104: Chapter 104 "Moon Shadow Sect's Instructions"

Three leisurely days passed in the courtyard of Bamboo, Tong, and Mei.

"Elder Huang! Elder Huang! Are you there?"

A charming and lively voice drew near, and immediately, a figure in light cyan landed nimbly in the courtyard.

"A new batch of Disciples has been recruited today, and we need you for the initiation ceremony..."

Hua Youyou walked quickly to the door of the chamber, just about to raise her hand to knock.

"Creak—" The door was pulled open from the inside.

What met her eyes was not the expected Elder Huang Yutong, nor was it Elder Qu Qingzhu or Elder Li Sumei, but a man!

The man had ink-black hair like satin, draped casually over his shoulders. His face was peerlessly handsome, and between his brows, there was a hint of languor and... the lingering afterglow of intimacy.

"Sect... Sect Master?!" Hua Youyou's eyes widened instantly, her small mouth slightly agape, and she froze on the spot.

Ling Hao glanced at the charming young girl, then looked back at the messy scene inside the room. He decisively stepped out, pulled the door shut behind him, and said calmly, "If you have something to say, let's talk in the courtyard."

Inside the gazebo, the two sat opposite each other.

Hua Youyou felt as if she did not know where to put her hands and feet. This was the Sect Master who illuminated the entire Sect! To think he was so close to her right now!

Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and her dainty, jade-like feet, wrapped in delicate white silk stockings, curled and stretched uneasily inside her embroidered shoes. Even her skirt was crumpled from her nervous grip.

Ling Hao's gaze swept over the girl's information.

Name: Hua Youyou. Age: 20. Spiritual Root: Metal-Water (Earth Grade). Cultivation: Jade Bone Realm Minor Achievement. Loyalty: 97 (Core Disciple).

The 97 suddenly jumped, becoming 98.

"You came to find Huang Yutong, is it about the new Disciple initiation ceremony?" Ling Hao took the initiative to speak, breaking the silence.

"Ye... Yes, Sect Master!" Hua Youyou nodded quickly, her voice trembling slightly. "In the past, the new Disciple initiation ceremony was always presided over by Elder Huang, sometimes with the assistance of Elder Qu or Elder Li..."

"Elder Huang..." Ling Hao's expression remained unchanged, his tone incredibly natural. "She is unwell and needs to rest."

"Then... then Elder Qu..." "She is also unwell." "What about... Elder Li?" "Likewise, she is unwell." Ling Hao answered smoothly and fluently.

Hua Youyou: "...Is... is that so?" Her small face instantly turned red enough to bleed, and the messy scene from her fleeting glance into the room could not help but flash through her mind.

Although she had guessed it earlier, hearing the Sect Master use such a "legitimate" reason with her own ears... the impact was still too great! All three Elders were "unwell" at the same time... could this excuse be any more perfunctory?!

"Um... Sect Master," she suppressed her swirling thoughts and tried hard to bring the topic back to business. "Then what about the new Disciple initiation ceremony? We can't just..."

Ling Hao shook his head gently.

Huang Yutong was now the Territory-Managing Elder, and Qu Qingzhu and Li Sumei were also Time-Keeping Elders; their statuses were far different from the past. If one were to say they still coveted the "power" of presiding over the initiation ceremony, he would be the first not to believe it.

Then what was it for? Never mind, he would ask again after taking a nap later.

His gaze fell on the Core Disciple in front of him: "You've been by Huang Yutong's side handling affairs for quite some time now. Through observation and influence, you should have learned quite a bit. You shall preside over this initiation ceremony."

"Me?!" Hua Youyou looked up abruptly, shocked and delighted, and still somewhat incredulous. "Sect Master, is... is this allowed?"

"Why not?" Ling Hao's lips curled up slightly, carrying encouragement. "I think highly of you. Just go ahead and do it."

A huge sense of responsibility and the thrill of being trusted instantly filled her chest!

Hua Youyou stood up suddenly, straightened her back, and said in a clear, loud voice: "Yes! Sect Master! Disciple Hua Youyou accepts the order! I guarantee I will complete the mission!"

Her eyes shone with excitement. "This Disciple will definitely make all the newly initiated Junior Sisters firmly engrave the Moonshadow Sect Precepts》 in their hearts, never to be forgotten for eternity!"

"Oh? The Moonshadow Sect Precepts》?" Ling Hao raised an eyebrow slightly, with interest. "Bring it here for me to see."

