CHAPTER 877: RELUCTANCE

After Daoist Wuyang stepped forward, behind him a group of old daoists stood on both sides of the mountain path, while on the mountaintop A'Yue had gathered behind him a group of young daoists, who looked at one another.

At that moment, it was rather like a contest between the new and the old.

The young temple master was unwilling to relinquish the power in his hand, and the old temple master who had never willingly let go of power stood opposed.

For the two words “temple master.”

On the surface, that was so.

For a time, whether the old daoists on the mountain path or the youngsters on the mountaintop, none knew what to say.

The two before them, the one on the mountain path had been famous in the world for decades; in those past years he had always been the leader of Daoism, always the best temple master in everyone’s hearts.

As for the one on the mountaintop, he was the most remarkable young daoist sage of the moment; in the entire history of Daoism, he perhaps was the youngest daoist cultivator to become a great daoist sage.

These two people, even if there was only one of them, the Infatuation Daoist Temple would have continued to flourish without decline. If there were both, the entire Infatuation Daoist Temple should have advanced even further.

Yet who would have thought that the two of them, who once shared such a close relationship in private, would now stand on opposite sides.

Was it really just for the two words temple master?

Be it the old temple master Daoist Wuyang or the young temple master Yun Jianyue, neither of them should have been such a person by reason.

Be it the elder temple master Daoist Sage Wuyang or the young temple master Yun Jianyue, neither of them should have been such a person by reason.

Daoist Youyun was the first to break the deathly silence. He reached out and tugged lightly on Daoist Wuyang’s sleeve, speaking softly, “Senior Brother, why must you treat A'Yue this way? Wasn’t he the junior you liked most among the younger generation?”

Daoist Wuyang did not respond to Daoist Youyun, but only looked at Yun Jianyue and said calmly, “A'Yue, before I returned to the mountain, was that sword from the Sword Sect’s sect master unleashed against me under your command?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the daoists of the Infatuation Daoist Temple all furrowed their brows. If such a thing had truly happened, then perhaps Yun Jianyue was not as simple as they had believed.

Yun Jianyue frowned slightly, remained silent for a moment, and was just about to speak when Daoist Wuyang shook his head and said, “It wasn’t you. Good.”

In truth, he had already thought that, whether or not it had been Yun Jianyue’s doing, it made little difference. But compared to seeing the young man before him truly display the bearing of a temple master, he would rather that the other still held the same respect toward his martial uncle as before.

After all, this was the one he had regarded from beginning to end as the successor of their daoist lineage.

It was precisely such conduct that brought him comfort.

Yet even so, the contention between the struggle of Great Dao remained difficult to resolve.

Yun Jianyue said calmly, “Martial Uncle, since you have returned and wish for the temple master’s seal, it's not that this disciple cannot give it up. But may I first ask Martial Uncle one thing, could you refrain from killing Chen Chao, and refrain from throwing the world into chaos?”

Daoist Wuyang shook his head and said, “If that person does not die, both our Infatuation Daoist Temple and Daoism itself will fall into further decline. Therefore, he must be killed.”

Yun Jianyue said softly, “Great Liang and the Infatuation Daoist Temple could have coexisted peacefully. Even though Martial Uncle had done so many things against Great Liang before, it doesn’t matter, we could always begin anew.”

Daoist Wuyang said, “A'Yue, if I hadn’t returned, the sword would no longer be in your hand. Once the sword is aimed at your head and you can no longer control it, would you then accept that others control the rise and fall of the Infatuation Daoist Temple?”

“A'Yue, never place your trust in anyone. People change. Everything must remain within your own control, never give others the chance to control it.”

Daoist Wuyang spoke softly, his words carrying a tone of guidance that no one present could fail to hear.

Yun Jianyue shook his head. “Martial Uncle, what you said makes some sense, but only some sense.”

