Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

After settling the matters with the Nine Head Clan, Chu Kuangren returned to the Royal Azure Dynasty and handed the Nine-Headed Snakelet Pearl to Linglong.

Along with that, he also delivered the news of Gu Changge's death.

Upon hearing this, Linglong and the Royal Azure Dynasty King fell into a moment of silence.

Only after a long while did the Royal Azure Dynasty King sigh helplessly, “Defiant child, oh my defiant child! Why did you have to do this?!”

However, he said nothing else. Death was a one-way thing. Even if he wanted to do something, there was no way to return a person who was already dead.

Chu Kuangren left after staying in the Royal Azure Dynasty for several days, but he did not return to the Black Heaven Sect right away.

On his way back, he pa.s.sed by the School of White Lotus. Since they were allies, he decided to pay them a visit.

“I should buy some fruits before I get to their place.”

Chu Kuangren should not show up empty-handed anyway.

Thus, he headed to the streets.

It had been almost two years since the underworld's three-headed hound broke free of its seal. So by now, the Full Moon Kingdom's capital had finished their rebuild.

There were so many people on the streets, the whole place looked very lively.

“Master, look at that.” Suddenly, as if Lan Yu had stumbled upon something, she tugged on Chu Kuangren's sleeve and pointed to a spot in the very middle of the street.

Chu Kuangren looked toward that direction curiously.

What he saw were two sculptures that were situated at the center of the street. One of them was a female, who was the School of White Lotus's founder, the White Lotus Sage Ruler.

Beside that sculpture was another one.

A man who had an ancient sword strapped to his waist.

At that moment, an old man and a little girl were standing beside that other sculpture. There was a hint of reverence in the old man's eyes when he looked at that sculpture.

“Grandpa, who is this guy? Why do you always stop here every time you pa.s.s by?” The little girl asked curiously.

The old man looked at the sculpture and said, “Little Lan, you must remember this person. He's the School of White Lotus's mighty Bachelor Sage.”

Then, the old man suddenly stopped. “Wait, I think he's not a Bachelor Sage. I heard that he's now the School of White Lotus's Supreme Elder. But no matter a Bachelor Sage or an Elder, he remains a hero of the Full Moon Kingdom.”

“He was the one who saved you, Grandpa. The one who saved the entire Full Moon Kingdom.”

The little girl nodded her head, seemingly understanding it all now. Then, she looked toward the sculpture and said, “Grandpa, he's very handsome. I shall marry him when I grow up. What do you think, Grandpa?”

“Haha, sure sure.” The old man laughed in response.

Chu Kuangren was now very close to the sculpture. He touched his chin and said, “This person is quite handsome, but he looks very familiar”

At the side, the little girl noticed him and gasped in surprise. She pulled on the old man's s.h.i.+rt and said, “Grandpa, it's the great hero. The great hero.”

“Little Lan, don't be silly.”

The old man did not take her seriously. Hence, when he looked up and saw Chu Kuangren, he was utterly astonished. In a flurry, he immediately knelt on the floor.

“Greetings, my honorable Bachelor Sage.”

Upon noticing this scene, the people on the street looked toward them too.

The moment they saw Chu Kuangren, all of them were as emotional as the old man. They knelt on the floor, their faces full of reverence.

“Honorable Bachelor Sage.”

“Honorable Bachelor Sage…”

Chu Kuangren was quite taken aback by the scene in front of him.

He had indeed been a Bachelor Sage at the School of White Lotus, but do all Bachelor Sages get this kind of wors.h.i.+p?

Do people always kneel whenever they see a Bachelor Sage?

“Everyone, please stand up. There's no need for this.”

Chu Kuangren waved his sleeve and a pleasant spiritual power gushed out like a refres.h.i.+ng breeze. It felt as if a giant hand had helped the crowd back up to their feet.

“Many thanks, Bachelor Sage.”

“Thank you, Bachelor Sage.”

The crowd was still looking at Chu Kuangren fanatically.

Chu Kuangren, on the other hand, took another look at the sculpture. Only then did it dawn on him why the sculpture looked familiar. That was a sculpture of him!

The School of White Lotus had built him a sculpture?!

“The Maiden Sage is here.”

A lady in a white dress walked into the crowd. It was the White Lotus Maiden Sage.

