Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 325 The Struggle for Sect Leadership
"enough!"

At this moment, Zhang Min shouted loudly.

Although her voice was hoarse, it carried an undeniable authority.

The disciples of Green Cloud Cave all turned their gazes to Zhang Min, but eventually quieted down. During her time in Yingyue Market, Zhang Min had gained everyone's trust and become the de facto leader of Green Cloud Cave.

"Master, did she leave any last words?"

Zhang Min asked, her voice trembling.

Li Xiangming was silent for a moment before slowly replying, "My master told me to go into seclusion. When I emerged, she had already passed away. I buried her next to her favorite hot spring."

Upon hearing this news, Zhang Min covered her face and sobbed, then burst into tears. Her cries were extremely mournful, making the atmosphere in the cave even heavier.

The other disciples of Green Cloud Cave looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

After a while, Mao Jingze looked at Li Xiangming and asked blankly, "Is Master really gone?"

Li Xiangming did not answer. At this moment, Zhang Min, who had been crying for a while, said painfully, "Master fought a great battle against the Mang Sect demons to save us. Unexpectedly, the demons had the divine thought incarnation of a Golden Core cultivator. Although Master repelled the demons, she was also fatally wounded. At that time, Junior Brother Li and I were by Master's side. She admitted it herself."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked on incredulously.

Master, he just died like that?

Zhang Min continued, "After I left my master, I met Junior Brother Yin and the others, and then I went to look for you. Unexpectedly, everyone was captured by the Ouyang family, and soon after, they were controlled by the Hengyue Sect. Whether it is the Ouyang family or the Hengyue Sect, they are all in cahoots. They all want to obtain the Enlightenment Spring."

"But only we know that there is no Enlightenment Spring in Green Cloud Cave. They don't believe it and are determined to find Master. For the safety of Master and Junior Brother Li, I had no choice but to keep this a secret. For the past six months, I have been waiting for Junior Brother Li to arrive so I can tell him about Master's situation, but in the end, Master still..."

When the topic turned to her sorrows, Zhang Min burst into tears again.

Only then did everyone have to believe it, and they all looked bewildered.

The reason they were willing to stay in this small Qiyun Pavilion was precisely because they were hoping that Fairy Green Cloud would emerge from seclusion.
But now someone is telling them that Fairy Green Cloud had already emerged from seclusion, but died at the hands of the Mang Sect.

Suddenly, all hope was shattered.

Some people knelt on the ground, muttering to themselves, "Without our master, what will we do?"

This is fear of the future.

Li Xiangming silently watched this scene. At this moment, the man behind Zhang Min suddenly spoke up: "After my master's death, who passed on the leadership of Green Cloud Cave?"

Immediately, everyone's eyes turned to Li Xiangming.

According to Zhang Min's confession, at that time, there were only the two of them with Fairy Green Cloud.

"it's me!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Xiangming raised a token that was neither gold nor stone.

The arena erupted into chaos once again.

A dark-skinned young cultivator stepped forward, angrily saying, "Impossible! Green Cloud Cave still has true disciples. How could the position of sect leader possibly fall to a nominal disciple like you?"

"That's right, there must be something fishy going on here."

With someone taking the lead, the disciples of Green Cloud Cave began to discuss the matter, and voices of doubt rose and fell.

Many people even showed hostility towards Li Xiangming.

Those who survived the calamity were basically the elite of Green Cloud Cave.

To them, Li Xiangming, an insignificant disciple, was an anomaly.

Moreover, very few of them knew Li Xiangming.

Who would be willing to let such a stranger become their leader?
Seeing this, Zhang Min immediately stood up and shouted sternly, "Are you trying to rebel? Junior Brother Li was personally chosen by Master as the sect leader, and I was there at the time. Do you want to go against Master's last wishes and disturb her peace?"

Upon hearing this, many disciples of Green Cloud Cave showed hesitation in their eyes.

But the dark-skinned youth still shook his head firmly: "Even if Master personally chose him, it's because there's no one else to choose from. He can't take on the position of sect leader, and we don't acknowledge it either."

"Fang Renkui, I think you're the one who wants to be the sect leader, aren't you?" Someone sneered from behind Zhang Min.

Fang Renkui glared at him angrily: "Long Yang, this is a family matter of our Green Cloud Cave. What does it have to do with your Shanyun Sect?"

