Great Li Martial God

At those words, the entire meeting hall immediately fell silent.

The Second Deputy Leader’s expression shifted through several phases, and in the end he could only say with a dark look, ”Then go ahead and tell us what the second matter is.”

None of them dared question Yu Xiongbatian’s decisions, and so no matter how little they liked the idea of the Alliance Under Heaven merging into the World Assembly, they had no choice but to pinch their noses and accept it.

”As for the second matter, I imagine the Deputy Leaders will all have guessed it. It is the matter of forming an alliance with the Primal Yin Origin Sect and the Great Yan Sword Sect.”

The middle-aged scholar spoke on, his tone as calm as ever, as though he had already anticipated everyone’s reactions, ”The Grand Alliance Leader’s instruction is that this matter is to be led by the Fifth Deputy Leader, who will handle negotiations with the other two sects on the alliance’s behalf. I will be at hand to assist.”

”As for the remaining Deputy Leaders, your task is to give your full support to ensure both of these matters are accomplished. The Grand Alliance Leader has said that only by completing these two things can the Alliance Under Heaven hold its footing in the Great Li martial world going forward and face the Great Li court without fear.”

At those words, the assembled Deputy Leaders in the meeting hall exchanged looks, but said nothing further. They immediately voiced their agreement in unison, expressing that they would of course follow the Grand Alliance Leader’s orders.

The Second Deputy Leader’s expression was difficult to read. He clasped his hands toward the middle-aged scholar and said, ”Since it is the Alliance Leader’s decision, we will naturally follow it. I will go and begin preparations immediately, and aim to set out for Great Wu as soon as possible.”

With that, he wasted no more time in the meeting hall and excused himself to leave.

Before long, the Second Deputy Leader returned to his own hall, sat alone in his golden chair, and with a single palm reduced the golden armrest at his side to dust.”That such a humiliating errand should fall to me, the Second Deputy Leader. What face will I have left in the alliance after this?”

The Second Deputy Leader’s expression was dark. The Alliance Under Heaven merging into the Great Wu World Assembly was essentially handing the entire alliance over on a platter.

When this news spread through the martial world, people who did not know better would assume it was he, as Second Deputy Leader, who had surrendered the alliance’s sovereignty and submitted to the martial world of Great Wu, nailing him to the wall of Great Li’s martial world as a symbol of disgrace.

”And why should Huo Linfei be the one to represent the Alliance Under Heaven in negotiating with the Primal Yin Origin Sect and the Great Yan Sword Sect?”

”This is clearly the demeaning role, certain to invite criticism. Why should that not go to Huo Linfei instead?”

The Second Deputy Leader’s unnamed fury burned hotter and hotter, all his resentment directed at Yu Xiongbatian’s favoritism.

Before this, Huo Linfei’s unparalleled martial gifts had been real, and he was genuinely considered a once-in-a-century prodigy in the martial world. He had tolerated the special treatment partly because of the young man’s reputation and Yu Xiongbatian’s regard for him.

But today was different from before. Great Li had produced an Eighth Prince, and Huo Linfei’s so-called once-in-a-century gifts were not even worth carrying the man’s shoes. What was there still to boast about?

”Someone come!”

The Second Deputy Leader suddenly called out in a low and sharp voice.

In the next instant, an elder drifted into the hall without sound, taking a position beside the Second Deputy Leader and saying quietly, ”What does the Deputy Leader require?”

The Second Deputy Leader glanced at the man and narrowed his eyes, ”Send an urgent letter to the Fifth Deputy Leader, Huo Linfei...”

Before long, the elder’s figure retreated from the hall, and the Second Deputy Leader watched his departing back with cold and brooding eyes.

”Huo Linfei. Even if I cannot move against you directly, I can still make things unpleasant for you.”

...

At that same time, something almost identical to what had happened at the Primal Yin Origin Sect and the Alliance Under Heaven was playing out at the Great Yan Sword Sect.

The only difference was that unlike the other two sects, after the Great Yan Sword Sect leader held an urgent consultation with the senior sword sect elders, he sent a letter to the Great Li imperial capital at the very first opportunity.

As for what the letter contained, and to whom it was addressed, no one outside the sect leader and a few senior elders knew.

...

Qing Province, the Celestial River Blade Sect.

By that point the entire sect had been completely encircled by the Alliance Under Heaven’s people, sealed as tight as a drum, without so much as a bird able to escape.

At the back mountain of the Celestial River Blade Sect, a silvery waterfall plunged from sheer cliffs above, and through the haze of drifting mist it looked like a celestial river pouring down to earth.

Around the waterfall at that moment, a large gathering of Celestial River Blade Sect elders, hall masters, and a portion of the sect’s core disciples had assembled.

Among them, Shangguan Qingqing and Qin Hao knelt beside the silver waterfall like condemned prisoners, hands bound tightly behind their backs, facing a blade stele that clearly dated back many centuries.

”Reflect! Reflect on what you have done!”

A short old man with disheveled white hair and a bright red, veined nose glared at the two of them and scolded them at the top of his voice.

Standing beside him, several Celestial River Blade Sect elders reached out to tug at his robe and spoke up to reason with him, ”Come now, Qingqing and little Hao are still young...”

”Exactly. Old Bai, having two young people kneel in front of this many people, with their tender sensibilities, how will they hold their heads up in the sect afterward?”

A tall, thin elder furrowed his brow as he spoke, clearly very dissatisfied with this very public punishment of disciples.

The young disciple standing beside the tall elder tugged at his sleeve and said with a down-turned mouth, ”Master, never mind that. The sect is about to be destroyed. Whether they can hold their heads up doesn’t really seem to matter much?”

At those words, the tall elder immediately turned and shot him a look, ”Then shall I have you kneel beside them? Would you like that?”

”Ah?”

The young disciple froze immediately, then waved his hands rapidly in refusal, ”I haven’t done anything wrong. Why should I kneel?”

”And besides, if you make me do something that embarrassing, Master, you might as well cut me down on the spot right now. Otherwise when I look back on it afterward, I’ll die of shame and throw myself off a cliff on the spot!”

...

At the same time, Shangguan Qingqing and Qin Hao knelt with their heads lowered on the rough stone ground, listening to the comments from elders, junior uncles and aunts, senior and junior sect siblings all around them.

Both of them had faces flushed red, nearly drawing blood from the roots of their ears.

Even so, neither of them said a word. They simply kept their heads pressed as low as possible, as though if they could not see the people around them, those people simply did not exist.

And right at that moment, a deep and resonant voice suddenly rang out above the entire back mountain, ”Bai Zihua, that is enough!”

Then a handsome, elegant middle-aged man in flowing white robes with black hair falling to his shoulders came treading on blade light from the front of the sect, arriving in an instant to hover above the crowd of people on the back mountain.

The moment they saw this person, every elder and disciple stood straight at once, clasped their hands, and bowed in greeting, calling out together, ”We pay our respects to the Sect Leader!”

The middle-aged man hovering in the air waved a hand, ”At ease.”

His gaze then settled on the short old man, ”Untie Qingqing and little Hao.”

”I am up front standing against the Alliance Under Heaven, and you are back here lighting fires behind me. What nonsense is this?”