Chapter 56: Private Plans, Rising Tensions

Qin Xiao thought for a moment, then gave the account he had already invented about Yao Kaidong. Nobody else had been there. He could say whatever he liked, and he and Yun Man had already agreed on their story.

His account began with him and Yun Man leaving the group. Then Yao Kaidong pursued him by tracking the aura he had secretly left on him. Qin Xiao claimed that, for the good of the sect, he fled first, only for Yao to keep chasing.

He said he and Yun Man had split up while fleeing. He meant to rejoin the main group, but was ambushed on the way and caught by Yao Kaidong. He described in detail how Yao had abused and tortured him.

Then, in his story, Yun Man arrived and saw that he had been tortured beyond recognition. In her fury, she accidentally killed Yao Kaidong and Li Cheng.

They had not rejoined the group, he said, because his injuries made it unsafe to move. They had stayed there while he recovered. Even now, he had not fully healed.

He blamed Yao Kaidong for his Body Refinement injuries too.

“That boy was so vicious. I rarely blamed him for his squabbles within the sect, out of regard for the Great Elder. I never thought he would become so scheming that he would murder fellow disciples in the secret realm.”

Qin Xiao’s story sounded convincing, and he really was injured. Lin Tiancheng believed most of it and spoke angrily.

“Then why did you not report this matter immediately?”

Once his anger subsided slightly, Lin Tiancheng pressed on.

“Sect Leader, what would saying it have changed? Who would believe me? And even if they did, what then? Once the Great Elder knew his son had died at our hands, I would die no matter how good my reasons were. The sect needs grounds to punish someone. A father avenging his son doesn’t.”

Qin Xiao sounded exasperated.

Sect Leader, had anger gone to your head? How could you even ask that? If I told you, you might want to protect me, but the Supreme Elder was there. He might not kill me himself, but he could stop you protecting me. What could you do then?

“You’re right. You did the right thing. I hadn’t thought it through. If you’d admitted it, I could have defended you on principle. But if the Great Elder insisted on killing you, he would ask the Supreme Elder to stop us intervening.”

Thinking it over, Lin Tiancheng understood. No wonder Qin Xiao had denied it outright. Denial left a chance to live; admitting it would mean death.

“When you return, stay on Seven Stars Peak for now. The formation there can protect you. I’ll sound out the Supreme Elder. If he stays out of it, you’ll be through the worst.”

After a brief deliberation, Lin Tiancheng instructed Qin Xiao to lay low while he handled the fallout. This chapter was taken from novelping dot com without permission.

“Thank you, Sect Leader.”

Assured of Lin Tiancheng’s backing, Qin Xiao quickly offered his thanks.

Elsewhere, Yao Tiansheng controlled a flying sword carrying five people: himself, the Supreme Elder, and the three remaining Immortal Sword Peak disciples.

“Father, Dong’er must have been killed by Qin Xiao and his disciple. There were too many people earlier for me to fall out with them publicly. Back at the sect, I’ll make him pay with his life. Please support me when the time comes.”

Yao Tiansheng was angry, but he still spoke respectfully to Yao Zhan.

“Tiansheng, I grieve for Dong’er too, but without proof I can do nothing. I’m your adoptive father, but also the Supreme Elder of the whole Tianyuan Sect. If you insist on taking revenge, I cannot help. Bring me proof, and I will support you.”

Yao Zhan replied coldly.

Yao Zhan had never sought a Dao Companion. He had devoted his whole life to cultivation, enabling him to reach late Soul Formation. Worldly ties were a cultivator’s greatest hindrance. That was why he had never taken a partner or had children. He had taken two adoptive sons simply because they had talent.

He was cold-hearted by nature. He would not make a great fuss over a so-called grand-disciple. His reputation and the sect’s future mattered more to him.

“Father, I know. I won’t trouble you without proof. Until then, I’ll act on my own and keep looking for evidence. My son cannot die without an explanation.”

Yao Tiansheng knew his adoptive father’s nature. All he wanted was a promise that, if he found evidence, Yao Zhan would firmly support him.

His master and adoptive father was cold-hearted and selfish. He cared about usefulness, not family. With the talent Yun Man had shown, even finding proof might not win him support. That was why he had asked first.

Even without proof, Yao Tiansheng would look for a chance to act. Best of all would be to kill first and report afterward. Unless Qin Xiao died, he could not satisfy his hatred.

“Xueyue, tell me honestly what happened.”

Yao Tiansheng spoke coldly to Liu Xueyue beside him.

“Master, I know few details. At the time, Senior Brother quietly slipped away with Senior Brother Li, and I knew they were going after Qin Xiao. But since Yun Man had concealed her cultivation all along, Senior Brother must have fallen victim to an ambush.”

Liu Xueyue was confused too. She had learned Yao Kaidong was dead only after leaving the secret realm. Neither Yao and Li Cheng nor Qin Xiao and Yun Man had returned earlier. She had no idea what had happened.

“Useless thing.” Visit NovelPing for the full chapter.

Without useful information, Yao Tiansheng could only curse her.

But that was all he could do. Liu Xueyue was now Immortal Sword Peak’s most talented disciple, the only support left for its younger generation.

Once disciples of the various peaks reached Nascent Soul, most moved to the Main Peak to handle sect affairs or entered the forbidden grounds to cultivate in seclusion. Only a few stayed on their own peaks. In the end, all the peaks belonged to the Tianyuan Sect. That gave the Sect Leader the strongest voice.

It was a way to bring power together. Otherwise, a peak that grew too strong could rebel, making things difficult. Something like that had happened before, leading to the present rules.

That authority let Lin Tiancheng protect Qin Xiao. Otherwise, how could he hold back the Great Elder, whose cultivation was a little stronger than his own?

The sect had rules, though. Even the Sect Leader could not do as he pleased. He had to follow them too.

The return journey was uneventful. The Great Elder’s Immortal Sword Peak group reached the sect first.

The Supreme Elder had gone with the Great Elder to lend his authority to the occasion. If another faction had killed Yao Kaidong, it would have been a challenge to the Tianyuan Sect, and he would have had to act for the sect. Since this was an internal dispute, he would stay out of it. He also had to prepare to reach peak Body Integration.

Next to arrive were the disciples under Wen Yuanying’s command.

Lin Tiancheng had returned ahead of Wen Yuanying’s group.

The disciples left the Flying Ship and returned to their peaks. They had to tell their Peak Masters about the secret realm and about Qin Xiao. A struggle might be coming in the Tianyuan Sect.

They had seen the Sect Leader talk privately with Qin Xiao without reprimanding him. Presumably, he had taken Qin Xiao’s side. The Great Elder would not let it go, so trouble was bound to follow.

After hearing the reports, the Peak Masters thought it over. They made no decision yet, choosing to watch what happened first.

The elder Peak Masters usually stood together to challenge the Main Peak’s authority. Together, they could put pressure on it and gain a say in sect affairs. This time seemed different. None chose a side right away.

Qin Xiao knew it would not be easy to settle. He took Yun Man straight back to Seven Stars Peak and activated the protective formation. Only then did he relax.

Meanwhile, Lin Tiancheng reached the place where the Supreme Elder cultivated in seclusion.