bsp; lín xuān cǐ huà yī chū ， jiàn hú gōng de zhǎng lǎo men dà duō lù chū jī fèn zhī sè， yǐ tā men de shēn fèn shí lì ， hé zēng shòu guò zhè zhǒng xiū rǔ 。
bsp; 林轩此话一出，剑湖宫的长老们大多露出激愤之sè，以他们的身份实力，何曾受过这种羞辱。
Lin Xuan's words caused most of the elders from Sword Lake Palace to show a mixture of anger and frustration. With their status and strength, they had never been subjected to such humiliation.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， què yí gè gè mù guāng shǎn shuò 。
然而此时此刻，却一个个目光闪烁。
However, at this moment, each elder was looking around nervously, none daring to openly rebuke or challenge Lin Xuan. It wasn't surprising; after all, two Supreme Elders had already perished, and Lin Xuan was not the type of cultivator who would insist on getting his way even when he was in the right.
méi yǒu dǎn liàng duì lín xuān hē chì fǎn bó 。
没有胆量对林轩呵斥反驳。
Since the conflict arose from their side due to greed, achieving a peaceful resolution wouldn’t be easy. While Lin Xuan wasn't one to take revenge for every slight, he certainly wasn't someone who could be bullied without retaliating.
yě nán guài tā men dǐ qì bù zú ， bì jìng liǎng wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo dōu yǐ jīng yǔn luò ， ér lín xuān bìng fēi děi lǐ bù ráo rén de xiū xiān zhě ， kě zhè yī cì jiàn hú gōng yǔ yún yǐn zōng jiāo wù ， kě yǐ shuō shì yóu duì fāng tān niàn ér qǐ de 。
也难怪他们底气不足，毕竟两位太上长老都已经陨落，而林轩并非得理不饶人的修仙者，可这一次剑湖宫与云隐宗交恶，可以说是由对方贪念而起的。
People must pay the price for their actions. Since Sword Lake Palace had made such a choice in the past, they couldn’t expect leniency now.
jì rán shì qíng shì yīn tā men ér qǐ ， nà xiǎng yào shàn le jiù méi yǒu nà me róng yì 。
既然事情是因他们而起，那想要善了就没有那么容易。
Thus, what Lin Xuan did was not overly harsh; it was simply about seeking revenge when deserved and showing gratitude where due.
lín xuān bú shì yá zì bì bào de xiū xiān zhě ， dàn yě jué bú shì rèn rén qī rǔ lián shǒu dōu bù hái de lǎo hǎo rén de 。
林轩不是睚眦必报的修仙者，但也绝不是任人欺辱连手都不还的老好人的。
"Senior, your words are correct. Simply conceding defeat is insufficient. We have accepted our loss with grace. Please be magnanimous and spare us."
rén zǒng yào wèi zì jǐ de xíng wéi fù chū dài jià ， jiàn hú gōng dāng chū jì rán zuò le nà yàng de jué zé ， rú jīn zì rán méi yǒu shàn le yī shuō 。
人总要为自己的行为付出代价，剑湖宫当初既然做了那样的抉择，如今自然没有善了一说。
The elderly man with a scholarly appearance bowed again. This guy understood the principle that one must adapt to circumstances. A true man can both bend and stand firm. Lin Xuan couldn't help but admire his demeanor.
gù ér lín xuān zhè me zuò ， bìng méi yǒu qī rén tài shèn ， bù guò shì yǒu chóu bào chóu ， yǒu ēn bào ēn 。
故而林轩这么做，并没有欺人太甚，不过是有仇报仇，有恩报恩。
However, while he admired the elder's stance, such a concession was far from enough for the conflict between the two sects.
