Immortal Road.

I tried all the other rankings.

It was discovered that only the Holy Lord of the Ten Thousand Years in the very center, who is the ancestor who leads the Holy Land to compete for the spiritual tide every ten thousand years, possesses the ancient charm.

The number varies; all the patriarchs combined have 70 points, but one patriarch in particular has none at all!
"Who is this?"

Lin Shan pointed to the very center of the 11th row, at the "Position of the Ancestor of Tianquan," and asked Qian Bu.

Qianbu actually knew!

"Oh, I've heard people in the Holy Land mention this. It's because he lost the battle for supremacy two Wanhui years ago, which caused the Ghost Valley Holy Land to fall from its peak. So the disciples in the sect hate him very much."

"It is said that at that time, the Ghost Valley Holy Land was on par with Penglai, Haoran, and Shangxiao Sword Sect as one of the top sects in this world. However, it lost most of its foundation and was kicked out of the strongest ranks."

"Alas, an ancient power with a history of 120,000 years has fallen to this state. Of course, if it hadn't fallen, I wouldn't have been able to infiltrate so easily."

Lin Shan nodded after hearing this, and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Even now, the Ghost Valley Holy Land is still in its declining state, yet it is already far stronger than a newly emerging holy land like the Tai Xuan Holy Land!

If it were the most prosperous Penglai Holy Land, how powerful would it be?
It seems the gap between holy sites is far greater than I imagined.

He couldn't help but feel a little worried. In the past, during the three waves of spiritual tides of Wan Hui Nian, Penglai was too busy to focus on its plans across the entire continent, which is why the Red Lotus Ancestor was allowed to run rampant in the Song Dynasty.

Now that the spiritual tide has subsided and they are free to act, can the ancestor really hold it off?

Could the massive attack by Penglai on the Luosong Alliance in the illusory world of mortal dust and starry sea be a real event that is about to happen?

It seems I need to move my plans forward as soon as possible.
Moreover, the ancestral tablets in the Ghost Valley Holy Land have yielded a batch of ancient charms, which has led him to discover a new track. He probably has ancestral tablets in other holy lands as well, especially those that are tens of thousands of years old!

Qianbu walked behind the ancestral tablet platform, touching it left and right, and found a key spot, which suddenly triggered a sound.

"Please place the Holy Lord's identity token."

Feeling a little awkward, Qianbu turned around and scratched his head sheepishly.

"Godfather, we wanted to open this, but who knew we needed the Holy Lord's Token."

Where is that thing?

Qianbu honestly answered that he didn't know.

"They must have been hidden away after the previous Holy Lord passed away, waiting for the next Holy Lord to succeed them."

"Do the Liang family chief and the others know about this?"

"Most likely knows."

Lin Shan stepped forward and took a look. The mechanism here was watertight, and it contained a hidden teleportation mechanism. It was estimated that the Tongtian Lingbao would only be teleported out from the spatial interlayer after the identity was confirmed.

This design is also intended to prevent outsiders from violently damaging it; it must be said that the Guigu Holy Land has considered things quite thoroughly.

"Well then, I'll give you something."

Lin Shan stood up, clapped his hands, and gave him a blue flame.

"This is?"

Qianbu held the fire in his hands and could feel its immense power!

"A sixth-order spiritual fire, comparable to a heaven-reaching spiritual treasure. I brought it with me on this trip. Although it is only a wisp of fire separated from the main fire, it is continuously supplied with star power from the star sea, making it comparable to a great divine power."

Lin Shan instructed him on how to refine it.

"Go back immediately and participate in the Holy Lord election with Master Liang and the others. No matter what happens in the end, just get the Holy Lord identity token and have this fire verify it, then come back as soon as possible!"

"Godfather, I don't understand what that means."

Qian Bu refined the sub-flame of the Myriad Manifestations Star Flame and immediately felt the intensity of the flame. He had never seen such a powerful spiritual flame before, and thus he became enamored with it and held Lin Shan in even greater awe.

"Don't you want to control the Ghost Valley Holy Land? Then how about we use a deception to pass off the real thing as the real thing? Then you'll have the Holy Lord's token in hand, and you'll have the moral high ground, so your father can help you openly and legitimately."

"what do you mean"

Qianbu seemed to understand something, looking thoughtfully at the blue flame in his hand.

"Report!"

A deacon stumbled in, panting heavily and stammering:
"Elder, Venerable Xunbing forced his way into the main hall! I... I couldn't stop him!"

Liang, the head of the Liang clan, was discussing matters with the other four when he suddenly heard a servant report. He frowned and was about to say something when a voice came from outside.

Qianbu walked in confidently.

"Gentlemen, what are you plotting? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Hmph, what we're discussing is none of your business! Who let you in!"

Liang, the clan leader, instinctively wanted to send them away, but Qian Bu had already walked in and sat down casually between them.

