"Tap...."

"Tap...."

"Tap...."

The fierce wind swept in as a group entered the grand hall.

Xu Yuan led the way, followed by Ran Qingmo, Zhou Chen, and Bai Zhao, their footsteps light yet weighing heavily on everyone’s hearts.

The hall was grand, yet compared to the Tianyuan Grand Gathering, the furnishings had been greatly simplified. The Sect Master’s throne and Elder seats on either side had been removed, leaving only a long table facing the entrance.

On the right side, over a dozen Sword Sect and Sect Alliance leaders had already taken their seats, banners embroidered with the Sword Sect emblem hanging from the ceiling.

The only seat on the left side remained vacant.

Behind it, a giant flag depicting a fearsome black dragon overlooked everything in the hall under the bright yellow light.

Everything was suffocatingly silent,

Especially when the young man leading scanned the crowd with his gaze.

Thirty yards.

Twenty yards.

Ten yards.

Rustle.....

The chairs moved back as everyone from the Sect Alliance stood to welcome the person about to take that seat.

"Han King."

"Han King."

"Han King."

"Han King...."

It was respect for the Prime Minister Mansion Master,

And dignity preserved by the Sword Sect.

The sounds of salutation rose in succession, yet Xu Yuan didn’t even spare them a glance. He calmly sat in the sole seat on the left side.

This contempt drew dissatisfaction from many, but the situation pressed upon them, as the Prime Minister Mansion’s iron heel was already at the threshold, and the looming misty tendrils still swayed in the haze beyond the grand door.

This was a treaty under siege, thus no one dared to confront the young man clad in the Profound Black Dragon Robe.

Silently seated.

Xu Yuan lightly placed his elbow on the table, tapping the case records with his curled fingers, speaking calmly to those across from him:

"I won’t waste time with small talk, list the conditions for Sword Sect’s surrender, and I will consider them."

The Sword Sect Great Elder didn’t follow this topic further. The negotiations had begun, and he didn’t want to follow the opposite party’s terms, so he asked:

"Before proceeding, may I ask an old man’s question?"

"What’s the question?" Xu Yuan’s brow slightly raised.

"Some family matters of Sword Sect."

Then, the Sword Sect Great Elder lowered his eyelids and softly said:

"Luo Wei, why is your disciple still standing on the opposite side? I remember she should be our Sword Sect’s chief disciple."

The voice was soft yet audible.

Luo Wei frowned upon hearing it, instinctively glancing at Xu Yuan, then turning toward the black-clothed girl behind him.

In a moment of eye contact, Luo Wei saw the conflict in her disciple’s eyes, her fingertips slightly clenched, wishing to respond with silence, but the Sword Sect Great Elder didn’t give her the chance:

"Luo Wei!"

The slightly amplified voice of the Sword Sect Great Elder echoed in the hall.

Luo Wei struggled for a moment, took a difficult breath, looked across, and said:

"Qing..."

"Qingmo."

Xu Yuan spoke first, deeply gazing at the elder who had spoken, then gently smiled at the girl beside him:

"Since the Great Elder has asked, you may go over; don’t be troubled, it will soon be over."

Both sides being at war, and the Sword Sect always being her Big Ice Lump’s home, she would find it hard to be caught in the middle.

Ran Qingmo didn’t respond immediately, lightly biting her red lips, lowly answering:

"...Alright."

But after her voice fell, the girl remained motionless.

This time, she didn’t obey his orders, her dark eyes resolute, she said:

"I won’t go."

"...."

The cold wind swept through the grounded banners, the lamplights reflecting the emblem’s glow.

Xu Yuan sighed inwardly. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The Sword Sect Great Elder fell into silence, his gaze at Ran Qingmo not entirely disappointed, but somewhat complex.

This chief disciple of Sword Sect, the child he watched grow up... ultimately chose to betray Sword Sect, or rather, betray the collective will of Sword Sect’s upper echelon.

The negotiation had yet begun, yet the atmosphere was already oppressive, but this dialogue needed to continue, thus soon someone spoke up, not to mediate, but to further push the atmosphere to an oppressive extreme.

