Chapter 1477: Pointing to a Deer as a Horse, New Saint Realm; Clownish Figure Enters the Grand Hall

Outside Sheng Huan Dian.

In times of war, the succession ceremony was kept extremely simple.

The new Xuanji Dianzhu dispensed with all the elaborate procedures, rushing through everything until only the final step of "proclaiming to the world" remained.

— It was merely a formality.

From that point on, everyone knew that the position of Zongdian Dianzhu in Sheng Shen Diantang had changed hands.

Dao Xuanji was not one for grand displays either.

For her, the ceremony itself was unimportant; what mattered was proving herself in front of that person.

That was enough.

After expressionlessly seeing off the representatives from various great families who had come to observe, Dao Xuanji took only one person with her and turned to enter the hall.

This was not her first time in Sheng Huan Dian.

After taking office as one of the San Huang, she had entered several times and even held meetings here.

But back then, she had joined the Shiren Huixian as an outsider; now, she was the leader of the council and the master of Sheng Huan Dian.

The two roles were vastly different.

From the pillars to the decorations, from the silver tables to the chairs...

Soon, Dao Xuanji stopped in front of the main seat, examining the chair for a long time before saying indifferently:

"Change it."

"Ah!"

Jiang Nayyi perked up his buttocks, bent at the waist, and scampered forward in small steps to remove the chair.

Then, he pulled out a brand-new, luxurious golden dragon chair from his ring and set it in place.

After finishing, he used his wide sleeve to briskly wipe away nonexistent dust from the backrest, armrests, and seat cushion.

He paused, then got down on the ground and used his sleeve to clean the footrest as well.

Only then did he turn around and say fawningly:

"Xuanji Dianzhu, please."

It was not until Dao Xuanji moved to sit in the golden dragon chair that Jiang Nayyi's anxiously suspended heart finally settled.

The Pu Xuan Jiang clan of Bei Yu, after the fall of Ban Sheng Jiang Buyi at Kongzhongcheng, had been declining day by day.

In just over a month, this once-mighty Ban Sheng family had nearly been devoured by various forces.

Yet, even a centipede dies but never falls down.

After all, the Jiang clan had played a major role in the destruction of the Tai Xu Lei family back in the day.

So, Jiang Nayyi gritted his teeth and bore all the pressure, writing a letter in his elder brother's name to send to Dao Xuanji.

To everyone's surprise, Dao Xuanji came in person!

Jiang Nayyi had been a good-looking but useless person from a young age, despised by everyone.

He was outshone in every path of spirit refinement and had grown up under the harsh scolding of his talented brother, Jiang Buyi.

After coming of age, he was excluded from the family core and had been operating businesses and honing himself outside ever since.

In truth, Jiang Nayyi considered himself not entirely useless.

He was simply overshadowed, like a star next to the bright moon, just as with figures like Dao Xuanji or Jian Xian Wen Ting.

When Dao Xuanji arrived at the Pu Xuan Jiang clan in Bei Yu, the entire clan was on edge, filled with fear and uncertainty.

Jiang Nayyi, having spent his life honing his wits, returned to the clan slick and smooth-tongued.

Seeing through the surface to the essence, he quickly realized that Dao Xuanji, like himself, had great ambitions but lacked an opportunity.

With his elder brother Jiang Buyi fallen and Dao Xuanji seeking to rise but needing support...

It was a perfect match!

Jiang Nayyi overrode the clan's objections, took charge, and with his silver tongue, convinced Dao Xuanji through an all-night discussion.

His blueprint of "taking root in the Dao clan and leveraging Bei Yu" deeply resonated with her.

Bei Yu was a scattered mess, with only a loosely organized Tian Meng.

If a strong hand reached out at this time to gather those fragmented forces, it would create a power not inferior to Dong Yu or Nan Yu.

With such strength, even if her foundations in Gui Zhe Sheng Shan were shallow and she lacked support for the succession, Dao Xuanji could use external forces to strike internally, seize control first, and then plan for development.

Moreover, Dao Xuanji herself was not weak and would surely have some supporters.

Thus, bit by bit, after removing the marks of Dao Qiong Cang from Sheng Shan...

In ten years! Or even less!

