Fear

Xuanming Sect. Ever since a retaliatory crackdown on the descendants of the Artifact Sect had swept through their sect, Song You, the sect master, had raised his vigilance regarding the Nine Cauldrons Sect to the absolute highest level. After all, they were the ones fanning the flames behind the scenes. Just as Li Qingshan and the others had deduced, Xuanming Sect had suffered a defeat in the East Sea, losing more than three hundred Great Cultivators in a single blow. How could they possibly offer no explanation to their own disciples? Yet taking revenge on the Nine Cauldrons Sect... That would be courting death. People always squeeze the softest persimmons first. Under such circumstances, the descendants of the Artifact Sect—connected to the Nine Cauldrons Sect, yet easy prey—naturally became the scapegoats for the disciples of the Xuanming Sect to vent their rage. In other words, the current state of affairs, in which the entire sect ostracized, plundered, and slaughtered the descendants of the Artifact Sect, was entirely the result of tacit consent from him, the sect master, and Xuanming Sect's upper echelon. Having committed the deed, they naturally had to be prepared to bear the consequences. Therefore, he had kept close watch on the movements of both the Great Sun Sword Sect and the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Particularly upon learning that Lou Yuyu, Deputy Hall Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect's War Hall, was personally leading two elite battle institutes—the Qingfeng Courtyard and the Shenwei Institute—straight toward the Xuanming Sect's homeland, the entire Xuanming Sect was placed on full alert. "Sect Master." At that moment, his assistant looked up and reported, "Hall Master Ma Hong has sent word. He has already assembled four battle institutes and is prepared to intercept the invaders at any moment!" "Good!" Song You immediately said, "Connect me to Hall Master Ma." Ma Hong had originally been the Deputy Hall Master of Xuanming Sect's War Hall, and the Ma family was also a prominent clan within the sect. It could be said that the Xuanming Sect was governed by three families: the Songs, the Lüs, and the Mas. Among them, the Song family was the strongest, commanding the overall situation with extensive connections—even maintaining ties with the Wuji Astral Palace—and firmly holding the sect master's throne. The Lü family had always served as the martial pillar, with nearly all the battle institutes in the War Hall under their grasp. The Ma family, meanwhile, oversaw local regions and managed the logistics and supplies across the Xuanming Sect. However, during the battle in the East Sea, both the Song and Lü families lost the majority of their elites, and Lü Mingshen, Hall Master of the War Hall, perished alongside them. Under those circumstances, the Ma family's power expanded rapidly, and Ma Hong had now assumed the mantle of Hall Master. His ability to muster four battle institutes in such a short time was proof of the Ma family's capability. Soon, a beam of light projected downward. Ma Hong's figure materialized. Seeing Ma Hong, Song You asked impatiently, "Since Hall Master Ma has already formed four battle institutes, why not take the initiative, strike out, and turn the enemy away outside our borders? Why not crush the two battle institutes brought by Lou Yuyu of the Nine Cauldrons Sect along the coast of the East Sea?" The moment he uttered those words, Ma Hong stared at him as if looking at a complete fool. Only after a good while did he speak: "Sect Master, battle institutes are not all equal. Though I assembled four battle institutes in haste, they have yet to achieve proper cohesion and cannot yet unleash the power expected of elite battle institutes... They will require far more training to reach that level." "Are you saying that your four battle institutes cannot even hold back two from the Nine Cauldrons Sect?" Song You's expression chilled slightly. "Hall Master Ma, you promised me that you were confident in repelling the Nine Cauldrons Sect's retaliation!" "I did promise the Sect Master that we could withstand their retaliation, but that was predicated on relying on the sect's own defensive power, not fighting a decisive battle against them out in the East Sea." Ma Hong paused briefly before continuing, "Of course, what these four battle institutes lack most right now is combat experience. If they could be blooded in a less intense battle to build coordination, holding off the Nine Cauldrons Sect in the East Sea waters would not be entirely hopeless." "What do you mean?" Song You's brow furrowed. "If the Sect Master is willing to deploy the