Chapter 707: Council Meeting (II)
The entire council hall fell silent.
Everyone turned to look at Qi Xuansu.
His words were razor-sharp, bordering on harsh.
Everyone present was seasoned in navigating storms. They all understood that Qi Xuansu was just a vanguard. Today’s council was a true close-quarters confrontation between the factions.
Li Ruoshui did not rush to speak. Her expression remained unreadable.
Many thought the Mansion Master would erupt in anger and that Deputy Hall Master Zhang and Deputy Mansion Master Shi would follow with comments.
But against everyone’s expectations, Li Ruoshui did not speak harshly. Instead, she flashed a perfectly measured smile and said, “Superintendent Qi, you’ve raised a very sharp question that put me, the only Omniscient Sage here, on the spot. But I’m not humiliated by it. In fact, I think it’s an excellent point. Everyone here, including the Deputy Mansion Masters and Superintendents, must have the courage to confront such issues.
“As the Mansion Master and an Omniscient Sage, I’m not exempt from supervision. I need even stricter supervision. The view is better from higher up, but the burden is also heavier. Promotion in rank does not equate to moral or spiritual elevation. On the contrary, the higher one’s status, the greater the temptations and the more likely one is to make grave errors with greater consequences. My authority is granted by the Daoist Order, and every Daoist has the right and duty to supervise me. I accept all such oversight with openness.
“On this matter, our Daoist elders foresaw the need and thus created the positions of Chief and Second Deputy Mansion Masters. Though they are not of equal rank to the Mansion Master, they are tasked with counterbalancing and supervising me. Chief Deputy Zhou, Second Deputy Shi, I hope you two will uphold the power and responsibilities granted to you by the Daoist Order. Fulfill the expectations placed upon you by our predecessors. Even if you treat me as a rival and oppose me at every turn, that’s fine—because only then will I remain vigilant, as if treading on thin ice, always mindful of the sword hanging above my head.
“At the same time, I hope our Daoist Order will have more people like Superintendent Qi—those who dare to speak with substance and who do not blindly follow authority. Superiors should avoid monopolizing decisions. Peers should avoid forming cliques, infighting, or undermining each other. Let us advance and retreat together as one.”
When Li Ruoshui finished her monologue, she scanned the room.