An Outer-Branch Celestial Master Beholds Chen Du as a God

The hall was deathly silent, with only the occasional crackling of the eternal lamp.

The disciples of the Celestial Masters' Mansion all looked ashen-faced, as if they had been slapped in the face in public and were speechless.

How do we fight?

The mere presence of a Celestial Master could make the entire Patriarch Hall feel suffocated.

The strongest young disciple among them couldn't even draw the seal of a deputy, let alone face a Celestial Master head-on.

"Damn it, if I could fight, I'd be the first to go," one disciple muttered under his breath.

Someone nearby quickly pulled him back, their voice hushed. "Are you crazy? Didn't you see that even the Lord of the Manor and the elders haven't said a word? He's Celestial Master. How many moves could all of us combined possibly last against him?"

"But he's bullying us too much!" the disciple said, his eyes red. "We've lived on Longhu Mountain for generations, and he, a descendant of a fourth lineage who was expelled, comes back just like that, and even tries to steal the Divine Seal! What right does he have?!"

"Just because they're better than us." Someone whispered, their words like a bucket of cold water, leaving everyone speechless for a long while.

The expression on the face of the prefect Zhou Xuanzhen was beyond ugly. He had gone through countless mental calculations, but each time he found himself in a dead end.

The restriction? Xie Changming was able to walk into the Patriarch Hall unscathed, without even causing the slightest fluctuation of the restriction, which means that either the restrictions covering the mountain could not trap him, or he had already figured them out.

Magic weapons? The few weapons of war that the Celestial Masters' Mansion's Mansion still possesses are of the same origin as the opponent's methods. If a real fight breaks out, they might be taken away out of thin air by the opponent with a higher level of cultivation as soon as they are used.

To even bother with a contest would be humiliating.

This entire manor doesn't even have a single person at the Eighth Realm; how can they possibly compete with a Celestial Master?

In a moment of urgency, Zhou Xuanzhen could only suppress his surging emotions, coughed lightly, and stood up from his seat. "Today's ceremony will be held as is for now. It is almost noon, so please follow the disciples in charge to have your meal. The rest of the matters will be continued after the afternoon ceremony."

This was said with great reluctance; anyone with eyes could tell it was just stalling for time.

But how many more hours can we delay?

Xie Changming stood in the hall, sneered, and his gaze swept over everyone present like a knife. "Fine, let's see how long you can hold on. It's time for your lineage to spit out everything you stole back then: Longhu Mountain, the Celestial Masters' Mansion, and the Divine Seal."

The Celestial Masters' Mansion does not belong to your family or clan. In all things under heaven, those with virtue reside there, and those without virtue lose it. Do you really think that Heaven is blind?

He spoke those last few words with extreme force, like a muffled thunderclap striking the palace beams, making everyone's eardrums buzz.

Throughout the hall, from elders to disciples, everyone felt as if they were sitting on pins and needles, yet not a single person dared to respond.

That feeling of frustration and shame was almost enough to drive a person crazy.

If this matter is not handled properly, their lineage will find it difficult to hold their heads high in Longhu Mountain from today onwards.

For a legitimate lineage to be forced into this predicament by an outsider's Celestial Master is a laughing stock for eternity.

Those in the same trade are enemies; those from the same school are mortal foe.

Sometimes, fellow practitioners are more terrifying than any external enemy.

But just as tensions were about to rise, Xie Changming suddenly frowned.

That expression was fleeting, like a candle flame flickering in the wind, almost imperceptible to onlookers.

He suddenly said, "I have some personal matters to attend to. I'll be back this afternoon."

After saying that, without waiting for anyone's reaction, he turned and walked out of the hall.

Wearing an old robe and with snow-white hair, he disappeared behind layers of palaces in just a few steps.

The entire hall erupted in uproar!

Several bolder disciples wanted to follow, but the elder silenced them with a look.

This person is too dangerous; following him rashly would be tantamount to suicide.

Zhou Xuanzhen stared in the direction Xie Changming had left, his brows furrowed so deeply they seemed to drip water.

He didn't know why the other person suddenly left, nor where he went.

The less I know, the more uneasy I feel.

Xie Changming didn't know why, but he ended up in a charming little courtyard.

At this moment, someone actually sent him a private message; I don't know if they were bold or just stupid!

Chen Du was sitting on the stone steps of his small courtyard.

An old prayer mat lay before him, the courtyard gate was half-closed, and the shadow of the old locust tree stretched out diagonally, just enough to cover half of his face.

He heard footsteps approaching before raising his head and saying softly, "Come in. I've sealed off the energy here; those people outside can't hear our conversation."

