Chapter 767: Shifting Winds
Proofreader: Papatonks
[A wedding?]
The crowd looked at High Venerable in disbelief. Even the lucky couple was stunned at his declaration.
The last they heard demonic cultivators were supposed to be cruel and emotionless. So how did it turn into a public wedding? Marriage was a promise between a man and a woman, one of love. It wasn’t the same as a fling.
Was this really fine, breaking a thousands of years old rule? Even if it was done by the High Venerable and the next Sect Leader.
“High Venerable, Sect Leader stepping down for the good of the sect is an act of virtue, to be remembered through the ages. But for the new Sect Leader to break sect rules in such a grand fashion the very first day he took seat…”
Venerable Shi took it upon himself, as the defender of the demonic path, to be a buzzkill.
[Zhuo Fan, you might have won, but don’t get too cocky! You can’t treat sect rules as nothing! What wedding? You’re clearly dishonoring the Demon Scheming Sect!]
[We can turn a blind eye to having a woman, so go have your fun. But now you want to make an issue out of it? This is a blatant disregard to all of us!]
At this time, Venerable Bai and the rest having Zhuo Fan’s back should have stepped in, but even they found this to be a taboo. They were just stuck as to what to say.
Giving Venerable Shi a cold look, Elder Yuan said to Zhuo Fan, “See, these geezers are against your wedding and don’t care who’s the Sect Leader. I told you so!”
“You’re right, but isn’t this a bit too outrageous. This is about breaking a thousands of years old rule just as I take my seat. Look, even Venerable Bai isn’t saying anything. We’re still demonic cultivators…”
“Don’t tell me you don’t want to hold a grand wedding with miss Chu.” Elder Yuan rose an eyebrow.
Turning to Chu Qingcheng, Zhuo Fan had a bitter smile, “I’m a demonic cultivator and know its taboos. While I might be an exception, I still can’t break every demonic cultivator…”
“Not quite, Zhuo Fan. Don’t you recall what I told you? The condition for a demonic cultivator to be in love?”
“Of course I do, that is for advanced players, a stage they must overcome.” Zhuo Fan rose an eyebrow.
Elder Yuan nodded, “Yes, for those pursuing Dao, they can control love. I’ve always lamented how many in Demon Scheming Sect had become obsessed while very few pursued Dao. Sect’s rule is indeed there to protect our way of cultivation. But ever since you came, I discovered that with our constant talks, everyone must have they own path. The Four Scheming Demons curbed their thirst for blood, Gui Hu subdued his savagery. Elder after elder revealed their Dao heart.”
“We are all products of our environment. I believe that with you as the Sect Leader, the Demon Scheming Sect will become a true sect of the demonic path and not one filled with demons without substance. As our sect develops, desire is a step all cultivators must overcome. We can’t have an ancient rule halt our sect’s future, no? Ha-ha-ha…”
“Elder Yuan is truly wise and broad-minded.” Zhuo Fan’s face twitched as he looked at him with cupped hands.
Elder Yuan waved him off, “Ha-ha-ha, I’m doing it all for the sect’s growth. People without a path will find it harder and harder to grow the more they cultivate. This is, in the end, a daring bet. It’s far too soon to tell just how many people will be able to overcome this trial. If a great deal of disciples die from their deep desires, I will be condemned in our history. But if it’s the other way around, by overcoming this threshold, the Demon Scheming Sect will be change as a whole!”
Zhuo Fan nodded in admiration at his boldness.
“Moreover…”
Elder Yuan turned to Zhuo Fan with a snicker, “With Demon Scheming Sect’s grand wedding, you can finally belong to this place, ha-ha-ha…”
Startled, Zhuo Fan stood agape at Elder Yuan. He would not soon forget where he and Qingcheng would be holding the wedding, that was for sure.
[With this, Elder Yuan is tying me to this place…]
Zhuo Fan took a deep breath and shouted, “Everyone, from now on, Demon Scheming Sect no longer forbids fraternization. My first order as your new Sect Leader is to abolish this rule!”
Sss~
They all gasped in shock at Zhuo Fan’s declaration. After a bit of smooth talking, an ancient rule for thousands of years was broken just like that.
