Song Qian Ji had said that the Huawei Sect’s affairs should be resolved internally, and he was too lazy to manage them.
The next moment, behind him, appeared the spectral remnants of all the masters and powerful figures throughout the Huawei Sect’s history since its founding.
It was as if a magnificent ancestral shrine had slowly risen, occupying half the night sky.
Years ago, when the Huawei Sect deployed the “Huawei Floating City” and the ancestral remnant souls against Song Qian Ji, they thought it was foolproof.
That was their most erroneous move. It ultimately ended with the remnant souls not returning and the sect suffering serious damage from Xian Jian Chen’s sword energy, forcing them to close their gates.
Yuan Qing Shi, who had overseen the formation, could never forget the terror of being chased by Song Qian Ji with a sword in the dead city.
Black remnant souls had surged endlessly like a tide, with overwhelming death energy surrounding that person. Yet he had devoured the death energy and repeatedly broken through the encirclement. It was as if he had ten thousand lives, impossible to kill.
Although Song Qian Ji hadn’t killed him and had spared his life to deliver a message, the shadow of this incident pressed on his heart, spurring him to advance sharply and practice diligently day and night.
He thought enough time had passed, that he had worked hard enough and transformed himself completely. When he met this person again, he would not fear or waver.
Until tonight, when Song Qian Ji appeared without warning and summoned the countless remnant souls.
Yuan Qing Shi felt as if he had returned to that hellish dead city, overshadowed by death, his sword-holding hand trembling uncontrollably.
Would this fear of Song Qian Ji accompany him for life?
The Huawei Sect crowd was drenched in cold sweat, hastily bowing: “Great Master!”
“Grand Master!”
“Great Grand Master!”
There were even more ancestors they didn’t know how to address, whom they had only seen in historical portraits, fiercely shouting at the rebellious disciples.
Zhao Tai Ji and the seven elders who had been knocked down and spitting blood got up, exchanging shocked glances.
The remnant souls they had previously used to kill Song Qian Ji hadn’t been scattered but had instead been claimed by him.
They couldn’t guess that Song Qian Ji possessed a domain; they only thought that Xian Jian Chen had given his disciple some secret treasure that could purify death energy and nurture remnant souls.
“These master and disciple are so calculating. They must have anticipated this day, otherwise, who would bother to nurture the souls of another family’s ancestors?”
Meanwhile, the “Little Huawei Sect” disciples were young, their thoughts scattered, betraying their joy:
“Could it be that the King of Thousand Channels can borrow netherworld troops and communicate with spirits?”
“With the King of Thousand Channels summoning souls to borrow netherworld troops, are we saved this time?”
They knew that Chen Hong Zhu was most unwilling to see infighting among sect members. They had been prepared to break through forcibly tonight, paying a heavy price, but unexpectedly, when all seemed hopeless, Song Qian Ji had appeared on the desperate cliff path.
Zhao Tai Ji stretched out his hand, fiercely pointing at Song Qian Ji: “Respected ancestors, please hear me. This villain is deep and scheming—”
“Wicked creature, silence!” True Person Ping Yuan shouted. “Is it your turn to speak here?”
The painful memories of being reprimanded and punished by his master at the beginning of his Dao path were instantly awakened, and Zhao Tai Ji instinctively bowed: “Yes, Master!”
But True Person Ping Yuan was just a spectral image floating behind Song Qian Ji.
Zhao Tai Ji realized he was bowing to Song Qian Ji, his face turning various shades of green and white.
“Young lady Chen, come forward,” True Person Shake Heaven said in a gentle tone, beckoning to the crowd.
Chen Hong Zhu was stunned: “Me?”
She was also in shock, instinctively looking toward the person she had been unwilling to face earlier.
“Go ahead,” Song Qian Ji said. “They have chosen you.”
Chen Hong Zhu passed by Song Qian Ji, standing before the Huawei Sect crowd, facing the multitude of spectral images.
With sect members confronting each other and herself in a sorry state, in this situation, she hadn’t wanted Song Qian Ji to appear.
But only Song Qian Ji could have done this.
In the moonlight, the remnant souls looked like crystal sculptures, gazing at her with dignity and kindness.
“I am the founding master of the Huawei Sect, True Person Huawei,” said True Person Huawei from the highest position, his voice softening.
“Greetings, Founding Master,” Chen Hong Zhu bowed.
“Tonight I pass to you the ‘Huawei True Seal.’ From this day forward, you are the orthodox Huawei! You are permitted to enter the ancestral shrine, open the treasured register, remove the names of traitors, and purify the sect!”
True Person Huawei extended a finger, pointing from afar, and a small firefly-like white light flew out.
All the spiritual souls simultaneously extended their hands:
“From this day forward, we pass the orthodox Huawei lineage to Chen Hong Zhu, daughter of the sixty-eighth Sect Leader!”