Long Yang said calmly, "Don't forget, our two sects have long since merged, and I am now also a disciple of Green Cloud Cave."

"you"

Fang Renkui was speechless for a moment.

Seeing Long Yang step forward, a strange light flashed in Li Xiangming's eyes.

He hadn't expected this person to be following Zhang Min.

It should be noted that when Shanyun Sect annexed Green Cloud Cave, Long Yang made Zhang Min suffer a lot, even forcing Zhang Min and others to defend the Flying Fish Nine Cauldrons Formation with their lives.

But now, Zhang Min has reconciled with the other party.

Moreover, judging from the attitude of the Green Cloud Cave disciples, they still do not know that the Good Cloud Sect once imprisoned and persecuted a group of Green Cloud Cave disciples.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so polite to Long Yang.

After Long Yang interrupted, Li Xiangming also spoke up: "Everyone, at the time, Master forced me to accept this sect leader token. I couldn't refuse, so I decided to take on this responsibility. I know you're not comfortable with it, but that's alright. I'm not one to force myself. If you believe you're more qualified, I'm willing to step down."

"However, since this sect leader token is in my hands, I cannot give it away casually, otherwise I would be betraying my master's kindness. My master died at the hands of the Mang Sect, but if the Ouyang family had not taken the lead, Green Cloud Cave would not have been breached so quickly. However, none of them entered the inner cave. It was the Star Absorbing Village that truly plundered Green Cloud Cave's wealth and caused a large number of deaths and injuries among Green Cloud Cave's disciples."

Li Xiangming's gaze was sharp as a knife: "The Mang Sect, the Ouyang Family, and the Star-Absorbing Village are all mortal enemies of Green Cloud Cave. All disciples of Green Cloud Cave must remember this. Anyone who wants to take this sect leader's token must first swear that they will take it upon themselves to avenge these three enemies for the rest of their lives."

As soon as Li Xiangming finished speaking, the crowd erupted in noise again.

The Mang Sect was indeed a pushover, but that was in the past. The current Mang Sect has seemingly produced Golden Core cultivators, and even the Green Cloud Fairy, who was in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, died tragically at their hands. Not to mention the Ouyang family, which has had Golden Core cultivators guarding it for generations.

Even the weakest of the Star Absorbing Strongholds is a Foundation Establishment level force.

The remaining forces of Green Cloud Cave are no match for them; it would be like throwing an egg against a rock!

Whoever takes on these three enemies won't even know how they died.

Fang Renkui replied unwillingly, "If we can't do it, do you think you can?"

Li Xiangming glanced at him indifferently: "At least I dare to swear an oath to my master. If you want to become the sect leader, then swear an oath of Dao heart right here."

Green Cloud Fairy did indeed ask Li Xiangming to take revenge on the Mang Sect.

But she only mentioned it casually to make the scene more reasonable in order to gain Li Xiangming's trust.

At the time, Li Xiangming agreed without hesitation, in order to show his loyalty.

But this oath was not a vow of moral integrity at all.

However, this did not stop Li Xiangming from deceiving Fang Renkui.

As expected, upon hearing the Dao Heart Oath, Fang Renkui's face turned ashen, and he didn't dare to say a word.

Zhang Min sighed, "Do you think being the new sect leader is easy? Ren Kui, let alone getting revenge for you, can you even lead everyone away from Hengyue Sect and guarantee our safety?"

Fang Renkui opened his mouth.

Zhang Min looked around at everyone again and continued, "At that time, Master did intend to pass the position to me, but in the end she chose Junior Brother Li, simply because Junior Brother Li has the backing of Danggui Mountain and the ability to protect us. Tell me, who among you can do that?"

Everyone fell silent.

The disciples of Green Cloud Cave are mostly from the surrounding mountain people. The most powerful ones are just disciples of Qi-cultivating families like Yin Feng, who have been entrenched in the area for decades.

Allowing them to protect Green Cloud Cave is tantamount to going against the natural order.

"If any of you want to keep Yingyue Market alive, then compete for the position of sect leader, but don't use my name. I will not be the sect leader. If you still want to cultivate in peace, then acknowledge Junior Brother Li as the sect leader."

After saying that, Zhang Min sat cross-legged on the ground, looking extremely tired, as if her words had exhausted all her strength.

(End of this chapter)