Novel Full Chapter 2778 - Replaced
Chapter 2778 – Replaced
Yet another discussion of the Dao was held atop Snowy Pine Peak.
This time, against all expectations, Li Muchen was among the participants.
And he smoothly made it into the top ten!
When word spread, it caused a massive uproar.
“Junior Brother Li might be new to the sect, but his talent is extraordinary, and his attainments in the Dao of the Sword are shocking. Who could stop him?” someone exclaimed.
“So what if he’s ignorant of the ways of the world? He’s strong enough to distinguish himself anyway!” others said with excitement, delighted on his behalf.
“What do you all know? The Mountain Lord ordered this personally! Otherwise, no matter how impressive Li Muchen’s results in the trial grounds were, the elders could easily just pick a random pretense to exclude him from the competition,” said those who understood the inside story.
Did the sect need unparalleled figures?
It did!
But it had no shortage of Unfettered Realm Dao Lords.
Stepping into Eternity might have seemed incomparably glorious, but Unfettered Realm Dao Lords were still only in the first realm of Eternity.
Everyone knew that every step forward on the Path of Eternity was incomparably arduous. Even unparalleled figures might work for hundreds of thousands of years without seeing any breakthroughs.
Li Muchen was indeed dazzling and impressive, but his dismal understanding of human affairs doomed him to suffer.
Never mind the sect’s Heavenly Monarchs; even its Immeasurable and Silent Realm Dao Lords could suppress him as they saw fit!
Ultimately, no matter how heaven-defying an Unfettered Realm Dao Lord was, they weren’t important to Heavenly Monarchs.
Besides, the inner sect was full of powerful Unfettered Dao Lords. Losing one wouldn’t hurt the sect in any way.
The sect was doing just fine before Li Muchen joined, after all.
Su Yi heard the others’ conversations, but he didn’t take them to heart.
However, later that day, Elder Yun Husheng came looking for him.
“You’ve performed quite well, Little Li,” Yun Husheng said with a smile. “The whole sect sees you in a new light. There’s sure to be a place for you in the Ancestral Hall one day.”
Su Yi took a sip of wine and said, “Elder, if you have something to say, please speak directly.”
“Haha, not bad, truly not bad. You can tell I came here on business,” Yun Husheng said with a hearty laugh. “They say insight into worldly affairs is true learning, and an understanding of human nature is the essence of wisdom. Those who lack that understanding will struggle to be accepted, and risk bringing disaster upon themselves.”
He paused, then looked at Su Yi and said solemnly, “We hope you can take a step back when the Ancestral Hall selects new legacy disciples next month.”
Su Yi fell silent.
Yun Husheng had said something much the same last year.
Except that last time, Yun Husheng prevented him from participating in the inner sect disciples’ discussion of the Dao, while this time, he was urging Su Yi to give up his chance at becoming a legacy disciple of the Ancestral Hall.
Yun Husheng smiled benevolently at him. “I’ve prepared a generous gift to compensate you, and next year when the Ancestral Hall selects legacy disciples, there’s sure to be a place for you.
“That aside, I’ve broken the usual rules to arrange a first-rate blessed ground for you to cultivate in, as well as three thousand pieces of Eternal Essence Gold, sixteen attendants, and a medallion that will grant you free access to higher-level scripture repositories.”
He went on at great length, then said, “I arranged this for you myself and at great difficulty, and all I ask in exchange is that you wait a year to enter the Ancestral Hall. These terms couldn’t be any more generous!”
He wasn’t exaggerating, either. His offer represented wealth far beyond what most Unfettered Realm Dao Lords could hope to attain.
No matter how much Yun Husheng looked down on Li Muchen, even he had no choice but to acknowledge his strength.
He was so strong that if he participated in the selection, he was certain to become a legacy disciple!
That was why Yun Husheng had come calling, and why he’d offered such generous terms.
Su Yi took a sip of wine. “And if I refuse?”
Yun Husheng showed no sign of irritation. He just sighed. “You really are stubborn. Do you really think I’m asking you?”
“Please explain, Elder,” said Su Yi.
“Clearly you’re too dense to read anything between the lines,” Yun Husheng said calmly. “Very well. Allow me to speak clearly.
“The Ancestral Hall has already decided on its next three legacy disciples. Even if you participate, you’re sure to be eliminated!”
Su Yi raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be eliminated even if I win the competition?”
Yun Husheng looked at him with pity, or as if he were a complete fool. “The outcome of the competition matters, but your character matters, too. Do you really think the Ancestral Hall will accept someone so unyieldingly foolish as a legacy disciple?”
Su Yi said softly, “So, that’s it. In that case, there was no need for you to come here to offer me compensation, Elder.”
Yun Husheng couldn’t help but run his fingers through his beard. I’ve run into a real blockhead this time. Does he really not understand, or is he just pretending?
Yun Husheng couldn’t be bothered to argue. He just rose and said, “I gave you face, and you have to accept it, whether you like it or not.”
With that, he placed a bag full of the promised compensation on the table and turned to leave.
But then, Su Yi said, “Take it with you.”
Yun Husheng stopped, turned in place, then smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You really won’t let me give you face?”
Su Yi picked up the bag and stuffed it into Yun Husheng’s hands. “It’s not that I don’t care about face, but that I want to earn it. I don’t want charity.”
Yun Husheng glared coldly at him. He was obviously enraged.
But in the end, he laughed. “The sect has never lacked people like you, but do you know what happened to them?”
Yun Husheng paused, then answered his own question. “They died of their own stupidity.”
With that, he left.
