"Disciple, you misunderstand! I only wanted to collect Ting'er's body."
Xiao Wei had barely finished speaking when Xiao Ting's body vanished right before his eyes. He let out a furious, disbelieving roar.
"What happened?"
Looking at the First Elder, whose eyes had turned bloodshot, Dongfang Xuetong calmly explained, "Pulling out the weeds by the roots, to prevent trouble from sprouting again."
"Why would you do that? Ting'er only mocked your disciple! Was it really necessary to go so far?" Xiao Wei demanded hysterically.
Dongfang Xuetong was not cowed by Xiao Wei's outburst. Her voice turned even colder.
"Go too far? Isn't this normal in the cultivation world?"
Then her gaze fell on Xiao Yao, and she said without the slightest reservation, "Disciple, once you set foot on the path of cultivation, never show mercy. Otherwise, you might not know when it will become your fatal weakness."
Zhu Ding, seated below the martial arena, knew that the Lotus Sword Emperor was teaching her disciple a lesson.
Xiao Wei ground his teeth, but there was nothing he could do. What the Lotus Sword Emperor said was the law of survival in the cultivation world today.
"This disciple will remember your words, Master." Xiao Yao cupped his hands.
He could have used the Saint Artifact, Taiyan Sword, to erase Xiao Ting's body and obliterate his soul.
But a trace of compassion had stirred in his heart. He had felt it was wrong, so he had let the chance pass.
Now, though, it seemed he had been mistaken. The fantastical cultivation world was full of things that science could not explain.
Some people could rise from the dead even after being killed.
So when facing an enemy, destroying their body and erasing their soul were essential.
Otherwise, if you failed to pull out the weeds by the roots, they would sprout again when the spring breeze blew.
Dongfang Xuetong nodded slightly, wearing the kindly smile of a teacher pleased with her pupil.
Suddenly, her gaze returned to Xiao Wei, her tone as icy as before.
"Disciple, how do you plan to deal with this First Elder?"
Xiao Yao understood at once that his master was posing an impromptu question. The standard answer was to ask her to kill the First Elder.
But if it were that simple, his master would not have asked him in the first place.
There was surely a trap hidden in this question!
After thinking it over, Xiao Yao spoke with confidence. "Master, killing him would be letting him off too easily!"
"Then... disciple, what do you plan to do?" The corner of Dongfang Xuetong's mouth lifted ever so slightly. She seemed pleased, though perhaps she was simply intrigued.
Xiao Yao answered without hesitation. "The First Elder currently manages the entire Xiao Clan. If he dies, it'll be difficult for me to take full control of the clan for now."
That's right! Young Clan Leader, spare my life now, and when I get the chance, I'll avenge Ting'er and take your life.
Xiao Wei was overjoyed!
He was also relieved that he had worked so hard to manage the Xiao Clan ever since the Clan Leader left. Otherwise, he would surely have been done for today.
Seeing that Xiao Wei was barely suppressing his smile, Xiao Yao changed tack. "But if I let the First Elder off just like that, I won't trust his loyalty either."
"Master, do you have a solution?"
Exactly. This was Xiao Yao's plan!
In his master's eyes, his only option for dealing with the First Elder was to have her kill him. He could not possibly have any other means at his disposal.
Of course, he could rely on the rewards from the sign-in system. But he had yet to obtain a technique that would let him control the First Elder.
And even if he had one, using it would easily arouse his master's suspicions.
If she asked him about it then, what would he say?
Dongfang Xuetong glanced at Xiao Wei, whose face had gone blank with shock. She was quite pleased that Xiao Yao had thought this far. Now it was her turn to act!
Whoosh!
A sword of the Emperor Tier appeared in her raised right palm, its blade gleaming with cold light.
With a swift flurry of movements, she traced a complex seal in the air before her. It blazed with a wondrous white light.
Below the stage, Zhu Ding cried out, "An Emperor Tier... Sword Slave Seal?"
Most of the Xiao Clan members exchanged bewildered looks. They had no idea what the Sword Slave Seal did, but from the Shātu Demon Sage's reaction, they could tell it had to be an incredibly powerful technique.
"The Sword Slave Seal? An Emperor Tier one?"
"Once it's branded on me, I'll never be free of it unless my cultivation surpasses the Emperor Tier."
Xiao Wei was utterly despairing, his face deathly pale.
Thud!
