perhaps even those rumors would not exist. After all, the Yaoguang Domain was simply too vast.
No one knew the exact nature of the relationship between Fairy Qingyu of the Xuan Tian Sect and the young man nad Wang Xiu. But for her to develop a Heart Demon over matters concerning him, their connection could not have been shallow.
Regardless, when this news reached the Yi Clan, everyone understood that things had escalated dramatically.
The old Sect Master of the Xuan Tian Sect was famous for doting on his disciple, a reputation that far exceeded that of the Yu Family's second young master's amorous exploits in the Celestial Province. Now that his disciple had encountered a Heart Demon, it ant her path of cultivation was obstructed—a matter more terrifying than a threat to her life. For this disciple's sake, it would not be strange for the old Sect Master of the Xuan Tian Sect to do anything. No wonder he was willing to pit the entire Xuan Tian Sect against the Yi Clan, postured as if he was determined to crush them this ti.
"That Wang Xiu is truly a curse upon our Yi Clan!" a powerful mber of the Yi Clan said hatefully from the side. "The man is dead, yet he still brings our clan such trouble! If he were still alive, grinding his bones to dust and scattering his ashes wouldn't be enough to appease my hatred!"
Yi Zhongtian said nothing.
What was there to say now? Things had already co to this. Words were useless. And it wasn't just the Xuan Tian Sect. The Yu Family had dragged out their cooperation for so long; wasn't it because that second young master from the Yu Family was obstructing things from within? It was said that his relationship with Wang Xiu was much deeper than Fairy Qingyu's!
At this thought, Yi Zhongtian's unease reached its peak.
It would be one thing if the Yu Family was just intentionally leaving them hanging for a while. But if they had truly decided not to trade with them… that would be the worst-case scenario! After all, he needed a vast amount of supplies this ti, and in the entire Yaoguang Heavenly Realm, only the Yu Family's Ruyi Comrce Guild could sell them what they needed. As for procuring supplies from other Celestial Realms? Not to ntion they had no connections, even if they did, the distances between the major Celestial Realms were imnse. Even with inter-realm Transport Arrays, a round trip to the nearest Tianji Realm would take two years. Unless a Supre Quasi-Emperor took action, one who could cross the infinite void in the shortest ti and arrive in a few months. But… having a Supre Quasi-Emperor deliver goods? The Yi Clan's foundation wasn't that deep yet!
…
Watching the sunlight slant westward outside his window, Yi Zhongtian's dry eyes blinked slowly.
It shouldn't co to that. The Ruyi Comrce Guild is in business to make money; there's no reason for them to turn down profit. Even if that second young master is as willful as they co, the Yu Family… is not yet his to command! Besides, they would offend our Yi Clan by doing so!
Thinking this, his heart settled slightly.
Just then, a guard ca to report, "Elder, soone from the Ruyi Comrce Guild has arrived!"
Yi Zhongtian's eyes lit up, and he said hastily, "Quick, invite them in!"
The guard looked embarrassed. "The visitor was just an Attending Maid. She left right after delivering a ssage!"
Yi Zhongtian froze. "What ssage?"
The guard stamred, "She said that the second young master of the Yu Family has spoken. This business… the Yu Family won't be doing it!"
As he spoke, Yi Zhongtian's pupils shrank in disbelief. "They really said that?"
"Absolutely," the guard nodded. "They also delivered a letter!"
With that, he handed over the envelope.
Yi Zhongtian snatched it, tore it open, and saw a single sentence written on the white paper: "Yesterday's cause, today's effect!"
Darkness clouded his vision as rage surged through his chest. He ripped the letter to shreds. "A fine 'yesterday's cause, today's effect!' Has the Yu Family gone mad? To actually listen to a pampered brat… and make an enemy of our Yi Clan over a dead man!"
His roar was so loud that no one dared to reply.
Everyone knew the answer had been written plainly on that shredded letter. The question now was, without this shipnt of resources, what would they do about the Dao Battle?
The Dao Battle's initial purpose might have been to simply contend for an insignificant ore vein, but in the world of cultivation, anything nad with the word "Dao" is extraordinary. A Dao Battle is even more so. Defeat could very well damage the Yi Clan's fortune. While this idea had little taphysical basis, past experiences proved there was so truth to it.
At the very least, in a Dao Battle where both sides fought with all their might, the losing side was certain to be severely weakened, taking at least several thousand years to recover. It would also be a massive blow to the Yi Clan's prestige, making it exponentially harder to recruit outside experts in the future. When an Ancient Clan reached such a state, they were no different from a joke.
Just then, a cry of alarm suddenly rang out.
"This is bad!"
"What's wrong?"
"I just received a ssage! The Heaven Dao Academy in Wenzhou has chosen a new Candleholder!"
"A Candleholder? It's been five thousand years since the Academy has had a Candleholder after Confucius, hasn't it? Who is this person?"
"It's the scholar, ng Ran!"
"Hiss… I've heard of him. He's said to be Confucius's youngest disciple—extrely talented and highly regarded!"
"Even so, what does that have to do with our Yi Clan?"
"Exactly!"
The one who had first cried out turned pale. He projected the information from the jade slip into the air with his mana, where runes of light began to flicker.
All eyes turned to the projection. Instantly, their pupils shrank.
Written there was: The new Candleholder of the Academy lists the five great sins of the Yi Clan, claiming they lack virtue, heart, trust, propriety, and humanity. Their cris are too nurous to list; they are a disgrace to stand between Heaven and Earth!
In short, it was a scathing indictnt that didn't use a single profanity.
If this had been written by an ordinary person, the Yi Clan wouldn't have given it a second glance. But the one who spoke these words, who wrote this docunt, was from the Academy! What's more, he was this generation's Candleholder!
This was a huge problem.
Those scholars were adept at painting white as black and black as even blacker. But that wasn't the most important part. The important thing was, the world was willing to believe them!
Eight thousand years ago, the Demon Race invaded the Nine Heavens. The defensive line on the southern border of the Yaoguang Heavenly Realm was the first to fall, and several provinces beca demonic lands. At that ti, Confucius, who was then the Academy's Candleholder, walked into the Demon Domain alone. He sat and talked with the commander of the Demon Race for three days and three nights.
No one knew what they discussed. In the end, however, millions of demons astonishingly retreated, securing the safety of several provinces.
Since that ti, Confucius beca famous from that one event. By extension, the words of the Academy beca sothing countless people revered as truth.
Now that the Academy's Candleholder declared the Yi Clan lacked virtue and humanity and was a disgrace to stand between Heaven and Earth, then that was what they were. They would inevitably be spurned by all living beings in the world.
On the surface, this condemnation might not seem to cause any actual harm to the Yi Clan, but in truth, it could shake them to their very foundation. Cultivators valued fortune and faith. Without the hearts of the people, how could there be faith?
Yi Zhongtian clenched his fists, baffled. "Why? The Yi Clan has no feud with the Academy. Why is he doing this?"
From within the crowd, soone spoke in a low voice. "It is said that when ng Ran was in the Cangyuan Realm, he and Wang Xiu… had a very close relationship…"
The entire room fell deathly silent.
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