Chapter 959: Heng Zhen Undergoes Tribulation, the New Sect Leader

On the other side.

After coming out of Shui Yunshan's divine palace, Qi Yuan did not go to the Yuan Realm but instead teleported back to the Taixuan Holy Land through the System.

To complete that massive gamble, he had to Breakthrough to the True Immortal Realm as soon as possible and ascend to the Immortal Realm as a newly promoted Immortal.

Otherwise, without even possessing Immortal power, he would have no way to drive those Immortal Artifacts without flaws, and the risk of exposure would greatly increase.

The longer time dragged on, the greater the chance that Tai Hao would emerge from seclusion. Once Tai Hao broke through with the might of an Immortal Emperor, there would be no room left for maneuver.

Now that he possessed the myriad manifestations exquisite pagoda, as long as he entered it to Cultivate, he could make use of the thousand-fold time difference between the pagoda's internal space and the outside world to increase his cultivation with all his might, significantly shortening the time needed for Immortal Ascension.

Precisely because of this, for Qi Yuan, ascending in a short period of time was never an issue.

However, before heading to the Immortal Realm, he still needed to properly arrange the various affairs of the Yunmeng Great World, especially for the group of beauties by his side. Even if he couldn't take them to the Immortal Realm for the time being, he at least had to leave them with enough support.

Otherwise, if an accident happened to one of his Dao Companions while he was away, wouldn't he regret it deeply in the future?

Furthermore, he planned to finish the two side quests on hand first. Once he obtained the rewards, he would have a bit more self-preservation power in the Immortal Realm.

It was worth noting that after reuniting with Wu Miaozhen, Qi Yuan was already able to use her strongest Divine Ability, the Annihilation Divine Light, through his [Eating Soft Rice by Force] talent.

The power of the Annihilation Divine Light was exactly the same as if the half-step Immortal Emperor Realm Wu Miaozhen had personally acted. Even without the home-field advantage of the Yuan Realm, it could still easily suppress the group of Immortal Officials and Immortal Officials of the Immortal Court. It could be said that he had reached the heavens in a single step by relying on his wife.

This "soft rice" was This person Qi's current strongest trump card.

Although it wasn't enough to defeat the big boss Tai Hao, it was already ridiculous enough, even more excessive than using cheats.

Of course, unless it was a critical moment, Qi Yuan did not want to use this Annihilation Divine Light and needlessly attract Karma for his Dao Companion.

After all, as Wu Miaozhen's signature Divine Ability, anyone who saw it would automatically assume that the "Western Mother Divine Venerable" was acting from a distance. This was equivalent to shifting the trouble onto the head of a certain Lord of the Yuan Realm…

Just after teleporting to the Saint's Immortal Cave, Qi Yuan stepped right out of the main gate, intending to see how Chu Xueqian was doing. Before he had walked even two steps, he saw a Holy Land Disciple waiting under the corridor.

Seeing him emerge, the Disciple's spirit was instantly lifted, and he stepped forward respectfully to report:

"Saint Senior Brother, the Sect Leader sent me to bring you a message. If you are free, please pay him a visit; his senior has something he wishes to discuss with you."

Heng Zhen Daoist wanted to see him?

Hearing this, Qi Yuan was first taken aback, then he nodded without hesitation and said seriously:

"Since Master has summoned me, I will go right away."

As he spoke, with just a thought, he arrived at the Taixuan Palace thousands of miles away in an instant. Without needing to be announced, he descended directly into the main hall where the Sect Master of the Holy Land resided.

After entering the hall, Qi Yuan immediately saw Heng Zhen Daoist sitting on a prayer mat, and his heart instinctively skipped a beat.

Master… seems to have already entered the Tribulation Crossing Realm!

Sensing Qi Yuan's entry, Heng Zhen Daoist, who was deep in thought with furrowed brows, immediately composed himself. He looked at his most prized Disciple with a gentle gaze and spoke:

"You've come at the right time. Your teacher has something I need your opinion on."

At this moment, Qi Yuan had already more or less guessed what it was, but he still respectfully stepped forward to salute and said in a humble tone:

"Please instruct me, Master."

Heng Zhen Daoist nodded slightly and then recounted with a solemn expression:

"Many years ago, my cultivation was already infinitely close to Hedao Realm Perfection. According to the Sect rules, once the Sect Master of the Holy Land breaks through to the Tribulation Crossing Realm, he must vacate the position of Sect Leader and focus on Undergoing Tribulation."

"However, back then, your Senior Brother Lu Changfeng was truly too incompetent. I was really uneasy about passing the Sect Leader position to him, so I could only secretly suppress my cultivation while searching for a more suitable candidate."

"Fortunately, I later had the luck to take you, an unparalleled Genius, as my Disciple. I then pushed through all opposition to promote you to the position of Saint, intending to pass the…"

"…Sect Leader position to you in the future."

At this point, Heng Zhen Daoist's expression became complex, with an uncontrollable pride mixed into his sentiment, as he continued:

"I didn't expect your growth speed to far exceed my expectations. In just a few short years, you have reached Mahayana, and your strength is unparalleled in the world, leaving your teacher far behind."

"Now, my cultivation can no longer be suppressed, and I could Face my first Dao Tribulation at any moment. I plan to step down from the Sect Leader position within ten days. I wonder if you have any interest in becoming the Sect Leader?"

Having finished, he immediately fell silent, looking at Qi Yuan with a gaze full of expectation. He clearly hoped very much that this Prodigy-like Disciple would take over the position of Sect Master of the Holy Land of Taixuan.

