Meeting in the Pavilion

The youth’s divine sense swept over the white-haired young girl several times, inspecting her thoroughly. "Your illness hasn't flared up, has it?"

Yao Xiaoxiao shook her head like a rattle. "No. I just took my medicine a few days ago."

"That’s good then."

Yao Xiaoxiao hurriedly followed up with a question. "Little Grand-Uncle, I heard you led people all the way to the banks of the Wild River. Are you hurt?"

"No."

"What about that auspicious beast? My uncle said you caught it."

"Mm."

Yao Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened, and she asked indignantly, "Did you slaughter it?"

Xu Xian didn't answer directly, asking instead, "Do you want it slaughtered?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

Yao Xiaoxiao said huffily, "So many people died at the Demon Suppression Abyss, and things got so out of hand that even the Fifth Patriarch is gone. It’s all that fellow’s fault. It caused all of this. Shouldn't it die?"

Xu Xian shook his head and smiled.

"Am I wrong?"

Xu Xian knitted his brows and said meaningfully, "Hmm... I can't say you're wrong, but you aren't exactly right either."

Yao Xiaoxiao was completely confused. "What do you mean?"

"A common man is guiltless, but his treasure makes him a target."

Yao Xiaoxiao looked thoughtful and whispered the words back to herself. "A common man is guiltless, but his treasure makes him a target..."

Suddenly.

The tolling of an ancient bell drifted from a distant peak. Nine consecutive strikes awakened the rising sun. Yao Xiaoxiao’s thoughts were interrupted, and she looked up.

"It’s the bell of the Sword Pavilion."

"Yes, the bell of the Sword Pavilion," Xu Xian said, not forgetting to add, "I’m the one who had it rung."

Yao Xiaoxiao felt as if she were in a fog. "Huh?"

Xu Xian didn't hide anything and told her straight out, "To discuss whether that blood-colored elk lives or dies."

With that.

Before the little girl could respond, Xu Xian had already walked away. "I’m heading off first. I’ll come find you later. Don’t run around."

Yao Xiaoxiao stood dazed for a moment before calling out an acknowledgement.

She scratched her head, still feeling lost.

"Live?"

"Die..."

The young girl’s eyes suddenly brightened, and she said with a look of realization, "I get it. Little Grand-Uncle plans to raise it."

The Sword Pavilion’s bell tolled.

The entire sect took notice.

However, there wasn't the usual clamor and uproar. After all, so many things had happened recently that the bells had rung more than once.

The bells of the Sword Pavilion.

The bells of the Sword Mound.

The bells of the Immortal Pavilion.

And the War Bell on Zhijian Peak...

Announcing deaths, preparing for war, the return of immortal swords...

It was no exaggeration to say that over the past half-month, the ancient bells of the Wendao Sect had rung more times than they had in the previous hundred years combined.

Moreover.

Today, it was only the bell of the Sword Pavilion.

Following the battle at the Demon Suppression Abyss, Ancestor Yun Zheng had ascended to heaven, and the Wendao Sect had returned in a great victory. The demon race had been pushed back three thousand miles from the Demon Suppression Abyss, and the Boundary Mountain had been moved forward to the banks of the Wild River.

The world was in an uproar.

The balance that had been maintained between the East Desolation and the Northern Borders for ten thousand years had been broken.

For days, the people in Demon-Slaying City had been in a state of panic. Cloud Boats from the Central Plains traveled back and forth frequently. As the sect disciples returned in triumph, many matters had yet to be settled.

A meeting of the Pavilion Elders was only natural and to be expected.

When the disciples in the mountains heard it, they did nothing more than whisper their speculations and discuss in low voices how the sect planned to handle the chaotic situation in the East Desolation after this war.

They wondered how the layout for the entire world would be adjusted.

"Is the Sect Master back?"

"Probably!"

"Reasonably speaking, the Little Grand-Uncle should be back too, right?"

"Who knows?"

"I heard that after this battle in the East Desolation, more than half of the beast gods have fallen. I’m afraid they won't be able to recover for five thousand years. However, the Demon Eye and Spirit Eye have been destroyed, and the treaty has been torn to shreds. I fear Demon-Slaying City will no longer be able to serve as a shield for our Northern Borders."

"Stop worrying about things beyond your control. Don't guess. The ancestors will have a plan."

"True, true..."

Wendao Sect.

At the summit of Sword Inquiry Peak.

