Are You Xuanyu?

"But," Xuanyu said, shifting gears, that familiar, faintly calculating smile spreading across his face, "now that you're the Sword Emperor, some plans will have to change. The waters within the Human Race have been murky for a long time. Now that you have the title to back you up, we can stir things up properly and drag all those old turtles hiding in the muck out into the sun."

Lin Hao's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he'd brought up earlier when discussing "cleaning house" with the Eastern Domain Lord and the Central Domain Lord! He hadn't expected his master to have thought of it, too. And from the sound of it, Xuanyu had been planning this for some time.

"Master, you think so, too?" Lin Hao asked quickly. "Bai Li Domain Lord, Dean Yun, and the others and I discussed it. We were just about to issue the 'Sword Emperor Token' and summon the Human Race leaders from every domain to discuss the matter."

"The Sword Emperor Token? Good. That's exactly what we should do." Xuanyu stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming. "But calling everyone together for a meeting will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. Those old foxes are all slippery as eels. They'll agree to anything to your face, then go right on lining their pockets behind your back. We'll have to get serious—make them feel the pain, make them afraid."

He paused and looked at Lin Hao, his words heavy with meaning. "You're the Sword Emperor now, in command of the campaigns. But 'campaigns' aren't only fought against outsiders. The same goes for dealing with our own people. Some festering sores have to be lanced before they rot the whole arm."

Lin Hao felt a chill run through him. His master had put