Firmament Sword

Huangfu Shishi and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Ten years… although to beings with their current lifespan, it was but a brief moment in time.

But they had all grown up in the mortal world, so their perception of time was still the same as any common person's.

Ten years… was not a short time at all!

At the very least, for them, having Xu Luo by their side for ten years was enough to leave them feeling content.

Xu Luo's figure first appeared over the endless marsh where he had obtained the Bronze Divine Hall. A light breeze blew, still carrying the marsh's characteristic rank odor.

But the old man who had silently guarded him through countless reincarnations would never appear here again.

A flicker of sorrow appeared in Xu Luo's eyes as he murmured, "Even now… I still don't know your name. I only know that you were the last member of the Ancient Emperor Tribe. You… you must have been reunited with your old comrades by now, haven't you?"

He finished with a soft sigh.

Speak not of reincarnation. For after one is reborn, who is to say who is who?

He stood there quietly for half a day before bowing deeply to the Great Marsh and turning to leave.

In the days that followed, Xu Luo first made his way to the Dubhe Sect.

The once-super sect that had been the undisputed leader of the Central Plains Star Continent now seemed somewhat desolate.

At the gates of this vast sect, only two young disciples stood guard, and both looked utterly green.

As Xu Luo walked up, one of the disciples stopped him, eyeing him warily. "Who are you?"

"I wish to see your Sect Leader Xiang. Just say an old friend is here to visit." Xu Luo smiled faintly. He had heard that the Dubhe Sect had a new Sect Leader and that Xiang Wentian had retired to parts unknown, but he wanted to see how the two gate-keeping disciples would react to the name.

"Sect Leader Xiang? Our current Sect Leader's surname isn't Xiang. Our Sect Leader is…" Just as the young disciple was about to continue, a serene voice drifted from deep within the mountains.

"An old friend has come to visit. I am overjoyed. Allow me a moment to prepare, and I shall come out to welcome you!"

The voice was crisp and melodic, like pearls scattering across a jade plate.

The two young disciples were stunned. That voice… it was their new Sect Leader, Lin Luoxue!

They had been fortunate enough to hear her speak during her inauguration ceremony, and her voice was unforgettable. The moment they heard it again, they recognized it instantly.

Then, the two young gatekeepers stared at Xu Luo with astonished eyes. They looked at this young man, who couldn't be much older than them, as if they were looking at a monster… no, as if they were looking at a god!

'Who… who is this person? He actually made the Sect Leader speak herself?' the two young Dubhe Sect disciples thought, their minds reeling in shock.

But what truly shocked them was yet to come.

DONG!

A deep, melodious bell toll echoed from within.

The two young gatekeepers' eyes went wide. They knew that this bell was only rung for the sect's most important events or upon the arrival of an incredibly distinguished guest.

The scene that followed was one the two young disciples would never forget for the rest of their lives. Even when they were old and had achieved extremely high status, they would often recall the moment that had been etched into their memories forever.

The deep, melodious bell tolled again and again. By the ninth toll, it wasn't just the two dumbfounded young disciples; every other member of the Dubhe Sect, wherever they were, was completely stunned.

Nine is the ultimate number, symbolizing the absolute pinnacle.

In the Mortal World, the number nine was reserved for the Emperor of the Human World, a symbol of his supreme status.

In the Sect Realm, nine was also the ultimate number. For a major sect with a deep heritage like the Dubhe Sect, the number of bell tolls carried a strict and clear meaning.

Even when Lin Luoxue succeeded the position of Sect Leader, the bell had only tolled eight times!

Throughout history, it was said that the bell had only tolled nine times once before: upon the death of the first Sect Leader of the Dubhe Sect.

Since then, for countless years, the arrival of even the most noble and high-status guests warranted a maximum of three tolls. When a high-status elder of the sect passed away, the bell would toll three to five times, which was already considered an extremely high honor.

A retired Sect Leader who passed away would receive seven tolls. For many of the Dubhe Sect's elder generation, their lifelong ambition was merely to earn five tolls upon their death!

"Nine times… Did I hear that right? What… what's happening?"

"Legend says… the bell tolled nine times when the founding ancestor passed away. Who today could possibly be worthy of such an honor?"

"I heard that after the founder's passing, his successors decreed that the bell should only ever toll a maximum of eight times as a sign of respect! What is going on?"

"Don't tell me our new Sect Leader wants to put herself on the same level as the founder?"

"Who knows? No one says it out loud, but doesn't everyone know why Sect Leader Xiang really left?"

"Yeah, I used to have a great impression of Lin Luo… ahem, of the new Sect Leader. But since she took the position, her methods have been quite severe. She even promoted a lot of young people to the rank of Elder. That kind of thing…"

"Isn't everyone just secretly waiting for her to make a fool of herself? Heh, appointing newcomers is a nice idea, but how could she possibly know how deep the waters of this sect run? Does she really think that just because she's the Sect Leader, she's actually in control…?"

