Chapter 267: Jade Shatters
“Sect Leader Sun, don’t be ungrateful!” Pei Yuqiu heard this, his brows immediately twisting into a chrysanthemum. He had calculated everyone’s reaction, but he hadn’t expected that Sun Yuanlang, whom he thought would be the least likely to object, actually disagreed…
“Hehe,” Sun Yuanlang burst into loud laughter: “This seat has always been willful. Pei my brother, just get used to it.”
“You!”
Pei Yuqiu immediately flew into anger and was just about to hurl harsh words when Sun Yuanlang changed the topic: “Brother, don’t misunderstand. How could I treat your good intentions as the liver and lungs of a donkey?”
“Then why don’t you agree?” Pei Yuqiu was baffled by Sun Yuanlang.
“It’s really because this thing in my hand isn’t worth my life.” Sun Yuanlang said with a sincere face: “Brother, you will be blamed by them in the future.”
“Damn it!” Everyone nearly fell into the river upon hearing this and couldn’t help cursing one after another: “Never seen such a shameless person!”
“You bastard,” Pei Bang laughed and cursed: “Old Sun, you’re thinking too highly of yourself. That’s the Imperial Seal of the State! Ten thousand of you couldn’t exchange for it!”
“If it were the real Imperial Seal, of course it would be more valuable than me.” Sun Yuanlang smiled faintly and casually tossed the Imperial Seal in his hand, saying earth-shatteringly: “But what if it’s fake? Everyone surely wouldn’t think that Sun is worth less than a piece of jade, right?”
“Fake?!” Everyone was stunned upon hearing this. The Pei uncle and nephew looked at each other in dismay. Pei Bang immediately said resolutely: “You’re talking nonsense. If it were fake, would you have fought us desperately in the Underground Palace?”
“Exactly, you chased us all like rabbits, nearly dying several times at our hands!” Pei Bang no longer cared about the thin courtesy just established and sternly said to Sun Yuanlang: “If it were fake, would it be worth it?!”
“Mm, that’s right.” Several Grandmasters nodded one after another, deeply agreeing. It was precisely because Sun Yuanlang desperately protected his Imperial Seal in the Underground Palace that everyone firmly believed it and had to snatch it.
“Hahaha,” Sun Yuanlang instead burst into loud laughter: “It was boring and dull in the Underground Palace. This poor Daoist was just looking for some fun!”
“Get lost!” Everyone was practically disgusted to the point of vomiting. To think someone would take being chased by nine Grandmasters as enjoyment. It was shameless to the point of incensing both gods and men!
“What, you don’t believe me?” Sun Yuanlang’s smile slightly faded as he said indifferently: “Then I’ll trouble you all to use your own brains and think. This poor Daoist entered the capital alone, which is no different from entering the dragon’s pool or tiger’s den. How could I carry the Imperial Seal of the State on me?” Saying this, he smiled faintly: “Bringing a replica to toy with you all was enough.”
“This…” They had to admit, what Sun Yuanlang said made perfect sense. For a moment, no one could refute it.
“You say it’s real and it’s real, you say it’s fake and it’s fake?!” This time Xiahou Bubai spoke up: “Hand it over, and we’ll know once we inspect it!”
“No need for such trouble. A fake can never become real.” Sun Yuanlang restrained his smile, suddenly exerting force with his hand. A burst of white light then enveloped the Imperial Seal.
“What is he doing?!” The warriors stared blankly at Sun Yuanlang, but the Grandmasters’ expressions changed drastically as they shouted: “He’s going to destroy the Imperial Seal!”
“You thief, how dare you!” Xu Xuanji, the Xiahou Brothers, and even the Pei uncle and nephew were immediately furious beyond measure and simultaneously lunged toward Sun Yuanlang.
But it was already too late. The white light dissipated, and the once crystalline and translucent Imperial Seal had lost its luster. A cold wind blew over, and the Imperial Seal turned into powder, scattering with the wind.
Xu Xuanji and the others were stunned and even forgot to dodge, getting covered head to toe in the cyan-green powder.
“Cough cough…” Heavenly Master Xu and the others coughed repeatedly, frantically wiping the powder from their faces, but they simultaneously stopped in their tracks.
The Imperial Seal was destroyed. What reason was there left to clash head-on with a Half-step Xiantian?