Hua Youyou immediately handed over a Jade Slip respectfully. Ling Hao took it and sank his Divine Sense into it.

Inside the Jade Slip, it was recorded: Moonshadow Sect Precepts》 (Initiation Recitation Version):

The moon reflects on a thousand rivers, shadows gather in one heart; with love as the string, we compose the immortal melody together.

Under the moon there are no lonely shadows, through wind and rain we share the orchid boat. Healing wounds and relieving distress is our duty.

Pill Furnace fires are shared, sword techniques are studied together. Hoarding is not the Righteous Path; advancing together is the true way.

When one maiden breaks through her realm, a thousand maidens celebrate in rosy garments; if we encounter a thorny path, we hold hands and tread across the flat plains.

The Sect Master is like the bright moon, illuminating our path to immortality. Advice should be gentle and soft, and when an order is given, it must be carried out in person.

The Sect Master bestows the grace of Dao, we repay with our bodies. Not bound by brute force, we are willing to be kindred spirits.

We do not seek to shine alone in the Nine Heavens, we only wish to rely on each other within the Moonshadow.

...

Loyalty! Absolute loyalty!

The Sect Master's kindness is as heavy as Mount Tai!

Tianyuan Moonshadow Sect, long live!

Sect Master of Moon Shadow Sect, long live!

Body Refining Cultivation Technique must be practiced in conjunction; if you don't know how, you must ask the Sect Master; the Sect Master is always right!

...

???!!! The smile on Ling Hao's face froze instantly, and the corner of his mouth twitched imperceptibly.

The beginning was fine, but what was all this at the end?! Who wrote this?!

---

Fusang Continent, Tanggu State, deep underground.

A vast and gloomy palace lay silent in the darkness, with only a tiny point of scarlet light at the end of the main hall, flickering eerily like the eye of an abyss. The light source came from the head of the hall.

A strange small tree, with scarlet light flowing throughout its body, was rooted on a pitch-black throne. Under the tree, on the throne, sat a middle-aged man with a sinister face.

His skin was not of a normal color, but covered with a layer of fine, dark golden scales that looked like the veins of ancient leaves. Thick, ink-like erosion qi surged and coiled slowly around him like a living creature, almost merging with the darkness in the hall.

Click... click... click... The crisp sound of footsteps broke the silence. A woman dressed in dark green tight-fitting scale armor passed silently through the darkness and knelt respectfully on one knee at the foot of the steps.

"Hall Master, the... Life-Death Tablets of the two Elders, Qiandu and Qushi, have shattered."

"Crack!" The dark golden scales covering the armrest of the throne emitted a faint cracking sound under the man's suddenly clenched palm. A violent aura instantly filled the hall, making the woman at the foot of the steps choke for breath.

"Three years!" The man's low roar echoed in the hall, carrying uncontrollable fury.

"Two pieces of trash! With Body Integration Level 9 cultivation, they could not even take down a woman at Body Integration Level 6 by joining forces?! Since when did Yu Lingshuang of Linglong Blessed Land become so troublesome?!"

His chest heaved, and the erosion qi surged even more violently:

"If it weren't for those old undead bastards from the Kongxuan Sect in the Central Continent interfering... I would have already obtained the Qian Cauldron (one of the sub-cauldrons of the Xi Cauldron) in the hands of the Grand Elder of Linglong Blessed Land!"

The hall was silent for a moment, the boiling anger seemingly forcibly suppressed.

"Forget it," the Hall Master's voice returned to calm. His scarlet gaze pierced through the darkness and landed on the woman:

"Mo Tong, the Alliance Master has ordered that you set off immediately for the Qing State in Cangwu Continent."

"There... a Holy Tree is about to mature. Your task is to bring it back intact."

"As for the Li Cauldron in Yu Lingshuang's hands..." the Hall Master's tone carried a trace of unwillingness. "Put it aside for now. Right now, the Holy Tree is the priority."

"Understood!" Mo Tong lowered her head to accept the order, and her figure disappeared silently into the darkness.

The empty hall returned to silence, with only the strange little scarlet tree emitting an eerie light.

The Hall Master leaned against the cold throne, his knuckles tapping the armrest unconsciously. The erosion qi flickered in his eyes, eventually turning into a barely audible whisper:

"Still too impatient... The clues were discovered by the Golden Crow Holy Land... Otherwise... Hmph..."