252: Chapter 252 The New Master of the Great Luo Heaven Domain

Six months had passed in the blink of an eye since the battle with Maha Tian.

During these six months, the changes in Imperial City were visible to the naked eye. The streams of light traversing the sky above the Burning Heaven Mountain Range were many times more frequent than before, and envoys and visiting cards from various factions flew in like snowflakes. Hun Qian, along with the disciples from the Ministry of Rites and the External Affairs Hall, worked around the clock for three months just to process the backlog of visiting cards. Rogue cultivators seeking to join lined up from the mountain path to the foot of the mountain, and after repeated selection rounds, less than thirty percent were ultimately accepted. The total number of disciples in the Spirit Hall expanded from three hundred thousand to five hundred thousand. Among the newly added two hundred thousand, there was no shortage of powerful rogue cultivators at the Earth Supreme level, and two rogue Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereigns even came to the door voluntarily to seek attachment, whom Hun Feng arranged to serve as deputy hall masters in the four major branch halls.

The identity of the successor to the Ancient Heavenly Palace was also fermenting. The news brought out of the Ancient Heavenly Palace by Mu Chen and Luo Li had become known to everyone after half a year of spreading—the heavenly emperor sword had recognized a master, the Primordial Celestial Body had appeared, and the inheritance of the One Qi Transforming into Three Purities had been obtained by a young man named Mu Chen. And that young man was the personal disciple of Hun Feng, the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall. This identity was like a stone thrown into a lake, and the ripples it stirred were far greater than expected. Those veteran sects that had initially maintained a wait-and-see attitude toward the Spirit Hall, a force of ascenders, could finally sit still no longer.

Today was the day those ripples reached Imperial City.

In the main hall of Imperial City, Hun Feng sat in the main seat, holding a teacup. Xue Wei stood by his side as usual, in a dark red long dress, her blood-colored hair loosely pinned behind her head with a silver hairpin, holding a stack of newly arrived visiting cards. Hun Qian stood in the hall, reporting the progress of the construction of the Western Branch Hall to Hun Feng. The magma erupting from the volcano group outside the hall was reflected on the glass windows, coating the entire hall in a layer of slowly flowing, dark red light and shadow.

"The Luoshen Clan sent word that the main body of the Sea-Suppressing World-Protection Array has been eighty percent repaired. The remaining array core materials need to be transferred from the Great Thousand Palace—" Hun Qian stopped abruptly here. He raised his head and, along with everyone in the hall, perceived an aura approaching from afar. The aura was not strong—only at the level of an Upper Earth Sovereign—but it carried an extremely ancient and pure fluctuation of spiritual energy, completely different from any cultivation system in the current world, as if it had traveled directly through time from the ancient era over forty thousand years ago.

"It is here." Hun Feng put down the teacup, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. "Invite her in."

The door of the side hall was pushed open, and a guarding disciple led a slender figure into the main hall. The person was petite, looking no more than twelve or thirteen years old, yet she wore a very formal black robe, the hem of which trailed behind her, and every step she took was steady and weighty. Her long hair was a very deep dark green, hanging to her waist, the ends slightly curled. On both sides of her head were delicate Mandala flower ornaments, the petals a dull gold, glowing with a matte luster under the light of the spiritual crystals in the hall. That face was young and delicate, but those deep purple eyes were as still as an ancient well, harboring a vicissitude of life completely different from her appearance—that was not a gaze a young girl should have. It was the gaze of someone who had lived for tens of thousands of years and had seen the rise and fall of an era.

Hun Feng recognized her at a glance. The adopted daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, the survivor of the Ancient Heavenly Palace, the current Domain Master of the Great Luo Territory—Mandala. In the original work, it was this seemingly petite girl who had taken in Mu Chen when he was at his lowest, led him step by step into the Ancient Heavenly Palace, and then held up a sky of her own after the Ancient Heavenly Palace was destroyed. Now that she had come to the door in person, it was for only one thing.

"Mandala, Domain Master of the Great Luo Territory, greets the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall." Mandala stood still in the center of the hall and bowed slightly. Her voice was as crisp as a silver bell, but her tone was so seasoned and steady that the several branch hall masters present were taken aback for a moment.