Daoist Wuyang frowned, about to speak, but Yun Jianyue already shook his head and said calmly, “Martial Uncle, everything was settled in the desolate north. Today this disciple does not wish to waste words again.” 𝖗Å𝐍ȯ𐌱ЁŚ

Daoist Wuyang’s words were blocked. He gave a self-mocking smile. “You’ve grown up, yet you still won’t quietly listen to what I have to say.”

“A'Yue, since you do not wish to hear these words, then I will speak of something else. The position of temple master was originally in my hands. I had not yet ascended. You now manage the temple only temporarily. Now that I have returned, it is only proper that you return the temple master’s position.”

Daoist Wuyang looked at Yun Jianyue before him, speaking slowly, with no emotion in his eyes.

Yun Jianyue shook his head. “I will not return it.”

Daoist Wuyang clicked his tongue and laughed. “A'Yue, now, even you have learned to be unreasonable.”

“Then I will ask first: what do you all think, should this temple master position be returned?”

Daoist Wuyang’s gaze fell on the young people atop the mountain. He asked slowly.

“Sage has always been the temple master. He was only temporarily trapped. Now that he has returned, he should naturally reclaim the temple master’s position. This is to set things right.”

The young people did not speak. The words came from an elderly daoist behind them.

His thought was simple: since Daoist Wuyang had already surpassed Nepenthe, a realm unmatched in all of Daoism, if he wished to be temple master, then he should be temple master.

Once this elderly daoist spoke, many behind him followed, their meaning clear and unanimous.

These daoists were all of high seniority. Once they spoke, it was almost as if the matter was settled.

“Seniors... I think it is inappropriate. The temple master position that Temple Master Senior Brother has, was previously determined by the temple. Even now that Martial Uncle Wuyang has returned, there is no reason to take it back as a matter of course.”

The speaker was Zheng Hua.

When Yinli was killed, a few respected elder daoists in the temple decided that Yun Jianyue should succeed as temple master. At that time no one objected. The decision was final.

Now, even with the former temple master Daoist Wuyang’s return, this fact could not be changed.

Daoist Wuyang looked at Zheng Hua. This young daoist had average cultivation and average talent. He could no longer even recall his name.

However, as Zheng Hua spoke, some young people behind him gained courage and began to speak. Over the past days, they had been with Yun Jianyue and had already held this young temple master in high regard.

“A bunch of juniors, what do they understand? Now that Sage has already reached the Fuyun Realm above Nepenthe, with him as temple master, the Infatuation Daoist Temple will only grow more prosperous. What are you all causing trouble here for?”

An elderly daoist spoke. His words were sharp, but cleverly, whether intentionally or not, he informed the young people that the realms of Daoist Wuyang and Yun Jianyue were not comparable.

Even though Yun Jianyue had great potential, he could not compare to the astonishing presence of an old daoist sage who had already surpassed Nepenthe.

Yun Jianyue heard the elderly daoist’s implication, but he said calmly, “The Sword Sect’s Sect Master broke through his realm several days ago, and Martial Uncle also broke through such a realm. From this it was evident that breaking through cultivation realms was not as difficult as imagined.”

This sentence Yun Jianyue spoke to those daoists who had not come here but were paying attention to this realm.

Thus the matter became simple again: whom to choose?

A Fuyun Realm cultivator rare in the world at that moment, or a young genius who very likely, would break through Nepenthe in a short time and enter that realm, and therefore surely be younger and better able to preserve the Infatuation Daoist Temple for a thousand years.

Actually the best choice was of course to choose both.

But that was destined not to be.

The rear mountain remained silent, with no movement.

Since they did not know how to choose, they chose not to choose, and let the two resolve it themselves.

Daoist Wuyang thought for a moment. Although the final decision there differed somewhat from what he had imagined, it did not matter.

Yes, what did it matter?

Daoist Wuyang looked at Yun Jianyue and sighed, asking, “Do you truly not wish to take a step back?”

Yun Jianyue shook his head and said, “Not a single step.”

