The Taoist Sect has rituals for refining Magic Artifacts, and the Confucian Sect also has its own ceremonies for honoring Sacrificial Instrunts.
The Five Clans and Seven Families all carry on long-standing prestigious lineages, with a long history of Sacrificial Instrunts that form one of the cornerstones of their ancestral heritages.
The Sacrificial Instrunt of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan, fad throughout the world for many years, is nad the Dragon Serpent Pen; its strokes move like a dragon and snake, and its script shifts mountains and rivers.
Centered around the Dragon Serpent Pen and complented by the family traditions embodied in classics compiled and written through generations, the many years of sacrifices and heritage passed down by countless mbers of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan have forged its status. Even after parting ways with the Youzhou Forest Clan, they still remain a prominent family in the current era.
Both the Dragon Serpent Pen and the family classics have traditionally never left Jiangzhou, and together they ensure the ancestral lands are as secure as a fortress.
Although Lin Che and Lin Yuwei are abroad, there is still one family elder, Lin Chou, who possesses the Eightfold Heaven Realm, remaining to guard the ancestral land.
With this elder presiding over it, along with the Dragon Serpent Pen, the ancestral land of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan remains easily defensible and difficult to attack.
Yuan Mobai said, "I believe that Niece Yuan Zhen and the Sect Leader, having realized this, already have a plan in place. It is precisely for this reason that I must take the Celestial Master’s Sword and leave the mountain to help."
Shangguan Ning and Yao Yuan fell into contemplation upon hearing these words.
"At the very least, we need to intercept Lin Che outside of Jiangzhou." Yuan Mobai said farewell to Yao Yuan and Shangguan Ning, "Elder Yao, Sister Shangguan, I leave the matters of the Sect in your hands."
Yao Yuan’s expression was grave. "It is still sowhat risky. The Sect is rarely so vulnerable."
Within the Great Tang, the circumstances were fraught with intersecting interests among various powers, ready to erupt at a mont’s notice.
Amongst these powers, the Ghost Tao Lineage’s Sacred Land, Golden City Stronghold, holds the deepest grudge against the Celestial Master Mansion in the Southern Wilderness.
Fortunately, just like the Blood River Sect, Golden City Stronghold had been defeated and suffered heavy losses in a previous battle in the Southern Wilderness, and Zonghan, the Ghost King, had gone into hiding.
But one must still beware lest they take risks out of desperation.
"Inform all the disciples inside and outside the Sect," Shangguan Ning commanded, "that, effective imdiately, we will close off the Ancestral Courtyard of the Sect."
Yao Yuan bowed to Yuan Mobai in the Taoist manner. "I will do my best. I hope that you, the Sect Leader, and Niece Yuan Zhen return quickly."
"I understand. It is hard on you, Elder Brother," Yuan Mobai responded with a reciprocal bow.
「Soti later, the sky above Dragon Tiger Mountain trembled.」
Around the Supre Pure Thunder Mansion Cave Heaven, thunder roared and lightning snaked rapidly.
A streak of purple light, resembling both a sword gleam and a thunderbolt, shot away from above Dragon Tiger Mountain.
The disciples on the mountain were deeply stirred.
The Celestial Master’s Sword had left the mountain once more.
The sword light, accompanied by lightning, headed north, its cutting edge pointing directly at Jiangzhou.
This signaled that a new great battle was unfolding.
The disciples on the mountain felt a surge of emotion, but in obedience to the orders of their elders, they all strictly guarded the Ancestral Courtyard of the Sect without leaving.
In the Altar of Wanfa Sect, a brilliance had already begun to flicker, readying itself and remaining vigilant both inside and out.
But then, at this very mont, a shadow quietly approached Dragon Tiger Mountain.
The newcor made secret contact with soone within Dragon Tiger Mountain, inquiring through mystical communication,
"Has Yuan Mobai left the mountain with the Celestial Master’s Sword, heading for Jiangzhou?"
The person on the mountain replied, "Indeed. This morning, we will attack the ancestral land of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan."
The mysterious visitor said, "It’s a rare opportunity. You will help with my plan."
The person on the mountain said, "I thought your target was the Celestial Master’s Sword."
