Immortal Road.

Chi Hong's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately sensed something was wrong!

Why am I being dragged into this again?
Faced with the sudden questioning from Fairy Qinglian, he dared not refuse to answer and could only recount the events of that day.

"Your Majesty, the matter is actually like this: On the day I led my men to contain the Haoran Holy Land, the Haoran Holy Lord made his pre-battle routine attempt to persuade us to surrender. We didn't take it seriously at first and just chatted with him about this and that. But unexpectedly, he suddenly brought up the matter of ascension."

"I don't know if it's true or not. What he said at the time seemed to be that there was an institution in the Golden Palace called the Celestial Monitoring Platform. The Celestial Monitoring Platform had so-called immortal artifacts that could monitor all the heavens. Any cultivator who smuggled themselves beyond the limit would not be able to escape the law. Only those with fewer people than the Ascension Platform could escape, and it seemed to be limited to four?"

"Not only did Lin, the leader, and I hear these words, but everyone present at the time heard them, and it will probably spread throughout the world very soon."

"That's why, after returning, all the fellow cultivators asked the Holy Maiden for an explanation for this matter. The Holy Maiden couldn't withstand the pressure and asked you to come out."

His statement simply presented the objective facts without embellishment, and everyone nodded slightly, turning their gaze to the Azure Lotus Fairy.

"Oh? Then let me ask you, is it true that Youmeiji said that the leader of the Xun Gu Sect was spreading rumors and deliberately making a fuss about this to undermine the unity of our camp?"

"Uh"

Chi Hong was immediately covered in cold sweat, his palms and back were soaked!

Having struggled his way up to where he is now, how could he not understand the intentions of the Azure Lotus Fairy?
Faced with a series of questions, instead of clarifying the ascension, they kept harping on Lin Shan's past, clearly looking for an excuse to make an example of him!
There's a nuance to this; the order in which you do it makes a world of difference:
If the issue of ascension is explained to the people below first, and then the reckoning begins, Fairy Qinglian will be put on the defensive and her prestige will be damaged; but if she makes an example of someone first, and then slowly comes out to explain.

This would severely intimidate others, demonstrating the unpredictability of divine might and the unfathomable nature of the holy countenance.

This is the art of managing subordinates!

Clearly, the two immortals from the outer void were locked in a standoff, neither able to extricate themselves. Therefore, seeing that You Meiji couldn't control the seasoned veterans on the field, Qinglian Fairy was worried that it would cause a continuous disturbance, so she had to clear a path for You Meiji.

The fact that Lin Shan came into view twice meant that he was an obstacle for You Meiji and a troublemaker who was resisting on the field. As the World Honored One, she had to remove the obstacle and suppress the spirit of these people!
Chi Hong's answer was particularly crucial.

If he simply says that the leader of the Xun Gu Sect took the lead and agrees with Qinglian Fairy's words, then Linshan will immediately be suppressed, which is exactly what Qinglian Fairy wants.

However, if one does not understand the subtext of this sentence and chooses to defend Lin Shan, it would be equivalent to interrupting the rhythm of Qinglian Fairy's establishment of authority, making her act without a legitimate reason, and unable to take the opportunity to cause trouble. Instead, she would be wrongly blaming her ally!

Although the intricacies were subtle, many people on the field noticed them, and their eyes were fixed intently on Chi Hong.

To answer or not to answer!

Chi Hong was drenched in sweat. He could clearly sense that there were two brewing auras in front of him and behind him, which were poised to erupt and cause the world to collapse once they were unleashed.

Is the first large-scale internal strife within the Black Lotus Cult about to begin with me as the catalyst?
But why make things difficult for me?

After much difficult and careful consideration, to everyone's surprise, Chi Hong made the choice.
"Reporting to the World Honored One, what the Holy Maiden said is inaccurate. After returning, Sect Leader Lin waited quietly without instigating or spreading rumors. As everyone knows, the Holy Maiden was imprisoned by Sect Leader Lin for decades, and the two have a deep-seated grudge. That's why she deliberately framed him. Such infighting at the face of a great enemy is destroying the foundation of our Black Lotus Sect!"

As he spoke, the man suddenly burst into tears, his face streaked with sobs, and knelt down with a thud.

"I was promoted by the World-Honored One himself, and I cannot bear to see internal divisions and disloyalty. Therefore, I have told you everything truthfully, and I hope the World-Honored One will understand."

Well, this guy is blatantly using this opportunity, under the guise of showing loyalty, to betray Youmeiji!
Youmei was so angry she almost blew smoke from her seven orifices!

"Chi Hong, what nonsense are you spouting? What kind of bewitching potion did the Ancient Seeking Cult Leader give you to speak up for him like this?"

Many people were unaware of this past event. Upon hearing that You Meiji had been imprisoned by the Xun Gu Sect Leader for decades, they suddenly realized, "So that's how it is!"

This is indeed a deep-seated hatred, no wonder Youmeiji has been targeting them repeatedly after taking power, this explains it.

