If It Doesn’t Work, Come Be the Supreme Elder Here

At Yunmeng Marsh, the bright moon hung high, with a dense sea of stars overhead.

Cui Hao crouched halfway to the ground, casually holding a branch he had no idea where he had snapped off and idly scratching irregular lines into the dirt.

In the moonlight, Zheng Zhaoling stood with her hands behind her back, chin raised as she gazed at the flawless, radiant moon in the sky.

“You called me out here just so I could listen to you scribble nonsense on the ground?”

“No... I’m just thinking of how to phrase things.”

“Thinking of how to phrase things?”

“Yeah. I feel like there’s a good chance you’ll hit me if I say exactly what I want to say, so I need to think of a way to put it that won’t get me beaten.”

At that, Zheng Zhaoling let out a laugh. Whether she was irritated by his words or genuinely amused, no one could say. She turned around and looked at Cui Hao with an expressionless face.

“What you just said is already asking to be beaten.”

Cui Hao let out a long, mournful sigh.

Naturally, Zheng Zhaoling’s words in the council hall that afternoon had been utterly earth-shattering.

When people of different standing spoke, the results were naturally worlds apart.

The Yunmeng Pavilion Leader had only just tried to sow discord between him and the God of Yunze. In the very next moment, Zheng Zhaoling had transformed that provocation into a question of what should and should not be done.

The meeting in the council hall had ended on a distinctly unpleasant note.

The Yunmeng Pavilion Leader had not refuted Zheng Zhaoling’s words. Instead, she had merely said, meaningfully, that the matter still required discussion before leaving with the elders and grand elders of Yunmeng Pavilion.

Based on Cui Hao’s observations, Zheng Zhaoling did not receive the treatment of a core disciple in Yunmeng Pavilion at all. In many matters, her status as a core disciple had instead become a restraint.

After thinking for a moment, Cui Hao said, “You knew full well that I made so many preparations to keep you out of this matter. Now, forget staying out of it—you’re going to be scolded when you go back.”

Zheng Zhaoling raised her hand slightly and used spiritual power to snatch the branch from Cui Hao’s hand. She then pointed it at his forehead like a sword.

“I’ve already told you. As a prodigy, you must also learn to do what you want to do.”

“How could I possibly let you be the only one to show off? I’m not the sort of person who’s willing to stand behind anyone else.”

“As for being scolded, you’re underestimating me. I can give up my position as a core disciple, but my sect cannot afford to lose face by expelling me. When that time comes, we’ll see who ends up begging whom.”

Cui Hao stared at Zheng Zhaoling in shock.

“Really? You’re bluffing, aren’t you?”

Zheng Zhaoling withdrew the branch and said calmly, “Yes. I’m bluffing.”

“Huh? You really are bluffing?”

Zheng Zhaoling thrust the branch forward again, pressing its tip directly against Cui Hao’s forehead. Her control over the force was impeccable.

“They’re all elders of my sect. I’m not ignorant of the need to respect my teachers and elders. If they lower their heads and pass along a request, that will be enough. How could I really make them beg me?”

Cui Hao reached out and knocked the branch away from his forehead. Raising his gaze, he asked with an irritatingly smug expression, “Which is it, then? Last time I asked around, and after you returned from Yunmeng Marsh, you were immediately confined. How come you’re suddenly so bold this time?”

Zheng Zhaoling kicked him without warning, her expression turning displeased.

“Are you sick? Why did you go asking about that?”

Cui Hao stood up and naturally dusted off his backside.

“Because I was curious, of course. By the way, who have you been learning to talk from lately? Why have you become so annoying?”

Zheng Zhaoling gave a soft snort, clearly displeased.

“Anyone who talks as annoyingly as you do must have something wrong with his head. Naturally, I learned it from an idiot.”

At the mention of “Cui Idiot,” Cui Hao merely chuckled twice. Then his tone became somewhat more serious.

