Chapter 1610: Public Revenge

Xie Daoyun evidently had the same thought, musing that her disguise was indeed the right choice. Purple Mountain might appear calm, but it always carried a sense of impending turbulence.

At this moment, Zhang Zijiang stepped forward and bellowed, "Are you blind... *cough cough*, we are the Imperial Forest Army, here by imperial decree to repair the palaces on Purple Mountain. This is our leader, General Zu, the Marquis of Shen!"

He nearly swore out loud but, realizing his interlocutor was a disciple of the Imperial Advisor, he quickly swallowed his words.

Zu An was mortified. Why did Zhang Zijiang have to mention "Marquis of Shen" when introducing him? It made him sound like a pervert.

"The Imperial Forest Army?" The Positive Yang Sect disciple's expression flickered, evidently aware that the Imperial Forest Army was one of the Emperor's personal guards.

Just then, Zhang Xi arrived upon hearing the commotion. "Ah, it's Lord Zu and General Zhang. The Imperial Advisor specifically instructed us. We apologize for not greeting you sooner, please forgive our oversight!"

He wondered how many times he had apologized today; no wonder the disciples from the other peaks were reluctant to attend. Yet, he was glad he came. Otherwise, he would have missed the pleasure of meeting Junior Sister Chu from White Jade City and Junior Sister Pei from Azure Sky Palace up close. Those who stayed away would surely be green with envy when they heard about it.

At the mountain gate, not only were there disciples from the other Taoist sects, but also those from various other schools who had come upon hearing the news. Some were invited by the Positive Yang Sect as guests, but most were simply there to witness the spectacle. After all, the legendary figures of the Nine Sects were rarely seen in daily life, and even allowing their disciples to experience the aura of such powerful individuals would be greatly beneficial. This was precisely why the Positive Yang Sect had specifically stationed disciples at the mountain gate to check invitation jade tokens and similar credentials.

Seeing the two parties conversing so amicably, the onlookers grew somewhat envious. The Positive Yang Sect’s relationship with the imperial court was indeed strong, which explained why they had received so many resources and improved their power so rapidly in recent years. Others, however, keenly sensed an anomaly: why did the leading official appear to be a weak, effeminate young man? He showed no sign of spiritual energy fluctuations—wasn't he just an ordinary person? It seemed he must be a dissolute son from a prominent noble family, having secured his position through ancestral influence. Had the imperial court fallen so low that such a high position could be obtained through nepotism? Hadn't the imperial court always propagated that only through diligent effort and advanced cultivation could one attain appropriate official ranks? The disciples from the smaller sects immediately felt a surge of anger, a sense of having been deceived. Conversely, the disciples of the Nine Taoist Sects felt a quiet glee. The imperial court was so corrupt it would surely crumble eventually. Since the Positive Yang Sect was deeply intertwined with it, their days of glory were likely numbered, and soon it would be their sect's turn to rise.

Observing the constant stream of "anger points" popping up in his system, Zu An was somewhat bewildered. *I haven't done anything,* he thought, *why are these people so angry?* Could it be that he was so handsome that simply standing there could provoke such envy, jealousy, and hatred from his male counterparts? This thought instantly cheered him up.

Next, Zhang Xi arranged for disciples to escort them up the mountain. Along the way, Zhang Zijiang leaned in close to Zu An and whispered, "Lord Zu, I didn't expect all Nine Taoist Sects to gather on Purple Mountain. There are so many people here, and they're all masters. Our security work will be extremely challenging."

Their official purpose was to repair and renovate the various buildings on Purple Mountain, but their true mission was to scout ahead for the Emperor's Fengshan ceremony and preemptively eliminate any potential security risks. Yet, now dangers were everywhere, and they were beyond their capacity to eliminate. As he had just heard from the Positive Yang Sect disciple, those attending were elite disciples from various sects, with many Grandmasters among their leaders. Even deploying an army wouldn't be enough to manage so many powerful individuals.

Zu An's expression remained calm. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he replied.

Zhang Zijiang's eyes lit up, and he gave a thumbs-up. "Lord Zu truly possesses the bearing of a great general, unlike a subordinate such as myself who gets flustered at the slightest trouble..."

Listening to his continuous barrage of flattery, Xie Daoyun, standing nearby, felt a tinge of embarrassment on his behalf. How could this man utter so many sycophantic words? Zu An, meanwhile, secretly mused, *No wonder people are so eager to become officials. I used to find flattery sickening, but that was only because I wasn't the recipient. Now, experiencing it firsthand, I realize this stuff is truly intoxicating and hard to resist.*

Yet, his willpower was extraordinary, and he quickly regained his composure. Seizing an opportunity, he asked the guiding disciple, "How frequently does your sect hold this grand competition?"

Knowing his high official rank, the disciple dared not be disrespectful. "To answer you, esteemed sir, it is held once every ten years."

"When was the previous competition?" Zu An inquired.

The disciple provided a date. Zu An quickly calculated, confirming it was indeed exactly ten years ago, indicating that this competition was clearly not a recent, hastily arranged event.

