Chapter 204: with translation of chapter title

Lan Wuyan sat gracefully in his seat, waving his sleeves to reveal a pair of snow‑white hands, and cupped his fists, saying:

"Report to Sect Master Senior Brother, the matter of Xiao Wu Village has been investigated clearly; at that time, two disciples of the Flower Pavilion and Heng Xian met in the village."

"The Song family juniors from the northern frontier where Elder Song Rufeng belonged happened to catch up, and the two sides fought fiercely……"

"He hadn't finished speaking when Bai Chun San interrupted: "Look, look, this wicked disciple first colluded with the ancient demon, then with the evil sect Flower Pavilion—truly heinous and unforgivable!"

"Liu Hanchun frowned slightly: "Third Senior Brother, can you not interrupt others when they speak? How is your behavior any different from village women scolding in the streets?"

""Hmph!" Bai Chun San closed his eyes, sat in meditation, and said nothing more."

"Lan Wuyan continued: "Heng Xian fought eleven against one; in a single exchange, Song Yǔ of the Song family, at Qi Sea Realm Eighth Tier, suffered light injuries and retreated, while five Song family disciples at Qi Sea Realm Fourth Tier were killed, and five at Qi Sea Realm Fifth–Sixth Tiers were seriously injured."

"The hall fell silent for a moment."

"Yaotian Peak's peak master Zhao Qingzhi, dressed in purple robes with a Daoist bun, a mature woman still charming, at this moment flicked her whisk and said: "I've heard that this Heng Xian is also at Qi Sea Realm Eighth Tier; his battle prowess is indeed not bad!"

"Bao Bu Tian said: "From joining the sect to now, it's been less than two years, breaking through from Qi Sea Realm First Tier to Qi Sea Realm Eighth Tier,"

"with the resources of Bitter Willow Peak, achieving this level can be called extraordinarily talented!"

""There's no doubt about his talent and cunning!" Bai Chun San snapped angrily: "Otherwise, how could he have harmed so many disciples?"

"Sect Master Zhenxuan glanced at Lan Wuyan and asked lightly: "Then what?"

"Lan Wuyan replied: "The two Flower Pavilion disciples and Song Yǔ of the Song family were entangled in combat, and Heng Xian slipped away!"

"The hall fell silent again."

"Heng Xian's maneuver of fighting hard then fleeing is truly hard to comprehend."

"Lan Wuyan continued: "Afterward, disciples of the fourteen sects rushed to the scene, sensing the battle's aura; the two Flower Pavilion disciples took the opportunity to escape using the Lustful Mist, and some disciples have already gone after them."

"But Heng Xian's whereabouts have become a mystery once more."

"A disciple of the Divine Calculation Palace tried to calculate it, to no avail. Immediately, the other disciples pursued the monkey beside Heng Xian, but after tracking it for five hundred li they arrived at a mountain teeming with monkeys!"

"Peak Master Bai Sizhen of Xiao Song Peak said: "In other words, Heng Xian has once again escaped our control?"

""That's right!" Lan Wuyan said: "Two days ago, the major sects even dispatched sixteen Golden Core mid‑stage cultivators and two Nascent Soul cultivators, centering on Xiao Wu Village, searching a thousand‑li radius, yet found not a trace of Heng Xian."

"All the peak masters fell silent."

"Sandalwood incense curled in the air; in the corner, the Sect Master's beloved five‑clawed azure dragon coiled on the beams, curiously watching everyone."

"After a while, Bai Sizhen said: "What exactly does Heng Xian have on him? Even a Nascent Soul cultivator can't find it?"

"Bao Bu Tian shook his head: "This question has been studied many times; given Ninth Junior Sister's savings and ability, I don't believe she could give disciples any fun trinkets,"

"even if Heng Xian truly possessed a treasure that hides him from detection, it would have been obtained before he joined the sect or during that initiation trial!"

"Bai Chun San said: "Enough talk; I think we should completely strike Heng Xian from the Tianyuan Sect's roster—this is also what the other sects want!"

"Bai Sizhen and Lan Wuyan nodded: "Agreed! Cultivators practice the marvelous laws of heaven and earth, ancestral blessings, and sect protection; since he has defected, striking him from the rolls and depriving him of the sect's ancestral spirit protection is only fitting."

"No sooner had the words fallen than Liu Hanchun said lightly: "Has he actually defected?"

"Everyone exchanged glances, hesitating for a moment."

