With that, Ancestor Huangquan recounted the whole tangled tale of grievance between the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect and Wei Zhao, exactly as it stood, not daring the slightest concealment or embellishment—and he even told Lin Dongfang of their plans and purpose in coming this time.

After all, none of this could be hidden from Lin Dongfang. Better to tell the truth plainly than to argue stubbornly and pretend innocence; at least that way they might earn leniency.

"Oh—so that is to say, if the man sitting here were not me, you would have killed him today, correct?" Lin Dongfang asked in reply once he had heard them out.

"That..." Ancestor Huangquan nodded with a helpless air. "You could put it that way..."

"Heh, very well. At least you are honest." Lin Dongfang neither reproached nor flew into a rage; he merely nodded with great composure. "The cultivation world is a place where the weak are meat and the strong eat. I understand all that you have said. So this matter—this business between you and Wei Zhao—ends here. I do not wish you to move against Wei Zhao again hereafter."

"Of course not! How could we ever move against Young Hero Wei Zhao again? Unless we have a death wish!" Ancestor Blood-Robe spread his hands as he spoke, his face a study in helpless laughter and tears.

"Good. Then the matter is settled." Ancestor Huangquan and the other two breathed a sigh of relief at Lin Dongfang's words—but his next sentence set them on edge again. "However, this business of your coming into the mundane world without leave to kill people—do you not owe me some explanation?"

The three exchanged a look of helpless dismay. They had wondered why Lin Dongfang had let the matter slide so easily; now it seemed this was the old man's real move, held back until now.

"Senior Lin, how do you mean... to punish us?" Ancestor Blood-Robe sighed. "So long as you do not wipe out the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect, name whatever condition, whatever punishment you like."

It was not that Ancestor Blood-Robe belittled himself; it was that Lin Dongfang truly had the power to annihilate the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect. What they did not know was that Lin Dongfang depended upon the spring water and could not leave West Star Mountain Village for long at will—so they still took him to be the Twin Demons of Vajra of former days.

"Back then, Mr. Yang Ming told you that if you set foot in the mundane world, he would wipe out your Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect. You have not forgotten that, have you?" Lin Dongfang asked.

"That... no," Ancestor Blood-Robe answered, steeling himself.

"Good. Since you have not forgotten, then I hope you will honor the promise you made that year." As he spoke, Lin Dongfang rose slowly to his feet.

Ancestor Blood-Robe, Ancestor Huangquan, and Ancestor Gloom broke out in cold sweat; at Lin Dongfang's words they nearly dropped straight to the ground. Were they to be annihilated? Was it truly to be annihilation?

They regretted it—oh, how they regretted it! Had they not acted on impulse and come to deal with Old Man Wei, none of this would have come to pass. Ah, why had they ever made an enemy of Wei Zhao?

It was not as though the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect had never lost men. In the past, when they went to assassinate experts of other ancient sects, there had been deaths as well—and of course, whether the dead were men of the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect or the targets of assassination, no feud ever arose between the parties over it.

If a killer of the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect died, it merely meant his skills were lacking; if you went to kill another and he killed you instead, you had only yourself to blame. And if other experts were slain by the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect, then they had no one to blame either—the sect took money to do the deed, its men were but executors, not the masters behind it. If you sought vengeance, you went to the master behind it!

And now, why had the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect wished to cut down Wei Zhao? Only because they took him for a lone wanderer, a soft persimmon to be squeezed and vented upon at will. But who could have guessed that Wei Zhao was no soft persimmon at all—that his backing was, rather, unshakably formidable?

At that thought, the three of them felt an urge to weep. If your background is so formidable, why not put it on display and say so? Who would dare touch you then? Across the whole of the ancient sects, you would be one who walks sideways through the world!

But no—you had to keep it hidden. And now look at the fine mess: our Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect has kicked a steel plate, and it has been the death of us!

"Er... Senior Lin, I hear Young Hero Lin is fond of taking underlings, and is presently gathering a number of them among the ancient factions. What say you to our Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect throwing in with Young Hero Lin?" Ancestor Gloom, struck by sudden inspiration, had hit upon an excellent way to preserve the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect.

According to the investigations of the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect's intelligence unit, among the underlings around Wei Zhao there were some who had once been his enemies—yet Wei Zhao was a most magnanimous man, and so long as those enemies had not wrought any great harm, and so long as they submitted in true sincerity, he was still willing to accept them.

That was why Ancestor Gloom had made the proposal. His aim was simply to persuade Lin Dongfang to spare them—for then they would be Wei Zhao's underlings, all of them on the same side, and what sense was there in one of your own wiping out your own?

"Taking underlings? Your level is too high just now; he cannot take you yet." Ancestor Blood-Robe and the other two felt their hearts turn cold at Lin Dongfang's words—but his next sentence set their minds at ease. "Still, seeing as your Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect may yet be of some use, I suppose I can take you in on Little Yi's behalf, provisionally."

The three were overjoyed. They exchanged a glance, then clasped their fists together and said to Lin Dongfang in unison, "The Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect—Blood-Robe, Huangquan, and Gloom—greet the old master!"

"I hope you are sincere. Otherwise, I will wipe you out with my own hands," Lin Dongfang said mildly. Of course, he was merely frightening these few before him; were he truly to leave West Star Mountain Village, he could not do so.

"We are certainly sincere!" Ancestor Blood-Robe and the other two started in alarm and hastened to answer. In truth, they were indeed sincere—after all, Lin Dongfang's fearsome name from those years past had sunk deep into their bones, leaving them not the slightest thought of defiance.

In those days, the Twin Demons of Vajra could in a single move effortlessly annihilate a consummate expert at the peak of the late Heaven Rank—and now, so many years later, who knew to what terrifying level Lin Dongfang's strength had grown? Thus Ancestor Blood-Robe and the others did not dare practice the least deception.

"Good, then." Lin Dongfang nodded. "Leave your means of contact, and then go back."

(Back to two updates. The two chapters owed from September will be made up this month. It is not that Yuren does not wish to return to three updates, but the book has reached its ending, and my writing speed has plainly slowed; I must echo the earlier plotlines—that is, fill in the pits—and bring the ending to as good a close as possible, so try as I might, I cannot go faster.) RS

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