Chapter 406: This Subordinate Greets the Young Master
The clear voice wasn't particularly loud, yet it reached everyone's ears distinctly.
Startled, the crowd instinctively looked toward the source of the voice and saw a young man who was a stranger, yet seemed vaguely familiar.
The crowd couldn't help but frown. 'Where did this kid pop up from?'
'Why have we never seen him before?'
"Kid, which family do you belong to? What gives you the right to oppose Ma Gu becoming the Saint Heir?"
"Kid, you have some nerve, daring to spout such nonsense at the Saint Heir's investiture ceremony! Where are your elders? Tell them to come out and speak for you!"
"Kid, causing trouble at the Saint Heir's investiture ceremony... do you have a death wish?!"
...
Instantly, everyone began to condemn Cheng Yuan.
Only the faces of Wu Qinghe and Ma Gu paled!
'Is that Cheng Yuan?'
'Why is Cheng Yuan still alive?'
'Ma Fei's Soul Token has already shattered!'
'That means Ma Fei died inside the Celestial Witch Dragon Slaying Array!'
Wutubo stared at Cheng Yuan, his expression dark. This was the first time since he had become the High Priest that someone had dared to cause a disturbance at a ceremony he was presiding over.
Wutubo pressed his withered hand down slightly, and the crowd fell silent.
"Kid, I don't care whose descendant you are. To disrupt a ceremony I am presiding over is a crime punishable by death! Kneel before me!"
Wutubo suddenly unleashed his spiritual pressure, an overwhelming force that bore down on Cheng Yuan!
Everyone expected Cheng Yuan to be forced to his knees by the pressure.
But to everyone's surprise, not only did Cheng Yuan not kneel, he even began to walk leisurely toward the high platform, ascending it step by step, right through Wutubo's pressure.
It was as if Wutubo's pressure didn't exist at all.
Everyone was stunned!
'Where did this little monster pop out from?'
'What kind of monster is he?'
Finally, Cheng Yuan came to a stop less than two meters in front of Wutubo. Staring at him with a deadpan expression, he asked, "Have not even three generations passed, yet the Celestial Witch Sect has already forgotten its roots?"
WHOOSH!
Cheng Yuan's words caused a massive uproar. Everyone was furious!
"Where did this kid come from? Not only does he disrupt the Saint Heir's investiture ceremony, but he also dares to question our integrity?"
"Kid, you talk big! By what right do you pass judgment on our Celestial Witch Sect?"
Upon closer inspection, Wutubo froze. The boy... he looked just like a figure etched deep into his memory.
Wutubo quickly let out a great roar, "All of you, shut your mouths!!"
The crowd fell silent, looking at Wutubo in confusion. They didn't understand why the High Priest was so furious.
Wu Qinghe and Ma Gu's faces, however, turned incredibly grim. 'This is bad!'
'Has Wutubo recognized Cheng Yuan's identity?'
'If Cheng Yuan gets Wutubo's support, what are we going to do?'
In terms of seniority, even Wu Qinghe had to address Wutubo as Martial Uncle!
Wutubo circled Cheng Yuan ceaselessly, his old face filled with an excitement he couldn't hide!
'The resemblance! It's too uncanny!'
'Especially the eyes. They're as if they were cast from the very same mold!'
'Once, he had been just a little beggar living under an overpass!'
'It was only because of his Master's patronage that he rose above others to become the High Priest of the Celestial Witch Sect, admired by all!'
'Without his Master, he wouldn't be where he is today!'
Wutubo asked, his voice trembling, "Are you... a descendant of the Master?"
Cheng Yuan admitted his identity forthrightly. "I am my grandmother's only grandson, Cheng Yuan!"
'A descendant of the Master?'
In that moment, everyone was stunned!
The crowd instinctively looked from Wu Qinghe to Cheng Yuan.
'If Cheng Yuan is truly the Master's descendant, then the Celestial Witch Sect must support him with all its might. That drop of Celestial Slayer Spirit Liquid must be his!'