"Domain Master Mandala has come from afar, no need for such formalities." Hun Feng raised his hand in a gesture. "Please, sit."

Mandala sat down in the guest seat with a dignified posture. She did not exchange pleasantries, and after sweeping her gaze around the hall, she fell directly onto Hun Feng's face: "The Hall Master of the Spirit Hall should know my intention. Since the new master of the Ancient Heavenly Palace is under your tutelage, I, as someone from the old Ancient Heavenly Palace, must come to see him."

Hun Feng nodded and said to Hun Qian: "Go call Mu Chen and Luo Li."

When Mu Chen and Luo Li entered the main hall, Mandala's gaze was firmly pinned on the long sword behind Mu Chen's back. The heavenly emperor sword, its scabbard covered in dust for over forty thousand years, now had the gold patterns on the sword body slowly circulating, as if sensing some familiar aura, and the sword body trembled lightly in the scabbard. Mandala stared at the sword for a long time, the calmness and steadiness in her eyes cracking bit by bit, revealing the emotions that had been suppressed for too long underneath.

"The heavenly emperor sword." She spoke, her voice a few degrees softer than before, as if talking to herself. "It really is the heavenly emperor sword. Over forty thousand years—I thought I would never see it again in this lifetime."

Mu Chen cupped his hands in a salute: "Junior Mu Chen greets Domain Master Mandala."

Mandala withdrew her gaze and looked at Mu Chen again, her scrutinizing gaze sweeping over him from head to toe. After a moment, she nodded slightly: "Bone age is under thirty, Lower Earth Supreme, the aura of the Law of Space is condensed and not scattered. You have passed the test of the Heavenly Emperor's will—his eye for talent is good."

"Domain Master Mandala is too kind."

"It is not being too kind." Mandala shook her head, stood up, and walked to Mu Chen. She looked up at this young man who was a whole head taller than her, a faint smile flashing in her deep purple eyes. "Since you have obtained the Heavenly Emperor's inheritance, you are the new master of my Ancient Heavenly Palace. I, Mandala, am the adopted daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, and I have guarded the Ancient Heavenly Palace for over forty thousand years, guarding this very inheritance. Now that the inheritance has found a home, my old bones can finally rest."

Mu Chen was stunned upon hearing this, and before he could say anything, Mandala had already turned to Hun Feng in the main seat, her tone returning to the steadiness from before: "Hall Master of the Spirit Hall, I will get straight to the point. The Great Luo Territory is a force I built with my own hands, and the descendants of the old Ancient Heavenly Palace troops mostly live here. Now that Mu Chen is the new master of the Ancient Heavenly Palace, the Great Luo Territory should naturally be inherited by him. I came today to pass the position of Domain Master to him. I wonder what the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall thinks?"

The hall was silent for a moment. Hun Qian and Soul Mie Sheng looked at each other, neither speaking. This proposal was not insignificant—the Great Luo Territory had operated in the Tianluo Continent for tens of thousands of years, with thousands of experts above the Supreme level under its command, and its territory spanned several heaven territories. Although it was not a super force, it ranked high in the Great Thousand World. More importantly, it was its location—the Tianluo Continent was adjacent to the Holy Spirit Mountain and was separated from the sphere of influence of the Mohe Ancient Clan by only half a void sea area.

Hun Feng did not answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest twice, his gaze moving from Mandala to Mu Chen, and then back from Mu Chen to Mandala.

"Domain Master Mandala," Hun Feng said, his tone flat, "For this Great Luo Territory of yours, are you asking Mu Chen to be the Domain Master, or a puppet?"

Mandala frowned slightly: "Naturally, a real Domain Master. Since I am abdicating the position of Domain Master, I will not interfere in the internal affairs of the Heaven Territory. The descendants of the old Ancient Heavenly Palace will also obey the orders of the new master; the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall need not worry about this."

"And the conditions?" Hun Feng picked up his teacup and took a sip. "You have guarded this foundation for over forty thousand years, and you are giving it up just like that. It cannot be because you think my disciple looks good, right?"

