Chapter 207: Fear
Within the Xuanming Sect.
Ever since the retaliatory attacks against the survivors of the Artifact Sect had started in the sect's territories, Song You, the sect master, had raised his attention toward the Nine Cauldrons Sect to the highest level. After all, they had been the ones pushing the matter forward from behind the scenes.
The Xuanming Sect had suffered defeat in the East Sea and lost more than three hundred great cultivators in one blow. How could they possibly not give their own sect an explanation?
But taking revenge on the current Nine Cauldrons Sect was no different from seeking death.
One has to pick an easy target. Considering the current circumstances, the survivors of the Artifact Sect became the target for the Xuanming Sect disciples to vent their anger on. They had some connection to the Nine Cauldrons Sect, yet at the same time they were much easier to deal with.
In other words, the current situation, where everyone in the sect was rejecting, looting, and killing survivors of the Artifact Sect, had been tacitly approved by Song You, the sect master, and the other higher-ups of the Xuanming Sect.
Since they had done it, they naturally had to be prepared to bear the consequences. Therefore, whether it was the Great Sun Sword Sect or the Nine Cauldrons Sect, he had been paying close attention to their movements.
After learning that Lou Yuyu, deputy hall master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Warfare Hall, was personally leading two elite battle institutes, the Azure Edge and Divine Might Institutes, straight toward the Xuanming Sect’s territory, the entire Xuanming Sect had entered full alert.
"Sect Master." Suddenly, his assistant raised his head and said, "Hall Master Ma Hong has sent word. He has already mobilized four battle institutes, and they are ready to intercept the invaders at any time!"
"Good!" Song You immediately said. "Connect me to Hall Master Ma."
Ma Hong had originally been a deputy hall master of the Xuanming Sect’s Warfare Hall, and the Ma family was also a major family within the Xuanming Sect.
Within the Xuanming Sect, the Song, Lyu, and Ma families held most of the power. Among them, the Song family was the strongest. They oversaw the overall situation, had extensive connections, and could even establish ties with the Infinite Star Palace, allowing them to firmly hold the sect master’s seat. The Lyu family had always served as the sect’s military force, and almost all the major battle institutes in the Warfare Hall had been under their control. The Ma family, meanwhile, held the governor seat for multiple territories and was responsible for the Xuanming Sect’s various material allocations.
However, after the battle in the East Sea, the elites of both the Song family and the Lyu family had suffered devastating losses. Even the Warfare Hall’s hall master, Lyu Ming, had died. Under such circumstances, the Ma family’s influence expanded rapidly. Now, Ma Hong had even taken over as hall master. The fact that he had been able to pull together four major battle institutes in an extremely short period was enough to show the Ma family’s influence.
Very soon, a projection of light descended. Ma Hong’s figure manifested.
The moment he saw Ma Hong, Song You asked impatiently, "Hall Master Ma, since you have already formed four battle institutes, why not take the initiative and meet the enemy outside the sect? Wouldn't it be best to defeat the two battle institutes brought by Lou Yuyu of the Nine Cauldrons Sect on the shores of the East Sea?"
As soon as he said this, Ma Hong immediately looked at him as if he were an idiot. Only after quite some time did he say, "Sect Master, battle institutes are not all the same. Although I hastily formed four battle institutes, they have not yet completed coordination training and still cannot demonstrate the strength of elite battle institutes. They need more training before they can do so."
"You mean these four battle institutes of yours still cannot stop the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s two battle institutes?" Song You’s expression turned slightly cold. "Hall Master Ma, you promised me that you were confident you could withstand the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s retaliation!"
"I did promise you that I could stop the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s retaliation, but that requires borrowing the sect’s own defensive power. It does not mean fighting them to the death in the East Sea." Ma Hong paused slightly, then continued, "Of course, what these four battle institutes lack most right now is combat experience. If they could experience a battle that is not too intense and use it to coordinate with one another, then stopping the Nine Cauldrons Sect in the East Sea would be possible."
"What do you mean?" Song You frowned.