“ qián bèi suǒ yán bù cuò ， jǐn jǐn rèn shū què rán shì bù gòu de ， zhè yī cì wǒ men shū dé xīn fú kǒu fú ， hái qǐng qián bèi kuān hóng dà liàng ， jiāng wǒ men fàng guò 。”
“前辈所言不错，仅仅认输确然是不够的，这一次我们输得心服口服，还请前辈宽宏大量，将我们放过。”
What followed left Lin Xuan utterly shocked. He never expected them to make such a decision.
nà xiān fēng dào gǔ de lǎo zhě zài cì zuò le yī yī ， zhè jiā huo ， dào yě míng bái xíng shì bǐ rén qiáng de dào lǐ ， néng qū néng shēn fāng wèi dà zhàng fū ， zhè jiā huo dào yě bù shī yī pài zhǎng mén de qì dù ， biàn shì lín xuān ， yě kàn dé xīn zhōng pèi fú 。
那仙风道骨的老者再次作了一揖，这家伙，倒也明白形势比人强的道理，能屈能伸方为大丈夫，这家伙倒也不失一派掌门的气度，便是林轩，也看得心中佩服。
The elderly man’s calm voice echoed: "A mere apology is not enough to quell your wrath. How about our sect submitting to Cloud Hidden Sect?"
rán ér xīn zhé guī xīn zhé ， liǎng pài chōng tū nào dào rú cǐ dì bù ， qū qū yī jù dào qiàn zì rán shì yuǎn yuǎn bù zú 。
然而心折归心折，两派冲突闹到如此地步，区区一句道歉自然是远远不足。
"What?" Lin Xuan was momentarily stunned, this decision being too shocking to believe.
rán ér jiē xià lái de yí mù ， què ràng lín xuān jīng dāi le ， tā zuò mèng yě xiǎng bú dào ， duì fāng huì zuò chū rú cǐ jué zé 。
然而接下来的一幕，却让林轩惊呆了，他做梦也想不到，对方会做出如此抉择。
Not just Lin Xuan, but other Spirit Formation Period elders were equally shocked.
zhǐ tīng nà lǎo zhě píng hé de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ：
只听那老者平和的声音传入耳朵：
"Senior Brother, what did you say?"
“ jǐn jǐn dào qiàn bù zú yǐ xī miè qián bèi de léi tíng zhī nù ， ràng běn mén guī fù yún yǐn zōng rú hé ？”
“仅仅道歉不足以熄灭前辈的雷霆之怒，让本门归附云隐宗如何？”
"Not a mistake. Our sect is the top family in Naelong World. Even after these setbacks, we are still larger than a small Cloud Hidden Sect!"
“ shén me ？”
“什么？”
"Senior Brother, have you lost your mind!"
lín xuān yī shí jiān yǐ wài zì jǐ tīng cuò ， shí zài shì zhè ge jué dìng tài guò lìng rén chēng mù jié shé 。
林轩一时间以外自己听错，实在是这个决定太过令人瞠目结舌。
...
bù zhǐ lín xuān chà rán ， zhōu wéi qí tā fēn shén qī zhǎng lǎo yě huá rán yī piàn 。
不止林轩诧然，周围其他分神期长老也哗然一片。
It was no wonder the other elders reacted so strongly; this matter was truly unprecedented.
“ shī xiōng ， nǐ shuō shén me ？”
“师兄，你说什么？”
Indeed, as they said, even though the sect had suffered losses, its core strength remained substantial. With their own disciples numbering in the tens of thousands and Lin Xuan still a formidable opponent, Cloud Hidden Sect couldn’t possibly swallow them whole.
“ yě méi yǒu gǎo cuò ， běn mén nǎi shì nài lóng jiè pái míng dì yī de zōng mén jiā zú ， suī jīng cǐ bō zhé ， dàn shòu sǐ de luò tuó bǐ mǎ dà ， qǐ néng guī fù yú xiǎo xiǎo de yún yǐn zōng a ！”
“也没有搞错，本门乃是鼐龙界排名第一的宗门家族，虽经此波折，但瘦死的骆驼比马大，岂能归附于小小的云隐宗啊！”
In other words, while Sword Lake Palace might decline, it wasn't at the mercy of others. Why submit to such a small sect?