“Later, go apologize to your Pavilion Leader. If we manage to deal with the Evil Spirit Cult, then the matter will be considered settled. As for the Incense Fire Deity, that was only an added bonus. Whether we succeed or not, it doesn’t matter much. Besides, my master won’t beat me.”

Zheng Zhaoling lightly twirled the branch in her hand. After a brief silence, she said, “Actually, aside from the fact that I genuinely wanted to do this, there were other reasons as well. I don’t know why the Pavilion Leader deliberately refused, but I do understand that if today’s matter ends in such a confused and careless manner, then Yunmeng Pavilion will grow distant from your master in the future. The trust of the human race will naturally grow distant as well.”

“I don’t understand the reasons behind it. As the Pavilion Leader, she may have her own considerations. Or perhaps another immortal sect sent her some message.”

“With the great calamity looming over us, our human ancestors were only barely able to survive it by joining hands and moving forward together. If everyone now harbors their own schemes, it is ultimately impossible for anyone to feel at ease.”

“As a core disciple, I also wanted to use this opportunity to tell the Pavilion Leader what choice I will make in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Cui Hao fell silent as well. He lifted his gaze and looked at Zheng Zhaoling’s calm face.

Sensing his eyes upon her, Zheng Zhaoling raised her hand and tossed the branch onto the stone slab in front of Cui Hao. Spiritual power surged faintly, and the branch sank directly into the stone.

“If you have nothing to say, then I’ll take my leave.”

“All right.” Cui Hao scratched his head.

Zheng Zhaoling turned around and left without another word.

She had only taken a few steps when Cui Hao’s voice came from behind her.

“If Fellow Daoist Zheng can’t get by in Yunmeng Pavilion anymore, I’ll vouch for you. Come to my sect. The benefits will be absolutely incredible. You can even become a grand elder. I’m sure I can persuade my master.”

Moonlight shone over Zheng Zhaoling’s pale-blue martial attire and carried her crisp reply with it.

“Get lost!”

Cui Hao watched until Zheng Zhaoling’s back had disappeared completely, then let out another long sigh.

No wonder his master had such a close relationship with Xu Jin and Daoist Yuyang.

Sure enough, among core disciples of this level, even their minimum level of personal charm was that of a top-tier seductress.

When you met someone who shared your ideals, you simply couldn’t bring yourself to hate or betray them.

In the end, the matters here had been handled in a rather bizarre and muddled fashion.

Everything had clearly been planned so well. How had things gone wrong at the critical moment?

And how had Yunmeng Pavilion captured the Black Crow Bishop, who was known as the “Runaway Crow,” so quickly?

Cui Hao felt there had to be some involvement from his master. At the very least, his master must have been the one to leak the information to the Yunmeng Pavilion Leader.

Yunmeng Pavilion had also arrived far too quickly, as though they had already been mobilized in advance. The timing had been almost unnervingly precise...

Truly, the world was full of unpredictable turns...

Cui Hao sighed once more, then turned around. The instant he did, he sucked in a sharp breath.

The Yunmeng Pavilion Leader was sitting at a nearby table, seemingly scrutinizing him with a rather unfriendly gaze.

Cui Hao put on a standard smile, his voice carrying a hint of guilt.

“P-Predecessor, did you also come out to admire the moon?”

Cui Hao was certain that the words about poaching someone from her sect had definitely been heard by the Yunmeng Pavilion Leader, who he had no idea when had arrived.

If she used that as an excuse to give him a beating, he would not have much ground to protest.

The corners of the Yunmeng Pavilion Leader’s lips curled into a faint smile.

“Admiring the moon is nowhere near as interesting as admiring you. Southern Jambudvipa, the Cui Clan of the Hehuan River, Cui Hao, Cui Puyu.”

Cui Hao raised his eyebrows slightly.

“You even took the trouble to look into me?”

The Yunmeng Pavilion Leader gave a cold laugh, the pressure in her gaze overwhelming.

“Of course. After all, I have to guard against you taking advantage of the situation and abducting a core disciple of Yunmeng Pavilion to serve as some grand elder of yours.”