Chapter 5134 — What Insight Do You Have?
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
"Since you speak with such confidence, then this deputy sect master would be glad to hear your esteemed opinion. Why not tell us: how should we respond to this affair? Or is it that no response is needed at all, and we should simply swallow our grievances like a pack of cowards—as though Bing Wushuang and my son Xue Jianming were beaten for nothing?" Xue Liping said, his expression unreadable.
Xu Xiaoshuang choked on her words. His remark was plainly ill-intentioned. That she should speak up for justice on behalf of her own disciple Lenglen was only human nature, and no one would think much of it—but this affair was clearly beyond the reach of a candidate elder ranked last of all. However she put it, she was overreaching herself, and she could not escape being laughed to scorn.
But having come this far, Xu Xiaoshuang could only continue. "I never said that. This affair was a matter for disciples on trial to begin with. If the sect itself must personally intervene whenever the slightest thing goes wrong, then what is the point of a trial? Moreover, our Xuejian Sect sending out Bing Wushuang alone was already a breach of the rules to begin with. If we now send other high-ranking figures as well, how will the other ancient sects see it?"
"How will they see it? If we truly cared about the sect's image, this affair would absolutely not be about showing weakness. If we lower our heads before the Cangwu Sect of North Island this time, then in the future not only the four great sect families and the ten lesser sect families—perhaps even any stray cat or mongrel dog will think it can trample over the Xuejian Sect. To bring disgrace upon the sect—can you bear the weight of that crime?" Xue Liping gave a disdainful snort.
"The Deputy Sect Master speaks boldly, but you seem to have forgotten one thing: the Cangwu Sect of North Island is not a single sect standing alone. It is of one breath and one branch with the Chongtian Sect of North Island and the Xuanji Sect of North Island—offend it, and you offend the entire North Island Alliance!" Chi Qianqiu spoke up again at this moment, saying mildly, "Though our Xuejian Sect belongs to the Central Island Alliance, our voice there is not great. The Central Island Pavilion is the one that truly holds sway over the whole Central Island Alliance, and we are nothing but a vassal sect. With what are we to contend against the North Island Alliance?"
"Elder Chi, to utter words that swell others' ambition and snuff out our own prestige—I say you have grown doting in your old age!" Xue Liping said, jiggling his crossed leg and gazing up at the sky.
"Is that so?" Chi Qianqiu, not the least bit angered, said at his leisure, "True enough, this old man is indeed old, and the world hereafter belongs to the young. The Deputy Sect Master is in the prime of vigor. Should a conflict with the North Island Alliance arise in the future, why not let you take full charge of it?"
"Uh..." Xue Liping was struck speechless. Fanning the flames and stirring up conflict here was no problem for him, but if he were truly called upon to stand forth and contend against the entire North Island Alliance—he did not have the mettle for that. And not only he; likely no one in the whole Xuejian Sect, high or low, would have it.
"That is not necessarily so," the Fifth Elder suddenly stepped forward to support Xue Liping. "True, this time it was our people who came to grief on the Cangwu Sect's territory, but they harbored Lenglen first. Every side has its own story. In a matter like this, they may not be able to drag in the entire North Island Alliance. Besides, our Xuejian Sect is not without allies. So long as someone works the channels at the Central Island Pavilion, we need not necessarily fear the North Island Alliance!"