Even Chen Yan, looking at Kong Yang who was now on the verge of death, found himself feeling a faint sense of melancholy.

The erosion of dao rhyme was irreversible.

Another old acquaintance from the past was about to leave him.

Even though Chen Yan had once wished nothing more than to cut Kong Yang into a thousand pieces.

"True Person Chen, since you just mentioned the Kongshan Sect, I have some matters I wish to share with you. It may be a bit lengthy, but please bear with me. At this final moment before my death, these are my last concerns."

Kong Yang spoke calmly.

"Speak."

Chen Yan nodded.

"The Three Mountains and Four Peaks of the Kongshan Sect, along with the Four Supreme Courts, total over five thousand three hundred inner disciples. The outer court has a total of twenty-three thousand five hundred outer sect disciples. If we include all the disciples stationed at spirit farmlands and veins outside, the current population of the Kongshan Sect has already exceeded ninety thousand."

"Currently, among the Four Supreme Courts of the Kongshan Sect, the position of Supreme Pivot Elder in the Supreme Pivot Court and the position of Supreme Imperial Law Elder in the Supreme Imperial Law Court have remained vacant ever since Li Haoran and Huo Mu left thirty years ago."

"He Zongzhou, the current Supreme Martial Pacification Elder of the Kongshan Sect, may be mediocre in ability, but he has always been conscientious in handling major sect affairs. Moreover, the man has no selfish motives. Until outstanding talents rise among the younger generation of the sect, He Zongzhou can continue to temporarily oversee the Four Supreme Courts."

"Then there is the current Sect Leader, Yun Yichen. His talent and political acumen rank among the best of the Kongshan Sect's disciples over the past thousand years. However, when he assumed the position of Sect Leader, Huo Mu's influence behind the scenes was far too overwhelming. Many of the judgments that Yun Yichen believed were his own based on the current situation were actually the result of Huo Mu's manipulation and guidance from behind the scenes."

"I believe this experience may have left Yun Yichen lacking in his ability to assess situations. If another hundred years pass and he still hasn't made significant progress, True Person Chen need not place too much importance on him."

"I believe that Zhong Yin, the current Sword Master Elder of Qingchan Peak, bears a resemblance to my own style. He acts with swift decisiveness, yet he does not act without consideration. However, his cultivation talent is somewhat lacking, and the 'Body Forging Method' he has chosen may pose considerable difficulties for his future path of immortality. If he can break through to the Eighth Realm or above in the future, he may be appointed as a Steward of the Four Supreme Courts. If not, then there is no need to pay too much attention to him."

"As for the current Kongshan Sect, the one I am most optimistic about is actually one of the Guardians of the Dao currently cultivating on Du Cang Mountain, who is also the current Training Grounds Elder of Qingchan Peak, Li Haowen. Both his cultivation talent and his temperament are absolutely sufficient for him to shoulder great responsibilities in the Kongshan Sect in the future. However, his origins have always been a significant problem. If a favorable opportunity arises in the future, I hope True Person Chen can exonerate Wei Mian and restore the innocence of both Wei Mian and Li Haowen..."

Kong Yang narrated slowly like this.

Not only the current Grand Elders and Peak Elders of the Kongshan Sect, but even Fu Qian, Bai Qiming, and some minor figures that Chen Yan had never heard of before, Kong Yang elaborated on each and every one of them in great detail.

This made Chen Yan feel somewhat emotional.

As an Immortal Ascension cultivator, to be so dedicated and conscientious to such an extent, Kong Yang was the first in the history of Chenping Continent.

Chen Yan even suspected that even the Yuxu Continent of countless eons past, or the twelve Immortal Sects of Tianji Continent, might never have produced a person like Kong Yang.

"The Kongshan Sect has been passed down for eighty thousand years to this day. If, after my death, the descendants of the Kongshan Sect prove to be utterly useless and beyond redemption, True Person Chen may discard your promise to me and let them fend for themselves."

This was Kong Yang's final statement.

