Lan Taijian glared at Gui Delun. “Is our Sect Master your servant, to come at your beck and call?”

Gui Delun gave a cold snort, which rattled through the watching cultivator’s minds like thunder. A few of the weaker ones directly collapsed. He gave no answer, but simply turned his head upward.

Lan Taijian snorted as well, then followed Gui Delun in gazing upward. From the moment he had accused Tang Fei of attempted assassination, the situation had escalated beyond what a mere Peak Lord qualified to handle. Instead, his words had been to rebuke Gui Delun, to remind him that, though he might consider Starbound Sect below him, there were still rules to follow.

In a moment, the Sect Master appeared. Hui scanned the sky, searching for his master, but there was no sign of Weiheng Wu.

Hunkered over behind the first line of disciples, Hui nodded to himself. No, no, that’s a good thing. Right now, Gui Delun, and even more importantly, Lan Taijian, don’t know that I’m involved. If Master showed up, it would give up the ghost. It’s better if he lays low and only gets involved after they call me out! –if such a thing happens. Naturally, in the best-case scenario, no one calls me out at all!

One of the nearby disciples cast a questioning glance Hui’s way. He smiled back and continued to quietly waft his fan, as if it wasn’t strange to be hunched over the way he was.

“Gui Delun, your disciple attempts to openly assassinate a Starbound Sect disciple on Starbound Peak, and you dare show your face?” the Sect Master intoned, expression grave. Pressure weighed down on him and Tang Fei. Tang Fei paled, but Gui Delun stood strong, unmoved.

Gui Delun gazed up at him, expression stony. “What you call an assassination was merely a moment of passion after an exchange of pointers. Disciple Tang Fei was in the wrong, but to call it an assassination attempt would be pure exaggeration. Instead, I demand to know who crippled Disciple Tang so brutally! From what I can tell, Disciple Li has no techniques that would allow her to do so. Someone intervened in the exchange of pointers, and moreover, has left an injury on Disciple Tang that may never heal.”

Hui watched quietly, interested in how the Sect Master would respond. I know that All-Heavens Sect considers itself above Starbound Sect, and for the most part, Starbound Sect has bowed its head and agreed. However, how far above Starbound Sect is All-Heavens Sect? Can they call the clouds and summon the rains, and make Sect Master Lan apologize for the crippling of Tang Fei, or can Starbound Sect rebuke them for such an obvious act of bad faith?

Sect Master Lan drew himself up to his full height and glared down at Gui Delun. “Although we may be considered a lesser sect when compared to All-Heavens’ Sect’s might, we are not yet at the level of being considered a tributary sect! Do you truly expect me to overlook Disciple Tang’s actions and dismiss the threat to the life of Inheriting Disciple Li? Gui Delun, consider yourself lucky that Disciple Tang escaped with only a crippled hand. As of today, the exchange is off. All All-Heavens Sect members are expelled from Starbound Sect. Any members of Starbound Sect in All-Heavens Sect are expected to be returned safely!”

“Sect Master Lan. Consider your words carefully,” Gui Delun warned.

Sect Master Lan narrowed his eyes at Gui Delun. “Do you think I’m blind? Should I give you face, so you can kill my sect by a thousand cuts? Or shall I draw a line here, and let what comes, come? If you wish to drag Starbound Sect into conflict due to this event… I think you will find we are no paper tiger.”

“Weiheng Wu is not as much a threat as you believe him to be,” Gui Delun said.

“So in your eyes, our only strength lies in Weiheng Wu? You give us no face." Sect Master Lan’s pressure grew stronger. Gui Delun hunched, no longer able to stand upright.

Gui Delun narrowed his eyes. He gestured, and the other All-Heavens Sect members returned to his side. “A man who cultivates that quickly… will ascend to Heaven, just as quickly. If you do not want to fall from your paltry glory, hurry and find a cultivator to replace him… if you can.”

Hui blinked. Eh. That’s right. Once someone ascends to Heaven, they generally cease most of their interest in the mortal world. The Heavens are in disarray right now, but even so, I’ve never seen a Heavenly cultivator, that is, a true Immortal, appear, not once. Master cultivates rapidly, but there’s a limit to what one can accomplish in the mortal world. Once Master ascends…

Once Master ascends, what happens to this poor, small disciple?

Sect Master Lan’s expression flickered. Still, he said nothing, but stood there silently, waiting for Gui Delun to leave.

“You understand that once I go, I will not come back. This is not an opportunity that will come again,” Gui Delun said slowly.

The Sect Master flicked his sleeve and scoffed. “If I wanted an opportunity to lick the boots of All-Heavens Sect, I’d go visit your Sect Master myself.”

The two stared at one another. Hui held his breath. This… was some kind of last-opportunity. True, we would have had to bow our heads, but we could have avoided… something. Open conflict? Now…

But to bow our heads would mean to admit that All-Heavens Sect has the right to assassinate even our inheriting disciples. To bow our heads now would mean to give in to everything the All-Heavens Sect asks for ever again. Even though I bow easily, and I do not fear shame, I understand that there are times a cultivator cannot bow, or else they will never be able to raise their head again.

And for our sect… this is just such a time! I agree with the Sect Master this one time. Li Xiang must be protected! The heart of the sect, our determination and willpower, and the freedom of our disciples… must be protected!

Gui Delun blinked slowly. He rose into the air, taking the All-Heavens disciples with him. “Now that we have come to this point, there is no turning back. Starbound Sect… you have chosen your path, this day.”

Sect Master Lan watched him go, a grim expression on his face. He closed his eyes and turned his back to Gui Delun and the watching disciples both. A heavy hush fell over the cloud. No one knew what to say.

Sect Master Lan took a deep breath. He cleared his throat. When he spoke, his voice sounded normal, and yet, echoed in the ear of every cultivator in the sect, from the lowest disciple to the Peak Lords and even the sect’s secret reserves and ancient Patriarchs. “When Gui Delun returns to his sect, we must be braced for anything. Starbound Sect may even be branded a pariah sect, or worse, demonic. If that comes to pass, you disciples will no longer be able to be accepted in righteous sects. If any of you wish to leave the sect, and seek fortune in a different righteous sect… act now. As of now, consider your binds to Starbound Sect severed, if you wish them severed. No one will stop you, nor question you, not your Master nor your fellow disciples.”

All the disciples around Hui shook their heads and began to shout, adamantly refusing. Sect Master Lan raised his hand, and they fell silent.

“Do not make this decision rashly. It should take a month before Gui Delun reaches All-Heavens Sect. In that time, please consider your decision.”

Li Xiang strode forward, a hand on her chest, her eyes dead ahead on the Sect Master. “I will stay with the sect. Until the end of the sect or the day I ascend to the Heavens, I will remain a disciple of Starbound Sect.”

The other disciples began to clamor again. The Sect Master ignored them, instead only looking at Li Xiang. A strange light passed in from of his eyes, replaced by a warm expression, and he nodded, only once.

In that moment, Hui’s eyes, too, like every other disciple’s, were locked onto Li Xiang. In his heart, he pledged, So long as Li Xiang remains with the sect… so shall I!