33: Chapter 33 Ling Shanxiao, Sect Master of Qingyun Sect

Early the next morning, having just finished breakfast, Xia Jin headed straight for the Imperial Study.

Without needing any announcement, he pushed the door open and entered, only to see Emperor Xia Yu sitting behind the wide Dragon desk, with a mountain of memorials piled up in front of him.

"You are quite diligent today!"

Hearing Xia Jin's voice, Emperor Xia Yu immediately put down the brush in his hand, stood up, walked around the Dragon desk, and went to meet him: "Big Brother, why are you here? Sit down quickly. Someone, bring tea!"

After the two sat down, a trace of confusion flashed in Emperor Xia Yu's eyes: "Big Brother, coming so early today, you must have some important business?"

"Of course, otherwise did you think I was so idle that I came to find you?" Xia Jin took a light sip of tea and shot a glare at him impatiently. "I am preparing to set off for the Qingyun Sect."

"The Qingyun Sect!?" Emperor Xia Yu was stunned for a moment, then a sharp light flashed in his eyes. "Big Brother is preparing to take action against the Qingyun Sect?"

"Yes!" Xia Jin stopped his movements and nodded. "Some nails, if not pulled out, will eventually become a hidden danger. Since we have already fallen out with this Qingyun Sect, it is better to strike first!"

"Big Brother, just tell me what I need to do!" Emperor Xia Yu said solemnly.

"This time, I alone am enough." A strong confidence erupted in Xia Jin's eyes.

"But there is one more thing you need to do on your end! After I destroy the Qingyun Sect, immediately arrange for people to secretly transport all their Sect Cultivation Techniques, Spirit Medicine, and other resources back to the Great Xia."

"The foundation of the Great Xia is, after all, still too thin!"

"Good! Big Brother, rest assured. Once the Qingyun Sect is destroyed! Their resources will definitely be transported back to the Great Xia immediately, without anyone knowing!" Emperor Xia Yu clenched his hands and nodded solemnly.

"Alright, arrange these matters as soon as possible." Xia Jin stood up and patted Emperor Xia Yu's shoulder. "From today on, it is time for the history of the Great Xia to begin being rewritten!"

After speaking, Xia Jin turned and left the Imperial Study.

The wind is about to rise.

...

At the same time that Xia Jin left the Great Xia, inside the Sect Master's main hall of the Qingyun Sect, the newly appointed Sect Master, Ling Shanxiao, swept his gaze over the six Elders standing on the left and right below, his expression somewhat gloomy.

"What exactly is going on?" Ling Shanxiao's voice carried a hint of anger. "Elder Zhao went to welcome Young Master Lin and stopped by the Great Xia on the way, so why hasn't he returned yet?"

Faced with Ling Shanxiao's interrogation, the six Elders below looked at each other.

The Second Elder, sitting on a black wood chair nearby, frowned: "Sect Master, it has already been two days past the scheduled return date... Do you think, could it be... that something happened?"

"Impossible! In the territory of the Great Xia, those who have reached the Great Grandmaster Realm now number less than five. Who could threaten Elder Zhao? Besides, even if they were given ten guts, would anyone really dare to offend my Qingyun Sect?" Sitting opposite the Second Elder, the white-haired and white-bearded Grand Elder heard this and snorted disdainfully.

"That's right, the Grand Elder is correct!"

"Yes, Sect Master, I think perhaps Young Master Lin happened to want to have some fun, so he delayed for some time!"

After listening, the other Elders also smiled and echoed.

Just then, the Seventh Elder, who was sitting at the very back and had not spoken, slowly raised his head.

He glanced at his left arm, which only had a sleeve remaining, and a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes: "You all... must not forget, the Great Xia still has the presence of that person."

As soon as he said this, except for Ling Shanxiao, the other Elders were stunned for a moment, and then their expressions changed.

The scene from four years ago, when the Seventh Elder was cut off his left arm by that person and dragged his heavily injured body back to the Qingyun Sect, once again emerged in everyone's minds.

The Grand Elder's face sank, and the teacup in his hand was crushed with a "crack" sound, splashing tea all over him without him even noticing, a trace of dread flashing in his eyes.

"Sect Master, if it really is that 'Emperor of the Underworld' meddling, I am afraid Elder Zhao and Young Master Lin..." The Second Elder was silent for a moment, then looked at the Sect Master, Ling Shanxiao, above.

"Enough! This is merely speculation!" Ling Shanxiao suddenly raised his hand, directly interrupting him. "Wait until tomorrow, after my succession ceremony is successfully completed, I will personally make a trip to the Great Xia."

Ling Shanxiao slowly stood up, stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes full of confidence.

Except for himself, no one knew that his Realm was not the half-step Xiaoyao Heavenly Realm rumored by the outside world. It was the second level of the Xiaoyao Heavenly Realm!

In his eyes, let alone a ninth-level Great Grandmaster, even if there were a few more, they would be nothing more than slightly stronger ants.

The Second Elder was best at observing words and expressions. Seeing this, he immediately stood up, bowed and cupped his hands, his face full of smiles: "Sect Master's divine skills are unparalleled! If the Sect Master takes action personally, regardless of what 'Emperor of the Underworld' or 'Son of the Sunlight' it is, they will certainly be captured!"

The other Elders saw this and also echoed one after another, and for a time the hall was full of praise.

"Alright, let's put this matter aside for now and prepare for tomorrow's ceremony with all our strength. Dismissed." Ling Shanxiao waved his hand, ending the meeting.

After returning to his room, he walked to a huge bookshelf on the side, his gaze falling on an inconspicuous fierce tiger ornament cast from black iron.

He reached out, grabbed the tiger's head, turned it clockwise three times, and then counter-clockwise once.

"Click... Boom..."

With a slight mechanical sound, the wall next to the bookshelf slowly flipped inward, revealing an entrance that only allowed one person to pass through.

Ling Shanxiao's expression was cold, and he stepped inside without hesitation.

After walking for about half a quarter of an hour, the view suddenly opened up, and an empty underground space about half the size of a plaza appeared before his eyes.

In the center, there were more than a dozen huge black iron crosses standing. On each cross, a person was firmly bound by black iron chains as thick as a baby's arm.

These people were men and women, wearing different clothes, but all of them had withered auras and were covered in scars.

Hearing the footsteps, they struggled to raise their heads. When they saw that the person coming was Ling Shanxiao, bone-deep hatred suddenly erupted in their eyes.

"Ling Shanxiao! You traitor who deceives the master and destroys the ancestors! You will die a horrible death!" An old man locked at the very front cursed sharply.

"Traitor! The Sect is unfortunate! The spirit of the Ancestral Master in heaven will never let you go!" Another middle-aged woman also screamed.

"Bah! Relying on external forces to harm fellow disciples, do you even deserve to be the Sect Master?!"

These people were the members of the other two factions who had previously competed with him for the position of Sect Master.

Ling Shanxiao, however, acted as if he didn't hear it. He slowly paced to the front of these crosses, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"Curse away, curse to your heart's content. Winners are kings and losers are villains; it has been so since ancient times. Look at how you are now, do you not look like lambs waiting to be slaughtered? And I, am about to officially become the master of the Qingyun Sect, worshipped by ten thousand people."

He walked to the old man who first cursed him and looked down at him: "As for defecting to the Blood Fiend Sect? So what? Old man, you are too pedantic. Without power, any Sect Legacy or Righteous Path reputation is empty! The Blood Fiend Sect can give me power and let me become the Sect Master of the Qingyun Sect, that is enough!"