"I just went to the Ancestral Temple, but the gatekeeper stopped me from entering, saying that you gave the order. I want to ask who gave you the right to not let me, the dignified head of the Killing Intent lineage, into the ancestral hall!"

The group exchanged glances but remained silent.

Qianbu didn't take it to heart and continued speaking to himself:

"When I went in, I found that the Supreme Elder's soul lamp had gone out. You not only kept such a big thing from being announced, but you also secretly plotted here. What are you up to?"

This huge accusation was thrown at them first, and an ordinary person might panic, but the people present were all shrewd old foxes, and they calmly explained.

“Venerable Xunbing, you are overthinking it. The Supreme Elder suddenly passed away, and we kept it a secret in order to avoid causing internal turmoil in the Holy Land and attracting the covetousness of external enemies.”

"As for the order issued by the Ancestral Master's Temple, it is not directed at you, but at everyone, to ensure that the news does not leak out."

“That guard is inflexible and even turned you away. He is really stupid. If you had told us, we would have definitely allowed you to go in and take a look.”

"Now that we know about this, we might as well tell you that we are discussing what to do next, and you can also give us your opinions."

After these words were spoken, even Qian Bu couldn't take the opportunity to cause trouble. He could only listen to them obediently and see what kind of trouble they could cause.

The subsequent discussions among these individuals were indeed all normal.

For example, reducing troop deployments from other areas, closing off mountains and gates, refusing visits, and blocking channels, etc.

First and foremost, it must not be spread outside, nor should the subordinates know about it.

We should try to stall for as long as possible.

Most importantly, we need to cultivate another primordial spirit to keep things in order!

Breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage is quite difficult on one's own; the success rate is higher if one integrates the resources of the Holy Land. Therefore, selecting a prospective Holy Lord is the most urgent task.

The reason it is called the Preparatory Holy Lord is because of the tradition of the Ghost Valley Holy Land that only those in the Primordial Spirit stage can become Holy Lords and Supreme Elders.

Now that there's no leader, in order to elect one, they can only act expediently for the time being. As for the candidates for the Holy Master, all five of them actually have their own ideas.
After all, the chance to ascend to the primordial spirit in one step can double one's lifespan; who wouldn't want to strive for that?
Therefore, they all wanted to compete for the position of Holy Lord, especially the three old guys who had just come out of seclusion. Precisely because they had not been able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage after so long of seclusion, they were even more eager to monopolize the resources of the Holy Land.

Qian Bu thought to himself, "So that's how it is. No wonder the conspiracy has been going on for so long. It turns out that everyone wants to get a piece of the spoils because of the unequal distribution of the loot!"
Since that's the case...
He couldn't help but speak up, taking the initiative to sow discord among these people!

"Regarding the position of Holy Lord, I actually have some immature thoughts, which I'd like to share at this crucial juncture."

"First of all, I believe that the Holy Lord must be a person of high moral character and prestige, with enough seniority to command respect, strong enough strength, and most importantly, someone who is close enough to the Nascent Soul stage and has the potential to break through to the Nascent Soul stage."

"Otherwise, if I were to consume all the resources that I had painstakingly accumulated in the Holy Land's spiritual tide, and still fail to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, wouldn't I become a sinner for the Holy Land for all eternity?"

Upon hearing this, all five people on the other side were stunned.

He is highly respected, has extensive experience, commands respect, possesses considerable strength, and is closest to the Nascent Soul stage.
None of these requirements seem to apply to you, right?
"Most importantly, I think one must have a sense of responsibility, be able to take on responsibilities, and be able to turn the tide and save the building from collapse in times of crisis. Only then can one be worthy of being the Holy Lord of my Ghost Valley Holy Land!"

Qianbu stood up without hesitation, his eyes blazing, startling all five of them!
"Therefore, whoever is willing to investigate the murderer of the Supreme Elder and take steps to avenge him in the future, I, Qianbu, will support them!"

"."

After he finished speaking, the five of them fell silent, a rare occurrence.

They discussed it for a long time and issued many measures, but none of them were to investigate the cause of the Supreme Elder's death.

Why?

Because I dare not.

Even a powerful elder like the Supreme Elder had his main body destroyed. If it were them, wouldn't they just be easy prey?
This kind of dangerous work is for anyone who wants to do it; they won't do it.

This is an unspoken secret.

But Qian Bu's revelation instantly disrupted their plans, leaving them momentarily at a loss as to how to compete for the position of Holy Lord.

He doesn't even have the responsibility and commitment to investigate for the Supreme Elder. How can someone so selfish be a Holy Lord?
After an eerie silence, a crooked-mouthed old man suddenly stepped forward:
"The Supreme Elder devoted himself to the Holy Land and has now died under mysterious circumstances. This matter certainly needs to be investigated thoroughly. I am willing to send my disciples to investigate and follow up on this matter. If anything is found, we will pursue it to the ends of the earth!"

