Starting With The Martial Arts Holy Fire Order

Chapter 023: Passing the Leadership of the Ming Sect

On his way back to Bright Summit.

Ling Yihan was on his way back to Bright Summit when he sought out a skilled swordsmith to reforge the broken Yitian Sword.

Due to the sword’s high melting point, it required an intense flame to be reforged, and ordinary tongs couldn’t withstand the heat, melting as soon as they were placed in the furnace.

Ling Yihan took out two Sacred Fire Tokens and handed them to the swordsmith to use as tongs for holding the broken Yitian Sword.

Sure enough, they endured the fierce heat, and after several hours of forging, the Yitian Sword was perfectly restored without a trace of its former break.

Upon returning to Bright Summit, Ling Yihan presented both the Dragon-Slaying Sabre and the Yitian Sword to Yang Dingtian and disclosed his identity as [Tuotuo].

Yang Dingtian was initially astonished to see the weapons, and he was even more shocked when he learned that the young man Ling Yihan had captured was none other than the nephew of the court’s Grand Tutor Boyan.

That same day, Yang Dingtian gathered the Ming Sect’s members in the Sacred Fire Hall to publicly reward Ling Yihan, officially appointing him as the Sacred Son of the Ming Sect.

As previously agreed, the Left and Right Guardians, the Three Great Kings, and the Five Wanderers voiced no objections.

Daiqisi, who had assisted Ling Yihan in these achievements, also earned great merit.

She was appointed as Protector King, joining the ranks of the White-Browed Eagle King Yin Tianzheng, the Golden Lion King Xie Xun, and the Green-Winged Bat King Wei Yixiao.

“Daiqisi, we all have our own titles; you should have one too!” Xie Xun remarked as soon as Daiqisi was appointed Protector King.

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Daiqisi, taken aback, replied, “Me?”

Ling Yihan, smiling, looked at her and said, “I thought of one. Let’s see if you like it.”

Hu Qingyang teased, “Brother Ling’s title suggestion will surely be perfect for Sister Daiqisi!”

Daiqisi blushed, “Qingyang, what are you saying?”

Ling Yihan chuckled awkwardly and continued, “Since you’ve always loved the colour purple, and we captured Tuotuo together at the East Sea, securing the Dragon-Slaying Sabre, why not be called the ‘Purple-Robed Dragon King’? How about that?”

“The Purple-Robed Dragon King? It’s even more striking than ours! The Sacred Son truly has wisdom beyond his years!” Yin Tianzheng nodded in approval.

Daiqisi was delighted with the title and quickly smiled at Ling Yihan, “Thank you, Brother Ling!”

Ling Yihan smiled quietly.

“Haha… Indeed, the title ‘Purple-Robed Dragon King’ is made for Daiqisi!” Wei Yixiao joined in cheerfully.

Seeing his playful grin, Daiqisi retorted, “Wei Yixiao, are you teasing me again?”

After the congregation toasted to congratulate Ling Yihan and Daiqisi, Yang Dingtian made another announcement: he would be passing the leadership of the Ming Sect to his sole disciple, the Sacred Son, Ling Yihan.

“What? You’re in your prime, Master! Why step down from the position of Sect Leader?” Zhou Dian, known for his impatience, immediately questioned upon hearing Yang Dingtian’s words.

The Five Wanderers—Monk Bu Dai Heshen, Monk Peng Yingyu, Daoist Zhang Zhong, and Mr. Leng Qian—expressed their disapproval as well.

Ling Yihan, surprised by Yang Dingtian’s announcement, looked at his master, who gave him a meaningful glance.

Ling Yihan quickly understood that his master’s internal injury from practising the Heaven and Earth Great Shift would eventually resurface.

The Left Guardian, Yang Xiao, simply observed Ling Yihan thoughtfully without comment.

The Right Guardian, Fan Yao, known for his quiet nature, remained silent, neither supporting nor opposing Ling Yihan’s appointment as Sect Leader.

Among the Four Protector Kings, the Purple-Robed Dragon King Daiqisi, who firmly supported Ling Yihan, was thrilled to hear Yang Dingtian’s decision.

The Golden Lion King Xie Xun was a bit taken aback but held a favourable opinion of Ling Yihan and assumed that Yang Dingtian must have a profound reason for his choice.

The White-Browed Eagle King Yin Tianzheng and the Green-Winged Bat King Wei Yixiao both thought Ling Yihan was too young and inexperienced to assume the position of Sect Leader.

Irritated by their objections, Ling Yihan reflected on how he had once declined the role of Sacred Son despite defeating Han Qianye, believing that his success in acquiring both the Dragon-Slaying Sabre and Yitian Sword would silence all criticism.

However, despite his notable achievements and capturing an influential official like Tuotuo, these members still opposed him, treating his merits as trivial.

He couldn’t hold back his frustration any longer.

Scanning the room, Ling Yihan spoke calmly, “Brothers, many of you doubt my ability to lead the Ming Sect. May I ask why?”

Yin Tianzheng replied with a tone of seniority, “Although your martial prowess and wisdom are impressive, you are still very young. I had made my name in the martial world before you were even born! If you take over as Sect Leader, I fear our older members won’t respect you.”

Wei Yixiao nodded in agreement, adding, “Indeed, if you train under Sect Leader Yang for a few more years, it would be easier for us to accept you as the leader. Right now, it’s too soon.”

Yang Xiao then interjected, “Eagle King and Bat King have a point. Even if you assume the position now, you may struggle to command the Five Element Flags and the Thunder and Wind Gates. Without unity, the Ming Sect could fall into chaos.”

Just as Daiqisi was about to argue, Ling Yihan raised his hand to stop her, smiling slightly.

“Your reasoning is rather superficial. The qualifications for Sect Leader are based on merit, not age. Should only the longest-serving member qualify to lead?”

“On the contrary, if a young member has accomplished significant feats for the Ming Sect, shouldn’t they be given a chance?”

“May I ask if anyone here has managed to achieve what I have—obtaining the Dragon-Slaying Sabre, the Yitian Sword, and capturing a high-ranking court official—all in under two months? If anyone has, I won’t contend for the position.”

With this, the opposing members fell silent, while Yang Dingtian and Xie Xun looked on approvingly.

“Fine, you may have done all that, but if you can’t match us in martial skills, do you really have the face to claim the Sect Leader’s position?” Wei Yixiao retorted defiantly.