At the same time Yang Kai was bloodily raiding Purple Star's treasury, a fierce game of overt and covert struggle was playing out inside Purple Star's Ancestral Hall.
Having decided to show his hand against Gongsun Liang today, Zi Wuji naturally would no longer tolerate and retreat as he had before. He appeared aggressive and spirited, radiating an imposing momentum.
Gongsun Liang had undoubtedly noticed this change, but he paid it no mind, observing coldly from the sidelines.
The many Purple Star elders also vaguely sensed that today's atmosphere was somewhat different and secretly grew anxious. Fortunately, everything proceeded smoothly as usual, and the ceremonies of worshipping heaven and earth were carried out without incident.
Half a day later, the crowd filed into the Ancestral Hall to perform the final rite—the ancestor worship ceremony.
The offerings had long been prepared. The Purple Star elders stood in four solemn rows below, arranged by rank and strength. Gongsun Liang delivered an eloquent speech tracing the great achievements of Purple Star's ancestors. The atmosphere inside the hall was solemn and reverent, and a sense of pride and belonging rose in every heart—they were proud to be part of Purple Star.
After a long while, Gongsun Liang's expression turned grave, and he called out in a loud, clear voice: "Honored ancestors above! Today, your disciple Gongsun Liang, on behalf of all of Purple Star, pays tribute to the forebears. May the spirits of our ancestors bless Purple Star with enduring martial fortune that shall never wane. Offer the incense!"
Immediately, someone stepped forward with three sticks of prepared Dragon Saliva Incense.
Just as Gongsun Liang was about to accept them, a sharp voice rang out: "Grand Elder, wait!"
Gongsun Liang frowned and turned toward the source of the voice, narrowing his eyes. "If the Second Young Master has something to say, kindly wait until I have offered these three sticks of incense. The ancestor worship ceremony must not be interrupted by anyone."
Zi Wuji smiled faintly. "The Grand Elder speaks truly, but Wuji believes that handing these three sticks of incense to the Grand Elder would be rather inappropriate."
"I am the Grand Elder of Purple Star. Offering three sticks of incense to the ancestors—what could possibly be inappropriate about that?" Gongsun Liang said calmly, the gaze in his half-squinted eyes carrying a tangible pressure as he bore down on Zi Wuji.
Yet the latter showed not the slightest fear, his expression unchanged as he replied, "In years past, this ceremony was always presided over by Father and Eldest Brother. Now that neither Father nor Eldest Brother is at Purple Star, this duty should naturally fall to Wuji."
"The Second Young Master wishes to offer these three sticks of incense?"
"Indeed!"
"Heh heh, the Second Young Master jests. Since both the Master and the Young Master are absent from Purple Star, I, as the Grand Elder, naturally take it upon myself to relieve their burdens. This matter requires no concern from the Second Young Master. Please step back."
"Grand Elder, the blood of the Zi family flows through Wuji's veins, and Purple Star is the foundation of my Zi family. This is a duty Wuji cannot shirk."
"You insist?" Gongsun Liang regarded Zi Wuji with a detached, indifferent stare.
"I humbly ask the Grand Elder to grant me this." Zi Wuji met his gaze, neither servile nor overbearing.
Gongsun Liang chuckled softly, his Saint Qi circulating secretly within his body. He intended to apply pressure to Zi Wuji. Offering incense was merely one step in the ancestor worship ceremony, but it carried extraordinary significance. If he conceded today, it would mean acknowledging Zi Wuji's status—something Gongsun Liang would never allow to happen.
But what Gongsun Liang could never have anticipated was that the moment his Saint Qi began to circulate, a sudden series of sharp cracking sounds echoed from all around.
In the next instant, countless cries of shock erupted.
Gongsun Liang's face darkened. His eyes swept past Zi Wuji's triumphant smile, and a vague sense of foreboding stirred within him.
"The spirit tablets are shattering!"
"What?"
"Heavens above—the spirit tablets of all the honored ancestors are breaking!"
The hall erupted into a cacophony of screams and exclamations from the Purple Star elders. Gongsun Liang spun around, and in that instant his aged face turned an ashen iron-grey.
The tablets arranged on the altar had, for the most part, cracked apart. Even the few that hadn't shattered outright were riddled with countless fissures, as though they might collapse at any moment.
These tablets represented the ancestors of Purple Star across every generation—the great figures who had made immense contributions to the Sect. Each tablet's owner had been a powerhouse of renowned fame in life, a figure revered by the billions of martial artists under Purple Star's banner.
After their deaths, their descendants had enshrined these tablets here, to be honored for all eternity.
They embodied a spirit. A faith.
No one dared show them the slightest disrespect! Even the current master of Purple Star, Zi Long, had to conduct himself with utmost reverence when entering this hall.
Yet now, these symbols, this faith, were all about to crumble into dust.
Gongsun Liang's heart shook violently. He turned his face and glared at Zi Wuji in fury.
After all, among those tablets were also the ancestral tablets of his own Gongsun family.
Before he could even speak, Zi Wuji suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his expression one of anguished grief and heart-wrenching despair. He pointed a trembling finger at Gongsun Liang and stammered, "Grand Elder... what a vicious scheme. Even if you disapproved of Wuji overstepping his bounds, a minor reprimand would have sufficed. But to shatter even the spirit tablets of our honored ancestors—do you have any regard at all for Purple Star?!"