"Yes, Zūnshàng, please rest assured. I have already made all the arrangements. The Operations Hall personnel have all been properly deployed."
Jian Dan nodded slightly after listening and then spoke to the two figures standing rigidly behind her, Zong Fan and Mao Dou:
"Deliver these notices to Sect Master Jian Chong. He will know how to handle them."
"Yes, Zūnshàng!"
The two accepted the task, holding the stack of notices Jian Dan handed over, and proceeded toward Jian Chong.
After Zong Fan bowed to Sect Master Jian Chong, Mao Dou presented the notices with both hands and gave an explanation.
Jian Chong took the notices and immediately understood that Zūnshàng might be using this opportunity to reach agreements with other sects. He stored the notices and gestured that he would ensure they were delivered.
With their task complete, Zong Fan and Mao Dou returned to Jian Dan's side. Jian Dan smiled and asked: "I am leaving now. Will you two stay here for a while, or follow me back?"
Zong Fan and Mao Dou exchanged a glance and said in unison: "We will follow Zūnshàng back to the peak."
Jian Dan nodded. Both were considerate and did not wish to trouble her.
With a wave of her hand, the three vanished from their seats at the head of the hall. Their departure went unnoticed by others, though several people observing Jian Lu Zūnshàng, including Mo Su, Han Pengfei, and Qian Wanguan, took note.
When they reappeared, Jian Dan had already returned with the two to the Tianyue Peak residence.
At that moment, Yun Juan, Yun Shu, Ting Feng, and Wang Yu all came forward to greet her: "We pay respects to Zūnshàng!"
Jian Dan nodded while walking toward the residence, speaking as she went: "It is rare to see you four together. Are your cultivation levels all stable now?"
"Thank you for remembering, Zūnshàng. Our cultivation has all been stabilized."
"You chose a good day to emerge from seclusion. It coincided with the sect's succession ceremony."
"Thanks to Zūnshàng, we had the opportunity to witness the entire succession ceremony."
As Yun Juan and Yun Shu followed Jian Dan into the residence, they helped her remove the intricate and ceremonial robe of Zūnshàng. Yun Shu, with deft hands, tied Jian Dan's hair into a delicate and lightweight style, knowing she disliked anything cumbersome.
Exhaling, Jian Dan felt significantly lighter. The ceremonial robe was exquisite and tailor-made for her, but wearing it was a hassle. No wonder the other Unity Zūnshàngs attending the ceremony vanished after the main event ended.
Jian Dan knew that aside from the nine Unity cultivators from the Inner Peak, a Mahayana Zhēnzūn had been secretly present on Tianjian Peak, waiting until the ceremony concluded before leaving the main peak.
She did not extend her divine sense but vaguely sensed it was likely Tian Hong Zhēnzūn.
Jian Dan stepped out of the residence again, now wearing a lightweight robe, and instructed the four: "In the coming days, cultivators from other sects will arrive at the eastern side peak of Tianyue Peak. Lü Se will be stationed there to handle any emergencies. You four only need to watch over the residence."
"Yes, Zūnshàng!"
Seeing Zong Fan and Mao Dou standing guard outside, Jian Dan smiled and asked: "You two performed well today. Did you gain anything?"
"Zūnshàng, Senior Brother and I learned a lot today! We met so many senior figures from other sects and even witnessed the succession ceremony firsthand."
Zong Fan, bolder of the two, eagerly recounted his experiences to Jian Dan, while Mao Dou, a bit shy, nodded along in agreement.
"Good. In the coming days, the sect will be busy and chaotic. I will oversee the Law Hall. Continue your cultivation and accept tasks as usual."
"Yes, Zūnshàng."
"Alright, today is the ceremony with some entertainment afterward. You may relax for half a day and enjoy yourselves."
Jian Dan waved to the two before leaving Tianyue Peak with Yue Liang in her arms.
"Let's go, Senior Brother Dou, we'll check out the eastern side peak. There's a duel arena!"
"Really?"
Mao Dou's eyes lit up at the mention of a duel. Normally, they only watched cultivators from their own sect compete, but now they would see challengers from other sects. Their sword-cultivator instincts flared, and the two hurried excitedly to the arena.
"Yue Liang, the beast clans have sent representatives. Do you want to see them?"
Yue Liang nestled comfortably in Jian Dan's arms, flicking her tail. Upon hearing the question, her tail paused, then she shook her head and replied: "No need. The raccoon beast clan can no longer rejoin the beast clans. When our ancestors were exterminated, the beast clans did not intervene, and now our clan cannot integrate with them again."
Jian Dan stroked Yue Liang's head while floating through the light of teleportation, saying:"Yue Liang, sometimes matters in this world cannot be judged purely as right or wrong. Especially when it comes to the extermination of a clan. There may be reasons you do not know, so do not rush to deny them."
"Zūnshàng, do you wish for the raccoon beast clan to return to the beast clans?"
"It is not my wish. I am asking what your clan intends to do."
Yue Liang scratched her small ear with a paw, nudging into Jian Dan's embrace before answering:"Since Zūnshàng asks, there must be a reason. May I hear it?"
"Tsk tsk, now a little clever one."
"Following Zūnshàng, of course I must strive to be like you. Yue Liang is also trying to improve!"
Hearing Jian Dan's words, Yue Liang wagged her tail happily.
"Good, Yue Liang is the best. Now I'll share my thoughts."
Jian Dan's teleportation light arrived at the Law Enforcement Peak. The guards in front of the hall bowed. Jian Dan nodded and stepped inside. Jin Liuli and Wei Zhengrong were sorting new jade slips of information. Seeing Jian Dan enter with Yue Liang, they immediately saluted.
"Zūnshàng, didn't you say you would not come these days? But there seems to be an urgent matter?"
Jian Dan smiled: "Handle your own matters. Nothing urgent needs immediate attention. After informing Qi Hua, join me at the Sect Master Hall the day after tomorrow."
They nodded and continued their tasks.
Jian Dan placed Yue Liang on a table in the side hall, arranging some spirit fruits on the jade table. She handed Yue Liang a red fruit and took a purple heart fruit herself, then resumed the conversation:
"Yue Liang, do you remember the destruction of the 'Ten Thousand Souls Banner'?"
"Yes, it was Zūnshàng and the Zūnshèng together who destroyed that malicious banner," Yue Liang said, biting deeply into the red fruit.
"The 'Ten Thousand Souls Banner' is an eternal wound for your raccoon beast clan. Almost all raccoon beasts with soul-destroying talent were killed. Your clan survived in our Tianjian Sect's 'Medicine Peak,' but most of you lost that innate skill.
Yue Liang, you are currently the only raccoon beast in the clan with this soul-destroying talent. From birth, you were insufficiently gifted. They poured the clan's resources into nurturing you, even scheming to take you out of Medicine Peak to secure your survival."
Yue Liang nodded obediently, knowing she would not have reached this point without Zūnshàng.
"But after you, no other raccoon beast has been born or awakened with the same talent."
Yue Liang set down her fruit, her round eyes rolling thoughtfully before speaking: "You mean, Zūnshàng, that because we have long been away from the beast clan territory, the descendants' talents could not awaken, and were affected."
"Smart. In the mortal realm I once stayed, there is a saying: 'The local land nurtures the local people.' That is why the beast clans have their own territories."