Chapter 429: Qingtan's Choice
As she looked at the handsome young man in black who had suddenly appeared, Qingtan's face darkened. As expected, the elders weren't making this easy.
Unaware of Qingtan's growing displeasure, the young man in black continued to gaze at her, his eyes intense and earnest. "Qingtan, you know how much I like you. Just say the word, and I will be your Shadow Guard. I'll make sure you reach the position of Dark Hall Master!"
Hearing this, several elders in the Dark Hall's Elder Council exchanged subtle glances. Many in the square who were aware of the internal power dynamics began to speculate. It seemed the Elder Council wanted to plant someone close to the Hall Master's successor.
In a secluded corner of the square, Lin Langtian watched the scene with a slight frown. Having read about the original storyline, he was well aware of the divide between the two factions within the Dark Hall. Three years after Qingtan succeeded Bo Xuan as the Hall Master, a massive internal conflict had erupted during another grand festival. The main cause was the longstanding tension between the Hall Master's faction and the Elder Council. When Qingtan became the new Hall Master, she lacked the authority to suppress the Elder Council, and they seized the opportunity to seek more power.
In the original story, if it hadn't been for Lin Dong, who was strong enough to confront a Reincarnation Stage elder, Qingtan might have been dethroned as the Hall Master even before she could establish her rule. After all, there were two hidden Reincarnation Stage elders in the Elder Council.
Now, although the Elder Council and Bo Xuan's faction maintained a facade of peace, subtle moves were being made in the background.
On the altar, Qingtan's hands clenched, her pale, delicate fingers turning white with tension. Just as she was about to refuse the young man's offer, Bo Xuan intervened.
"Elder Luo," Bo Xuan's voice cut through the silence, "as Qingtan's teacher, I will take care of appointing her Shadow Guard. There is no need for the Elder Council to concern itself with this matter."
Elder Luo, far from showing any sign of anger at Bo Xuan's refusal, smiled slightly. "Hall Master, I believe you misunderstand. My intentions in recommending Nephew Mo Ming as Qingtan's Shadow Guard come from a place of great care. The Dark Hall is, of course, the undisputed power in the Northern Xuan Region. However, internally, there has been increasing distance between the Elder Council and the Hall Master's faction, creating some tension.
"In my view, one reason for this divide is the lack of interaction and cooperation between the two groups. Both the Hall Master's faction and the Elder Council are core components of the Dark Hall's strength. It's essential for the continued prosperity of the Dark Hall that we work together to avoid unnecessary friction. Mo Ming, as a talented and loyal disciple of the Elder Council, would make an excellent Shadow Guard for Qingtan. He could fulfill his duty while bridging the gap between our two factions, a win-win situation."
Elder Luo paused and added with a subtle smile, "Furthermore, this is the wish of the two Supreme Elders as well. I hope you will consider it carefully, Hall Master."
"The Supreme Elders?" Bo Xuan's usually calm eyes showed a slight tremor. The Supreme Elders carried significant weight—even for Bo Xuan as Hall Master, their influence was considerable.
In truth, Elder Luo's argument was sound. Since the second generation of the Dark Hall, the divide between the Elder Council and the Hall Master's faction had grown deeper. If it weren't for the Hall Master's control over the Dark Ancestral Talisman and the Sacred Scythe, the Elder Council would likely already hold the Hall's reins.
Now, Elder Luo's proposal to improve relations had merit, and Bo Xuan could hardly brush it aside, especially with the support of the Reincarnation Stage Supreme Elders.
As Bo Xuan's expression shifted, Qingtan bit her lip. She understood the pressure her teacher was under. In large factions, internal divisions often required the leader to make concessions for the sake of unity.
Just then, with the atmosphere tense, the young man in black, Mo Ming, laughed softly and spoke. "If the Hall Master finds it difficult to decide on a Shadow Guard, let's make it simple. Let the candidate you select fight me. If they can defeat me, I'll gladly step down as Qingtan's Shadow Guard."
"Mo Ming…" Elder Luo seemed surprised but remained quiet as Mo Ming waved a hand dismissively, his expression radiating confidence. The Shadow Guard could only come from the younger generation, and Mo Ming was certain none of them could match him.
The entire square fell silent, the anticipation of an unexpected duel thick in the air.
Bo Xuan's eyes narrowed as he looked at Mo Ming's assured stance. Word was that Mo Ming was a prized disciple of one of the Supreme Elders. Although he had rarely shown his abilities openly, the Council's high regard indicated his potential. Bo Xuan couldn't simply reject the challenge; that would imply his faction was weak.
"Master, let me take the challenge." Beside him, Qingtan's voice was calm but resolute.
"This duel is meant to select a Shadow Guard," Bo Xuan shook his head, his voice low. "If you fight, the Elder Council will only find new ways to undermine us." His gaze then shifted to Chen Kui. "Leave it to Chen Kui; he was already my choice for your Shadow Guard."