However, this secret inadvertently damaged Youmeiji's reputation!
How can a leader who was imprisoned by his subordinates and constantly seeks revenge after coming to power be so petty and inconsiderate of the big picture, and thus lose the support of the people?
Chi Hong's outburst was truly astounding!

The key point is that this kid was still crying and sobbing there, putting on an act of being loyal to Fairy Qinglian and unable to bear the infighting within the Black Lotus Sect.

It makes it impossible for anyone to find fault with it.

The Azure Lotus Fairy's plan failed; the arrow was already on the string when this boy interrupted her, and she couldn't help but lock her gaze over.

"I only asked you about the matter of finding the Ancient Master. Why did you bring up You Meiji?"

"I was simply stating the facts, outlining the sequence of events and the cause and effect."

Chi Hong tensed up and stammered. Fortunately, Lin Shan stepped forward slightly beside him, shielding him from some of the pressure. He turned around and gave an appreciative look, then laughed loudly.

"Hahaha, does Fairy Qinglian not want to hear the truth? Does she only listen to You Meiji's flattery and ignore honest advice? Then let You Meiji name names and deal with whoever she wants. Why bother with all this beating around the bush!"

"Sect Leader Lin, I was questioning the sect's protectors. What are you doing getting involved? Could it be that you're colluding with Chi Hong?"

"Yes! I just saved Chi Hong's life on the front lines. He spoke up for me, so shouldn't he?"

Lin Shan was resolute and refused to back down an inch; he was determined to be the troublemaker today.

If Fairy Qinglian wants to favor Youmeiji, then he'll make sure Fairy Qinglian loses face!
This was not only to gain the initiative, but also to consider their own safety. The two immortals were currently facing off in the heavens and could not spare the time to take care of the mortal realm.

The only thing protecting You Meiji here is a mere wisp of Yuan Nian. He doesn't believe it can suppress his avatar!

Facing this challenge today is not only about breaking free from shackles, but also about fighting for our rights.

Face is something you give yourself, not something you can rely on others to bestow. With You Meiji's despicable character, how can the Black Lotus Cult possibly stand up to the major holy lands?
To be honest, he's not very optimistic about this place anymore.

The Azure Lotus Fairy was speechless for a moment. Although she did not speak, a silent storm was quietly brewing.

Chi Hong disrupted Li Wei's rhythm and turned against him at the last minute, which was puzzling.

With his intelligence, it's impossible that he couldn't have seen the situation just now. If he had been sensible and gone with the flow, keeping the momentum firmly in his own hands, the leader of the Xun Gu Cult wouldn't have had a chance to speak at all!

But now, all the blame is being directed at Youmeiji. The essence of the incident has changed from instigation and incitement to settling personal scores, which has damaged her own prestige.

In the past, the strong would not bother with reasoning; they would simply suppress everyone without hesitation!
But today is different from the past. With so many allies watching helplessly as the Celestial Envoy's army presses in from the outside, if she continues to show favoritism regardless of everything, it will inevitably cause her own camp to become disloyal, and her great cause will be ruined in an instant.

Therefore, establishing authority must continue, but the target must be changed.
"Bang!!!"

Suddenly, a loud bang startled everyone.

A huge, human-shaped crater suddenly appeared, leading straight to the foot of the mountain and striking the Blackwater Cliff. Wisps of smoke rose from the crater, and cracks spread out in all directions.

The Ghostly Maiden, disheveled and trembling, crawled out of the pit, looking utterly wretched. She looked up in disbelief and shouted:
"Venerable One, why?"

"Shut up!"

The Azure Lotus Fairy's gaze was icy, directly interrupting her question, and instead staring intently at Lin Shan. "I gave you power to lead troops to victory over the various holy lands, not to abuse your power for personal gain or seek internal strife. You have disappointed me greatly."

Lin Shan made no attempt to hide anything, simply enjoying the spectacle quietly, while Chi Hong unknowingly hid behind him.

Youmeiji looked incredulous, but seemed to quickly understand something. A hint of resentment flashed in her eyes as she gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger.

"World Honored One, it is...it is hatred that has blinded me. Please give me another chance."

"Opportunity? I gave you an opportunity, what promises did you make to me?"

"I was wrong, I will never do it again."

"Considering your recent great victory in wiping out the entire Inhuman race, your merits and demerits are considered equal this time. But if there's a next time, don't blame me for not warning you!"

"Yes, yes, I will remember."

In front of everyone, Youmeiji was forced to lower her head and put on a charade with Qinglian Fairy. Anyone with eyes could see that no one took it seriously.

Then, the conversation turned back to Lin Shan.

"Sect Leader Lin, while You Meiji was certainly at fault, are you without fault as well?"

Upon hearing these classic remarks, Lin Shan burst into laughter!
"Of course I am not wrong!"

To deal with this kind of woman, you must fight back fiercely. Once you decide to give in, she will inevitably take advantage of you.

