Chapter 289: You May Leave
The atmosphere had returned to a tense silence.
Seemingly oblivious to his own part in causing this situation, the Demon Sect elder who had just been freed from the sack's seal showed no remorse. Instead, he was inwardly brimming with a small sense of excitement.
This was his chance.
Having lived for so many years, he naturally had his own calculations.
In the past, even though Luo Wusheng was the Holy Saint, almost no one in the Demon Sect wanted to interact with him. While his solitary nature was one reason, it wasn't the only one.
Foremost among these reasons was the widespread belief within the sect that this Holy Saint was unlikely to succeed the position of Sect Master in the future.
After all… anyone familiar with the state of the Netherworld Domain understood its bleak reality.
This belief even gave some defeated contenders for the title of Holy Saint a glimmer of hope.
The positions of Holy Saint and Holy Maiden were new concepts, and no one knew exactly how much importance the current Sect Master placed on them.
The Sect Master had given them immense authority, an entire domain, vast resources, and even personal tutelage in advanced techniques. Yet, strangely, he imposed no restrictions or oversight, leaving them to develop as they pleased—almost as if he had lost interest after a whim.
This led to speculation: Would there eventually be a new competition to replace the current Holy Saint and Holy Maiden?
But now, things are different!
Elder Wang vividly recalled the news he had gathered in recent days.
The Holy Saint had displayed overwhelming prowess in the royal city, overturning the sect's tarnished reputation and singlehandedly reviving the largely defunct Demon Artifact Pavilion!
Though the abrupt turnaround was puzzling, if the Holy Saint truly had come into his own… the implications were profound.
Especially now, with this critical task in his hands.
'If the Holy Saint marries the Empress…'
The Immortal Nation's Empress was a peerless prodigy in her own right, ruling her empire while maintaining ties with the Taoist Sect.
If this union were to happen, countless uncertainties would be quietly resolved, and the Holy Saint's position would become unshakable.
At that point, the elder who had facilitated this matter…
Wang Laowu was already imagining himself at the pinnacle of success when a voice devoid of emotion interrupted his reverie.
"Who instructed you to deliver this… marriage contract?"
Hearing the Holy Saint's question, Elder Wang kept his head bowed, suppressing the excitement threatening to spill across his face.
Without hesitation, he replied, "Holy Saint, this was entrusted to me by the Lord of Love of the Joyful Lotus Domain. He instructed me to deliver it to you immediately upon meeting, while remaining covert before handing it over."
Of course, the elder reasoned, there was no need for secrecy afterward—good news spreads too slowly, after all!
Luo Wusheng felt a mix of emotions.
Was this karma for always trying to pin everything on his master?
'Let's sort out the details first...'
Based on the current information, the bald coachman and his enigmatic master couldn't be entirely equated, though they were alarmingly similar.
While the man's ultimate intentions were unclear, at least for now, he didn't seem to be a direct enemy.
This conclusion was largely due to the sack he now held.
The orange-red smoke lingering within had been verified through the modified Buddhist Golden Body—it originated from a Buddhist Great Attachment.
Specifically, the Pride one.
Those affected would unknowingly inflate their own egos, diminishing their regard for others.
'This must have been the main cause of the conflict between the Demon Sect disciples and the Martial Alliance disciples.'
Recalling the words he had overheard from the Martial Alliance disciples six days ago at the inn, Luo Wusheng felt increasingly certain.
'And the fact that someone resolved the situation while preserving this Attachment intact… at the very least, it suggests they aren't aligned with the Buddhist sects.'
'But their purpose… Never mind, now isn't the time to dwell on that.'
The current circumstances left no room for idle contemplation.
The girl on the left seemed to have moved closer to him at some point without him noticing. To be honest, Luo Wusheng wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt an inexplicable pressure emanating from Little Yuli at this moment.
He glanced to the right.
Ji Yanyao's bewildered gaze flickered occasionally, but she also gave off the impression that her mind was gradually going blank.
Luo Wusheng had a good guess about what she might be contemplating.
Ahem, it was likely related to his arrival in the royal city and the purpose behind it: to marry the Empress's younger sister.
This was precisely why Luo Wusheng couldn't pretend to be completely uninformed at this moment.
If he claimed ignorance, the explanation he had given in the dream would be exposed in front of this Empress Taoist Alter Ego, and the "dead issue" he had thought resolved would come back to haunt him.
However, openly accepting what everyone believed to be his marriage contract with the Empress, especially in front of Little Yuli, wasn't easy.
Although he had already stolen one of Little Yuli's original harem—Her master, the psychological pressure of being declared that he was engaged to one of her harem right in front of her is immense.
Particularly since he couldn't quite figure out what the girl was thinking at the moment.
'The Lord of Love… if I remember correctly, isn't he that Demon Sect elder who is famous for publicly showing his vision when ascending to the Nascent Soul Realm? The one with an orgy as his vision?'
'Regardless, this must ultimately tie back to that master of mine. The aura just now was unmistakable…'
'But how does the former Emperor of the Immortal Nation factor into this? Could this marriage contract truly have been established four years ago? And the references to the stars, moon, and good luck at the beginning of the document… coincidence? No, it's too early to consider the origins of all this.'
'This is an open scheme…'
It wasn't the scheming itself that was terrifying; it was the precision and meticulousness with which it was carried out.
Luo Wusheng had no way of knowing whether his master had anticipated this awkward and compromising situation. After all, it was impossible to gauge the abilities and methods of a Demon Sect Sect Master at the peak of his powers, someone likely capable of suppressing others in the same realm, much like the former Emperor of the Immortal Nation.
'Could it be some form of celestial divination? Maybe, but this setup is far from simple… even if the intent remains unclear.'
Was this all retaliation for the minor black mark Luo Wusheng had tried to pin on his master?
A dignified Demon Sect Sect Master—could he truly be so petty?
'Before delving into all this, I need to handle the situation at hand…'
Luo Wusheng maintained a composed expression—or rather, his face had become so stiff that he could no longer make any other expressions.
"Thank you for delivering this item, Elder Wang," he said calmly.
As the elder straightened slightly in exhilaration, Luo Wusheng sighed lightly and added, "But this matter may not be as straightforward as you imagine…"
"Well then, remember not to spread word of this for now. I've received the item, and your mission is complete. You may return."
Elder Wang's face showed a trace of confusion at the initial words, but when Luo Wusheng finished, the elder froze, his expression blank.
The smile on his lips hadn't even had time to fade.
"Uh, Holy Saint, well… actually, this old man was thinking he could take a look at the Demon Artifact Pavilion—"
His suggestion was met with a kindly smile from Luo Wusheng.
<+>
Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD