Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

Upon his return, Ling Xiao immediately gathered Shangguan Yutong, Su Xue, and the other four. He recounted what had just happened, holding almost nothing back. Just as he expected, they were all dumbstruck.

None of them could have imagined that such a deeply hidden organization existed in the world! And its strength was so immense it would make even the so-called super-clans feel hopelessly inferior.

Su Xue's fine brows furrowed slightly. "Ling Xiao," she said softly, "are you certain everything they told you is true?"

Ling Xiao nodded, then gave a slight shake of his head. "I can't think of any reason they would have to lie to me. Besides, I've always suspected the Holy Sanctuary... wasn't created by the Saint Domain Emperor."

"Why?" Shangguan Yutong suddenly asked.

Ling Xiao smiled and said, "I suspect you've known for a while, haven't you?"

Shangguan Yutong blushed. "Yes," she admitted. "When I received my inheritance, my ancestor told me that the Saint Domain Emperor was, in fact, a fraud. But... it was just too earth-shattering, and I didn't think it had much to do with us, so I never mentioned it!"

"Gods, to think something like that actually happened," Su Xue sighed.

Meanwhile, Thirteenth Master and Fourteenth Master listened with their jaws agape. They were different from people like Su Xue and Shangguan Yutong; the Sea Domain Song Family was a true first-class family.

They knew a great deal about the Saint Domain Emperor; in fact, the information Ling Xiao possessed about him had originally come from Song Mingyue. Therefore, they found this claim difficult to believe.

Thirteenth Master shook his head. "Why would the Saint Domain Emperor do that?"

Just then, Su Xue and Ling Xiao exchanged a glance, a spark of understanding passing between them. Su Xue smiled. "Why don't you explain, Sect Leader."

Ling Xiao deferred, "No, Elder Su, you should."

Su Xue nodded. "Very well, I'll say it. My guess is that the Saint Domain Emperor was after one thing: the power of faith!"

"The power of faith?"

Aside from Ling Xiao, only Quefeng wore a thoughtful expression. Shangguan Yutong, Thirteenth Master, and Fourteenth Master all looked bewildered. As for Tiger, he knew little about such topics and thus almost never spoke during these meetings.

"That's right, the power of faith." Su Xue glanced at Tiger, then continued softly, "As the High Priest of the Penzes Swamp Beast Race, I know a little about this. When everyone believed in me, the growth of my Spiritual Power was unbelievably fast! Think about it—back then, my Dantian had been destroyed. I couldn't practice martial arts. So how could I have possibly possessed such immense Spiritual Power? While the Su Family has its own Secret Technique to enhance one's strength, it's not that miraculous! It was the faith of all my people in the Beast Race that allowed my power to grow like that!"

Su Xue revealed this to the group without batting an eye. She wasn't afraid, because the loyalty of everyone present to Ling Xiao was unquestionable. Even with Thirteenth Master and Fourteenth Master, who hailed from the Sea Domain Song Family, Su Xue was completely confident that they would never do anything to betray Ling Xiao.

Besides, the power of faith was hardly so simple. Admiration wasn't the same as true faith. To become an object of faith for others... Su Xue glanced up at Ling Xiao. 'Only he could ever achieve that,' she thought.

"How incredible!" Shangguan Yutong exclaimed. "It's no wonder my ancestor lost to the Saint Domain Emperor. He... he was truly formidable!"

Indeed. The Saint Domain Emperor had played his hand brilliantly. The vast majority of High-level Martial Artists in the Mortal World believed he had founded the Holy Sanctuary. Among them were countless devout followers. And since a Martial Artist's Spiritual Power grew with their overall strength, the Emperor reaped ever-greater benefits.

Even Ling Xiao couldn't help but nod. He glanced at Shangguan Yutong. 'It was truly a misfortune for Yutong's ancestor to have faced such an opponent,' he thought.

At that moment, Su Xue suddenly asked, "Sect Leader, did you really promise those people you would help when the Demon Realm attacks?"

Fourteenth Master spoke up. "I don't see why you should! It's obvious they just want to use the experts from the hidden families and sects as cannon fodder. When it comes to their own families' interests, I doubt many powerhouses at the Sword Venerable Realm will agree to their terms!"

For once, Thirteenth Master didn't argue with his brother. He sneered from the side, "Exactly. I'm sure they'll approach our family's ancestors as well. Since those Guardians reap so many benefits from their position, they can do the guarding themselves!"

Shangguan Yutong frowned slightly. "But this concerns the very survival of all humankind. If we don't help, wouldn't that be a little too selfish?"

Su Xue smiled at Shangguan Yutong and chuckled softly. "Yutong, you're too kind-hearted. Realistically, even if Ling Xiao does step in, how much can he really change? Think about it. According to what he said, the Holy Sanctuary is also filled with countless organizations, families, and other major powers. It has Crystal Stones, Crystal Ore Veins... and where there are resources, there is conflict. Do you really believe those Guardians are the representatives of justice? For that matter, are we even sure the Demon Realm will go on a killing spree the moment they enter human territory?"

"But... but what if they do? What should we do then?"

Shangguan Yutong was kind by nature; she was no match for the hardened shrewdness of Su Xue, who had endured so many hardships.

Su Xue gave a cold smile. "Even if the forces of the Demon Realm don't start the killing... I'm sure someone else will. After all, the Demon Realm is a foreign race. Once everyone's emotions are whipped into a frenzy, who is going to bother figuring out who's really doing the killing?"