Chapter 152

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Chapter 152: The Clan Leader’s Dilemma

"You, you, you’ve got some nerve and such a cruel heart!" Ling Feng shouted angrily. "They were all elites of the Mo Sect! How could you kill them?"

"Nine people surrounded and attacked me first. Since they dared strike a fellow disciple, why shouldn’t I retaliate?" Fang Lie sneered. "Explain that logic to me!"

"Nonsense! How could nine people gang up on you?" Ling Feng retorted. "Do you think me a fool? Bai First Young Master only brought five or six men inside—the rest were neutral! And weren’t you colluding with Blue Butterfly Dress? She was clearly on your side! Don’t think you can trick me!"

"Heh. Seems Bai First Young Master fooled you too," Fang Lie scoffed. "That ‘junior sister’ Blue Butterfly Dress was his lover all along. The moment we entered, Bai and his men cornered us both, pretending to target her. Like an idiot, I shielded her… only to get two Short Swords named Thousand Souls’ Funeral stabbed into my back!"

"What?!" The three Immortals gasped. "Is this true?"

"Hmph!" Fang Lie snorted derisively. "Would I bother lying about such scum?"

Ling Feng and the others fell silent.

Others might lie to appease the Bai family, but not Fang Lie. This man had openly admitted slaughtering disciples from East Kunlun and Great Thunder Sound Temple—killing one more Bai heir meant nothing. His blunt nature left no room for deception. Despite their prejudice, the three found themselves believing him.

"Enough," Ling Feng sighed wearily. "This matter exceeds my authority. The sect elders shall decide your fate upon our return."

"Wait," another Immortal interjected. "Since you’re the sole survivor, doesn’t the Arhat Immortal Fruit belong to you now?"

"I didn’t take the fruit," Fang Lie stated.

"Why not?" they exclaimed.

"Because I uprooted the entire Arhat Immortal Fruit tree instead."

"Fool!" Ling Feng paled. "You’ve destroyed its roots! How will the Three Great Sects continue the Path Contest? The others will demand answers!"

"Reckless idiot!"

"Greed has blinded you!" the others chimed in.

"Tch. Poor ignorant fools," Fang Lie sneered. "The Secret Realm’s tree already spawned a sapling. In a Hundred Years, the new tree will bear fruit—the Path Contest continues uninterrupted. That’s why the major sects sent experts to steal the original tree. Pathetic that you leaders remained clueless. Your superiors clearly consider you worthless."

Understanding dawned on the three men. So that explained the sudden involvement of top disciples! Humiliation burned their cheeks, but their anger toward Fang Lie dissipated.

"Enough," Ling Feng said tiredly. "We’re insignificant in the grand scheme. Rest now. We’ll settle this at the sect."

Fang Lie nodded and left.

Once he departed, one Immortal grumbled, "Why didn’t the sect inform us about the tree?"

"Would we have messed things up?" another agreed.

"No," Ling Feng shook his head. "I suspect even our leaders were unaware. Otherwise, they’d have warned us."

"Then why send Bai First Young Master?"

Ling Feng sighed. "Originally, Bai wasn’t involved. He demanded to join last minute with extra men. Two other young masters also planned to come—they’d vowed to crush Fang Lie. But those two withdrew last second. Only Bai persisted… and died for it."

"So Fang Lie accidentally foiled the other sects’ schemes?" someone marveled. "And secured the Immortal tree for Mo Sect?"

"This is a tremendous merit! He killed nine fellow disciples yet accomplished such a feat. How should he be dealt with?"

"What else? Follow the rules," Ling Feng sighed. "No actions in the Secret Realm count as crimes. He’ll only receive merits, not punishments. The higher-ups will have headaches after we return."

"Not our problem anymore~"

"I’ll send the information back now and let them stew!" Ling Feng released a sword beam to deliver the message and ordered, "Travel at full speed. Return to the sect as soon as possible."

"Understood," the other two replied.

At Mo Sect headquarters, within a Secret Realm.

A grand hall crowned the peak of a sacred mountain. Over a dozen Thunder Tribulation Immortals sat encircling Clan Leader Mo Qianxun, who occupied the central seat.

Mo Qianxun wore a peculiar expression—troubled yet faintly pleased. The contradiction left everyone bewildered.

The Head of the Bai Family spoke first: "Clan Leader, why have you summoned us?"

"A thorny matter requires discussion," Mo Qianxun frowned. "The Path Contest in the Secret Realm has concluded. We achieved total victory."

"Hmm," the group murmured indifferently. Such contests were beneath Thunder Tribulation Immortals—trivial games for Qi Sea realm juniors. Why trouble them over this?

"Congratulations," the Head of the Bai Family said, puzzled. "But why do you seem displeased?"

"Because only one survivor remains," Mo Qianxun admitted.

"Ah." The Bai leader smiled. "They died honorably for the sect. Our victory glorifies Mo Sect—they’d rest content. We’ll compensate their families generously. I’ll even donate my lineage’s rewards to the fallen."

He assumed the survivor was his heir. With Fourth-tier Magical Items, six disposable treasures, and an Earth Escape Talisman, Bai First Young Master couldn’t possibly have perished.

Mo Qianxun gave him an odd look. "The survivor is Fang Lie."

"Impossible!" the Bai leader roared.

"Ling Feng’s report confirms it," Mo Qianxun sighed. "My condolences, Junior Brother."

"My poor great-grandson!" the Bai leader wailed. "Who killed him?!"

"Fang Lie, apparently."

"That bastard! I’ll destroy him!"

"Mind your words," Mo Qianxun warned. "Secret Realm killings are exempt from punishment. We cannot touch him."

The Bai leader seethed. Others maintained stoic expressions but inwardly scorned his hypocrisy—dismissing others’ losses yet raging over his own.

Mo Qianxun sympathized—losing a decades-invested heir to internal conflict was brutal. "Accept what cannot be changed," he advised.

"I… shall try," the Bai leader hissed, hatred undisguised.

Mo Qianxun turned to the assembly. "Additionally, Fang Lie achieved three Major Merits. We must decide his rewards."

"What merits warrant our attention?" someone asked.

"First, he secured the Dao path, defeating East Kunlun and Great Thunder Sound Temple. Second, he slaughtered all their disciples, including two Talents, weakening their power. Third, he retrieved an Arhat Immortal Fruit tree."