Realms In The Firmament

The seven old masters all looked embarrassed.

What happened was abrupt, and they didn’t have time to handle it properly. In fact, they didn’t even know how things ended so badly like this.

However, no matter what, the Great Ye Army started all this. The Brotherhood Alliance’s men died under the men of the Great Ye Army. The Great Ye Army also took a lot of money and materials from the Brotherhood Alliance as well…

The old masters did not know what to say at the moment because they couldn’t find an excuse to explain for the Great Ye Army at all.

The seven clans had barely interfered in the daily issues of the City of Chaos, but all the powerful forces knew them. Because the seven clans never claimed their authority in the City of Chaos, the powerful forces of the world did not want to fight against them. For a long time, the Brotherhood Alliance had started a lot of businesses in the City of Chaos, but they never broke any laws in the city. They had done nothing to offend the seven clans, which had shown the Seven Golden Lotuses enough respect.

The Great Ye Army was rising, and it was fighting against all the powerful forces in the City of Chaos one by one! The Brotherhood Alliance still had made compromises to it by giving up some of their lands. That was a big step to give in. However, Ye Yunduan thought the Brotherhood Alliance did it because they were weak, so he decided to push it further to the end. He gathered all his people to kill the men of the Brotherhood Alliance, putting on a massacre against the low-level cultivators, causing the tragedy in the end!

Everybody knew what had happened. The old masters were well known to the public, and they couldn’t go against their conscience. That was why they didn’t speak a word.

After a while, Master Qin moved over and looked embarrassed. He tried to smile and said, “Master Shangguan… You have come a long way… We should have shown you a warm welcome… Heh heh…”

Shangguan Lingxiao sounded indifferent and said, “I am shocked. The first thing I saw when I arrived was this. That is flattering. I don’t think I can bear your warm welcome.”

He pointed at the dead bodies on the ground and said, “How thoughtful! You used my brothers’ dead and broken bodies to welcome me… Master Qin, you have shown me the biggest respect I have ever had.”

“How I am flattered,” Shangguan Lingxiao said.

Ye Yunduan stepped forward and said in a heavy voice, “Are you the third leader of the Brotherhood Alliance, Shangguan Lingxiao?”

Master Qin was shocked and so were the other old men.

‘Why did you speak at this critical moment?’

Shangguan Lingxiao was having a conversation with the seven clans, and it was a conversation between two old forces in the city. Ye Yunduan was the leader of the Great Ye Army, but he should at least show some respect to others.

Shangguan Lingxiao laughed and said, “Look who is standing up there, acting like he is above the masses. I guess you are the descendant of the Great Ye Clan, who has been holding up beyond the clouds since you are a baby, aren’t you?”

Ye Yunduan didn’t look scared anymore. He was calm and peaceful and had a big smile on his face. As a member of a great clan, he did have the decency. “I have heard about the great name of Master Shangguan. Now that you are here, we can talk about how to solve the problem between us. I don’t see why we should let more people die.”

Shangguan Lingxiao looked confused, and he said, “The problem between us? Please, Young Lord Ye, what problem do we have? To be honest, I have no idea at all. What is it?”

The blood was right under his feet, yet he didn’t see any problem between the two sides.

It seemed he did not see the blood.

Ye Yunduan’s face turned red a little, and he said, “My clan, and your organization, we…”

Shangguan Lingxiao interrupted him and said, “It has been tens of thousands of years since the first day the Brotherhood Alliance set foot on the soil of the City of Chaos. We never made any aggressive expansion inside the city. Our sub branch here is more like a chamber of commerce. Do you know why, Master Ye?”

Ye Yunduan was shocked, and he said, “I would love to hear your instruction…”

“Well, the reason is simple. The City of Chaos is the great masterpiece of the Great Master Ye, Ye Hongchen. It is a legendary place that all itinerant cultivators respect. We know all the stories about the Heaven’s Leaf and the Seven Golden Lotuses in the old days. We are all itinerant cultivators, and we respected these legendary itinerant cultivators.