“ shī xiōng ， nǐ méi shén jīng cuò luàn ba ！”
“师兄，你没神经错乱吧！”
They thought this decision was utterly foolish. If not for their trust in the senior’s character, they would suspect that the eldest senior had infiltrated Cloud Hidden Sect.
……
……
Of course, that was impossible.
yě nán guài zhòng zhǎng lǎo fǎn yìng rú cǐ fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。 shí zài shì zhè jiàn shì qíng tài guò jīng shì hài sú 。
也难怪众长老反应如此非同小可。实在是这件事情太过惊世骇俗。
But his decision made even less sense.
zhèng rú tā men suǒ shuō 。 shòu sǐ de luò tuó bǐ mǎ dà ， jiàn hú gōng suī jiē lián shòu dào dǎ jī ， dàn dǐ yùn zài nà lǐ ， jiù suàn bù jì yī fù yú tā men de wài wéi shì lì ， běn zōng dì zǐ dōu yǒu shù shí wàn rén zhī duō ， nà lín xiǎo zi zài fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， yún yǐn zōng yě bù kě néng jiāng běn zōng yī kǒu tūn le 。
正如他们所说。瘦死的骆驼比马大，剑湖宫虽接连受到打击，但底蕴在那里，就算不计依附于他们的外围势力，本宗弟子都有数十万人之多，那林小子再非同小可，云隐宗也不可能将本宗一口吞了。
The other elders began arguing loudly, but Lin Xuan remained unmoved, his gaze flickering as he guessed at the elder's intentions.
huàn jù huà shuō 。 jiàn hú gōng suī huì shuāi luò ， dàn yě méi dào rèn rén zǎi gē de dì bù ， hé kǔ zhǔ dòng fú ruǎn ， qù yī fù yú xiǎo xiǎo de yún yǐn zōng ？
换句话说。剑湖宫虽会衰落，但也没到任人宰割的地步，何苦主动服软，去依附于小小的云隐宗？
Hmph, a wise man acts with subtlety. This Sword Lake Palace senior is more cunning than I imagined.
zài tā men kàn lái ， zhè me zuò ， jiǎn zhí yú bù kě jí 。 ruò bú shì duì zhǎng mén de wéi rén xiàng lái xìn fú ， tā men dōu yào huái yí dà shī xiōng shì bú shì yún yǐn zōng hùn jìn lái de jiān xì 。
在他们看来，这么做，简直愚不可及。若不是对掌门的为人向来信服，他们都要怀疑大师兄是不是云隐宗混进来的jiān细。
A retreat to advance strategy. It’s fine; we still hold the initiative. It’s too early to tell who will benefit from this.
dāng rán ， zhè yì diǎn shì bù kě néng de 。
当然，这一点是不可能的。
Lin Xuan couldn’t help smiling. He ignored their clamor and decided to sit back and watch.
nà tā zuò chū zhè yàng de jué zé ， jiù gèng jiā de bù kě lǐ yù 。
那他做出这样的抉择，就更加的不可理喻。
The victor will be the one who laughs last, and he didn't want to get caught up in his own schemes.
yī shí jiān ， zhòng rén yě gù bù shàng lín xuān huán shì zài cè ， qī zuǐ bā shé de fǎn duì qǐ lái le 。
一时间，众人也顾不上林轩环视在侧，七嘴八舌的反对起来了。
"Enough, no more talking."
rán ér lín xuān què mù guāng shǎn dòng bù yǐ ， yǐn yǐn cāi dào le duì fāng zhè me zuò de mù dì 。
然而林轩却目光闪动不已，隐隐猜到了对方这么做的目的。
Seeing that they were still arguing and making no progress, the elderly man with a scholarly appearance roared. His reputation as an elder was already well-established, so even though he was angry, the other cultivators dared not argue back, all falling silent.
hēng ， dà zhì ruò yú 。 zhè wèi jiàn hú gōng zhǎng mén bǐ zì jǐ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào lì hài yī xiē 。
哼，大智若愚。这位剑湖宫掌门比自己想象的还要厉害一些。
However, their faces still showed their dissatisfaction; after all, this matter was too important. If the eldest senior couldn't provide a convincing reason, they wouldn’t easily give up.
yǐ tuì wéi jìn zhī jì 。 méi guān xì ， zhǔ dòng quán hái zài zì jǐ shǒu lǐ 。 xiàn zài jiù tán shuí huì zhàn pián yí míng xiǎn wéi shí guò zǎo le yī xiē 。
以退为进之计。没关系，主动权还在自己手里。现在就谈谁会占便宜明显为时过早了一些。
Though many cultivators were often cold-hearted, these elders had spent over ten thousand years in Sword Lake Palace and held deep feelings for it. Not one of them hesitated at this critical moment.
lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū jǐ fēn xiào yì ， rèn píng duì fāng chǎo dé fèi fǎn yíng tiān ， yě zhǐ zuò bù lǐ ， dǎ dìng le zuò bì shàng guān de zhǔ yì 。
林轩嘴角边露出几分笑意，任凭对方吵得沸反盈天，也只做不理，打定了作壁上观的主意。
Lin Xuan sighed; Sword Lake Palace’s current status and strength weren't due to luck alone.
xiào dào zuì hòu de cái shì shèng lì zhě ， wán xīn jī ， xiǎo xīn jiāng zì jǐ yě gěi kēng jìn qù 。
笑到最后的才是胜利者，玩心机，小心将自己也给坑进去。
If the Supreme Elder, Thousand Swords Venerable, hadn’t disappeared mysteriously, he would have likely lost this battle.
“ hǎo le ， dōu bú yào shuō le 。”
“好了，都不要说了。”
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Xuan remained unperturbed. He turned his head slowly and spoke calmly: "What do you want to say?"
yǎn kàn zhè yàng qī zuǐ bā shé yě zhēng bù chū yí gè jié guǒ ， nà xiān fēng dào gǔ de lǎo zhě chēng mù dà hē 。
眼看这样七嘴八舌也争不出一个结果，那仙风道骨的老者瞠目大喝。
"Admitting defeat is our duty. Our sect has suffered a crushing loss today. However, my fellow disciples are divided on your decision. If you trust me, please leave for now. I will come back tomorrow at noon with an answer that satisfies you. What do you think of this plan?"
tā yuán běn jiù wēi wàng sù zhù ， cǐ kè dòng le zhēn huǒ ， nà xiē xiū shì dào yě zhēn bù gǎn yǔ tā zhēng biàn shén me ， yí gè gè dōu shàn shàn de zhù kǒu le 。
他原本就威望素著，此刻动了真火，那些修士倒也真不敢与他争辩什么，一个个都讪讪的住口了。
The elderly man spoke sincerely, though he was somewhat nervous. After all, in Lin Xuan's hands, the situation was already under control; would he really leave?
rán ér liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng yī jiù xiě mǎn le bù fú ， bì jìng cǐ shì fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， dà shī xiōng ruò shì ná bù chū yí gè ràng rén xìn fú de lǐ yóu ， wú lùn rú hé ， tā men yě bú huì shàn bà gān xiū de 。
然而脸上的表情依旧写满了不服，毕竟此事非同小可，大师兄若是拿不出一个让人信服的理由，无论如何，他们也不会善罢甘休的。
Indeed, his worries were unnecessary. Since Lin Xuan had guessed the elder’s intentions, there was no reason to refuse.
xiū xiān zhě suī duō guǎ qíng báo yì zhī tú ， rán ér zhè xiē rén ， shēn wèi fēn shén jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， duǎn de yě zài jiàn hú gōng xiū xíng wàn yú zài le ， duì yú gāi pài de gǎn qíng bú yòng shuō ， dāng cǐ shí kè ， jìng méi yǒu yī rén tuì suō 。
修仙者虽多寡情薄意之徒，然而这些人，身为分神级别的修仙者，短的也在剑湖宫修行万余载了，对于该派的感情不用说，当此时刻，竟没有一人退缩。
Lin Xuan appreciated this boldness.
