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"First Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun greeted the old man with a nod and looked at the two Elders following the old man with an inscrutable look as they walked into his abode.
"Spare me the greetings, Sect Master," the First Grand Elder grunted taking a seat opposite to him, as Elder Feng and Elder Xu stood behind him. "I have to acquire an explanation for the actions the Vice-Sect Master Liang Tianye has been committing. I was never informed of the fact that he had taken along several Elders and Senior Disciples to pick a fight with righteous sects until now. Do you have any answer to that?"
Sect Master Yun's eyebrows rose hearing the clear hostility in the voice of the First Grand Elder. When the meeting had been scheduled, he thought that the First Grand Elder was already aware of this fact. After all, Elder Feng was the one who set up the entire ambush in the first place.
But, from the looks of it, it didn't seem like he knew about it until recently. This spoke volumes to him. As much as he wanted to check Elder Feng's reaction, he didn't glance at her. He merely smiled at the First Grand Elder.
"We are merely reclaiming our prestige that we lost in recent times," Sect Master Yun waved his hands nonchalantly. "Doesn't the Grand Elder want to see our sect's prestige increase further?"
"Hmph, don't try to paint me with your words, Sect Master. I saw you grow up and know what kind of tricks you are fond of pulling. What I am asking is why wasn't I informed about such a major movement?"
"Is there a need? After all, Liang Tianye is only doing what should be done. I thought you would like such actions considering how you used to lament about the waning prestige of the sect."
"But, have you thought about the consequences of your actions?"
"Grand Elder, I am not a child. Neither is Liang Tianye. We have already considered the consequences and have planned for them as well. We needed to do something major after we took stepbacks in the last two incidents."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Incidents that you perpetrated,"
"Ah, the incident with the Soul Lotus was my mistake. However, the Grotto Heaven had nothing to do with me," Sect Master Yun smiled brightly.
For the first time since the conversation began, the First Grand Elder shot him a quelling look. He made it clear that he didn't believe those words one bit.
"Don't take me for a fool, Sect Master. You had people ready to enter the Grotto Heaven immediately after it opened. It was as if you knew that it would be opened. More importantly, you even gave out specific instructions to those who entered," the First Grand Elder spoke in an accusing tone causing Sect Master Yun's smile to fade a bit.
"The instructions I gave were the ones that every Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect gave. I have followed what our ancestors did. I don't see why you are faulting me for that," Sect Master Yun retorted calmly.
"I see that you are avoiding answering the question of how you came to know about the opening of the Grotto Heaven. Fine, so be it. I won't press. But, you conveniently went into seclusion when the other sects came demanding entry into a Grotto Heaven that was in our sect's region of authority. I won't even ask about it, but I want to know why you and Liang Tianye planned a massacre during the closing of the Grotto Heaven."
Just as Sect Master Yun wanted to speak, the First Grand Elder raised his hand to interrupt him.
"Don't deny it. Of the six Grotto Heavens in the vicinity of our sect, we have acquired the legacy of none of them. Every time they opened, every Sect Master of this sect had ordered that none should enter the Central regions of the Grotto Heaven. I find that intriguing."
"Do you know what else I find intriguing? Three of the cultivators who ended up acquiring the legacies from these Grotto Heavens were hunted down and killed by our sect in the last fifty years. One ascended. The last one has gone back to Central Continent, leaving only one person present in Dragon Scale Continent who has acquired the legacy."
"And that person is Huang Muyang! Funnily enough, your target this time is the same Huang Muyang. You have worked with our moles inside the Seven Clouds Sect and almost exposed them in order to lead Huang Muyang into the trap. I don't know if our moles inside the Seven Clouds Sect can withstand scrutiny after this. But, as the Sect Master, you didn't seem to care about this at all."
"Furthermore, you and Liang Tianye are acting in a manner that's more worrying. You have sabotaged our relationship with our subordinate sects in the last decade severely. You have also caused tensions to erupt between us and the two hegemonic righteous sects as well. Now, you have targeted a Spirit Severance realm cultivator from the Seven Clouds sect. Do you even know the value of a Spirit Severance cultivator Sect Master?"
"Sects have gone to war for targeting Nascent Soul experts. You have gone a step further ahead. Do you understand the consequences of your actions? From where I am sitting, it looks like you are picking a fight with the entire cultivation world of the Dragon Scale Continent. A fight we can't afford to fight because all our relationships with our subordinate sects are already damaged. Tell me, Sect Master, are you trying to end the sect under your regime?"
