Chapter 1114: Don’t Call Me Senior, That’s Too Distant. Call Me Great-Grandmaster
...
Right now, this was a new beginning.
It was also Mottian's good fortune.
The matter of a ghost dying becoming the Unseen - he had already schemed for this possibility since his first failure.
Consider how exceptionally gifted Mottian was - a self-taught cultivator from an unorthodox background, who managed to reach such heights with just a single Lü Mountain technique, even modifying and improving it himself.
But his ceiling was ultimately not that high.
And it was precisely because of his previous failure with the Miaodao Sect that Mottian had gained the courage to gamble on this ethereal, barely-existent possibility.
As it turned out, his gamble paid off.
From now on, he would become an existence even more fearsome than a ghost.
His upper limit would be stretched to a terrifying, unimaginable height!
The translucent Mottian stepped out from within the stone wall.
He knelt once more toward distant Dong'an Province and kowtowed heavily.
Although Celestial Master Zhu had crippled his former self and destroyed the cultivation he had fought so hard to obtain,
he was still grateful to Celestial Master Zhu. The man had saved him, given him techniques - it was Mottian who had gratuitously entangled him in karmic consequences.
After finishing his kowtows, still in his weakened state, Mottian swiftly vanished.
He would not forget his promise.
Miss Pei was still trapped in the Ghost Nest, waiting to be freed - he had promised the girl he would set her free.
On the other side.
Lu Ding thought he was the only one who knew Mottian hadn't died.
But unexpectedly, when he turned his head, the black-robed elder with the crooked mouth cast him a meaningful sidelong glance.
Such methods sent chills down one's spine.
Lu Ding only knew Mottian hadn't died because he hadn't received a notification, but this elder - standing right there without even lifting a finger - already knew Mottian was still alive.
From one clue, one could infer the whole picture.
This elder's strength... was utterly ridiculous.
And those moves from just now - the power to casually kill Deification cultivators like squashing baby chicks - tsk tsk...
Lü Mountain truly lived up to its legendary reputation.
Lu Ding responded with a smile.
The old man stepped forward: "Lu Ding, don't be afraid. I am your Great-Grandmaster. Forgive my presumption and uninvited arrival - I was simply worried about you, afraid those wretches might harm you."
"This time, I brought your Junior Uncles, Senior Uncles, and other external Great-Grandmasters out here to support you."
"Disciples of Lü Mountain have no need to be modest."
"In the past, whoever bullied you - tell your Great-Grandmaster, and we'll go deal with them right now and wipe them out!"
"Whether it's a sect, a faction, or even an entire kingdom - me, your Great-Grandmaster, and these Junior Uncles, Senior Uncles, and external Great-Grandmasters - we are your most solid backing!!!"
These words carried immense authority.
But Lu Ding wanted to first ask about Crooked-Mouth Old Man's situation: "Senior, my elder..."
The black-robed elder's crooked mouth twitched repeatedly. Although he felt a little uncomfortable inside, when he realized that Lu Ding's first concern was for his own useless little disciple, the black-robed elder instantly recognized Lu Ding's filial piety.
This child was good.
Really damn good.
"Don't call me Senior, that's too distant. Call me Great-Grandmaster. Your elder is in seclusion - let's not worry about him. We'll have our fun, sort out your situation here, then go back to see him when we're done, alright?"
Lu Ding nodded: "Alright."
"But Senior, I haven't formally taken a master yet. Calling you Great-Grandmaster..."
"Oh, just call me that for now - it's only a matter of time anyway. You already have the substance of a master-disciple relationship; the title is just a matter of when."
As the black-robed elder spoke, his ears perked up.
Lu Ding called out: "Great-Grandmaster."
The black-robed elder laughed with his crooked mouth: "Oohohohoho..."
He stroked his beard: "Say it again, one more time."
Lu Ding: "Great-Grandmaster..."
The black-robed elder: "Ahh, so satisfying."
"Me too, me too! Xiao Lu, call me External Great-Grandmaster!"
"Xiao Lu, I'm your Ninety-Third Junior Uncle!"
"Xiao Lu, I'm your Seventeenth Senior Uncle!"
"Xiao Lu..."
Lu Ding felt like he had returned home for New Year's.
Surrounded by relatives - not a single one he recognized - he could only learn to address each one in turn.
And the way he called them - every single one of them wore an expression of pure bliss.
Especially the Junior and Senior Uncles.
At present, Lü Mountain had no idea how long it had been since they last accepted new disciples.
Crooked-Mouth Old Man's generation was the youngest.
Of course, Crooked-Mouth Old Man wasn't young in age - he was just young in seniority.
For these Junior and Senior Uncles, who had always held the lowest seniority in the sect, being addressed as "Uncle" for the first time today - the feeling was indescribably amazing.
They had finally risen in status!
Finally, finally, they had earned a seniority promotion.
Lu Ding spent quite a while calling out to over a hundred of them one by one, then walked over to the remaining few foreign Deification cultivators.
By now.
These people had long been frightened pale by the current situation, at a complete loss.
What... what were they seeing!?
Over a hundred Deification Ninth Level cultivators - full to the brim, couldn't be fuller.
Lü Mountain?
What kind of power was Lü Mountain!?
Wasn't Lu Ding just a member of Great Han's 749 Bureau? He had such a terrifying background too!?
What the hell was with this many peak Deification cultivators? Were they planning a full-scale purge!?
This kind of foundation was too terrifying.
All the peak Deification Ninth Level cultivators from multiple nations combined couldn't match the number from a single faction.
And the quality was incomparable.
Seeing Lu Ding approach, they finally understood what it meant to say "the pot is made of iron" - this was a done deal, inescapable.
No wonder Lu Ding dared to be so reckless and unrestrained.
So that's why...
The remaining few had their voices sealed and couldn't speak.
But that was fine - the Senior and Junior Uncles were very considerate.
With a hand seal.
The voice seal was lifted.
Lu Ding spoke: "Weren't you supposed to be tough? Weren't you trying to surround and kill me? Now why aren't you tough? Why aren't you talking? Say something - hit me! If you've got the guts, don't kneel there - stand up!"
Faced with the surrounding Lü Mountain disciples watching them like hawks, they wouldn't dare stand up even if their lives depended on it.
They knelt there, obedient and docile.
Someone finally managed to force out words: "Lu... Lu Ding, we were wrong this time. We can apologize, we can compensate. Name your price - anything we have, we'll give it without question."
Lu Ding smiled, running his finger along Blood Frost's blade: "Lu Ding... is that what you call me?!"
Murderous intent blazed in his eyes.
One slash, and the head was gone.
A fine human head soared into the sky.
His blood-stained blade tip pressed against the brow of another foreign veteran Deification cultivator: "Now it's your turn to bark."
This man could see clearly - there was no path to survival today, only certain death. He chose not to struggle, letting his hot-headed defiance take over as he prepared to die courageously: "Lu Ding, what can you do besides bullying others with your backing? Weren't you fleeing like a frightened dog with its tail between its legs just a while ago?"
"You petty man who gets cocky the moment things go your way - I'm not afraid of you! Kill me if you want, cut me to pieces if you want!"
The black-robed elder leaned in: "Frightened dog, you say? You called him a frightened dog? Hahahahaha! Very good, very good! You little thief - tell this old Daoist, what faction do you belong to? What kingdom?"