Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal-Chapter 215 - 205: Fear

Xuanming Sect.

Ever since a retaliatory strike against the descendants of the Artifact Sect erupted within the Sect, Song You, the Sect Master, had elevated his focus on the Nine Cauldrons Sect to the highest level.

After all, they were essentially the ones adding fuel to the fire behind the scenes.

Just as Li Qingshan and others had speculated, how could the Xuanming Sect not give an explanation to its members after suffering a defeat in the Eastern Sea, losing more than three hundred Great Cultivators in one fell swoop?

But to retaliate against the Nine Cauldrons Sect...

That was akin to seeking one’s own death.

You pick on the softer persimmons.

In such circumstances, the descendants of the Artifact Sect, who had some connections to the Nine Cauldrons Sect but were easier to deal with, naturally became the scapegoats for the disciples of Xuanming Sect.

In other words, the current scene where all members of the Sect showed repulsion towards, looted, and slaughtered the descendants of the Artifact Sect was entirely a result of the approval, silent or otherwise, by him, the Sect Master, and the upper echelons of the Xuanming Sect.

Having taken action, they naturally had to be prepared to face the consequences.

Therefore, whether it was the Great Sun Sword Sect or the Nine Cauldrons Sect, he had been closely monitoring their movements.

Especially upon learning that Lou Yuyu, the Vice Hall Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Campaign Hall, had personally led the elite Qingfeng and Divine Might War Courts to head straight for the heartland of the Xuanming Sect, the entire Sect was now on full alert.

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At this time, his aide looked up and spoke, "Hall Master Ma Hong has sent a message; he has assembled the Four War Courts and is ready to meet the invaders!"

"Good!"

Song You immediately responded, "Connect me with Hall Master Ma."

Ma Hong was originally the Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall of the Xuanming Sect, and the Ma Family was also a major clan within the Sect.

Within the Xuanming Sect, it could be said that the Song, Lu, and Ma families were in charge.

Among them, the Song family was the strongest, overseeing the bigger picture with extensive connections, even able to tie up with the Limitless Star Palace, securing the position of Sect Master. The Lu family was always responsible for martial force, with several of the War Courts in the Campaign Hall almost all under the control of the Lu family. The Ma family, on the other hand, was in charge of various resource allocations for Xuanming Sect.

However, after the battle in the Eastern Sea, the elite forces of both the Song and Lu families were decimated. Along with it, Lv Ming, the Hall Master of the Campaign Hall, perished, and under these circumstances, the power of the Ma family grew rapidly. Now, they have even taken over as Hall Master. That he was able to muster the Four War Courts in such a short period of time showed the capability of the Ma family.

Soon, a beam of light was projected down.

The figure of Ma Hong materialized.

Seeing Ma Hong, Song You couldn’t wait to ask, "Since Hall Master Ma has already formed the Four War Courts, why not strike first and repel the enemy outside our Sect? Why not destroy the two War Courts brought by Lou Yuyu of the Nine Cauldrons Sect at the Eastern Sea coast?"

As soon as he said this, Ma Hong immediately looked at him with an eye that one might cast upon an "imbecile," and after a long while, he said, "Sect Master, not all War Courts are the same. Although I’ve hastily assembled the Four War Courts, these War Courts have not yet been fully integrated and are still unable to exhibit the strength of elite War Courts... More training is necessary for that."

"Are you saying that your four War Courts can’t hold off the two War Courts of the Nine Cauldrons Sect?"

Song You’s expression turned slightly colder, "Vice Hall Master Ma, haven’t you assured me that you were confident in repelling the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s retaliation?"

"I did promise the Sect Master that I could fend off the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s retaliation, but that depends on using the Sect’s own defensive capabilities, not on deciding the outcome in a battle at the Eastern Sea."

Ma Hong said, pausing slightly, "Of course, what the Four War Courts lack the most right now is combat experience. However, if they can go through a battle that isn’t too intense, to allow for some coordination, there is still hope of holding off the Nine Cauldrons Sect in the Eastern Sea waters."

"What do you mean?"

Song You frowned.

"If the Sect Master is willing to dispatch your Feather Forest Court, allowing the Four War Courts to learn from them, I believe they can quickly come into their fighting strength,"

said Ma Hong.

