29: Chapter 29 A Storm is Brewing: A Cunning Scheme from the Jixia Academy
Heavenly River Sword Sect, Main Discussion Hall.
The hall was filled with the scent of aged wood and cold iron, so oppressive that even the shouts of Disciples practicing sword techniques outside could not penetrate it.
Sect Master Ye Gucheng sat in the main seat.
The gold-leafed challenge letter sent by Jixia Academy was crumpled into a ball of waste paper in his palm.
On the cover of the challenge letter, an emblem of a crossed pen and sword was as glaring as a brand.
" Versed in both literature and martial arts, acting on behalf of Heaven? "
An Elder with a fiery temper smashed the jade table in front of him with a single palm, his rage almost setting his Daoist robe ablaze.
" This is a damn trap! "
" And a Southern Wilderness Dao Discussion Conference? That Sima Changfeng has allied with the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Shadow Sect, and the Myriad Demon Valley; the four major powers are at our gates, yet they want us to put down our swords and debate with them using our tongues? "
" Bah! Do they think my Heavenly River Sword Sect has no one left? "
" Well said! " Another Elder rose to his feet, Sword Qi surging around him. " We are Sword Cultivators! The principles of a Sword Cultivator always lie solely on the edge of the sword! "
" Activate the protective Sect array! If one comes, I shall slay one! If a pair comes, I shall slay a pair! "
The hall was filled with righteous indignation, and Sword Intent crisscrossed the air.
" Slay? "
A cold voice came from the corner; it was not loud, but it instantly drowned out all the noise.
It was Dugu Yun.
He was carrying a wine gourd, but his eyes were colder than ten-thousand-year black ice.
" With what will you slay them? With your mouths? "
" Every word on that challenge letter is steeped in poison. They didn't bring a single soldier this time; what they brought is the word 'Reason,' the rules. "
Dugu Yun's voice echoed in the hall, striking at everyone's heart.
" They have invited the Central Plains 'Heavenly Dao Alliance' to act as impartial witnesses, and they have also brought the supreme treasure, the 'Heart-Questioning Stone,' to preside over the venue. "
" If we avoid the battle, it will be seen as a guilty conscience, confirming our reputation as demonic heretics. "
" If we use force, we will be even more in the wrong, falling right into their trap. "
" Regardless of which path we choose, the Heavenly Dao Alliance pact will take effect immediately, and the Luck our Sect has accumulated over a thousand years will be severed on the spot. "
He paused, his gaze sweeping over faces that had turned from angry to deathly pale.
" A protective Sect array without the support of Luck is nothing more than a paper lantern. "
" The Great Zhou Dynasty's Black Armor Cavalry could trample the Cloud Break Mountain Range into flat ground within a single day. "
These words were like an invisible sword, precisely piercing through everyone's wild rage, leaving behind only a bone-chilling sense of grievance.
An overt conspiracy.
This was the most vicious overt conspiracy of that old fox, Sima Changfeng.
He had accurately calculated the pride and the weak points of Sword Cultivators.
He does not compete with you in swordsmanship; instead, he talks to you about rules, about righteousness, and about benevolence.
Using the method you disdain the most and are least skilled at, he first strips away your dignity, then shatters your bones, and finally leaves you ruined before the eyes of the world.
" Is there... really nothing we can do? "
Ye Gucheng's voice was incredibly dry. As he looked at the young Disciples outside the hall, sweating and full of longing for the future, a massive sense of powerlessness gripped his heart.
Was the thousand-year Legacy of the Heavenly River Sword Sect truly going to end in his generation?
" There is. "
Dugu Yun suddenly stood up.
His gaze swept over everyone's faces, finally fixing on the Void Realm.
" When it comes to discussing swords, we are the ancestors. "
" When it comes to discussing the Dao, we are laymen. "
" But... "
" In our Sect, we are raising a freak who specializes in 'reading useless books.' "
Ye Gucheng trembled, a gleam of light bursting forth in his eyes: " Junior Martial Uncle, are you referring to... that Senior living in seclusion in the Scripture Pavilion? "
" What Senior? It's just that brat, Li Mo. "
Dugu Yun couldn't be bothered to pretend anymore and laid his cards on the table.
" That brat usually looks like a slacker, with no proper demeanor, but his belly full of wicked ideas... ahem, his belly full of convoluted wisdom, is definitely no less than Sima Changfeng's. "
" The books he reads are too varied; Confucianism, Legalism, Military Strategy, Mohism, and even forbidden demonic scriptures and common street gossip tales—there isn't anything he doesn't read. "
" I will go ask him. "
Dugu Yun flicked his sleeves and turned to stride out of the hall.
" It's a desperate gamble. "
" Anything is better than us, a bunch of brutes who only know how to wield swords, just waiting here to die! "
...
Scripture Pavilion.
" Not going! I won't go even if you kill me! "
After hearing Dugu Yun's frantic request, Li Mo shook his head like a rattle-drum.
" You want me to get on stage and debate with all the Cultivators in the world? "
" Elder, you are asking for my life! "
He clutched his chest with a terrified expression, " I suffer from social anxiety; I can't handle big scenes. When there are too many people, I... I wet my pants when I get nervous. "
" You're full of it! "
Dugu Yun was so angry that the veins on his forehead were throbbing. If he weren't unable to beat him, he would really have wanted to slap him across the face.
" You dared to go head-to-head with a Saint's manifestation, and you even dared to capture the Jixia Academy Libationer's Personal Disciple to stew him, and now you're telling me you have social anxiety? "
" Li Mo! When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact! "
" If the shell of this Sect breaks, can your Scripture Pavilion be preserved? Can you still live your life of sleeping until you wake up naturally every day? "
Li Mo fell silent.
He subconsciously stroked Little Black, who was snoring in his arms, and glanced not far away at Chu Linger, who was carefully grooming the Spirit Beast Squeak.
That's right.
All of his "hiding" was built upon the massive tortoise shell that was the Heavenly River Sword Sect.
If the shell broke, he, this hermit crab, would be dragged out and thrown into the scorching sun.
" Fine. "
Li Mo let out a long sigh, his face instantly switching to a tragic expression of "If I don't enter Hell, who will?"
" Seeing as the Sect's food is not bad, I'll help with this. "
" But I have one condition. "
" Don't talk about one, I'll agree to a hundred! " Dugu Yun was overjoyed.
" I am not going on stage. "
Li Mo raised a finger, his expression serious.
" I will only act as an 'off-site coach.' "
" You go into the Sect and pick out ten Disciples for me. "
" As for the criteria... I want those who have skin thicker than a city wall, mouths fouler than a latrine, and who usually love to bicker endlessly with the cafeteria auntie over half a spoonful of meat. "
" I want to conduct a half-month special training for them. "
" Special training? " Dugu Yun was stunned. " Train what? Confucian classics? Daoist scriptures? "
" No. "
Li Mo slowly pulled a book as thick as a brick from his robes.
It was hand-copied, and seven large, flamboyant characters were written on the cover — "The Self-Cultivation of a Troll."
The corners of his mouth curled into a smile that mixed "elegance" with "malice."
" Train them... on how to use their spit to anger people to death. "
" Since those hypocrites from Jixia Academy like to stand on the moral high ground and look down upon the masses. "
" Then I will teach them... "
" How to blow that high ground to pieces. "