Each of the nine dragon maidens possesses extraordinary abilities.

Her dragon-like features became more pronounced; she even grew fish scales on her body and slightly raised her hand.

Zhong Sifu immediately became alert: "What are you doing?"

"I'll tear down your clock tower." Ming Huaiwei said expressionlessly.

"you dare!!!"

"What do I dare to do?" Ming Huai tilted his head slightly to look at her. "Anyway, you're outside, your true form isn't here. Do you think your avatar can stop me?"

The previously suppressed spiritual sea reappeared in the sky, but this time, the entire sky turned into an ocean, and even seemed to be tilting.

A conflict was about to break out between the two sides. The Holy Emperor was happy to watch the show, while Lu Yueyuan remained calm and didn't even move.

The fact that Ming Huaiwei is now at war with Zhong Sifu is not a good thing for him, but he still decided to plan in this direction because the danger will drive another person to come.

Currently, Ming Huaiwei is not the only one whose true body is in the Jiuyi Sect.

The boiling spiritual sea suddenly calmed down, as if it had been suppressed by some unknown force. The door next to it suddenly shattered, and someone walked in.

Ming Huaiwei's face darkened: "The situation is dire..."

Upon seeing Wei Daidan appear, Zhong Sifu's tense mood immediately relaxed, and he returned to his previous demeanor.

She even became obedient, calling him "sister."

Wei Daidan didn't even glance at Lu Yueyuan, but looked at her two nominal younger sisters. Judging from their appearances alone, these two younger sisters looked older than her, while Wei Daidan looked like a younger sister.

"One of the younger sisters disrespects her older sister and is willing to fight her over a man," Wei Daidan said coldly. "The other older sister, despite being a master of etiquette, disregards it and enjoys provoking her younger sister."

She calmly looked around, her gaze lingering briefly on the object in Lu Yueyuan's hand.

Wei Daidan looked at Zhong Sifu: "You haven't even done your own job properly, yet you still have the leisure to meddle in the sect's affairs. What were you two talking about just now?"

Zhong Sifu said with a smile, "Sister, we were just talking about the sect's grand ceremony. You should know that this is a matter for our lineage. It was my sister who unreasonably barged in and injured my people."

Wei Daidan fell silent and looked around again.

The danger is still lurking and has not been completely eliminated.

eccentric.

She finally stopped on Lu Yueyuan and walked over step by step. Lu Yueyuan was about to get up, but she waved her hand and Lu Yueyuan sat down with a thud.

She reached out and touched something in the air, her brows furrowed.

[There's no trace of the Nether Sea, and nothing else seems different.] She thought to herself. [And I can't even attack him. Could I be wrong? Did he go to the forbidden area in the back mountain and not come into contact with that sealed deity? Strange, what is this strange feeling?]

She scanned his body, then with a slight touch of her hand, she pulled out a red dot from Lu Yueyuan's heart.

Seeds of fear.

“You used your power on the future patriarch, planting the seeds of fear.”

"Is this what you call etiquette?" Wei Daidan asked.

Zhong Sifu chuckled, "You've been found out! Really, sister, you have to save me some face."

Ming Huaiwei was furious: "You bitch..."

Wei Daidan reached out and pressed down, his imposing aura interrupting the conversation between the two parties.

Upon closer inspection, the danger seemed to have vanished. Apart from the danger of directly attacking Lu Yueyuan, there seemed to be no other danger.

Was it Zhong Sifu who planted the seed of fear, making her dangerous? What kind of logic is that? Wei Daidan couldn't quite understand it, but since the danger had been eliminated, that was good enough; she was too lazy to bother with anything else.

“Just do your own thing,” Wei Daidan concluded, “and don’t cause trouble.”

She turned and left.

Lu Yueyuan feigned a look of being taken aback, and Ming Huaiwei stepped forward to help him up.

The moment they made contact, Lu Yueyuan transmitted his voice to her: "Go quickly."

Ming Huai looked at him strangely until she saw the token he was clutching tightly in his hand, and then she understood.

