gnovel Chapter 62 The old sect leader Xiao Tiannan appeared at the ceremony, shocking the entire audience!
Chapter 62 The old sect leader Xiao Tiannan appeared at the ceremony, shocking the entire audience!
early morning.
The Tianjian Peak of Qinglan Mountain was bustling with activity once again.
Compared to yesterday's succession ceremony, today's formal enthronement ceremony was even more solemn and dignified.
On both sides of the 9,999 blue stone steps, the second disciples of the Sword Sect stood in neat rows, each wearing a blue Taoist robe, with a long sword hanging at their waist, and solemn expressions.
As the mountain wind blows, clothes flutter and sword tassels fly, creating a magnificent sight.
The training ground at the summit has been rearranged.
On the high platform to the north, the "Heavenly Sword Chair" has been moved to the center. The chair is covered with a brand-new blue brocade cushion, and the carvings on the back of the chair gleam in the sunlight.
On either side of the platform, seven elders stood in rows, all dressed in formal elder robes, their expressions solemn.
Below the stage, representatives from various factions who had attended the ceremony yesterday gathered again, this time in even larger numbers than the day before.
Many martial arts practitioners who dared not go up the mountain yesterday have come today, eager to catch a glimpse of the youngest and most unique sect leader in history.
Of course, what most people want to see is the unfathomable Qin emperor.
The second quarter of the hour of Chen (7:45 AM).
"Thump—thump—thump—"
Three heavy chimes came from the "alarm bell" on the summit, their sound reverberating through the mountains.
As the bells rang, the group slowly ascended the high platform.
The leader was Qin Mu.
Today he changed into a black robe with twelve embroidered symbols, and wore a crown with twelve tassels. The pearl and jade curtains swayed slightly, covering most of his face, revealing only his well-defined jawline and his deep, unfathomable eyes.
The emperor's majesty was on full display at this moment.
Behind him followed three concubines.
Su Wanqing wore a scarlet palace dress with gold-threaded peonies embroidered on the skirt and a golden phoenix hairpin on her head, exuding a dignified demeanor.
Lu Wanning wore a pale yellow dress with a matching thin gauze shawl, and fresh jasmine flowers were pinned in her hair, making her look fresh and lovely.
And Jiang Qingxue...
She wore the same light green flowing dress she wore yesterday, with a moon-white gauze long gown over it. Her long hair was styled into a flying bun, adorned only with that jade hairpin.
The one Yu Longxiang gave me.
Her face was still pale, with faint dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating that she hadn't slept well the night before.
But she straightened her back, a perfectly timed smile on her face, playing the role of the newly appointed Snow Consort with both honor and reserve.
Only she knew that with every step she took, the sensation of the letter digging into her right ankle reminded her of the terror and humiliation of the previous night.
Everyone took their seats.
Qin Mu sat down in the main seat, with the three concubines sitting on either side.
Below the stage, thousands of eyes were focused on them.
There was awe, curiosity, envy, and... a hidden resentment.
Xu Longxiang sat in the Northern Wilderness camp, staring intently at the figure in water-green on the high platform.
His fists were clenched tightly, and he exuded an aura of suppressed ferocity.
The sounds he heard at Jinghongzhai last night echoed repeatedly in his mind like a nightmare.
He barely slept all night.
Seeing Jiang Qingxue's pale face and her forced smile, the anger and pain in his heart almost burst forth.
But he couldn't move.
He had to endure it.
Never lose your composure in public.
Xu Longxiang took a deep breath and forced himself to look away, focusing his gaze on the center of the platform.
There, the "Heavenly Sword Chair" was empty.
It is waiting for its new owner.
"The auspicious time has arrived—"
The officiating deacon loudly proclaimed "Greetings!"
"Please summon the new sect leader—Sword, come!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to the side of the stage.
A figure in cyan slowly walked out.
It's a sword.
Today, he is wearing a specially made sect leader's robe.
A moon-white robe trimmed with black piping, embroidered with the Sword Sect totem in gold thread, a white jade belt around the waist, and a green jade crown on the head.
This outfit made him look much more mature.
He walked to the center of the stage, stood in front of the "Heavenly Sword Chair," faced the crowd below, and bowed deeply.
Then he turned around, faced Qin Mu, knelt down, and kowtowed.
"Disciple Jianlai greets Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
His voice was loud, yet it trembled almost imperceptibly.
Qin Mu nodded slightly.
"Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Jianlai stood up and stood with his hands at his sides.
Qin Mu looked at the seven Supreme Elders.
They were also present today, sitting at the far side of the platform.
"deliver an imperial order."
"Here you are."
The elder in the middle slowly rose and walked to the front of the stage.
He held a bright yellow silk scroll in his hands.
That was the edict of succession of the Sword Sect Master, personally drafted by the Emperor of Qin, and stamped with the Imperial Seal of the State.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Sword Sect is a great sect in the martial arts world, with generations of loyal and virtuous members. The position of Sect Leader is currently vacant. After consultation with the elders of the Sword Sect, I hereby appoint Jian Lai as the new Sect Leader, to oversee all affairs of the Sword Sect. So be it!"
