Each of the nine dragon maidens possesses extraordinary abilities.

This is a causal rule-based spell. Once activated, the Hermit and the opponent will be forced to play cards. Within the card-playing space, neither party can use their spiritual energy or leave the space. They can only leave after the opponent wins a card against the Hermit.

Ji Cheng said he couldn't do math and was terrible at cards. The hermit had been a gambling den in his early years and was a skilled gambler. Facing the innocent and naive Long Niang, she dominated her opponent in the card game.

If it were any other dragon maiden, she would probably have a way to break this spell, but Ji Cheng said no, that the child is a bit stubborn.

Ji Cheng said that she got stuck here in the end. If her subordinate hadn't taught her how to make the call over the phone, she would have been stuck here forever.

Back then was back then, and things are different now. She sneered, "No matter how long you can keep me here, I'll be able to leave sooner or later. What are you after?"

"I don't want anything in return, I'm just annoyed that you broke our agreement, and you even damaged my great formation."

"What does that have to do with you? Did you set it up?"

"Don't waste your energy," the recluse said with a smile. "Please."

"Hehe, come on, deal the cards."

It's a very simple game, Blackjack.

Ji Cheng said that after suffering a loss once, she went back and practiced her card skills diligently with Lao Wu. Now, she is the queen of blackjack.

As expected, after three rounds, the reclusive hermit conceded defeat, and the spell was lifted.

"You're really something." The recluse gave a thumbs up.

Ji Cheng snorted coldly. Did she think she could make things difficult for her with such a small thing? She had admired the recluse's spirit of courting death back then, so she deliberately let her go, hoping that she would learn a lesson this time.

The space dissipated, and the immortal ship vanished. Ji Cheng looked around, then suddenly roared in fury, "How come it's Yunzhou? Where did they drive me to?!"

The westernmost point is Yunmeng, and the easternmost point is Qingzhou. Ji Cheng said he was going to the Jiuyi Sect in Zhongzhou, but after traveling to both the east and west, he still didn't reach Zhongzhou.

Ji Cheng was both shocked and furious at the spatial array. This guy's goal was to delay her, and she had actually managed to delay him perfectly.

Going back to attend the ceremony was not something she wanted to do in the first place; she was just doing her new employer a favor. Unexpectedly, she not only failed to help her new employer but also encountered troublemakers.

"Are you sick?" She looked up coldly at the phantom of the recluse in the sky.

"I'm sorry, but you can't blame me. You were the one who took the wrong turn first," the Hermit Master said with a smile. "But it's fine this way. Even if you had run there, I reckon the ceremony would have already ended."

"You really don't want me to attend the ceremony? What does the affairs of our Jiuyi Sect have to do with you?"

"Don't tell you."

Ji Cheng said he would raise his hand and throw a punch.

This punch had no build-up, no starting stance, and no unnecessary movements. The distance her fist traveled from her waist to her chest was the entire acceleration space for this punch.

The moment the fist struck the illusory figure, the world fell silent.

The recluse, far away in Langya, Qingzhou, suddenly exploded layer by layer, affecting his bones, flesh, and even his soul, which were about to be crushed by some enormous force.

Click.

A wooden plaque inside Lu Yueyuan's cave shattered.

The recluse's body was instantly restored. She lay panting on the ground, her body covered in cold sweat.

"I survived... I survived..." She was drenched in sweat. "My God, I was really going to die just now..."

Ji Cheng had previously said he was saving face for her, and that punch wasn't delivered with full force to her disciples; it only sent them flying.

But now that she's been tricked repeatedly without any reason, she's really angry. That punch she just threw wasn't held back; it not only transcended space but also carried the flavor of causality.

"Phew... This is incredible. It seems that little girl was right. It wasn't for nothing that I risked my life like this." The Recluse wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "Lu Yueyuan, huh..."

"If what you're saying is true, then I've done all I can to help you. The rest depends on whether you can keep your promise."

Chapter 31: Echoes of Fate

Lu Yueyuan put on the sect leader's clothes, a magical artifact that he had worn countless times while simulating the future.

The noise outside was incessant; the grand ceremony was about to begin.

