As Chengfeng laid his eyes on these two, his heart immediately started beating faster. He knew that they were bad news as he quickly hid amongst the crowd.
However, Huangfu Song’s attention was not on Chengfeng this time. He stared straight at Grand Brother Senior, gliding with light steps as his body passed through the crowd like a ghost. Those who he walked passed against only felt a gush of wind, followed by a chilling sensation. Before they realised what had happened, Huangfu Song was already standing beside Grand Brother Senior. The crowd was packed, and the disciples had stood around a fist’s distance from each other. When the crowd noticed that Huangfu Song had passed through the crowd in a flash, they were all astonished by his skills as a cultivator.
Grand Brother Senior glared at Huangfu Song, his face drained from colour as he said, “Huangfu Song, what are you doing here! Were you the one who orchestrated this chaos today?!”
“Aiya, Grand Brother Senior, you’ve misunderstood me! I was merely having a stroll with Senior Sister Ji today, only to stumble upon your lively discussion. Hence we decided to drop by and see what was going on!” replied Huangfu Song.
Huangfu Song had his hands behind his back, he turned around nonchalantly as he scanned the crowd with his back turned from Grand Brother Senior, not paying attention to him at all.
“I never would have thought, Grand Brother Senior, that you, a respected Senior Brother of Hidden Sword Court, was not able to control a crowd like this?” asked Huangfu Song sarcastically. He walked back and forth in a circle, turning his head towards Grand Brother Senior and smiled, “Could it be… that the disciples of Hidden Sword Court were thinking about leaving this cursed place?”
Sun Yongcai exclaimed loudly, “Yes! We do not want to stay at this wretched place any longer!”
The crowd started to whisper among themselves, most of them had ceased agreeing loudly. After all, it would mean that they were publicly thinking of betraying their court, which would lead to a deadly punishment. If they really had nowhere else to go, then they would be kicked out and have their identities as special class cultivators stripped away, turning them into commoners. Not to mention, if they were to have their rankings fall from such a high position, their ends would be far worse than the average person, there would be no chance for them to ever be rich again.
Although Huangfu Song had promised them just now, who knew if he was just saying it for the heck of it just to make Grand Senior Brother mad? After all, the rivalry between these two was well known among the Spiritual Mountain Sect.
Huangfu Song smiled, “Alright! Those who are thinking of leaving, I can guarantee to you right here and right now, although you are not able to join Hidden Brocade or Hidden Beauty Court, you are all definitely eligible to join Hidden Modesty Court.”
Suddenly the crowd got excited, “Brother Senior Huangfu Song is being serious!”
“Are you sure you can guarantee it?”
“He’s from Hidden Brocade Court, how could he possibly represent Hidden Modesty Court to take us in? He’s definitely lying!
“Make him swear on it!”
Huangfu Song smiled once more, “Even if Hidden Modesty Court refuses to take you in, Hidden Brocade Court could always take all of you in as servants. What do you think of that? I’m from Hidden Brocade, with that said, do you all believe me now?”
Grand Senior Brother was furious, “You b*stard! How could our disciples from Hidden Sword Court possibly become servants for Hidden Brocade Court!” Grand Brother Senior immediately turned his head around to face the crowd as he shouted, “Brother Disciples of Hidden Sword Court, straighten your spines! We would rather be the ghosts of our swords than servants of men!”
Ouyang Nan, Qin Mieqin, Qiu Chuqiu, An Tong and others started to wield their swords, their furious gaze pierced through the crowd as they glared at the disciples of Hidden Sword Court. Ouyang Nan slyly exclaimed, “Those who dare to leave will have to get past my sword first!”
Ji Chunhua glanced at Ouyang Nan as she giggled. As she flicked her wrist, a tiny snowflake started to form and hover on top of her palm, turning in circles. The snowflake began to rapidly spin, expanding with each turn. In a blink of an eye, the once-tiny snowflake had now expanded to the size of her thumb.
Ji Chunhua proceeded to lightly blow the snowflake on her palm, a cold gust of wind suddenly flew to Ouyang Nan’s direction. Ouyang Nan was startled, he had never expected that Ji Chunhua would actually use her spells on him in front of a crowd. As he had accidentally let his guard down, the cold wind suddenly engulfed him, his body soon started to freeze immediately.
In a breath’s time, the crowd realised that Ouyang Nan along with his sword had turned into a popsicle, unable to move.