Upon hearing this, Song You quickly grasped his intentions and a surge of anger appeared in her eyes, "Vice Hall Master Ma! Now that the Nine Cauldrons Sect is bullying their way to our doorstep, as the Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall you can’t repel the external enemy, and instead you have your sights set on my Feather Forest Court, expecting them to take action! How does that make sense!?"

"It’s precisely because the Nine Cauldrons Sect has reached our doorstep that you, Sect Master, need to set an example,"

Ma Hong said slowly, "According to our information, Sect Master Li Qingshan of the Nine Cauldrons Sect can lead his Sword Execution Courtyard troops out of the Nine Heavens Domain to face the Great Sun Sword Sect. Why not follow the example of Li, the Sect Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, and lead the Feather Forest Court to resist the Nine Cauldrons Sect? If the Sect Master can truly withstand the onslaught of the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s Qingfeng Courtyard and Divine Might Academy, it will surely stabilize the Sect, and your prestige within the Sect will soar to unprecedented heights."

After speaking, he added with earnest concern, "I’m considering this for the Sect Master’s benefit."

Upon hearing this, Song You’s face turned even darker.

He had hoped to employ the might of the Ma Family to contend with the Nine Cauldrons Sect, but now...

Allowing Ma Hong to rise to power, was he actually planning to bite back at him, the Sect Master!?

"Currently, all the Great Cultivators of the Campaign Hall are awaiting your command, Sect Master. Are we to deny the enemy at the Eastern Sea, or shall we follow my strategy and use the Sect’s geographical advantage to resist the two war courts of the Nine Cauldrons Sect?"

Ma Hong inquired.

"What? You, the Vice Hall Master in charge of the Four War Courts, lack even this bit of courage?"

Song You sneered.

"You are the Sect Master, and I am merely the Vice Hall Master of the Campaign Hall. The specifics are up to you, Sect Master. As long as the Sect Master’s orders are reasonable, everyone in the Campaign Hall will naturally follow them,"

Ma Hong said, and then he urged, "Sect Master, we must act quickly. The vice hall master of the Nine Cauldrons Sect Campaign Hall, Lou Yuyu, is leading the Qingfeng Courtyard and Divine Might Academy closer to our Sect’s homeland. If the Nine Cauldrons Sect leads an army directly into our Sect’s heartland…the impact it would have within the Sect goes without saying."

He hinted meaningfully, "Sect Master, you don’t want to become the first Sect Master in the history of the Xuanming Sect to be impeached, do you?"

"You..."

Song You was about to say something, but at that moment, his assistant, as if receiving some urgent news, said hastily, "Sect Master... The Heavenly Palace Hall has sent the latest news. Just a while ago, on the side of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, led by Li Qingshan and the Sword Execution Courtyard, Alkaid in charge of the Sea Fortification Courtyard, had a fierce battle with the Divine Fire Court led by Black Mountain from the Great Sun Sword Sect and the Spring Rain-class Celestial Warship piloted by Zuo Chuan..."

"They’ve started the battle!?"

Song You was startled.

Then his face showed wild joy, "They’ve started the battle so soon!? I had thought it would be the limit if the Great Sun Sword Sect could tie down some of the strength of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. I never expected them to actually clash! Good! Good! Good! This is fantastic! Chi Songzi, the Hall Master, is truly a savior for our Xuanming Sect! If the Sword Execution Courtyard and Sea Fortification Courtyard are defeated, I want to see if Lou Yuyu and Shen Qinglian dare to act rashly within our Xuanming Sect!"

He turned to Ma Hong beside him, "Isn’t it time for the Sect Master to lead the Feather Forest Court into battle personally? What are we waiting for? Summon the four great war courts of the Campaign Hall and follow me to the battlefield to slay the enemy!"

Ma Hong’s face turned rather unsightly.

Song You, as the Sect Master, ultimately held the moral high ground.

His newly established Four War Courts might not fully comply with his commands.

If Song You could really lead the Feather Forest Court to a great victory over the Nine Cauldrons Sect...

Most members of the Four War Courts would definitely shift their allegiance back to Song You!

By then, he would only need to appoint a few Vice Hall Masters to take over this force, and he, the Hall Master, would be effectively sidelined...

"No... it’s not... Sect Master... though they have started the fight, the victors... are not Chief of Black Mountain and Captain Zuo Chuan..."