lín xuān bù yóu de tàn le kǒu qì ， jiàn hú gōng néng yǒu rú jīn de dì wèi yǔ shí lì ， què shí bú shì yùn qì 。
林轩不由得叹了口气，剑湖宫能有如今的地位与实力，确实不是运气。
"Fine, as you say, I will give you a day to make your decision. If by tomorrow at noon, you still can’t satisfy me, don't blame me for being too powerful," Lin Xuan said generously. As he spoke, a layer of green light enveloped him, and he turned into a streak of lightning that disappeared in the distance.
ruò gāi pài de dà zhǎng lǎo wàn jiàn zūn zhě méi yǒu mò míng xiāo shī le zōng jì ， zhè yī zhàn ， shū de duō bàn shì zì jǐ 。
若该派的大长老万剑尊者没有莫名消失了踪迹，这一战，输的多半是自己。
A few blinks later, he was already out of sight. His departure was clean and decisive, without any hesitation.
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， biǎo miàn shàng lín xuān què fēn háo yì sè bù lù ， huǎn huǎn de zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， yǔ qì píng dàn de kāi kǒu le ：“ nǐ xiǎng shuō shén me ？”
心中如此想着，表面上林轩却分毫异sè不露，缓缓的转过头颅，语气平淡的开口了：“你想说什么？”
"Is he really gone?"
“ yuàn dǔ fú shū ， běn mén zhè cì yī bài tú dì ， rán ér zhū wèi shī xiōng dì duì wǎn bèi de jué zé què yǒu fēn qí ， qián bèi ruò shì xìn dé guò ， qǐng zàn qiě lí qù ， míng tiān wǔ shí zài lái zhè lǐ ， wú lùn rú hé ， wǎn bèi dū huì gěi nín yí gè mǎn yì de dá fù ， bù zhī dào qián bèi yì xià rú hé ？”
“愿赌服输，本门这次一败涂地，然而诸位师兄弟对晚辈的抉择却有分歧，前辈若是信得过，请暂且离去，明天午时再来这里，无论如何，晚辈都会给您一个满意的答复，不知道前辈意下如何？”
"Did that guy really leave?"
nà xiān fēng dào gǔ de lǎo zhě jí wéi chéng kěn de shuō ， dāng rán ， tā nèi xīn yě yǒu xiē tǎn tè ， bì jìng duì lín xuān lái shuō ， rú jīn dà hǎo jú miàn jǐn zài zhǎng kòng ， rén wéi yú ròu ， wǒ zuò dāo zǔ ， tā shì fǒu yuàn yì jiù zhè yàng lí qù ne ？
那仙风道骨的老者极为诚恳的说，当然，他内心也有些忐忑，毕竟对林轩来说，如今大好局面尽在掌控，人为鱼肉，我做刀俎，他是否愿意就这样离去呢？
...
rán ér shì shí zhèng míng ， zhè fān dān xīn chún shǔ duō yú ， lín xuān jì rán yǐ jīng cāi dào le tā zhè me zuò de mù dì ， yòu qǐ huì yǒu bù yǔn de dào lǐ 。
然而事实证明，这番担心纯属多余，林轩既然已经猜到了他这么做的目的，又岂会有不允的道理。
The other Spirit Formation Period cultivators were stunned. If not for seeing their peers react similarly, they would have thought they had misheard or misunderstood something.
zhè diǎn qì pò lín xuān hái shì yǒu dì 。
这点气魄林轩还是有地。
Their senior brother had managed to send off such a formidable opponent with just a few words. Even without witnessing it themselves, they found this hard to believe.
