On the Double Ninth Festival, the sky was high and the clouds were light.
The main peak of Maoshan, the Shangqing Ancestral Altar, stands solemnly and majestically.
Before the statues of the Three Pure Ones, an incense table was set up high, and talisman banners stood in rows.
Renowned righteous sects from all over the world, such as Dragon Tiger Mountain, Gezao Mountain, Qingcheng Wudang, Wudang Mountain, and Mount Lao, all sent their strongest members to witness the ceremony.
They stood in perfect order, according to seniority and sect affiliation, in complete silence.
All eyes were focused on the young figure in the center of the square, dressed in a brand-new purple Heavenly Master robe and wearing Phoebe crown.
"Senior brother, what are your thoughts now?" Four Eyes asked, his eyes red with envy.
"Proud..." Uncle Nine's face was also flushed, unable to hide his excitement.
Even the Master Yixiu was invited to attend the ceremony.
Normally, he might have said a few Four Eyes, but looking at Lin Yu on the high platform, he could deeply understand Four Eyes's feelings at this moment.
Yixiu patted Four Eyes on the shoulder. "It's alright, at least you have Jia Le to take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days, but I..."
Comparing himself to Yixiu, Four Eyes rubbed his cheeks and realized it was true; even that stinky monk had to rely on him. "Don't worry, I'll have Jia Le take care of you."
The auspicious time has arrived.
The three Heavenly Masters of Maoshan, along with several venerable elders with white hair and beards and profound auras, personally presided over the ceremony.
The bell tolled nine times, and the drums shook in all directions.
Amidst the resounding chanting of scriptures, the ordination ceremony officially began.
Incense burning, prayers, presenting petitions, and performing rituals... a series of ancient and solemn ceremonies were carried out meticulously under the guidance of the venerable ancestors.
As the protagonist, Lin Yu focused intently, slowly channeling his pure magical power into the specially made Heavenly Master's Talisman and the petition for merit to be presented to the Heavenly Court, following the ritual.
When the final ritual is completed.
The Grand Heavenly Master, holding a magic sword, pointed to the sky and, together with two other Heavenly Master beside him, poured the pure Daoist essence they had accumulated over a hundred years into a pre-arranged reception array.
"Buzz--!"
The array patterns lit up, connecting with the unseen realm.
The talisman and petition in front of Lin Yu spontaneously combusted without fire, transforming into a dazzling pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.
The memorial records Lin Yu's achievements, and now it awaits the Heavenly Court's review to see what official position Lin Yu will be granted.
Once the decision is made, an imperial edict and official seal will be issued, signifying the successful completion of the ordination ceremony.
Within the pillar of light, faint phantom images of dragons and phoenixes swirled, and the sounds of Daoism echoed.
In the square, everyone held their breath, staring intently at the beam of light, their hearts pounding.
They were all wondering what position Lin Yu would get.
A quarter of an hour, a quarter of an hour...
The pillar of light remained dazzling, but the scene everyone had been anticipating—the opening of the Heavenly Gate, the lingering celestial music, and the arrival of golden decrees—remained elusive.
Only the pillar of light stood alone between heaven and earth, like a stone sinking into the sea, without causing the slightest ripple.
Time passed slowly, and the atmosphere in the square gradually changed from solemn anticipation to heaviness and unease, eventually spreading into an indescribable sense of oppression and anxiety.
The venerable elders presiding over the ceremony had beads of sweat on their foreheads; this was no ordinary ceremony.
The three exchanged glances, communicating with each other through their eyes, asking what to do.
They were actually quite anxious. In the past, they should have made a decision long ago, but there was still no movement.
Many colleagues were watching the ceremony; if anything went wrong, it would damage the entire Maoshan.
The decree was delayed, causing unease even among the disciples of the Maoshan sect.
As the auspicious time drew to a close, the Grand Heavenly Master grew increasingly uneasy.
Finally, at the top of the beam of light, in the high clouds, there was a faint reaction.
A golden imperial edict slowly drifted down from the clouds.
The imperial edict, carrying the official seal, slowly floated down onto the tray in front of the Grand Heavenly Master.
The Grand Heavenly Master took a deep breath, suppressing the ominous premonition in his heart, and looked at the decree in front of him.
With just one glance, he was struck dumb, frozen in place, his hand holding the official seal even trembling slightly.
The ancient characters on the official seal were crystal clear.
"Land!"
Although this official position was already very rare for him, Lin Yu had saved the entire world, and the immense merit he possessed was undeniable.
Why wouldn't it deserve more?
The area he controls might not even be as large as his Maoshan Mountain.
What does this mean? It means that the Heavenly Court is indifferent to Lin Yu's extraordinary achievements.
This also means that his highly anticipated grand-disciple will have to bear this almost humiliating reward under the spotlight.
"Senior brother?" The Second Heavenly Master noticed that the First Heavenly Master's expression was off and asked in a low voice.
The Grand Heavenly Master's lips moved, but no sound came out. He simply trembled as he handed the small Earth God's seal to the Second and Heavenly Master.
The two men took a look, and their pupils suddenly contracted, their faces turning pale with shock.
"What... what should we do?" The Second Heavenly Master transmitted his voice through Divine Sense, his words filled with bitterness.
The official seal represented a position that was worlds apart from Lin Yu's achievements, the scale of today's grand ceremony, and everyone's expectations.
If this were announced publicly, it would be a minor matter if Maoshan lost face; the major issue would be the damage to Lin Yu's reputation and the blow to his Daoist heart, which would also chill the hearts of the righteous path in the world.
"To recite, or not to recite?" Another Heavenly Master asked, his voice trembling.
If the ceremony is not performed, it will be impossible to conclude and will be tantamount to openly defying the Heavenly Court.
I'm afraid that even this land will be taken back in the future.
How could Nian swallow this insult? How could she face the countless expectant eyes below the stage?
The three Heavenly Master faced an unprecedentedly difficult choice.
Uncle Nine was sitting in the audience, his heart pounding in his chest.
Although he couldn't make out the exact characters on the official seal, the expressions of the three patriarchs indicated that things were heading in the worst possible direction.
The guests began whispering and discussing among themselves, with various speculations and anxieties spreading.
Master Four Eyes also dropped his joking expression and nervously grabbed Master Yixiu's arm. "Monk, something's wrong! The expressions of the three patriarchs..."
Master Yixiu's expression was solemn as he chanted Buddhist prayers in a low voice, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
In this suffocating standoff and silence, the Grand Heavenly Master seemed to have exhausted all his strength.
He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the dark mass of people below the stage, finally landing on Lin Yu, who remained standing quietly in the center of the arena, his expression unusually calm.
Looking into his calm eyes, my heart ached even more.
He knew he couldn't delay any longer.
Finally, he had no choice but to make up his mind, unfold the decree, and recite its meaning.
"Granted!"
The Grand Heavenly Master took a deep breath, using all his strength, as if expressing his protest in this intangible way.
As he chanted, the Grand Heavenly Master's own essence was also burning, and this all-consuming Daoist energy carried his words straight up to the heavens.
He gave his life to seek justice for Lin Yu.
The other two Heavenly Masters of Maoshan, Heavenly Master Zhang of Dragon Tiger Mountain, and the elders of the Numinous Treasure Pavilion... all these powerful figures could see what the Grand Heavenly Master was doing.
For a moment, everyone desperately tried to stop him, but as he read out the decree, everyone was suppressed by the will above and could not make a move.
Suddenly, something unexpected happened!
"Hmph! Heavenly Dao is unjust, why bother with flattery? What use is such a corrupt Heavenly Court, with its humiliating titles!"