Xie Changming stepped into the courtyard, his gaze sharp as lightning, fixed directly on Chen Du.

His white hair fluttered gently in the wind, yet he resembled a sword already drawn an inch from its sheath.

Chen Du picked up the rough porcelain bowl at his feet; the water was still warm.

He handed it to Xie Changming, his tone as casual as if he were entertaining a familiar fellow disciple:

"Sit down. There's water here. Would you like some?"

Xie Changming sized Chen Du up and down, his sneer deepening.

"It seems the Celestial Masters' Mansion is truly out of manpower." His gaze swept over Chen Du's faded, old Daoist robe, his voice filled with undisguised sarcasm. "To send an old, menial Daoist like you out here. But, in terms of sheer courage to throw your life away, you're a cut above those cowardly cowards in the hall."

He could tell at a glance that Chen Du's outward aura was only at the first stage of the Mind Illumination.

With such cultivation level, does he even deserve to speak to him?

Chen Du remained unperturbed, merely smiling, "You think the deputy seal examination is over?"

Xie Changming's smile faded slightly, and he frowned. "What do you mean? I saw with my own eyes that all the disciples in the hall, from the true disciples to the inner disciples, stepped forward one by one, without missing a single one. The deputy seal examination has already ended."

Chen Du slowly stood up and took out an extremely old wooden box from behind him.

The wooden box was no bigger than the palm of my hand, its edges worn smooth, suggesting it was quite old.

He opened the box, inside was a piece of yellow silk, and on the silk lay a small seal quietly.

The seal is dark gold in color, with ancient and simple Daoist patterns; it is indeed the Celestial Master Deputy Seal.

"I haven't tried it yet."

Chen Du said.

Xie Changming was taken aback at first, realizing that the seal had been taken out without anyone noticing, and then burst into laughter.

He felt that the other party was hiding their true intentions; they hadn't tried before, but now they were going to try secretly.

He laughed wildly, as if he had heard the most absurd joke in the world, "You? A lowly old Daoist priest in the first realm, you want to activate the Celestial Master Deputy Seal? Do you know that the disciples in the hall today, even the worst ones, are at least in the Fourth Realm of Thunder Method, they are all the pride of heaven."

They couldn't even elicit a single reaction from them, so what makes you think you can say such things? What, has your lineage fallen so low that you have to rely on a mad, rambling old servant to turn things around?"

Chen Du didn't refute, but simply pushed the wooden box forward. "How will you know if you don't try?"

Xie Changming snorted coldly, intending to turn and leave.

For some reason, he still took a step forward.

Perhaps it was because the seal was placed too securely, or perhaps it was because the old Daoist was too calm, so calm that it made him somewhat uncomfortable.

Chen Du didn't waste any words and made his move immediately.

The moment his palm landed, the secondary seal suddenly lit up.

Immediately afterwards, golden light erupted from the seal like a volcanic eruption; it wasn't a beam of light, but an entire sea.

Golden light shot straight into the courtyard, then cascaded down like a waterfall, engulfing the entire courtyard.

The light was more than a hundred times stronger than when he activated the secondary seal in the Patriarch Hall.

The entire courtyard was filled with this golden Dao Resonance, and even the air seemed to be buzzing.

If Chen Du hadn't already sealed off the energy of this place, this strange phenomenon would probably have illuminated half of Longhu Mountain.

Xie Changming's cold smile froze completely. He subconsciously took two steps back, unable to control himself any longer, and his [Celestial Master] Divine Status was automatically activated.

This is the Celestial Master's instinct, a bodily reaction when encountering a higher level of Dao Resonance. But it is precisely because of this that he "saw" more.

Chen Du remained standing there, without making a move.

However, in Xie Changming's Celestial Master perception, the old servant in front of him, dressed in an old Daoist robe and looking like he was about to be blown away by the wind, suddenly became incredibly tall and majestic.

Behind it, there was boundless golden light, flowing Dao Resonance, and layers of phantom images of Thunder Method, sword intent, star charts, and divine seals unfolding, like a living Daoist canon.

That was Celestial Master's extraordinary phenomenon, a manifestation of his Divine Status, a manifestation of the "Dao" itself in the other person, becoming some kind of vast and ineffable existence.

The other party's Divine Status was far, far higher than his.

Xie Changming felt like a wild dragon that had looked up and seen a divine dragon, so insignificant that it was almost about to shatter from within.

Both Eighth Realm, both held the Heavenly Master Position Rank, yet the other's level was so high that even looking up at him felt difficult.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his throat was dry and sore.

He wanted to speak, but no sound came out.

All he knew was that the person in front of him was incomprehensibly strong.