The mysterious visitor said, "The Celestial Master’s Sword might slip away, but the Altar of Wanfa Sect cannot be moved."
The person on the mountain said, "But later, those who have gone out may return to the mountain, especially Xu Yuanzhen, who has reached the Ninth Heavenly Layer."
The mysterious visitor said, "A tall tree attracts the wind; fortune and misfortune are interdependent."
After a mont of slight silence, the person on the mountain finally said, "Fine. Everything will follow your arrangent."
The mysterious visitor was about to enter the mountain but suddenly stopped.
It was like reining in a horse at the very edge of a cliff.
In the sky near Dragon Tiger Mountain, the air twisted for a mont. Light brimming with Dao Patterns lit up, originating from the Mountain Defense Array’s collision with the enemy.
The Formation tried to lock onto the newcor, but he detected it in ti and withdrew.
"Yuan Mobai, you haven’t left the mountain?" The visitor’s voice betrayed neither joy nor anger. "Who took the Celestial Master’s Sword?"
After another mont of silence, Yuan Mobai’s voice, as gentle as a spring breeze, rose from within the Altar of Wanfa Sect. "Your Excellency truly did co."
The other party was not trying to trick him with words; he had genuinely sensed sothing was amiss. Seeing this, Yuan Mobai decided to reveal himself openly. "Might I ask which esteed personage this is?"
The visitor responded with a question instead of answering, "Did Yao Yuan betray ?"
Though it was a question, his tone was certain.
In the Altar of Wanfa Sect in the mountains, Yuan Mobai stood side by side with Yao Yuan.
The mysterious person then said, "Has Yao Yuan confessed to you everything that he has done?"
Yuan Mobai remained as calm and gentle as ever. "Elder Yao made the decision to stop and withdraw in ti. That could not have been easy without great resolve."
Beside him, Yao Yuan wore an equally calm expression.
Beneath the calmness, Elder Yao seed sowhat relieved. "I have committed a grave mistake. Later, I shall go to the forbidden area of the Rear Mountain Ancestral Tomb to accept my punishnt and confess my sins to the ancestors."
Indeed, it was a grave mistake, one Yao Yuan still regarded as such, even though the Li Clan had nearly beco a thing of the past.
Ten years ago, a Li Clan mber, Li Zhenchang, died. It was suspected he was killed by Chen Yi, a disciple who had betrayed the Sect.
After that, other mbers of the Li Clan were assassinated.
Within the Celestial Master Mansion, the discord between the Li family and those with different surnas intensified.
The person who committed the second cri was none other than Elder Yao, an esteed High rit Master with a different surna from within the Celestial Master Mansion.
At that ti, he had also been struck by Chu Yu’s arrow at Slanting Star Peak, and in the process, lost the Yin Moon Soul Stone.
Back then, he harbored resentnt against the Li Clan and held delusions about the Celestial Master Mansion.
He secretly accepted help from a mysterious person.
This was the sa mysterious person who had attacked Li Qingfeng on the Grand River.
With that person’s help, he obtained the Yin Moon Soul Stone and secretly amassed power, all the while instigating an escalation of the conflict between the Li Clan and those of other surnas.
But when that day truly arrived, Yao Yuan was horrified.
The other’s target was the Celestial Master Robe.
The mysterious person did not bear a grudge solely against the Li Clan, or at least, not only against them.
That mysterious person also coveted control over the Celestial Master Mansion.
And Yao Yuan knew that if he continued on this path, he would beco increasingly mired, and even if he one day ca to power, he would rely be the other party’s puppet.
So, this ti, he made a different decision, even if it ant paying a price.
"Elder Yao, your vacillation is unwise," the mysterious person said curtly and then withdrew.
He withdrew in ti, not having entered Dragon Tiger Mountain, so his departure was also simple.
Yuan Mobai sighed softly. "It’s a pity, Elder Yao, that you have been exposed this ti."
Yao Yuan smiled. "It’s of no concern."
He suddenly paused, surprised, looking Yuan Mobai up and down. "The Celestial Master’s Sword didn’t return with you?"
Yuan Mobai nodded. "The Celestial Master’s Sword has gone to Jiangzhou."
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