87: Nangong Li, filled with fear

At the same time Su Mengyao insisted on taking Shen Lian as her master, inside the Grand Elder's Hall of the Chess Sword Pavilion, Nangong Li and Lord Youyang knelt respectfully in the center of the hall.

Suddenly, a cluster of golden Sword Light appeared above the main hall.

"Greetings, Grand Elder."

Seeing the ball of light, Nangong Li and Lord Youyang bowed their heads in salute simultaneously.

Their attitude was submissive, completely devoid of the overbearing arrogance they displayed toward their own Disciples.

The ball of light flickered with spiritual radiance and emitted a melodious female voice: "I am already aware of what happened. Since the founding of the Chess Sword Pavilion, such an event has never occurred. Five Elders have been killed, and seven hundred and twenty-seven Disciples have been slaughtered. I want to know why this happened."

Lord Youyang looked up at the silent Nangong Li beside him and bowed, saying: "Reporting to Elder Clear Moon, the culprit who caused this Sect tragedy seems to have an inseparable connection with Sect Master Nangong."

"Oh, is it a private grievance?"

Clear Moon's question was clearly directed at Nangong Li.

Nangong Li replied: "Reporting to Elder Clear Moon, this Disciple will certainly handle this matter well. Please rest assured, Elder Clear Moon."

Clear Moon: "So you are saying that this truly is because of your private grievance, which implicated innocent Sect Disciples?"

Nangong Li lowered her head: "Elder, this Disciple will take responsibility."

Clear Moon: "And how do you intend to take responsibility?"

Nangong Li: "This Disciple will surely bring the culprit to justice and provide all the Sects with a suitable explanation."

Clear Moon: "Nangong Li, do you still remember what you said when you first entered the Chess Sword Pavilion, accepted the Sword Emperor's mantle, and became the new Sect Master?"

Nangong Li bit her lower lip: "This Disciple remembers."

"Since you remember, why did such a thing happen?"

Nangong Li prostrated herself: "Elder Clear Moon, please give this Disciple one more chance."

"Nangong Li, as the Sect Master of the Chess Sword Pavilion, you are supposed to shoulder the mission of guarding the Sect. Now, because of your private grievance with an outsider, such an incident has occurred within the Sect. You have been in charge of the Chess Sword Pavilion for only one hundred and twenty-two years, and already something like this has happened. I have reason to doubt whether you are qualified to shoulder the prosperity of the Sect."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Li panicked: "Elder, this Disciple begs you to give me one more chance. After all, in the hundred-plus years I have served as the Chess Sword Pavilion Sect Master, I have been diligent. I did not foresee today's private grievance. I implore the Grand Elder to show mercy and give this Disciple one more chance. This Disciple will certainly handle the matter properly."

"Give you another chance? Why don't you go ask those Sect Disciples who died because of you if they are willing to give you a chance?"

Nangong Li became anxious. Hearing Clear Moon's tone, it seemed she was determined to strip her of her position as Sect Master.

She had practiced bitterly for hundreds of years, and it was not easy to attain her current status as a person above others. How could she be knocked down into the dust just like that?

No, absolutely not.

Under no circumstances could she return to those days of living under someone else's roof.

"Elder, please consider that this Disciple once resolved the instability of the earth core strange fire for the Chess Sword Pavilion, and give this Disciple one more chance."

Unexpectedly, as soon as she said this, Clear Moon's voice clearly turned cold: "Nangong Li, do you really have the nerve to bring up the earth core strange fire? You should know better than anyone who actually stabilized the out-of-control strange fire for the Chess Sword Pavilion back then."

Nangong Li was stunned, looked up, and replied: "Elder, back then…"

"Must I say it out loud for you to be satisfied about what happened back then?"

Clear Moon's voice was imposing without anger, instantly extinguishing Nangong Li's desire to argue.

Lord Youyang, who was on the side, immediately stiffened upon hearing these words.

Back then, the earth core strange fire located deep beneath the Chess Sword Pavilion had mutated, posing a risk of detonation at any time.

Once the earth core strange fire erupted, not only would the entire Chess Sword Pavilion be reduced to ruins, but it would also affect nearly half of the Southern Territory.

