Chapter 599: The Jin Clan Leader and the Nine Nether Sect

"Master Chenyuan, you are truly heartless. When you were young, you traveled through Great Xia, begging for alms with a fake monastic certificate. You were caught by the authorities and nearly imprisoned for possessing forged official documents. It was I who stepped in to explain, and only then did the authorities drop the charge against you."

Great Xia has strict requirements for the qualifications of monks and Taoists. Whether they are monks from the Buddhist Nation or disciples from Xuankong Temple, all are treated equally. They must pass examinations and reviews, and only by holding a monastic certificate can they be recognized as monks by the imperial court. Only with this recognition are they permitted to beg for alms or perform rituals; otherwise, it is illegal. When Master Chenyuan came to Great Xia in his youth to promote Buddhism, the very first thing he needed to do was obtain a monastic certificate.

At the mention of this, Master Chenyuan could no longer sit still. "If you hadn't told me that I needed a monastic certificate to preach in Great Xia, and then proceeded to sell me a fake one, how could I have been arrested by the authorities?"

The Grand Elder retorted, "You were the one who approached me first, claiming that the people of Great Xia were suffering immensely and living in dire straits. You said you came to Great Xia to help the common folk escape their plight, to guide them to your Buddhist Nation to recite scriptures and embrace monastic life. I told you the people of Great Xia lived better than those in the Buddhist Nation, but you didn't believe me, so I just wanted you to see the prison. Even prisoners in jail aren't as miserable as you described the common people. How could ordinary citizens be like that? Later, when I saw you resisting quite fiercely as the authorities apprehended you, that's when I stepped in to explain the situation."

The Grand Elder and Master Chenyuan were seated in the front row, with Ao Li, from the East Sea Dragon Clan, between them. Ao Li, intrigued by their argument, temporarily forgot his past grievances with the Grand Elder and subconsciously asked, "So, the authorities released Master Chenyuan?"

"Not at all. Although he didn't know he possessed a fake document, which wouldn't constitute the crime of possessing forged official documents, he didn't understand Great Xia's rules. He just ran straight across the border, which counts as illegal entry. So he was still arrested, and they arrested me too."

"Why did they arrest you?" Ao Li didn't immediately grasp.

"Because I made the fake certificate."

"Oh, right."

Master Chenyuan closed his eyes, resting, and no longer engaged with the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder continued to scan the seats for acquaintances. While traveling, and with Taoist Buyu absent, the Grand Elder's words and actions represented the reputation of Wen Dao Sect. In such an occasion, he needed to be proactive and ensure Wen Dao Sect's diplomatic duties were handled well. In his youth, the Grand Elder had traveled extensively, making acquaintances in the East Sea Dragon Clan, the Buddhist Nation, the Demon Realm's Dragon Clan, the Phoenix Clan, the Qiongqi Clan, and many others.

"Little Jin isn't here?" The Grand Elder noticed the Qiongqi Clan leader's seat was empty and found it odd. Such an important event as the Demon Nation's founding ceremony, and he wasn't attending?

"You know Clan Leader Jin?" Ao Li couldn't help but ask again.

"Know him? Of course, I do. Back then, Little Jin accidentally joined a demonic cult, and it was the Nine Sons of Wen Dao Sect who intervened in time to rescue him from it."

Ao Li grew even more curious: "Which demonic cult?"

"Qin Jiunian, shut up!" Clan Leader Jin, arriving late and out of breath, glared a warning at the Grand Elder when he heard him bringing up this matter.

Two nights ago, he had met Jiang Lianyi, then rushed back to his clan to meet the Young Ancestor. The Young Ancestor, upon learning of Jiang Lianyi's reappearance, sensed that changes might occur during the founding ceremony and told him to quickly return and attend. The Di Jiang Clan and the Qiongqi Clan spanned a large portion of the Demon Realm, and Clan Leader Jin had exhausted himself just to arrive on time. He had just arrived only to hear the Grand Elder exposing his past embarrassment.

Among the leaders of various major forces, Clan Leader Jin was considered young, only a little over nine hundred years old. Nine hundred years ago, he had just reached the Nascent Soul stage and felt that the Qiongqi Clan's internal affairs were stagnant, with rigid thinking. If this continued, they would surely become increasingly impoverished. To find a way out, he left his homeland and illegally entered Great Xia. Without a proper identity, he long lingered in the black market. By chance, he joined the Nine Nether Cult.

After working for the Nine Nether Cult for a while, he met a wealthy young master. The young master also indulged in eating, drinking, gambling, and visiting brothels, just like him, and often treated others. The two quickly became friends. The young master lived a life of extravagant indulgence, yet his money seemed endless, which greatly envied Jin Clan Leader. One time, he tentatively asked the young master about his identity, wondering which wealthy family he belonged to. The young master said he wasn't from an aristocratic family, and the money he spent wasn't given by his family but earned by himself.

This made Clan Leader Jin even more curious, so he continued to press the young master about his money-making schemes and if he could also participate. Initially, the young master disagreed. It took Jin Clan Leader a great deal of effort, serving him diligently and catering to his every whim, before the young master finally agreed. The young master explained that a friend of his had invented a longevity elixir formula. Although the improvement it offered wasn't significant, it was enough to make cultivators nearing the end of their lifespan scramble for it. Investing in this industry now would guarantee profits: invest one hundred and earn one hundred and twenty; the more you invested, the more you'd earn.

Clan Leader Jin tentatively invested twenty thousand spirit stones. A year later, the young master gave him twenty-four thousand. That night, Clan Leader Jin was too excited to sleep, believing his chance to get rich had arrived. However, he wasn't a reckless person. Concerned about the industry's stability, he tested it for another two years. For three consecutive years, there were high profits every year. The young master hadn't lied! The path to wealth was right before his eyes!

Unfortunately, fate is unpredictable. This matter was discovered by Clan Leader Jin's superior, the Nine Nether Cult's branch leader. The branch leader pushed Clan Leader Jin out and began direct negotiations with the young master. Some time later, Clan Leader Jin was pursued by the Nine Nether Cult. He ran while trying to figure out why. Even after he fled back to the Demon Realm, he still couldn't understand why the Nine Nether Cult was hunting him.

Two hundred years ago, when he was chatting with the Grand Elder, he inadvertently brought up this incident. Only then did he realize that the young master he knew back then was the Eighth Elder. The Nine Sons of Wen Dao Sect had set up a scam for the Nine Nether Cult, causing them to lose all their capital, and he was the first cult member to be scammed. Presumably to vent their anger, the Nine Nether Cult's leader at the time ordered his death, but he managed to escape.

A little over a year ago, he discovered three Nine Nether Cult members had infiltrated the Demon Realm. Remembering the days of being hunted, he flew into a rage and instantly killed all three with a single claw. Joining the Nine Nether Cult and being scammed by the Nine Sons of Wen Dao Sect—this was something he absolutely couldn't let the Grand Elder reveal; it was too humiliating. His tiger eyes widened, staring at the Grand Elder with hostility. The Grand Elder spread his hands, indicating he wouldn't reveal the matter. "I'm just here to catch up, no malice intended."

The Grand Elder was about to continue looking for acquaintances to chat with when, at that moment, a bronze bell tolled. Its deep, resonant sound, as if from ancient times, reverberated over the Altar of Heaven. Mists rose from the Altar of Heaven, and the colossal figure of Di Jiang appeared faintly within the clouds, exuding an air of mystery. The white clouds in the sky shifted, transforming into auspicious clouds. The founding ceremony officially began. Out of politeness, the Grand Elder had no choice but to temporarily halt his chatting plans.