Chapter 125: Chaos Begins with Two Women (Part 1)
The Law Hall elder said expressionlessly, “In all matters, we judge by actions, not intentions. Upholding the rules must be the same. Regardless of how you, Sect Master, view us, according to Lishan’s sect rules, Seventh Disciple must be interrogated by the Law Hall.”
Bai Cai said angrily, “Uncle Hong, if we judge by actions and not intentions, then aside from that one look Third Senior Brother gave before he died, did Junior Brother do anything wrong? What exactly did he do that requires him to be brought before the Law Hall for interrogation?”
Xiaosong Palace looked at him with a cold smile and said, “Liang Xiaoxiao only looked at her once, but he made it very clear: that wolf cub is the true culprit who colluded with the demon race to wreak havoc in the Zhou Garden. And in the Zhou Garden, and even outside it, at least several hundred pairs of eyes saw clearly: Seventh Disciple and that wolf cub were embracing each other, exchanging flirtatious glances. What kind of relationship do they have?”
Most people didn’t understand the meaning behind Elder Xiaosong Palace’s words, but those who knew Seventh Disciple’s background changed expression drastically. Before these people could speak to stop him, Xiaosong Palace shouted, “Seventh Disciple is Little Master’s own daughter!”
A clamor erupted across all the peaks.
“She is a woman, yet she dallies with a wolf clan demon, even having intimate physical contact. Does she have no shame? Where does she place Lishan’s honorable reputation? Why can’t the Law Hall interrogate her?”
Xiaosong Palace’s cold, malicious voice echoed at the peak’s summit and, through the sound transmission formation, rang out across the other peaks. For a moment, all the peaks fell silent. The Lishan disciples were too shocked to speak. Little Junior Brother Seventh Disciple… was actually a woman? And moreover… the biological daughter of Master’s Uncle? Were all these things true?
Xiaosong Palace stared into the Sect Master’s eyes and said mockingly, “If she weren’t Little Master’s daughter, why would you dote on her so much? Whatever she wants, you give her. Did Han Shi and the others ever receive such treatment? Even Qiu Shan—have you treated him as well as Seventh Disciple? Do you think I don’t know? You even wanted to pass the position of Sect Master to her!”
Hearing this, the disciples on Lishan’s peaks were even more astonished. Bai Cai was anxious and wanted to say something, but the Sect Master stopped her. The Sect Master looked at Xiaosong Palace and shook his head, a faint expression of mockery and sorrow on his face.
—He did indeed dote on Seventh Disciple exceptionally, far more than on Gou Han Shi and the others, even beyond Qiu Shan. But that wasn’t because Seventh Disciple was Little Master’s daughter or his final disciple. It was because Seventh Disciple was a girl. Such a simple truth, the Sect Master knew Qiu Shan and the others understood and accepted. That was why, over the years, they had also been especially fond of her. He believed Xiaosong Palace understood this too, but at this moment, how could the other party be willing to listen?
Xiaosong Palace did not cease his attack because of the Sect Master’s silence. He continued coldly, “The position of Lishan Sword Sect’s Sect Master is not yours to give. If you want to pass it to Seventh Disciple, you’ll have to see if we agree.”
The Sect Master looked at him calmly and asked, “Then in your view, who should the position of Lishan Sword Sect’s Sect Master belong to?”
Xiaosong Palace said, “The position of Lishan Sword Sect’s Sect Master should, in the future, naturally belong to Nephew Qiu Shan!”
This statement was very forceful. Whether among the disciples on the peaks or even Bai Cai, who was supporting the Sect Master, everyone felt this was only natural. The entire Lishan Sword Sect, and even the whole world, had long accepted this as a given.
“After all this talk, it still comes back to the position of Sect Master.” The Sect Master looked at Xiaosong Palace, his eyes filled with pity, even sympathy: “When will you, Senior Brother, learn to see a little further?”
Xiaosong Palace became inexplicably enraged by the other’s gaze and shouted, “Do you think I am a man greedy for power and status? Do you think I am committing treason today for my own benefit?”