"Haha... not going."

The deep laughter suddenly broke the silence, and as voices turned to look, they saw a righteous middle-aged man with his head lowered, seated in Sword Sect’s secondary seat, his shoulders slightly trembling, seemingly suppressing anger.

Glancing at the opponent, Ran Qingmo instinctively averted her gaze.

The opponent was her master’s junior apprentice brother, the new Array Sword Peak Master after the former master stepped down, also... one of those Sword Sect elders who used to dearly love her.

The Array Sword Peak Master lifted his gaze, staring intensely at Ran Qingmo, his eyes enveloped in profound disappointment.

This familiar girl made him feel estranged.

These old folks always cherished her dearly, fearing she’d break if held in hand, or dissolve if touched, never reluctant to give her medicinal elixirs meant for their legitimate sons.

And all they did was so that one day Ran Qingmo could shoulder Sword Sect’s burden, but now... this is the outcome....

He lowered his eyes, his laughing voice tinged with bitterness:

"Young admiration.... young admiration, Qingmo, I don’t blame you for being smitten by such a man as Xu Changtian, but Sword Sect is the place that birthed and nurtured you!

"Forget it,

"Alright then,

"Everyone has their own ambitions, a child growing up and having their own thoughts is acceptable, but given this, Qingmo, your status as Sword Sect’s chief disciple...."

"Master Uncle...." Ran Qingmo murmured softly.

"I am not your Master Uncle!" The man’s anger could no longer be contained: "From now on, I am not..."

"Ruan Wenzhou."

"..." Array Sword Peak Master.

Ran Qingmo witnessed the astonishment in the other’s eyes, her dark pupils flickering momentarily, seriously and earnestly said:

"I... am also for Sword Sect’s sake, your methods cannot save Sword Sect."

"....." Sword Sect’s numerous upper echelon.

Silence, exchanged glances, each looking at the other, ultimately leading to sighs and fury.

These elderly folks believed in Ran Qingmo’s character, believed she wasn’t lying, but differing paths at the peak of power were the greatest betrayal.

The Array Sword Peak Master shook his head, sarcasm in his tone:

"Then Qingmo, what is your method?"

"Master Uncle, Sword Sect has already lost many people, at this rate...."

"You think if this continues, Sword Sect will perish?"

The Array Sword Peak Master continued the conversation, rebuking: "Everything taught to you for over a decade, has it all gone to the dogs, Ran Qingmo!"

The more he spoke, the less he could hold back his anger:

"Compromise and surrender will bring no guaranteed peace! The price of turning swords into ploughshares is eternal enslavement, the moment Sword Sect’s destiny is handed over to others, Sword Sect is truly finished!!"

"Ran Qingmo, look at yourself now.

"Your whole being exudes weakness, wagging your tail to beg, for the hope of kneeling you’re even willing.... willing to trade your body!"

"...."

Words reached the heart, each like a needle.

Ran Qingmo slightly lowered her head, her eyes gradually reddening.

Many rebuttal words clogged her chest,

She wanted to say Tianyuan Sword Sect’s founding principles were to establish the sect for the people, and protect all living beings.

According to these principles, Sword Sect should remain neutral between the Imperial Court and Sect Alliance, akin to the Heavenly Master Mansion; they shouldn’t partake in this war.

According to circumstances, Sword Sect no longer needed to continue resisting futilely; this was Dayan’s civil war, whether Imperial Court or Sect Alliance stemmed from the same origin.

But the words were swallowed back down when they reached her throat.

Because she knew they were of no use, because her elders were not wrong either, from their standpoint, only possessing greater power could Sword Sect better uphold its founding principles.

But...

But... if it continues like this, Sword Sect really will perish....

The bitterness in her heart made Ran Qingmo look again towards the Array Sword Peak Master, with reddened eyes, pale lips slightly quivering, attempting to speak.

And just at that moment,

A sudden voice rang out, plunging everyone in the hall into immediate silence:

"You... have finished speaking?"