Warning! A hidden dragon has emerged!

"presumptuous!"

An old Taoist priest in a yellow robe suddenly stood up, his eyes wide with anger, and pointed at Zhang Qingshun, shouting sternly.

"This mere unorthodox Taoist dares to address the Celestial Master by his name; he is utterly arrogant!"

Dozens of disciples from the Celestial Master's Mansion stood up in unison, drew their longswords, their cold light gleaming, and instantly surrounded the two, their killing intent filling the entire hall.

"Everyone, step back!"

Zhang Linghe flicked his sleeve and shouted sternly to stop him.

Even though the disciples were on high alert, they could only sheathe their swords, bow and retreat to the sides, their murderous gazes still fixed on Qin Quan and his companion, not daring to relax their guard.

Zhang Linghe suppressed his murderous aura and looked at Zhang Qingshun with a complicated expression.

"Junior brother, I have been waiting for you for a long time. Please come with me into the inner courtyard for a chat."

"What is there to be afraid of!"

With Qin Quan in charge, Zhang Qingshun was full of confidence. Even if there were mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, he would not be afraid to go forward.

Move into the inner courtyard.

Zhang Linghe gestured for Zhang Qingshun to sit at the octagonal table.

"Junior brother, please sit down."

Zhang Qingshun did not sit down, but took half a step back and gestured for Qin Quan to sit down first.

"Mr. Qin, please!"

He then sat down to the side, his posture respectful.

This scene startled Zhang Linghe, who couldn't help but scrutinize Qin Quan closely.

The young man was handsome and refined, yet his aura was as steady as a mountain. His presence was completely restrained, and no matter how he tried to probe, he could not fathom the other's cultivation level.

"Such profound background, could he be a personal disciple of a reclusive master?"

Zhang Linghe secretly pondered the situation, becoming even more wary of taking it lightly.

"Junior brother, who is this fellow Daoist?"

"Hidden Dragon Ninth Elder, Qin Quan."

Qin Quan spoke frankly and revealed his identity.

Upon hearing the words "Ninth Elder of Hidden Dragon," Zhang Linghe's expression turned solemn. He immediately stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and displayed extreme humility, showing no airs of a venerable elder.

"So it's the Ninth Elder! My apologies for not being here sooner."

After saying this, he personally stepped forward to boil water and brew tea, his movements gentle and his manner kind.

Seeing this, Zhang Qingshun became even more vigilant, remaining alert throughout, fearing that the other party might secretly poison him or set a trap.

In contrast, Qin Quan remained calm and showed no fear.

He possessed the Golden Cicada Gu, which protected him from all poisons, making him completely unafraid of any underhanded tactics.

Moreover, Zhang Linghe was adopting a very humble posture at the moment, so he had no reason to make a move.

He picked up the tea and took a small sip. The tea was rich and lingering in aroma. Qin Quan spoke softly.

"The original Da Hong Pao tea tree is a rare and excellent tea."

"Elder Nine has a discerning eye for treasures; this old Taoist admires him."

Zhang Linghe smiled and agreed.

Qin Quan put down his teacup and, without beating around the bush, went straight to the point.

"No need for formalities. Speak freely. What is it that you specifically invited us into the inner courtyard for a talk?"

Zhang Linghe looked up at Zhang Qingshun, his expression complex and indescribable, and let out a long sigh.

"Junior brother, the Gui Mao Incident was something I wronged you with. There were reasons for it, and it was something I had no choice but to do. Decades have passed, and I have been reflecting on myself day and night, and I have long since realized my mistakes."

Stop pretending to be benevolent!

Unable to suppress his anger, Zhang Qingshun's violent temper surged, and he coldly interrupted.

"I know exactly what you're up to! If it weren't for Elder Ninth here today, you would have already killed me. What remorse do you have to offer?"

Zhang Linghe sighed again, looking tired and helpless.

"Junior brother, you have a deep misunderstanding about me."

"A month ago, a strange event occurred at Longhu Mountain. A demon appeared in the world. I fought a great battle with it and was severely injured. My dantian was eroded by demonic energy, and my foundation was destroyed. My time was coming to an end."

As he spoke, he took out a smooth, lustrous gold seal engraved with Taoist symbols from his bosom and gently placed it on the Eight Immortals table.

