The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 793 - 439: Power Shift
For the subordinates of Jiu Mo and Elder He, this is the darkest, most lightless wait. They are anxiously waiting not only for the victory or defeat of the two adults but also for their own ultimate fate. Standing on the wrong side or choosing the wrong allegiance could lead to eternal damnation.
And this battle is the moment of unveiling for this high-stakes gamble. Who has the stronger trump card?
Amidst the anxious gazes of everyone, an hour feels as long as a century, seemingly stretching endlessly.
On the teleportation portal to the secret realm, suddenly, waves of ripples appear. Everyone’s heart jumps into their throat. The person who steps out is—
The white-browed, white-mustached, white-robed guy, Elder He.
Some are happy, some are sad, some are astonished, and some are smiling.
Ning Xiaoxian thinks that at this moment, looking at everyone’s faces, one can see all the aspects of human life.
Elder He appears victorious but in a wretched state, as his white mustache is stained with blood, resembling little red plums in the snow, and his right hand, including the sleeve, is completely gone, seemingly corroded by some dreadful acidic substance, leaving the remaining arm charred as if burned, utterly devoid of the immortal aura or Daoist disposition.
Nevertheless, he has won, and Jiu Mo has been dragged out by him with a perfectly functioning hand. The former female sect leader’s head is slumped to one side, her body curled into a ball. Gone is the previous arrogance and cruelty, and with her delicate features, she looks rather pitiful. All present are deeply cultivated and can tell at a glance that she is not dead but severely injured and unconscious.
The Qingluan, who had been guarding the secret realm, cried out and rushed forward, but was stopped by the guards, as despite the diverse expressions on everyone’s faces outside the secret realm, they needed to quickly regain composure and then kneel down, exclaiming, "Greetings Sect Leader He, congratulations Sect Leader He!"
Victory and defeat, what is there left to say?
Elder He, well, he’s already Sect Leader He now, though he’s missing a hand, his face is radiant with red light. He closes his eyes, savoring the hard-won victory blissfully, then takes a deep breath as if trying to thoroughly experience the scent of power.
From now on, he can stand on equal footing with Langya. Before Shaking Heaven God breaks free from God Demon Prison, he finally ascends to the pinnacle of power within Ba Snake Forest.
It feels so good that he must use all his strength to suppress the urge to laugh out loud.
It took so many years for him to stand above all but one! What a beautiful feeling, all sacrifices made for this day were worth it!
In God Demon Prison, Qiongqi, who has been eavesdropping on the outside commotion, remarks, "This old crane, his obsession with pursuing power is truly madness."
Changtian opens his eyes and smiles slightly, "This is both a merit and a flaw; he certainly won’t hesitate to show it before me." Both he and old He understand that those with flaws are easier to control and will put the master’s mind at ease.
Ning Xiaoxian also touches her chest, silently heaving a long breath, yet feeling a rare sense of relaxation and joy within. They’ve won; all the precious time spent in Hidden Stream was indeed a gamble as well. Luckily, she and Changtian have indeed won.
Here, everyone wears an expression of utmost reverence, whether initially loyal to Elder He or Jiu Mo. In Hidden Stream, power is hard to acquire, yet it can all vanish in just an hour. Of course, Elder He took hundreds of years to earn the privilege to battle Jiu Mo.
With Sect Leader He’s permission, countless glowing lights flew out of the palace in the woods, a communication tool unique to Hidden Stream. The news of the new sect leader ascending will swiftly spread outward, surpassing the speed of sound until it reaches every corner of Hidden Stream, where it finally settles.
However, right now, none of this concerns Ning Xiaoxian. She quickly disappears into the clamor of lights and returns to the silent darkness. Before leaving, the last words she hears are Sect Leader He pointing at Jiu Mo, saying, "First throw her into Thorny Hall prison. She is inevitably involved in the assassination attempt during my peace talks with the Northwest Alliance Army." Due to the shift in status, his words now carry a faint air of authority, demanding compliance from all who hear.
＝＝＝
The ascension of the new sect leader is not only a bombshell news shaking Hidden Stream but will soon reach the outside world, thus, the tasks ahead are extremely complex.
This room is situated in a secluded corner of the palace in the woods, with no lighting and darkness so thick you can’t see your fingers, only a small window lets in a faint patch of moonlight. Ning Xiaoxian stands quietly by the window, letting moonlight spill over her pinned-up hair, her heart filled with endless emotions.
