The next day, Jiang Che rose before first light.
His parents, Jiang He and Wang Qin, and his clan uncle Jiang Weichuan were already ready.
Though the three of them only intended to see Jiang Che off, they had risen even earlier than he had.
Jiang He said nothing, while Wang Qin's eyes brimmed with tears. The older couple looked Jiang Che up and down in his new clothes, their words full of encouragement and reluctance to part. Still, they did not linger too long, and a short while later, they left the house.
When they reached the Azure Mystic outer sect Hall Department, they found a dense crowd of over a hundred people gathered outside.
At the sight of the three of them, the lion dance began, accompanied by clashing gongs, pounding drums, and blaring suonas. Some people carried colored flags, others held banners bearing auspicious phrases such as "Bring glory to your native soil" and "May your immortal path stretch like a rainbow." Several old men in silk robes stood at the front, smiling broadly as they cupped their hands and bowed together, calling out, "Congratulations!"
This was a Willow Source tradition, and most counties within the Wu Kingdom likely had similar customs.
Compared with the grand send-offs Willow Source had held in previous years for Registered Disciples, however, the ceremony held for him now could only be called shabby.
By past standards, it should have been ten or even a hundred times grander!
There was nothing to be done about it.
Arranging the send-off should have been the Jiang Household's responsibility, but hadn't Jiang Che declared that he no longer had anything to do with them? So the Jiang Household had not come to arrange it.
Even this modest display had been paid for by Jiang Weichuan himself, who had hired a troupe that performed at celebrations.
To put together this much with one man's money, he had already done all he could.
Jiang Che did not particularly care.
After bidding his parents farewell, Jiang Che strode through the crowd and into the Hall Department, accompanied by Jiang Weichuan, who was also an Azure Mystic outer sect disciple.
At that moment, over twenty people were gathered in the Hall Department courtyard, all of them cultivators.
The instant Jiang Che entered, every gaze turned toward him.
Without breaking stride, Jiang Weichuan led Jiang Che straight into the crowd and first cupped his hands toward several comrades from the earlier battle at the mountain-search camp.
"Junior Brother Zhang, I trust you've been well."
"Junior Brother Liu, are your injuries any better?"
Seeing Jiang Weichuan take the initiative to greet them, both men smiled broadly and returned his salute. "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Jiang. My injuries are no longer a problem. This must be your nephew? Take good care of yourself when you enter the Main Gate. When you soar to glory someday, don't forget your comrades here in Willow Source."
Jiang Che smiled as well. "I wouldn't dream of it."
As they spoke, another two or three people gathered around to congratulate Jiang Che.
Most of the others in the courtyard, however, did not move.
The divide was as clear as the waters of the Jing and Wei rivers.
Such a situation was only to be expected.
A few days earlier, Jiang Weichuan had already explained all the ins and outs to Jiang Che.
Strictly speaking, Luo Wenling's decision to admit him to the Azure Mystic Main Gate as a Registered Disciple had been completely against the rules.
According to established practice, Willow Source's outer sect deacon could recommend one person every five years to enter the Azure Mystic Main Gate as a Registered Disciple.
That berth was a major event that came to Willow Source County once every five years.
The major Lineages, the local authorities, and even the prominent rogue cultivators had long colluded with one another and settled the order. Your family this year, mine the next, his the year after. Everyone agreed to take turns holding the banker's seat, and no one was to break the rules.
The last time Willow Source had sent someone to the Azure Mystic Main Gate had been three years ago. The next berth should have become available two years later. Yet with one forceful order from Luo Wenling, Willow Source was sending another person this year.
Had it been an extra berth, that would have been one thing. But this was Willow Source's own berth, which Luo Wenling had forcibly drawn on in advance through his authority as acting deacon. The berth due in two years had effectively been taken by Jiang Che.
That was where the problem lay.
Under the rules, the berth two years from now belonged to Willow Source's Wan Clan.