Chen Yan listened to everything Kong Yang said with great attentiveness.

After Kong Yang finished speaking, however, Chen Yan did not respond. He simply stared at the face of this incredibly haggard and gaunt great power of the Immortal Ascension Realm, who seemed as if he might return to the heavens at any moment.

"Why?"

Chen Yan said calmly:

"Why does True Person Kong go to such lengths for the Kongshan Sect?"

Kong Yang did not answer Chen Yan's question. He merely bowed respectfully in the direction of Chen Yan, who sat upon the white jade throne.

It was the most respectful bow Chen Yan had ever received.

It was not merely a matter of folding his body in half. Kong Yang almost buried his head into the ground.

"..."

Chen Yan remained silent.

He simply watched as Kong Yang straightened up after the bow, then turned around and, with a slight stagger, walked toward the exit of Du Cang Hall.

The cultivation world of Chenping Continent would often refer to the first year after the end of the Great Chaos of the Immortals as Du Cang Year One.

The first Du Cang Mountain Dao Inquiry held on Chenping Continent took place in Du Cang Year Five.

The second Du Cang Mountain Dao Inquiry was naturally held in Du Cang Year Ten.

But after Du Cang Year One, the first year truly etched into the memory of all cultivators in the Chenping cultivation world was Du Cang Year Twenty-Three.

True Person Caiyun, Kong Yang, the third-generation Ascended Steward of the Kongshan Sect, fell for the second time.

And it was the last time.

......

Deep autumn, a year of famine.

A drought unseen in a century descended upon this land that had never yielded good harvests to begin with.

In an instant, the fields were strewn with the dead.

Within the silent and desolate village, over twenty ramshackle thatched huts were scattered about.

On the ground, clumps of straw were scattered everywhere. The most astonishing thing was that these straws bore the marks of human teeth.

In truth, there was no need to be all that astonished.

In such a year of famine, never mind eating straw, even cases of people eating people were not uncommon.

Compared to ordinary days, this desolate village was rather lively today.

Because an old man clad in a white daoist robe had arrived in the village.

Seven or eight extremely emaciated children surrounded the old man in the white daoist robe. Their limbs and necks looked no different from chopsticks.

The reason they had gathered around the old man was simple.

Because the old man had an entire cloth sack full of meat steamed buns.

Some children wanted to rush forward and snatch them, but the old man flicked their foreheads, sending them flying several zhang away. It took them considerable effort to climb back to their feet.

Yet the old man still looked cheerful, not the least bit angry.

Still, no child dared to think about snatching the buns anymore.

"Want to eat meat buns?"

The old man in the white daoist robe said with a chuckle.

The children all nodded, yet their movements and expressions revealed a sense of awe toward the old man before them.

"Then let's play a guessing game with a copper coin."

As he spoke, a copper coin suddenly appeared in the old man's palm:

"Guess right and you get a bun; guess wrong and you die. How about it?"

The old man's voice was very kind, but the words that came out of his mouth were utterly terrifying.

"Who wants to go first?"

He continued.

Hearing this, the children all shrank back. But just as all the children were hesitating, a clear voice suddenly rang out:

"Me!"

The old man's gaze fell upon one of the children.

Then, he nodded and tossed the copper coin in his hand.

"Heads, or tails?"

"Heads!"

The child's voice was without hesitation.

The old man slowly opened his hand, and the copper coin in his palm happened to land heads up.

"Take it."

The old man in the white daoist robe smiled, picked up a bun, and tossed it toward the child.

The child caught the bun but did something that surprised the old man greatly.

He divided the bun into several portions and handed them to the other children behind him.

Interesting.

The old man in the white daoist robe thought to himself.

But what was even more unexpected was still to come.

The child just now turned around, his eyes fixed tightly on him like prey:

"Again!"

The old man laughed.

"What's your name?"

The Sword Master Elder of Qingchan Peak of the Kongshan Sect asked the child.

"Kong Yang!"

The child answered.

Clear skies, gentle breeze.

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