Stronger by Killing

Lingxi Mountain, a great mountain located on the border of Pingyang Prefecture, is famous throughout Canglan Dao—not because of any special features of the mountain itself, but because it houses a top-tier sect: the Lingxi Sword Sect.

This Lingxi Sword Sect has been rooted in Pingyang Prefecture for over a hundred years, its sphere of influence vast. Although it belongs to Pingyang Prefecture, its reach spans the land of three county mansions, an unmatched overlord within several hundred miles.

The Martial World influences in this region all take the Lingxi Sword Sect as their center.

As one of the seven top-tier forces of Pingyang Prefecture, it has been many years since anyone dared provoke the Lingxi Sword Sect. Even though in recent years the sect has struggled with an aging leadership and lack of successors, with three Great Cultivators overseeing, its prestige has hardly waned.

However, today the whole Lingxi Sword Sect is in uproar and rage,

Sword Elder Chen Ranfeng has been killed.

Once this news returned to Lingxi Sword Sect, the entire sect was thrown into an uproar. Countless disciples shouted for revenge, likewise feeling humiliated,

because the one who killed Chen Ranfeng was none other than Gu Zhan, the Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand Households they had never taken seriously.

Even though the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been causing an uproar with their reconstruction lately, to a first-class sect like Lingxi Sword Sect, they did not care much at all,

Mere Embroidered Uniform Guard, nothing but clowns making a fuss,

Yet now, this clown had brazenly killed the Sword Elder. The whole sect was shocked and furious, coming to request revenge before the Sect Leader’s courtyard and demanding the sect’s honor be restored.

At this moment, in a grand hall,

The high-ranking officials of Lingxi Sword Sect were all gathered,

At the head sat, naturally, the sect leader Ding Jianxiao. He sat at the main seat, face expressionless, betraying no emotion, listening as the ranks raged in indignation, yet saying nothing for a long time.

After a good while, the hall finally quieted down.

Ding Jianxiao slowly stood and said, "Gentlemen, publicly, I am the sect leader; now that our Sword Elder has been killed, both for the sect’s name and to give an account to all our disciples, we must seek vengeance,

Privately, the Sword Elder was my uncle-master, watched me grow up—if not blood, closer than kin. Now that he’s suffered foul play, I cannot sit idly by."

Finishing, Ding Jianxiao looked at the crowd and said, "However, Gu Zhan is a deeply hidden character—no one expected he’d turn out to be a Great Cultivator. And now, he stands atop righteousness. If we act hastily against him, whether or not we can kill him, the trouble it brings would be grave, damaging to the sect."

As soon as his words fell,

An elder immediately shouted in anger, "So are we to let this go? Let that brat murder our sect elders at will?"

"Yes, Sect Leader! If we just let this go, not only shall we refuse, but the thousands of disciples within the sect will also never agree!"

"I’m afraid that from now on, our Lingxi Sword Sect will become a laughingstock throughout the Martial World!"

"..."

Ding Jianxiao spoke slowly: "Do not be impatient. I’m not saying we won’t avenge him, but that we must make long-term plans. Now Gu Zhan wields his power like a token, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard has a joint statement in hand. If we strike at him now, we will be unable to justify ourselves.

This is different from when the Sword Elder went to deal with him. At that time, Gu Zhan had no evidence for the collusion between the Youyang noble families and the Mang Mountain Thieves. But now, after he exterminated several noble families, he surely has evidence—and perhaps... even dirt on our Lingxi Sword Sect.

Our foremost task now is not revenge, but to deal with the trouble. If the Sword Elder had not gone to Youyang City to strike at Gu Zhan, even if Gu Zhan held evidence, we could deny having any knowledge. But since the Sword Elder went, how can we deny it now? To collude with the Mang Mountain Thieves is a crime the Court and the Martial World both will not tolerate—do you not realize what a crime this is? If handled poorly, it will spell annihilation for our entire sect!"

In a flash, the hall fell silent.

Colluding with the Mang Mountain Thieves—not simply a matter for the Court. If it was just the Court, in this Yunxi land, Lingxi Sword Sect would not have cared. The problem is the Mang Mountain Thieves are notorious, unbearable to the Righteous Dao Martial World as well. If handled poorly, Lingxi Sword Sect would become the target of universal hatred.

After a brief silence, someone asked: "Then, Sect Leader, how do you intend to handle it?"

Ding Jianxiao narrowed his eyes and said: "We must act quickly to contact the other first-tier powers, ask them to form an alliance and resist the pressure from Beidou Bang’s sub-branch, so our Lingxi Sword Sect can extricate itself cleanly."

An elder asked in surprise: "You mean to put all the blame on the Sword Elder? How can this be?"

"Do you have another solution then?" Ding Jianxiao said coldly. "If we don’t push it onto the Sword Elder, then it becomes our entire Lingxi Sword Sect colluded with the Mang Mountain Thieves. By then, not only the Beidou Sub-Branch, even the other forces in Pingyang Prefecture will be forced by reputation to turn against us. That will spell annihilation for all of us. Is it better for the Sword Elder alone to bear this burden or for our whole sect to be destroyed? You may consider for yourselves!"

The higher-ups all fell silent,

All knew that shifting the blame onto a dead man was far better than letting the entire sect be implicated.

Ding Jianxiao pondered for a moment longer, then said: "There is no other way now. Both publicly and privately, I do not want the Sword Elder to die bearing such infamy, but we have no other choice."

An elder asked, "But will the other two sects and four families willingly help us at such a time?"

Ding Jianxiao narrowed his eyes and said, "It’s not helping us—they’re helping themselves. Now Gu Zhan has revealed the power of a Great Cultivator; the joint statement, once dismissed by everyone, has now become a real threat.

A Sixth Young Master with just a joint statement and an ordinary Embroidered Uniform Guard, they would never care. But now, the Sixth Young Master not only holds the principle of righteousness, but wields a sharp blade in his hand—they will begin to fear.

They will certainly help us Lingxi Sword Sect shed responsibility. If any sect among the Three Sects and Four Families falls at this time, it will only fuel the arrogance and power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard infinitely. What’s more, it will open up a breach that cannot be sealed. This is the greatest problem—they will never permit it."

The hall was silent for a long while,

The high-ranking members all agreed with Ding Jianxiao’s plan.

Someone asked: "And what about Gu Zhan?"

"Don’t concern yourselves with him," Ding Jianxiao said. "This is a race against time. He would never dare charge straight here to our Lingxi Sword Sect; he’ll surely report to the Beidou Bang Sub-Branch. Before the Beidou Bang Sub-Branch can act, we’ll finish our coordination with the others—once the entire Pingyang Martial World is involved, even the Beidou Bang Sub-Branch must have some scruples. Then, by shifting all blame onto the Sword Elder, this matter will be concluded."

Just then,

The hall suddenly filled with a disturbance of primordial qi,

An old man with white hair slowly appeared and spoke blandly, "Jian Xiao, you have miscalculated one thing: If Gu Zhan does not die, this affair will never end!"