"Since the start of the war, I have killed two Nascent Soul cultivators and six Great Divine Power cultivators, and also saved three fellow Nascent Soul cultivators. In total, I have a record of killing more than ten people. I ask you, how many of you here can achieve that?"

"Did I ask for credit? Did I ask for a reward?"

"The fairy doesn't care about right or wrong. She immediately threatened me and used the remaining payment of the promised reward as leverage. Did she really intend to renege on her debt?"

"This is truly disheartening."

These words struck a chord with everyone, causing them to furrow their brows and feel uneasy.

Threatening with the promised reward is undoubtedly a major taboo for everyone present!
Whether there are quota restrictions for ascension has not been clarified yet, so this aggressive and forceful approach to force submission is truly too domineering and makes it hard not to suspect something.

The Azure Lotus Fairy finally changed color, unable to maintain her aloof demeanor any longer. If this matter is not explained clearly today, the Black Lotus Sect's ranks may truly crumble!

However, given her current position, she couldn't easily admit her mistake and could only change the subject away from Lin Shan.

"Gentlemen, I think there is some misunderstanding about the matter of ascension."

"What the Holy Lord Haoran said is merely a speculation based on the previous knowledge of the lower realm. In reality, how the handover between the immortal realms actually takes place is something that ordinary people can hardly understand. Today, I can explain it to you in detail!"

"Regarding the Golden Palace Ascension Platform, it is indeed true that it can only accommodate four people ascending at a time! And the Celestial Monitoring Platform has the celestial artifact, the Armillary Sphere, which can monitor all the heavens, and that is also true!"

"However, in recent years, a number of major events have occurred in the Immortal Realm, involving power struggles in the Heavenly Court. The annual salary and funding that Jinque used to receive have long been cut off by the Heavenly Court. The trillions of primordial energy needed for the Hun Tian Yi to sweep across the myriad realms every day are far from being supplied. In reality, it is no different from being half-closed."

"Therefore, I am 70% confident that I can lead everyone to ascend without being detected."

After this explanation, everyone felt a little relieved.

After investigation, they found that the source of what the Holy Lord Haoran said was verifiable and did not seem to be a fabrication.

The Azure Lotus Fairy's explanation did not refute the other party's statement, but rather addressed it from the perspective of the current situation in the Immortal Realm, which sounded flawless.

However, whether the celestial sphere was turned off or not, nobody knew. Whatever Fairy Qinglian said was the truth.

A 70% chance of success is already worth the risk!

"It's easy to evade the surveillance of celestial artifacts, but difficult to evade human surveillance. So as long as we can get rid of the Pure Lotus Hermit, there will be no more obstacles to ascension."

"Furthermore, I can give you all another guarantee. Even if we are discovered by the Celestial Observatory during the ascension process, we have the support of the Upper Realm. We can accurately intercept the patrol team sent by them for half a day, which is enough for everyone to land safely in the Qinghan Immortal Realm."

"As for the promised reward, I keep my word and will never go back on my word, so please rest assured!"

With a series of guarantees in place, the unrest among the crowd gradually subsided.

It's impossible to completely convince these old monsters, but this is the only way for them to ascend and sneak across. They have no other choice but to follow Fairy Qinglian. Even if they know it's a pit of fire, they have to jump in!

All that happened before was just to get an explanation and put my mind at ease.

To be honest, even Lin Shan was a little skeptical at this moment.

"Master Lin, what happened just now was due to my oversight and I was deceived by my disciple. Please don't take it to heart."

This time, Fairy Qinglian actually switched to secretly transmitting her voice to Lin Shan!

On the surface, she was still explaining to everyone and ignoring him completely, but in reality, in order to shut this troublemaker up and prevent him from jumping around and causing trouble again, she started to appease him behind his back.

Ha, why didn't you do this sooner?

Lin Shan ignored him completely and replied in a sinister voice.

"After something like this happened, it's hard not to take it to heart, isn't it?"

The Azure Lotus Fairy remained completely calm, as if he were oblivious to any emotional fluctuations.

"I was just joking with you to maintain overall stability. If I really turned against you, you wouldn't be facing a simple wisp of primordial consciousness!"

"The fairy's threat just now didn't sound like a joke, did it?"

Lin Shan was extremely displeased that she still spoke so arrogantly, and he actually started threatening her back!
"Your main body is beyond the heavens and you have no time to create a clone, so I truly don't believe you can do anything to me! Even if this primordial avatar perishes, do you think I'd be afraid of you? Don't forget, I have more than just this one clone."

"Alright, let's leave it at that. You like incense, don't you? I can offer incense as compensation in exchange for your future support of You Meiji. How about it?"

Upon hearing the mention of ancient charm, Lin Shan's expression immediately changed.

Wow, you have a great eye for people!
They immediately made outrageous demands, trying to rip off the very person they were trying to take advantage of.

"One hundred offerings of incense, to be handed over on the spot, not a penny less!" (End of Chapter)