Chapter 57: The Elders Meet, Sides Are Chosen

On the second day after returning from the secret realm, Sect Leader Lin Tiancheng summoned the nine elders for a meeting.

The previous day, Lin Tiancheng had received the Supreme Elder’s answer: without conclusive evidence, he would stay out of it. But if there was proof that Qin Xiao had killed fellow disciples and the Sect Leader could not bring himself to act, he would personally rid the sect of this scourge.

Lin Tiancheng had called the elders together to discuss the matter openly. He knew the Great Elder would not let it go. At least, though, he wanted a public assurance from him.

Eleven people, including Lin Tiancheng, were now in the sect’s meeting hall. Qin Xiao had been called in too, since the matter concerned him.

“Since everyone is here, I’ll get to the point. I called you here to discuss what has changed in the secret realm and how the sect should develop from here.”

Of course, Lin Tiancheng would not raise Qin Xiao’s case directly. He would discuss the sect’s future first and bring it up along the way.

“Sect Leader, why is Qin Xiao present for such important matters?”

The Second Elder Yao Yongzhi spoke first.

The Great Elder had approached him the day before, asking him to take his side. On both personal and practical grounds, he could hardly refuse. Since it was awkward for the Great Elder to challenge Qin Xiao directly, Yao Yongzhi would do it today.

“Elders, you must have heard your disciples’ reports. Qin Xiao is one of only two people in our sect who reached the second layer. Nobody knows more than he does about those Beast-Control Sect remnants. Of course he should be here.”

Lin Tiancheng had expected this challenge and prepared his answer. His reason was sound enough that they had nothing to say.

“Then tell us what you have in mind, Sect Leader. We are listening.”

Yao Yongzhi could find no answer to that and dropped the subject for now.

“There is no hurry. Let us first hear what Qin Xiao has to say about the second layer. Then we can decide what to do.”

Rather than raise the matter directly, Lin Tiancheng first asked Qin Xiao to tell the elders what had happened on the second layer.

“Since the Sect Leader asks, I will report to the elders what happened there.”

Qin Xiao gave a rough account of events, much the same as the one he had given Lin Tiancheng.

He knew little about the Beast-Control Sect remnants’ history. Those events were many years before his time. He simply described what had happened to him.

“Sect Leader, we had not even been born when the Beast-Control Sect was destroyed. The Great Elder may know more, since he has been in the sect for over three hundred years. Why not ask him to tell us what happened?” This chapter was copied from NovelPing without permission.

The Eighth Elder Zuo Hongcai suggested.

Of the eleven people present, only Great Elder Yao Tiansheng, Second Elder Yao Yongzhi, and Third Elder Kang Zhengye had been in the sect for at least three hundred years.

Fourth Elder Du Jiancong was also a little over three hundred years old, but he had joined the sect later and had not taken part in the battle that destroyed the Beast-Control Sect.

“What is there to tell? We were only disciples then, following the sect’s orders. Besides, the Beast-Control Sect was wiped out. How could any remnants survive?”

The Great Elder spoke dismissively. He did not quite believe Qin Xiao’s account.

“The Great Elder is right. We really know little about what happened back then. We were only disciples and had no idea what the higher-ups had decided. We heard we were going to destroy an evil sect. Many people were sent, and we just went along.”

The Third Elder added his account.

More than three hundred years ago, they too had been among the sect’s young talents, but they were still very young. Only the Great Elder had reached early Golden Core. Kang Zhengye and the Second Elder were both at peak Foundation Establishment, so they could hardly have known the sect’s decisions or the full circumstances.

“Then let us leave the past aside. As for Qin Xiao’s account of the second layer, I spoke with the other three parties yesterday, and it is true. Somehow, that Beast-Control Sect survivor has lived in the secret realm for three hundred years. If he comes out one day, he is sure to seek revenge on us.”

“Besides, the Abyss Secret Realm is effectively lost to us. Spirit Medicine Valley and the Sword Tomb both open once every ten years, and we have to compete for places. We must focus on those two now.”

Lin Tiancheng had spoken with the other factions the previous day, and all had agreed to give up on the Abyss Secret Realm. Cultivators talented enough to reach Soul Formation before fifty were exceedingly rare in Qingzhou. There were such people elsewhere, but the local factions would rather abandon the secret realm’s resources than let outsiders claim them.

If they brought in outside help, getting those outsiders to leave would be much harder than bringing them in. The local Qingzhou factions might even be shut out themselves.

“What do you propose, Sect Leader?”

Yao Tiansheng seemed to sense a scheme.

“It is simple. The other two secret realms also open this year. All three coincide once every thirty years. Spirit Medicine Valley opens in three months, and the Sword Tomb in half a year. Places in both are won through competition. I intend to train our three most talented disciples to represent the Tianyuan Sect and win places for us.”

Lin Tiancheng stated his plan.

“And who are these three disciples?”

Yao Tiansheng had clearly guessed what Lin Tiancheng intended. Get faster updates on nоvelping.com.

“Only two of our younger disciples have Heavenly Spirit Roots: my daughter Lin Shimeng and Yun Man of Seven Stars Peak. Both have reached Nascent Soul. Does anyone object to their selection?”

Lin Tiancheng named the first two candidates and left the third unmentioned.

“I have no objection to either. Who is the third?”

Yao Tiansheng wanted to kill Yun Man too, but knew he could not. If he killed a disciple with such talent without proof, his adoptive father would act to suppress him, quite apart from whatever punishment the sect imposed.

Yao Tiansheng’s target had been clear from the start: Qin Xiao. His death would be no great loss to the sect. Even if Yao was punished, the penalty would not be heavy. Besides, all this had started with Qin Xiao.

For Yun Man, he would keep looking for evidence. Once he found it, even if he killed her, the sect would have to bear the loss without complaint.

“For the third, let us all put forward candidates. If there are too many, we will hold a martial contest and choose the strongest.”

Lin Tiancheng would not name the third disciple outright. He would let everyone choose together.

“Then I nominate Liu Xueyue, the Holy Maiden of my Immortal Sword Peak. She has a Top Earthly Spirit Root, though not a Heavenly one. Her strength may lag behind, but with her talent and the sect’s full support, she should soon catch up.”

Yao Tiansheng nominated his Personal Disciple Liu Xueyue, currently the most talented disciple on Immortal Sword Peak.

“The Great Elder has made a good recommendation. I know Liu Xueyue too. She is talented and can be one of the candidates. Since the Great Elder has nominated someone, I will nominate Qin Xiao. To escape the second layer, his wits must be a match for a Nascent Soul cultivator’s. Four of the five who escaped were at Nascent Soul, which suggests Qin Xiao has comparable strength too.”

Lin Tiancheng took the opening to nominate Qin Xiao.

“I object! What qualifies Qin Xiao? He’s a useless man who cannot cultivate. Sect Leader, I will never agree to this.”

The Great Elder had guessed Lin Tiancheng would choose Qin Xiao and immediately rose to object.

“Great Elder, don’t get agitated. I said it was only a nomination. If you insist on objecting, we can decide by vote. Everyone is here.”

Lin Tiancheng had known the Great Elder would refuse, but he was prepared.

“You insist on a vote, Sect Leader? Very well. We will vote.”

Yao Tiansheng had already spoken with the elders and was sure they would take his side. Even with two votes, Sect Leader, you cannot beat me.