123: Lin Yi is more important than Emperor Wu's dying wish!

Inside a massive conference hall of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, a long rosewood table was placed in the center.

Seated on both sides of the long table were Pavilion Master of Tianshan Liu Donglai, Vice Pavilion Master Zhang Lun, the Jiang Family Ancestor, and several other Xiantian experts of the Heavenly Mountain Sect.

At the head of the table sat Sect Master Gu Changsheng and a man with a full head of white hair but a face as handsome and elegant as a youth's.

Suddenly—

*Thud!*

"I disagree! Lin Yi must hand over the Martial God's Final Edict!"

Inside the conference hall, the white-haired youth slammed the table and stood up, shouting angrily,

"As everyone knows, the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace is incredibly special. The higher a Martial Artist's cultivation and strength upon entering, the greater the benefits they can obtain."

"As for Lin Yi, he is a mere First Rank Martial Artist. Even if he has some talent and strength, how is he worthy of entering the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace?"

"In my opinion, he must immediately hand over the Martial God's Final Edict. We should then select a fine talent at the Innate True Essence Realm within the Heavenly Mountain Sect to enter the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace. Only then can we maximize the interests of our Heavenly Mountain Sect."

"Hmph! What fine talent! What maximizing Heavenly Mountain Sect's interests!"

As soon as the handsome youth finished speaking, Pavilion Master of Tianshan Liu Donglai immediately sneered,

"Chu Haitian, do you think everyone is a fool? Who doesn't know what you're really thinking?"

"After all that talk, don't you just want your Chu Chuan to enter the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace?"

"After all, although your Chu Chuan is quite useless, he did manage to break through to the Innate realm before the age of sixty two years ago."

"While the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace allows all those in the Innate True Essence Realm to enter, once one exceeds eighty years of age, the benefits obtained decrease drastically. Beyond a hundred, one receives no benefits at all."

"Among all the Innate True Essence Realm experts currently in the Heavenly Mountain Sect, besides your Chu Chuan, even the youngest is already ninety-six years old."

"Chu Haitian, by calling for Lin Yi to hand over the Martial God's Final Edict, how is that any different from telling him to give it directly to Chu Chuan?"

"Furthermore, this Martial God's Final Edict was obtained by Lin Yi himself, so naturally, he should be the one to enter the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace!"

"Indeed! Supreme Elder Liu has a point!"

Once Liu Donglai finished, the Jiang Family Ancestor immediately said with a smile,

"Supreme Elder Chu, although you are an Innate Golden Core Grandmaster and a pillar of our Heavenly Mountain Sect,"

"Lin Yi is also a cornerstone of the Sect with a boundless future. As a Senior of the Sect, how can you resort to such blatant extortion and break the hearts of the Sect's many geniuses!"

*Thud!*

"Bullshit! What extortion! What do you mean 'for myself'! Liu Donglai, Old Ghost Jiang, stop your baseless accusations!"

Hearing this, the handsome youth slammed the table and roared,

"First of all, although Lin Yi obtained that Martial God's Final Edict, without my Heavenly Mountain Sect, he wouldn't just be unable to keep the token—he probably wouldn't even have his life by now."

"As for being for myself? That's even more nonsense!"

"Chuan'er is naturally the most suitable Genius in the Heavenly Mountain Sect to enter the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace. What is wrong with me wanting him to go? Should we follow your ideas and let that Lin Yi go?"

"Heh, a mere First Rank—even if we let him in, he probably wouldn't even pass the first trial!"

"Even if he could obtain some treasures because of his Prodigy-level Aptitude, how could that compare to an Innate expert like Chuan'er?"

"In short, for the sake of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, Chuan'er must enter the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace this time!"

"If you two disagree, then we shall follow the old rules: all the Sect's Innate experts will hold a show of hands."

"Now, those Innate experts who support Chu Chuan entering the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace, please raise your hands!"

After speaking, the white-haired handsome youth immediately raised his hand high.

At the same time, a youth below who was equally handsome but had black hair also raised his hand, his eyes filled with longing.

Seeing this, the other Innate experts of the Heavenly Mountain Sect either raised their hands immediately, remained silent, or raised their hands after a slight hesitation.

A moment later, out of the eighteen Innate experts present, a total of eleven had raised their hands.

"Haha! Good!"

Seeing the Innate experts he had already bought off raising their hands one after another, the white-haired youth Chu Haitian was instantly overjoyed. The black-haired handsome youth Chu Chuan also had a look of wild ecstasy on his face.

"Of the eighteen Innate experts of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, since eleven have now agreed, then according to the Sect rules, this matter is considered passed."

"Sect Master, announce the verdict!"

Chu Haitian said excitedly to Gu Changsheng.

Although he was an Innate Golden Core and held great power in the Sect, for a major decision determined by a show of hands among many Innate experts, the final word still had to be given by the Sect Master to be official.

"This..."

Hearing this, Gu Changsheng's brow furrowed tightly.

He had watched Lin Yi grow up and had poured endless effort into him, placing great hopes on him in his heart.

Therefore, even though he knew that Lin Yi's entry into the Martial Emperor's Relic Palace might not be as effective as Chu Chuan's, he still couldn't bring himself to order the seizure of Lin Yi's Martial God's Final Edict. He feared it would break Lin Yi's heart.

But with the Sect rules as they were, even he, as the Sect Master, could not break them. It was truly a dilemma!

Thinking of this, Gu Changsheng was incredibly conflicted. Beside him, Chu Haitian and even Chu Chuan couldn't help but start urging him.

"Sect Master! All the Innate experts have passed it. What are you waiting for? Give the order!"

"Yes! Sect Master, give the order!"

...The two of them urged him repeatedly.

However, just then—

*Whoosh!*

A ripple resonated through the void.

In the next moment, the conflicted expression on Gu Changsheng's face instantly became calm.

Then, meeting the excited gazes of Chu Haitian and Chu Chuan, he spoke indifferently,

"I announce that the Martial God's Final Edict belongs to Lin Yi. This matter is no longer up for discussion!"

"What!"

As soon as Gu Changsheng finished, Chu Haitian instantly exploded, roaring directly at him,

"Gu Changsheng, how dare you! As Sect Master, you actually dare to break the Sect rules, ignore the vote of the Innate experts, and practice favoritism! I will apply to immediately convene a Tianshan Meeting and ask the Innate experts to depose you from your position as Sect Master!"

Chu Haitian roared, his entire body erupting with the terrifying aura unique to an Innate Golden Core Grandmaster, making several of the weaker Innate experts present struggle to breathe.

However, despite Chu Haitian's threat, Gu Changsheng's expression remained calm as he said placidly,

"This... is not my command."

"What! Not your command?"

Chu Haitian was stunned.

The various Innate experts present, including Pavilion Master of Tianshan Liu Donglai and the Jiang Family Ancestor, were also stunned.

The Sect Master was the head of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, the highest-ranking existence. If it wasn't his command, then whose was it? Could someone actually command him?

The many Innate experts were bewildered.

Only the exasperated Chu Haitian, after a moment of thought, suddenly realized something. The anger on his face instantly vanished, replaced by an air of caution as he asked Gu Changsheng,

"Sect Master, if it's not your command, could it be... May I ask, what did *that person* say?"

"That person said..."

Gu Changsheng paused slightly, and a moment later, he spoke slowly, emphasizing every word,

"Lin Yi is more important than the Martial God's Final Edict!"