The Discipline Department had been in the middle of a meeting, but the atmosphere felt less like governance and more like a battlefield on the verge of eruption.
One of the three elders-Elder Tong-sat rigid in his seat, his face flushed with fury, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel.
“We must not tolerate this,” he thundered. "Capture that Jun Jiu immediately. And as for those from Thousand Herbs Peak who daredy hands on our people—if they refuse to submit, then we burn the entire peak to the ground."
"Elder Tong," another elder spoke, his voice calm yetced with quiet disapproval. It was Elder Guo. "How can you treat them as enemies? We all belong to the Wudang Sect."
Tong''s head snapped toward him, his eyes sharp and filled with hostility.
"Those unruly fools?" he said coldly. "They are not part of the Wudang Sect."
"Just because you are from Sword Peak," Guo continued, his voice steady, "doesn''t mean you must blindly support them. Have you even looked into the cause of this incident? It began when a Sword Peak disciple severed the hand of one of theirs."
"Elder Guo," Tong said angrily, "what exactly are you implying?"
Guo didn''t flinch. "I mean exactly what I said."
His gaze swept the room before returning to Tong.
"We are here to uphold justice. If you want to bring someone in for questioning, then start with the Sword Peak disciple who caused this mess in the first ce. You cannot punish someone who merely retaliated."
"Elder Guo. Are you suggesting that Jun Jiu cutting down a Sword Peak disciple should go unpunished?"
As Elder Tong spoke, a faint surge of inner power began to gather around him, invisible yet heavy, like a storm building beneath still skies.
Guo''s expression hardened. Without hesitation, he released his own aura in response, his presence rising to meet Tong''s head-on.
"So in your eyes," Guo continued, his voice now sharper, "a Sword Peak disciple can walk into Thousand Herbs Peak, maim someone, and still be considered innocent?"
He let out a cold scoff.
"You always turn a blind eye to whatever Sword Peak does. If that is your standard
of justice, then you have no ce in the Discipline Department."
The tension snapped.
In an instant, both Elder Tong and Elder Guo erupted with their inner force, invisible waves shing in the air as if the room itself might split apart.
"Enough!"
The leader of the Discipline Department mmed his hand onto the table. The
sharp crack echoed through the chamber, cutting through the rising storm.
"If you want to fight, take it outside," he said leaving no room for argument. "But right now, we are here to handle this case."
His gaze swept across the elders, heavy with authority.
"The entire sect is already looking down on us. We cannot even deal with a single outer disciple-must we really sink that low?"
"Leader,” Elder Tong said after a moment, still simmering, "then why not simply expel that outer disciple, Jun Jiu, from the Wudang Sect?"
At those words, the leader fell quiet.
His expression shifted—just slightly—but enough to show something had changed.
A memory surfaced.
The previous day, he had been summoned by the Sect Master himself.
The man''s voice had been calm, yet carried a weight that could not be ignored.
"Whatever happens," the Sect Master had said, "you must not expel the man named Jun Jiu."
He had bowed then, unable to hide his confusion.
"May I know the reason?" he had asked.
"Because if you expel him," the Sect Master gave a small, knowing nod, “he will be the happiest person to walk out of this ce."
"So you may do anything you want to him... just never expel him. Because soon, he will be my direct disciple."
The leader of the Discipline Department had been stunned, the words striking him harder than any blow.
"If that is the case," he had replied carefully, "then I will not touch him at all. Especially since this matter wasn''t even started by him."
But the Sect Master had only shaken his head, a faint smile ying on his lips.
"You may try to do anything to him," he said lightly. "But I doubt your entire Discipline Department will be able to do a thing."
“Sect Master,” the leader had pressed, still unable to ept it, "he is only an outer disciple."
"You can try," the Sect Master hadughed. “But I suggest you don''t involve yourself personally. Otherwise, you''ll only end up humiliated... by that outer disciple."
The leader had frowned, disbelief still clinging to him.
"Sect Master, are you certain? I have already reached the Core Formation stage, while he is still only at the Great Qi Foundation."
