Firmament Sword

East Sea, Daxing Town, at the Spirit Stone Vein.

Well over a hundred sects had gathered at this very spot!

These sects had separated into distinct groups, clearly forming several different factions.

The Celestial Cauldron Sect and the Jade Balance Sect formed one group with a number of small and medium-sized sects. The Dubhe Sect and the Shaking Light Sect led another, and the Kaiyang Sect, the Willow Leaf Sect, and the Black Water Sect led a third.

This created three powerful factions, none of which could overpower the others, resulting in a three-way standoff.

The three factions were now engaged in tense negotiations.

That’s right—negotiations. The possibility of seizing the vein by force was now nonexistent.

No single faction could claim it exclusively, as the other two would never allow it.

”Sect Leader Xiang, my position is simple: all three factions split it evenly! We’ll mine it together!” Ling Fengwu, Sect Leader of the Celestial Cauldron Sect, declared.

”Impossible! The vein... was discovered by our Dubhe Sect first! According to the rules of the Sect Realm, finder’s keepers! On what grounds should we split it three ways?” an Elder from the Dubhe Sect retorted.

”Oh? Your Dubhe Sect discovered it first? Then what about that small sect that was annihilated... How do you explain that?” an Elder from the Jade Balance Sect countered sharply.

”That small sect? Hmph. They tried to seize this place by force and we eliminated them, that’s all. This vein was discovered by our Dubhe Sect first!” another hot-tempered Elder from the Dubhe Sect sneered. ”We, at least, have been mining it for a while. You lot just caught the scent and came swarming like flies...”

”There’s an unwritten rule in the Sect Realm... Though it doesn’t explicitly mention territory, it’s a rule everyone has followed for millennia. It states that... the land must be unclaimed, not within any faction’s sphere of influence, for the discoverer... to have exclusive rights,” an Elder from the Kaiyang Sect stated calmly. ”However, this vein is located within the territory of the secular Cangqiong Empire. If we must assign ownership, then it should belong to the Cangqiong Empire!”

Hearing this, the others all looked dismissive. They knew exactly why the Kaiyang Sect Elder had said that.

Because the Cangqiong Empire had always been Kaiyang Sect’s turf!

As the suzerain sect of the Cangqiong Royal Family, the Kaiyang Sect enjoyed supreme power within the Cangqiong Empire.

Although the two sides had recently had a falling out over certain matters, as far as the Kaiyang Sect was concerned, the Cangqiong Empire... still belonged to them!

And that was something no one could change!

After all, the fact that many of the Kaiyang Sect’s reclusive senior members came from the Cangqiong Royal Family was convincing enough proof.

”Secular imperial power... Since when does it have any authority over sects?” the hot-tempered Elder from the Dubhe Sect sneered. ”Even if this vein were gifted to the Cangqiong Empire... could they even defend it?”

”All this talk is pointless right now. If we remain deadlocked like this, none of us will benefit. In fact, we risk letting an outsider swoop in and take it all,” Gu Jianfeng, Sect Leader of the Shaking Light Sect, said calmly. ”So, in my view, our side will take sixty percent of this vein! You two factions can split the remaining forty percent. That is the most reasonable arrangement!”

Xiang Wentian nodded slightly. His deep gaze swept over the crowd as he said, ”I agree with this proposal. This demonstrates our utmost sincerity and is a major concession on our part. If you still refuse, then I’m afraid the worst-case scenario is that this vein... is mined by no one!”

”This vein belongs to the Cangqiong Empire, and the Cangqiong Empire has always been a secular vassal state of my Kaiyang Sect. Sect Leader Xiang, Sect Leader Gu, don’t you think your proposed distribution is a bit excessive?” Shangguan Qing, Sect Leader of the Kaiyang Sect, said calmly, his eyelids heavy.

Over on the side of the Celestial Cauldron and Jade Balance Sects, Xushan kept his eyes half-closed, looking as if he were about to fall asleep. He couldn’t even be bothered to say a word.

Ling Fengwu, however, looked indignant. She said coldly, ”The Cangqiong Empire was indeed a vassal of the Kaiyang Sect once, but I hear that’s no longer the case.”

”Why? Has Sect Leader Ling taken an interest in the secular nation of the Cangqiong Empire...?” Sect Leader Shangguan Qing of Kaiyang Sect said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ”Ah, but I’d forgotten. Your long-lost daughter shares a very close relationship with that Xu Luo from the Cangqiong Empire. Such a pity...”

As he spoke, Shangguan Qing even sighed. ”That young man, Xu Luo... I once had high hopes for him. But then... heh, what a waste of a young man.”

”Indeed. Young people who are too arrogant never come to a good end. If they’re lucky, they’ll just suffer a setback. If not, they’ll lose their lives,” the Sect Leader of the Black Water Sect added calmly from the side.

”We’ll see who ends up dead!” Ling Fengwu sneered, refusing to say more.

”We’ve been discussing this for days, and my patience is wearing thin. Furthermore, Sect Leader Ling, Sect Leader Xu, the moment you arrived, you forcibly abducted our miners... Don’t you think you need to answer for that?” the hot-tempered Dubhe Sect Elder demanded coldly.

”Who the hell do you think you are? Are you questioning me?” Ling Fengwu’s brows shot up as she glared coldly at the Dubhe Sect Elder. ”Only Sect Leaders are speaking here. What right do you have to interrupt? Know your place!”