"Sect Master, if you are willing to send the Feather Forest Institute under your command, and allow the four battle institutes to learn from the Feather Forest Institute, I believe they will be able to improve their combat strength very quickly."
The moment Ma Hong said this, Song You quickly understood his intentions, and anger surged in his eyes. "Hall Master Ma! The Nine Cauldrons Sect is already bullying us, coming right to our doorstep. As the hall master of the Warfare Hall, you cannot resist an enemy, but you are still thinking about my battle institute and want them to take action? What's the logic in that?!"
"It is precisely because the Nine Cauldrons Sect is about to reach our doorstep that you need to set an example, Sect Master," Ma Hong said slowly. "According to the information we received, even Li Qingshan, the sect master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, has led his own Sword-Wielding Institute out of the Nine Heavens Domain to fight the Great Sun Sword Sect. Sect Master, why don't you follow his example and lead the Feather Forest Institute to resist the Nine Cauldrons Sect? If you can really stop the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Azure Edge Institute and Divine Might Institute, you will certainly stabilize the entire sect, and your prestige within the sect will rise higher than ever."
After saying that, he spoke in an earnest tone, "I am also thinking for your sake, Sect Master."
When Song You heard this, his face darkened. He had originally intended to use the Ma family’s strength to oppose the Nine Cauldrons Sect. In the end, after letting Ma Hong rise to power, this man actually wanted to turn around and devour him?
"The great cultivators of the Warfare Hall are all waiting for your order. Should we repel the enemy in the East Sea, or should we follow my strategy and wait until we can use the sect’s home advantage to fight the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s two battle institutes?" Ma Hong asked.
"What? You are the hall master of the Warfare Hall who controls four battle institutes, yet you do not even have this much courage?" Song You sneered.
"You are the sect master. I am merely the hall master of the Warfare Hall. As for the specifics, we still need you to give the order! As long as your order is reasonable, everyone in the Warfare Hall will naturally follow your command."
At this point, Ma Hong even urged him, "But we need to hurry. The Azure Edge Institute and Divine Might Institute, led by Lou Yuyu, deputy hall master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Warfare Hall, are getting closer and closer to our sect’s territory. If the Nine Cauldrons Sect leads its forces directly into the heartland of our sect, you can imagine what kind of impact that will have within the sect."
Ma Hong continued speaking, his tone becoming heavy with implications. "You do not want to become the first sect master in Xuanming Sect history to be impeached and removed from office, do you?"
"You—"
Song You was just about to say something when his assistant received a message and hurriedly said, "Sect Master... news has arrived from Heavenly Palace Hall. Not long ago, the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s side, consisting of the Sword-Wielding Institute led by Li Qingshan and the Sea Guardian Institute led by Yaoguang, clashed fiercely with the Great Sun Sword Sect’s Divine Fire Institute led by Hei Shan and the Spring Rain Sky Patrol Warship piloted by Zuo Chuan..."
"They started fighting?!" Song You froze. Immediately afterward, ecstasy appeared on his face. "They actually started fighting so quickly?! I thought the Great Sun Sword Sect helping us contain a portion of the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s strength was already the most they would do. I never expected them to actually come to blows! Good! This is excellent! Hall Master Chi Songzi is truly a benefactor of the Xuanming Sect! Once the Sword-Wielding Institute and Sea Guardian Institute are defeated, I want to see whether Lou Yuyu and Shen Qinglian still dare to enter my sect and act so arrogantly!"
He turned to Ma Hong beside him. "Didn’t you want me to personally lead the Feather Forest Institute into battle? What are you waiting for?! Gather the Warfare Hall’s four battle institutes and follow me to the battlefield to kill the enemy!"
Ma Hong’s expression turned somewhat ugly.
As the sect master, Song You ultimately occupied the highest position. The four battle institutes he had newly formed might not completely obey his orders either. If Song You could lead the Feather Forest Institute to crush the Nine Cauldrons Sect, most members of the four battle institutes would absolutely turn back toward Song You!
At that time, Song You only needed to appoint a few deputy hall masters to take over this force, and he would be able to completely sideline Ma Hong as hall master.