The Sect Master had turned to him then, hisughter deepening.
"Believe me, that young man has more schemes than you can imagine. If you are not fully prepared, you won''t survive standing in front of him."
Those words had lingered.
Even now, the leader of the Discipline Department could still feel the faint chill creeping along the back of his neck.
Back in the present, he lifted his gaze toward Elder Tong.
This man—and most of his disciples from Sword Peak-controlled nearly seventy percent of the Discipline Department. Even as the leader, he had to tread carefully around him. Authority, in name, might have belonged to him... but in practice, it was something he constantly had to guard.
"Leader," Elder Tong said, pressing forward without hesitation. "We must capture that outer disciple to protect our dignity."
The leader exchanged a nce with Elder Guo, a silent understanding passing between them.
"I agree with Elder Guo," the leader said atst, his tone steady. "That man made no mistake. I believe we should cancel the disciplinary punishment against Jun Jiu... and let this matter end here."
The room froze.
Elder Tong''s expression darkened instantly.
His hand mmed onto the table with a loud crack.
"That is uneptable!" he roared. "If we let this go, we lose all dignity!"
His gaze burned with fury as he leaned forward.
"If you refuse to send the Discipline Department, then at the very least, you must
allow me and my people to go there and capture that bastard."
"You?" Elder Guo let out a short, mockingugh. "You and your people?"
He shook his head slowly, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"You are part of the Discipline Department. If you fail again—like the first and second attempts—you won''t just embarrass yourself. You''ll drag the entire department down with you. No, it is not a good idea."
"But... if you''re willing to put it in writing-if you dare to sign that if you lose for the third time, you will resign and hand over all your disciples to me.....”
A faint smile spread across his face.
"Then yes," he said softly, almost provocatively. "I''ll support you."
"And what if I sessfully detain that bastard?” Elder Tong shot back, his voice
burning with rage, his eyes zing as he red across the table.
Elder Guo didn''t even flinch.
"Then you would still be disgracing the Discipline Department," he replied coldly, "by personally going after an outer disciple who hasn''t even reached Foundation Establishment."
He turned slightly and bowed toward the leader, his tone shifting into something more formal-but no less firm.
"My suggestion is simple. We acknowledge that Jun Jiu made no mistake. Instead, we discipline the Sword Peak disciple who initiated this conflict-who went to Thousand Herbs Peak and severed another disciple''s arm. That is where justice lies."
Elder Tong''s fury exploded.
“How dare you speak like this!” he roared, mming his hand against the table so hard it echoed through the hall. "Do you have a death wish?"
Elder Guo met his gaze without hesitation, his voice calm but unyielding.
"I do not fear fighting you," he said. “But if you are unwilling to sign that contract,
then forget it. I will use everything in my power to stop you." "Leader,” Elder Tong said, turning sharply. "Grant me permission." The leader fell silent for a moment, weighing the situation carefully. "What Elder Guo says is correct," he said atst. "I am inclined to follow his proposal. We should punish Sword Peak-not Thousand Herbs Peak."
He paused, then fixed his gaze on Elder Tong-who had oncee from Sword Peak, where the current leader was none other than his own brother.
"But if you insist on resolving this your way, then you must sign a paper. I need assurance that, if I grant you permission, you will not bring shame upon the Discipline Department."
"Fine," Elder Tong snapped. “But if I seed in capturing that wretch, then I want Elder Guo to step down and retire."
Before Guo could respond, the leader spoke again.
"How about this, Elder Tong-if you resolve this matter without humiliation, I will allow you to take my position as the leader of the Discipline Department."
A ripple of tension swept through the room.
"You''ve had your eyes on this seat for a long time, haven''t you?" the leader added
quietly.
Elder Tong froze for a split second-then burst into loudughter, his earlier anger twisting into something sharp and ambitious.
"Even better," he said, his grin widening. "If I handle this insignificant outer disciple, I be the leader."
“But remember,” the leader said, his tone suddenly cold, "if you fail to capture Jun Jiu... you will resign."