Mandala was silent for a breath, then chuckled softly. The laughter was very light, but it carried an indescribable desolation.

"There is only one condition—let the Great Luo Territory become the foundation of the Ancient Heavenly Palace once again. Although the Ancient Heavenly Palace has been destroyed, the spirit of the Ancient Heavenly Palace should not be broken. I have guarded the Great Luo Territory for over forty thousand years, not to raise a group of descendants of the old troops who just idle their lives away. I want to see the Ancient Heavenly Palace stand up again. Mu Chen has obtained the heavenly emperor sword and the Primordial Celestial Body; this inheritance means he is more qualified than anyone else to inherit the Heavenly Emperor's legacy. I am pushing him to the position of Domain Master not to give him benefits, but to let the spark of the Ancient Heavenly Palace reignite in his hands."

She finished speaking and looked at Hun Feng, her gaze open and honest: "If the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall is worried, I can sign a contract—from the day Mu Chen succeeds as Domain Master, I will no longer be the Domain Master and will remain in the Heaven Territory only as an ordinary elder to assist. For all major matters, the Domain Master can decide alone."

Hun Feng looked at her for two breaths, then turned to Mu Chen: "Mu Chen, you have heard everything Domain Master Mandala said. What do you think?"

Mu Chen stepped forward, standing straight. He looked at Mandala, then at the people in the hall, and finally at Hun Feng: "Master, this disciple wishes to accept. The Heavenly Emperor handed the Ancient Heavenly Palace to me, and I cannot let this inheritance sit idle in the scabbard. But this disciple also understands that my current cultivation and experience are far from enough—so this disciple dares to ask Domain Master Mandala to continue to serve as Deputy Domain Master, and until this disciple can stand on his own, I ask for your guidance."

A flash of surprise crossed Mandala's eyes. She had prepared for Mu Chen to refuse, or for Hun Feng to bargain for his disciple, but she did not expect this young man to neither shrink back nor be arrogant, but instead frankly admit that he was still inexperienced while taking on the responsibility he should bear. She turned to look at Hun Feng, only to see the corners of Hun Feng's mouth slightly raised, the smile fleeting, but Mandala saw it clearly.

"This kid is not quite what you thought, is he?" Hun Feng said.

Mandala withdrew her gaze and nodded slightly at Mu Chen: "Good. Deputy Domain Master it is. From today on, the Domain Master of the Great Luo Territory is you—Mu Chen." She said this as she took out a dark green token from her sleeve. On the front of the token was carved a blooming Mandala flower, and on the back was the word "Great Luo". She handed the token to Mu Chen with both hands. "This is the Great Luo Token. Whoever holds this token is the master of the Great Luo Territory. The five halls and nine halls under the Great Luo Territory, and the hundreds of thousands of disciples, are all under your command from today."

Mu Chen took the token with both hands. The token felt slightly heavy in his hand, the texture as warm as jade, and a faint layer of spiritual light flowed on the surface. He looked down for a moment, then solemnly put the token into his bosom and bowed deeply to Mandala: "Senior Mandala, thank you."

"Just call me Mandala." Mandala rarely showed a hint of a smile, and that young face finally had a bit of worldly warmth. "Calling me 'Senior' makes it sound like I'm an old monster who has lived for tens of thousands of years."

"You are an old monster who has lived for tens of thousands of years." Hun Feng added nonchalantly from the side.

Mandala rolled her eyes at him and didn't answer.

Luo Li stepped forward and cupped her hands to Mandala: "Luo Li greets Senior Mandala. Please take care of Mu Chen in the Great Luo Territory in the future."

Mandala looked Luo Li up and down. Her deep purple eyes paused on Luo Li's face for a moment, then moved to the faint fluctuation of the Law of Time on the hilt of the sword at her waist. Then she nodded, her tone rarely having a bit more gentleness: "The inheritance of the Luoshen Clan is well integrated within you. Mu Chen is a good seedling, but not a good manager—I'm afraid you will have to worry about the paperwork of the Great Luo Territory in the future."

Luo Li was slightly stunned, then the corners of her lips curved: "I am used to it."

Mu Chen coughed lightly on the side, wisely choosing not to answer.

