63: The k into my eyes

"Pass down the order: strengthen the defenses of the Mountain Gate. No Disciple is allowed to leave the Sect without authorization. Keep a close watch on the movements across the continent. Neither Spirit Hall nor this black dragon from Star Dou is something we can afford to provoke."

He knew better than anyone that the grudge between Tang Hao and Spirit Hall back then had nearly caused the Clear Sky Sect's destruction.

Now, this black dragon's strength had long since far surpassed Tang Hao's from back then, and it could even hold its own against Qian Daoliu. Once their Clear Sky Sect intervened in a collision of this level, they would only end up crushed to pieces.

But as soon as he finished speaking, the secret chamber instantly fell into a dead silence. Several Elders looked at each other, none daring to say more.

Just then, the Seventh Elder sitting at the end of the table slammed the stone desk. A spider-web crack appeared directly on the hard bluestone surface. This old man, who had fought across the continent alongside the Previous Sect Master, Tang Chen, now had his hair and beard bristling. Staring at Tang Xiao with a face full of fury, he began a merciless rebuke, his voice making the entire secret chamber ring.

"Tang Xiao! Wake the hell up!"

"Back then, we followed the Former Sect Master Tang Chen, fighting across the continent. We hammered the major Sects until they couldn't lift their heads, and even Spirit Hall had to show us some respect. The Former Sect Master swept the field alone and took the MVP of the entire continent! And the result? By your generation, you want to just shut the doors and defend the high ground? The enemy is practically at the gates, yet you're still thinking about hiding away and just surviving?!"

The Second Elder slammed the stone table in front of him. A fine crack instantly appeared in the hard bluestone. He glared at Tang Xiao in the main seat, the anger he had suppressed for decades finally exploding. His voice made the entire Meeting Hall ring.

"Old Seven is right. Do you think the more we shut ourselves away now, the better we can preserve the Sect?"

"The more we fucking shrink our necks and hide, the more risks we'll have to bear!"

"I've thought things through more thoroughly than you, I see further than you, and I know better than you what situation the Sect is in right now! I even have to predict in advance what kind of filth Spirit Hall will try to pin on us next!"

"Right now, the whole continent is scared witless by that black dragon from Star Dou. Spirit Hall is just looking for an excuse to settle Tang Hao's old debts, and you're still thinking of playing dead in these mountains?!"

"I'm asking you, if we close our gates, will we avoid being framed for colluding with Spirit Beasts? When that hat is truly forced onto the Clear Sky Sect's head, we won't even have a chance to open our mouths to explain! Let me ask you again, why are we so passive now? Because we're hiding! Didn't we hide enough during Tang Hao's incident? And the result? Who on the continent doesn't gossip behind our backs, saying our Clear Sky Sect produced a traitor who colluded with Spirit Beasts and rebelled against his superiors?!"

"Back when the Sect was at its peak, three Titled Douluo couldn't even gain an advantage against one from Spirit Hall. I still remember those words clearly, as if they were carved into my brain! When others deal with Spirit Hall, they pave the way in advance, unite with allies, and layout targeted plans. But you? You say we can't hold out unless we lower our heads and shrink back. So we deserve to shrink in these mountains and wait for them to put a blade to our necks?!"

"You always say Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is smooth and sophisticated, with a long reach and room to maneuver, while our Clear Sky Sect is a big target that loses everything the moment we move! Then let me ask you, if we hide in these deep mountains, will Spirit Hall's dirty water not be splashed on us? Will it?!"

"Does Spirit Hall have to give us a heads-up before framing us? Do you think if we shut our gates, they won't find an excuse to dig up Tang Hao's old debts?"

"Answer me! If we hide, will we not be labeled as colluding with Spirit Beasts?!"

"You idiots who say everything will be fine if we just shrink back, answer me! Look into my eyes! Tell me! why! Why baby!"

"If we hide, will they stop digging up old debts? Is the matter of Tang Hao and the Hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor something we can wipe clean just by hiding? If we close our gates, will Spirit Hall act like our Clear Sky Sect doesn't exist? Do we have to wait until Spirit Hall brings the people from the Elder Hall to block the Clear Sky Sect's gates before we realize we can't hide?! And you talk about staying behind closed doors being the safest—safest my ass!"

"If you feel this Sect can't hold on, then just disband it! Let the Disciples go their separate ways! If you don't have the guts to take responsibility and aren't willing to plan ahead to leave a way out, then just don't occupy the Sect Master's position. Get some peace and quiet, you hear me?"

"Then let me ask you again! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan dares to openly mobilize and prepare for war. They've laid out their stance clearly, standing with all of humanity. Does Spirit Hall dare to casually frame them for colluding with Spirit Beasts? Answer me! Since the Blue Lightning clan has made their position clear, does Spirit Hall dare to touch them casually?"

"Can we survive by closing our gates and hiding in the mountains? Huh? Can we! People always say Former Sect Master Tang Chen's hammer shook Spirit Hall like a Heavenly God descending, but that was prestige he fought for with his life! It wasn't gained by shrinking his head and hiding in the mountains!"

"The Blue Lightning clan dares to show their hand. I'm telling you, since they dare to show it, they aren't afraid of Spirit Hall splashing dirty water! What about us?"

"The more we hide, the more people think we have a guilty conscience! The more they think we're entangled with those Spirit Beasts from Star Dou!"

"Look at the problem dialectically! Dialectically! Dialectically! Because we're playing dead in the mountains, in Spirit Hall's eyes, we're outliers with a guilty conscience! Those who stand up openly to prepare for war are 'their own people' standing with humanity! So even if they don't get along with Spirit Hall, they have the confidence to stand tall! What about us? The longer we hide, the more we're tied together in their eyes with those Spirit Beasts that want to rebel against humanity! When that day truly comes, we won't even have a place to cry out our grievances!"

These words were like a thunderclap, leaving the meeting room in dead silence.

The composure on Tang Xiao's face vanished instantly. He was even more dazed by the face-to-face roaring, his mind ringing. His face turned pale and then flushed. He opened his mouth, looking at the Second Elder's furious face, and was unable to snap out of it for a long time.

He only thought of avoiding disaster, but forgot that at such a moment of continent-wide factional opposition, staying out of it had itself become the greatest original sin.

Seeing his dazed look, the Third Elder's tone softened slightly, yet remained unwaveringly firm: "Sect Master, it's not that we insist on wading into muddy waters; it's that the muddy water has already reached the Mountain Gates, and we can't avoid it! Standing up now will not only clear our suspicion but also win back the Clear Sky Sect's reputation in front of the entire continent. This is the only way to truly be worthy of the Former Sect Master and the ancestors of the Clear Sky Sect!"

Tang Xiao remained silent for a long time, his fingertips turning white from gripping so hard.

It was like this again. It was like this again.

Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and looked up at everyone. His voice held a trace of exhaustion but was filled with more determination: "Pass down the order: prepare the reply. The Clear Sky Sect will respond to Spirit Hall's call and is willing to join forces with the major powers of the continent to collectively resist the threat of the Star Dou Spirit Beasts. Additionally, recall all Disciples who are away. The Sect will enter a state of combat readiness; not a single moment can be relaxed."

...