"Teacher, who bullied you? I'll get my grandma to beat him up!"
Hua Xiaohua the panda was yelling at the top of her lungs too.
She drew a flaming greatsword covered in thorns and swung it wildly, tearing and melting the space around her. It was a terrifying sight.
Jiang Ding looked at the two of them.
Inwardly, he sighed.
Their attitude was not theirs alone. Hundreds of thousands of sword cultivators in the Immortal Sect felt the same way. They would support him without hesitation—perhaps even beyond what Immortal Sect Law allowed.
The concerns of old-timers like Sun Slayer Heavenly Lord were not unfounded.
In a mere thousand years, a vast interest group had formed within the Immortal Sect, bearing his unmistakable personal stamp.
"Teacher..."
Under Jiang Ding's gaze, Hua Xiaohua and Fang Yilong's voices dwindled. They lowered their heads like children, even though they were now Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivators whom outsiders called venerable ancestors.
"Don't do this."
"Hua Xiaohua, Fang Yilong, you two need a refresher in ethics."
Jiang Ding sighed. "Immortal Sect sword cultivators rely on the Immortal Sect as a platform to cultivate, grow, forge swords, and develop all kinds of swordsmanship secret arts. That is why we have advanced so quickly."
"Without the Immortal Sect, there would be no us."
"There is nothing wrong with considering your own interests and your own Dao Path. Someone who will not defend their own interests can hardly be called a natural person. But while defending our interests, we must also defend the interests of the Immortal Sect. That is essential to our long-term development."
"Do you understand?"
Jiang Ding's tone grew stern.
"...Yes, Teacher."
Hua Xiaohua and Fang Yilong answered dejectedly.
"Haha."
"You don't need to fight on my behalf."
Jiang Ding smiled. "I gave up