The viewing platforms in all directions are also ready. The east side is occupied by forces close to the Jiuyi Sect, such as Langya Pavilion and Danxue Sect; the west side is occupied by neutral sects such as Xuankong Temple and Xuanming Palace; and the south and north sides are reserved for independent cultivators from the Nine Provinces and other small forces.

Only Fengdu Ghost Palace did not hold a banquet. The thousand-year-old rivalry between Jiuyi Sect and Youzhou did not even need to make a show of it.

The process was fine. Lu Yueyuan had experienced this many times in the simulated future, and he could even recite the names of all the representatives of the forces attending the ceremony.

As expected, forces that can sense changes in the trajectory of fate will take action to alter it. Ji Cheng said that she was blocked by the arrangements left behind by Lu Yueyuan. Her spatial magic treasures were all left in Yunmeng Prefecture, and she could not teleport across space for a short period of time.

Becoming the Holy Emperor's representative, having a powerful backer makes all the difference. Lu Yueyuan remembered clearly that during the ceremony, many forces that sensed the shift in the trajectory of fate would take action. They might not know what simulating the future meant, but they needed to eliminate potential threats.

Ji Cheng said that the situation was critical and the troubles here were all in vain.

But now they have been contained. Although we still cannot let our guard down, we have finally solved two major problems.

All he had to do was recite his prepared lines at the ceremony, just as planned.

"Is it really a good thing for someone like me to inherit this position? I'm a selfish and despicable person. My grandmaster always said I was undisciplined when he was alive. And I know I'm not only undisciplined, but also lecherous. I've always liked that girl from my village, that's right, the current guardian of the meridian, Ming Huaiwei. I must be crazy to say these things at this time. Actually, last night during my cultivation, my mind was filled with thoughts of her..."

At that moment, there would be an uproar. Most of the sect envoys who came to observe the ceremony would look at each other in bewilderment. Ye Buxi would try to move the proceedings forward: "Sect Master, you..."

Then Ming Huaiwei would walk up and say, "Senior brother, I love you!"

The ceremony turned into a ceremony to confirm Daoist partners, forcing Si Fumai to interrupt the ritual. Lu Yueyuan's succession ceremony as sect leader was also interrupted on the spot. They will re-examine Lu Yueyuan's eligibility for succession, which gives him time.

During this time, he will no longer need to imprint his divine sense on the body. At the same time, because of his madness, Ming Huaiwei's wariness of him will be at its lowest. Then it will be time for him to make his move.

Having already experienced the future many times, this was merely another journey through reality. Lu Yueyuan checked his clothes to confirm that the person who had taken his pulse had not tampered with them.

"Senior brother, it's starting, let's go." Ming Huaiwei walked in.

"Have they all arrived? Besides Wei Daidan, have any other protectors from the other branches come?" Lu Yueyuan asked. "Could it be that her support was fake and she didn't come in person?"

“Wei Daidan has arrived. The other guardians are all avatars, but Cheng Shuo Mai hasn’t even sent an avatar.” Ming Huaiwei stepped forward to help him adjust his belt, saying, “The deputy leader of the Langya Gang from Qingzhou has come, the chief disciple of the Danxue Sect has come, an old monk from the Xuankong Temple has come, and the Lei Mansion of Zhenze has only sent a disciple to deliver a congratulatory letter.”

As Lu Yueyuan had predicted, this meant that Ji Cheng's claim had indeed been suppressed. Although she and that faction had a cooperative relationship, it wasn't that deep yet, and they wouldn't force their way back in order to smooth out the course of fate.

Ming Huaiwei went out to wait for him first. He checked everything again to make sure that everything he had prepared was perfect before heading to the Chuiyi Palace.

"The trajectory of fate is still fluctuating; it seems someone is still making moves."

The Holy Emperor reminded him that at this moment, he felt as if the system was by his side. In many crises, the system would remind him in his mind again and again.

There is nothing to fear. He has already gone through so many trials. Even his master said that he is a person like Yao and Shun.

Zhong Sifu's incarnation stood before the main altar in the center of the hall, facing due north, with his hands forming the welcoming mudra.

The eight gates of the Chuiyi Hall opened simultaneously, and nine beams of spiritual light shot out from the mouths of the stone dragons on the nine dragon pillars, soaring straight into the sky. The spiritual light converged at the top of the sky, forming a huge dragon-shaped phantom.