Consequently, the three Grand Elders informed the Sword Emperor, who was proving his Dao in the Sword Realm, of this news through various channels.

The Sword Emperor immediately created a Clone and returned to the Southern Territory. The first thing he did was to abolish the cultivation of the previous Sect Master, Dugu Wuhei.

Subsequently, he issued a call to the world, offering that whoever could pacify the earth core strange fire would be the new Chess Sword Pavilion Sect Master and could receive his mantle.

Once this news spread, talented people from all Realm Boundaries gathered at the Chess Sword Pavilion.

In the end, it was Nangong Li, who possessed the Innate Sword Bone and had cultivated the Innate Sword Intent, who solved the problem of the earth core strange fire eruption, gained the appreciation of the Sword Emperor, and successfully became the new Sect Master.

This was the full story as Lord Youyang knew it.

But now, listening to the meaning in Clear Moon's words, it seemed there was someone else who pacified the earth core strange fire back then?

With this thought in mind, he could not help but pay a little more attention to Nangong Li.

Seeing that Nangong Li no longer argued, Clear Moon's cold voice faded.

"Nangong Li, you must remember that you are now the Sect Master of the Chess Sword Pavilion. Do not bring your grievances from the Heavenly Feather Sect into the Sect. This time such a major change has occurred in the Sect; regardless of the reason, you cannot shirk the responsibility. Do you admit this?"

Nangong Li lowered her head and replied softly: "It is all this Disciple's fault. Please calm your anger, Elder."

Clear Moon: "Good. Since you understand, I will give you one more chance. Within three days, resolve your private grievances. I do not wish to see any more Chess Sword Pavilion Disciples die in vain like this."

Nangong Li: "Thank you, Elder Clear Moon, for your mercy. This Disciple knows what to do."

"I await your news. If there is nothing else, you may both withdraw."

"This Disciple takes their leave!"

Nangong Li breathed a sigh of relief; the position of Sect Master was finally preserved.

What she needed to do next was to get rid of Shen Lian, this destabilizing factor, as quickly as possible.

After Nangong Li and Lord Youyang left, the flickering light gradually dissipated.

A woman wearing a pure white Liuxian dress, holding a jade flute, beautiful beyond compare, floated down from mid-air.

Her skirt hem fluttered slightly, swaying with the dispersing sword wind, faintly revealing her long, fair, jade-like legs beneath the skirt.

Clear Moon opened her beautiful eyes slightly, watching their retreating backs, and gently exhaled a breath of orchid scent.

"Senior Sister, have they all left?!"

The next moment, a silver light flashed behind her, and a handsome young man in luxurious clothes with a full head of silver hair appeared.

He was Xiao Chen, one of the three Grand Elders of the Chess Sword Pavilion, and also Clear Moon's Junior Brother.

Clear Moon: "Junior Brother, did you find out any useful information when you went to the Tianji Pavilion?"

"Yes!" Xiao Chen stretched lazily and leaned directly against the lounge chair, saying.

"Old Man Tianji's two Disciples, Ai Buli and Tan Beihuan, were killed by someone. The key is that it is impossible to calculate who did it. This is the first time I have seen the Tianji Pavilion suffer a setback."

Clear Moon's beautiful eyes furrowed: "Who has such great ability to dare to touch people from the Tianji Pavilion? It seems that this Primordial Continent is about to change."

Xiao Chen was indifferent: "If the sky falls, there will naturally be someone to hold it up. What does it have to do with us? As long as we can steadily hold on for these three months, our agreement with the Sword Emperor will expire. At that time, we can leave this ghost place and travel throughout the nine regions and four territories."

Clear Moon: "As long as we are still in the Chess Sword Pavilion for one day, we must continue to uphold this responsibility."

Xiao Chen: "Senior Sister, you don't intend to stay in the Chess Sword Pavilion, do you?"

"No." Clear Moon shook her head. "When the agreement expires, I will return to Yuling Peak to retire and never again ask about the affairs of this Jianghu."

Xiao Chen waved his hand: "Then I will go explore the various wonders of the Primordial Continent, and when I have played enough, I will go to Yuling Peak to join Senior Sister."

Clear Moon did not answer, but silently began to play the jade flute.

The melodious tune slowly sounded and gradually spread inside and outside the main hall.