"Brother Chen Kui?" Qingtan hesitated, slightly frowning. While Chen Kui was strong, she felt uneasy, sensing he might not match Mo Ming.
Instinctively, her gaze shifted to the corner of the square, where a familiar young man in green stood quietly. In her heart, she whispered, "Perhaps… there's another choice."
As Qingtan pondered, Chen Kui, under Bo Xuan's directive, stepped forward into the ring under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
"Heh, I knew it—the Hall Master's original choice for Shadow Guard was you," Mo Ming said, his eyes resting on Chen Kui, then glancing at Qingtan, whose face had grown stormy. Yet, he didn't immediately make a move, instead speaking with a casual tone.
"If you knew, why push so hard for the Shadow Guard position? This is a matter for the Hall Master's faction, and the Elder Council dares to interfere?" Chen Kui sneered. Behind his eerie ghost mask, his face looked sinister and intense. As Bo Xuan's most outstanding disciple after Qingtan, Chen Kui certainly had his own confidence.
Mo Ming chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "Elder Luo has already explained—I would serve as Qingtan's Shadow Guard to bridge the gap between the Hall Master's faction and the Elder Council. Besides, considering the big picture and strength, I am more suited to protect Qingtan than you."
"Hmph, enough talk—let's see if you're as strong as you claim." Chen Kui's voice was cold.
With a faint smile, Mo Ming opened his hands, and torrents of energy surged from his body, cascading like waves. The force was so intense it seemed to turn into a dark, rolling tide behind him, booming across the sky.
Chen Kui's gaze sharpened as his own gray-black energy rose, radiating an ominous aura and billowing into massive clouds. Both were in the Saint Profound Realm, and their surging power alone was comparable to that of leaders of various forces in the square below.
"Believe me, this fight won't go well for you," Mo Ming said as he slowly gripped his hand around a simple black iron spear that flashed into his grasp, his eyes gleaming dangerously.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Chen Kui responded with a calm smile, raising a massive black blade adorned with eerie patterns that formed a ghostly face. He pointed it at Mo Ming, saying, "Show me what the Elder Council's star disciple can do."
Mo Ming's lips twisted into a menacing smirk. In an instant, he moved as a shadow darting through the sky, energy exploding from him in waves.
High above, their powers clashed, creating shockwaves that left the assembled leaders of various factions below in awe. The collision of these two most promising disciples was eye-opening, displaying energy and power that even seasoned leaders respected.
In a stunning clash, they met again with a thunderous impact. Energy rippled visibly through the air as both fighters were thrown back, each steadying themselves mid-air. Mo Ming dusted off his sleeve, his gaze on Chen Kui. "I can see why you're a favorite of the Hall Master—you're indeed formidable."
Chen Kui gripped his blade tightly, gray-black energy crackling around him. Although impressed, he sensed an eerie feeling that Mo Ming wasn't yet fighting at his full strength. His face tensed. "Then be prepared, because now I'm going all out!"
With that, dark energy poured from his arms, radiating a dark light. "Great Darkness Ghost Claw!" he shouted, and, as he struck forward, a huge ghostly claw, formed from ominous gray-black energy, appeared above him. The air filled with ghastly wails as the claw shot toward Mo Ming with a terrifying force.
"Haha! So this is your prized technique?" Mo Ming taunted as the giant ghostly claw bore down on him. "Let me show you what I think of your moves."
He raised his own hand, summoning a massive wave of black energy that swelled around him like an unstoppable tide. "Great Darkness Nether Hand!" he roared, releasing an enormous black hand formed of dark energy that surged toward Chen Kui's claw.
The two colossal attacks collided, each wave of energy violently battering the other as both forces struggled for dominance. For a moment, they appeared evenly matched, but suddenly, Mo Ming's laughter echoed across the battlefield.
"Chen Kui, I told you—you're not my equal!"
With a surge of power, Mo Ming's energy soared. His dark hand expanded, swallowing up Chen Kui's attack, cracks splintering through the ghostly claw until, with a final crushing grip, he shattered it.
Chen Kui let out a pained grunt as he stumbled, his face pale and blood seeping from his lips. The powerful impact sent him spiraling to the ground, where he landed in a deep crater, clearly injured.
"Saint Profound Stage—Greater Mastery!" someone murmured in awe from the crowd. Observers were buzzing in astonishment at Mo Ming's display of power. The leaders of the Elder Council exchanged pleased glances while Bo Xuan's expression grew grim.
Many assumed that the Shadow Guard position was now firmly within Mo Ming's grasp. But just as the Elder Council members felt triumphant, Qingtan turned her back on Mo Ming's intense gaze and bowed to Bo Xuan.
"Master, I have another candidate in mind for my Shadow Guard."
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