Grand Senior Brother immediately wielded his sword and glared at Chunhua as he smirked, “Ji Chunhua, could it be that you want to have a personal duel?”
Chunhua patted her chest as she giggled, “Ah, I would not dream of challenging the Grand Senior Brother! That would be a serious offence and I could get kicked out! I just thought that I should calm Junior Brother Ouyang down, he should let the other Junior Brothers have a chance to make a decision on their own after all.”
Huangfu Song smiled gently as he continued, “Now, my fellow disciples of Hidden Sword Court, feel free to choose. Those who wish to stay in Hidden Sword Court can stand by your beloved Grand Brother Senior. Those who want to leave and restart their journeys can stand behind me.”
Finally, their real intentions had been revealed!
Grand Senior Brother kept a close eye on Huangfu Song, he did not know why he chose this moment to wreak havoc among his disciples, but he did know that Hidden Sword Court was currently in danger!
Among the crowd, the disciples of Hidden Sword Court started to look at each other, their eyes filled with conflict as they wavered from the offer.
Grand Senior Brother earnestly advised them, “My fellow brothers, look around you… Can you really bring yourself to leave this place where you’ve spent so many years in? Do you really want to leave your brothers who have risked their lives alongside you?”
Humans are made of emotions. When Grand Brother Senior earnestly spoke, all of them felt a sense of guilt, their heads hung low.
At this moment, Sun Yongcai loudly retorted, “Yes! Of course we are reluctant! If this continues to go on, it won’t only be Hidden Brocade Court that will be ruined, we would be ruined as well! Not to mention, our families! We came here to be the men amongst all men, not to become Hidden Sword Court’s sacrificial lambs!”
Grand Senior Brother angrily exclaimed, “And you think that being a servant to those in Hidden Brocade Court would be being men amongst all men?!”
Sun Yongcai smirked sarcastically, “Being a servant in Hidden Brocade Court would still be much better than waiting to die in Hidden Sword Court!
This sentence was just like a heavy hammer, striking into the hearts of his fellow disciples. They immediately shuddered in realisation, ‘That’s right! What was the core reason that we came here to train as cultivators? Was for our so-called honour and loyalty? Or was it for us to become stronger, to change the fates of our families? If we continue to stay in here, other than turning to dust alongside Hidden Sword Court, there’d be nothing left for us!’
Loyalty? Honour? What does this have to do with them! They could only have it all if they were alive!
Among the crowd, around 50 disciples had shuffled behind Huangfu Song. Grand Senior Brother’s face turned white, he slightly opened his mouth as he tried to say something, but there was nothing left for him to be said. He did not know what else to say to convince these disciples of Hidden Sword Court who had already lost all hope.
Huangfu Song smiled as he watched the rest of the disciples who were still conflicted on whether they should stay in Hidden Sword Court and said, “Hidden Brocade Court accepting you as a servant was just a gesture, when the time comes we will still provide you with all the necessities. Rest assured, won’t actually treat you as servants.”
With this, the last psychological defence of the disciples had been dismantled. One by one they joined their brothers behind Huangfu Song.
Grand Senior Brother, Qin Mieqin and the others saw red in their eyes. Their expressions were filled with rage as their knuckles turned white from gripping their swords tightly. But they didn’t have the courage to wield their swords against them!
They could only watch helplessly as Huangfu Song and Ji Chunhua sucked up the blood of Hidden Sword Court, stealing even the last drop of blood from them!
The crowd lessened and lessened, in the end, there were only thirteen of them left. Huangfu Song let out a guffaw, “Grand Senior Brother, it seems like from today onwards, you’ll be training an empty hall! HA! HA! HA! Hidden Sword Court will soon cease to exist! Not one of your disciples has stayed! You have been such a failure as their Grand Senior Brother!”
It was true. Grand Senior Brother’s strict requirements from their everyday tasks were one of the core reasons why Hidden Sword Court’s disciples had wavered so quickly.
They had to train a lot, work a lot and fight a lot. However, what they received in return was getting lesser. It was no wonder that their dissatisfaction grew to this extent.
Grand Senior Brother’s expression turned ashen as he felt total despair… This time... Hidden Sword Court had truly perished in his hands! The plans that he had hadn’t even been executed, this time they’re utterly destroyed!
Suddenly, a loud and bright voice chirped among the crowd, “I, Li Chengfeng, from Cleansing Moon Sect, am willing to stay in Hidden Sword Court!”
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