Hun Feng stood up from the main seat, walked to Mu Chen, and reached out to pat his shoulder. The pat was not heavy, but Mu Chen felt the temperature of his master's palm passing through the fabric, not hot, but with a lot of weight.

"The heavenly emperor sword is in your hands, and the Great Luo Token is also in your hands. How to proceed, you decide for yourself. Remember one thing—you are a disciple of the Spirit Hall, and no matter where you go, the Spirit Hall is your backing." He paused and added, "But a backing is not a crutch. If you fall, get up yourself."

"This disciple understands." Mu Chen cupped his hands.

Mandala watched the interaction between the master and disciple, her gaze lingering for a moment on the hand Hun Feng patted on Mu Chen's shoulder. She had lived for over forty thousand years and had seen too many ways for masters to treat their disciples—some as chess pieces, some as tools, some as successors but constantly guarding against usurpation. But Hun Feng's look at Mu Chen was different. There was expectation, severity, and a layer of protection that was not deeply hidden. She suddenly understood a little why Mu Chen was so proud when mentioning his master.

"Hall Master of the Spirit Hall," Mandala stood up, regaining that steady and seasoned tone, but her attitude was obviously much more relaxed than when she came, "Since this matter is settled, I will not disturb you further. Whenever Mu Chen is free, he can come to the Great Luo Territory at any time. The inauguration ceremony for the Domain Master needs some time to prepare, and I hope the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall will grace us with your presence then."

"Certainly." Hun Feng nodded. "Hun Qian, send Domain Master Mandala to the guest room to rest."

Mandala followed Hun Qian out of the hall, and when she passed Mu Chen, her steps paused slightly.

"Mu Chen," she tilted her head to look at him, her deep purple eyes reflecting the golden sword patterns of the heavenly emperor sword, "The Heavenly Emperor's last wish was that the spirit of the Ancient Heavenly Palace could be passed on, like a torch passed down, never-ending. If he could see this scene today—he would be very happy."

Mu Chen gripped the heavenly emperor sword tightly and bowed solemnly.

Mandala didn't say anything more and followed Hun Qian out of the main hall.

The hall became quiet. Mu Chen and Luo Li stood side by side in the hall. The magma from the volcano outside the window was still erupting, and the dark red light fell on them through the glass windows, stretching their shadows long and slanted on the floor. Hun Feng turned and walked back to the main seat to sit down, picked up the teacup and took a sip; the tea was already cold, but he didn't call Xue Wei to refill it.

"Domain Master." He suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of a smile. "When we meet in the future, I will have to call you Domain Master Mu."

Mu Chen was choked by this sentence, his face slightly flushed: "Master, please don't tease me."

Hun Feng rarely chuckled and put down the teacup: "Go. Prepare what needs to be prepared, and cultivate what needs to be cultivated. The Great Luo Territory is not a peaceful place, and there are many people in the Tianluo Continent staring at that place. Your trip this time is both to succeed as Domain Master and to establish your authority."

Mu Chen straightened his expression and cupped his hands: "This disciple will never fail Master's expectations."

Only Hun Feng and Xue Wei remained in the study. Xue Wei tidied up the visiting cards and placed them on the corner of the desk, looking at Hun Feng. He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window, a trace of the smile he had just had still remaining at the corners of his mouth. She knew what he was thinking—once the Great Luo Territory and the Spirit Hall officially formed an alliance, the Tianluo Continent and the Burning Heaven Mountain Range would be connected, and the power map of the entire western part of the Great Thousand World would be completely rewritten. And this was just the visible benefit. Mu Chen becoming the Domain Master of the Great Luo Territory meant that his identity as the successor of the Heavenly Emperor had received official endorsement, and the legitimacy of the Ancient Heavenly Palace now had a physical basis; those who coveted the heavenly emperor sword and the Primordial Celestial Body would have to think twice before making a move.

But these were not the things Hun Feng cared about most at the moment. What he really cared about was this step Mu Chen had taken—from a disciple following his master to cultivate, to a Domain Master who could stand on his own. He would have to take this step sooner or later, and now, the timing was just right.