16: Who agrees? Who disagrees?

While Jiang Chen and Nangong Mingyue were cultivating their relationship, the atmosphere within the Holy Lord Hall of Hongtian Holy Land was heavy.

Inside the grand hall, the Elders of the Holy Land, who were usually as elusive as a Divine Dragon, were all gathered.

At the head seat, Hongtian Holy Lord Jiang Shengtian, in a purple-gold robe, had a majestic and stern countenance, commanding respect without needing to show anger.

He sat still, his gaze calmly sweeping over the Elders below, whose expressions varied.

At the first seat on the left was Grand Elder Yun Wuzi, whose body was withered, and whose eyes were half-open and half-closed, as if he could fall asleep at any moment.

Below him were the Fifth Elder Xu Yǐnzi, with a fleshy face and a volatile Aura, and the Sixth Elder Elder Liu, with a gentle face but a hint of worry between her brows, along with several other core Elders.

The entire hall was eerily silent, and a sense of impending storm, a heavy oppression, weighed on everyone's hearts.

Finally, Yun Wuzi, who seemed to have entered a state of meditation, slowly opened his cloudy eyes, a sharp glint flashing through them.

“Holy Lord,” his voice was hoarse.

“A few days ago, Devilish Qi surged from the direction of Holy Son Peak, alarming the entire Holy Land. This Elder’s seclusion was also disturbed. May I ask the Holy Lord to enlighten us as to the origin of that incomparably domineering Devilish Qi?”

As soon as he spoke, he went straight to the core of the issue.

All the Elders' gazes fell uniformly on Jiang Shengtian.

Holy Son Peak was one of the core areas of the entire Hongtian Holy Land; it was impossible for an ordinary person to cause such a huge commotion there.

Jiang Shengtian's expression remained unchanged as he picked up the teacup beside him and gently blew away the foam.

His tone was calm, “Elders, rest assured, that was merely Chen'er having an epiphany during his Cultivation, Awakening his Physique, which caused the unusual phenomenon.”

Boom!

These words stirred up a thousand waves.

All the Elders, including Yun Wuzi, changed their expressions.

Awakening a Physique?

What kind of Physique could trigger such terrifying Demonic Path Qi?

That Qi was pure and domineering, making even these old fellows who had lived for thousands of years feel a tremor in their hearts.

“Oh?” Yun Wuzi’s withered fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. “May I ask what Physique the Saint awakened? To possess such earth-shattering demonic might?”

Yun Wuzi deliberately emphasized his words, the sarcasm within them self-evident.

Jiang Shengtian put down his teacup, looking directly at Yun Wuzi, and said word by word, “Dao Yan Heavenly Demon Body.”

Dead silence.

When these five words came out of Jiang Shengtian’s mouth, the entire hall fell into absolute dead silence.

Fifth Elder Xu Yǐnzi’s volatile face was filled with shock.

Sixth Elder Elder Liu’s face turned pale with fright, her gentle expression replaced by horror.

Dao Yan Heavenly Demon Body!

The legendary number one Demonic Path Physique of all time!

This forbidden Physique, which only existed in ancient texts, had actually awakened in the Saint of their Hongtian Holy Land?

“Absurd!”

Yun Wuzi slammed his hand on the armrest and stood up abruptly.

From his withered body erupted a terrifying Aura completely inconsistent with his appearance; the Ninth Realm Saint Peak pressure distorted the air throughout the entire hall.

“Jiang Shengtian! Do you know what you are saying!” He called Jiang Shengtian by his full name, his eyes blazing with fury.

“Our Hongtian Holy Land is the leader of the Righteous Path in the Eastern Domain. How can such a foundation allow someone with a Demonic Physique to hold the position of Saint?!”

“If this matter were to spread, our Hongtian Holy Land would become a laughingstock of the world! By then, those covetous Demonic Path Sects would probably hail our Holy Land as the ancestral court of the Demonic Path!”

His words were resonant and resonated with some of the Elders.

“The Grand Elder is absolutely right!” The Fourth Elder immediately stepped forward and said, “The Saint possessing a Demonic Physique is no small matter. For the sake of the Holy Land’s reputation, his position as Saint should be abolished, and he should be confined to the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, reciting Saint scriptures day and night to resolve his demonic nature!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall grew even tenser.

