The Heavens: From Film and Mythology to Conquering Myriad Realms

Chapter 144 Solo Journey, Ascension Ceremony

Outside the cave, Su Xinghe stood at the entrance, waiting.

Suddenly, several footsteps were heard, causing Su Xinghe to look into the cave.

"Senior Brother Wuyazi has passed away."

Lu Yao, with his back to Su Xinghe, said calmly.

"Master!"

Su Xinghe was stunned for a moment, then his face was filled with grief.

"Su Xinghe greets the sect leader."

Su Xinghe immediately composed himself and knelt down before Lu Yao.

Su Xinghe also knew about the succession of the sect leader, and with the sect leader ring on Lu Yao's hand, Su Xinghe naturally understood that Wu Yazi had passed the position of sect leader to Lu Yao.

"Yes, properly collect and prepare the remains of Senior Brother Wuyazi."

Lu Yao nodded and glanced back at the cave.

"As ordered."

Su Xinghe bowed to Lu Yao with a serious expression.

……

Lu Yao and Su Xinghe arrived at the banquet venue prepared by the Deaf-Mute Valley.

The banquet had already begun, and upon seeing Lu Yao and Su Xinghe arrive, some martial arts figures hurriedly greeted them.

"Brother Lu, you haven't run into any trouble, have you?"

Wang Yuyan approached Lu Yao and spoke softly.

"Don't worry, Yu Yan, I'm fine."

Lu Yao smiled, his gaze towards Wang Yuyan gentle.

"Brother Lu is truly blessed; I am extremely envious."

Murong Fu walked over and said to Lu Yao with a smile.

"Brother Murong, you are of noble birth, so there is no need for you to envy me."

Lu Yao chuckled and teased.

Upon hearing this, Murong Fu's expression clearly brightened considerably.

After they were seated, people kept coming up to toast Lu Yao and befriend him and Murong Fu.

The banquet was lively and bustling, but as time went by, people kept saying goodbye and leaving.

"Now that Ding Chunqiu is dead, the sect's great revenge has been avenged, all thanks to the sect leader's unparalleled divine skills."

Su Xinghe raised his glass and toasted Lu Yao.

"It was all by chance, Mr. Su is too kind."

Lu Yao smiled, picked up his wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Is Valley Master Su also a disciple of the Free and Unfettered Sect?"

Murong Fu was taken aback and asked curiously.

Su Xinghe had a good reputation in the martial arts world, but that reputation was based on his elegant skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

There was absolutely no information about his relationship with the Xiaoyao Sect; even Su Xinghe's disciples were unaware that they were disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect.

"Elder Su is indeed a disciple of my Xiaoyao Sect, but he has been hiding his identity for many years, so it's normal that Brother Murong doesn't know."

Lu Yao's expression shifted slightly, and he explained with a smile.

Su Xinghe glanced at Murong Fu. Since Lu Yao had already spoken, he naturally wouldn't contradict him.

Murong Fu frowned slightly; he felt something was amiss.

"Brother Lu is actually the leader of the Xiaoyao Sect, that's unbelievable."

Wang Yuyan's big eyes blinked as she looked at Lu Yao.

Li Qingluo hadn't told Wang Yuyan Lu Yao's identity, so she was quite surprised.

……

After the banquet ended, it was getting late.

Except for those martial arts figures who had already left, Su Xinghe arranged guest rooms for everyone to rest.

Murong Fu and the others who were with Lu Yao naturally stayed in the best rooms.

"Elder Su, send your disciples to investigate the Ascension Ceremony of the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands."

Lu Yao thought for a moment and then gave instructions to Su Xinghe.

"The Ascension Ceremony? Yes, sir."

Su Xinghe was somewhat puzzled, but he still obeyed Lu Yao's orders.

After Su Xinghe left, Lu Yao couldn't help but start thinking.

The Ascension Assembly is a gathering of the thirty-six caves and seventy islands, all for the purpose of finding a way to kill the master of the Lingjiu Palace on Misty Peak, Tianshan Child Granny.

These people, controlled by the Life and Death Talisman of the Heavenly Mountain Child Granny, are finally determined to fight to the death.

The next morning.

Su Xinghe came to report to Lu Yao.

As a force established by Su Xinghe, the Deaf-Mute Valley has been operating for many years and naturally has intelligence channels.

In just one night, they discovered the details of the Ascension Ceremony.

After receiving the intelligence, Lu Yao went down the mountain with Murong Fu and the others.

"Yu Yan, you and A Bi go back to Mantuo Manor with Brother Murong first. I have something to do, so I won't be traveling with you."

Lu Yao whispered to Wang Yuyan that he planned to go to the Ascension Ceremony himself.

The people from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands were all insignificant to Lu Yao, but it was inconvenient to bring Wang Yuyan along.

Lu Yao couldn't always keep his attention on Wang Yuyan. If someone were to attack Wang Yuyan, Lu Yao wouldn't be able to protect her in time.

"Oh, Brother Lu, aren't you coming with us?"

Wang Yuyan looked somewhat disappointed and reluctant, and asked in a low voice.

"No, Yu Yan, don't worry. I'll come to Mantuo Manor to find you once things are settled."

Lu Yao smiled and gently took Wang Yuyan's small hand.

"Uh-huh."

Wang Yuyan blushed; this was the first time Lu Yao had ever held her hand.

Murong Fu stood in the distance, expressionless, lost in thought.

"Then I'll trouble Brother Murong to take Yuyan and the others home."

Lu Yao turned to look at Murong Fu and said with a smile.

"Brother Lu, please rest assured, I will personally escort my cousin back to Mantuo Manor."

Murong Fu immediately smiled.

Lu Yao nodded, leaped into the air, and disappeared without a trace in a short while.

"Let's go, cousin. Brother Lu has already left. We're still waiting."

Murong Fu felt a little heartbroken looking at Wang Yuyan's expression.

……

Lu Yao rode on the back of the giant eagle and quickly headed towards the location provided by Su Xinghe.

The eagle flew very fast, and arrived at its destination in just two hours.

The destination of the Ascension Ceremony was a forest, but it was not yet time.

Lu Yao returned the giant eagle to his original space and sat cross-legged on a century-old tree to rest, waiting for night to fall.

As the sun gradually set, more and more people arrived and hid in the jungle.

Lu Yao quietly watched the large group of people under the tree, waiting for the right moment to make his move.

Meanwhile, Tianshan Tonglao had already been mistaken for Wu Laoda's maid and captured in a sack.

Lu Yao could take this opportunity to subdue the Heavenly Mountain Child Granny.

Just then, Lu Yao's thoughts were interrupted by a sound coming from under the tree.

"Everyone, now that you're here, show yourselves."

A short man stood atop a huge bronze cauldron, laughing and shouting.

As his voice faded, torches lit up, and dozens of people emerged from the forest.

"Now that everyone is here, let the Ascension Ceremony begin."

When Elder Wu, the convener, saw that almost everyone had arrived, he officially began the Ascension Ceremony.

In fact, calling it an ascension ceremony is more like a rally to pledge allegiance.

"We've all suffered under that old hag for too long, forcing us to rebel."

"I'm sure none of you want to be treated as slaves by Lingjiu Palace anymore. We must unite and work together to defeat that old hag."

Boss Wu excitedly launched into a speech, the theme of which was to call on everyone to attack Lingjiu Palace and kill Tianshan Tonglao.

"That's right! Let's storm Lingjiu Palace together and force that old hag to remove our life-and-death talisman!"

"Kill all the damned hags of Lingjiu Palace!"

The crowd from the thirty-six caves and seventy-two islands was filled with righteous indignation and wished they could charge forward immediately.