The ancient dragon god is now the foundation of the Jiuyi Sect.

Zhong Sifu's avatar's voice resounded through the heavens: "Grand Ceremony for the Succession of the New Sect Master of the Jiuyi Sect, Welcoming the Gods!!"

Above the Dragon God, the light of the four gods descended from the sky. Lu Yueyuan, dressed in the sect leader's robes, stepped into the main east gate of the Chuiyi Hall.

As he walked in, people on the viewing platform were already exchanging whispers: "That is the new sect leader of the Jiuyi Sect."

"His cultivation level isn't high," someone else remarked.

The person in charge of the lineage stepped forward to verify his qualifications. Only after confirming that he was from the sect leader's lineage did they allow him to pass.

"Please enter the hall," the man said.

Next, it was time for the nine guardians to express their loyalty to the new sect leader. The method was simple: each dragon maiden walked from her respective entrance to the main altar and left a spiritual mark on the sect leader's seal. Once all nine marks were gathered and the seal was activated, the sect leader's position was considered to have been jointly confirmed by the nine sects.

Of course, this is just the procedure. True respect requires the original body to be present and leave a unique mark. But right now, only two original bodies are present: Ming Huaiwei and Wei Daidan. In other words, this current sect leader of the Jiuyi Sect has only received the recognition of two guardians.

This is probably the least recognized of all the previous sect leaders.

The other guardians passed by one by one. The avatar Ji Cheng mentioned didn't come; his subordinates took his place. Ming Huaiwei was the last to go up. She left a large mark on the sect leader's seal, which was her own mark, covering everyone else.

Next came the oath-taking ceremony, but Zhong Sifu gestured for Lu Yueyuan to walk towards the cloud platform deeper inside.

“Sect Master, you can now inscribe your mark on it,” Zhong Sifu said. “Please follow me to the Cloud Platform.”

"Isn't the procedure wrong?" he asked telepathically, frowning.

She had already walked that way, skipping the process and going straight to the imprinting stage. Lu Yueyuan's eyes narrowed slightly: That was indeed Zhong Sifu's avatar, but it possessed thirty percent of the original's essence.

"Please follow me," Zhong Sifu transmitted his voice again.

The light in the Chuiyi Hall changed, and the people on the viewing platform didn't know what was happening. The disciples just followed along. The ceremony skipped a stage inexplicably. The Unsleeping Guards had already surrounded them, and Lu Yueyuan's retreat was cut off.

He could only follow Zhong Sifu forward.

He was well aware that the plan had changed, and he needed to observe which faction was now involved in the new developments.

Zhong Sifu suddenly stopped.

“You can burn it here.” She held up a plate.

"What are you doing? Is this in accordance with etiquette?" Lu Yueyuan asked.

“Yes, someone wants to be a witness to your mark,” Zhong Sifu said.

Lu Yueyuan looked up and saw someone standing in the halo of light from the cloud platform.

It was Ji Cheng who said that.

She had arrived long ago and had been waiting there.

Chapter 32: Lilacs

"Oh ho." The Holy Emperor's voice rang in his mind: "Ji Cheng said he actually came. Even I couldn't detect him. It seems that the other party used a tool to shield the perception of gods. Has your fact that you have become my god's agent been exposed?"

"It's hard to say." Lu Yueyuan looked at Zhong Sifu's reaction, while at the same time his divine sense had already probed the cloud platform. Ji Cheng was indeed standing there, not as an avatar, but as his true form.

Lu Yueyuan's blood screamed, the sound echoing in every vein until it reached his heart. Had Zhong Sifu and Ji Cheng gotten together? The Mark Witness was indeed in accordance with the grand ceremony; this was the highest recognition from the guardians of the lineage to the new sect leader, signifying that they considered him family.

Ming Huaiwei originally wanted this position, but the word "family" made her uncomfortable, and besides, for some other purpose, she gave it up. She never expected Ji Cheng to accuse her of exploiting a loophole.

She was standing there, so anxious she felt like jumping up and down; for those on the viewing platform, this was also a major piece of news.

