Sage Monarch

Several of the holy neophytes were already discussing the matter.

"Elder Sister Yun Hailan is back!"

"You're right, she's back. It must be because the Crown Prince is finally a Great Sage. Does that mean he'll be coming back soon too?"

"The Crown Prince still doesn't know about the agreement the chancellor made with Yang Qi. I wonder if he'll just ignore it and go directly to attack Yang Qi."

"It's hard to say for sure, but considering his personality, I'd say it's likely. Either way, it's going to be a fierce fight."

"Fierce fight? Are you serious? Yang Qi is definitely going to lose. The Crown Prince is a Great Sage, and Yang Qi is only a Legendary! From ancient times up to the present, that's been the most difficult of gaps to cross. Considering the level disparity, how could Yang Qi possibly fight the Crown Prince? The only outcome for him is death!"

"You don't know that for sure. Remember, he has the backing of Ghost Emperor Yama. That devil is so invincible that not even the chancellor could handle him."

"Hmph! Yeah, well the Crown Prince has the support of the Quake-Dawn Cathedral. They were the ones who imprisoned Ghost Emperor Yama to begin with."

"Shouldn't we go formally receive Yun Hailan? The chancellor ordered all students in the institute to maintain a neutral stance, and to stay away from both the Crown Prince and Yang Qi. From what I heard, Yang Qi is back in Yanhaven working on his cultivation. His sworn siblings are all with him, and even Holy Daughter Manyflowers."

"Look, there are no two ways about it. The Crown Prince is going to kill Yang Qi. Since Yun Hailan is his main representative, if we don't treat her well, then she's going to hold it against us. Soon, the Crown Prince will be chancellor, but we all know that won't last long. Once Yun Hailan succeeds him, what would we do? We wouldn't stay alive for long, that's for sure."

"Come on, let's go receive her. No matter the situation, we have to maintain a good relationship with her."

Finally, they flew up into the sky to meet Yun Hailan.

"Congratulations on your safe return, Elder Sister Yun Hailan!"

Included among the group were Master Wind Gentleman, Unparalleled Lightning, and the leader of the Divine Ability Society…. In fact, all of the leaders of the various societies were there, famous experts who could call the wind and summon the rain in the institute. They were people who, with a single word, could cause millions of people to do this or that. Most people would tremble at the mention of their names. And yet, in the face of Yun Hailan, they acted like flunkies, despite the fact that she wasn't even a holy neophyte.

That didn't matter. She was backed by the Crown Prince, and he was a Great Sage. Besides, her aura surpassed that of ordinary individuals. She was now a Legendary, and she had the power of the gods in her. In fact, she was so powerful that she seemed like someone from a high-level plane, not someone from the Rich-Lush Continent.

The holy neophytes were all shocked to the core.

"So, you all came?" Yun Hailan said as she floated down and looked around imperiously. "Well, I suppose you know about the Crown Prince becoming a Great Sage?"

"Yes," Master Wind Gentleman said in an ingratiating tone. "Now that the Crown Prince is a Great Sage, we've abandoned all our previous misconceptions of glory. For example, I dissolved the Gentlemen's Society, and have been humbly waiting for the Crown Prince to return. In this heaven and earth, only the Crown Prince Society exists. One society to rule all! May our Demi-Immortal Institute exist for all eternity!"

"So, you've adjusted your sails according to the direction of the wind? Well done, Master Wind Gentleman. You really live up to your reputation." Her cool tone of voice caused Master Wind Gentleman to feel so depressed he felt like coughing up some blood. However, he had no choice but to accept her thinly-veiled criticism.

Bowing his head, he said, "You're absolutely right, Elder Sister. From here on out, I'll stand by the Crown Prince as his most staunch supporter. Whatever he asks me to do, I'll do without question!"

Of course, inside he felt like he was about to explode.

"Feeling a bit resentful are we?" she said, apparently able to sense what he was thinking. "Circumstances often surpass people, and you just have to deal with it. Back when I joined the Demi-Immortal Institute, you were a big deal, but now, you're bowing your head to me. That's just your fate."

"Yes, yes of course…."

Next, she went on to berate all of the holy neophytes in similar fashion.

After she was done, she continued, "I just returned from the Superheaven Badlands. What, pray tell, has happened to Yang Qi? Did he return from the Western Continent? What technique has he taken up? And what level is he? Perhaps I can go kill him to save the Crown Prince some effort."

"Oh, no, you definitely shouldn't do that," Master Wind Gentleman said quickly. "Yang Qi can already destroy any Legendary. He's basically invincible to anyone other than a Great Sage. He returned last month with Ghost Emperor Yama, who he freed from the Heavencorpse Dimension. The two of them made a big scene here, and forced the chancellor to intervene. Afterward, the chancellor sent down orders that, when the Crown Prince returns, he and Yang Qi would fight it out, and the winner would become the new chancellor. Yang Qi is currently in Yanhaven working on his cultivation. Considering a whole month has passed, it's hard to say what level he's at now."

"Yeah, that's right!" Unparalleled Lightning said. "You need to be very careful of him. One of the Half Sage prime elders got in his way, and was defeated in a single move. Then Yang Qi told Ghost Emperor Yama to keep the chancellor occupied while he killed everyone else! In the end, even the chancellor had to admit that Yang Qi was strong enough to do that. Unless a Great Sage is there, he could kill anyone that got in his way. Even Half Sages would be like chickens or dogs to him."

