"Don the robes of the sect leader, ascend the Qing spectrum, and be informed of the ancestral masters."
At the command of the Martial Uncle presiding over the succession ceremony, two red-robed Taoists presented the unique sect leader's robes to Shi Jian.
Because Zhengyi Taoists can marry, the purple robes are worn by Taoists whose families have a long lineage.
However, the purple robes do not signify powerful cultivation, only prominent status.
To wear yellow robes, one must meet certain personal strength requirements.
After donning the sect leader's robes, the presiding Yellow-Robed Elder inscribed Shi Jian as the eighty-sixth sect leader on the lineage spectrum.
"May your life be boundless, esteemed Taoist brother, congratulations on becoming the sect leader of the Shangqing Sect!"
"May your life be boundless, thank you all, esteemed Taoist brothers, for attending the ceremony. This humble Taoist is deeply grateful."
Following this, more intricate rituals ensued!
After the succession ceremony, the Zhengyi Taoists raised their wine cups, while the Quanzhen Taoists used water instead, to toast Shi Jian.
As it was not a fasting day and no dharma assembly was scheduled, the Zhengyi Taoists were not required to observe abstinence.
An hour later, the visiting major sects also departed.
"Xiao Fang, you and A Wei return to Chen Family Town!"
"The Yizhuang will be managed by the two of you, your senior brothers. I must remain on Mount Mao to oversee the situation."
Shi Jian, clad in the sect leader's robes, stood within the Jiuxiao Palace, giving instructions to Mao Xiaofang and A Wei.
He then handed them the silver dollars he had accumulated prior.
"Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is your junior disciple, Li Xuyan!"
As the three were about to leave, Shi Jian introduced Li Xuyan to his two senior brothers.
"Also, Xiao Fang and A Wei, stay behind. I have some things for you!"
Before that, Shi Jian intended to impart some magical arts to them so they could survive on their own.
Without his protection, Mao Xiaofang could still survive encounters with powerful zombies and ghosts.
A Wei possessed the Wailing Staff, which ensured his safety against even the most formidable fierce ghosts and ghost kings.
However, if he were to encounter a particularly powerful zombie, he would likely be doomed.
"Master, do you have any more treasures hidden away that you're only now willing to reveal?"
Inside the Jiuxiao Palace, A Wei rubbed his hands together upon hearing that there was something for him.
"It's nothing much, just imparting some Taoist arts so you can leave my protection without being chased by zombies."
Having said this, Shi Jian led Mao Xiaofang and A Wei into the Mount Mao Scripture Pavilion.
This began a period of over a month of teaching, where Mao Xiaofang learned the Purple Sky Divine Thunder, and A Wei learned the Step Inch technique and some basic spells.
Once they had largely memorized the imparted arts, they left Mount Mao.
Now, only Li Xuyan remained by Shi Jian's side on Mount Mao.
"Without those two rascals, it feels a bit unaccustomed. It's too quiet."
Shi Jian muttered a few words in the scripture pavilion before focusing on cultivating the Evil Exorcising Divine Thunder and the Purple Sky Divine Thunder.
In the blink of an eye, over ten years had passed!
During this time, Shi Jian successfully comprehended another lightning art of the Purple Sky Divine Thunder, the Wu Tu Underworld Thunder.
The Wu Tu Underworld Thunder appeared purplish-black and inflicted greater damage on spirits than the Evil Exorcising Divine Thunder.
However, the Underworld Thunder had little effect on living beings, merely causing temporary paralysis of their nerves.
His cultivation of the Life and Death Purple Thunder reached the eighth level, and the Evil Exorcising Divine Thunder reached the fifth level. His cultivation was at the peak of the Celestial Master realm, with his soul ready to ascend to immortality at any moment.
At this point, a relatively young Mount Mao disciple came running up to the scripture pavilion.
"Sect Leader, your three disciples have arrived with their respective disciples to visit you."
"Xiao Fang, A Wei, and Xuyan are all here. I haven't seen them for seven or eight years!"
After more than ten years had passed, Shi Jian's face was deeply lined, and his hair was entirely white.
However, his essence, energy, and spirit grew more vigorous with each passing day, far surpassing his state over a decade ago.
"Sect Leader, they are waiting in the Jiuxiao Palace. Shall we?"
As soon as the words fell, Shi Jian vanished from before the disciple and reappeared in the Jiuxiao Palace.
Ten years had passed, and Mao Xiaofang had long since broken through to the Celestial Master realm, mastering the Tongtian Lu and the Five Thunder Techniques.
A Wei had barely reached the early Earth Master stage, controlling the Step Inch technique and some low-level lightning arts.
Among the three, Li Xuyan, the youngest, had also reached the late Earth Master stage.
"Master!"
"Ancestor!"
The three, along with the disciples behind them, quickly bowed upon seeing Shi Jian appear.
Among them, Zhong Bang, the Five Generations Prodigy, was the most dazzling, having broken through to the Celestial Master realm.
"Good, Zhong Bang has broken through to the Celestial Master realm. He's not inferior to his master at all."
The changes over the past ten years were so significant that he hadn't even had time to process them.
The last time he saw Zhong Bang, he was in the mid-Human Master stage.
Now, upon their reunion, he had already advanced to the mid-Celestial Master realm.
It had to be said that the talent of a Five Generations Prodigy was truly terrifying, reaching the mid-Celestial Master realm in just seven or eight years.
"Thank you for your praise, Ancestor!"
Zhong Bang had consumed the Forgetfulness Grass, severing his desires for love and affection, which had made him somewhat aloof.
"Master, while you still have the energy, could you teach some magical arts to us disciples!"
A Wei shamelessly spoke up, imitating Shi Jian from over a decade ago, wanting to become a hands-off master.
"No, my entire body aches, and I can barely walk."
Facing A Wei's request, Shi Jian feigned illness and refused outright.
He had no desire to return to the past, abandon his current leisurely time, and teach magical arts aimlessly.
"Master, ten years have passed. I wonder if my senior uncles are well?"
Mao Xiaofang, upon arriving at Mount Mao, hadn't seen Sikong Yu and the others, so he inquired.
In any case, during these past ten years, he had only taken two disciples, both possessing exceptional aptitude, requiring no further instruction from Shi Jian.
"Your senior uncles have all ascended to immortality. Only a few remain, and they are too frail for strenuous activity!"
Over the past decade, people had successively passed away, including Sikong Yu and others.
The older generation of Mount Mao now consisted only of Shi Jian, Lin Fengjiao, and Si Mu.
"The era that belonged to us has passed, and I can no longer manage things."
Shi Jian began to contemplate abdicating and passing on the position of sect leader to Mao Xiaofang.
This way, he would have no further worries and could ascend to immortality.
If he weren't waiting for Mao Xiaofang to mature and temper his state of mind to manage the vast Mount Mao in the future, he could have ascended to immortality years ago.
"Master, could it be that you..."
"That's right, I intend to pass on the position of sect leader to you!"
Now that the time was ripe, Shi Jian was direct and forthright, revealing his thoughts to his three disciples.
From the moment he took them as disciples, he had designated Mao Xiaofang as his successor.