Chapter 168 – Change in Authority
After reaching the half-step Primordial Spirit stage, one’s strength would experience a sharp increase. After all, it was just a half step away from all of those Primordial Lord powerhouses!
“I bring orders from Primordial Lord Yangze. Celestial Tide Spirit Master is to come immediately to the Cloud Ascension Domain above Mingxin Peak to see Primordial Lord Yangze.”
It was Ruan Xun who spoke. After he landed on Falling Moon Peak, he gazed respectfully upon Celestial Tide Spirit Master, who was sitting cross-legged in the air, and announced Primordial Lord Yangze’s decree.
Although Ruan Xun was the direct descendent of Primordial Lord Yangze, he still held a certain amount of respect for a powerhouse who managed to successfully comprehend the dao of the primordial spirit.
Plus, Celestial Tide Spirit Master was extremely young. He was only a little over 1,000 years old.
If he really managed to fully break through into the Primordial Spirit stage, his status would undergo a revolutionary change. He would become someone of genuine power even in all Eight Mountains of the Shangqing Sacred Sect.
“Report back to Primordial Lord Yangze and tell him that I will be heading there immediately,” Celestial Tide Spirit Master said unassumingly, retracting his aura. He didn’t put on any airs towards a person of the younger generation like Ruan Xun.
“As you command,” Ruan Xun replied. He didn’t stay long. After sending back the reply to the decree, he flew off on a sword light back to the Cloud Ascension Domain.
Meanwhile, on Ghost Controlling Peak…
Ghost Dominion Spirit Master crushed the jade slip in his hands. As he sensed the powerful aura coming from Falling Moon Peak off in the far distance, his expression was extremely unsightly.
He had expended a lot of effort to call upon the aid of those three Evil Spirits in the Zhao Territory by relying on his relationship with the Mountain of Law’s branch of the Zhao Clan. He even sent out the peak Dao Foundation stage Vice Peak Master, Zhao Yan. It should have been a sure kill, beyond any doubt.
But in the end, what resulted was an absolute bloodbath for the Zhao Clan. The three Evil Spirit stage ghosts were all killed, and Zhao Yan’s corpse was found in the Zhao Territory.
Several disciples from Disciplinary Mountain had gone to investigate, and all the trails pointed towards Xu Disheng and Ghost Controlling Peak’s Zhao Clan.
But simply because of Celestial Tide Spirit Master’s interference, the investigation was put to a complete stop. Even now, there were no disciplinary disciples going to Xu Disheng to find trouble.
Ghost Dominion Spirit Master was not one of the Spirit Masters with authority in the Mingxin Mountain Range. The power he had backing him was extremely limited, and this incident had not only caused him considerable losses, but also caused the Mountain of Law’s Zhao Clan to look upon him poorly.
For the Mountain of Law’s Zhao Clan, the Zhao Realm was a lair for them to nurture ghosts. It wasn’t of extreme importance, but they wouldn’t tolerate it being destroyed. But because of Ghost Dominion Spirit Master, it was now pretty much ruined and in a complete state of disorder.
Although his hatred for Xu Disheng had reached a peak, Ghost Dominion Spirit Master didn’t dare to make any more rash decisions. Celestial Tide Spirit Master had been silent recently, so everyone thought that this matter had passed.
He never thought that Celestial Tide Spirit Master was actually making preparations to break through into the half-step Primordial Spirit stage during this time.
This sudden upset struck fear and panic into Ghost Dominion’s heart. By now, he just wanted to resign from his position as Peak Master of Ghost Controlling Peak and return to the Mountain of Law’s Zhao Clan.
Just two days later, a certain piece of news arrived at Ghost Controlling Peak, scaring all of their disciples witless. Celestial Tide Spirit Master had broken through to the half-step Primordial Spirit stage, and his status was now comparable to Severing Meridian Spirit Master Feng Simiao. His status now even outstripped that of the Killing Heart Spirit Master, Yu Xingchao.
An ordinary summons jade slip was brought by He Junyu to Ghost Controlling Peak.
The time it takes one incense stick to burn later, Ghost Dominion Spirit Master came out, his expression heavier than the ocean. He disappeared in a streak of light, heading in the direction of Mingxin Peak.
“Congratulations on reaching the half-step Primordial Spirit stage, Celestial Tide Spirit Master. May the path forward be smooth for you,” Tranquil Cypress Spirit Master said. She looked around at the presiding Spirit Masters in authority and continued, “May I ask what you have summoned all of the presiding Spirit Masters here to discuss today?”
Mingxin Peak was the #1 ranked Mountain Peak in Mingxin Mountain Range. Every time the presiding Spirit Masters had important matters to discuss, they would gather here.
All of the other Spirit Masters were present, including Killing Heart Spirit Master and the ever-indifferent Severing Meridian Spirit Master in the seat of honor, looking at Celestial Tide Spirit Master.
“Naturally, I have summoned you all here today to deal with an important matter,” Celestial Tide Spirit Master said, gazing towards Ghost Dominion Spirit Master, who was seated in the lowest status seat in the hall. “I have conclusive evidence that Ghost Dominion Spirit Master, Zhao Leshan, has acted to harm a Sea of Qi stage genius disciple of our sect.”
Several jade slips flew out from his hand, landing in front of all of the Spirit Masters present.
Ghost Dominion Spirit Master seemed to have already given up any attempts of refuting him. He was silent, his expression grave.
Pure Ocean Spirit Master, who had once lost face to Celestial Tide Spirit Master over the matter with Kou Zun, only gave the jade slip a cursory glance before saying, “This matter only shows that the Vice Peak Master of Ghost Controlling Peak, Zhao Yan, was colluding with the people of the Zhao Territory. Ghost Dominion Spirit Master’s only fault is that his control over his subordinates was lacking.”