"Okay," she replied telepathically, feeling much better.

On the other side, seeing that Wei Daidan had left, Zhong Sifu breathed a sigh of relief, yawned listlessly, and said, "Since we've been discovered, there's nothing we can do about it. You guys..."

She turned her head and saw that Ming Huaiwei, Lu Yueyuan, and Yun Gui were all gone.

"It's gone? Oh well. I was hoping to get the ancient treasure back, but since that's how it is, I'll just give it to him." Zhong Sifu said, "It's just a pity that the Seed of Fear has been pulled out. This time we've alerted the enemy, and I'm afraid we won't have another chance later."

Ye Buxi asked from the side, "My lord, should we... on the day of the ceremony...?"

"Forget it, my dear sister has already warned me, why should I interfere?" Zhong Sifu said. "With the big plan starting, everyone is choosing their sides, and I need to prepare as soon as possible."

Ye Buxi asked, "My lord, are you really going to choose Fairy Miaoyin?"

“The Fairy of Wonderful Sounds is indeed compatible with my powers, but Her representative offered too low a price. Does she still think that her own god is in good health? How dare she be so arrogant in front of me.” Zhong Sifu sneered, “I wanted to make a fuss about the former sect leader, but that kid is lucky. Anyway, the lineage of the Nine Peaks Sect leader is finished. When the family splits up, they will probably be completely devoured.”

The sudden death of the former sect leader was the outcome that all factions wanted to see.

Zhong Sifu wasn't involved in that incident, but even a fool could guess that the former sect leader most likely died for some reason.

"Poor thing," Zhong Sifu sighed and shook her head. In fact, what she had Ye Buxi and Lu Yueyuan say might not have been entirely false. She did respect people like the former sect leader, but respect was one thing, but that didn't mean she couldn't use the former sect leader's death to her advantage and plan for her own benefit.

These days, good people don't live long. Just look at the sect leader's lineage; the more they try to do good deeds, the more they end up losing more than they gain.

This world is completely rotten.

Ye Buxi asked, "My lord, should we withdraw the Sleepless Guards from Lu Yueyuan's side?"

“Let’s leave. That madman Ming Huaiwei has been keeping a close eye on him. His cave is like an iron barrel; there’s no way we can sneak in,” Zhong Sifu said. “Whatever that kid realized that’s why he’s going to the back mountain, it has nothing to do with me.”

"Let him be the sect leader if he wants. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. I'm planning to pack my things and prepare to split up and run away."

Chapter 21: Life and Death

The Nine Peaks Sect is ruined, and so is this world.

This is something that all the dragon girls agree on.

The gods have become flawed, and the powers of their agents are fading. Faced with the impending merger of the Void, everyone's attitude is to steal the origin of the world, then each go and create their own small world, living their own separate lives.

Of course, creating a world is not an easy task. In terms of understanding power and the origin of the world, the gods are more likely to take action. Therefore, choosing a side, especially the right side, has become the mainstream choice for the dragon girls.

In this world, gods exist throughout the nine provinces, with the Four Gods of the Central Plains still holding the highest positions. The Dragon Maidens, being close to the gods, should logically choose to side with one of them. However, the problem is that the Four Gods are not a monolithic entity. When they eventually separate, which god will they choose to live with?

It all depends on the price offered by the four gods. For Zhong Sifu, the four gods might be enough to reward her for her efforts in implementing the grand plan, but if she were to completely side with a single god, the price would not be enough.

The first person to come into contact with her was the agent of Fairy Miaoyin. That guy was arrogant and Zhong Sifu didn't like him. Moreover, the promises he made didn't satisfy her either.

She chose to play it safe and wait for a better price.

Many people don't know that besides etiquette, her Sifu Meridian is also responsible for intelligence within the Jiuyi Sect. Her Sleepless Guard is the most powerful intelligence agency in the Nine Provinces, possessing an almost complete understanding of events happening throughout the region.

She even knew about the situation of her eldest and second eldest sisters. As representatives of the mechanics and stats in the Dragon Girl series, her eldest and second eldest sisters were not as conflicted as she was, as they had each chosen a god.