"??!"

The others looked over. The speaker was Venerable Tanmu, the most senior and oldest among them.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly changed his mind and agreed to file a case for Lord Yanxi!
Qianbu was overjoyed and stepped forward to bow deeply!
“If Venerable Tanmu is willing to take responsibility for the matter of the Supreme Elder, I am willing to vote for you as the Lord of the Holy Land.”

Venerable Tanmu also bowed, then helped him up with both hands and thanked him repeatedly.

"I already know Venerable Xunbing's intentions. The matter of the Supreme Elder's fall cannot be left unresolved. We must find the culprit and punish him severely to demonstrate the might of our Holy Land!"

The others were surprised to see that Venerable Tanmu had inexplicably gained an extra vote.

Everyone felt a sense of crisis and quickly followed suit.

"This matter concerning the Supreme Elder cannot be left unresolved; the murderer must be severely punished!"

"Indeed, how can our Ghost Valley Holy Land, an ancient power with a history of over 100,000 years, swallow its pride and suffer in silence?"

"In my opinion, the motive behind this matter is either the Xun Gu Sect or the Chunqiu Sword Sect!"

"Indeed, the leader of the Xun Gu Sect killed Uncle Duan Tong and then framed the Supreme Elder. His motive is beyond doubt! The Spring and Autumn Sword Sect is all smiles and hides daggers, hypocritical and righteous. No one knows what they are really thinking!"

Qian Bu was overjoyed and quickly thanked everyone again, expressing that the Supreme Elder had been kind to him and that he was willing to help nominate the Holy Lord as long as anyone was willing to investigate the matter thoroughly and avenge the Supreme Elder.

Well, now everyone has received help.

They were originally united in isolating Qianbu, but their consensus was shattered in no time.

In order to win this crucial vote, Venerable Tanmu even offered conditions to win him over, since he had no grudge against Qianbu and had never even crossed paths with him before.

“If Venerable Xunbing is willing to support my ascension to the throne, then I will give you special treatment in the Killing Intent Stream afterwards. After all, after Venerable Weiwu died in the State of Lu, the reorganization of the new lineage was quite difficult, and it was precisely the time when the Holy Land needed to provide strong support.”

"Oh? Then thank you, Venerable Tanmu."

Seeing that Qian Bu was showing signs of being tempted, the other two old men, Dou Jun Venerable and Yu Yin Venerable, also stepped forward and made tempting promises to Qian Bu.

The Liang Clan Master and the Binghun Clan Master looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

They had originally excluded Qian Bu, intending to deal with the kid properly after they came to power.

But who would have thought that this kid would play by his own rules, directly dividing up the strategy and taking away the three most important people!

After a series of negotiations, Venerable Tanmu not only gained Qianbu's support, but also successfully persuaded the other two old men to give up and support him instead.

Finally, with four votes to two, they won against Master Liang with an absolute advantage.

"Hehehe, young friend, please rest assured, since I have promised you, I will never go back on my word."

"It doesn't matter."

Having no other choice, the Liang lineage leader had to accept reality and join the Binghun lineage leader in venerating the new Holy Lord.

In urgent matters, expediency is necessary. The matter concerning the Holy Lord must be decided as soon as possible; otherwise, prolonged delays will be detrimental to the overall situation.

After the Holy Lord was appointed, the next step was for the Holy Lord's identity token to be recognized as the owner.

Qian Bu stared intently, and when he saw them take out an antique-looking camphor wood token from somewhere, he immediately realized that this was the Holy Lord's token.

Venerable Tanmu accepted it readily. After refining it slightly, he immediately discussed how to inform the entire Holy Land, as well as the Holy Lord's coronation ceremony, and so on.

"Fellow Daoist, may I borrow this identity token for a look?"

Qianbu asked the question cautiously, but to his surprise, the other party generously gave him the answer.

After all, it had already been refined inside, and he knew there was no point in taking it away.

This is a symbol of the Holy Sovereign's power!

However, his real intention was not the wine; he simply wanted to record up close how the Myriad Manifestations Star Flame extracted the essence of this object.

After the extraction was mostly complete, he couldn't wait to say goodbye.

He said that he was very busy lately and didn't have time to stay here for long, and the others agreed to let him leave, since the matter had already been settled.

Qianbu returned the token and then quietly re-entered the Ancestral Temple, where Linshan had been waiting for a long time.

"So, did you succeed?"

"Fortunately, I live up to my fate!"

Qian Bu summoned the Myriad Manifestations Star Flame, and suddenly felt it begin to wriggle. In just a tenth of a breath, the flame transformed into a new "Holy Lord Token"!
"This this."

Qianbu panicked and hurriedly looked at it from left to right. It seemed to be exactly the same, even the internal structure was identical.

"Alright, what are we waiting for? Let's lower the mechanism down and see if any powerful magical treasures emerge." (End of Chapter)