“Not so,” Star Abyss Spirit Master replied. “Zhao Yan was merely at the Dao Foundation stage. How would he have the courage to ambush and slaughter a genius of the sect? The three Evil Spirits were under the command of the Mountain of Law’s Zhao Clan. How would a Vice Peak Master like him be able to get them to move?”
Star Abyss Spirit Master was a bloodline descendant of Star Abyss Saint Lord, separated by many generations. But the real inheritance of Star Abyss Saint Lord was taken away by Feng Shao, so he was all in all a pretty unlucky Spirit Master.
(TL: Star Abyss Saint Lord was previously translated as Saint Lord Xingyuan, and in Chapter 123, I mistranslated it once as Celestial Tide Saint Lord because of how similar his name looks in Chinese to Celestial Tide Spirit Master’s name. Sacred Son Feng Shao received Star Abyss Saint Lord’s inheritance and rose to the heights he did. There is also a Star Abyss Spirit Master, a descendant of Star Abyss Saint Lord. You can refer to Chapters 80 and 123 to see when this came up. Sorry about the confusion.)
Star Abyss Spirit Master was the first to speak up, his words clearly partial to Celestial Tide Spirit Master’s side.
“What Star Abyss Spirit Master says is true. A trifling Dao Foundation stage like Zhao Yan certainly wouldn’t have such capabilities,” Tranquil Cypress Spirit Master said. Although her words were basically just parroting what Star Abyss Spirit Master said, it was obvious that she was also standing on Celestial Tide Spirit Master’s side.
“Trying to secretly harm a genius of the sect is indeed deserving of heavy punishment,” Killing Heart Spirit Master said coldly, giving Ghost Dominion Spirit Master a sideways glance.
Ghost Dominion Spirit Master could no longer maintain his dignity as a Divine Core stage Spirit Master. His expression was ugly, and his gaze was shifting unpleasantly.
Seated on the highest seat of honor in the hall, Severing Meridian Spirit Master said, “Celestial Tide Spirit Master. In your opinion, how should he be punished?”
“He should be stripped of his position as Peak Master of Ghost Controlling Peak and demoted to Vice Peak Master. Instate a restrictive order forbidding him from leaving the Peak, and reduce his share of cultivation resources to the standard for the Dao Foundation stage. He shall not be absolved of guilt until he reaches the Primordial Spirit stage,” Celestial Tide Spirit Master said, his expression indifferent the entire time.
Ghost Dominion Spirit Master’s expression changed dramatically, and a hint of resentment leaked through his gaze.
It wouldn’t be that heavy of a punishment if he only lost his position as Peak Master. After all, a Peak Master position wasn’t essential for a Divine Core stage Spirit Master.
The restrictive order, however, was extremely heavy-handed. Once it was put into place, he wouldn’t be able to take a single step out of Ghost Controlling Peak.
Not to mention, he wouldn’t even be able to attend any Spirit Master congregations. His entire future would be suspended by these restrictions, since his cultivation resources would be reduced to that of a typical Dao Foundation stage disciple. He would forever have no hopes of making any further breakthroughs, and his Dao Path would be cut short.
“Don’t you think this punishment is a bit too heavy, Celestial Tide Spirit Master?” Tranquil Cypress Spirit Master said, a bit unconvinced. Although she was standing on Celestial Tide Spirit Master’s side, she still had to speak up for Ghost Dominion Spirit Master a bit, which showed how severe the proposed punishment was.
“It is indeed a bit heavy. It should suffice to limit the restrictive order to 200 years, and reduce his share of cultivation resources to half of the standard for a Divine Core stage. What do you think of this, Celestial Tide Spirit Master?” Severing Meridian Spirit Master said with a flick of his sleeves. It could be heard from his tone that he was consulting him on the matter.
“Since it is Severing Meridian Spirit Master saying so, then we shall act according to your suggestion. Effective immediately, Ghost Dominion Spirit Master Zhao Leshan will be confined to Ghost Controlling Peak for 200 years and demoted to Vice Peak Master, and his share of cultivation resources will be cut to half,” Celestial Tide Spirit Master said, flicking his sleeves as well. Then, he addressed the Dao Foundation stage Deacons of Mingxin Peak. “Send out jade slips to every Peak in the Mingxin Mountain Range, announcing Ghost Dominion Spirit Master’s punishment.”
As soon as the Deacons withdrew to carry out the order, Ghost Dominion Spirit Master flicked his sleeves as well and left the hall, completely ignoring all of the presiding Spirit Masters on his way out.
Pure Ocean Spirit Master gave a cold snort. No longer looking at Celestial Tide Spirit Master, he cupped his hands to Severing Meridian Spirit Master, then turned and left the hall.
Tranquil Cypress Spirit Master was always kindhearted. She watched Ghost Dominion Spirit Master’s back as he left, a hint of pity in her expression. She let out a light sigh, then cupped her hands to Severing Meridian Spirit Master and Celestial Tide Spirit Master before politely leaving the hall as well.
As soon as news of Ghost Dominion Spirit Master’s punishment spread throughout the Mingxin Mountain Range, the awe-inspiring authority of the half-step Primordial Spirit stage Celestial Tide Spirit Master became deeply etched in the minds of all the disciples.
After all, Ghost Dominion Spirit Master was a Divine Core stage Spirit Master, but he was punished simply because Celestial Tide Spirit Master said he should be punished. Even in other Mountain Ranges, this kind of boldness was rarely seen.
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