They made their choices decisively because the other companies offered high prices, but when it came to her, the prices weren't as high.

Of course she wasn't happy about that. Just because she's the fourth child, does that mean she has to ask for a lower price?

Those six and eight brothers, the price they asked for wasn't low either, but they still paid it.

Ultimately, it's because the applicability of her powers is too low; for a brand new world, her powers are not really needed.

but it does not matter.

The grand plan is still underway, and it's still a long way from merging with Guixu.

She stretched and chuckled softly in the shadows, "No rush, the night is still long..."

--------

Lu Yueyuan and Ming Huaiwei walked side by side along the tree-lined path.

He suddenly said, "I thought Zhong Sifu was sincere."

Upon hearing this, Ming Huaiwei's face immediately turned ugly. She pouted angrily, but still couldn't say anything harsh. She could only reach out and grab Lu Yueyuan's collar.

She said, "They are all bad people."

Lu Yueyuan nodded: "Yes, I was just imagining things."

The grand plan has begun, with bets placed on the Four Gods. The Dragon Maidens are incredibly busy; who cares about their undeserving position as sect leader?

“If you’re still angry, I’ll find a chance to beat up that woman, Zhong Sifu,” Ming Huaiwei said.

"I know you care about me. Right now, you're probably the only one in the entire sect who cares about me the most."

Ming Huaiwei suddenly looked up, her heart pounding in her chest. She could sense her senior brother's emotions; his words carried a loneliness that was rarely expressed these days. It was good enough that he was aware of this; just the fact that he was aware of this made Ming Huaiwei very happy.

“I…I’ve been worried about you…” Ming Huaiwei stammered. “I know you’re worried, Senior Brother. You don’t need to worry about it when you become the sect leader. I will take care of everything for you. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

She instinctively reached for Lu Yueyuan's hand, but in the end, her hand remained on his clothes. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, and the surroundings were eerily quiet—a silence she hadn't felt long ago in the mountain village. Back then, he was surrounded by many people, and she stood among them watching him, her hand instinctively reaching out to grasp the hem of his garment.

Then and now, everything has changed, and nothing has changed.

Lu Yueyuan did not resist, letting her lead him. But he was thinking of something else entirely; he was thinking of the burning mountain village and his grandmaster who had descended from the sky.

Then he recalled the day his master died suddenly. He walked into the main hall like a puppet, while the dragon maidens stood around him like cold-blooded animals. No one cared about his master's death.

Some people mocked, "The new sect leader has arrived."

It was Ming Huaiwei who went up to him and helped him up, preventing him from falling and looking disheveled in front of the dragon maidens. Ming Huaiwei then recited the last words of the former sect leader, which were also his final wishes.

"...Since its founding, the Nine Peaks Sect has been led not by force or skill, but by virtue. Of all the disciples I have observed, many possess extraordinary talent, but only Lu Yueyuan is truly capable of shouldering this responsibility. This young man is like a still pool, tolerant yet unambitious; his heart is like a bright candle, illuminating others without being dazzling. He has remained steadfast in his will despite great upheavals, and unwavering in his principles despite adversity. He possesses the virtue of Yao and Shun relinquishing the throne, and the heart of Yu and Ji to save all living beings. I entrust the Nine Peaks Sect to him not with power, but with the hearts of the people. Gentlemen, if you remember our past kindness, treat him as you would your own face; if you cherish the sect, trust him as you would the sun and moon."

Lu Yueyuan stood like a statue, remaining silent for a long time.

Ming Huaiwei's voice was very pleasant, but there was always a strange feeling about her reading these words. Did her master really say these words? Actually, it didn't matter to Lu Yueyuan. He looked at the old man lying in the magic coffin, the lifeless corpse, and he couldn't connect what he saw with that otherworldly person.

“Senior brother, the former sect leader has spoken, and we will fully support you,” Ming Huaiwei said.

