The Ceremony

On the Jia Shen month's Gengzi day, it was auspicious to marry, offer sacrifices, observe purification rites, and pray for blessings.

The apprenticeship ceremony was being held that very day. As a result, Xiangyin County was packed with visitors and buzzing with activity.

All the restaurants in the county had been booked by Xieling. They were festooned with lanterns and decorations, and anyone with an invitation could enter.

At that moment, Zhang the Great Buddha and Er Yuehong climbed out of a military vehicle at the county gates, followed by Zhang the Great Buddha's personal guards.

Luo Laowai had been waiting there for some time. Seeing Zhang the Great Buddha, he hurried over to greet them. "A distinguished guest has arrived! Zhang the Great Buddha, Second Master, it's been far too long."

Looking at Luo Laowai's bandit-like appearance, Zhang Qishan frowned and remarked pointedly, "Chief Chen has quite a mess on his hands this time."

After speaking, Zhang Qishan glanced over the street. Xiangyin County was full of every sort of strange and unsavory character.

Many Taoist priests dressed in robes of various colors, carrying all kinds of magical artifacts, sat at stalls along the roadside.

The strange and unusual folk dressed in peculiar clothes kept well away from the Taoists. Some carried poisonous snakes and had all kinds of venomous insects and gu on them. Others wore bones and had bizarre beast heads perched on their own...

Quite a few shaven-headed monks also walked along the stone-paved streets, palms pressed together, silent.

Luo Laowai rubbed his crew cut and chuckled. "With Zhang the Great Buddha here, what strange and unsavory character would dare make a move?"

Zhang Qishan neither agreed nor disagreed. He led Er Yuehong and his adjutant onward.

In the reception hall of the Chen Mansion, Hua Maguai walked over to Chen Yulou and quietly said, "Chief, Zhang the Great Buddha has arrived."

"Good. Let him come."

Chen Yulou set down his teacup, rose, and cupped his hands toward Lu Yan. "Master, I'll go greet him."

"The Zhang family, the Nine Gates, and Qilin blood."

Lu Yan opened his eyes, running his fingers over the ebony and ivory. A keen glint shone in his eyes.

The Xieling training grounds had been solemnly and grandly decorated. A long red carpet stretched out from the raised platform.

"The apprenticeship ceremony begins!"

Hua Maguai, serving as master of ceremonies, had changed into a brand-new silk jacket. He called out in a loud voice.

The guest seats on either side were now full, mostly occupied by wealthy merchants and powerful families from Western Hunan, along with quite a few warlords and bandit chiefs.

As expected, Zhang Qishan sat in the front row, chatting and laughing with Er Yuehong.

Lu Yan sat in the seat of honor on the platform. Chen Yulou knelt respectfully before him, holding a teacup in both hands and raising it high.

Lu Yan accepted the cup and took a sip.

"The ceremony is complete!"

Hua Maguai raised the ceremonial gong and struck it with a clang, calling out loudly.

In the viewing area some distance away, an old man covered in venomous insects and poisons watched Lu Yan on the platform with a grim expression. He turned to the disciple beside him and asked, "It's on him?"

"Yes."

The disciple standing beside him was fat, with his hair woven into rows of little braids. His face was vicious, and he was decked in gu and poisonous objects. He was clearly no good person either.

Not far from them, Zhang Daoyi, the former head of the Celestial Master Sect and now its Grand Elder, was also watching Lu Yan. Stroking his beard, he smiled and said, "So young, yet so imposing. This young friend Lu is no ordinary man."

As he spoke, Zhang Daoyi glanced around. He turned to the several disciples behind him and said quietly, "A few old acquaintances have come. Don't approach them later. Keep your distance."

Zhang Daoyi sensed several others with Golden Core cultivation. The old monk Huiyun, whom he hadn't seen in a hundred years, was still like a rock—stubborn and unyielding.

To the left, Li Zhongkang, the Grand Elder of Maoshan, still wore his usual deadpan expression and said not a word.

Not far ahead, Shaka, a heterodox practitioner from the Five Poisons Sect, had also emerged from his old poison den. It seemed he was determined to get what he wanted.

As for the younger disciples of the other major sects, Zhang Daoyi paid them no mind. Their sects had only one old relic left to oversee their grotto-heavens, so they couldn't afford to leave.

On the platform, Lu Yan had naturally noticed the four Golden Core cultivators. He smiled faintly at them, then turned to Chen Yulou and instructed him, "Four Golden Core cultivators have come. I'm afraid I won't be able to deal with the rest. You handle the other strange and unsavory characters."

Chen Yulou nodded. Looking at the crowd of unusual people below, he said worriedly, "Master, facing four at once is too dangerous. Should I send someone to help?"

"No need. You can't interfere in a battle at this level, and besides, they can't do anything to me."

Lu Yan's face was alight with eager battle intent as he stared at the four below.

"Boundless Heavenly Venerable. Zhang Daoyi of the Celestial Master Sect pays his respects to Young Friend Lu."

Noticing Lu Yan's fervent battle intent, Zhang Daoyi stroked his beard and smiled, then flew over from the viewing area on a gust of wind.

"Amitabha. Daoist Zhang, it has been a hundred years since we last met. You look as spirited as ever."

The old monk Huiyun lowered his eyes, turning a string of prayer beads in his hand. He took one step and appeared directly on the platform.

"Hmph."

Li Zhongkang of Maoshan gave a cold snort. A flash of light came from the talisman in his hand, and he, too, appeared before Lu Yan in an instant.

Shaka was the most domineering of them all. Clouds of black mist and poisonous insects swirled around him, frightening the nearby spectators into fleeing. Several people failed to get away in time and inhaled a trace of the black mist from afar. They cried out, their faces darkening as they collapsed to the ground.

"Shaka of the Five Poisons Sect."

Shaka seemed to relish the fear in everyone's eyes. He smiled smugly and strode along the red carpet toward the platform.

"You—"

Lu Yan stopped Red Maiden, who was about to attack, and shook his head. "I'll handle things here. You all go make preparations."

Lu Yan faced the four men and released the formidable aura of a second-level wizard. Smiling kindly, he said, "Esteemed seniors, there are many people here. To avoid harming the innocent, why don't we find somewhere else to fight?"

Zhang Daoyi's expression shifted. He had thought Lu Yan was merely a junior with decent cultivation. He hadn't expected him to have reached such a level.

Li Zhongkang also examined Lu Yan in surprise. He thought to himself, That kid Simu wasn't exaggerating. Lu Yan is so young, yet his cultivation is no weaker than ours. What a prodigy. He nodded and said, "That makes sense. A secluded place would be better."

"Amitabha. Well said."

Huiyun still kept his eyes lowered, turning his prayer beads in his hand.

Seeing the other three agree and then turn to look at him, Shaka's face twitched. He muttered, "Fine. We'll go elsewhere."

The four moved and disappeared from the platform. Lu Yan nodded to Chen Yulou, then vanished as well.

The many cultivators below had already begun whispering among themselves, their chatter growing louder.

"I can't believe four Golden Core experts showed up this time. They're like living immortals—you hardly ever see even one of them!"

"Hey, don't say that. Xieling's struck it rich this time. Chen Yulou's master is a Golden Core expert too, and he's so young."

"Who knows? Maybe he's some freak who's returned to youth. Besides, it's four against one. He's as good as dead."

"We definitely won't get a share of the grotto-heaven now. Are we going to fight or not?"

"I heard Lu Yan is Xieling's chief instructor and has taught them plenty of spells. And Xieling must be loaded. Why not just take the damn lot?"

"Exactly. We came all this way. Let's rob them!"