Gui Zhe Sheng Shan would belong entirely to Xuanji, not Qiong Cang!

And since both belonged to the "Dao clan," those at the top would have no objections.

Through that all-night discussion, Jiang Nayyi won Dao Xuanji's favor and successfully secured a new Ban Sheng position for his family.

Although Jiang Nayyi believed his talent was somewhat lacking and he lacked confidence in passing the Sheng Jie...

That didn't matter!

What was important was that the Pu Xuan Jiang clan of Bei Yu had become Dao Xuanji's primary spear in ruling Bei Yu.

He, Jiang Nayyi, had also become her right-hand man.

And the mark of this plan's complete success was Dao Xuanji sitting on this golden dragon chair that he had personally crafted!

"Jiang Buyi, you once said I was good for nothing..."

"But how could you know that today, I have the ability to take up the banner of our Ban Sheng Jiang clan and clean up the mess you left behind!"

Jiang Nayyi gritted his teeth, his eyes brimming with tears.

He knew that from this moment, all the past humiliations, the family's criticisms, and the world's mockery were nothing but fleeting clouds.

His forbearance, his schemes, his strength—all were on full display through this feat of aiding the new ruler!

What nonsense "unfathomable as gods and ghosts"...

In front of me, Jiang Nayyi, don't they all have to submit?

All that flash without substance, all strong on the outside but weak within—they're all trash!

"Jiang Nayyi."

From the golden dragon chair, Dao Xuanji suddenly spoke.

"Ah!" Jiang Nayyi bent at the waist without any delay, breathing lightly as he asked, "Xuanji Dianzhu, what are your orders?"

"Call someone."

"Right away!"

After standing up, Jiang Nayyi's expression turned serious, and he called out in a sharp voice: "Attendants, come!"

Whoosh.

At the entrance of the great hall, ghost energy suddenly took shape, forming the figure of a black-clad youth.

Jiang Nayyi jumped in fright—this method was too eerie!

But he quickly composed himself. After all, he was now a favored figure beside the new Dianzhu—what was there to fear?

Jiang Nayyi glanced sideways and asked mockingly, "Who are you?"

"Yi Bu Prime Seat, Xi."

"You're Xi?" Jiang Nayyi toned down his attitude a bit, not daring to be too arrogant.

Coming from a Ban Sheng family, he still knew some details about this person. "Weren't you fighting alongside Dao Dianzhu? How did you get here?"

At the entrance of Sheng Huan Dian, Xi couldn't help but lift his eyes and glance at this yin yang guai qi, chatty fellow.

With just one look, he recognized that this was no one from Gui Zhe Sheng Shan.

But soon, a flash of thought brought up all the details about this guy in his mind.

Jiang Nayyi, talent mediocre.

He survived family infighting only thanks to his brother Jiang Buyi's secret help and managed to scrape by outside.

His own cultivation relied on Ling Yao to barely reach the Tai Xu realm, with combat strength essentially zero.

Back in the day, he nearly died under the Jiu Si Lei Jie, saved only by a fortuitous turn—actually, Jiang Buyi pulling strings in secret.

The only two redeemable points about him were his glib tongue and a bit of cunning and scheming.

But he was hardly material for great things.

Xi skipped over this minor figure and looked toward the main seat and the new Dianzhu.

He had arrived late, but his subordinates had already reported everything that happened on Sheng Shan earlier.

"Xuanji Dianzhu, I have urgent matters..."

"Hmm?" Jiang Nayyi raised his nose in a nasal tone, interrupting rudely, "Why are you calling her 'Dao Dianzhu'? Now it's 'Xuanji Dianzhu'!"

Xi was taken aback, slightly turning his eyes to glance at this arrogant fellow.

Jiang Nayyi's legs went weak, his whole body sweating, and he nearly collapsed while clutching the dragon chair. "Xuanji Dianzhu, he's glaring at me..."

"Shut up."

"Oh." Jiang Nayyi didn't dare act up anymore, knowing that Xi held a higher position in Xuanji Dianzhu's eyes than he did.

"State your business."

"Yes! Xuanji Dianzhu!"

Xi finally felt relieved—this was his first time on Sheng Shan seeing someone so spineless.