“The seven golden lotuses had never claimed anything in the city after the Great Master Ye was gone, but still, we would never offend this city which is known as the city of no sins.

“The Brotherhood Alliance has never sent our main forces into the City of Chaos because of respect. We see this place as the territory of the Great Ye Clan that is guarded by the Seven Golden Lotuses.”

“For many centuries, we followed the rules in the City of Chaos. We do not want to break the order in this place.” Shangguan Lingxiao blandly said, “I think the seven old masters can prove my words. I am telling the truth, am I not?”

“Now, the descendant of the Great Ye Clan finally returns to this city, and the seven clans appear. The Heaven’s Leaf and the Seven Golden Lotuses are together again. Well, here is my question for you. What problem do you think is between you and the Brotherhood Alliance?”

Shangguan Lingxiao spoke clearly and loudly. Everybody could hear him.

He sounded indifferent but made people feel oppressed.

The seven old masters’ faces turned red. They didn’t know what to say. Ye Yunduan had nothing to say, either.

“When the rules of the City of Chaos were all gone, and the chaos returned to this city, we knew that the Great Ye Clan was coming back. We did not make any aggressive moves but only kept making compromises. We have given the land that we have ruled for centuries. Do you think we did it because we were weak? No! We did it because we respect the Heaven’s Leaf and the Seven Golden Lotuses, who were also itinerant cultivators like us!

“We are all itinerant cultivators, and we should support each other and respect each other.

“We never want to have any conflicts with any other forces in the City of Chaos. Even though the city has fallen into chaos, we still try our best to maintain peace just like the old days. Because we respect you!

“We always respect the Great Ye Clan. So tell me, what is the problem between the Brotherhood Alliance and the Great Ye Army? What is it? What could it be? How come?”

Shangguan Lingxiao was getting more and more emotional. “We are the Brotherhood Alliance. We are brothers from the world. Whoever offends the Brotherhood Alliance in the Limitless Ocean, we will fight back! We will fight with our lives! We won’t stop fighting; we won’t give up until the last drop of our blood was drained! However, in the City of Chaos, we never started a fight!

“What is the problem between us then?

“Since the day the Young Lord Ye appeared in the city, the Great Ye Army has fought against many forces in the city. The Brotherhood Alliance respects the Great Master Ye, so we chose to give in. We have given so much more than we should to you because we think the Great Ye Clan was not an enemy. However, after what we did for peace, you still have a problem with us, don’t you?

“It has been just a few months since the Great Ye Army was built. You have the name of the Great Master Ye, the Heaven’s Leaf, and you have the support of the Seven Golden Lotuses. Do you think that is enough to scare the Brotherhood Alliance? Do you think we give in because of fear? Hilarious! We have been compromising because we are slowly moving out of the City of Chaos! The Great Ye Clan has returned with the Seven Golden Lotuses. The City of Chaos belongs to you, so even though we will suffer a great loss, we will give this place back. I don’t understand. Why is there still a problem between us?

“Master Ye, you talked about the problem between us. You talked like you want to solve a problem that we both should take responsibility for. Well, I am confused. What is the problem?

“How do you think we should solve it?”

Shangguan Lingxiao’s eyes were sharp like a sword.

“Within a day, the shops were occupied by the Great Ye Army, and our money was taken by the Great Ye Army. The accommodations of our brothers were broken down. Did we fight back? Did we hurt any of your men? After what you did, we chose to let it go. If there is a problem, what is it? Where did it come from?

“We have been making compromises. Today, all my brothers did was to protect the flag of the Brotherhood Alliance, yet they were butchered.”

Shangguan Lingxiao looked at Ye Yunduan and said, “Is that it? The massacre, the blood, the innocent lives, my brothers, are these the problem you said, Master Ye?”

“Well…” Ye Yunduan didn’t have a word to say.