“This…” Everyone present was stunned by this scene. No one had expected Sun Yuanlang to really destroy the Imperial Seal.
“Could it really be a fake Imperial Seal?” The Grandmasters fell into deep thought. If the Imperial Seal were real, how could Sun Yuanlang bear to destroy it?
Little did they know, Sun Yuanlang’s heart was currently aching as if cut by knives, bleeding profusely, in so much pain he could hardly breathe. Yet he still had to put on a relaxed face, as if what he destroyed was truly a fake Imperial Seal…
Just now, no one believed Sun Yuanlang’s words. Now, everyone thought Sun Yuanlang had gone mad.
“This Imperial Seal is fake!” Pei Yuqiu simply couldn’t believe that Sun Yuanlang would destroy the Imperial Seal. He jumped up and pointed at Sun Yuanlang: “He must still have the real Imperial Seal hidden on him!”
“Hahaha!” Sun Yuanlang raised both hands flat and laughed loudly: “Where do you think I hid it?”
Indeed, his clothes were now in tatters, with only a few strips of cloth left to cover his privates. Where could he possibly hide something as large as the Imperial Seal?
The Grandmasters’ eyes flickered. The situation had suddenly changed again, and they needed to adjust their strategy accordingly.
“Let me tell you, the real Imperial Seal is kept in the Treasure Vault in Taiping City.” Sun Yuanlang sneered: “This time, this poor Daoist brought out a replica precisely to see how sincere each clan is, whether they truly want to cooperate with this Dao.” Saying this, he sighed: “Alas, the world is declining, and people’s hearts are no longer pure!”
“…” Pei Bang and Pei Yuqiu only felt their faces burning like fire. Could it be that they had been played by this guy from the very beginning?
The only one who knew the inside story, Lu Xian, remained completely silent.
.
The cold wind howled as people from the various clans arrived upon hearing the news, but they all prudently stopped at a distance, waiting for the Grandmasters to make a decision.
“What are you all standing around for?” Seeing the group of silent Grandmasters, Sun Yuanlang stretched his muscles and said: “If you want to fight, then fight. If not, this poor Daoist won’t keep you company.”
“In that case, please have True Person Sun stay, and let Taiping Dao come exchange for the Imperial Seal.” Xu Xuanji was determined to keep Sun Yuanlang and refused to let it go.
“Then make your move.” Sun Yuanlang sneered mockingly: “See if you have the ability.”
“Go on!” Xu Xuanji looked at the Grandmasters around him, only to find that even the Xiahou Brothers had no intention of making a move.
Actually, the reason was simple. If the Imperial Seal were real, even if he handed it over, the Xiahou Brothers would eliminate him at all costs. So what if Lu Xian blocked them? Xiahou Bushang, Zhu Xiuyi, Master Moluo, and other top experts of the Xiahou Clan had already arrived nearby. With the elite forces of the Xiahou Clan joining hands, how could a mere Lu Xian stop them?
But since the Imperial Seal was fake, the situation was different. What reason was there to fight desperately? They still needed to return to cooperating with Taiping Dao and exchange for the Imperial Seal of the State in the future.
In fact, now was not a good time for the Xiahou Clan to obtain the Imperial Seal. Neither Heavenly Master Dao nor the Initial Emperor would agree. It was better to arrange it secretly later.
This was the strategy set by the Clan Leader, and Xiahou Bubai naturally had to strictly follow it.
The other Grandmasters had the same thoughts. Thus, Sun Yuanlang’s situation became much safer…
“You…” Xu Xuanji quickly understood these guys’ intentions. No one was willing to help him keep Sun Yuanlang. At this point, he didn’t even dare say “We’ll do it ourselves.” Otherwise, he might blunder, lose troops and generals—which would be secondary—and crucially, lose face again.
“Since that’s the case, this poor Daoist will take his leave!” Sun Yuanlang keenly sensed that everyone’s mindset was at a subtle low point and immediately seized this fleeting moment to flash toward the Luo River.
Sure enough, none of the Grandmasters blocked him. Xu Xuanji merely glared fiercely as he stepped onto the waves and departed…
On the Luo River Bank, Sun Yuanlang’s unrestrained singing echoed:
“In the mortal world, we laugh haha all day. Why fight for fame and profit? Better to turn back and comprehend the Great Road, carefree like immortals!”