”You...” The hot-tempered Dubhe Sect Elder’s face flushed crimson. He held a high position in the Dubhe Sect and was accustomed to being treated with deference. When had he ever been humiliated like this? He was about to erupt.

Xiang Wentian cleared his throat and said calmly, ”What an impressive display of authority, Sect Leader Ling... This is a discussion, a negotiation. Everyone should be free to speak their mind. When you say my man has no sense of propriety, are you perhaps making an insinuation about someone else?”

”No, I’m not insinuating. I’m saying it plainly!” Ling Fengwu’s temper was just as unyielding. Seeing the Dubhe Sect determined to take the largest share at all costs, she was filled with dissatisfaction. She absolutely could not accept such an outcome.

’None of us can overpower the others, and it’s not like the Dubhe Sect is the only major power here. On what grounds do you get to take the lion’s share while we... are left with the scraps?’

”Bickering, bickering. So many days have passed, and you’re still not tired of it?” Xushan, Sect Leader of the Jade Balance Sect, who had been almost completely silent until now, suddenly opened his eyes. He spoke with a calm air, ”If this goes on, we won’t reach a conclusion in years. Let’s be frank. Among our three factions, no one should be claiming they’re the strongest. That kind of talk might work on outsiders, but let’s not waste our breath on it here.”

”Then what are you proposing, Sect Leader Xu?” Xiang Wentian asked, looking at Xushan. ’His mind, however, flashed back to the last sect assembly and the overwhelming, unparalleled power Xushan had displayed then. Deep down, Xiang Wentian had always felt a faint animosity toward him.’

’In the Sect Realm of the Central Plains Star Continent, the Dubhe Sect... was the undisputed number one sect!’

’Yet the leader of the number one sect wasn’t the most powerful Sect Leader... This fact had always left a bad taste in Xiang Wentian’s mouth.’

”My proposal is the same one Sect Leader Ling made: an even, three-way split of the profits! No one gets to take more. That is not an option!” A sharp glint flashed in Xushan’s eyes as he spoke coldly. ”If that’s not acceptable, then I... don’t mind a fight!”

”Sect Leader Xu, that’s too overbear—” The hot-tempered Dubhe Sect Elder couldn’t restrain himself again and began to speak out, but he stopped mid-sentence. He suddenly saw the glacial coldness in Xushan’s eyes as they fixed on him. The rest of his words caught in his throat as he gasped, ”You... What are you—”

SLAP!

No one saw Xushan move, but the hot-tempered Dubhe Sect Elder was sent reeling from a vicious slap to the face!

His face instantly swelled up, red and angry. A stark, five-fingered handprint was emblazoned on his cheek... stunning everyone into silence!

The number of people who had clearly seen Xushan move could be counted on one hand!

Xiang Wentian had seen it, but he hadn’t been able to react in time to stop it. The others, each with their own agenda, had no intention of interfering either.

”You insolent creature! Did you not hear what Sect Leader Ling just said? You think you can bully her just because she’s a woman, constantly provoking her, is that it? Fine, then I’ll be the one to teach you some manners!” Xushan said calmly.

The hot-tempered Dubhe Sect Elder clutched his face, his eyes filled with venomous hatred, but he didn’t dare utter another word. In that single instant, he had smelled the stench of death!

”Sect Leader Xu, are you declaring war?” A high-ranking Elder of his sect had just been struck. No matter how good Xiang Wentian’s composure, he couldn’t let this slide. The honor of the entire Dubhe Sect was at stake.

”If you want a war, you’ll get one! It’s no great matter!” Xushan said calmly, his gaze sweeping across the room. ”You’re all just a bunch of short-sighted fools, endlessly bickering amongst yourselves. I refuse to believe you don’t know that people from the Ancient Race Continent are about to set foot on the Central Plains Star Continent! When that time comes, with a powerful enemy at our gates and dissent within our ranks, how will we possibly fight them? Xiang Wentian, your Dubhe Sect has always claimed to be the leader of the Sect Realm. Is this how a fucking leader acts? Hogging all the profits for yourself while sending your people to pull dirty tricks behind everyone’s backs?”

”Xushan, are you trying to provoke me?” Xiang Wentian erupted in fury, a terrifying light shooting from his deep-set eyes.

In truth, arguing had been the central theme of their discussions for some time. But Xushan had never taken part, so no one knew why he had suddenly become so aggressive today.

Was it simply because he was tired of listening? Everyone present was a crafty old fox with deep-seated schemes; of course, none of them would believe such a simple reason.

The only other possibility was that Xushan had received some news—that he now held a powerful trump card!

Xiang Wentian’s gaze flickered as he secretly speculated.

Xushan smiled faintly. ”No need to guess, Sect Leader Xiang. Your Dubhe Sect’s forces in the Imperial Capital have been wiped out! And the people of the Ancient Race have already appeared.”

The room was plunged into a deathly silence. Everyone wore looks of utter astonishment.

While the other sects didn’t know the exact details of the forces the Dubhe Sect had deployed in the Cangqiong Imperial Capital, they all knew they were by no means weak.

The way Xushan said it made it sound as if the Ancient Race had made a move and annihilated the Dubhe Sect’s forces in the Cangqiong Imperial Capital.

Just then, someone knocked and entered, leaning close to Xiang Wentian to deliver a voice transmission.

Xiang Wentian’s face flushed beet red. He snapped his head up, a terrifying light erupting from his eyes as he glared at Ling Fengwu and Xushan. He ground out through clenched teeth, ”Xu Luo...!”