Shangguan Lingxiao had a sharp tongue. Ye Yunduan couldn’t say a word.

After all, it was his fault.

Now, how was he supposed to argue with the man who was known as the most skilled in a debate?

“Master Qin, let me ask you. For the last tens of thousands of years, did the Brotherhood Alliance offend your clan?” Shangguan Lingxiao looked at old Master Qin and asked.

His eyes were already red.

Master Qin sighed and closed his eyes. He slowly said, “No, you never did.”

Shangguan Lingxiao nodded and looked at Master Guan. “Guan Tiemian, old Master Guan, for the last tens of thousands of years, did the Brotherhood Alliance offend your clan?”

Master Guan looked serious and said decisively, “No!”

Shangguan Lingxiao looked over to the seven masters and asked them the same question.

The seven old masters had different feelings but had the same answer!

There was never any conflict between the Brotherhood Alliance and any of the seven clans.

They couldn’t lie about it because it only embarrassed them more!

In the end, Shangguan Lingxiao stared at Ye Yunduan and said, “I think the seven old masters are trustworthy enough. Now, let me ask you, Master Ye. You want to talk about the problem, and I am sure you have a reason to say so. Here, you have my word. If you can tell us one thing that the Brotherhood Alliance ever did to offend you, please do!

“We will apologize for that and take this as our responsibility!

“Since you came to kill my men and talked like you had a reason for it, we must have done many stupid things that provoked you. Please tell us. At least the brothers who are killed today will die for a reason!

“If you can tell us one thing, I will leave right now and never step back to the City of Chaos again!

“Do you remember one?”

Shangguan Lingxiao shouted.

Ye Yunduan was a bit shocked, and he said, “Well… That’s…”

Shangguan Lingxiao asked again, “I am only asking for one thing. You will show respect to my right to know the truth, won’t you?”

Ye Yunduan wanted to argue but really couldn’t speak out the words. Everybody was watching him, and he didn’t want to be disgraced. He just stood there and didn’t say a word!

“Why don’t you just tell us? Does it mean we have done nothing that offended you?” Shangguan Lingxiao suddenly shouted and said, “If we have done nothing to provoke you, where is the problem? What is it?”

That shout was so loud that it shocked the sky, and the entire sky seemed to break into pieces. Everybody was shaken.

“No.” Ye Yunduan was lost, and that was the only thing he could think of.

“No!” Shangguan Lingxiao laughed out loud and sounded sad and painful. “Hah, hah, hah, hah… No, there is none! Hah, hah, hah, hah… Master Ye, how could you say that?”

“Look at the tens of thousands of men who died in front of you!” Shangguan Lingxiao stared at him and said, “How dare you say that?”

“No, we never offended you? Then what is this massacre for?”

Shangguan Lingxiao’s voice was overbearing and offensive. It was oppressing the young man.

“Since you do not have a reason to start this fight, let me ask you a question that my brothers who died here would ask.”

Shangguan Lingxiao stepped ahead and coldly stared at Ye Yunduan. It felt like his eyes were from hell. He asked, “Why did you kill us?

“Why did you kill us?

“We haven’t done anything to you. Why did you kill us?

“There was no problem with us. Why did you kill us?

“We have never offended any of you. Why did you kill us?

“Why did you kill us?”

Shangguan Lingxiao’s voice sounded so sad.

He kept asking and asking, like a question resounding from the underworld. It was echoing in the air.

The sound became waves moving out and shocked everybody’s heart.

It felt like the spirits of the tens of thousands of men were back from the nether world, asking Ye Yunduan, “Why did you kill us?”

The sound reverberated again and again, and Ye Yunduan staggered backward. His face turned colorless, and he wasn’t as elegant and decent as a young lord anymore.

In fact, not only Ye Yunduan but also all the others of the Great Ye Army were scared. Their faces were all pale. The army had lost sound before the fierce shout of one man!