Daoist Wuyang said nothing.

Yun Jianyue took the initiative and said, “Then no more words. Let this matter be resolved outside the mountain. What does Martial Uncle think?”

Afterwards, whoever returned to the mountain, no matter who it was, would be temple master.

Daoist Wuyang nodded, then was the first to dissipate.

Yun Jianyue hesitated for a moment, glanced at Zheng Hua, and said softly with a smile, “Junior Brother, looking at you now, you seem not so unpleasant.”

Zheng Hua was stunned, then ground his teeth.

Yun Jianyue also transformed into a streak of light and dissipated.

......

......

On a high mountain about several hundred miles from the Infatuation Daoist Temple, the two figures appeared again.

Yun Jianyue opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Daoist Wuyang spoke to himself, “Although you were a talent, within this realm, you have no chance to defeat me. So you chose helpers. That Sword Sect’s Sect Master’s sword move was Chen Chao’s doing.”

Yun Jianyue thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “Besides this disciple, there will be Chen Chao and Yu Xiyi to fight Martial Uncle.”

Daoist Wuyang was utterly unconcerned and said calmly, “That makes things simple. I’ll kill Chen Chao, and half the matter will be resolved. Then I’ll throw you into the Soul Locking Prison. As for that swordsman, since he seeks his own death, killing him won’t matter.”

Even now, Daoist Wuyang had not truly decided to kill Yun Jianyue.

Why?

He could not bear to.

“So, what now? Will you wait for the other two to arrive so that the three of you can attack together, or do you truly wish to fight me to the death?”

Daoist Wuyang spoke with perfect calm. In his eyes, three cultivators who had reached the end of Nepenthe could indeed kill most people in the world. But to kill him, that was nothing but a fool’s dream.

The only thing he feared was that Yun Jianyue would seek death wholeheartedly and insist on dying by his hand.

Daoist Wuyang did not believe there was a second Yun Jianyue beneath the heavens.

Yun Jianyue sighed and said, “It’s a family matter to begin with. If the difference between my realm and Martial Uncle’s were not too great, I wouldn’t have called them. So... this disciple still wishes to try first on my own.”

Daoist Wuyang said solemnly, “A’Yue, you know that no matter what, I don’t wish to fight you, and even less do I wish to see you die by my hand.”

The Yun Jianyue before him was like a finely crafted porcelain vessel he had poured endless effort into making; a piece unique in all the world. To shatter it with his own hand, Daoist Wuyang could not bring himself to do it.

If he truly could have, he would have shattered it back in the desolate north.

Yun Jianyue said earnestly, “If possible, I too would not wish to face Martial Uncle in life and death here. But Martial Uncle is indeed wrong.”

"Wrong? You know I’ve never cared about that. The rights and wrongs of the world are like pebbles by the roadside, I won’t spare them a glance. Besides, it has always been thus, for thousands of years, it has always been so. Right and wrong, black and white, who would care?”

Yun Jianyue did not answer that question, only said softly, “That’s why I want to see a world where most people do care about right and wrong.”

Daoist Wuyang narrowed his eyes at Yun Jianyue, thought for a moment, and sighed. “Still a youth after all.”

Yun Jianyue asked, “Was Martial Uncle never young?”

Daoist Wuyang said nothing. For no reason, he recalled the sight of Yun Jianyue when he had first come up the mountain.

That youth who had looked around curiously, after all these years, amidst the misty mountains, had gradually come to see his own heart clearly.

It was a little unexpected, but also somewhat admirable.

But the other youth who had come up the mountain even earlier, his heart had never changed.

He had not lost himself in the mist.

He had already been such a person before ever climbing the mountain.

At this thought, Daoist Wuyang sighed with some regret. “My fault for not seeing clearly. From the moment you came up the mountain, you and I were never of the same path.”

Then Daoist Wuyang mocked himself softly. “But I did see clearly after all.”

Yes, he had seen clearly, but still, he could not bear to.