Sixth Elder Elder Liu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but after looking at Jiang Shengtian, whose face was as calm as water at the head seat, and then at the imposing Yun Wuzi, she finally let out a sigh and chose to remain silent.

Jiang Shengtian looked at the group of people below the platform, a hint of a sneer suddenly appearing on his face.

“Abolish? Demon Suppressing Pagoda?”

He slowly stood up, and a pressure even more profound and vast than Yun Wuzi’s, like the collapse of the heavens, descended with a roar!

The terrifying strength of the Tenth Realm Harmonization Stage was fully displayed!

Yun Wuzi’s Aura, in the face of this pressure, was like a flickering candle in the wind, instantly suppressed and on the verge of collapse.

“Yun Wuzi, have you been in seclusion for too long and confused your mind?” Jiang Shengtian’s voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.

“Power is just power; how can there be a distinction between righteous and evil? My son, Jiang Chen, has awakened a supreme Physique, and his Cultivation advances a thousand miles a day. This is a great fortune for our Hongtian Holy Land! In the future, he will lead the Holy Land to unprecedented glory!”

“Yet in your mouths, he has become a calamity?”

“I think those who truly want to destroy the foundation of the Holy Land are you old fools who are stuck in your ways and only know how to engage in internal strife!”

With each sentence he spoke, the pressure intensified.

Yun Wuzi’s face turned red, veins bulging on his forehead. Under Jiang Shengtian’s pressure, he couldn't even utter a complete sentence.

“Holy Lord, please calm your anger!” Sixth Elder Elder Liu finally couldn't help but step forward, bowing and saying, “Grand Elder and the others are also thinking for the Holy Land, not intentionally targeting the Saint. It’s just that the Dao Yan Heavenly Demon Body is a matter of great importance, so please, Holy Lord, reconsider.”

“Reconsider?” Jiang Shengtian snorted coldly and withdrew his pressure.

He sat back down in the head seat, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and spoke calmly.

“Do you think this matter was decided by me alone?”

Everyone was stunned.

Jiang Shengtian picked up his teacup, his tone returning to calm, but he spoke words that struck everyone like a bolt of lightning.

“When Chen’er awakened his Physique and caused the unusual phenomenon, it immediately alarmed the Seventh Ancestor.”

“The Seventh Ancestor, that venerable Elder, personally examined Chen’er’s body. Not only did he not show any blame, but he praised Chen’er as a Qilin of our Jiang Family and a blessing to the Holy Land.”

“Dao Yan Heavenly Demon Body, these five words, were also spoken by the Seventh Ancestor himself.”

“Furthermore, the Seventh Ancestor has already ordered Chen’er to be designated as the Holy Land’s sole successor, to be cultivated with all available resources.”

“Now, who among you still has an objection?”

After Jiang Shengtian finished speaking, he picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.

The entire hall was silent.

Seventh Ancestor!

That person who had lived for countless years, the stabilizing force of Hongtian Holy Land!

The anger on Yun Wuzi’s face instantly extinguished, replaced by a look of despair.

The Fourth Elder was so scared that he shivered, quickly retracting his head, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.

Bringing out the Seventh Ancestor, this was already a conclusion; no one could question it, and no one dared to refute it.

Yun Wuzi’s body swayed, he let out a muffled grunt, and sat back in his chair.

He had originally intended to use this opportunity to bring down Jiang Shengtian and his son in one fell swoop, to contend for the Holy Lord position for his own faction.

However, he had not expected that behind Jiang Chen stood a figure he could not possibly shake.

Jiang Shengtian looked at Yun Wuzi’s disheartened appearance, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

“Since none of you have any objections, this matter ends here.”

“Three months from now is the Holy Land Grand Competition. At that time, I hope all Elders will do their utmost and ensure no mistakes occur.”

He waved his hand, “You may all withdraw.”

The Elders, as if granted a great pardon, bowed in unison and then fled from the hall.

Soon, within the vast hall, only Jiang Shengtian remained.

He walked to the front of the hall, stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze seemingly piercing through the endless Void Realm, looking towards the direction of the Nangong Family.

“Chen’er, this is all your father can do for you.”

“The path ahead, you must ultimately walk yourself.”

“I hope you will not disappoint your father, and even more, not disappoint the Seventh Ancestor.”