“ hǎo ， rú nǐ suǒ shuō ， lín mǒu jiù gěi nǐ yī tiān de shí jiān jué zé ， míng tiān zhè ge shí kè ， ruò hái ná bù chū yí gè lìng lín mǒu mǎn yì de jié guǒ ， jiù bié guài wǒ yǐ dà qī xiǎo le ……”
“好，如你所说，林某就给你一天的时间抉择，明天这个时刻，若还拿不出一个令林某满意的结果，就别怪我以大欺小了……”
However, the elderly man’s face showed no signs of relief; his departure was so decisive that he might have guessed their intentions.
lín xuān shí fēn háo shuǎng de shuō ， huà yīn wèi luò ， hún shēn qīng máng yì qǐ ， jiù huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng xiàng yuǎn chù fēi qù 。
林轩十分豪爽的说，话音未落，浑身青芒一起，就化为一道惊虹像远处飞去。
Wouldn’t he regret leaving if he changed his mind?
jǐ gè shǎn shuò ， jiù yǐ zài tiān biān xiāo shī le zōng jì ， dàng zhēn shì gān cuì yǐ jí ， qián hòu méi yǒu bàn fēn yóu yù 。
几个闪烁，就已在天边消失了踪迹，当真是干脆以极，前后没有半分犹豫。
...
“ zǒu le ？”
“走了？”
Lin Xuan wasn't worried about that.
“ nà jiā huo zhēn zǒu le ？”
“那家伙真走了？”
Sword Lake Palace was indeed a dangerous place, but he had already openly entered it. The other side couldn’t do anything to him.
……
……
Even with the protective array broken and two Supreme Elders dead, Sword Lake Palace was now at its weakest point. Lin Xuan didn’t worry about any tricks they might pull off in just one day.
zhòng fēn shén qī xiū shì chēng mù jié shé ， ruò bú shì kàn páng rén de biǎo qíng yǔ zì jǐ chà bu duō ， tā men jī hū yào yǐ wéi zì jǐ nòng cuò 。
众分神期修士瞠目结舌，若不是看旁人的表情与自己差不多，他们几乎要以为自己弄错。
After all, there was no way they could run away; you can't run from a temple but escape a monk. With hundreds of thousands of disciples as the foundation, Sword Lake Palace couldn’t abandon them.
shī xiōng jū rán sān yán liǎng yǔ ， jiù dǎ fā le zhè me yī wèi kě pà de qiáng dí ， ruò bú shì qīn yǎn suǒ jiàn ， tā men yě huì gǎn dào bù kě sī yì 。
师兄居然三言两语，就打发了这么一位可怕的强敌，若不是亲眼所见，他们也会感到不可思议。
PS: I need your support with recommendation votes, very much so. Thank you for your support, please vote!
Lin Xuan's words caused most of the elders from Sword Lake Palace to show a mixture of anger and frustration. With their status and strength, they had never been subjected to such humiliation.
However, at this moment, each elder was looking around nervously, none daring to openly rebuke or challenge Lin Xuan. It wasn't surprising; after all, two Supreme Elders had already perished, and Lin Xuan was not the type of cultivator who would insist on getting his way even when he was in the right.
Since the conflict arose from their side due to greed, achieving a peaceful resolution wouldn’t be easy. While Lin Xuan wasn't one to take revenge for every slight, he certainly wasn't someone who could be bullied without retaliating.
People must pay the price for their actions. Since Sword Lake Palace had made such a choice in the past, they couldn’t expect leniency now.
Thus, what Lin Xuan did was not overly harsh; it was simply about seeking revenge when deserved and showing gratitude where due.
"Senior, your words are correct. Simply conceding defeat is insufficient. We have accepted our loss with grace. Please be magnanimous and spare us."
The elderly man with a scholarly appearance bowed again. This guy understood the principle that one must adapt to circumstances. A true man can both bend and stand firm. Lin Xuan couldn't help but admire his demeanor.
However, while he admired the elder's stance, such a concession was far from enough for the conflict between the two sects.
What followed left Lin Xuan utterly shocked. He never expected them to make such a decision.
The elderly man’s calm voice echoed: "A mere apology is not enough to quell your wrath. How about our sect submitting to Cloud Hidden Sect?"
"What?" Lin Xuan was momentarily stunned, this decision being too shocking to believe.
Not just Lin Xuan, but other Spirit Formation Period elders were equally shocked.
"Senior Brother, what did you say?"
"Not a mistake. Our sect is the top family in Naelong World. Even after these setbacks, we are still larger than a small Cloud Hidden Sect!"
