Happiness Comes Too Suddenly

"What?!"

"These demon corpses aren't for Senior Brother Fu?"

"Did you hear that too? How could Elder Wei say such a thing?"

"Something feels off!"

...

The surroundings erupted in murmurs.

Fu Haotian froze in shock, forcing a cold smile as he turned back.

"Elder Wei, what do you mean by this? At such a critical moment, this is no time for jokes!"

Wei Zhenfang ignored him completely.

Not only did he refuse to respond, but he didn’t even spare Fu Haotian a glance.

With his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze was fixed on the presiding elder—Fu Haotian was beneath his notice, and his words were no jest.

Instantly, Fu Haotian’s expression darkened.

The presiding elder was equally baffled.

"Elder Wei, this competition determines the next chief disciple. Such matters are not to be taken lightly. If these thousand demon corpses aren’t for Fu Haotian, then who are they for?"

All eyes widened in shock, tension thickening the air.

Not only were the disciples stunned, but even Nanli Qingming, the master of the celestial palace, and the distinguished guests on the platform—who had remained silent until now—turned their curious gazes toward Wei Zhenfang.

Wei Zhenfang had become the center of attention.

His words alone could decide the fate of the chief disciple, and by extension, the future ruler of the celestial palace. The weight of his declaration was immense.

What had seemed like a foregone conclusion suddenly became shrouded in uncertainty. Wei Zhenfang had seized the spotlight, leaving everyone on edge.

Under the collective scrutiny, his voice only grew firmer.

"I am not joking. These thousand demon corpses are not for Fu Haotian!"

His confirmation, though softly spoken, struck like thunder.

Tens of thousands gasped in disbelief, the shockwave of his words rippling through the crowd.

"Impossible!"

"How can this be?!"

"They’re really not for Senior Brother Fu?"

"What in the world is happening?!"

Amid the uproar, Wei Zhenfang slowly turned, a serene smile on his face. With a flourish of his sleeves, he bowed respectfully toward Zhong Limeng.

"These thousand demon corpses naturally belong to Lady Zhongli!"

His words and gesture left the entire assembly dumbstruck.

Belong to Zhong Limeng?

Even hearing it firsthand, no one could believe their ears. It felt like a dream.

Under countless stunned gazes, Wei Zhenfang remained composed.

His demeanor was courteous and refined, a stark contrast to his indifference toward Fu Haotian. The honorifics and the gift of demon corpses only deepened the shock.

"Wait… they’re for Senior Sister Zhongli?!"

"Holy shit! Wasn’t Elder Wei supposed to be supporting Senior Brother Fu? How did he suddenly switch sides?"

"There’s definitely something fishy going on!"

"Who would’ve thought a master like Elder Wei would pull such a sneaky move!"

"This is earth-shattering! I can’t believe it!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, this is getting interesting."

The uproar intensified, the crowd’s astonishment boiling over.

The tide of opinion, which had once favored Fu Haotian, began to shift dramatically.

Even Zhong Limeng herself was stunned.

She stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened, as if witnessing a miracle.

When Wei Zhenfang bowed to her, she flustered.

"Elder Wei, please rise! Such a gesture is too much for someone like me."

Wei Zhenfang stroked his beard, smiling warmly.

"Lady Zhongli, you humble yourself too much. I hope this humble gift meets your satisfaction?"

Zhong Limeng nodded blankly, still half in disbelief.

"More than satisfied! Elder Wei’s generosity will never be forgotten!"

Hearing this, Wei Zhenfang finally allowed himself a satisfied nod.

"Think nothing of it. I merely offered a small contribution—hardly worthy of praise."

Though his words were modest, inwardly, Wei Zhenfang was overjoyed.

Perfect…

With Zhong Limeng’s gratitude secured, these thousand demon corpses were worth every bit of their price.

Wei Zhenfang had climbed to the rank of guest elder through shrewdness and foresight. He had always intended to gift the demon corpses, but he knew the manner of giving mattered just as much as the gift itself.

A private offering would earn gratitude, but its impact would fade over time. Zhong Limeng might even forget it someday.

But by presenting them at her moment of greatest need, the gesture carried far more weight.

Adding flowers to a brocade was nice, but delivering coal in winter was priceless.

Zhong Limeng’s stunned delight was proof enough.

Seeing everything unfold as planned, Wei Zhenfang couldn’t suppress a triumphant grin.

"Hahaha! Lady Zhongli, there’s no need for such formalities. My assistance was given freely, without expectation of reward!"

"With your talent and virtue, the chief disciple position is rightfully yours!"

Under the guise of modesty, Wei Zhenfang deftly delivered a string of flattery.

He subtly emphasized his own contribution while elevating Zhong Limeng’s prestige, all but declaring her victory in the chief disciple competition.

Their exchange left the onlookers dumbfounded.

The layered implications of his words sent another wave of gasps through the crowd.

"Who could’ve predicted things would turn out like this?!"

"Damn! I was too naive—Senior Sister Zhongli had this in the bag all along!"

"I always said she’d be the next chief disciple!"

"Pfft! You liar!"

"Chief disciple belongs to Senior Sister Zhongli!"

"She’s the rightful heir!"

"Rightful heir!"

Cheers erupted, with half the disciples now rallying behind Zhong Limeng.

In mere moments, the balance of power had flipped entirely.

The distinguished guests on the platform finally showed signs of surprise, and the atmosphere of the chief disciple ceremony reached a fever pitch.

Amid the roaring crowd, Fu Haotian’s face flushed crimson with rage.

The spotlight that should have been his had been snatched away, leaving him ignored and humiliated. The injustice of it all burned in his chest.

This glory was rightfully his!

And it was all because of that traitorous old dog, Wei Zhenfang.

