Chapter Ninety-Two: The Golden Lamp

The gentleman of gift, Gentlemen Do Not Yield, became the first cultivator from the five great spiritual sects to come to the aid of the Flower Maiden Gate, and for a time it caused a tremendous uproar. Seated in the stands, Nine Passage wore a look of dejection. He said to Nine Dawn, “Senior Brother, how could we let the people of Falling Leaves Sect steal the lead? This is a truly bad sign.”

Nine Dawn smiled faintly, speaking with all the composure of a man of stature. “Falling Leaves Sect is a thousand miles away from here. They will never send a large force to meddle in the Spirit Rise Arena. I think this Gentlemen Do Not Yield may have come here only by chance. What waves can he possibly stir up alone? In the end, this will still depend on our Cloud Heaven Sect to keep the situation under control.”

Nine Passage agreed with his senior brother’s view and nodded to himself. Senior Brother really has thought this through, he said coldly. “If that brat is knocked straight off the stage, now that would be something to see. Ha ha.”

Nine Dawn, however, said, “Brother Passage, do not underestimate this Gentleman of Gift. He is an exceptional talent from Falling Leaves Sect.”

Nine Passage straightened his chest and said, “Falling Leaves Sect only rose to the ranks of the Five Directions in the last hundred years. How can it be compared with our Cloud Heaven Sect, Violet Dragon Palace, or Hidden Buddha Temple? What foundation could it possibly have?” People from great sects naturally possessed a special sense of superiority. In their eyes, even sects like Falling Leaves Sect and Flower Maiden Gate were merely ordinary powers. Otherwise, such provocations would never have arisen, nor would other sects need to be brought in for support. If anyone dared challenge Cloud Heaven Sect, their own strength alone would be enough to cut down every provocation at once.

Nine Dawn said no more, and watched intently as the situation on the arena shifted. Gehai Yidao placed one hand on the hilt of his blade and slowly said, “So you are a favored disciple of Falling Leaves Sect. Falling Leaves Sect and Gehai City lie a thousand miles apart and have never had any dealings. May I ask why Lord Gentleman insists on taking up the cause of Flower Maiden Gate today?”

Gentlemen Do Not Yield flicked open his fan and said, “The five great spiritual sects are bound by the same breath and the same sinew. When one is in trouble, the others come to its aid. Does that really need explaining?”

Gentlemen Do Not Yield said coldly, “Junior, I have no desire to speak further with you. Summon your elders.”

Gehai Yidao gave a strange smile. “I’m afraid my elders cannot come out to meet you. However, there is a senior of yours here. I wonder if Lord Gentleman would be willing to see him?”

Gentlemen Do Not Yield froze. He had only come here by chance himself. Though the disciples of Falling Leaves Sect were spread across the world, the presence of someone he could address as a senior here was rather unbelievable to the Gentleman of Gift.

Suddenly, a beam of golden light descended from the sky like a precious cauldron. The vast spiritual aura made even an expert like Gentlemen Do Not Yield stir in alarm. He had no choice but to raise his folding fan upright, a sign that he was channeling spiritual power to resist.

When the golden radiance faded, an old man stood upon the arena. He was tall, his face stern, a beard of golden-yellow flashing with brilliant light. But what made him seem especially extraordinary was his pair of golden eyes, which made him feel impossibly lofty and unreachable. “You still dare to provoke this old man, Do Not Yield?” As soon as he spoke, his voice boomed like thunder.

Gentlemen Do Not Yield stumbled back several steps. Looking up, his blood surged, and he immediately bowed deeply. “Third Senior Brother, how could you be here? It has been eighteen years since that parting in Falling Leaves Sect. This junior has not seen you in far too long.”

The crowd below erupted. Even Red Forest Maiden looked somewhat stunned. No one had expected that an expert of Gentlemen Do Not Yield’s caliber would treat that old man with such reverence. Third Senior Brother? From the way he addressed him, this person was also from Falling Leaves Sect, and his standing must surely be extremely high.

On the other side, Nine Dawn could not help frowning. A bad feeling rose in his heart. He had not expected Gehai City to have even invited an old monster like Gold Heaven Support. It seemed the Spirit Rise Arena would not be ending so simply.

Seeing the grave expression on his senior brother’s face, Nine Spirit asked, “Senior Brother, who is that golden-haired old man? He has such authority.”

Nine Dawn coughed once and said, “If I am not mistaken, he is the third of the eleven lords of Falling Leaves Sect. He is Gold Heaven Support!”

Although everyone was seeing Gold Heaven Support’s true appearance for the first time, they had long heard his name. The Ever-Unextinguished Golden Lamp, Gold Heaven Support, was a figure of great renown in Falling Leaves Sect. The eleven lords of Falling Leaves Sect were the sect’s backbone, and the current sect master was only the fifth among those eleven. That meant this old man was actually a senior brother to the current sect master. One could imagine just how formidable his cultivation was. No wonder even Gentlemen Do Not Yield was so submissive.

Nine Spirit asked in surprise, “How did Senior Brother know he was the Ever-Unextinguished Golden Lamp?” Clearly, Nine Spirit still did not understand why such a formidable figure would come to Gehai City to aid Gehai Heart in founding a sect and resisting Flower Maiden Gate.