"Now that the spiritual energy of Longhu Mountain has been restored, the Taoist sect is in a period of turmoil, with a lack of successors among the younger generation, and no one capable of shouldering the great responsibility of the Celestial Master's Mansion. Even if you did not come today, I would have sent people to search far and wide to invite you back to Longhu Mountain, to take up the Celestial Master's Seal, and to secure your position as Celestial Master."

"Hmph! Easier said than done."

Zhang Qingshun, his face full of sarcasm, was about to retort when Qin Quan interrupted him.

"What he said is true."

Qin Quan's gaze fell on Zhang Linghe, and his divine sense swept over him, revealing Zhang Linghe's entire body.

"There is indeed demonic energy accumulating in his dantian, and his foundation is severely damaged beyond repair. He only has six months left to live."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qingshun was shocked and turned to look at Qin Quan in disbelief.

"Mr. Qin, is he truly critically injured and on the verge of death?"

"You can check it yourself."

Qin Quan slightly raised his hand, gesturing for Zhang Linghe to extend his arm.

Zhang Qingshun was half-believing and half-doubting, but he slowly stepped forward and examined the area intently.

He should have looked away, because once he did, he froze on the spot, a surge of hatred stuck in his throat.

Feeling lost and caught in a dilemma.

Today, he returns to Longhu Mountain, filled with grudges, determined to avenge his blood debt and reclaim everything that belongs to him.

But Zhang Linghe in front of him was already on the verge of death, and he even took the initiative to admit his mistake and hand over the Heavenly Master's Golden Seal.

In an instant, Zhang Qingshun was completely dumbfounded.

The person is about to die.

How should we avenge this?

How do we kill this person?

How can one vent the pent-up rage accumulated over decades?

"Junior brother, as long as you are willing to accept the Celestial Master's legacy, even if you take my life today, I will have no complaints."

Zhang Linghe looked up at Zhang Qingshun, his eyes no longer holding any of the arrogance of a Taoist master, only a humble plea.

Decades of power struggles and sectarian conflicts are worthless in the face of the crisis of the sect's succession.

He won't live much longer, but the thousand-year-old Celestial Master's Mansion must not be destroyed in his hands.

Zhang Qingshun glanced at the Celestial Master's Golden Seal on the table, then turned his head to look at Qin Quan beside him.

After a two-second silence, he raised his hand and pushed the golden seal back.

His eyes were cold and hard, showing no sign of softness.

"You want me to clean up your mess? Dream on."

"Back then, you seized everything by any means necessary, securing your position as Celestial Master and enjoying boundless glory. Now that you're on your last legs and your sect is in ruins, you think you can just pass this hot potato to me?"

"I refuse. I want to watch everything you've painstakingly seized come to nothing, watch you die with no one to inherit your mantle, and die with your eyes wide open in disbelief!"

Before going up the mountain, Zhang Qingshun had imagined countless scenes of revenge in his mind.

He considered forcing Zhang Linghe to step down, publicly revealing the truth of what happened back then, and personally severing the lifelong grudge.

However, when he actually saw Zhang Linghe being entangled in demonic energy and on his deathbed, he suddenly lost interest.

Celestial Master position?

What appears to be glory is actually a cage that confines a person for life.

Trapped on a mountaintop, bearing the weight of the entire sect's rise and fall, and bound by the constraints of all Taoist sects, he had no freedom whatsoever.

Where can you find someone as carefree as Guanyin in the white clouds?

A life of leisurely cultivation, with incense burning continuously, free from all worldly ties.

Moreover, now that he is following Qin Quan, his cultivation is progressing rapidly, and his vision has long since expanded beyond the confines of Longhu Mountain.

The mere lineage of the Celestial Masters was no longer of any interest to him.

"Junior brother..."

"No need for further explanation."

Zhang Qingshun coldly interrupted Zhang Linghe's pleas.

"I have no interest in the position of Celestial Master. Instead of begging me here, you should think carefully about how you will face your fellow disciples whom you cruelly murdered in the afterlife. What will you have to offer your ancestors?"

After saying that, he didn't look at Zhang Linghe again, but turned to Qin Quan and bowed, saying:

"Mr. Qin, my heart is at peace. I don't want to stay here a moment longer. Let's go."

"I'll listen to you."

Qin Quan never interfered in other people's grudges or got involved in karma; everything was led by Zhang Qingshun.