Chapter 511 - 447: An Attack on the Mind

Chapter 511: Chapter 447: An Attack on the Mind

The moon was bright, the stars few.

Inside the main camp of the Celestial Profound Sect.

Sect Leader Qian Hui’s expression was grim. Two days ago, the Celestial Profound Sect had fought a major battle with the Shuofang Army in the mountains, resulting in a crushing defeat.

It had long been rumored that Bai Yuan had brought many Demon Hunters from the Southern Border.

Now, it was confirmed.

Those Demon Hunters’ methods were far too bizarre. Combined with the enviably well-equipped Shuofang Army, their forces were terrifyingly strong, despite their small numbers. Unless the Celestial Profound Sect deployed an army formed from its Inner Sect Disciples, they simply weren’t a match for the enemy.

But the Inner Sect Disciples were the sect’s most precious assets, with too many vested interests tied to them.

The previous Sect Leader, Linghu Yang, might have been able to keep things under control, but Qian Hui was just a puppet propped up by the old ancestor. His influence was far from sufficient, and the other three branches of the Celestial Profound Sect had always only feigned compliance with his orders.

’If this continues, defeat is inevitable.’

Qian Hui’s eyes flickered.

’If the Shuofang Army really wins, the Celestial Profound Sect might yet survive, gasping for air. But I, the Sect Leader, almost certainly won’t.’

’As the Sect Leader, I’d have to step forward, perhaps even die for the sect’s glory.’

’And knowing the old ancestor, who was anything but good-tempered, my end would undoubtedly be the worst imaginable.’

Just as he was lost in thought—

He suddenly sensed a peculiar aura behind him. It was extremely faint; if he hadn’t already achieved the Mingxin state, he wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

"Who’s there!"

Qian Hui whipped his head around.

But as he made out the figure in the shadows of his tent, his pupils contracted sharply.

Before he could speak, the person opposite him spoke first. "Sect Leader Qian, you can rest easy. I have no hostile intent. Besides, even if I wanted to kill you, you couldn’t stop me."

At these words, Qian Hui forcefully suppressed the panic rising in his heart.

What the man said was true. He was, after all, Bai Yuan.

"Lord Bai, what business do you have in my camp?"

Bai Yuan smiled faintly. "Sect Leader Qian, we are friends, not foes. There’s no need to be so tense."

"I think Lord Bai is mistaken."

Qian Hui snorted, his expression one of righteous indignation.

He had no intention of getting entangled with the enemy. "Please leave. We are both men of the Jianghu. Let’s settle this on the battlefield, where fate will decide who lives and who dies."

Qian Hui was putting on a brave front. He had no intention of begging for mercy during their first encounter.

Just as Bai Yuan had said, if the man had wanted to kill him, he would have already done so. Since he hadn’t, Qian Hui was at least certain he wouldn’t die tonight.

Bai Yuan said, "Sect Leader Qian, you must know that the Celestial Profound Sect is doomed to fail. Why bother struggling?"

"Don’t try to sow discord! The Celestial Profound Sect is overseen by our old ancestor. You don’t stand a chance."

Qian Hui’s gaze grew colder.

"Oh?"

"Sect Leader Qian, the Celestial Profound Sect may yet survive, but... you, on the other hand..."

Bai Yuan deliberately drew out his words.

Upon hearing this, Qian Hui’s expression darkened further.

’Of course, he knew his own predicament. The position of Sect Leader was nothing more than a role for a scapegoat. The old ancestor likely never intended to resist in the first place.’

’The Celestial Profound Sect was on Celestial Profound Mountain, not in Lingzhou, and certainly not in the Northern Territory.’

’With the current chaos, it was clear the old ancestor planned to seal the sect’s gates completely. Once the storm passed, the Celestial Profound Sect—with a Divine Communication Powerhouse at its helm—would still be one of the most prominent forces in the world.’

’But to remove themselves from the conflict entirely, they needed a pretext.’

’Otherwise, the Zhengyang Sect and Xuankong Temple would never let them sit back and reap the rewards.’

’In other words, the Celestial Profound Sect had to pay a steep enough price to justify withdrawing from this chaotic era.’

’And he was the sacrifice the old ancestor had chosen.’

’He had pleaded many times, but the old ancestor showed no intention of intervening.’

’Qian Hui understood perfectly. The old ancestor intended to send everyone on the front lines to their deaths. By doing so, the Celestial Profound Sect would suffer a grievous blow to its strength, which would then give them a perfectly logical reason to seal their gates. Even the Zhengyang Sect and Xuankong Temple wouldn’t be able to find fault with that.’

’It was all so perfect.’

’The only flaw in the plan was that he would die. And he *had* to die.’

’Otherwise, no matter how many others died on the front lines, it wouldn’t be enough to satisfy those two major sects.’

Bai Yuan continued, "Sect Leader Qian, from what I know, you only joined the Celestial Profound Sect after you had already made a name for yourself. You’ve only been with them for a mere fifty years."

Fifty years was, of course, an incredibly long time for an ordinary person.

But for a Mingxin Grandmaster, it was but a brief moment.

Qian Hui said, "Lord Bai, what exactly are you getting at?"

A slight smile touched the corners of Bai Yuan’s lips. "I’m saying, Sect Leader Qian, that you don’t have to die."

"..."

Qian Hui fell silent.

"Sect Leader Qian, if you’re willing to come to Shuofang, you will be its Grand Honored Guest, with a status second only to my own."

"We’re all wanderers of the Jianghu. You weren’t born and bred in the Celestial Profound Sect. It would just be a change of scenery."

"Furthermore, if you’d like, I can recommend you to the Dragon Tiger Sect. You’re a Daoist practitioner, so you should feel right at home there."

"And don’t worry about me burning the bridge after I’ve crossed it. As long as the Celestial Profound Sect exists, you will be safe."

"..."

He didn’t want to die. Bai Yuan’s words had already begun to sway him, especially the mention of the Dragon Tiger Sect.

Unlike the previous Sect Leader, he hailed from a pure Daoist lineage, not one of the major sects. Only he knew the bitterness and hardship he had endured to reach his current position.

He had once been the master of his own sect.

The only reason he’d switched allegiances mid-career was to pursue a higher realm of cultivation.

At other major sects, the most he could hope for was the position of an Honored Guest. Only the Celestial Profound Sect had offered him the position of Vice Sect Leader. Though the sect had declined, its underlying foundation was still strong, which was why Qian Hui had finally agreed.

But now, they were asking him to die for them.

Of course, he had no intention of doing so. In fact, even if Bai Yuan hadn’t come, he would have found another way out.

Loyalty?