Where the Sword Pavilion was located. After the bell tolled, the ten or so Pavilion Elders who had returned to the mountain—excluding the three Guest Elders—all rushed over. They arrived in the blink of an eye and entered the pavilion.

Xu Xian, on the other hand, had made a trip back to Zhijian Peak, so he arrived late.

When he walked into the pavilion.

More than ten figures were already standing on both sides of the main hall. Most of them were familiar faces.

Li Qingshan, Han Yi... and others whom Xu Xian had seen on the walls of Spirit Elixir City. He recognized their faces but couldn't name them.

In this battle.

All the eighth stage Pavilion Elders, except for the three Guest Elders and the Peak Master of Zhujian Peak, Han Yi, who had stayed behind to guard the mountain gate, had gone to the front.

Fortunately, aside from Yun Zheng, not a single Pavilion Elder had died.

The expressions on the dozen or so people varied, but none could hide their exhaustion. They looked aged and weary. When they saw Xu Xian arrive, they all bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Little Junior Martial Uncle!"

"Greetings, Little Grand-Uncle!!"

Xu Xian nodded slightly in response, then stepped forward, crossing the great hall and heading straight up the steps to the second level.

There.

Eleven chairs were lined up. In the sixth position sat a person who was both a matron and a young woman.

Her long hair was casually coiled behind her head, and she wore a crimson robe.

She was dignified yet possessed an air of nobility.

Her face was exquisite, like a lotus emerging from water.

Xu Xian didn't need to think twice. Among the five patriarchs in the mountain, there was only one woman: his Sixth Senior Sister, Jiang Wanyin.

Since she was sitting in the sixth chair, it was undoubtedly her.

Xu Xian stopped, shook his long sleeves, and performed a formal salute.

"Greetings, Sixth Senior Sister!"

Jiang Wanyin’s eyes were like autumn waters as she smiled beautifully and nodded slightly. "Rise, Little Eleven. There’s no need for such formalities."

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

After thanking her, Xu Xian walked to the far left and took his seat in the eleventh stone chair.

Li Qingshan stepped forward and said solemnly, "Sixth Senior Martial Aunt, everyone is here. We can begin."

"Good!"

Jiang Wanyin gave her assent and then said, "Sect Master Ye is still handling some matters at the Demon Suppression Abyss and cannot return for the time being, so I shall preside in her stead. As for the matter to be discussed today..."

She paused there and looked across at Xu Xian with a slight smile, asking for his input. "Little Eleven, would you like to speak?"

Xu Xian stood up and cupped his hands.

"Alright!"

Jiang Wanyin pressed her slender jade hands down several times, signaling for Xu Xian to sit. "I told you, don't be so stiff. Our Wendao Sect doesn't have that many tedious formalities. Just relax and say whatever is on your mind..."

Whispers and occasional laughter broke out below the stage.

The meetings of the Pavilion Elders in the Wendao Sect were originally meant for discussion.

One person would make a proposal, everyone would discuss it, and the minority would follow the majority.

Of course, as long as a proposal was reasonable, it would generally pass.

At least in memory, no matter discussed in the pavilion had ever been rejected.

With her permission, Xu Xian was no longer stiff. After sitting back down, his gaze slowly swept over the Pavilion Elders, and he got straight to the point.

"The reason I called everyone here today is to discuss the matter of that auspicious beast."

Everyone fell silent and listened intently.

Xu Xian’s voice was calm. "As you all know, I captured that auspicious beast. Before returning to the sect, I asked the Sect Master how to handle it. Senior Sister said that since I caught it, I should decide for myself."

"However, I believe this matter is of great importance, so it’s better to discuss it with everyone."

"The auspicious beast is currently just outside the mountain gate. Let everyone deliberate on it."

"Should we slaughter it for its meat?"

"Should we sell it for money?"

"Or should our Wendao Sect raise it ourselves?"

As the youth’s voice fell, a commotion arose as the Pavilion Elders put their heads together in hushed discussion.

Eat its meat.

Sell it for money.

Raise it themselves.

Those were the only three options, but...

One Pavilion Elder spoke up. "Little Junior Martial Uncle, I agree with what the Sect Master said. Since you caught the beast, it should naturally be handled according to your wishes. However, since you’ve asked, I might as well share my thoughts."

"Slaughtering it would be a waste."

"Selling it would only benefit others."

"Raising it is naturally the best option, though it might be a bit of a hassle. I’m afraid we could only raise it outside the mountain gate..."