"Senior Brother, have you lost your mind!"
...
It was no wonder the other elders reacted so strongly; this matter was truly unprecedented.
Indeed, as they said, even though the sect had suffered losses, its core strength remained substantial. With their own disciples numbering in the tens of thousands and Lin Xuan still a formidable opponent, Cloud Hidden Sect couldn’t possibly swallow them whole.
In other words, while Sword Lake Palace might decline, it wasn't at the mercy of others. Why submit to such a small sect?
They thought this decision was utterly foolish. If not for their trust in the senior’s character, they would suspect that the eldest senior had infiltrated Cloud Hidden Sect.
Of course, that was impossible.
But his decision made even less sense.
The other elders began arguing loudly, but Lin Xuan remained unmoved, his gaze flickering as he guessed at the elder's intentions.
Hmph, a wise man acts with subtlety. This Sword Lake Palace senior is more cunning than I imagined.
A retreat to advance strategy. It’s fine; we still hold the initiative. It’s too early to tell who will benefit from this.
Lin Xuan couldn’t help smiling. He ignored their clamor and decided to sit back and watch.
The victor will be the one who laughs last, and he didn't want to get caught up in his own schemes.
"Enough, no more talking."
Seeing that they were still arguing and making no progress, the elderly man with a scholarly appearance roared. His reputation as an elder was already well-established, so even though he was angry, the other cultivators dared not argue back, all falling silent.
However, their faces still showed their dissatisfaction; after all, this matter was too important. If the eldest senior couldn't provide a convincing reason, they wouldn’t easily give up.
Though many cultivators were often cold-hearted, these elders had spent over ten thousand years in Sword Lake Palace and held deep feelings for it. Not one of them hesitated at this critical moment.
Lin Xuan sighed; Sword Lake Palace’s current status and strength weren't due to luck alone.
If the Supreme Elder, Thousand Swords Venerable, hadn’t disappeared mysteriously, he would have likely lost this battle.
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Xuan remained unperturbed. He turned his head slowly and spoke calmly: "What do you want to say?"
"Admitting defeat is our duty. Our sect has suffered a crushing loss today. However, my fellow disciples are divided on your decision. If you trust me, please leave for now. I will come back tomorrow at noon with an answer that satisfies you. What do you think of this plan?"
The elderly man spoke sincerely, though he was somewhat nervous. After all, in Lin Xuan's hands, the situation was already under control; would he really leave?
Indeed, his worries were unnecessary. Since Lin Xuan had guessed the elder’s intentions, there was no reason to refuse.
Lin Xuan appreciated this boldness.
"Fine, as you say, I will give you a day to make your decision. If by tomorrow at noon, you still can’t satisfy me, don't blame me for being too powerful," Lin Xuan said generously. As he spoke, a layer of green light enveloped him, and he turned into a streak of lightning that disappeared in the distance.
A few blinks later, he was already out of sight. His departure was clean and decisive, without any hesitation.
"Is he really gone?"
"Did that guy really leave?"
...
The other Spirit Formation Period cultivators were stunned. If not for seeing their peers react similarly, they would have thought they had misheard or misunderstood something.
Their senior brother had managed to send off such a formidable opponent with just a few words. Even without witnessing it themselves, they found this hard to believe.
However, the elderly man’s face showed no signs of relief; his departure was so decisive that he might have guessed their intentions.
Wouldn’t he regret leaving if he changed his mind?
...
Lin Xuan wasn't worried about that.
Sword Lake Palace was indeed a dangerous place, but he had already openly entered it. The other side couldn’t do anything to him.
Even with the protective array broken and two Supreme Elders dead, Sword Lake Palace was now at its weakest point. Lin Xuan didn’t worry about any tricks they might pull off in just one day.
After all, there was no way they could run away; you can't run from a temple but escape a monk. With hundreds of thousands of disciples as the foundation, Sword Lake Palace couldn’t abandon them.
PS: I need your support with recommendation votes, very much so. Thank you for your support, please vote!