Yulin Courtyard under your command and allow the four battle institutes to learn alongside them, I believe they will rapidly become combat-effective," Ma Hong replied. At these words, Song You instantly grasped his intention, and fury flared in his eyes. "Hall Master Ma! The Nine Cauldrons Sect is about to bully their way right to our doorstep! As Hall Master of the War Hall, you cannot repel foreign enemies, yet you're eyeing my Yulin Courtyard and demanding they take the field?! Where is the sense in that?!" "It is precisely because the Nine Cauldrons Sect is about to fight their way to our doorstep that you, Sect Master, need to set an example." Ma Hong spoke unhurriedly: "According to the intelligence we received, Li Qingshan, Sect Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, personally led his Sword-Bearing Institute out of the Jiuxiao Domain to battle the Great Sun Sword Sect. Why don't you follow Sect Master Li's example and lead the Yulin Courtyard to hold off the Nine Cauldrons Sect? If you can truly blunt the edge of their Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute, it will surely bring peace to the sect, and your prestige within our ranks will climb to unprecedented heights." With that, he added in an earnest tone, "I say this entirely with your best interests at heart, Sect Master." Hearing this, Song You's face darkened further. He had intended to use the Ma family's strength to counter the Nine Cauldrons Sect, but as it turned out... Now that Ma Hong had risen to power, he actually dared to bite back against his own sect master?! "At present, the Great Cultivators of the War Hall are all awaiting your orders, Sect Master. Shall we meet the enemy at the East Sea? Or follow my strategy and rely on the sect's terrain to resist the two battle institutes of the Nine Cauldrons Sect?" Ma Hong inquired. "What? Does the Hall Master of the War Hall, commanding four battle institutes, lack even this shred of courage?" Song You sneered. "You are the sect master, and I am merely the Hall Master of the War Hall. How to proceed rests upon your command! As long as the Sect Master's order is reasonable, the War Hall will naturally follow your lead." At this point, Ma Hong even pressed him: "Sect Master, we must make haste. Lou Yuyu, Deputy Hall Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect's War Hall, is leading the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute closer and closer to our homeland. If the Nine Cauldrons Sect slaughters their way directly into the sect's heartland... you can imagine the fallout it would cause within our ranks." His voice turned meaningful. "Sect Master, you wouldn't want to become the first sect master in the history of the Xuanming Sect to be impeached and removed from office, would you?" "You—" Song You was just about to lash out, but right at that moment, his assistant appeared to receive urgent news and spoke hurriedly: "Sect Master... latest report from the Heavenly Palace Hall! Just a short while ago, the Nine Cauldrons Sect—with the Sword-Bearing Institute led by Li Qingshan and the Zhenhai Courtyard led by Yaoguang—clashed violently with the Great Sun Sword Sect's Shenhuo Courtyard led by Heishan and the sky-patrol warship Chunyu commanded by Zuo Chuan..." "They've engaged?!" Song You froze. Immediately after, wild delight broke across his face. "They engaged so quickly?! I thought having the Great Sun Sword Sect tie down a portion of the Nine Cauldrons Sect's forces was the best we could hope for. Who would have thought they would actually fight?! Good! Splendid! Truly wonderful! Hall Master Chisongzi is truly our Xuanming Sect's benefactor! Once the Sword-Bearing Institute and Zhenhai Courtyard fall, let's see if Lou Yuyu and Shen Qinglian still dare act brazenly within our Xuanming Sect!" He turned toward Ma Hong. "Didn't you want me to personally lead the Yulin Courtyard into battle?! What are you waiting for! Assemble the four battle institutes of the War Hall and follow me to crush the enemy!" Ma Hong's expression turned rather unsightly. Song You was the sect master, after all, and held the moral high ground. The four battle institutes he had newly assembled might not follow his orders unconditionally. If Song You truly led the Yulin Courtyard to a resounding victory over the Nine Cauldrons Sect... The majority of those in the four battle institutes would unquestionably swing back to Song You! When that time came, Song You would only need to appoint a few deputy hall masters to take over those forces, completely sidelining him as hall master... "N-no... Sect Master... While they did fight, the victors were not First Seat Heishan and Captain