Chapter 22: Encircle the Mausoleum! Kneel Before Me!

Yun Shan was on his way back when he suddenly noticed a dark mass of people gathered upon the sea of clouds not far ahead. Being the sect leader, he felt it only right to go and investigate. With a single step, his figure flickered and reappeared before the crowd.

Seeing him arrive, everyone quickly cupped their hands in salute. "Greetings, Sect Leader!"

With a solemn expression, Yun Shan asked, "What is happening here? With such a large formation, where are you all headed?"

Yun Che stepped forward quickly and explained, "Father, a scoundrel has intruded into our Azure Cloud Sect."

"A scoundrel? Who is bold enough to dare run amok in our Azure Cloud Sect?"

"To answer you, Father, this youth is named Ye Changsheng. He has killed hundreds of our disciples and over a dozen elders. I do not know when he snuck in, but he is currently hiding within the Ancestral Mausoleum."

Upon hearing this, Yun Shan’s face changed drastically. He rushed forward and pressed, "Che'er, what did you just say? That fellow is in the Ancestral Mausoleum?"

"Yes... he is in the Ancestral Mausoleum!" Yun Che was startled by his father's reaction.

Yun Shan clenched his fists, burning with fury. He thought to himself, "Of all the places he could have gone, he had to choose the Ancestral Mausoleum. The Old Ancestor’s remains are still inside; if anything were to go wrong..."

At the mere thought of it, Yun Shan became frantic. He shouted, "Why are you all standing here stunned? Follow me! To the Ancestral Mausoleum, capture the scoundrel!"

...

Meanwhile, those inside the Ancestral Mausoleum were unaware of what was transpiring outside.

"It is all your fault that the descendants of the Azure Cloud Sect are getting worse with every generation. Don't you agree?"

With Ye Changsheng present, what else could they say? They nodded in agreement, one after another.

"Yes, yes, this young lady is absolutely right! These little brats have gone too far!"

"These unfilial descendants have truly shamed our Azure Cloud Sect!"

Of course, Ye Changsheng had no time to entertain these old ghosts; he was busy handling the funeral arrangements for Bai Tianyuan. Suddenly, an angry roar erupted from outside.

"Ye Changsheng, get out here!"

Hearing the voice, Ye Changsheng turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing. "They discovered us so quickly?"

After all, this was someone else's territory, so Ye Changsheng dared not rush out recklessly. He formed a hand seal, and the scene outside appeared before his eyes. In the short time it took for an incense stick to burn, Yun Shan had arrived with his forces. The entire Ancestral Mausoleum was now surrounded by the people of the Azure Cloud Sect, sealed off so tightly not even a drop of water could pass through. He was effectively a caged beast.

"It seems the funeral arrangements must be put on hold."

In front of his father, Yun Che was eager to put on a good performance. "Ye Changsheng, I see you’ve grown tired of living! How dare you run wild in the sacred grounds of our Azure Cloud Sect!"

"If you are sensible, get out here immediately!"

The surroundings remained deathly silent; there was no response from within the mausoleum. Seeing this, Yun Shan could no longer restrain himself. He stepped forward and roared, "Boy, come out now, and I might just spare your life! If I have to come in there, I will carve you into ten thousand pieces, and not a single person you know will escape!"

Given Ye Changsheng’s current strength, facing a powerhouse like Yun Shan—a master of the Earth Spirit realm—was like throwing an egg against a rock. The disparity was as vast as heaven and earth; he had no power to fight back.

Ye Changsheng’s brow twisted into a knot as his mind raced.

"If only I were not dead, how could this Yun Shan be so arrogant?" Bai Tianyuan sighed with deep regret. Now that he was a spirit and his physical body was imprisoned by Yun Shan, his words carried no weight.

To break this deadlock, he had to find another way. Suddenly, a novel idea sparked in Ye Changsheng's mind. He turned to Bai Tianyuan and asked, "Fellow Daoist Tianyuan, are you willing to act out a play with me?"

"Please, speak your mind, sir!"

Ye Changsheng leaned in and explained his plan point by point. After listening, Bai Tianyuan nodded gently.

"That is indeed a good method..."

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. Once I leave the Azure Cloud Sect, I will surely find a place of perfect geomancy to bury you!"

"It is a deal!"

...

After a while, Yun Shan could wait no longer. He turned to the elders beside him. "Tell everyone to prepare to strike. I will go in myself and execute this boy."

"Yes, Sect Leader!"

Just as Yun Shan was about to move, a voice drifted out from the Ancestral Mausoleum.

"Oh my, so many people! How lively this is!"

At the sound, everyone’s gaze snapped toward the entrance. Ye Changsheng walked out swaggeringly, while Su Qinyin huddled behind him.

"Brother Changsheng, I'm scared!"

"It's alright, I am here..." Ye Changsheng patted her head, soothing her softly.

Seeing this, Yun Che stepped forward and pointed at Ye Changsheng, shouting, "Ye Changsheng, we meet at last."

"Buddy, who are you?"

"You..." Yun Che gritted his teeth, nearly bursting with rage. He had gone to such great lengths to deal with Ye Changsheng, and the man didn't even know who he was.

As the words faded, Yun Che's status panel slowly manifested:

[Name: Yun Che]
[Age: 20]
[Cultivation: Peak of the Spirit Pellet Realm]

"Damn you, so you're the bastard! You’re the one who’s been constantly sending people to hunt me down?"

"Screw your great-grandfather!"

Ye Changsheng did not hold back, launching into a string of insults against Yun Che. How could Yun Che swallow such an insult?

"Boy, you actually dared to come out! I will send you to meet the King of Hell right now!"

Yun Che took a step, raised a hand, and struck violently toward Ye Changsheng. "Go to hell!"

As the roar echoed, Ye Changsheng didn't waste a breath; he pulled a figure from behind him.

"Little brat Yun Che, behold your ancestor!"

Ye Changsheng raised his hand, holding Bai Tianyuan’s corpse directly in front of him. At that moment, Bai Tianyuan’s spirit was hidden within it, whispering, "Sir, will this trick really work? What if they just stop caring about anything?"

"Don't worry! With so many people watching, would he dare strike his own ancestor? Besides, the old dog Yun Shan hasn't gotten what he wants yet; would he act rashly?"

Seeing Bai Tianyuan, Yun Che’s face turned pale with terror. "Old Ancestor?"

Ye Changsheng coughed lightly. "Little brat Yun Che, do you still dare to strike now that you see your ancestor?"

Hearing this, Yun Che hurriedly withdrew his hand, stopping in his tracks before Ye Changsheng.

"You see the Old Ancestor, yet you do not kneel to pay your respects?"

Yun Che clenched his fists, biting his teeth so hard they threatened to crack. He glared at Ye Changsheng and roared, "Ye Changsheng, what exactly do you want?"

Ye Changsheng ignored him and continued, "What? Could it be that in the Azure Cloud Sect, a mere Young Sect Leader is greater than the Old Ancestor?"

"Kneel!"