With a heavy thump, Xiao Wei fell to his knees and bowed fervently. "Young Clan Leader, Young Clan Leader's master, as long as you don't brand me with the Sword Slave Seal, I swear I'll remain loyal to you both!"
"Promises only last a moment. I'd rather trust the eternal loyalty granted by the Sword Slave Seal." Dongfang Xuetong saw through Xiao Wei's little scheme at once.
At this moment, Xiao Yao understood that anyone who could cultivate to the Emperor Tier was no naive fool.
They were peerless powerhouses tempered through countless trials of blood and fire, and the hidden blades and arrows that came from every direction.
"Go!"
At her quiet command, the glowing Sword Slave Seal shot into Xiao Wei's body at incredible speed.
After a while, Xiao Wei lifted his head and shouted, "Your Sword Slave, Xiao Wei, pays homage to his master! Pays homage to his master's disciple!"
"From now on, your master is my Direct Disciple, Xiao Yao, not me."
Dongfang Xuetong made the declaration solemnly. She had no need for a Sword Slave who was so weak and of no use to her.
Xiao Yao felt a rush of warmth. He thought that his master's willingness to share a bed with him must mean she trusted him.
Xiao Wei looked at Xiao Yao, who had not yet fully grown, and cupped his hands. "Your Sword Slave, Xiao Wei, pays homage to his master!"
"From now on, manage the Xiao Clan just as you did before," Xiao Yao said.
"Yes, Master!" Xiao Wei replied at once.
Now the Xiao Clan members, who had been uneasy, finally relaxed.
Xiao Yao then ordered the Xiao Clan members in the martial hall to disperse.
Before long, only Xiao Yao, Zhu Ding, and Dongfang Xuetong remained in the martial hall.
"Lotus Sword Emperor, Xiao Ting tried to kill your disciple. That was absolutely not my idea, but as his master, I can't escape the blame. To show my regret, I'm willing to escort you to Demon Flame Valley." Zhu Ding cupped his hands.
Dongfang Xuetong nodded slightly. "Then let's not delay. Take me and my disciple there now."
"Lotus Sword Emperor, it's not that I don't want your disciple to go. I only have two talismans that can protect someone entering Demon Flame Valley. I'd gladly give one to your disciple, but without me to guide you, you'll likely lose your way inside and never make it out."
Zhu Ding wore a pained, aggrieved expression, as if everything were exactly as he said.
Xiao Yao asked curiously, "Master, what treasures are in Demon Flame Valley?"
"Demon Flame Valley was a forbidden life zone in the Chaotic Antiquity Era. It's now jointly governed by the five Demon Emperors of this age. Inside are materials for forging Emperor Tier sword artifacts, as well as the strongest Demonic Path flame in the world—the Ethereal Purple Ember Fire."
"I'm going there to collect the materials for forging Emperor Tier sword artifacts ahead of time. That way, when you need them, I can give them to you."
After hearing his master's explanation, Xiao Yao was deeply moved. "Master, you're so good to me!"
"You're my Direct Disciple. If I'm not good to you, then who should I be good to?" Dongfang Xuetong's words and gaze were both exceptionally gentle.
Zhu Ding could not bear this display of affection between master and disciple any longer. "Lotus Sword Emperor, once you've made up your mind, come find me."
The next instant, Zhu Ding vanished.
Dongfang Xuetong swept her arm, and an Emperor Tier soundproofing spell enveloped the entire martial hall.
"Disciple, I have a feeling something's off about this."
Xiao Yao was slightly taken aback. He thought his master was far too sensitive!
"Master, he's only a Saint Realm cultivator. How could he scheme against you?"
Dongfang Xuetong shot him a look and said irritably, "He can't scheme against me. But what if his target is you?"
"Me?" Xiao Yao asked in surprise.
But after thinking it over, he realized it was indeed very possible. He had been far too conspicuous this time!
But now he was the Lotus Sword Emperor's Direct Disciple. Anyone who dared target him would be taking an enormous risk.
Unless they had found a scapegoat—or simply did not fear his master's wrath.
At that moment, Dongfang Xuetong parted her lips, her tone resolute. "Disciple, I'll send you back first, then tell the Shātu Demon Sage that we're not going to Demon Flame Valley."
Xiao Yao could not bring himself to keep persuading her, so he could only answer, "All right."
In the Young Clan Leader's courtyard.
Not long after Dongfang Xuetong left, Xiao Yao heard the prompt from the God-tier Sign-in System in his ear.
[Drop! A Saint Realm cultivator unfamiliar to the host is approaching.]
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