The Sect Leader System-Chapter 175: Rise

Kang Ya-Ting slowly sipped his tea as he sat across from Chao Su.

The man was as inscrutable as ever. Though he would not admit to his cultivation level, his access to high level treasures, demonstrated combat prowess, and the inability of anyone in the Golden Core realm to sense him proved he was at least Nascent Soul. The fact that he didn’t fear the strongest cultivators on the continent lent credence to the suspicion that he had reached even higher.

Kang Ya-Ting sighed, wishing he had more information. In the end, though, all he could do was base his decisions on the best data he had. If Chao Su thought he could defend himself from whatever forces were arrayed against him, then that was what they had to plan on.

That decision didn’t mean that they shouldn’t minimize the amount of enemies as much as possible, though. Sending a gift to the Swift Blizzard Sect should keep them neutral for the moment, and a properly worded apology to the City Lord would give him face and go a long way to preventing a response that was too severe.

On the other hand, Kang Ya-Ting had to also think about what actions would most benefit the Poison Claw Sect. If Chao Su really did destroy the Jade Chameleon’s branch sect in the city, that act would seriously decrease the sect’s prominence, turning the big three instantly into the big two.

Or back into the big three with the Rising Tide Sect ascending.

An all-out war in which Chao Su destroyed the Emperor and both the other sects completely would make the Poison Claw Sect … subordinate to their current friend.

Even if Chao Su didn’t desire that level of control, he would be granted it regardless as the winner. No one would consider the Poison Claw Sect as anything except a dog licking at its master’s heels.

No. It would be better for Chao Su’s true power to remain as hidden as possible. A big three featuring the neutral Swift Blizzard Sect, the small and somewhat subordinate Rising Tide Sect, and their strong ally, the ascendent Poison Claw Sect, would be perfect.

“This is what we should do…” Kang Ya-Ting said.

Benton quickly fired off two missives. The first one, addressed to the City Lord, apologized for Benton’s actions, laid out his case for the destruction of Jade Chameleon branch, and promised to appear in person at the City Lord’s palace as soon as the grounds had been destroyed. The second one, addressed to the Swift Blizzard Sect, introduced Benton to the sect leader, repeated the case for the destruction of the Jade Chameleon branch, and included a bribe to remain in his favor, a top heaven ranked cultivation method for ice aspected Foundation Establishment realm cultivators who used that element.

He almost laughed as he spent the forty Sect Points necessary to create the jade slip. At one point, he would have been apoplectic at the thought of losing that many points with little hope of regaining most of them. Looking at the nearly eight hundred points he retained, however, he just wasn’t worried about it.

“You really think this will work? An apology and a bribe?” Benton said.

“The messages and the gift are just a way to give face to the two factions,” Kang Ya-Ting said. “There is much politicking to be done before we can say which way either of them will go. All this does is let them know that you’re willing to be reasonable and give them cause to take a neutral position until they have more information. A lot of their response will be dictated by how overpowering your attack on the Jade Chameleon branch is.”

“Then I should really go all out?”

“No! If you’re too strong and make them fear you too much, they’ll start taking extraordinary measures to protect themselves, like reaching out to larger sects on other continents to bring in someone close to your level or acquiring a treasure that would trouble even you.”

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That advice was the exact opposite of what Benton had expected the man to say. In a might makes right cultivation world, power was everything. It seemed really counter intuitive to hold back. Kang Ya-Ting’s logic did seem to make sense, though.

“You’re saying that I need to be overwhelming but not too overwhelming?” Benton said.

“Exactly.”

Actually, that worked out pretty well. Since Benton didn’t have access to an aura, he’d be able to play off not using one to Kang Ya-Ting as trying not to be too overwhelming. Perfect.

“I’ll do my best,” Benton said.

Standing atop the allure, Yang Xiu wiped a tear from her eye. She couldn’t stop thinking about Ye Zan. The captain had died saving her. Had thrown himself in front of blades meant for her.