Nine Dawn let out a long breath. “Twenty-five years ago, I accompanied your Grand Senior Uncle, Sect Master Cloud End, to visit Falling Leaves Sect. I was fortunate enough to see this elder once. I remember that even then, his gaze was nowhere near as radiant as it is today. It seems the Golden Lamp may truly have reached the point of being unextinguished.”

Everyone drew in a sharp breath. Although Nine Dawn had only just passed thirty, his cultivation was so profound that it was impossible to fathom. There were few in Cloud Heaven Sect whom he praised. Yet this old man of Falling Leaves Sect was regarded with such seriousness by the senior brother. One could see how extraordinary Gold Heaven Support was.

After Gold Heaven Support stepped onto the stage, Gehai Heart finally relaxed completely. He knew that Gold Heaven Support’s cultivation was by no means inferior to his own. He softly called out to Gehai Rongan, “Rongan, go personally retrieve the payment for the Four-Fingered Zither Emperor. Then speak with him kindly. Although this matter has already been settled, I do not wish for any further complications.”

Gehai Rongan immediately nodded. He understood that his father absolutely did not want to turn the hidden blow aimed at Gehai Yidao into an excuse for creating such a powerful enemy. He then bowed deeply to Gehai Heart and slowly withdrew from the Spirit Rise Arena.

The moment Gehai Rongan left, a pair of violet eyes, ghostlike, locked onto him, then silently followed after. At the same time, a frosty shadow quickly trailed behind as well.

On the Spirit Rise Arena, Gold Heaven Support’s appearance far exceeded everyone’s expectations. Did his arrival mean that Falling Leaves Sect had already joined forces with Gehai City? If so, Gehai City’s strength would increase enormously. The five great spiritual sects had openly backed the establishment of a new sect, which meant they must already have made full preparations to deal with the other four great spiritual sects. This was also the question Gentlemen Do Not Yield most wanted answered at this very moment. He had never received a handwritten letter from the sect master’s senior brother; otherwise, upon descending the mountain this time, how could he have been unaware of the Spirit Rise Arena? His brows furrowed deeply as he bowed to Gold Heaven Support and asked, “Third Senior Brother, there is something this junior does not understand. I beg Third Senior Brother to enlighten me, so that I may avoid going astray.”

Gold Heaven Support nodded. “Do Not Yield, ask.”

Gentlemen Do Not Yield immediately asked, “Is Senior Brother helping the Gehai family resist Flower Maiden Gate on this Spirit Rise Arena because of the sect master’s orders, or because of your own personal friendship?” This question was of crucial importance. If Gold Heaven Support truly acted under the sect master’s command, then Gentlemen Do Not Yield might very well have to change his stance. Of course, this was only his own view. The people below could hear it just as clearly, because Gold Heaven Support’s answer would represent a shift in the balance among the five great spiritual sects of the Shimmering Spirit Continent.

Gold Heaven Support threw back his head and laughed. “Do Not Yield, ah, Do Not Yield. Falling Leaves Sect is one hundred and eight thousand miles from here. Even if the sect master wanted to get involved, I’m afraid I still would not agree.” Just this one sentence eased Gentlemen Do Not Yield’s mind. It seemed Falling Leaves Sect still regarded itself as part of the sphere of the five great spiritual sects.

Gentlemen Do Not Yield clasped his hands and said, “Senior Brother coming here to help an old friend is entirely proper. But I also came onto the stage for a friend, so I have an unspeakable request. I hope Senior Brother will be magnanimous.”

Gold Heaven Support smiled faintly. “Do we, as martial brothers, really need to be so polite? Speak, Do Not Yield.”

Gold Heaven Support was shrewd and calculating, and he had long guessed what Gentlemen Do Not Yield intended to say.

Gentlemen Do Not Yield’s face reddened. One look at Third Senior Brother’s expression told him that the man had already seen through his thoughts, but the words were already at his lips, and he could not keep them in. “Third Senior Brother, our honored master entered seclusion early, so my cultivation was built up through the guidance of several senior brothers. Though you are called senior brother, to me you are no different from a teacher. So I would like to learn a few more moves from Third Senior Brother here on the Spirit Rise Arena. First, to test whether I have grown these past years; second, to let me see whether Third Senior Brother remains as he was all those years ago, so that when I return to Falling Leaves Sect and meet the senior brothers, I will have something to say.” Though Gentlemen Do Not Yield seemed exceedingly deferential, he was already issuing a challenge to Gold Heaven Support.

A roar of excitement swept the arena below. No one had expected the conflict between Gehai City and Flower Maiden Gate to bring about a duel between two experts of Falling Leaves Sect. This was surprise beyond surprise.

Gold Heaven Support laughed heartily, utterly unconcerned. “Among the eleven lords of Falling Leaves Sect, I am known as Lord Golden Lamp, yet I do not possess the refinement a true lord ought to have. So fellow cultivators in the world prefer to call me the Ever-Unextinguished Golden Lamp. As for you, little junior brother, you are modest, courteous, and gentle in manner. You truly deserve the title of lord. Very well, today let this old lord in name only spar with you, a little lord in name and deed alike. If word gets out, it will make a fine tale indeed!”

Gentlemen Do Not Yield bowed low to the ground and said respectfully, “Then please, Third Senior Brother, guide this junior through a few moves.” With that, he shook his folding fan and assumed a defensive stance.

Gold Heaven Support smiled, then said coldly to Gehai Yidao beside him, “Second Young Master, my apologies. My Falling Leaves Sect has gone a bit too far this time. I am afraid I must make myself the host and steal the show.”