The dragon maidens whispered among themselves, a few chuckling softly, completely unconcerned. Besides Ming Huaiwei, who would care about any of this? Wei Daidan was utterly indifferent, Zhong Sifu scoffed at Ming Huaiwei's attempts to curry favor, and the most powerful of the two, the eldest and second eldest, hadn't even shown up.

Everyone was having fun betting on the Four Gods, but Lu Yueyuan felt different; he felt his heart had fallen into an abyss and been swallowed by darkness.

"Let me be alone for a while," Lu Yueyuan said.

One by one, the dragon maidens walked out, including Ming Huaiwei. Lu Yueyuan held onto the edge of the coffin, and after only a short while, tears streamed down his face.

He wasn't a child who cried easily. He had only cried once or twice in his life, the last time being when his village was wiped out.

Everyone dies eventually. Having experienced the separation from his parents, Lu Yueyuan felt he had come to accept it. It's just a matter of life and death, isn't it? It's really nothing. It's just that the person you're leaving can no longer speak to you. Their voice, their appearance, everything about them, only exists in your memory, and then it gets blurred by time.

"You are a person like Yao and Shun."

At that time, Lu Yueyuan had not yet awakened the system, nor had he begun to simulate the future. So he naively believed that only his grandmaster would say this to him, and that after he died, no one would ever say it to him again.

No one will ever tell him again that he is a person like Yao and Shun.

Chapter 22: The Rallying Horn

Lu Yueyuan felt his body weakening and could only lean against the coffin. Sect Master, Sect Master, what use was he as Sect Master? Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. How could the Sect Master of the Number One Sect in the World be so useless?

Tap tap tap, footsteps came from behind.

Lu Yueyuan turned around, and the person had already approached. She was a female cultivator who looked quite young, with striking features. Her eyebrows were slightly upturned, naturally dark without makeup. She had a straight nose, well-defined lips, and a face that made one want to invite her for a drink.

Lu Yueyuan didn't expect to see her, but he didn't want to see anyone right now, especially not her.

But the female cultivator didn't care about any of that. She walked up to him and naturally placed her hand on his head. She wore narrow sleeves, a belted waist, long trousers, and short boots, with the cuffs fastened with Yan Zhou red copper rings. Her outfit was dusty and travel-worn, clearly indicating that she had rushed back from outside.

"Now you don't even want to call me 'Master Sister' anymore?" the female cultivator said casually.

Lu Yueyuan wiped away his tears and straightened his back instinctively. He raised his hand to slap the female cultivator's hand away, but she had already lowered it before he could.

“Su Zhaoran, you are no longer a disciple of my sect. My grandmaster has also said he no longer acknowledges you,” Lu Yueyuan said. “Why did you come back? Aren’t you afraid of being wanted by the police?”

“I don’t care, anyway my master didn’t issue a warrant for my arrest. Of course, he can’t issue one now.” Su Zhaoran looked at the old man lying in the coffin.

“If you’re coming back to pay your respects, then leave after you’ve done so,” Lu Yueyuan said. “If you’re looking for my master, then unfortunately, my master has disappeared.”

“I’m not that close to them, and I’m just passing by. I’ll be leaving soon,” Su Zhaoran said, holding onto the edge of the coffin.

Lu Yueyuan took a few steps back and stood behind Su Zhaoran.

A long silence fell over the hall, and the atmosphere became heavy. Su Zhaoran wasn't afraid of Lu Yueyuan's sneak attack, so she openly exposed her back to him. She was still the same as Lu Yueyuan remembered—unruly and rebellious, with fiery red hair like burning flames, just like her personality.

She was even more of a troublemaker than Lu Yueyuan's master. Back then, in the entire Jiuyi Sect, even the dragon maidens dared not provoke her. Her grandmaster often reprimanded her, but she didn't care and took Lu Yueyuan everywhere to have fun. Later, she defected, but in Lu Yueyuan's memory, she was always that girl who took him everywhere, like his older sister.

Su Zhaoran's hand finally dropped from the edge of the coffin. She turned her head and looked directly at Lu Yueyuan once again.