The Sect Master smiled calmly and said, “Or perhaps, you might be acting for the benefit of the entire human world.”
Without a doubt, this was sarcasm.
Bai Cai, supporting the Sect Master, laughed. The dozens of Lishan disciples with blood on their clothes in front of the cave dwelling also laughed. Only Xiaosong Palace, the two Law Hall elders, and their disciples could not find it amusing.
Xiaosong Palace took a deep breath and said, “Hand over the Ten Thousand Sword Formation and step down. Let Seventh Disciple be interrogated. I will only act as interim leader for five years, then retire to the back mountain and hand the Sect Master position to Nephew Qiu Shan.”
The Sect Master ignored him, turned to the two Law Hall elders, and asked, “Two Senior Brothers, do you also support this proposal?”
The Law Hall elder said expressionlessly, “Whether you, Sect Master, step down or not is not for the Law Hall to decide. But if you insist on not handing over Seventh Disciple, the Law Hall will demand that you temporarily surrender your authority.”
The Sect Master said calmly, “Since the two Senior Brothers wish to discuss sect rules, then I will discuss sect rules.”
The Law Hall elder said expressionlessly, “Sect Master, please speak.”
“Little Master is currently trapped in the northern lands. The Lishan Sword Formation has been in operation for many days, awaiting specific news. Yesterday afternoon, news arrived that Little Master appeared in Xunyang City. The three elders of the Sword Hall led the sect’s elite into the sword formation, preparing to go to Xunyang City to support Little Master. Who could have anticipated that Elder Xiaosong Palace would collude with outsiders from the Eternal Life Sect, secretly sabotaging the sword formation last night, trapping the three Sword Hall elders and our Lishan elite within the mountain’s belly. If my disciple Seventh Disciple supporting the wolf clan youth in the Zhou Garden is considered a crime, then I dare ask the two Law Hall elders—what crime is this?”
The Sect Master looked at the two Law Hall elders and asked, “Now Little Master is severely wounded, isolated and without aid. If he dies at the hands of those petty villains… Since the two Senior Brothers do not bear a grudge against Little Master over the old matter of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, shouldn’t you first abolish Elder Xiaosong Palace’s cultivation and throw him into the Law Hall’s prison?”
The Law Hall elders remained silent. The Sect Master looked at them and revealed a mocking smile. Bai Cai spat on the ground in front of her, utterly disgusted. After a moment of silence across Lishan’s peaks, countless angry curses erupted.
“If Su Li… is our Lishan’s Master’s Uncle, then Elder Xiaosong Palace’s actions are naturally the great crime of betraying the sect.”
One of the Law Hall elders suddenly spoke: “But if Su Li himself is guilty of betraying the sect, then Elder Xiaosong Palace’s actions are not a crime at all; on the contrary, they are a great merit.”
The Lishan Sect Master narrowed his eyes slightly, said nothing, and his expression of mockery was plain for all to see. Bai Cai, supporting him, sneered, “Keep making up stories. Keep going. The tales you’re weaving, I doubt even Second Senior Brother or Chen Changsheng have heard them.”
“Su Li was always a madman.”
Xiaosong Palace said, “He was the one who stopped the Northern Expedition back then. He was also the one who prevented the unification of north and south over the past ten years. What exactly does he want? He is not older than us, and he joined the sect later than us. If it weren’t for his luck, why should we call him Master’s Uncle? Where is he trying to lead Lishan? You may not care, but there are Lishan disciples who do!”
By this point, neither Xiaosong Palace nor the two Law Hall elders addressed Su Li as Master’s Uncle anymore, but called him by his name directly—these people who had stormed Lishan’s main peak had finally revealed their intentions. They wanted to use Liang Xiaoxiao’s death to attack Seventh Disciple, and ultimately use this matter to completely erase Su Li’s influence from Lishan.
Of course, all of this was built on one foundation.
Su Li must die.
(Next chapter, I’ll try to write it before half past twelve.)