Within these "rules," the outer sect deacon was naturally a key figure, one who had been suitably paid off. Du Yongchang had pocketed the benefits long ago, only to dust off his backside and leave. Hadn't that thrown everything into chaos?
Yet no one could afford to offend Luo Wenling, so they could only resent Jiang Che.
The most outstanding member of the Wan Clan's younger generation was named Wan Xiaoxi. He was only eighteen this year, but he had entered Embryonic Breath two years earlier and was now close to the Transforming Force realm. He could be considered something of a young prodigy.
He was also the one who had long since been promised the berth two years from now.
Now that Jiang Che had snatched it away, he naturally hated him most of all.
He was right there in the courtyard. Most of the Lineage cultivators who regarded Jiang Che coldly had gathered around him, joining together to isolate and exclude Jiang Che.
But what was the point?
If they did not dare defy Luo Wenling, they naturally did not dare make trouble for Jiang Che here.
And if they did not make trouble today, Jiang Che would soon be off to Azure Mystic, beyond their reach.
Jiang Che did not even bother acknowledging them.
Jiang Che was not today's main attraction.
Half an hour later, four figures emerged from the main building.
The man in the lead was Luo Wenling, currently serving as Willow Source's acting deacon.
He wore a smile and seemed to be in quite a good mood. The moment he stepped outside, he called out, "So lively this early in the morning? Could it be that you fellows can't bear to see me leave and have come especially to send me off?"
As his words fell, the courtyard went still. All the whispering and snide remarks vanished in an instant.
"No need to be so solemn. Come, let me introduce them to you. These three will be managing Willow Source's outer sect from now on: Zong Rui, Deacon Zong, and the two stewards, Zheng Liang and Zhou Yunna."
The three newly appointed officials greeted the disciples in the courtyard, who hurried to return their greetings. For a moment, the courtyard rang with cries of "Greetings, Deacon Zong," "Greetings, Steward Zheng," and "Greetings, Steward Zhou."
These were three Qi Refining Cultivators, the future heavens above Willow Source. Who would dare slight them?
After introducing the three, Luo Wenling's gaze settled on Jiang Che.
"Jiang Che, have your injuries healed completely? Your complexion looks quite good."
Jiang Che bowed. "Thanks to you, Senior Brother Luo, my injuries are no longer a problem."
"Good." Luo Wenling patted his shoulder, his tone casual. "Is everything ready? We're about to leave."
Jiang Che nodded. "Everything is ready."
"All right, disperse and get back to your duties. Deacon Zong has only just arrived, so don't go making trouble for him."
The disciples hurried to assent, but no one actually dispersed. Instead, they instinctively lined up on either side to clear a path, watching Luo Wenling and Jiang Che make their way out.
Once they passed through the gates, the deafening clamor of gongs and drums hit them head-on.
Seeing them emerge, the lion dancers tumbled and leaped with even greater vigor, while the musicians pounded their gongs and drums for all they were worth. Blue smoke from exploding firecrackers shrouded half the street.
Jiang Weichuan had paid good silver, so they had to put some effort into it.
Luo Wenling paid it no mind. Smiling, he waved at the townsfolk, then took out a toy-sized boat and tossed it into the air. It grew as it caught the wind, becoming a Flying Boat large enough to seat four or five people, hovering three inches above the ground.
This display of immortal arts drew a chorus of astonished cries.
With that spectacle, Jiang Che's send-off suddenly seemed no less impressive than those of previous years.
The disciples selected in past years had worn red flowers and ridden there on horseback by themselves. None had been escorted in a Flying Boat.
Luo Wenling hopped into the Flying Boat, then beckoned Jiang Che to come aboard.
Jiang Che was just about to step in when a young man suddenly darted out of the crowd and planted himself directly in front of the Flying Boat.
It was none other than Wan Xiaoxi, the prodigy the Wan Clan had spent two years touting, the one promised the berth due two years from now!
He dropped to one knee and declared, "Disciple Wan Xiaoxi has a request!"
Luo Wenling raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? What is it?"
"This disciple dares to challenge Jiang Che!"
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