""That's right! Although Heng Xian has done many wrong things, he never said a single word against the Tianyuan Sect, never deliberately slandered it, and never explicitly declared a break with it."

"Bai Chun San sneered: "Using the ancient demon to kill fellow disciples in public, aligning with demons and with the Flower Pavilion—what else is that if not defection?"

"Liu Hanchun said: "This can only be counted as a mistake, having entered the evil path; it cannot be considered defection, and the sect must finally judge his faults."

"Bai Sizhen said coldly: "Even if we don't label his actions as defection, even if we say he betrayed the sect and list him for execution, it would not be excessive."

"Bang!"

"Liu Hanchun slammed the immortal desk: "As an elder, Song Rufeng bullied his superiors—who investigated that? Is it you, Senior Brother Lan, as peak master?"

"Bai Ziqing, Tong Que'er, Ye Xiaoyao and others were relentlessly pressured, painstakingly harmed—who ordered that? Senior Sister Bai, are you involved?"

"Lan Wuyan snorted."

"Bai Sizhen's voice softened, and she said calmly: "Without evidence, Junior Sister, you must not speak recklessly; after cultivating for hundreds of years, how could we stoop to the level of a junior like him?"

"Liu Hanchun snorted coldly and continued: "Before the Sang Guo demonic uprising, Song Rufeng openly sent Heng Xian to his death; among the elders and seniors of all sects present, who tried to stop him? Or were they all just indifferent?"

"Forced into a corner, Heng Xian rose up in retaliation, using the ancient demon to kill Song Rufeng and the others; even if it was wrong, it was understandable."

"Afterward, in the series of mistakes, did any Tianyuan Sect elder ever protect him? Did anyone ever inquire? Even now, has any elder gone to ask him a single sentence, "Why did you do this?"

"Is there any? Who knows the suffering and anguish of his constant flight? If it were me, for survival and justice, I'd submit to anything—ancient demons, the Flower Pavilion, even heavenly devils!"

"When trouble arose, everyone shouted for battle and killing; as a sect, having no shred of care for its own disciples, such a cold‑hearted sect is doomed to collapse—enough talk, what nonsense!"

"Saying this, he flicked his sleeve and turned to leave."

"Behind him, a group of peak masters and elders remained silent."

"Bao Bu Tian coughed: "Junior Sister Liu's temper is still the same as before, just a bit more impatient."

""Hehe…" everyone gave an embarrassed laugh."

"Even Bai Chun San stroked his beard, staring at the seam of the table."

"The ever‑silent Sect Master Zhenxuan spoke: "The matter of Heng Xian is to be put on hold; Ninth Junior Sister and Bitter‑Feeling Senior Brother are still in meditation, her disciple got into trouble, and the sect directly striking him from the rolls is truly inappropriate."

"Lan Wuyan said: "How have the other sects responded?"

"The Sect Master said: "Just brush it off; let them kill whoever they want—what else do you expect?"

"Lan Wuyan nodded."

"The Sect Master's tone suddenly turned grave: "Haoge sent me a letter— that nameless swordsman, having just broken through to Nascent Soul, already overwhelms him; he suspects this person may well be connected to the ancient Sword Saint!"

"Zhao Qingzhi exclaimed in shock: "A reincarnation of the ancient Sword Saint?"

"The Sect Master fell silent for a moment: "Haoge is seventy‑seven today, while that swordsman is only in his teens—figure it out yourselves!"

"Everyone fell silent."

"The Sect Master suddenly waved his hand, sealing all doors and windows of the hall: "All low‑level Flower Pavilion disciples have been slaughtered; the remaining key figures have also been brought under control, yet the pavilion masters and guardians have left no trace!"

"What do you all say this means?"

"All the peak masters exchanged glances, and Lan Wuyan said: "Could it be from his realm?"

Sect Leader said in a deep voice: "Today, the Sect Leader of Da Luo Holy Sect, Jiang Yuan Song, and the Great Elder of Great Expansion Sect, Zhou Dao Ling, simultaneously sent letters to me; the seven disciples from various sects captured in Liu Shu Town have already died, their intention unknown,

"And the group of pavilion masters and protectors from the Flower Pavilion are very likely not from foreign lands, nor are they hiding, but they still have other identities!"

"What identity?" Bai Sizhen asked.

The Sect Leader glanced indifferently at everyone, stood up and walked away, saying, "In short... they're really playing a big game!"

(End of chapter)