After the Supreme Elder finished reading, his voice suddenly rose.
"The new sect leader, Jianlai, receive the decree!"
Jianlai knelt down again, raising his hands high.
"Disciple's sword arrives to receive the decree! Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he took the rolled-up yellow silk book with both hands and stood up.
That scroll of imperial edict was a symbol of his identity and also a token between the Sword Sect and the Great Qin Dynasty—the "agreement between ruler and subject."
Jian Lai's eyes flickered slightly, and he took a deep breath.
From this moment on, he was the true sect master of the Sword Sect.
A patriarch personally appointed by the Emperor of Qin.
That sounds somewhat ironic.
But he knew that he deserved all of this.
He slowly walked to the "Heavenly Sword Chair" and sat down amidst the attention of the crowd.
"Disciples of the Sword Sect pay their respects to the Sect Master!"
"Greetings, Sect Master!"
Below the stage, thousands of Sword Sect disciples shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the valley.
Qin Mu nodded in satisfaction.
"Sword, from this day forward, you are the new sect leader of the Sword Sect. You must set an example and lead the Sword Sect to greatness. Do not disappoint my expectations."
"Disciple obeys the order!"
The enthronement ceremony continued.
Jian Lai sat on the "Heavenly Sword Chair," receiving the greetings of ten elders, the congratulations of various sects, and the homage of all the disciples of his sect...
Everything proceeded in an orderly, solemn, and dignified manner.
But it was clear to everyone that the new sect leader was somewhat timid, sitting on the chair that symbolized power as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
Especially under Qin Mu's gaze, he appeared even more uneasy.
This sect leader's position was not secure.
The enthronement ceremony is nearing its end.
Jian Lai sat on the "Heavenly Sword Chair," which symbolized the supreme authority of the Qinglan Sword Sect, his palms covered in cold sweat.
The thousands of gazes from below the stage felt like invisible needles, making him extremely uncomfortable.
He could clearly sense the complex emotions in those eyes.
There was awe, doubt, scrutiny, and above all, undisguised contempt.
A second-rank disciple, relying on His Majesty's unpredictable methods, defeated Li Wuhen, and was personally named and conferred a title by His Majesty, thus sitting on this chair that symbolizes status.
This is a joke in itself.
If His Majesty hadn't been sitting right there, and if the seven elders hadn't had to bow their heads, Jian Lai had no doubt that someone below the stage would have already rushed up and dragged him off his seat.
He secretly glanced up at Qin Mu.
His Majesty remained seated in the main seat, his black robes gleaming with a dark golden luster in the morning light. The twelve-tasseled beaded curtain swayed slightly, obscuring most of his face, making it impossible to discern his expression.
But that invisible pressure enveloped the entire Heavenly Sword Peak.
It was this oppressive aura that made everyone dare not speak out against their anger.
The sword's arrival calmed my nerves somewhat.
With His Majesty around, he is safe.
But His Majesty cannot stay in Qinglan Mountain forever.
Once His Majesty leaves...
Jian Lai dared not think any further.
Just then—
"Buzz—"
A deep, resonant sword cry came from the depths of Qinglan Mountain without warning.
The sound wasn't harsh, but it possessed a peculiar penetrating power, as if it resonated directly deep within everyone's soul.
The sound of the sword echoed with an indescribable Daoist charm, as vast as mountains and seas, as boundless as the sky and earth.
On the training ground, everyone carried their swords.
Whether it's hanging from the waist, carried on the back, or even hidden in a sheath.
At the same moment, they all began to tremble!
"Buzzing—"
A chorus of swords!
This bizarre scene stunned everyone.
"What's going on?!"
"My sword... is moving!"
"It's a resonance of sword intent! There's a peerless swordsman nearby!"
Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, a figure in cyan appeared out of thin air and landed on the high platform.
He was an old man with white hair and beard.
He was wearing a faded blue Taoist robe, the hem of which was even a little torn, and he looked so simple that he was almost shabby.
But as he stood there, he seemed to become the center of the entire Heavenly Sword Peak.
The morning light shone on him, seemingly distorted by some invisible force, forming a faint halo around him.
His face was gaunt, his wrinkles deep as ravines, but his eyes…
Those eyes were as clear as a baby's, yet as deep as an ancient well; between opening and closing, a faint glint of sword light seemed to flow within them.
What's most unsettling is the aura emanating from him.
It wasn't a deliberately released pressure, but rather a natural "Taoist charm".
He stood there, as if he had become one with the world.
The wind around him became gentle, the light around him became warm, and even the dust in the air automatically avoided him within three feet.
"This...this is..."
Below the stage, a veteran of the martial arts world gasped in shock:
"Xiao Tiannan! It's Sect Leader Xiao!"
"The old sect leader has emerged from seclusion?!"
"Impossible! Thirty years! How could he...?"
Exclamations of surprise swept across the entire training ground like a tidal wave.
The eighth sect master of Qinglan Sword Sect, a peak expert of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, a being who has one foot in the realm of terrestrial immortals.
Xiao Tiannan, after thirty years of seclusion, has emerged from seclusion today, at this very moment!