Zuo Chuan..." The assistant's voice carried a note of panic. "The Nine Cauldrons Sect won this battle! The Chunyu has vanished without a trace, suspected to have been destroyed and plunged into the ocean... The Shenhuo Courtyard suffered catastrophic losses as well... It's said fewer than thirty people managed to flee back..." At these words, Song You's triumphant expression froze instantly. And Ma Hong, who had still been pondering how to break the deadlock, was equally stunned. The Great Sun Sword Sect... Actually lost?! One had to realize that an elite battle institute from the Great Sun Sword Sect could achieve a casualty ratio of forty to five when pitted against an elite battle institute from the Xuanming Sect. Even though they were facing the Nine Cauldrons Sect's foremost Sword-Bearing Institute this time, led personally by Li Qingshan... There was still no way they could have lost so quickly, and suffered such a crushing defeat! Above all... The sky-patrol warship Chunyu was suspected to have been destroyed and crashed into the ocean?! What kind of joke was that?! That was a sky-patrol warship, renowned as a mobile sect headquarters! How could the Nine Cauldrons Sect's obscure Zhenhai Courtyard, which didn't even have the roster or equipment of an elite battle institute, possess such power?! "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Song You roared violently, drawing his sword and glaring at the assistant. "Spreading seditious lies—I'll kill you!" Yet before his sword could strike, another person rushed in frantically. "Sect Master, disaster! Over two hundred Great Cultivators from the Nine Cauldrons Sect's Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute have suddenly accelerated, and they have already crossed into our sect's borders...!" "How can they be so fast?!" Song You's face went completely pale. "The Master of the Garrison Hall sent an inquiry asking whether to intercept..." the newcomer reported at once. Intercept? Intercept with their lives? Aside from activating defensive formations, cowering within the cities, and praying that the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute would not launch an attack, what else could anyone do? At this moment, someone seemed to deliver this urgent intelligence to Ma Hong as well. After reviewing the report, Ma Hong looked at Song You. "Well then, Lord Sect Master, it seems you no longer need to consider whether to take your Yulin Courtyard to intercept the Qingfeng Courtyard and Shenwei Institute... Heh, I believe you are no longer fit to remain seated in that position..." "Silence!" Song You roared in fury. "With a great enemy at our gates, if you had truly united with me with one heart against our foes, how could the Nine Cauldrons Sect have pushed straight into our sect's heartland?!" "Didn't you bring all this upon us?" Ma Hong countered coldly. "I told you long ago not to heed the Wuji Astral Palace's instigations and provoke the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Yet you refused to listen and pressed forward step by step. Did you truly believe our Xuanming Sect possessed the foundational depth of the Wuji Astral Palace, the Great Sun Sword Sect, the Shouyang Sect, or the Brahma Divine Kingdom?!" "If the sect wishes to develop, it must have more territory—" "You could have expanded south or north, but you should never have gone east!" "A newly founded sect—" Song You and Ma Hong clashed mercilessly, trading barbs. Watching this, the assistants exchanged bewildered glances. At this moment, only one thought crossed their minds: If you two want to quarrel, could you pick another time...? The Nine Cauldrons Sect has already breached Xuanming Sect territory! Can't you actually do something? Fortunately, both men realized that now was not the time to argue. Moreover, the deluge of inquiry transmissions flooding in from various hall masters left them no leeway to keep bickering. "First came the Sword-Bearing Institute... and now a Zhenhai Courtyard... The Nine Cauldrons Sect... is different now!" Ma Hong drew a deep breath, a trace of dread flickering in his eyes. He turned his head and gave orders to those around him: "Instruct all divisions not to launch attacks... Everyone is to cooperate with the Nine Cauldrons Sect in evacuating the descendants of the Artifact Sect..." Song You had also cooled down by this point. Turning to another assistant, he said, "Arrange an audience for me with the Nine Cauldrons Sect's External Publicity Hall envoy... Regarding the harm suffered by the descendants of the Artifact Sect... it was all a misunderstanding... Our Xuanming Sect will severely punish such illicit and unlawful acts..."