The arrival of the Pavilion Guard Elder caused a shift in the situation.
Duan Jingtian's eyes darkened when he saw the Pavilion Guard Elder, and he asked coldly, “What is the meaning of this? Are you going to stand in my way too?”
Wei Buyu said, “Chen Fan is my personal disciple. Duan Jingtian, did you seek my approval before threatening my disciple?”
Zhuo Bufan was taken aback by Wei Buyu's revelation, staring at Chen Fan in disbelief. He hadn't anticipated Chen Fan being Wei Buyu's personal disciple. [1]
He knew Wei Buyu wasn’t just a simple Pavilion Guard Elder. Even he, the Outer Sect Master, wasn’t qualified to put on airs before him.
“He’s your personal disciple?”
Duan Jingtian’s expression darkened further. He retorted sharply, “Wei Buyu, even if he is your personal disciple, can he kill my Heaven’s Alliance members?”
“Duan Jingtian, do you think your alliance members can kill my, Wei Buyu’s, disciple?”
Wei Buyu maintained a firm stance. “Do you think this old man has no idea what happened inside the blessed land? Your members initiated the conflict, and Chen Fan's actions were merely a just response.
“And you, you struck without permission. My restraint in not stopping you then is already a show of generosity. You failed to kill him with your attack and got annoyed, threatening to kill Chen Fan when he came out. Do you think I, Wei Buyu, am a pushover?”
Duan Jingtian's eyes narrowed into slits as he uttered icily, “So, if I understand correctly, you expect to resolve this matter with just one sentence after this bastard killed a member of my Heaven's Alliance?”
Despite facing Wei Buyu, Duan Jingtian remained unyielding, pressing on forcefully.
From Duan Jingtian’s perspective, Chen Fan was at fault for killing his alliance member. So what if Zhong Li’s group struck first? Chen Fan should have stood there and allowed them to kill him.
Any defiance was seen as a challenge to the prestige of Heaven's Alliance and, by extension, his own prestige.
Was his prestige something a mere outer sect disciple could challenge?
“Then what do you want, Duan Jingtian?” Wei Buyu inquired in a low voice, revealing a hint of apprehension.
However, he couldn't allow Duan Jingtian to ruin Chen Fan since he had chosen Chen Fan.
Duan Jingtian stepped forward, his aura imposing as he said indifferently, “It’s quite simple. Ask him to cripple his cultivation!”
This concession was Duan Jingtian's greatest compromise, an effort to save face for Wei Buyu.
After all, Wei Buyu and Zhuo Bufan were different. If Wei Buyu hadn’t appeared just then, he would have wasted Chen Fan himself.
“Absolutely not! Duan Jingtian, your alliance members started this matter. If you refuse to let it go, then let us settle it in combat! I'm curious to witness your mastery of the Heavenly Cold Winter God Force!”
A scorching hot aura emanated from Wei Buyu, clashing with Duan Jingtian's icy intent, distorting and twisting the space.
“Wei Buyu, you’re determined to protect him and make me your enemy?” Duan Jingtian's narrowed eyes gleamed with a sharp light, his tone growing increasingly cold.
Wei Buyu chuckled coldly and said, “Duan Jingtian, your status may scare others, but it's nothing in my presence!
“Chen Fan was right about one thing: You're merely a disciple of the Spring Autumn Sect right now. Repeat those words after you've truly assumed the role of sect leader!”
Wei Buyu’s words made Duan Jingtian’s aura explode. The skies and earth changed colors, and the howls of the winds grew even fiercer.
“Hehe, Wei Buyu, I’ve changed my mind. No one will be able to protect this sinful bastard, no matter who comes here today! Didn’t you want to witness my mastery of the Heavenly Cold Winter God Force? Very well, I shall grant your wish! Today, I’ll kill this bastard right in front of you. Let's see if you can stop me!”
Duan Jingtian was incensed, his berserk aura spreading. Blizzard descended from the skies, icy killing intent sweeping the entire mountain peak.
A halberd materialized in his hand, aimed directly at Wei Buyu.
Zhuo Bufan felt a chill run down his spine. Never did he expect the situation to escalate to this point—Duan Jingtian challenging Wei Buyu to a fight.
Wei Buyu's expression changed slightly, yet the fury within him surged. The scorching waves of qi intensified, resembling a blazing furnace roaring within.
The atmosphere in this space became extremely tense all of a sudden.
The faces of the observers far away on another mountain peak changed drastically, their hearts twitching in shock.
In this critical moment, a formidable will descended from the sky. “Stop it, Jingtian.”
This stream of will was majestic yet ethereal, fluctuating with the heaven and earth.
The instant it appeared, it gave others the feeling that it was the incarnation of the heavens, making others want to fall to their knees.
The will of the Spring Autumn Sect's highest leader had descended.
He was in the Divine Nascent realm, wielding formidable strength capable of reshaping the rivers and seas with a mere gesture.
“Sect Leader, what’s the matter? Why did you intervene?” inquired Duan Jingtian, his eyes flickering.
“The sect has its rules. Zhong Li’s group violated the rules first, and you’ve also struck once. This matter ends here. With your current cultivation, why must you oppress others?”
The voice, gentle yet commanding, responded, “You will be advancing to the Divine Nascent realm soon. Upon reaching that stage, I will relinquish the position of sect leader to you.”
"As the leader, your role is to embrace and treat everyone justly. Presently, I find myself a little disheartened by your actions.”
“What? This... the Spring Autumn Sect’s sect leader actually gave his word in front of everyone to hand his position over to Duan Jingtian once he advanced to the Divine Nascent realm.”
“In front of so many people. Is he making a promise?”
“This is Sect Leader assuring Duan Jingtian, simultaneously resolving hostilities and facilitating a calm resolution. After all, the High Elder of their sect is not on the Sect Leader’s side. If he held this matter to use against him, even the Sect Leader would be hard-pressed. Nevertheless, at Duan Jingtian's level, the Sect Leader can't easily reprimand him and must resort to a softer approach.”
These revelations left many individuals shaken.
Duan Jingtian would surely be the next sect leader of the Spring Autumn Sect.
Although Duan Jingtian had cultivated the Heavenly Cold Winter God Force, the highest secret of the Spring Autumn Sect, as long as the Sect Leader didn’t say the word, his position would still not be officially passed down.
With the Sect Leader of the Spring Autumn Sect endorsing his succession, Duan Jingtian only had to enter the Divine Nascent realm to secure his position as the next sect leader.
The Sect Leader's words also hinted that Duan Jingtian's breakthrough to the Divine Nascent realm was imminent.
“So, Sect Leader, you want me to give up on killing this person who insulted me?”
Duan Jingtian's tone, though softened in deference to the Spring Autumn Sect's leader, still retained traces of reluctance.
“Enough, Jingtian," the Spring Autumn Sect's Sect Leader responded calmly, akin to a patient disciplinarian addressing a child. “Your real opponents are those whose names are on the Geniuses of Heaven Leaderboard. Aim for the Divine Nascent realm; cease dwelling on these trivial matters.”
1. Personal disciple refers to those who are taught personally by the master. Going by the context so far in this novel, the ordinary disciples cultivate on their own and get martial art manuals from the Martial Arts Pavilion, maybe get some guidance from their senior disciples. ?