Chapter 551 - 234: Disturbance (2)
His tone wasn’t heavy, but the weight of his words made Elder Ji’s heart tighten.
The Xuanming Royal Family was one of the five great millennium-old Noble Families. Moreover, most of the Golden Feathered Eagles within the Sect were raised by the Wang Family, which showed just how deep their roots ran.
But no matter the Wang Family’s reasons, their actions had crossed a line, touching the very bottom line of the Sect’s authority.
Setting aside whether the lead was even credible, even if a disciple of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect was truly involved, the matter should have been handled by the Sect’s disciplinary system according to the rules. How could a Noble Family’s power be allowed to act so recklessly?
"I understand," Elder Ji replied in a low voice, her mind already formulating a plan.
She needed to strike a delicate balance: make the Wang Family feel the sting and recognize their place, but without escalating the conflict too far.
"These few millennium-old Noble Families have certainly grown more and more arrogant in recent years." Jiang Lishan’s gaze lifted slightly, drifting toward the ethereal sea of clouds outside the hall. His tone betrayed no emotion.
Hearing this, Elder Ji sighed inwardly and shook her head.
The millennium-old Noble Families were too deeply entwined with the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect, their roots tangled and complex. Forget ordinary disciples—even many Stewards, Elders, and some True Disciples had innumerable ties to the major Noble Families.
While this certainly strengthened the Sect’s foundations, it also led to a proliferation of factions within the Sect and severe internal friction. A vast amount of energy and resources were consumed by endless internal strife, which was precisely one of the greatest internal crises the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect now faced.
Jiang Lishan seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic and changed the subject. "How has that batch of disciples from Xu Wang Mountain been lately?"
Elder Ji’s expression softened slightly. "Reporting to the Sect Leader, everything is proceeding in an orderly fashion. The aptitude and temperament of this group of geniuses from the Hundred Sects are mostly of an Upper Grade. They are integrating faster than expected. A few among them have shown particularly outstanding performance. He Shuang, Wu Anren, Chen Qing, and others have already shown the potential of True Successor Candidates and have attracted attention from all sides."
She paused briefly before elaborating, "He Shuang has been taken in by Elder Gong as a Direct Disciple and is being taught with great care, progressing at a remarkable pace. Wu Anren, on the other hand, has caught the eye of the Nanzhao Huo Family. It’s said the Huo Family has made a generous offer to recruit him, and their relationship grows closer by the day. As for Chen Qing, his background is quite clean. He comes from the Wutai Sect in Yunlin Prefecture, was recommended by Elder Deng Ziheng, and has joined the True Martial Lineage."
"The True Martial Lineage?" Hearing this, a flicker of movement appeared in Jiang Lishan’s eyes.
As the Sect Leader, he also hailed from the True Martial Lineage and naturally paid extra attention to its situation.
The True Martial Lineage had long been suffering from a lack of successors. It was truly rare for a promising new talent to emerge.
Reading his expression, Elder Ji continued, "According to reports from our observers, this Chen Qing is twenty-seven years old, which is considered extremely young among the geniuses from the Hundred Sects. But his foundation is solid, his temperament is steady, and his strength is genuinely impressive. He managed to clear the twenty-ninth floor of the Celestial Treasure Tower with his Mid-stage Astral Force Cultivation. His potential is quite excellent."
She did indeed have a degree of admiration for Chen Qing. Besides his talent, it was also because he was young and more malleable. Furthermore, by choosing the now-unremarkable True Martial Lineage, he had, to some extent, reduced the risk of being corrupted by other factions.
Jiang Lishan nodded slightly. "It’s not easy for a promising talent to appear in the True Martial Lineage."
"Indeed," Elder Ji agreed with a nod, then shifted her tone slightly. "I just don’t know if this young man will be able to mature smoothly..."
Her words were left unfinished, but her meaning was clear.
The True Martial Lineage was in decline, its internal inheritances were incomplete, and it faced formless pressure from the other lineages and certain Noble Families. By choosing this lineage, Chen Qing’s future path was destined to be far more arduous than if he had chosen any of the other three.
"Rest assured."
Jiang Lishan said lightly, "The True Martial Lineage knows what it’s doing. They know how to protect their own."
As the Sect Leader, he had a crystal-clear view of the power dynamics among the various lineages within the Sect.
Among the Four Veins, the True Martial Lineage had the simplest factional structure; its power distribution was like a clear stream.
Precisely because it constantly faced external pressure, its members had become all the more united.
Excellent disciples were rare, so they treated every outstanding one as a precious treasure, cherishing and protecting them.
Joining the True Martial Lineage wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Jiang Lishan’s gaze once again drifted to the distance. "I just wonder... of the three of them—He Shuang, Wu Anren, and this Chen Qing—how many will ultimately distinguish themselves? And will they be able to stir this stagnant water before us?"
Hearing this, Elder Ji inwardly shook her head.
’In her view, the three certainly had potential. He Shuang was backed by his master, Wu Anren had the support of a Noble Family, and Chen Qing was exceptionally talented. Perhaps one of them could truly ascend to the ranks of the True Disciples in the future.’
’But to think that just a few of them could trigger a shift, let alone shatter the Sect’s internal balance... that was undoubtedly far too difficult.’
’It would require not only talent and strength, but also timing, boldness, and even a bit of luck.’
’The vast web woven from the millennium-old Noble Families and the Sect’s factions was not something a mere few budding geniuses could hope to shake in a short time.’
But she did not voice these thoughts, only replying respectfully, "The Sect Leader is absolutely right. We shall see what fate has in store for them."
Elder Ji reported a few more miscellaneous Sect matters. Seeing that Sect Leader Jiang Lishan had no further instructions, she gave a respectful bow and quietly withdrew from the grand hall.
Silence returned to the hall.
"Chen Qing... the True Martial Lineage..."
Jiang Lishan’s gaze remained fixed on the clouds gathering and dispersing outside the hall, and no one could glimpse the thoughts within his mind.
.....
「Profound Sun Peak, Han Xiong’s small courtyard.」
A soft knock came from the courtyard gate. Han Xiong opened it to find a steward from the Shen Family standing outside, his face wreathed in a warm and respectful smile.
"Young Master Han, forgive my sudden visit. I hope I’m not disturbing your cultivation?" the steward said with a smile, cupping his hands. His tone was exceedingly polite.
A smile also appeared on Han Xiong’s face as he stepped aside to let the man in. "It’s Steward Shen. Please, come in."
The two sat down at a stone table in the courtyard. Steward Shen dispensed with the pleasantries and directly took a Jade Token from his robes, placing it gently on the table and pushing it toward Han Xiong.