I Had No Choice

Some were happy, while others were worried.

Tang Xiao, who had already taken over as Clear Sky Sect's leader, didn't take the matter seriously at all.

"Elders, don't worry. Grandpa had an agreement with Qian Daoliu. Spirit Hall wouldn't dare do anything to us."

As members of Tang Xiao's faction, they naturally didn't share the elders' worries. They were full of confidence.

"Qian Daoliu's a coward. Even if you gave him a hundred bear hearts and leopard guts, he still wouldn't dare come to our Clear Sky Sect!"

"Exactly! What the hell does Spirit Hall think it is? Qian Daoliu's only fit to smell our ancestor Tang Chen's farts!"

"That stinking bird, Qian Daoliu, isn't even fit to wash our ancestor Tang Chen's feet or polish his shoes!"

That was right. Ever since the previous sect leader—Tang Hao's father and the elders' eldest brother—had been angered to death by this affair, the Clear Sky Sect had split into two factions.

One faction, led by Tang Xiao, believed Tang Hao had done nothing wrong. Rather, Spirit Hall had relied on its overwhelming power to bully and pressure the Clear Sky Sect. They wanted not only the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast but also to harm the sect.

The other faction was led by the few surviving elders of the older generation. They believed Tang Hao had acted without careful thought. He had coupled with a Soul Beast, creating the current mess, bringing immense shame upon the sect, and even angering Sect Leader Tang Tian to death. It was simply unforgivable.

These elders found the younger generation's ideas utterly incomprehensible. Had they been lifting iron every day until their brains had gone dull?

They immediately scolded them. "What do you know! Is the Clear Sky Sect still what it was when Sect Leader Tang Chen was here? If not for the lingering prestige of Sect Leader Tang Chen, would you still dare run your mouths like this?"

They understood better than anyone that the entire Clear Sky Sect had been propped up by Sect Leader Tang Chen. The rest of the sect was nothing without him.

When Sect Leader Tang Chen was around, they could naturally throw their weight around and strut with their tails raised to the heavens. With him gone, they had to keep their heads down—and fight only when they had to.

Tang Xiao, however, didn't care. "Elders, you're worrying too much. Nothing's going to happen."

The Second Elder snorted and tossed out Spirit Hall's proclamation.

"Nothing's going to happen? Spirit Hall's Pope has already made a public proclamation about this, and you still don't understand how serious it is! This has put us over a fire, roasting us alive! Don't you realize what the other forces think of us, or what kind of explanation they'll demand?"

Tang Xiao naturally fired back in irritation. "An explanation? What explanation do we owe them? What business is it of Spirit Hall's? This is our Clear Sky Sect's affair. We don't owe anyone an explanation. So what if Brother Hao likes a Soul Beast? Once he breaks through level seventy, he'll be a true human!"

"Ridiculous! The others won't care what you think. They'll seize on this and refuse to let go. Even if Spirit Hall doesn't force our Clear Sky Sect, won't the other sects? Won't the two great empires? Spirit Hall only has to say we want to overthrow human rule, and who'll take the Clear Sky Sect seriously after that?" said the Fourth Elder.

"Don't think you can just ignore this by taking a hard line and relying on your strength. The most terrifying thing of all is the hearts of the people!"

The Fifth Elder, Tang Lie, rose and proposed, "There's nothing more to discuss. To avoid being attacked by every side, I propose that we announce to the entire continent that Tang Hao was bewitched by a demoness, has deserted the Clear Sky Sect, and is no longer one of our disciples."

The Third Elder nodded. "I agree. Tang Hao is a walking disaster. I never imagined he'd bring the Clear Sky Sect to such ruin. He's dragged our good name through the mud and doesn't deserve to be a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect!"

"Fifth Elder, Third Elder, how can you say that about Brother Hao?" said Tang Xiao.

"He's your own younger brother, so of course you'll speak up for him. But you should be thinking about the sect's interests, too. Do you want the entire sect to bear the consequences of Tang Hao consorting with a Soul Beast?" The Fifth Elder clung tightly to this point.

The Second Elder followed up with a matter-of-fact remark. "Sect Leader, we can put you in this position, and we can remove you from it, too. The Clear Sky Sect can stand united, but in this situation, it cannot tolerate this."

Faced with the elders' pressure, Tang Xiao could barely keep up.

He had taken the position of Clear Sky Sect leader, and he truly was a Titled Douluo. But faced with the greater good of the sect, he was nothing.

His eyes were nearly bloodshot, as if he might erupt at any moment.

Seeing Tang Xiao grow angry and look ready to fight, the other elders rose to their feet as well.

"Tang Xiao, what do you think you're doing?"

"Tang Xiao, do you really want the whole sect to be cursed and despised?"

"Tang Xiao, if you're really set on this, then leave the sect! We don't need an irresponsible leader like you!"

"Tang Xiao! Tang Xiao! Tang Xiao!"

"Enough!"

Tang Xiao surged to his feet, unleashing the imposing aura of a Titled Douluo. The elders refused to back down. Though they weren't Titled Douluo, they were high-ranking Soul Douluo, not far from that level.

Tang Xiao made one last attempt to reason with them. "You're right. We can arrest Tang Hao and hand him over to Spirit Hall, just as you say. But do you really think Spirit Hall will spare our Clear Sky Sect?"

"Today, Spirit Hall has almost driven us into a corner. We can only do what they say. When we've got nowhere left to retreat, will you still be so calm?"

"Hmph! Are we really going to let the entire Clear Sky Sect be shamed for his sake? This isn't some minor storm. Take it further, and it could wipe out the sect!"

The elders were so furious they wanted to pry Tang Xiao's head open and see what was going on inside.

They were always saying that Qian Daoliu wouldn't dare attack their Clear Sky Sect because he feared Sect Leader Tang Chen. But that only held true when the Clear Sky Sect's last refuge was its hidden retreat—not now, with the sect sitting in plain sight for everyone to see.

Tang Xiao's breathing grew heavier. He had done everything he could. Even if he was willing to indulge his younger brother at any cost, he couldn't keep doing so now.

"Fine. We'll do as the elders say."

Just then, a young woman in her twenties, dressed in finery that clashed with the Clear Sky Sect's brown, iron-pumping uniforms, barged in.

It was none other than the Clear Sky Sect's little princess, Tang Yuehua.

She immediately protested, "Big Brother, Elders, Brother Hao was only with the person he loves. Can't the Clear Sky Sect protect them? Are we even worthy of being Clear Sky Sect disciples if we can't?"

The Seventh Elder, Tang Lie, shouted angrily, "What would a woman like you know? Clear Sky Sect disciples must put the sect first. Since Tang Hao did this, he has to pay the price. And he even angered our eldest brother to death! Your father!"

"Big Brother, say something! You're the sect leader!" Tang Yuehua looked anxiously at her elder brother.

Tang Xiao replied helplessly, "Little Sister, this isn't something we can resolve easily. We may accept it, but the people across the continent won't. If we choose to protect Brother Hao, we'll be standing against all of humanity. Even the other forces on friendly terms with us probably won't let us off."

"Then are you just going to stand by and watch them persecute Brother Hao?" Tang Yuehua was so frantic that tears had begun to stream down her face.

"There's nothing I can do. I have no choice."

Tang Xiao was in agony, too. He couldn't protect his younger brother, and he couldn't protect the woman he loved.

Tang Yuehua bit down hard on her lip, then angrily blurted out something shocking. "Then why don't you leave the Clear Sky Sect and go protect Brother Hao—and the person you love!"