'The Sect Leader has waited for over thirty years... was it all for nothing?'
Wutubo fought to suppress his excitement, his voice trembling as he asked, "Young man, you do indeed resemble the Master, but many people in this world look alike. How can you prove you are her descendant?"
With a mere thought, Cheng Yuan condensed a wisp of incomparably pure Celestial Witch True Essence in his palm.
"High Priest, does this prove my identity?"
Wutubo shook his head gently. "Everyone in the Celestial Witch Sect can cultivate the Celestial Witch Heart Method. I cannot guarantee that the Heart Method hasn't been leaked."
Cheng Yuan wasn't the least bit flustered. He fully activated his Celestial Witch True Essence.
BOOM!!
An incredibly dense black aura erupted from Cheng Yuan's body. Wreathed in this aura, he seemed to transform into an Ancient Great Witch, standing a full 2.6 meters tall with a body of rippling, knotted muscle!
Cheng Yuan slowly raised his massive hand. In his palm, a terrifyingly immense mountain seemed to coalesce!
As if he had done something utterly trivial, Cheng Yuan said nonchalantly, "This should be enough proof, shouldn't it?"
"Moving Mountains! Such a powerful Moving Mountains! It's more than ten times stronger than ours!"
"There have always been rumors that our Celestial Witch Sect's Celestial Witch Nine Extremes was incomplete. I never believed it before, but now I do!"
"His Moving Mountains is so formidable. I believe he is the Young Master!"
...
Tears streamed down Wutubo's old face. With a THUD, he dropped to one knee and said respectfully, "This old servant greets the Young Master!!"
RUSTLE! RUSTLE!
All the chieftains knelt in unison, shouting, "We, your subordinates, greet the Young Master!!"
Even Wu Qinghe, the Sect Leader, had no choice but to drop to one knee. "This old servant greets the Young Master."
'Cheng Yuan was satisfied with their reaction. Whatever they might be thinking, at least on the surface they were showing respect to his grandmother's heir.'
Cheng Yuan raised his hand slightly. "Enough with the ceremony. All of you, rise!"
The crowd instinctively looked to Wutubo. Seeing that he was still kneeling, no one dared to rise.
Cheng Yuan understood the situation. He reached out to help Wutubo to his feet, saying gently, "High Priest, you are my elder. There is no need for such ceremony!"
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Only after seeing Wutubo get up did the others cautiously rise to their feet, their faces plastered with ingratiating smiles as they looked at Cheng Yuan.
Everyone knew that a new era was dawning for the Celestial Witch Sect.
And just as they thought.
Wutubo turned to Wu Qinghe and said bluntly, "Since the Young Master does not approve of Ma Gu becoming the Saint Heir, this investiture ceremony is hereby canceled! Does the Sect Leader have any objections?"
Wu Qinghe quickly shook his head. "I have no objection."
Wutubo nodded in satisfaction, his tone softening somewhat. "Sect Leader, my Senior Brother once said that if we ever found the Master's heir, we were to name him Sect Leader and use all the resources of the Celestial Witch Sect to cultivate him. Do you remember this?"
Wu Qinghe was about to explode with rage, but not a hint of it showed on his face. "I remember."
"Good. In that case, today's Saint Heir investiture ceremony will be changed to a Sect Leader abdication ceremony. Does the Sect Leader have any objections!"
In an instant, the entire crowd fell silent, as if frozen in fear.
'This was going to be a collision of epic proportions!'
Wu Qinghe had broken through to the Martial Emperor Peak six months ago, while Wutubo's vitality had been declining recently. With one growing stronger and the other weaker, the High Priest no longer held an absolute advantage.
Nearly half the forces within the Celestial Witch Sect had already secretly pledged their allegiance to Wu Qinghe.
Wu Qinghe's trusted followers raised their heads, looking at him with expectant eyes. If Wu Qinghe were to smash a cup as the signal, they would rise in open rebellion without a moment's hesitation!