All across the Dubhe Sect, voices rose in discussion. At the same time, people began to converge on the Main Peak.

A certain faction, their faces etched with anger, had already prepared a slew of arguments, ready to confront Lin Luoxue to her face!

Lin Luoxue's sudden succession as Sect Leader and her subsequent sweeping reforms had naturally infringed upon the interests of many. The only reason these people hadn't lashed out immediately was because of a sentence Xiang Wentian had uttered before he left.

"Do not provoke her, or you will face a great calamity!"

But Lin Luoxue had stepped on too many toes. These people had been biding their time, just waiting! Waiting for the moment the new Sect Leader made a mistake!

When that time came, Lin Luoxue would face an assault like a raging tempest!

"That little slip of a girl really thinks she's something special just because she's the Sect Leader? Hmph, how naive!" A ruddy-faced old man sneered, a glint in his eyes.

His name was He Yun, and he had been a very powerful Elder in the Dubhe Sect during Xiang Wentian's time as Sect Leader.

With Xiang Wentian's retirement, He Yun's status had plummeted.

He had been waiting for Lin Luoxue to make a mistake, but though she was young, she wasn't a fool. Bolstered by the support of Nangong Yu Yan and her group, she had never shown any openings, leaving He Yun burning with impatience.

He never expected that his wish would be granted so soon—it was like someone handing him a pillow just as he was getting drowsy.

'Nine tolls of the bell… unless the founding ancestor himself has been reborn!' He Yun sneered, his movements as smooth as flowing water as he sped toward the Main Peak.

Besides He Yun, many others from all directions wore the same expression as they shot toward the Dubhe Sect's Main Peak like streaks of light.

Even more people converged on the Main Peak with expressions of wanting to watch a good show. Only a small minority of Dubhe Sect members who staunchly supported Lin Luoxue showed any worry.

They didn't know why their Sect Leader had suddenly ordered the bell to be rung, let alone nine times, an act that put her in an incredibly disadvantageous position.

But no matter what, they could not just stand by and do nothing!

It was true that everyone loves to kick a man when he's down, but they were already tied to the same war chariot as Lin Luoxue. They had no way to back out now!

Their only choice was to charge forward!

「In the Dubhe Palace, atop the Main Peak of the Dubhe Sect.」

Nangong Yu Yan looked at Lin Luoxue with a worried expression and sighed softly. "Sect Leader… is this… appropriate?"

"Sister, there are no outsiders here. You can just call me Xiaoxue." A lonely look crossed Lin Luoxue's face as she spoke softly, "In this entire Dubhe Sect, besides those young disciples with no backing, who really sees me as the Sect Leader?"

Nangong Yu Yan sighed. "Sect Leader Xiang is a man of great wisdom. He retired at his peak, but he left this whole mess to you. Perhaps, in his eyes, anyone other than you who took over the Dubhe Sect would lead it to only one end: destruction! It's a pity those old-timers can't see that…"

"It's not that they can't see it. In fact, they see it perfectly clearly. They're just unwilling to give up the power and status they hold. Forcing them to give up their comfortable lives is no different from taking their lives," Lin Luoxue said coldly. "They've been looking for an opening to oust me. They think that now that Xu Luo is a world-renowned figure, he won't bother himself with them… but they've forgotten one thing. Xu Luo and I… are… friends!"

As Lin Luoxue said the word "friends," the light in her eyes dimmed, as if in a sigh, as if reminiscing.

But what was past was past. There was no going back to how things were.

She even found herself envying Phoenix from the Merak Sect—envying her courage, and envying that she had a good master who would let his disciple choose to do what she loved.

Nangong Yu Yan shook her head slightly, a cold look suddenly appearing on her beautiful face. "They must think they've finally found their chance. But… by doing this, what about Young Master Xu?"

Lin Luoxue suddenly broke into a smile—a sweet, happy smile. Since she had become the Sect Leader of the Dubhe Sect, almost no one had ever seen such an expression on her face!

Not even Nangong Yu Yan, who was closest to her.

"He came this time because he knew the situation I was facing, and he's here to back me up. If I don't make good use of this, how could I ever face those 'great figures' of our Dubhe Sect—the very ones who once screamed for his death, and who are now biding their time, preparing to overthrow me in one fell swoop?"

As Lin Luoxue spoke, she gave another charming smile, then ducked behind a screen. After a rustle of clothing, a devastatingly beautiful young woman emerged.

Her figure was slender and graceful, her beauty delicate and moving. A magnificent long dress accentuated her stunning features. She possessed a noble temperament—a cold aloofness mixed with purity, a grand air that did not lack for grace.

Nangong Yu Yan stared, mesmerized for a moment, then murmured, "Dressing like this… is it appropriate?"

"A woman adorns herself for the one who delights in her. What could be inappropriate about that?" Lin Luoxue flashed a radiant smile. "Come, let's go greet him!"

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