He didn't even need to lift a finger; maybe tomorrow, this guy would die in some accident.

"The former Dianzhu has captured Shi Zun Zuo Xiang Yaoyao and ordered me to bring her back to Sheng Shan."

"Along with her, we have Zhu Yike from Tian Shang First Tower, code name Hua Zei. She tried to escape midway, but the former Dianzhu saw through her trick and recaptured her."

"Additionally, there's Gui Shen Bang's Ghost Face, Quan Bang's Quan Sanqing, code name You Guess, remnants of You Gui Ge, and a group suspected to be Tai Xu Xiang family dead men..."

"Thus, most of the Sheng Nu informants in Yu Jing Cheng have been eliminated."

Pausing, Xi remembered something else:

"At the south city gate, using Xiang Yaoyao as bait in the net-casting operation, a carriage driver unexpectedly intruded. The former Dianzhu has arranged for an investigation, which is ongoing."

"Initial suspicions confirm the existence of a 'Carriage Driver' organization, led by someone called 'Ma Lian', suspected to be... You Guess."

"But I suspect there are higher-level infiltrators in Yu Jing Cheng, since he was in a bind at the time and couldn't send messages."

"That's all."

Dao Xuanji remained expressionless, her eyes vacant.

Jiang Nayyi, having listened, was somewhat startled. Using Shi Zun Zuo as bait to reel in so many people—that was quite impressive!

Fortunately, they had captured Xiang Yaoyao a bit late, or else one of Dao Qiong Cang's charges would have been cleared...

But on second thought, compared to over thirty charges, it made no difference.

And such a big operation just to catch a relatively famous Xiang Yaoyao... Dao Qiong Cang was nothing special!

"Have you interrogated them all?" Jiang Nayyi glanced at Xuanji Dianzhu and spoke on her behalf.

Xi ignored him.

But with a look from Dao Xuanji, it was clear she had the same question.

These two...

Xi was surprised.

It didn't matter who the Dianzhu of Sheng Shan was.

As long as they were from the Dao clan and powerful, he could just focus on his own tasks to stay out of trouble.

But for Xuanji Dianzhu to favor such an incompetent person was unexpected.

What made Jiang Nayyi so special?

Their relationship seemed unusually close?

Bei Yu...

Thinking of the scattered forces there, Xi pondered.

Even Dao Dianzhu hadn't touched Bei Yu, so there must be a reason!

Was Xuanji Dianzhu planning to reorganize it right away?

It couldn't be some brotherly favor, could it?

Xi was startled, realizing how far-fetched that was, especially since he knew how Xuanji Dianzhu had seized this position.

If he were Dao Dianzhu, he'd have struck back immediately, not gifted Bei Yu as a congratulatory present.

Calm down, calm down...

Xi, this isn't for a small fry like you to think about—whoever ponders it might die!

"Except for Xiang Yaoyao, we've interrogated them all, but none have talked." Xi quickly responded.

Jiang Nayyi blurted out upon hearing this: "So it seems your Yi Bu isn't that capable... uh."

A chill ran down his back, and Jiang Nayyi quickly changed the subject. "This 'You Guess', is that a person?"

"Yes." Xi nodded.

"Ha, hilarious! How can someone have such a funny code name, You Guess... ha, ha... uh."

Jiang Nayyi laughed twice, but seeing that Xi wasn't laughing and Xuanji Dianzhu wasn't either, he awkwardly wiped his mouth and fell silent.

Dao Xuanji pondered deeply.

She was thinking not just about these people's identities and backgrounds, but also Dao Qiong Cang's intentions in capturing them—this required caution!

Seeing the hall fall silent, and with no reaction from Xuanji Dianzhu, Jiang Nayyi spoke up again, mockingly: "Why haven't you interrogated Shi Zun Zuo Xiang Yaoyao?"

Xi held back and said flatly: "The former Dianzhu forbade it."

"Ha, hilarious! The former Dianzhu forbade it? There's no former Dianzhu now. On Gui Zhe Sheng Shan, there's only one Xuanji Dianzhu!" Jiang Nayyi sneered. "I think it's because your Yi Bu doesn't dare..."