However, Heng Zhen Daoist was also very aware that although the position of Sect Master of the Holy Land would be sought after by countless Cultivators, it likely held no attraction for this Disciple of his.

Currently, the entire Cultivation World follows the lead of the Heaven and Earth Society. Especially after the invasion from the other world, This person Qi's prestige as the Heaven and Earth Society Grand Helmsman has increased even more, completely subduing all disobedient forces. He can be called the most powerful and influential figure throughout history.

By comparison, what does a mere Sect Master of the Holy Land count for…

On the other side, meeting Heng Zhen Daoist's eager gaze, Qi Yuan hesitated for a moment.

He naturally knew what Heng Zhen Daoist was expecting, but he had no way to agree.

The position of Sect Master of the Holy Land seems prestigious, but it is actually a role that demands a lot of mental and physical effort. On a daily basis, one has to handle countless miscellaneous affairs, which would greatly compress the time spent on Cultivate. Otherwise, it wouldn't be held by Hedao Realm Cultivators.

Those in the Tribulation Crossing Realm are busy Undergoing Tribulation, and those in the Mahayana Realm are busy in secluded meditation to comprehend the Dao and search for opportunity; there simply isn't much time to waste.

For Heng Zhen Daoist to be favored by Ling Yu, who is an Immortal, his talent is definitely that of a Genius among geniuses, not much worse than his own. If he hadn't been bogged down by various mundane Sect matters after becoming the Sect Leader, he would likely have already passed five Dao Tribulations and broken through to Mahayana.

More importantly, This Qi is now entangled in Karma. If he were to tie himself to the position of Sect Master of the Holy Land and waste his time, it would simply be seeking his own death.

When Tai Hao comes to kill him, what would he use to resist? A group of Lower Realm Cultivators?

Thinking of this, an apologetic look appeared on Qi Yuan's Face, and he explained in a sincere tone:

"Master, your Disciple truly cannot accept the position of Sect Leader. However, I can guarantee you that as long as I and the Heaven and Earth Society exist, the Taixuan Holy Land will be the undisputed number one Holy Land in the world."

This was essentially a guarantee for the future of the Taixuan Holy Land, and it was the only thing he could currently do to repay the Sect.

As for the Dao Tribulation that Heng Zhen Daoist was about to Face, Qi Yuan was actually not that worried.

Over these years, Heng Zhen Daoist has been tempering his cultivation. Whether it was the depth of his dharmic power or his own foundation, they have reached the pinnacle. He is almost certain to pass the first three rounds of Dao Tribulations.

Furthermore, aside from an unparalleled freak like him who underwent five stages together, the Tribulation Crossing Realm for normal Cultivators arrives round by round, often lasting for centuries.

In a hundred years, This Qi will at least be at the True Immortal Realm and can definitely lend Heng Zhen Daoist a hand to help him pass the most dangerous fourth and fifth rounds of Dao Tribulations…

On the other side, hearing Qi Yuan's response, a flash of disappointment appeared in Heng Zhen Daoist's eyes. However, he had anticipated this and quickly adjusted his mood, saying with a light smile:

"Very well, since you are unwilling to be the Sect Leader, I will pass the position to the True Disciple of your Yuhua Peak, Bai Xirou. What do you think?"

"What?"

Qi Yuan's eyes widened, and he instinctively cried out:

"Shouldn't you choose Senior Brother?"

"Hmph!"

Mentioning his eldest Disciple, Heng Zhen Daoist's Face darkened, and he said testily:

"Your Senior Brother's Heart-Nature is too flighty; he is destined to never achieve great things. For the past two years, he has been practicing some Dao of Supreme Forgetfulness, acting solitary and eccentric all day long. His way of handling matters is even more of a mess; he has almost offended every Elder of the Holy Land."

"In his state, he is simply not qualified to be the Sect Leader…"

After counting off Lu Changfeng's faults, Heng Zhen Daoist's tone suddenly shifted, and he said with a glowing Face:

"On the contrary, although Martial Niece Bai comes from a small-to-medium-sized Sect, she is gentle, virtuous, and steady. She enjoys helping her fellow Disciples, and her conduct is beyond reproach. She is highly praised throughout the Sect."

"Even in terms of cultivation, Martial Niece Bai has now caught up and surpassed him, being far stronger than that boy Lu Changfeng. She can fully serve as the acting Sect Leader until she breaks through to the Hedao Realm and then formally succeeds as the Sect Leader…"

Having said this, he looked at Qi Yuan nearby with burning eyes and asked with a smile:

"What do you think?"

So that's how it is!

Qi Yuan's lips twitched as he immediately understood Heng Zhen Daoist's true intention.

In the Taixuan Holy Land, the relationship between him and Bai Xirou was no secret. So, if he didn't become the Sect Leader, the position would be given to Bai Xirou, right?

As his Dao Companion, once Bai Xirou became the Sect Master of the Holy Land of Taixuan, he couldn't possibly not help her out, could he?

Thinking of this, Qi Yuan could only nod helplessly and said:

"Regarding this matter, your Disciple has no objection. Everything is as Master decides."

There was no helping it; he had already refused Heng Zhen Daoist once. If he didn't even agree to this, it would seem too heartless.

Even just for the sake of the Master-Disciple bond, it was impossible for him not to give any Face at all.

More importantly, for Bai Xirou, with the assistance of the mingxiao mirror's mirror spirit, becoming the Sect Master of the Holy Land of Taixuan might actually be a good choice…

"Good!"

Seeing Qi Yuan agree, Heng Zhen Daoist's Face lit up with joy, and he said impatiently:

"In a moment, I will announce this to the entire Sect and nominate Martial Niece Bai as the new Sect Leader!"