The First Grand Elder spoke lengthily and looked at Sect Master Yun sharply.
Sect Master Yun didn't react to the First Grand Elder's accusations immediately. He looked at the First Grand Elder in a calculative manner and raked his eyes over the emotions displayed on Elder Xu and Feng's faces.
Elder Xu sported a worrying look on his face. He looked as if he wanted to butt in into the conversation. But, he was able to somehow refrain himself. On the other hand, Elder Feng was looking at both him and the First Grand Elder in a calculative manner.
The First Grand Elder had revealed some darning details regarding the actions of himself and Liang Tianye in the recent decade. The information about them hunting down and killing off the three loose cultivators who had emerged with legacies from the Grotto Heaven wasn't known widely. However, this information had been somehow obtained by the First Grand Elder.
Moreover, their ploy to deal with Huang Muyang had also been revealed. The fact that they have prepared an ambush for Huang Muyang was pretty wild in itself. If these words hadn't come out of the mouth of the First Grand Elder, no one would believe it. But, it was this old man who was unmasking all their activities. So, it held credibility.
As for his accusation regarding his planning the demise of the sect, Sect Master Yun could only marvel at the intuitiveness of the old man. That was the kind of information that very few people knew. Even the other elders who went out with Liang Tianye didn't know their final motives. They all thought that they were only establishing the prestige of the sect.
Looking at Elder Feng, Sect Master Yun felt his irritation rising a bit. There was no shock or disturbed expression on her face. There was only calculation writ upon it. It was clear that their plan to end the Heavenly Demon Sect was not news to her at all. Sect Master Yun cursed Liang Tianye in his heart and moved his eyes back to the First Grand Elder who was waiting for his response.
"I think you are being an alarmist here, Grand Elder," Sect Master Yun calmly replied. "Like I said, we have taken steps regarding the consequences of our actions. You don't need to be worried about it much."
The First Grand Elder snorted in Sect Master Yun's face and gave out a derisive chuckle. He shook his head and looked at the Sect Master Yun as if looking at a fool.
"Do you think that I am that easy to fool? I wonder what gave you the confidence to act so brazenly. Is it that idiot Grand Elder Sun? I don't see him here, do I? What have you sent him out on? Do you think you can contain me without the Third Grand Elder present?" the First Grand Elder asked domineeringly.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Grand Elder, there is no need to badmouth Grand Elder Sun here," Sect Master Yun chuckled. "It is true that I have sent him out on an errand that is very essential to the sect's future. As for the Third Grand Elder, he has already returned to the Dragon Scale Continent two years ago. Right now, he is out on an errand as well. Apart from you, everyone else is on board with our plans."
For the first time since he sat, the First Grand Elder's face showed surprise. It was clear to Sect Master Yun that the news about the Third Grand Elder returning to the continent two years ago was an unpleasant surprise to the First Grand Elder.
"Grand Elder Dong has returned to the continent, huh? That's news to me. No wonder you have been bold in the last two years. Still, it doesn't change the fact that he isn't here at all. So, what gives you the courage that you could contain me without them here?"
The First Grand Elder recovered quickly from his surprise and looked at Sect Master Yun in a pressurizing manner. Their eyes clashed and sparks emitted midair. Sect Master Yun's jovial expression changed and he became serious as well.
"What makes you think I would need their help to contain you, old man?" Sect Master Yun sneered and unleashed his cultivation completely without hiding it anymore.
The pressure that emanated from the Sect Master Yun sent both Elder Feng and Elder Xu reeling. They couldn't stand still anymore. Their faces changed drastically as they realized that the pressure that the Sect Master exuded was way too stronger than a Spirit Severance realm cultivator.
They both vividly remembered Sect Master Yun unleashing his pressure just a month ago during a sect meeting. At that time the domineering aura that erupted from his cultivation wasn't this much.
Everyone in the sect knew that the Sect Master went into retreat to break through to the Spirit Severance realm when the Grotto Heaven opened. But, the pressure he exuded at this moment was far higher than that.
"Dao Transformation Realm!!!"
Elder Feng and Elder Xu exclaimed in unison as they knelt down from the pressure.
*****
A/N: Check out my other stories and let me know your thoughts...
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