Chapter 2038: Successor to the Sect Leader

At the Soaring Cloud Sword Pavilion, he had to challenge and defeat inner disciples, then core members, and finally elders with his swordsmanship to earn their respect. Even after all that, he was only appointed Young Sect Master—a mere heir.

At the Myriad Beasts Gate, he had been there for less than an hour, barely understanding his surroundings, and they were already offering him the position of Sect Master.

Was this some kind of joke?

This was one of the Six Great Sects, the most influential power in the Firmament. They were selecting a Sect Master, not just picking out vegetables. Could it be that they thought the sect had existed for too long and were deliberately trying to destroy it? Otherwise, this wouldn't be such a bizarre offer! If he hadn't witnessed the majestic sect gate upon his arrival, he would have genuinely suspected he had stumbled into a pyramid scheme.

"Yes!" Sect Master Qin nodded, looking fervent. Having witnessed it firsthand, Sect Master Qin was now certain that this individual was truly the most suitable person to be the Myriad Beasts Gate's Sect Master, even more so than himself. Especially with his astonishing beast-taming skills, if they could be passed down, the sect's overall strength would undoubtedly improve.

Noticing Sect Master Qin's sincere expression—he certainly wasn't trying to deceive him, and Zhang Xuan had nothing to be deceived about anyway—Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before responding, not rushing to accept: "I have urgent business that requires me to go to the Sea of Pursued Stars, so I can't stay here for long. Moreover, I know absolutely nothing about managing a sect..."

While he had served as the Master Teacher Hall Master, the Master Teacher Academy Dean, and the Zhang Clan Head, he had never truly managed affairs. His focus had always been on cultivation. So, becoming a Sect Master now... he genuinely felt he couldn't handle it.

"Actually, when it comes to sect management, I'm completely clueless," Sect Master Qin said. "The Sect Master is merely a symbol. Their presence secures the sect and reassures the disciples. Specific matters are handled by the elders of each peak, so you wouldn't need to worry much!"

Zhang Xuan paused, then a realization dawned on him. He was right. A Sect Master symbolizes the sect and doesn't necessarily need strong management skills. As long as they possess sufficient strength and power to command respect, that's enough.

Seeing that he understood, Sect Master Qin continued: "Moreover, if you truly want to go to the Sea of Pursued Stars, you'll need the identity of the Myriad Beasts Gate Sect Master even more!"

Zhang Xuan was puzzled.

"The Sea of Pursued Stars is home to the Pursued Star Palace's main stronghold. It consists of countless islands, each inhabited by indigenous races from the Abandoned Continent. They are not very friendly, showing particular hostility towards outsiders. Consequently, the mortality rate for outsiders is very high; even Immortal Monarch experts frequently perish there!" Sect Master Qin explained. "However, holding the identity of the Myriad Beasts Gate Sect Master would guarantee safety in your endeavors. At the very least, no one would dare to cause you trouble!"

As the Sect Master of one of the Six Great Sects, the Myriad Beasts Gate, no one would dare openly offend him.

Zhang Xuan nodded. On his way here, he had specifically inquired with Elder Liao about the Sea of Pursued Stars, and the information matched Sect Master Qin's description. Not only were the inhabitants somewhat xenophobic, but it was also said that they were skilled in combat and possessed notoriously bad tempers. If he entered recklessly, not only would it be difficult to learn the soul secret arts, but he would also surely fail to gather any information about Luo Ruoxi.

"As Sect Master, you could freely deploy the numerous disciples hidden within the Sea of Pursued Stars, making it much easier to gather information..." Seeing Zhang Xuan's expression, Sect Master Qin seemed to understand his thoughts and continued.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. "In that case... I can agree!"

If he tried to gather information alone, it would take an unknown amount of time. However, as Sect Master, with countless Myriad Beasts Gate disciples at his disposal, the task would become significantly easier! Besides, there were countless low-level disciples like the one who brought him to Soaring Cloud Mountain scattered throughout the Firmament. Wherever there were trading companies or places to rent sacred beasts, there would likely be sources of information—an incredibly vast network! With such a large network, gathering cultivation techniques and inquiring about divine bloodstone information would undoubtedly be much more efficient, with no further obstacles.

"Excellent, I will begin preparations now. The succession ceremony will be held in a month..."

Sect Master Qin nodded quickly.

"A month later?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I can't wait that long... And there's no need for a succession ceremony either. It's not convenient for me to reveal myself right now!"

"Not convenient?" Sect Master Qin frowned. He was about to become the Sect Master, not the head of some illicit organization. Why did he seem so concerned?

"I am currently only at the peak of the True Immortal realm. Although I can use a certain secret art to fortuitously defeat even a peak Immortal Monarch beast, my cultivation is still too low. I fear attracting too much attention, which might draw the Shrine's notice..." Pausing, Zhang Xuan explained, "I heard that the genius at Soaring Cloud Sword Pavilion, who comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods, was ambushed by the Shrine and nearly killed."

He had to be careful. He currently lacked the Book of Heaven's Path. If another Immortal Monarch expert as powerful as the previous one were to appear, he would be at a significant disadvantage. It was better to be cautious.

"The Shrine ambushed him?" Understanding, Sect Master Qin narrowed his eyes. "Regarding this matter, I have already received a message from Han Jianqiu..."

