Chapter 1076: Happiness Comes Too Suddenly

"What!?"

"These demon corpses aren't for Senior Brother Fu?"

"Did you hear that too? How could Elder Wei say such a thing?"

"Something seems off!"

...

The surroundings erupted in chaos.

Fu Haotian was stunned, forcing a smile as he coldly turned his head.

"Elder Wei, what do you mean by this? In such a serious matter, it's not the time for jokes!"

Wei Zhenfang didn't even acknowledge him.

Not only did he not respond, but he didn't even spare Fu Haotian a glance.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Wei Zhenfang focused on the presiding elder, completely ignoring Fu Haotian. His words were clearly not a joke.

Instantly, Fu Haotian's expression turned ugly.

The presiding elder was also taken aback.

"Elder Wei, this competition concerns the position of the chief disciple. You can't be joking. If these thousand demon corpses aren't for Fu Haotian, then who are they for?"

Everyone stared in shock, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Not only were the disciples wide-eyed, but even the palace master of the Immortal Palace, Nanli Qingming, and the distinguished guests who had remained silent until now, turned their curious gazes toward Wei Zhenfang.

Wei Zhenfang had become the center of attention.

His words could determine the outcome of the chief disciple position and, by extension, the future master of the Heavenly Palace. His influence was extraordinary.

What had seemed like a clear victory suddenly became uncertain. Wei Zhenfang had captured everyone's attention and kept them on edge.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, his voice grew even more steady and resolute.

"I'm not joking. These thousand demon corpses are definitely not for Fu Haotian!"

His confirmation, though softly spoken, struck like thunder.

Tens of thousands of people gasped in shock, their exclamations echoing through the air.

"Hiss..."

"How is this possible?"

"They're really not for Senior Brother Fu?"

"What's going on here?"

Amidst the uproar, Wei Zhenfang slowly turned, a calm smile on his face. He then bowed respectfully toward Zhongli Meng.

"These thousand demon corpses naturally belong to Miss Zhongli!"

His words and bow left the entire audience dumbfounded.

Belong to Zhongli Meng?

Even hearing it with their own ears, no one could believe it. It felt like a dream!

Under the astonished gazes of thousands, Wei Zhenfang remained composed.

His words and actions were polite and considerate, making anyone who saw him feel a sense of closeness. The contrast between his demeanor toward Zhongli Meng and his indifference toward Fu Haotian was stark.

Hearing the respectful address and the gift of demon corpses, the crowd's expressions changed dramatically.

"They're really for Senior Sister Zhongli?"

"Holy crap! Elder Wei was supposed to be helping Senior Brother Fu. How did he suddenly switch sides?"

"There must be something fishy going on!"

"I never expected Elder Wei, such a powerful figure, to pull a stunt like this!"

"This is a complete upheaval. I can't believe it!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, this is really something."

The situation had taken another dramatic turn, and the exclamations erupted once more.

The tide of opinion, which had been leaning toward Fu Haotian, was now shifting.

Even Zhongli Meng herself couldn't believe it.

She stood there in a daze, unable to react immediately, as if witnessing a miracle. Her expression was one of pure disbelief.

Seeing Wei Zhenfang bow to her, Zhongli Meng became even more flustered.

"Elder Wei, please rise. I don't deserve such respect."

Wei Zhenfang stroked his beard and smiled, continuing in a calm tone.

"Miss Zhongli, you're too modest. I hope this gift meets your satisfaction."

Zhongli Meng nodded blankly, finally starting to believe it.

"I'm satisfied, very satisfied. Elder Wei, I will never forget your kindness."

Hearing this, Wei Zhenfang finally smiled and nodded.

"Not at all, not at all. I've only done a small thing. I dare not take credit."

Though he spoke humbly, Wei Zhenfang was overjoyed inside.

It's done...

With Zhongli Meng's promise, these thousand demon corpses were worth every bit of their value.

Wei Zhenfang, having climbed to the position of guest elder, was quite shrewd. He had planned to gift the demon corpses all along, but he also knew that the manner of giving was crucial!

If he had given them privately, he would have earned gratitude, but it wouldn't have carried the same weight. Over time, Zhongli Meng might have forgotten his gesture.

But by choosing this moment, when Zhongli Meng needed it most, to present the thousand demon corpses, the impact was far greater.

Adding flowers to brocade is nice, but offering charcoal in the snow is even more precious.

Zhongli Meng's reaction of surprise and joy was the best proof.

Seeing everything go according to plan, Wei Zhenfang finally allowed himself a hearty smile.

"Hahaha, Miss Zhongli, there's no need to be so formal. I've only done a small thing. I'm not seeking any reward!"

"Miss, with your talent and virtue, the position of chief disciple is well-deserved!"

Under the guise of humility, Wei Zhenfang also managed to subtly highlight his own contribution, while flattering Zhongli Meng and implicitly declaring her the winner of the chief disciple competition.

The two of them conversed warmly, leaving the surrounding disciples in awe.

His words, carrying multiple layers of meaning, left the entire audience stunned.

"How did things come to this? Who could have predicted this?"

"Holy crap! I guess I was too naive. Senior Sister Zhongli must have had this in the bag all along!"

"I always said Senior Sister Zhongli would become the chief disciple!"

"Pfft! You're shameless!"

"Senior Sister Zhongli deserves to be the chief disciple!"

"Senior Sister Zhongli is the rightful choice!"

"Rightful choice!"

As the cheers rose, half of the disciples' opinions had already shifted in favor of Zhongli Meng.

In an instant, the situation had almost completely reversed.

The distinguished guests on the stage finally showed signs of surprise, and the atmosphere of the chief disciple ceremony reached a new peak.

