Sitting alone in the vast, empty hall, Lu Kangnian found his mind racing.
The Great Xia Sword Sect appeared to be thriving and prosperous, but if this magnificent scene were not managed properly, it could easily turn out to be nothing more than a flash in the pan, a fleeting burst of radiance.
Every decision he made now had to be handled with utmost prudence.
Lu Kangnian rose slowly to his feet. Laced with primal energy, his voice carried out across a hundred li.
"All disciples of the Great Xia Sword Sect, assemble in the square in one incense stick's time!"
*Buzz!*
Countless cultivators stirred from their meditation.
Many took to the air and soared over. Lu Kangnian flashed into view above the grand square, watching the steadily gathering disciples with a grave expression.
In truth, Lu Kangnian knew that the most troublesome individuals were those who had left the sect for hundreds or even thousands of years. These people possessed great strength, but their emotional attachment to the sect had long since grown faint. In fact, Lu Kangnian suspected that most of them had only returned for the Great Xia Sword Sect's resources.
He did not particularly fault them for thinking that way. After all, many had never even met him before, nor had they weathered any trials alongside the present sect. Where would their sense of belonging come from?
Indeed, it was a matter of belonging.
Gradually, almost everyone arrived, with only Li Guanqi and his brothers absent. Even Tantai Yiting and Han Chengxian showed up early without putting on airs.
Evidently, Li Guanqi's deterrence carried tremendous weight. Both men understood that if they did not adjust their attitude now, their future days here would be miserable. Before returning, neither of them had expected this generation of the Great Xia Sword Sect to produce a monster like Li Guanqi. Not only was his strength absurdly terrifying, but he also had a terrible temper, showing neither respect for the elderly nor indulgence for the young.
This time, Lu Kangnian stood alone upon the raised platform, while the sect's original elders and peak masters gathered below.
A faint buzz of chatter filled the air. Over the past two days, quite a few people had already become acquainted with one another.
Lu Kangnian pressed his hands down slightly. The chatter gradually subsided, and a deep quiet settled over the square.
A faint aura of authority stirred around Lu Kangnian, like wisps of sword qi drifting in the air. His voice rang out steadily, resonating like a great bronze bell. "Today, I have several matters to announce."
Everyone listened in complete silence. Across the entire square, one could have heard a pin drop.
The man's sharp gaze swept slowly over the crowd before he spoke in a heavy voice. "Now that the Great Xia Sword Sect has so many cultivators, disputes will inevitably arise. Without rules, nothing can stand."
At these words, many pricked up their ears.
Anyone with eyes could see how powerful the Great Xia Sword Sect had become. On top of that, the sect was steadily opening cultivation grounds one after another—an immense temptation to these cultivators who had wandered the outside world for centuries.
Yet the current masters of the seven peaks were not particularly strong. Li Nanting had not even broken through to the Soul Formation Realm. Quite a few among the returnees harbored ambitions toward the positions of elder and peak master.
Lu Kangnian said in a solemn voice, "There will be no changes whatsoever to the positions of the masters of the Great Xia Sword Sect's seven peaks!"
The moment he said this, many expressions shifted. Among them, Huo Gang, who had broken away from a major clan force, stepped forward.
Cupping his hands in salute, Huo Gang looked up at Lu Kangnian and said in a deep voice, "I am Huo Gang, former master of Tianjin Peak, currently at the early Void Refining Realm."
*Hiss!*
A chorus of sharp gasps broke out among the disciples below.
"Good grief... anyone picked at random is a mighty Void Refining expert?!"
"In the past, having a single Soul Formation cultivator in the entire Northern Region was extraordinary. Our Great Xia Sword Sect has truly risen!"
"The former master of Tianjin Peak? Huo Gang... I remember now, he was the thirty-fourth peak master!"
"Hasn't he been away from the sect for over seven hundred years? He's actually reached the Void Refining Realm..."
With his hands clasped behind his back, Lu Kangnian looked down at him with lowered eyes and said softly, "Oh? What do you wish to say?"
Huo Gang, his face cold and stern, spoke bluntly. "The capable should hold the post. Right now, many in the sect have their eyes on these positions. The masters of the seven peaks are crucial pillars of the sect. Letting cultivators in the Nascent Soul realm serve as peak masters is rather difficult to justify. What is more, the sect is riding an unprecedented wave of momentum. This is precisely when powerful experts are needed to lead the way."
Lu Kangnian scoffed. Walking to the edge of the platform, he leaned slightly forward, looking at Huo Gang, and said calmly, "And so?"
Huo Gang frowned, slightly irritated by Lu Kangnian's nonchalant attitude. "And so? And so, powerful experts are needed to take over the positions of the seven peak masters!"
As the words fell, Lu Kangnian noticed the flickering gazes of quite a few people. It seemed many shared the same thought. After all, a different status and rank meant a difference in how many resources one could command within the Great Xia Sword Sect in the days ahead.
Lu Kangnian straightened up, his calm gaze sweeping across the crowd. He spoke in an even voice.
"I see that many among you share this sentiment—that the capable should hold the post. To you, 'capability' merely means strength and cultivation realm. But I can tell you all with absolute certainty: what I, Lu Kangnian, consider 'capability' is precisely what is written in our sect creed!
"Character must always come before strength and cultivation realm!"
Lu Kangnian's tone was calm yet unyielding. "The masters of the seven peaks will not change—at least, not anytime soon.
"Furthermore, I formally notify everyone here. Although the Great Xia Sword Sect has grown vastly stronger with your return, the sect remains the same sect it always was. If you want resources, go earn them by contributing to the sect!
"However, when it comes to the effort required and the returns given for obtaining resources, what the current sect can offer you is far greater than before!
"All who have returned will be assigned back to their former peaks, holding the status of ordinary disciples. The number of elder positions across the seven peaks will be adjusted, but all of it will depend on your contributions to the sect!"
Lu Kangnian's declaration left no room for doubt: if they wanted resources, they could have them. The present Great Xia Sword Sect could well afford it. But the sect would not harbor freeloaders, nor would it hand high positions to returning wanderers for nothing.
In short: all were equal. If they wanted resources, they had to strive and contribute to the sect!
Watching the buzzing crowd below, Lu Kangnian stood as straight as a drawn sword, speaking with cool composure.
"Those who accept this are naturally welcome in the sect, and routine cultivation resources will be distributed as usual. Those who cannot accept it... may leave right now. Those who depart must leave behind their sect jade slip, and from then on, we will go our separate ways."
A stir ran through the crowd.
Moments later, an elderly Soul Formation cultivator rose into the air, cupped his hands to Lu Kangnian, tossed down a purple sect jade slip, and flew away.
With a first, a second soon followed.
Before long, more figures took to the air, leaving behind their jade slips as they departed. The crowd grew restless, and the departures steadily mounted.
Yet some remained motionless from beginning to end. These cultivators had long grown tired of drifting in the outside world. Now that the sect was flourishing, they were unwilling to leave. What was more, no matter what rules the sect established, life here was bound to be far better than the days they had endured before.
Chapter 745