His concern that the other party might be a Shrine expert stemmed precisely from the Shrine's aggressive actions in recent years, compounded by Han Jianqiu's message. He had been friends with Han Jianqiu for many years and knew his character. It was highly unusual for him to appoint a new Sect Master so abruptly, without any prior indication. Upon inquiring, he discovered that someone intended to harm Han Jianqiu's disciple, who had comprehended the Sword Intent of the Gods. Although no details were provided, it was clear that the Shrine was behind it.

A genius had emerged at the Soaring Cloud Sword Pavilion, and the Shrine had acted with such ruthlessness. Now that one had appeared at the Myriad Beasts Gate, would the same situation arise?

After a moment of contemplation, Sect Master Qin said, "Your concerns are valid. In that case, how about this... I will immediately announce that the Sect Master position is being passed to you. As for your background, you will be introduced as an elder who has been in secluded cultivation within the sect for a long time, and whose cultivation has already reached the peak of the Immortal Monarch realm... which is why you were able to easily tame the Flood Dragon and other beasts!"

"Thank you, Sect Master Qin..." Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. If his true strength was already at the peak of the Immortal Monarch realm, then taming the three Immortal Beasts would be a logical feat, not an outrageous one, and thus less likely to draw the Shrine's attention.

"Mhm!" Nodding, Sect Master Qin said no more. With a flick of his wrist, a token floated in his palm, and a thunderous voice immediately resonated throughout the entire mountain range.

"From this day forward, the position of Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Gate shall be passed to Elder Zheng Yang! He has just tamed the four Immortal Beasts of Soaring Cloud Mountain, and his beast-taming skills are unparalleled, transcending all ages..." Sect Master Qin then gave a detailed introduction of Zhang Xuan, stating exactly what they had just agreed upon.

"We're getting a new Sect Master too?"

"Elder Zheng Yang, why have I never heard of him before?"

"Didn't the Sect Master just say? He's an elder who practices secluded cultivation. Many reclusive cultivators, let alone elders, are unknown even to most disciples!"

"That's true..." As the voice echoed, all the disciples stood frozen in place. They were filled with curiosity about Zheng Yang, who had suddenly become their Sect Master. However, given the precedent at the Soaring Cloud Sword Pavilion, although they were surprised, they didn't cause a major commotion. Reclusive cultivators typically lacked fame. Many inner disciples who practiced in seclusion were unknown to most, let alone elders.

"The Sect Master just passed on his position?" Elder Yuan and the others, despite having suspected that the Sect Master would agree, were astonished by how quickly it happened! This Zheng Yang had been at the Myriad Beasts Gate for just over an hour, and he was already being directly appointed Sect Master. The speed was astounding!

"Look, the Flood Dragon!"

"That must be the one from Soaring Cloud Mountain, and the Nine-Headed Fire Phoenix Beast and the Seven-Tailed Saber-Toothed Tiger..."

"Indeed, they have truly been tamed by an elder of our sect. This Sect Master Zheng Yang is remarkable!"

Still in shock, they heard a commotion outside. Looking up, they saw the sacred beasts of Soaring Cloud Mountain, all suspended in the air, seemingly showcasing Zheng Yang's accomplishments. Those who had initially harbored doubts and reservations about this sudden Elder Zheng were now completely convinced and had no further misgivings after witnessing this display.

"Everyone, I am Zheng Yang, your new Sect Master. I have improved the beast-taming methods you previously learned. All disciples should now go to their respective elders to receive the updated techniques..." Immediately after, the new Sect Master's voice echoed through the air. His voice was deep and steady, inspiring a sense of awe.

"New beast-taming methods?"

"The Myriad Beasts Gate's beast-taming methods have been passed down for thousands of years. Isn't replacing them so abruptly a bit rash?"

"I think so too..." All the disciples were filled with doubt, wondering what their new Sect Master intended to do.

Mu Xu was an inner disciple of the Myriad Beasts Gate, with an overall ranking of around one thousand. This ranking was not low among the more than ten thousand inner disciples, but he was now facing his biggest challenge: the revocation of his inner disciple status!

Not because he had committed a transgression or disrespected the sect, but because... within three years of becoming an inner disciple, he had failed to tame a sacred beast of appropriate strength! According to the Myriad Beasts Gate's regulations, individuals under twenty years old who had reached the Ancient Saint Fourth Layer of cultivation could become inner disciples. However, they were required to tame a Void Shattering Sacred Beast within three years to maintain their status. If the time limit was exceeded, their inner disciple status would be automatically revoked, and they would even be forced to leave the sect, forbidden from returning.

Three years seemed like a generous amount of time, but for beast taming, it was actually quite tight. After all, beast taming involves searching, capturing, and building a bond—none of which are simple steps. After becoming an inner disciple, he began his search, only finding a suitable sacred beast last year: a Stoneflame Beast at the peak of the Void Shattering realm! This sacred beast could perfectly complement his cultivation technique and movement art, allowing him to unleash even greater combat power. However, its personality was arrogant, and it refused to submit. No matter what methods he tried, the beast remained utterly indifferent. He prepared countless delicacies and treasures, but the beast wouldn't even glance at them, as if he didn't exist. Within a year, he tried no less than twenty different beast-taming methods, but none succeeded.

Today was the final deadline. If he failed, he would be forced to leave the inner sect and the Myriad Beasts Gate entirely.

"I'll give it my all!" With a sigh and a determined glint in his eyes, Mu Xu gritted his teeth and pushed open the door, entering the room. Inside the room, a large cage held a sacred beast with rocky skin. It stood defiantly in place, unmoving, like a statue.