The assistant’s voice was tinged with a hint of panic, "This battle, the Nine Cauldrons Sect won, the Spring Rain Vessel has vanished without a trace, presumably destroyed and fallen into the sea... Divine Fire Court also suffered heavy losses... it’s said that less than thirty people managed to escape back..."

As soon as these words came out, the previously joyous expression on Song You’s face instantly froze.

Ma Hong, who was also thinking about how to break the situation, also stood stunned on the spot.

The Great Sun Sword Sect...

Has actually lost!?

One must know, the elite war court of the Great Sun Sword Sect could pull off a 40:5 victory record against the elite war court of the Xuanming Sect.

Even though at this moment, they were facing the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s most elite Sword Execution Courtyard, and Li Qingshan was personally leading the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s side...

But it shouldn’t have ended in defeat so fast, and so badly!

Especially...

The Spring Rain-class Celestial Warship is suspected to have been destroyed and fallen into the sea?

What a joke!

That’s the Patrol Heaven Warship, touted as a moving sect stronghold!

How could the Sea Fortification Courtyard of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, a nameless group that doesn’t even qualify as an elite war court, possess such strength!?

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Song You suddenly bellowed, drawing his sword as he stood up furiously, glaring at the assistant, "You spread lies and mischief; I will kill you!"

But before his sword could fall, another person hurriedly rushed in, "Sect Master, it’s not good, over two hundred Great Cultivators from the Qingfeng Courtyard and Divine Might Academy of the Nine Cauldrons Sect have suddenly sped up and have now entered our sect’s territory..."

"How could they be so fast!?"

Song You’s face immediately turned deathly pale.

"The Guardian Hall Master has sent a message asking whether to intercept..."

The one who had rushed in immediately stated.

Intercept?

Intercept with their lives?

Apart from activating formations and hiding in the city, praying that the Qingfeng Courtyard and Divine Might Academy won’t attack, what else could they possibly do?

At this time, it seemed that Ma Hong’s side had also received this urgent piece of intelligence.

After reading the report, Ma Hong looked towards Song You, "Well, Sect Master, it seems you no longer need to consider whether or not to lead your Feather Forest Court to intercept the Qingfeng Courtyard and Divine Might Academy... Heh, I think you’re no longer suited to sit in this position..."

"Shut up!"

Song You shouted angrily, "With a formidable enemy before us, if you were truly willing to work with me and resist the enemy unitedly, how could we have allowed the Nine Cauldrons Sect to penetrate deep into our sect’s homeland!?"

"Didn’t all this arise from your doings? I’ve said it long ago, not to heed Limitless Star Palace’s instigation to provoke the Nine Cauldrons Sect, but you wouldn’t listen at all, instead pushing aggressively at every turn. Do you really think our Xuanming Sect has the same deep roots as Limitless Star Palace, the Great Sun Sword Sect, the Primordial Yang Sect, and the Brahma Heavenly Kingdom?"

"If the sect wishes to grow, it must acquire more territory..."

"You could have expanded southward or northward, but you should not have gone eastward!"

"A newly established sect..."

Song You and Ma Hong were unrestrained and confrontational in their exchange.

This scene left the assistantss looking at each other, bewildered.

At this moment, they all shared the same thought.

If you have to argue, could you pick another time...?

The Nine Cauldrons Sect has already invaded the Xuanming Sect’s homeland.

Are you going to do something about it?

Fortunately, both of them understood that now was not the time for arguments.

Coupled with the myriad of messages seeking instructions sent by numerous Hall Masters, they could not afford to continue quarreling.

"It started with the Sword Execution Courtyard... Now there’s the Sea Fortification Courtyard... the Nine Cauldrons Sect... is different now!"

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Ma Hong took a deep breath, a trace of fear in his eyes.

He turned his head, seemingly giving orders to someone beside him, "Order all units not to initiate an attack... Everyone, coordinate with the Nine Cauldrons Sect to evacuate the descendants of the Artifact Sect..."

Song You had also calmed down at this point and said to another assistant, "Summon the envoy from the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s External Propaganda Hall... Regarding the harm done to the Artifact Sect’s descendants... it was a misunderstanding... Our Xuanming Sect will certainly punish such indiscipline and illegal actions strictly..."