Ninth In the World

Fei Xuan’s gaze landed on Wang Teng. He knew better than anyone else that Wang Teng and An Tuning were butting heads. The time when those alchemists had gone to and come back from the Tranquil Eclipse Mountain was too much of a coincidence. They had returned just as An Tuning had left. Was he being treated like a fool?

 Despite knowing that Wang Teng was setting up a trap, he still had to use this opportunity to punish An Tuning. He would certainly not investigate the truth of the matter simply because of this.

 The sect’s problem was definitely not caused by the dispute between An Tuning and Wang Teng. It involved some of the Primordial Chaos Elders as well. The sect might just sink into a deep abyss if he did not handle this matter well.

 Now that An Tuning had returned, despite knowing that An Tuning was lying when she said that she had searched high and low for alchemists, he would reuse the strategy he had used previously. He would not investigate to see if An Tuning was telling the truth, yet he would stand by her side.

 Fei Xuan did not need to investigate to know that the outer sect disciple An Tuning had found had simply served as a stopgap to tell Fei Xuan that she had participated in the Dao World’s Elixir River Competition. This was all unimportant to Fei Xuan, for the most important thing was that the result of the competition had not disappointed him.

 Upon seeing that the Sect Master was looking at him, Wang Teng had no choice but to stand up and say, “I discovered that Xun Shang had seized Di Jiu’s cave abode only after Valley Master An said this. I will definitely investigate this matter immediately. If this is true, then Xun Shang’s punishment was well-deserved.”

 Fei Xuan nodded his head. “Peak Master Wang is right. Valley Master An has contributed greatly to the sect this time. Let that disciple report to the core disciple’s hall. It will indeed be a waste of talent if such a disciple remains an outer sect disciple.”

 His tone was even and calm, although he was silently fuming. He was the Sect Master of a sect, yet he was gradually unable to control the sect.

 Wang Teng was telling blatant lies, as he still could not execute any kind of punishment. Of all the Elders seated there, three of them were on the same side as Wang Teng. The attitude of the remaining Eldest Elder was unclear.

 The water prison was a place used to kill Primordial Chaos cultivators. This was a fact only the Sect Master, the Eldest Elder, and Yan Yun knew. Qi Yu might be the Second Elder, but he was not privy to this classified information.

 Zhong Zhongling knew very well why Qi Yu would attack: to test Fei Xuan’s limits. If Fei Xuan did not retaliate, then the side Qi Yu was on would gradually control, or even wipe out, the various Hall Masters and Peak Masters of the sect.

The reason Zhong Zhongling had never cared about the matters of the sect was because he would only become cannon fodder if the Sect Master was uncharismatic and he, as the Eldest Elder, stepped forward instead.

Now that the Sect Master intended to kill Qi Yu, Zhong Zhongling did not mind lending a hand. The First Evolution Dao Sect was declining because of the internal power struggle, and also due to its uncharismatic Sect Master.

 “Let’s go, Elder Qi,” repeated Zhong Zhongling as he walked out of the conference hall hunch-backed. Silently, he sneered. Qi Yu had indeed tested the Sect Master’s limits, but the price for that was far too great.

 Fei Xuan let out a breath of relief when he saw Zhong Zhongling lead Qi Yu out. His greatest worry was that Zhong Zhongling would refuse to listen to him or perhaps expose his motives. So long as Zhong Zhongling was still standing on the sect’s side, he would be confident enough to bring the sect back to its former glory. He originally had not wanted to take such a risk. However, Qi Yu had opened Pandora’s box, forcing him to take action.

An Tuning was deeply disappointed. She had contributed greatly to the sect and been severely injured by the Second Elder in the end. Nevertheless, the Sect Master had only punished Qi Yu with isolation for a year, which was a superficial punishment.

She stood up. Without bothering to even wipe off the bloodstains on her mouth, she cupped her fists and announced, “Sect Master, I’m severely injured so I wish to return to the Spring Evolution Valley to recuperate.”

 Fei Xuan knew that he could not say anything to An Tuning at the moment, or his efforts would unravel. He could only nod his head in agreement. “Go back and recuperate. Don’t take this to heart. The Second Elder lost his head for a moment.”

“Yes,” assented An Tuning before she turned and left. She was completely disappointed in the First Evolution Dao Sect.