"Is Purple Mountain always the venue for each competition?" Zu An asked further.

"No, not at all. Each grand competition is hosted in rotation by the Nine Great Sects. This time, it merely happens to be our Positive Yang Sect's turn," the disciple replied.

Zu An asked a few more questions, and finding no irregularities, he decided to drop the matter.

Soon, the group arrived at the Reception Hall, built into the mountainside. Its carved railings, painted beams, and upturned eaves, adorned with various mythical beasts, lent the entire hall an air of magnificent solemnity. Standing before it, one instantly felt the immensity of the cosmos and their own insignificance. Legend held that the Reception Hall was built in ancient times to welcome celestial immortals descending to the mortal realm. Of course, no one had ever seen a true immortal, and this notion was widely considered to be just a myth. Nowadays, the Reception Hall served as the Positive Yang Sect's dedicated venue for receiving distinguished guests. When the various branches of the Nine Sects brought their disciples up earlier, they were received here by the Positive Yang Sect's peak masters before being escorted to their respective accommodations by disciples.

The guiding disciple settled Zu An and his entourage in the hall, saying, "Esteemed sirs, please wait a moment. The Sect Leader will arrive shortly."

Zu An smiled noncommittally. Strictly speaking, they were imperial envoys on this trip; officials from other regions, even local vassal kings, would be expected to come out and greet them upon their arrival. However, Wang Wuxie held an extraordinary status and presumably possessed his own sense of pride.

At that moment, a chorus of exclamations suddenly erupted from outside. Sharp-eyed onlookers had spotted a wisp of purple qi descending gracefully from the golden peak. As it drew closer, they could clearly discern it was a handsome, middle-aged man with an ethereal, immortal bearing, flying while enveloped in purple qi. The masters of the Nine Sects, resting in various villas throughout the mountain, suddenly opened their eyes and looked toward the source of the purple qi.

In the Azure Sky Palace villa, Wan Tongtian's expression was solemn. "After many years, Wang Wuxie's cultivation seems to have advanced once more."

Mistress Huoling snorted, "You're only boosting his morale while diminishing your own prestige."

Wan Tongtian's expression faltered, but he was long accustomed to Mistress Huoling's bickering. Furthermore, given an incident from years ago for which he felt somewhat guilty, he paid little mind to her attitude.

In the Lihen Heaven villa, Guan Chouhai chuckled, "Wang Wuxie didn't even come out to greet *us*. I wonder who is important enough for him to go personally?"

In the Kongming Island villa, Qiu Honglei tugged curiously on the sleeve of the person beside her. "Master, Master, this Wang Wuxie is quite formidable. Can you defeat him?"

Yun Jianyue's expression was solemn. "If I had faced him before, I would have surely lost. Now, it's uncertain."

Qiu Honglei pouted. "It seems you still have more losses than wins, otherwise, with your temperament, you would have already been clamoring to humble him completely."

Yun Jianyue's expression stiffened. "You wretched girl, do you want me to rip your mouth open?"

Qiu Honglei immediately pleaded for mercy. "Oh, Master, I was wrong! By the way, Master, why did your cultivation advance so rapidly recently? Is there any shortcut you could let me try? That way, I'd have a better chance against Chu Chuyan."

Yun Jianyue's expression became slightly unnatural. "You will naturally experience it yourself in the future; there's no need to rush." With that, she simply flicked her sleeve and departed.

Qiu Honglei was left utterly bewildered. What did "you will naturally experience it" mean? What riddle was her master speaking in?

Meanwhile, at the White Jade City villa, Chu Chuyan stood by the window, gazing at the purple qi in the sky, a hint of awe in her eyes. "The Imperial Advisor's cultivation is truly extraordinary. Master, aren't you going to take a look?"

Yan Xuehen calmly took a sip of her tea, not even turning her head. "What does that have to do with me?" she replied indifferently.

"Master," Chu Chuyan continued, a mischievous glint suddenly appearing in her eyes – a side she only revealed in front of her master – "I heard the Imperial Advisor pursued you back then. Did you ever feel anything for him?"

"No," Yan Xuehen replied, her face calm as if discussing an unrelated matter. "When did you become so gossipy?"

"Really not?" Chu Chuyan said, a little disbelieving. "The Imperial Advisor is considered a handsome man, and his cultivation is high. I've heard many say that countless female cultivators from the Nine Taoist Sects admired him back then, yet he remained devoted to you, Master. If you don't like such a perfect man, what kind of man do you like?"

*Clink!*

There was a crisp clink. Yan Xuehen's hand had trembled, and the teacup, slipping from her grasp, fell to the floor. Seeing her disciple's surprised and questioning gaze, Yan Xuehen immediately composed herself, her face hardening. "Have you forgotten the most important aspect of cultivating the 'Supreme Heartless Scripture'? Why are your thoughts now completely consumed by romance and love? As punishment, you are to copy the 'Ice Heart Incantation' a hundred times!"