Amidst the roaring crowd, Fu Haotian's face turned red with anger.

He, who should have been the center of attention, was now being ignored, treated like a clown. The stark contrast filled him with humiliation.

All this glory should have been his!

To end up like this was all thanks to that old dog Wei Zhenfang.

To win his favor, Fu Haotian had even given Wei Zhenfang two heaven-grade pills. It was like throwing meat to a dog—gone without a trace. If he had known this would happen, he should have let that old fool die on the Water Cold Star!

The more Fu Haotian thought about it, the angrier he became, his face turning livid.

In contrast, Wei Zhenfang's face was filled with a warmth and friendliness Fu Haotian had never seen before. Even catching a glimpse of that expression in his peripheral vision made Fu Haotian tremble with rage.

He couldn't tolerate this betrayal and stepped forward, roaring in质问.

"You old fool, how dare you betray me!?"

"I've treated you well, and recently I've shown you even more respect. How dare you, a two-faced traitor, repay kindness with betrayal? You're not fit to be an elder of our Immortal Palace!"

"I will remember this day!"

His咆哮声 echoed through the martial arena.

Many disciples froze in fear, nervously lowering their heads.

Fu Haotian was so angry that his teeth were clenched, his usual elegance gone. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his face was a picture of rage and frustration.

This unseemly display drew sighs from the crowd.

But given Fu Haotian's status, the disciples could only nod in fear, not daring to comment further.

Only Wei Zhenfang remained unperturbed, turning back with a cold smile.

"Hmph. What are you, that I should care about you?"

"Spouting nonsense here, without even looking at yourself in the mirror. How dare you compete with Miss Zhongli? You dare to speak so arrogantly? Remember today or not, it's up to you!"

"Giving away a couple of pills and thinking you're superior? You don't know your place!"

Fu Haotian's face alternated between green and red, and everyone was stunned by Wei Zhenfang's words.

Elder Wei was too bold...

Though his cultivation had advanced, his words were bordering on recklessness.

Fu Haotian's status was extraordinary. Even the sect leader had never scolded him like this. How could Elder Wei dare to rebuke him so harshly at the chief disciple ceremony?

This was playing with fire. If things went wrong, it could mean death!

What gave Elder Wei such confidence?

Tens of thousands of disciples stood in shock, and even the presiding elder and Zhongli Meng were stunned, standing dumbfounded as the scene fell into silence.

On the high jade platform.

Several distinguished guests looked puzzled, most frowning slightly, as if sensing something unusual.

Even Palace Master Nanli Qingming's eyes showed a hint of contemplation.

In the tense atmosphere.

Wei Zhenfang only grew calmer, his bow to Zhongli Meng even more natural.

"Miss Zhongli, please understand. I was misled by Fu Haotian's deceit and initially helped him. Now, I've seen the light and wish to fully support you in becoming the chief disciple."

"I hope you can forgive my earlier mistake."

Another respectful bow?!

The entire audience was stunned, their minds buzzing.

Whether it was the respectful attitude or the humble words, they struck a chord with everyone present. No matter their status, all who witnessed this scene were left in disarray.

This...

Was this the same Elder Wei who had just been so bold?

In the blink of an eye, he was showing such reverence to Senior Sister Zhongli, almost to the point of fawning. The contrast couldn't be more obvious.

Did Zhongli Meng carry such weight?

Many trembled as they watched, their minds racing with speculation.

Under the collective gaze, Zhongli Meng only grew more nervous and confused.

Just moments ago, she had been on the verge of defeat, teetering on the edge of ruin. Now, Elder Wei had stepped in to support her, and she was about to become the chief disciple.

Happiness had come too suddenly.

Even in her wildest dreams, it couldn't have been better than this.

Zhongli Meng couldn't process it, nor could she understand the reasons behind it.

Seeing Wei Zhenfang bow repeatedly, she could only return the gesture in a fluster.

"This..."

"Elder Wei, you're too kind. I truly don't deserve this."

Witnessing this strange scene, the distinguished guests on the platform seemed to ponder something.

Today's chief disciple ceremony had taken an unexpected turn.

Nanli Qingming seemed to have noticed something, his gaze toward Zhongli Meng gradually changing.

It seemed he was about to personally announce the result.

The outcome was all but decided.

In the silent martial arena, only Fu Haotian's咆哮声 echoed.

"Wei Zhenfang, Zhongli Meng!"

"If you dare to humiliate me like this, again and again, then prepare to face my wrath!"

The disciples trembled in fear, not daring to respond.

His咆哮声 spread far and wide, reaching the entire Cangyun Immortal Palace.

At the mist-shrouded peak.

The tranquility of the Purple Bamboo Forest was suddenly broken as an old man opened his aged eyes, a flash of anger within them.

"Qing'er."

A low call sounded, and a young maid bowed outside the bamboo hut.

"Elder Ancestor."

Fu Daohai waved his embroidered sleeve, and a stream of light flew out of the hut.

The maid raised her hands to catch the light, revealing an ancient ring.

A deep, hoarse voice, filled with an unyielding authority, slowly spoke.

"Take this ring to Tian'er."

"Our Cangyun Immortal Palace has a long history. Only those with great destiny can lead it. A mediocre girl with no talent dares to covet the position of Heavenly Palace Master? She has no self-awareness."

"Once you deliver this ring, Nanli Qingming will understand. He won't dare to defy."

Though he had lived in seclusion for thousands of years, Fu Daohai, nearing ten thousand years of age, still carried an aura of terrifying power. His words stirred the wind and clouds, as if a storm was brewing!

If other elders had been present, they wouldn't have dared to breathe too loudly.

The maid, filled with reverence, held the ring and bowed softly.

"As you command, Elder Ancestor."