Who exactly is it? Who said the Celestial Masters' Mansion has declined? A janitor who sweeps the floor is the most terrifying person he has ever met in all these years.

The golden light in the courtyard still flowed slowly, like a great river.

Chen Du put the wooden box back in, sat back down on the steps, holding the bowl of water, as if nothing had happened.

Xie Changming remained standing there, his body stiff, his white hair trembling slightly in the wind, as if he had just woken up from a long dream.

Soon, Xie Changming seemed to wake up from a dream.

His knees buckled, all traces of the arrogance he had displayed in the Patriarch Hall vanished, and he knelt upright before Chen Du, his white hair trailing to the ground, his forehead slamming heavily against the bluestone steps with a muffled thud.

"Senior... this junior was blind and offended the wrath of Heaven. Please forgive me, Senior."

Chen Du remained seated on the steps, holding the half-bowl of water in his hand. He neither helped him up nor spoke, but simply chuckled very lightly, as if he had heard a harmless joke.

Xie Changming lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to even lift his head.

He prided himself on being a genius, and despite the decline of the Fourth Lineage to this point, he was able to cultivate to the Eighth Realm Celestial Master all by himself in a desperate situation where no one guided him and no resources were available.

He thought he had already reached the highest point in the world, and that no one in the Celestial Masters' Mansion could catch his eye anymore.

But just now, he saw the vast and unfathomable Celestial Master phenomenon behind Chen Du and felt the unfathomable pressure of that Divine Status.

He then realized that he was nothing more than a frog sitting at the bottom of a well, who had only glanced at the light of day and thought he had grasped the sky.

Xie Changming's prized genius paled in comparison to the moon and the brilliance of a firefly compared to the sun.

The festival resumed in the afternoon.

Patriarch Hall, Zhou Xuanzhen and several other immortals sat rather restlessly.

They feigned composure, but inside they were burning with rage.

They spent the entire noon behind closed doors discussing countless countermeasures, but none of them were truly effective.

If Xie Changming insists on testing the divine seal, they cannot stop him.

If he were to be even more ruthless and take direct action, they wouldn't be able to stop him.

This is a hurdle I'm afraid I really can't get past.

The disciples inside the hall were even more anxious than the others. Some paced back and forth, some kept looking outside, and some whispered to their companions, "What if that white-haired demon really takes the divine seal away? Will we become sinners of the Celestial Masters' Mansion?"

As soon as he spoke, the surrounding disciples fell silent, not even daring to utter a sigh.

Just as everyone was feeling uneasy, Xie Changming entered.

He walked very slowly, and his expression was completely different from that morning.

That imposing sharpness seemed to have been smoothed out by something, and even their footsteps became much lighter.

He walked into the hall, turned to face the crowd, and then, to everyone's astonishment, suddenly bowed deeply.

"What happened today was my fault." His voice was low but clear, echoing throughout the entire hall. "I, Xie, was rude and disrupted the ancestral worship ceremony, which was truly inexcusable. The fault today lies entirely with me."

Although my Fourth Lineage once shared the same origin as the ancestral temple, it has long since left the mountain. I should not use past events as an excuse to come here and pressure you, and I should not be disrespectful to the people of the Celestial Masters' Mansion's Mansion.

Longhu Mountain has its own master, and the divine seal is not something I should presume to obtain.

As he spoke, he straightened his body, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the manor lord, elders, and disciples throughout the hall, finally settling on the jade platform.

That's the direction where the Heavenly Master Divine Seal is located.

"From this day forward, I will leave Longhu Mountain. Not only me, but all future disciples of my lineage, for all eternity, will never again covet Longhu Mountain or the Divine Seal."

He suddenly smiled, a smile that held both relief and a hint of self-deprecation, "I never imagined that the Celestial Masters' Mansion would be so full of hidden talents. I am truly impressed by your abilities."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and turned to walk out of the hall.

His white hair fluttered gently in the wind, his figure receding into the distance, never to look back again.

The hall remained silent for a long time. Zhou Xuanzhen and the other immortals looked at each other, full of doubts, but they did not want to ask in public.

The disciples were even more confused, but somehow, the huge rock that had been pressing on their chests for half a day seemed to lighten instantly.

Some even had tears in their eyes, unable to tell whether it was from lingering fear or pride.

The arrogant white-haired man left.

Although they didn't know why he retreated, everyone sensed that someone had shielded them from disaster.

The Celestial Masters' Mansion doesn't seem to be as weak as they imagined.

This feeling of sudden enlightenment, excitement, and exhilaration lingered in the hearts of these disciples for three whole days!