To win his favor, Fu Haotian had even gifted him two heaven-tier pills. What a waste! If he’d known this would happen, he should’ve let the bastard die on Shuihan Star!

The more Fu Haotian thought about it, the angrier he became, his face twisting with fury.

Meanwhile, Wei Zhenfang wore a smile of warmth—one Fu Haotian had never received—and the sight of it made his blood boil. Even the mere glimpse of that expression sent tremors of rage through his body.

He couldn’t tolerate this betrayal. Striding forward, he roared in outrage.

"You old bastard! You dare betray me?!"

"I treated you well, even showed you respect recently! And this is how you repay me? A two-faced snake like you has no place as an elder of our celestial palace!"

"Mark my words—I won’t forget this!"

His furious bellow echoed across the training grounds.

The disciples stiffened, their expressions tightening with unease.

Fu Haotian’s face was contorted with fury, his usual elegance gone. Veins bulged on his forehead, his entire demeanor one of uncontrolled wrath.

The sight was almost pitiable.

But given Fu Haotian’s status, the disciples dared not mock him openly. Fear kept their mouths shut, their gazes wary.

Only Wei Zhenfang remained unshaken, turning back with a cold smirk.

"Hmph. What are you, that I should care about you?"

"Spouting such arrogant nonsense here—take a look at yourself! How dare you compete with Miss Zhong Limeng and spew such insolence? Whether you remember today’s events or not, it makes no difference to me!"

"Offering a mere two pills as charity and thinking yourself superior—you have no sense of your own insignificance!"

Fu Haotian’s face twisted between livid fury and humiliation, while the crowd stood stunned by such brazen words.

Elder Wei Zhenfang was far too domineering…

Though his cultivation had advanced greatly, his words bordered on reckless audacity.

Fu Haotian’s status was extraordinary—even the sect master had never reprimanded him so harshly. Yet Elder Wei dared to openly rebuke him during the Chief Disciple Ceremony?

This was courting disaster—one misstep could lead to annihilation!

Just what gave Elder Wei such confidence?

Tens of thousands of disciples stood frozen in shock, while the presiding elder and Zhong Limeng were equally dumbfounded, left speechless as the scene fell into abrupt silence.

Upon the jade platform, the distinguished guests exchanged uneasy glances, many furrowing their brows as if sensing something amiss.

Even Palace Master Nanli Qingming’s eyes flickered with contemplation.

Amid the suffocating tension, Wei Zhenfang only grew more composed, his bow to Zhong Limeng even more natural.

"Miss Zhong, please understand—this old man was once deceived by Fu Haotian’s hypocrisy and thus lent him aid. Now, having seen the truth, I deeply regret my actions and pledge my full support for your ascension as Chief Disciple."

"I beg your forgiveness for my past misjudgment!"

Another respectful bow?!

The crowd’s minds reeled in disbelief.

The deference in his tone and the humility of his words struck like a hammer against their hearts. No matter their status, every witness was left utterly bewildered by the scene.

Was this the same Elder Wei who had been so unyielding moments ago?

How had he shifted to such reverence toward Senior Sister Zhong in an instant? His demeanor now bordered on fawning—the contrast couldn’t be more glaring.

Did Zhong Limeng truly carry such weight?

Many trembled as they watched, their minds racing with speculation.

Yet under the weight of countless gazes, Zhong Limeng only grew more flustered and lost.

Mere moments ago, she had been on the verge of defeat, teetering on the edge of disgrace. Now, Elder Wei had forcefully intervened, propelling her toward the position of Chief Disciple.

This turn of fortune was too sudden—even in her wildest dreams, she couldn’t have imagined it.

Zhong Limeng couldn’t process what was happening, nor could she fathom the reason behind it.

Faced with Wei Zhenfang’s repeated bows, she could only return the gesture in nervous haste.

"This… Elder Wei, you honor me far too much. This junior dares not accept such courtesy."

The bizarre spectacle left the honored guests deep in thought.

Today’s Chief Disciple Ceremony had defied all expectations.

Nanli Qingming seemed to grasp something unspoken, his gaze toward Zhong Limeng shifting subtly.

Just as he prepared to announce the final decision—

A deafening silence gripped the martial arena, broken only by Fu Haotian’s enraged roar.

"Wei Zhenfang! Zhong Limeng!"

"How dare you humiliate me again and again?! If you insist on this insolence, then prepare yourselves for my wrath!"

The disciples bowed their heads in terror, not daring to utter a word.

His furious cries echoed across the entire Cangyun Immortal Palace.

At the mist-shrouded summit of the sacred peak—

The tranquility of the violet bamboo forest was shattered as an aged figure slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of displeasure within their depths.

"Qing’er."

The low summons reached the young maidservant waiting outside the bamboo hut.

"Supreme Elder."

Fu Daohai flicked his sleeve, sending a streak of light toward her.

Qing’er raised her hands in reverence, catching the glow—revealing an ancient ring.

A hoarse yet imperious voice resonated, carrying the weight of absolute authority.

"Deliver this ring to Haotian."

"Our Cangyun Immortal Palace has endured for millennia. Only one blessed by great destiny may lead it. A talentless, ignorant girl dares covet the throne of the celestial court? She lacks even the most basic self-awareness."

"Once you hand this over, Nanli Qingming will understand. He wouldn’t dare defy my will."

Though Fu Daohai had secluded himself for thousands of years, his voice still carried the terrifying essence of the Dao, his presence as formidable as ever.

A single word stirred the winds and clouds, as if a storm loomed on the horizon.

Had any other elder been present, they wouldn’t have dared breathe too loudly.

Qing’er bowed deeply, cradling the ring with utmost reverence.

"As the Supreme Elder commands."