Su Yi could tell that Yun Husheng was truly furious.
But this time, Su Yi couldn’t back down!
According to the sect’s rules, only legacy disciples were qualified to participate in next year’s Nine Luminaries Dao Assembly.
If Su Yi backed down now, he’d be unqualified to participate.
Su Yi knew that Yun Husheng had come to negotiate and offer generous compensation because he was worried that Su Yi would seize one of the limited spots they had in the Nine Luminaries Dao Assembly.
Of course, even though Su Yi refused, Yun Husheng had ways of ensuring that he washed out.
This was called trying diplomacy first.
But now that Su Yi had refused to do things the easy way, Yun Husheng would just have to do things the hard way.
Unfortunately, although Yun Husheng didn’t know it, Su Yi had come to the Blueleaf Sect purely for the sake of acquiring a spot in the Nine Luminaries Dao Assembly.
If he failed to acquire one, all of this would be meaningless!
It wasn’t a question of whether or not Su Yi was willing to lower his head. He couldn’t back down!
……
Patriarch Du Ya sat in a hall, listening to Yun Husheng’s report. He couldn’t help but furrow his brow and snort, “That kid doesn’t know what’s good for him!”
Yun Husheng laughed. “He’s a blockhead who doesn’t know how to do anything but cultivate. There’s no way he’ll stir up any real waves.”
There was a man in brocade seated beside Patriarch Du Ya. He said with displeasure, “Martial Great Uncle, why be so polite with that punk? He has no background to speak of. Seems to me that we can just sideline him. Few in the sect will object!”
The man in brocade was called Wang Yuan. He was a prominent member of the inner sect, and he would soon compete for a spot in the Ancestral Hall.
His background was illustrious, his status lofty, and his clan of origin had once done Patriarch Du Ya a huge favor.
Thus, one of the spots in the Ancestral Hall had quietly been reserved for him.
That shouldn’t have led to any problems, but Li Muchen’s arrival had thrown a wrench in their plans.
Patriarch Du Ya had sent Yun Husheng to convince Li Muchen to take a step back for the sake of paving Wang Yuan’s path. He wouldn’t have guessed that Li Muchen would be so stubborn and intractable.
“Doing so will provoke others’ distaste. It’s too extreme, and it will be bad for the patriarch’s reputation,” Yun Husheng said with a smile. “But rest assured. The patriarch naturally has means of ensuring your position. Not even the sect leader can change that.”
Patriarch Du Ya subtly inclined his head. As one of the sect’s old-timers, he had to consider the impact of his actions. If he caused too great a disturbance, it would hurt his image and provoke the others’ criticism.
“I’ll visit the sect leader soon,” said Patriarch Du Ya, reaching a decision. “Let’s see how much trouble a brainless Unfettered Realm kid can cause!”
Wang Yuan looked gratified. “Many thanks, Martial Great Uncle!”
……
Ten days later, the would-be legacy disciples competed for a spot in the Ancestral Hall.
After numerous fierce battles beneath countless gazes, Li Muchen, one of the inner sect disciples of Snowy Pine Peak, made it into the top three.
There was no doubt in the onlookers’ minds that Li Muchen would soon become a legacy disciple!
Many of the inner sect disciples went up to offer him their congratulations. Those who’d ostracized him now looked ashamed. Some even acknowledged their poor judgment; they hadn’t realized they were looking at a hero in the making.
Luo Xiao was there too, smiling broadly as he congratulated Su Yi. He had made numerous attempts to get close to Su Yi. After all, they’d once been neighbors.
But Luo Xiao vanished from Su Yi’s life after Yun Husheng started suppressing him. He, too, had distanced himself.
Su Yi had even heard that when Luo Xiao interacted with his sectmates, he’d occasionally complain about Li Muchen’s stubbornness, or remark that he’d been blind to approach his former neighbor, and that he was ashamed of their association!
Su Yi naturally didn’t mind any of this.
But now, when Luo Xiao came up to congratulate him, Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “What would you say if I told you I had no hope of becoming a legacy disciple?”
Luo Xiao froze, then sputtered, “That’s impossible! Brother Li, that joke isn’t the least bit funny!”
Su Yi said solemnly, “Do you think I’m kidding?”
Luo Xiao looked stunned. “You’re serious?”
Su Yi smiled but said nothing. He just turned to leave.
He was going to visit the sect leader!
Before long, the sect published the selection’s results. Three people had been selected as legacy disciples, but Li Muchen, the one they thought was a shoe-in, wasn’t on the list!
But Wang Yuan, someone no one had thought was in the running, was.
The atmosphere was instantly stifled. The crowd exchanged glances.
The keen-eyed could roughly guess what had happened. Someone had claimed what should have been Li Muchen’s spot!
Moreover, the old-timers of the Ancestral Hall had tacitly agreed. This proved that, for all Li Muchen’s strength, they valued Wang Yuan more!
Rather, they valued Wang Yuan’s background, and his personal abilities didn’t matter.
After all, everyone who’d watched the competition knew that Wang Yuan was no match for Li Muchen!
Many of the onlookers couldn’t help but be emotional.
Some delighted in Li Muchen’s misfortune, while others pitied him.
Still others were silently aggrieved and indignant.
Someone with no background or pillar of support, and without any understanding of human affairs, seriously thought he could rise to prominence relying purely on his own strength?
That’s nothing but the ravings of a madman!
Luo Xiao was gobsmacked.
He felt the urge to slap himself. What was I thinking? Li Muchen might be strong, but how could I have been foolish enough to think that was enough to let him become a legacy disciple?