Lu Yueyuan is indeed the sect leader with the least support from the guardians of the lineage throughout history, but he is also one of only two sect leaders with a witness to his mark. The previous sect leader of the Jiuyi Sect, with the Dragon Maiden as the witness, completely established the Jiuyi Sect's position as the number one sect in the world.

Lu Yueyuan looked at Ji Cheng, who was also looking at him, their warlike flames merging with the abyss of darkness. This was a situation that had never occurred in the simulated future. Who had made Ji Cheng do this? It certainly wasn't the Four Gods' Agents who were currently cooperating with her. Then who could it be? That person was unaffected by the system's simulated future, and every time, they became Lu Yueyuan's greatest enemy.

The eldest among the dragon maidens, ranked first, and with the purest bloodline, is named Qiuniu, Ling Suxian.

"That's the one Ji Cheng said is the most unapproachable. Although the sect leader of the Jiuyi Sect is weak this time, he's probably not someone to mess with." The atmosphere on the viewing platform suddenly shifted.

Lu Yueyuan stepped forward, his body and soul howling simultaneously. Even though his mind had been worn down by time, his body could not deceive him.

"I will be shattered, like a broken egg!!" the flesh cried to Lu Yueyuan. "Run, run! She and Ling Suxian are both invincible enemies, the deepest despair. If she hadn't committed suicide in the simulation, you wouldn't have been able to win at all."

“I am a person like Yao and Shun, that’s what they all say, so how can I be afraid?” Lu Yueyuan said to himself.

"Should we go up? Do you have a plan?" The Holy Emperor asked in his mind.

The vastness of the sea of ​​clouds accentuated Ji Chengshuo's figure, her sharp, short silver hair making her resemble a war goddess. Lu Yueyuan was not swayed by Zhong Sifu; he took the board and walked to the foot of the cloud platform, looking up to meet the war goddess's gaze: "My lord, are you willing to be my witness?"

Ji Cheng narrowed his eyes as he looked at Lu Yueyuan. The atmosphere became heavy. Although there was nothing there, Lu Yueyuan felt a sharp light pointed at his throat.

A murderous aura surged forth.

"I don't have any grudge against you... but I don't know why, I hate you, I wish I could kill you." Ji Cheng said in a low voice, without using telepathy, but only the two of them could hear it.

The sharp light became even sharper, and the eyes faintly revealed the appearance of double pupils.

Ming Huaiwei was so anxious she was about to jump up and down, but once the ceremony began, a protective array enveloped the area, preventing even her from moving and leaving her only able to watch helplessly.

Ji Cheng took the initiative to extend his hand, which Lu Yueyuan grasped, and they walked up the steps. The marks of the past sect leaders on the steps shone with a holy light, so intense that it was blinding, as if they were the true Daoist couple.

"If you hate me so much, why are you still going to be my witness?" Lu Yueyuan asked.

The scroll above slowly unfurled, revealing mountains and rivers. Ji Cheng said she didn't answer, most likely because she didn't want to. She simply stood there silently, waiting for Lu Yueyuan to make his move.

Zhong Sifu had already arrived, but she did not step onto the jade steps. Instead, she watched them with a look of amusement, saying with a sense of excitement, "Witnesses witness, a new sect leader has been born. With the combined efforts of both sides, Jiuyi will stand firm."

What do you mean by "joining forces"? This isn't some kind of Daoist couple ceremony. Lu Yueyuan wanted to kick Zhong Sifu away.

But he has no way out now, and his current hesitation is simply a matter of deciding which backup plan to use.

"What are you hesitating about?" Ji Cheng asked from the side.

"I was just thinking, I probably didn't do anything to anger the adults, but they wanted to kill me, and that would have been enough. Now they want me to be their witness. I don't understand such a great honor," Lu Yueyuan said.

In fact, Lu Yueyuan understood that the only reason Ji Chengshuo could make such a big sacrifice was for Ling Suxian to make a deal with her. However, he didn't know what price Ling Suxian had asked for, or what she knew that made her willing to go to such lengths to have Ji Chengshuo as her witness.

Ling Suxian and the Four Gods are Lu Yueyuan's two most powerful enemies in the simulated future, and are the most threatening people to Lu Yueyuan besides the Four Gods.

“I don’t want to answer,” Ji Cheng said. “Just brand it on.”