"No... no, that is not it... Sect Master... Although they did begin fighting, the victor was not Chief Hei Shan or Captain Zuo Chuan..." The assistant’s tone carried a trace of panic. "In this battle, the Nine Cauldrons Sect won. The Spring Rain disappeared outright, and it is suspected to have been destroyed and crashed into the sea... The Divine Fire Institute also suffered disastrous losses... It is said that fewer than thirty people escaped..."
The moment these words were spoken, Song You’s expression, which had still been full of delight a moment ago, instantly froze. Ma Hong, who had still been thinking about how to break the deadlock, was also stunned on the spot.
The Great Sun Sword Sect actually lost?! When the Great Sun Sword Sect’s elite battle institute fought the Xuanming Sect’s elite battle institute, the casualty ratio was forty to five!
Although this time, they faced the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s most elite Sword-Wielding Institute, and the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s side was personally led by Li Qingshan, it still should not be possible for them to lose so quickly, and so miserably at that!
Especially... The Spring Rain Sky Patrol Warship is suspected to have been destroyed and crashed into the sea... What kind of joke is this?! That's a Sky Patrol Warship, a mobile fortress comparable to a sect's headquarters! How could the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s obscure Sea Guardian Institute, which could not even be counted as having the configuration of an elite battle institute, possibly have such strength?!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Song You suddenly roared. He drew his sword and rose, glaring furiously at the assistant. "Spreading lies to confuse the masses. I will kill you!"
But before his sword could fall, another person hurriedly barged in. "Sect Master, this is bad! The Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Azure Edge Institute and Divine Might Institute, with more than two hundred great cultivators, suddenly accelerated. They have already entered our sect’s territory..."
"How are they so fast?!" Song You’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
"The hall master of the Garrison Hall sent a message asking whether we should intercept them..." the person who had barged in immediately reported.
Intercept them? Intercept them with our lives? What else can we do other than activate the array arts, hide inside the cities, and pray that the Azure Edge Institute and Divine Might Institute won't launch an attack?
Someone on Ma Hong’s side seemed to have reported this urgent intelligence as well.
After reading the report, Ma Hong looked toward Song You. "Very well, Sect Master. It seems like you no longer need to consider whether you should bring your Feather Forest Institute to intercept the Azure Edge Institute and Divine Might Institute... Heh. I think you are no longer suited to sit in that position."
"Shut up!" Song You shouted angrily. "With the enemy before us, if you were actually willing to join me in resisting the enemy with one heart, how could the Nine Cauldrons Sect have fought their way into the heartland of our sect!?"
"Wasn’t all of this caused by you? I said long ago that we should not accept the Infinite Star Palace’s instigation and provoke the Nine Cauldrons Sect, but you refused to listen at all. Instead, you pressed forward step by step. Did you really think our sect had the same foundation as the Infinite Star Palace, Great Sun Sword Sect, First Yang Sect, and Brahma Divine Kingdom?"
"If the sect wants to develop, it must have more territory..."
"You could have expanded south or north. You simply should not have expanded east!"
"A newly established sect..."
Song You and Ma Hong confronted each other without the slightest restraint.
The assistants watching this scene looked at one another in dismay. At this moment, they all had only one thought. Can you two pick another time to argue? The Nine Cauldrons Sect has already invaded the Xuanming Sect’s territory. Can you actually do something?
Fortunately, the two of them also understood that this was not the time to argue. Besides, with countless hall masters sending messages asking for instructions, they had no room to continue quarreling.
"First, there was the Sword-Wielding Institute... and now there is also the Sea Guardian Institute... The Nine Cauldrons Sect is different now." Ma Hong took a deep breath, and there was a trace of fear in his eyes.
He turned his head, issuing orders to the people beside him. "Tell all departments that they are not to launch an attack... Everyone is to cooperate with the Nine Cauldrons Sect in evacuating the survivors of the Artifact Sect..."
Song You also calmed down at this moment and said to another assistant, "Summon the envoy from the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Public Relations Hall for me... Regarding the harm suffered by the survivors of the Artifact Sect... It was a misunderstanding... Our sect will certainly punish such violations of discipline and law severely..."