She came before Chu Kuangren and smiled gently. “Supreme Elder, what a pleasant surprise to see you here. Why didn't you tell us that you were visiting us? We could've made the preparations and welcomed you properly.”

Chu Kuangren smiled and said, “I just happened to pa.s.s by, so I thought, why don't I pay you all a visit. I'm just here as an outsider, you don't need to make such a grand affair of it.”

His words prompted the people around him to gossip.

“The Bachelor Sage is really humble.”

“He's no longer just a Bachelor Sage. He's a Supreme Elder now.”

“No matter a Bachelor Sage or a Supreme Elder, he remains an icon in our hearts. He's a big hero that we respect and love.”

“That's right…”

Chu Kuangren started to feel embarra.s.sed when he heard what the people around him were saying.

This was way too kind of them.

The White Lotus Maiden Sage brought Chu Kuangren back to the School of White Lotus's headquarters, explaining to him what had changed in the past two years while they were on their way back.

Amongst everything, the thing that interested Chu Kuangren most was why the people wors.h.i.+pped him so much.

The reason dated back to when he came to the School of White Lotus to vanquish the three-headed hound. The almost G.o.d-like techniques that he used had left a deep impression in the people's minds. Many regarded him as a reincarnation of the White Lotus Sage Ruler.

The Ruler of Full Moon Kingdom had even made a sculpture of him and placed him beside the White Lotus Sage Ruler, signifying their equal level.

Coupled with the School of White Lotus's preaching of his greatness, Chu Kuangren had become a religion in the Full Moon Kingdom and close to a dozen countries nearby.

His prestige could be compared to that of the White Lotus Sage Ruler.

Only then did Chu Kuangren realize something.

A strong and faithful religion could garner the School of White Lotus better and more effective governance of the southern countries.

The School of White Lotus's founder, the White Lotus Sage Ruler was a tale of several thousands of years ago. There may be a lot of people who wors.h.i.+pped her, but it remained a difficult task to further strengthen that faith.

Chu Kuangren's emergence was a turning point for the School of White Lotus.

The School of White Lotus had intentions to forge a new religion to safeguard their rule and governance over the southern countries.

As long as they branded Chu Kuangren as a reincarnation of the White Lotus Sage Ruler or her reborn, it would not contradict the School of White Lotus' original faith.

After all, Chu Kuangren did use the White Lotus Light of Purification too.

“You've made me into your brand amba.s.sador now. I might just request for an endors.e.m.e.nt fee from you guys, you know.”

“Amba.s.sador? Endors.e.m.e.nt fee? What does that mean?”

The White Lotus Maiden Sage was rather confused.

“Oh, it's nothing.”

Chu Kuangren simply laughed and did not add onto anything else.

There would be no downsides for him if the School of White Lotus wanted to make him into some kind of religion, and since that was the case, he had no objections.

“Elder, you're here.”

Once he entered the headquarters, Chu Kuangren was met with a familiar face.

It was one of his Protectors back in the day, Honorable Qing Lan.

“Senior Qing Lan, long time no see. I hope you're doing fine.”

“Hey, Elder, I can't still be a Senior to you, can I? I don't think you should call me that again next time.” Honorable Qing Lan smiled bitterly.

Did they know who Chu Kuangren was now?

Black Heaven Sect Leader, Royal Azure Dynasty's Ruler Matrimonial, School of White Lotus' Supreme Elder… Any of those ident.i.ties would put her below him.

However, those facts aside, the most important point was his strength — his power was so much stronger than hers. If the Sages would not agree to be greeted 'Senior' by him, what more a meager Honorable like herself.

“Heh. Sister Qing Lan, I trust you've been well?”

“That's much more like it. School Leader, the Sages are still waiting for you guys inside,” Honorable Qing Lan said.

Once they entered the great hall, Chu Kuangren saw Immemorial Sage and a few others who were gathered there, chit-chatting about the stories from the past.

Among these, they also brought up the events that happened at the unnamed islands. Immemorial Sage would still shudder upon mentioning the Headless Woman.

“That Headless Woman was way too terrifying. Even the mere thought of her now makes my heart race,” Immemorial Sage said.

Seeing Immemorial Sage's terrified look, it suddenly crossed Chu Kuangren's mind that he had that Headless Woman's head right inside his Yin and Yang Ring.

If he were to pull it out and let the Sage see it, he wondered how scared she would be.