"Are you serious?" Yun Hailan said. Her eyes turned as cold as ice, and she fairly radiated a frigid aura. "Or is this supposed to be some sick joke? Yang Qi only became a Legendary recently, and he can already slaughter multiple Half Sages? You think he's a character out of a myth or something? And how could he possibly be able to order around Ghost Emperor Yama?"

"If you don't believe us, Elder Sister Hailan, just look at this. Here's a water-type energy art recording of the scene he caused. Please, check it out yourself."

With that, one of the holy neophytes handed over a pearl.

Yun Hailan took it and crushed it, causing a puff of mist to spray out that showed Yang Qi's arrival, and Ghost Emperor Yama killing Great Sage Quake-Cloud. Afterward, Yang Qi said, "As long as you can kill the chancellor, Ghost Emperor Yama, or at least keep him occupied, then I can kill everyone else." His words stabbed into her ears like knives, and caused her face to completely drain of blood.

Soon, the mist fell away into nothing, and yet Yang Qi's words continued to echo in her mind. He sounded even more crazed than the Crown Prince.

'Such arrogance!' she thought. However, after a moment passed, she regained her composure. Although she was still shocked, she didn't let it show on her face. 'I've begun Operation Azure Heavens, and having communicated with higher heavens, I've increased my power dramatically. But, how could I have guessed that Yang Qi would reach this level!? It seems only the Crown Prince is capable of dealing with him now.'

Keeping such thoughts to herself, she said, "He's gone completely crazy. Seems to me he must have experienced cultivation deviation. Perhaps he's even under the control of Ghost Emperor Yama. If we don't get rid of him, then the Demi-Immortal Institute will never see a peaceful day for the rest of its existence. He'll probably destroy the Rich-Lush Continent as a whole. For the next few days, I'll travel to the other great institutes to spread the orders of the Crown Prince. I'll also negotiate with the other chancellors, and convince them to join the effort to wipe out the fiend-devil Yang Qi."

Master Wind Gentleman nodded repeatedly. "That would definitely be for the best. You've obviously thought things through perfectly, Elder Sister."

"By the way, Elder Sister," Unparalleled Lightning said fawningly, "you're currently only a conclave student. Now that you're a Legendary, do you want to apply to be a holy neophyte? That would definitely earn you much more glory in the institute."

Without even thinking about the question, Yun Hailan said, "It doesn't matter. Holy neophyte. Not holy neophyte. What's the difference? Before long, the Crown Prince will be here, and Yang Qi will be dead. The Crown Prince will consolidate his power, and within a few years, he'll leave the Rich-Lush Continent, and I'll be the next chancellor. By the way, where's Yang Susu? Did Yang Qi take her with him too?"

"No, she was taken by two prime elders out into space-time to look for the ancient Spritefolk. But Yang Qi did take Holy Daughter Manyflowers with him."

"Fine, I understand. Very well, you're all dismissed! By the way, tell the prime elders to come to me immediately. I have orders from the Crown Prince for them."

"Yes ma'am."

With that, she entered the Minorcosm World, and the holy neophytes exchanged awkward, embarrassed glances.

For all intents and purposes, Yun Hailan was already the chancellor of the Demi-Immortal Institute.

Once inside the Minorcosm World, she found herself received by a young woman in black garb and a mask.

Expression flickering, Yun Hailan said, "Well, if it isn't the chancellor's daughter, Young Lady Starlight. Is there some reason you're blocking my path?"

"I saw everything that just happened. Quite impressive, I must say. It's almost like you've already assumed the position of chancellor." Young Lady Starlight didn't do anything to hide the biting tone of her words.

"That's right. I'll be running the Demi-Immortal Institute in a few years. What, you don't like that or something?" Yun Hailan spoke in a very unyielding voice. From the look of it, an altercation might break out at any moment.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Look, Yun Hailan. I know that you have the blood of both a sea god and a dragon god. You also have a special body type. It seems to me that the Crown Prince wants to use your blood to reach out to those two immortal planes, to carry out Operation Azure Heavens. You're just a tool to him, that's all."

"You're right. The Crown Prince is using me. But what makes you think I can't do the same to him? I'm a lot stronger than you realize, and I've even been touched by immortal-spirits. My destiny is something that would be considered incredible even in ancient times, and I'm going to be a Great Sage soon. Do you really think you're even close to being on my level? Maybe you are the chancellor's daughter, but you've been stuck at your current level for years now. You actually can't reach the Great Sage level, can you? You're stuck where you are for the rest of your life, and will eventually die of old age. In sharp contrast to you, I have unlimited potential."

Voice thrumming with rage, Young Lady Starlight said, "If that's what you think, why don't the two of us have a little contest? Then we can see which of us is actually stronger? What do you say?"

1. The Chinese idiom she quotes contains the same "wind" character as his name, so it's obviously an intentional and sarcastic play on words.

2. You might remember that the chancellor called his daughter "Guang'er". Guang is the second character of the word "starlight" (xingguang). I personally feel that "xingguang" is not supposed to be her actual birth name, but more of a nickname given to her because of the special "body type" she has. That said, when the chancellor addresses her, I'll still have him use "Guang'er".