Her mind kept going back to that moment, and she asked herself if she could have done anything differently. If she hadn’t shot those arrows and instead jumped down off the wall, Ye Zan might still be alive.

But maybe someone else would be dead.

And she couldn’t help but think that her actions were correct. Standing bravely in the face of sure defeat and death was exactly what a cultivator should do.

Right?

Not in every situation, of course. Master was clear that his disciples should seek to save their own lives when possible. But she hadn’t been trying to save face. She’d been trying to keep the superior cultivator’s attention on her as long as possible to preserve what lives she could.

She had acted to protect the good and the innocent, exactly as Master had taught. Ye Zan, too, had acted correctly, judging his sacrifice to be for the good of the sect.

The two absolutely correct actions, though, had resulted in tragedy, so how could they be right?

She glanced down at the spot where his body had lain. The mayor had arranged for it to be taken away and prepared for burial, but the dirt was still rust colored from the blood that was spilt.

That blood. His loss. The ceremony that they’d be having once Master returned. Saying goodbye to a good man and trusted friend. None of it was because either of them had acted wrong. No. All that was solely because they were not strong enough.

“Huang Yimun,” she called.

The man was sitting on the ground near where Ye Zan had been slain. “Yes, Senior Sister?”

“In Master’s absence, I’m appointing you interim Guard Captain. I want a council meeting. Gather everyone and have them meet me in the arena.”

In other circumstances, she supposed it would have given her some sort of thrill to make such an appointment or to call a meeting on her own. Instead, she felt numb, able to recognize what she should feel but unable to muster the proper emotions.

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She dashed to the arena and waited for the others to arrive.

In relatively short order, they began to trickle in, her brother and Kang Lin first. Eventually, they all came, even the mayor and the old wood harvester. Yang Xiu hadn’t been positive they would obey a summons that didn’t come from Master.

“We’re not strong enough,” she said. “I’m not strong enough. What can we do?”

Her brother and Kang Lin shared a glance, but it was the mayor who spoke.

“There will always be someone more powerful.”

“I know,” Yang Xiu said, “but that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t be doing everything I can to grow.”

“There is a resource we’re not properly exploiting,” Zou Tian said. “The Trials Pagoda. You’re the only one who has used it at all.”

“You’re right,” she said. “Someone should be using it daily.”

Peng Zhen shook his head. “We need Master’s permission.”

“The Trials Pagoda seeks his permission after the trial taker makes a selection,” Yang Xiu said. “I doubt he’ll allow us to change our aspect or improve our spiritual roots, but he should be fine with us working on techniques or our cultivation.”

“Maybe not the cultivation,” Kang Lin said. “My understanding is that treasures like the Trials Pagoda can give your cultivation a huge boost, but there are dangers of accelerating too fast. Barring a bottleneck, no one in the village besides Master is qualified to tell us when such a boost would be beneficial.”

“Fine. We can at least use it for techniques, correct?”

No one objected.

“Who will use it today?” Yang Xiu said.

“Me,” Yang Ru said.

“Your shield?”

Her brother grunted.

“Fine,” Yang Xiu said. “Peng Zhen, please make sure that someone is using it daily. If no one else wants to, find me near the end of the day and either I or Yang Ru will.”

“Yes, Senior Sister.”

“Any other thoughts on how we can get stronger?” she said.

“People have only been sporadically using the Wood for cultivating,” Zou Tian said. “People haven’t been sparring as much. It was fine for everyone to take a little break after the stress of the beast tide, but it would be appropriate to return to more structured training.”

“Good,” Yang Xiu said. “Yang Ru and I will work out a schedule that includes weapons training and cultivating for all the members of the Martial Pavilion. I expect all the other pavilion heads to do the same.”

“Yes, Senior Sister.”

The Rising Tide Sect needed to rise. Quickly. So that no one else had to die like Ye Zan had.