The words “orthodox Huawei” echoed through the mountains.
Dots of firefly light, like faint starlight illuminating the night, finally converged into a surging, long river!
The river of light hung in the night sky, flowing over the heads of the Huawei crowd, like the reappearance of past glory, stirring emotions.
The river of light rushed toward Chen Hong Zhu, entering her brow.
Chen Hong Zhu’s whole body shuddered.
Everyone stared in silent amazement.
The “Huawei True Command” in the Sect Leader’s hand could control the Huawei Sect’s formations and was a symbol of identity.
But the “Huawei Seal” was a mark in the depths of the soul, representing the recognition of generations of powerful figures.
Chen Hong Zhu opened her eyes, a red mark on her smooth forehead, shaped like a diamond flower ornament, or like the flame of a candle wick, faintly glowing.
The “Huawei Seal” was complete.
In the long night, this red candle had finally been lit.
The river of light dissipated, and the spectral images became more ethereal as if about to be blown away by the mountain wind.
They gazed at her longingly, as if looking at an unseen future.
Chen Hong Zhu blinked, tears in her eyes, and called out loudly:
“Respectfully request the ancestors to return—”
The Huawei Sect crowd bowed behind her, saying in unison:
“Respectfully request the ancestors to return—”
The night wind howled furiously, and the forest waves rolled, like a cosmic elegy.
Song Qian Ji finally turned around, looking up at the sky.
Zhao Tai Ji calmed down, making a respectful gesture to the spectral images, but regretted in his heart:
“They were just remnant souls, sustained by death energy. After the death energy was purified, they must have been weakened. How much divine power could they have left? Alas, we shouldn’t have feared them. Now that Chen Hong Zhu has successfully obtained the Huawei Seal, it’s too late for everything.”
“The soul is valiant, making a heroic ghost! This old man is leaving!” True Person Ping Yuan laughed loudly.
“Young Song, worldly affairs in the secret realm are burdensome; you might as well go home and farm,” True Person Shake Heaven said.
With that, they scattered into the universe.
One soul after another dissolved, like fireworks exploding, like meteors passing by.
The brilliant but brief radiance illuminated the faces of various expressions, some old, some young.
They should have been entangled with death energy, used as weapons without consciousness or awareness, and scattered in the Huawei Floating City.
Instead, they had labored in Song Qian Ji’s domain, leaving behind their life-learned scriptures in Thousand Channels in exchange for sunlight and gentle breezes in the wheat fields.
Song Qian Ji was the bad landlord who oppressed the laboring souls, and they were unwelcome guests who had arrived uninvited.
But under the same roof, when it came time for the unwelcome guests to say goodbye, the scene was still poignant.
The Huawei Sect crowd wore complex expressions; only Song Qian Ji quietly watched them, silently bidding farewell.
Stars would fall, the sun would extinguish, and things once loved and hated would be lost.
There are no eternally imperishable people, no everlasting radiance.
All things, small or great, would eventually sink into the rolling river of time, becoming a grain of sand at the bottom.
“They’ve all gone, and my time is approaching,” True Person Huawei said. “When we first met, you told me, ‘Those who have died, why must they still linger in the mortal world?’ You were right… death makes all things empty, but alas, in the end, one can’t let go of mortal entanglements.”
The once-brilliant strong figure, unwilling to live peacefully in the younger generation’s domain, had used his last strength to choose the future of the sect.
Only he remained, the oldest and strongest, lying in the quiet wheat field, sinking into slumber.
Chen Hong Zhu called out loudly: “From this day forward, I am the orthodox Huawei Sect!”
Her voice was firm, like a young eagle soaring into the sky.
From now on, she would enjoy the highest authority in the Huawei ancestral shrine. Apart from the Sect Leader who possessed the “Huawei Command,” no one’s status could surpass hers.
Zhao Tai Ji was extremely resentful but knew the situation was beyond salvation. Using the term “orthodox” could no longer suppress Chen Hong Zhu and the “Little Huawei Sect.”
Again, it was Song Qian Ji.
Again, it was him.
Song Qian Ji had no time to observe everyone’s expressions; as far as he was concerned, this matter was already over.
He walked forward, preparing to leave this place.
The “Little Huawei Sect” disciples spontaneously made way for him, eyes wide open, looking at the King of Thousand Channels with attachment and admiration.
Chen Hong Zhu caught up, saying softly: “Thank you.”
Although she didn’t know where the ancestral souls had resided, it was clear that without Song Qian Ji’s agreement, they couldn’t have appeared.
Song Qian Ji nodded: “You’re welcome.”
The surrounding people watched intently, waiting for them to say more, but the two didn’t exchange another word.
And so they passed each other by.