Chapter 1072

Southern Border’s Shang Liang Mountain hosts Shang clan’s leader succession ceremony, an event of huge significance. Representatives of Tie clan, Yi clan, Wu clan, Hou clan and Southern Border’s other super forces attend, with demonic path experts and lone cultivators. Rank four peak stage Gu Master Shang Bu Li, an experienced veteran, feels anxious under the crowd’s weight. He declares the ceremony begun. Grand music plays as golden flowers rain down, and a clear rainbow road extends from the mountain’s interior. Shang Xin Ci walks out on it, drawing gasps for her beauty, and ascends toward a throne formed of gathering light and cloud. ^{ch. 1072}

Guests transmit among themselves that Xin Ci, Shang Yan Fei’s illegitimate daughter of low reputation, aptitude and cultivation, has become Shang clan’s new leader. They call it fate truly toying with people. They add that the battle of Yi Tian Mountain heavily affected Southern Border’s forces and shifted its power balance, leaving the mountain among the region’s greatest mysteries. Shang Qing Qing, the senior female immortal who singlehandedly backed Xin Ci’s rise, has concealed herself in the background to prevent chaos. Shang Tan Mo asks whether the girl can really lead Shang clan and hold or expand it after the region’s worst commotion in centuries. Shang Qing Qing answers that she chose Xin Ci not for ability but for a heart and magnanimity that gives her an extremely rare charisma, pointing to loyal subordinates on the peak as proof. ^{ch. 1072}

Xiao Die, Xin Ci’s servant, weeps with joy at seeing her become clan leader. Xiao Lan, an orphan Shang Yan Fei once adopted and gave to Xin Ci, says her late master would be very happy: Xin Ci, completely unlike his other children, can definitely give Shang clan a new future. Her loyalty passed fully to Xin Ci after Shang Yan Fei died at Yi Tian Mountain. Zhou Quan, Xin Ci’s chief steward and once Zhou clan’s arrogant leader, survived as a vagrant after its destruction until Fang Yuan forced him to serve Xin Ci. Watching her take the throne, he thinks of Fang Yuan and decides Zhou clan’s revival must wait while her position stays unstable. ^{ch. 1072}

Zhou Quan judges Xin Ci’s internal situation truly bad. Only two of Shang Yan Fei’s five great generals survived Yi Tian Mountain, Shang Bu Li and Wan Qian Shan, and both, stronger than her, could reduce her to a puppet while her illegitimate status weakens her wider clan support. Shang Bu Li controls the clan’s slave trade, while Wan Qian Shan, an external elder for outside Gu Masters, handles resource gathering. Zhou Quan judges the external danger worse. Ownerless resources are contested again, and Xin Ci has fewer resources than her siblings while also managing affairs outside the clan. ^{ch. 1072}

Zhou Quan then thinks, unhappily, that Lady Wei is leaving her too. Wei De Xin, the wife of Wei clan’s leader and the head of Xin Ci’s guards, has given birth, and her brother Wei Shen Jing now urges her by letter to serve Wu clan with him instead. Wei De Xin decides to refuse her brother, having come to see Xin Ci as a good person worth serving despite once being forced into service by Fang Yuan. Zhou Quan resolves to keep the three demonic path brothers, Xiong Tu, Xiong Huo and Xiong Feng, on for manpower. Wei De Xin resolves to draw in Xiao Yan as new blood against the two remaining generals, since his battle strength and Wei Yang connection recommend him. ^{ch. 1072}

In the sky, Xin Ci gives her first public speech, written for her by Wei De Xin and Zhou Quan, and a huge wave of applause greets it. She leaves the center of attention as celebration continues through day and night to sweep away grief over the war’s deaths. Back in the mansion, Xin Ci feels deep fatigue with no one watching. Knowing this is not yet the time to rest, she summons Xiao Lan, Xiao Die, Wei De Xin, Zhou Quan, Xiong Tu, Xiong Huo and Xiong Feng for arrangements. ^{ch. 1072}

Ye Fan, who earned Shang Qing Qing’s favor and a rich inheritance for defending Xin Ci in danger, can enter her mansion unchallenged as her life benefactor. Developing feelings he cannot read in her, he arrives uninvited and through the door hears her tell her subordinates her first act as clan leader. She means to use Shang clan’s power to remove the arrest warrants on black demon, brother Fang Zheng, and on sister white demon, a matter that has weighed on her a long while. Ye Fan freezes, his finger stopped mid-knock. ^{ch. 1072}

Meanwhile, Shang Qing Qing and the clan’s Gu Immortals discuss Southern Border’s affairs inside Living Treasure blessed land, Shang clan’s very stable public base behind the living treasure door. Shang clan’s first supreme elder warns that Yi Tian Mountain’s battle leaves Southern Border’s Gu Immortal world decades of turmoil ahead, and names three matters. First, the Zombie Alliance has vanished across all five regions, its branch included, leaving its resources for Shang clan to take. Second, a giant dream realm covers Yi Tian Mountain, and righteous path forces blockade it to research while barring demonic path and lone immortals. Third, Yi Tian Mountain’s gambling contest ended without result, but huge amounts of cultivation resources remain inside treasure yellow heaven, inheritable only by its sole surviving participant, Gu Immortal Gua Lao. The clan must gain control of him. Shang Qing Qing is about to say she has been watching treasure yellow heaven closely when it abruptly closes. ^{ch. 1072}