Any past Sect Leader that had done this received immediate refusal from all the elders and venerables. This was against their traditional values.
[How can you just break ancestors’ rules?]
This time was one peculiar exception though. The one to announce it was the High Venerable himself. Also, Venerable Bai’s faction had Zhuo Fan’s back. They had to agree even if they didn’t want to.
[Why else would he want him as Sect Leader then?]
So, two thirds of the elders gave a silent approval, leaving only Venerable Shi’s faction to stammer, lost for words.
Their position was the most awkward too.
Zhuo Fan’s side had risen up while Venerable Shi’s side followed the trend, they were still part of the old regime. Now that Xie Wuyue stepped down and Zhuo Fan went up, it was the moment where every empire’s court went through a thorough cleaning.
The fact he usually was against Zhuo Fan was nothing, since he was a Venerable and had a hundred people behind him. In times of peace massacres would only lead one astray from public support, endangering his seat.
Now though, in a time of insurrection, killing was at anyone’s discretion.
[Who told you to go against us?]
As Zhuo Fan declared this at such a critical moment, he could not refuse it, or it would be used as an excuse to kill him.
Since time immemorial, the greatest death toll was when a regime change happened. Some died in the chaos of war, while others because they opened their mouths.
In such a time, he could of course zip his lip.
“Venerable Shi, this kid is outrageous! He wants to break our ancestors’ rule. Aren’t you going to say anything?” One elder was incensed and whispered to Venerable Shi.
Venerable Shi glared at him and cursed in a low voice, “Shut it. Are you trying to get me killed? Xie Wuyue and Zhuo Fan finally came to terms and now he lacks the reason to clean his house. You want me to get his attention? It’s better to stand down!”
The elder jerked back.
Venerable Shi squinted, then he gave an eerie smile.
[Zhuo Fan, bravo, be cocky all you want. Your just deserts would come after offending so many people, he-he-he…]
“Long live Sect Leader Zhuo!”
In this eerie silence, a sudden shout echoed that drew their attention. They looked back to see Kui Lang.
As he shouted, his son followed his example, then spreading throughout Zhuo Fan’s side. The shouts got louder and longer, with no opposition.
Zhuo Fan shook his head, “It seems to me, only Kui Lang really means it. The rest are only copying him. Guess misery does love company, ha-ha-ha…”
“Dad, I heard some old coot is messing with you. Where’s he at?”
A childish voice sounded, followed by Gu Santong’s appearance. Luo clan was rushing over as well with hard looks. But then they found that there was no war going on here, as the crowd cheered instead.
Elder Yuan did not mind their arrival and turned to Zhuo Fan, “Are they the army you set up outside? Ha-ha-ha, you’re really cautious, feeling more than half of the sect’s elders weren’t enough and you called for backup. I bet you won’t even need anyone else, not when your freakish son alone can crush an entire sect, just like he did with Mystical Heaven Sect.”
“Elder Yuan, you knew?” Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow.
Elder Yuan chuckled, “Of course I knew. You think as a High Venerable I’d be at ease knowing you’d take so many experts away? I saw it myself every move you made. That’s why I never wanted to resort to violence. Because your son is too weird. I don’t think I can take him, ha-ha-ha…”
Zhuo Fan’s brow shook and he laughed.
He then called Luo Yunhai and young Sanzi to him to ease their battle spirit as he explained.
Finding out Zhuo Fan got High Venerable’s support in becoming the Sect Leader, Luo Yunhai cheered, that Zhuo Fan got through this mess without bloodshed. The sad part was that Zhuo Fan would remain in the Demon Scheming Sect and couldn’t return to the Luo clan; not soon at least.
But knowing Zhuo Fan was free to marry Chu Qingcheng, everyone offered their blessings.
Thus, on the second morning, under the eyes of Demon Scheming Sect’s elders, Xie Wuyue stepped down and handed over the seat to Zhuo Fan. While in the evening, it was Zhuo Fan’s wedding.
On this day, the dark and cold Demon Scheming Sect was brimming with lively music and cheers. None aware that this happiness would be followed by shifting winds, bringing crisis to Zhuo Fan’s doorstep…