"Resign?" Elder Tong barked, his pride ring. "If I fail, I''ll kill myself!"
"Good," Elder Guo said evenly, watching him with steady eyes. "The I will draft the paper."
His lips curved slightly.
"I''ll make sure the Sect Master—and every leader in the sect-gets to see it."
Elder Tong let out a cold, mocking sneer.
"I''ll be leading five hundred disciples," he said, his voice dripping with confidence.
"And I''ll be going personally. Do you really think I could lose to a mere outer
disciple?"
He scoffed.
"Keep dreaming."
Within a few minutes, Elder Guo ced the scroll on the table.
Ink. Seal. Finality.
Elder Tong grabbed the brush without hesitation.
"I''ll sign it now," he said.
Guo watched him carefully.
"Before you do," Guo said softly, "you should read thest use.”
Tong scoffed. "I don''t need to."
"That''s exactly why you should."
Tong''s eyes flicked down.
Just briefly.
Then-
His expression changed.
"What is this?" Tong''s voice dropped.
Guo''s smile was faint.
"If you fail," he said evenly, "you will resign... or you may choose to take your own
life. The choice is yours."
“But for sure, your entire faction dissolves. Your disciples will be reassigned."
The room erupted in whispers.
Tong''s grip tightened on the brush.
"You''re stripping me of everything."
Guo''s gaze didn''t waver.
“No,” he said quietly.
"I''m making sure you understand what you''re risking."
"Or... you can walk away right now."
Without hesitation, Elder Tong signed the paper. In front of all the gathered elders, he pressed his thumb into his own blood and
stamped it onto the palet
Koel
sealing his vow with a bold, irreversible mark.
“When I return,” he said, stepping away with a sharpugh, “you''d better have that
seat cleaned and ready for me."
Then he turned and strode out of the hall,ughter echoing behind him.
He truly believed it-believed that
with five hundred disciples, five team leaders on Foundation Establishment, and himself—standing at the peak of Greater Foundation Establishment,
only a step away from Core Formation-capturing Jun Jiu would
be effortless.
To him, this wasn''t a challenge.
It was a formality.
Elder Guo watched as Elder Tong and his forces departed from the Discipline
Department Peak. Only when they were gone did he turn to the leader, his expression tightening.
"Leader... are you certain about this?" he asked quietly. "You''re wagering your position on this oue. We
both know Elder Tong has always coveted your seat but now you''re risking everything... over an outer
disciple."
The leader said nothing, but his eyes darkened slightly, his thoughts unreadable.
He was cing his bet on the Sect Master''s words.
Outside Thousand Herbs Peak, the moment the students spotted the approaching
force from the Discipline Department, panic spread like wildfire.
"They''re here!"
Several disciples immediately rushed off, hurrying to report to Alex.
"Don''t worry,” Alex said calmly when they reached him. “Prepare exactly as I taught
youst night."
A faint smile curved on his lips.
"Nothing will go wrong. This time... they''ll be the ones leaving naked."
"Yes, Big Brother!" they responded in unison, their earlier fear reced with
determination as they quickly moved to take their assigned positions. Within minutes, everything was in ce.
Elder Tong arrived at the front of Alex''s garden, his five hundred disciples fanning
out behind him like a tide ready to swallow everything in its path.
“Jun Jiu!” Elder Tong''s voice thundered across the area. “You dare oppose the
Discipline Department?" “Come out and kneel to receive your punishment!”
His eyes gleamed with hostility as he raised his hand slightly.
"If you don''te out within three counts, I will burn this entire herb garden to the
ground and drag every disciple from Thousand Herbs Peak with me!"
A single figure stepped forward.
Alex.
He stood alone, facing the overwhelming force before him as if it meant nothing.
"If I don''t send all of you out of here naked and crawling," he said evenly, "then my
name is not Jun Jiu."
Elder Tong''s face twisted with fury.
"Attack him!" he roared.
But Alex only smiled.
Then he snapped his fingers.
In an instant, a thick mist surged from the ground, rolling out in all directions—silent,
suffocating, and absolute—until it swallowed the entire area whole.