Mid-sentence, Jiang Nayyi seemed to recall something, his eyes darting around:

"Your Yi Bu doesn't dare, so hand her over to me."

"This Jiang Nayyi isn't afraid of any Shi Zun Zuo. As long as Xiang Yaoyao is in my hands, I guarantee..."

In Sheng Huan Dian, a cold voice suddenly rang out.

"Shut up!"

Jiang Nayyi was struck like thunder, trembling as he turned back and met Xuanji Dianzhu's murderous gaze, immediately collapsing to the ground.

"I was wrong, I was wrong..."

"Upon my ascension, the first order: No one on Sheng Shan, regardless of status, may harm Xiang Yaoyao in any way. Violators will be executed." Dao Xuanji said coldly.

"Yes!"

Xi nodded emphatically.

As expected of family—they gave almost identical orders.

"Get up."

Jiang Nayyi was granted a reprieve and dared to rise.

"Continue."

Dao Xuanji waved her duster, and Xi hesitated before going on:

"There are three more internal matters on Sheng Shan."

"First, the three judges of the Trial Division have gone missing since the former Dianzhu entered the Dead Sea."

"Ah?" Jiang Nayyi jumped in shock, suddenly looking back at Xuanji Dianzhu, his finger trembling. "H-he, he escaped?"

"We're still searching the Dead Sea and haven't found the former Dianzhu's trace." Xi added.

"He dared to escape?!" Jiang Nayyi was in a panic, not even hearing the words, looking around as if Dao Qiong Cang was everywhere. "He wouldn't dare! He absolutely wouldn't! How could he kill Trial Division people? And disobey orders to flee? He deserves to die!"

"We haven't confirmed if the former Dianzhu killed the judges, and we haven't fully confirmed if he's missing. We need to finish searching the Dead Sea to..."

"You shut up!" Jiang Nayyi shouted at the figure at the entrance, thinking of his plan that toppled the Dianzhu—if this man escaped and came back...

Jiang Nayyi felt he was done for!

Maybe soon, he'd die in an accident.

But just then, he saw a flash, and the figure at the entrance darted toward him.

Bang! Bang!

Two explosions, and Jiang Nayyi's leg bones were shattered.

As he looked up in horror, he saw Xi's sword fingers pointed at his brow.

His gaze was ice-cold:

"Intruding into Sheng Huan Dian—offense one."

"Foreign clan member lingering on Sheng Shan without reporting—offense two."

"Repeatedly insulting a Liu Bu Prime Seat—major disrespect, offense three!"

Xi declared coldly, as if sentencing a dead man. "Three offenses combined, I can kill you and report to Xuanji Dianzhu!"

"Y-you..."

At that moment, Jiang Nayyi felt he wouldn't last until tomorrow—he was finished.

Buzz!

But at that very instant, a Tian Ji Tu unfurled under Xi's feet, teleporting him back to the entrance.

Cang Qiong Scroll?

Dao Xuanji could use it too?

Xi was stunned, then silently lowered his fingers, realizing Xuanji Dianzhu wanted to protect this man—it had just been a test.

"Outsiders may not enter Sheng Huan Dian—Dao Qiong Cang's order?" Dao Xuanji finally looked directly at the youth at the entrance, not mentioning the judges' fate at all.

"Yes!" Xi answered.

"What about you? You're just Yi Bu Prime Seat."

"I have special permission. During Tian Zu operations, I can report directly to the Dianzhu!"

"Very well, that rule is abolished now." Dao Xuanji waved her duster, as if sweeping away the past.

Xi was stunned.

He stared blankly at the new Xuanji Dianzhu.

Then he looked at Jiang Nayyi, who was bowing repeatedly to Dao Xuanji with a face full of gratitude, and suddenly understood.

Abolishing one rule wasn't a big deal.

But doing it in a way that protected Jiang Nayyi and strongly countered the Yi Bu Prime Seat carried deeper implications!

Only then did Xi realize why even someone like Jiang Nayyi could enter Sheng Huan Dian.

Even a clown had his uses!

Dao Xuanji was using Jiang Nayyi to test the hearts of everyone on Sheng Shan and gauge their stances after the new Dianzhu's ascension!