I Can Add Points Infinitely - Chapter 37

“Why did you and Lu E suddenly start fighting?” the Sect Leader asked Shen Lian, turning his attention back to him after having subdued the Third Elder.

“Reporting to the Sect Leader, I don’t know why, but Senior Brother Lu E suddenly attacked me. He claimed my sudden rise in strength was suspicious and harmful to the sect,” Shen Lian explained. “I tried to explain how my strength had advanced, but he didn’t give me a chance to speak. So later…”

“Hmm.” The Sect Leader nodded slightly before turning his gaze to the other disciples. “You were all present at the time. Is that how it happened?”

“Yes, Sect Leader. That’s exactly what happened. I even tried to stop Lu E, but he ignored me and continued to attack. He even used a forbidden technique, intending to kill Junior Brother Shen Lian outright,” Yun Xiong was the first to speak up, responding loudly to the Sect Leader’s question.

After speaking, he retrieved the storage pouch containing Lu E’s corpse and placed the body on the grand hall floor.

With his sharp eyes, the Sect Leader instantly recognized the signs of a forbidden technique on Lu E’s body.

“Mayfly Strike… That forbidden technique isn’t found in our sect’s library. Third Brother, you must have taught this to him privately,” the Sect Leader remarked, his expression cooling as he looked at the Third Elder.

“Well… Yes, Sect Leader. I did teach it, but—”

“Enough.” The Sect Leader waved his hand, cutting him off, before turning back to the gathered disciples. “Was the situation as Yun Xiong described? You were all there; does anyone have a different account?”

The hall fell silent; no one spoke up.

“So, you all agree that Lu E was the one who attacked without reason and intended to kill Shen Lian?” the Sect Leader continued to press.

Some of the Third Elder’s disciples hesitated, their expressions showing uncertainty.

Seeing this, the Sect Leader addressed those disciples directly. “You were closer to Lu E. Don’t think I’m showing bias. I’m giving you the chance now to voice your perspective.”

“Yes.” After a moment’s hesitation, one disciple stepped forward, respectfully bowing to the Sect Leader before speaking. “Reporting to the Sect Leader, Senior Brother Lu E did indeed strike first. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he intended to kill Shen Lian. In fact, it was Shen Lian who acted ruthlessly, slashing Senior Brother Lu E down in a single strike.”

“Even if there were misunderstandings between fellow disciples, it shouldn’t have ended with such heartlessness,” the disciple added.

“Indeed,” the Sect Leader acknowledged, nodding. “Even if misunderstandings arise between sect members, there’s no need for such ruthlessness or lack of restraint. But let’s not focus on why Lu E attacked Shen Lian without cause.”

“Consider the Mayfly Strike. It’s a forbidden technique that drains one’s essence and sacrifices a minor realm to temporarily boost power. When Lu E used this move against Shen Lian, did he show any restraint?”

“This…” The disciple was left speechless.

The Sect Leader continued, his tone sharp, “Let’s take it further. You’re at the tenth level of Qi Refinement as well. If you were in Shen Lian’s position, facing Lu E’s attack, what would you do? Would you surrender your neck to the blade, or would you fight back with all you had?”

“I…” The disciple, drenched in cold sweat, couldn’t think of a single argument in his favor.

“Hmph, it’s clear now,” the Sect Leader declared, decisively concluding, “Lu E acted with malicious intent, and Shen Lian was forced to defend himself. His actions were an unintentional killing in self-defense, and he did not violate sect rules.”

“This matter is settled. You’re all dismissed. Third Brother and Seventh Brother, stay behind.”

“Yes!” With the Sect Leader’s final judgment, no one dared to argue further. The disciples respectfully bowed and filed out of the hall, leaving only the Third and Seventh Elders behind.

Once everyone else had left, the Sect Leader turned to the Third Elder with a stern expression. “Third Brother, do you have any objections to my handling of this matter?”

The Third Elder shook his head, though his face showed his frustration. “I have no objections, but… I can’t help but feel sorry for my disciple.”

“What’s there to feel sorry about? I opposed your suggestion from the start, but you insisted on going through with it. That’s on you. You should reflect on why you’ve taught your disciples to behave this way,” the Sect Leader scolded, his anger simmering.

“Lu E’s actions towards a fellow disciple were excessively harsh, even resorting to a forbidden technique. This time, Shen Lian was fortunate enough to gain insight mid-battle and reverse the situation. But what if he hadn’t? If Shen Lian had been killed by Lu E, who would feel sorry for him then?”

“You wanted to carry out your foolish scheme, using your own sect members as pawns. Do you still think that was appropriate?” the Sect Leader continued, glaring at the Third Elder.

The Third Elder’s demeanor shifted, and he sighed with resignation. “Yes, I see my mistakes.”

“I hope you truly understand. Remember, I’ve said that this matter ends here. I don’t want to hear of anyone deliberately targeting Shen Lian in the future. Do you understand?”

The Sect Leader’s voice turned icy, his gaze fixed firmly on the Third Elder.

The Third Elder nodded, understanding the warning. “Yes, I understand.”

“Hmph!” The Sect Leader snorted, dismissing the Third Elder, who quickly bowed and left the hall.

Even after he left, the Sect Leader’s face remained clouded with frustration. The Seventh Elder, standing silently on the side, didn’t quite grasp the full scope of the conversation. It felt like the Sect Leader and the Third Elder were speaking in riddles, and he didn’t dare to ask for clarification.

He simply remained quietly in place.

After a long while, the Sect Leader finally calmed down and sighed before turning to the Seventh Elder. “Seventh Brother, since you’re here, I won’t keep anything from you.”

“The reason Lu E attacked Shen Lian was part of a plan devised by Third Brother. I initially disagreed with it, but he repeatedly assured me that nothing would go wrong, so I reluctantly agreed. I never expected it to end like this…”

The Sect Leader explained the situation to the Seventh Elder, who listened carefully and finally understood the context.

Because Thunder Valley was growing increasingly powerful, the Third Elder devised a scheme to undermine them using a ruse. The plan involved having Lu E fake defection and embed himself within Thunder Valley as a spy. The secret realm trial was supposed to be the first step, using conflicts with sect members to violate sect rules as part of the charade.

Initially, the Third Elder hadn’t specified a target for the conflict, leaving it to Lu E’s discretion. Due to prior tensions involving Cui Zheng, Lu E targeted Shen Lian, genuinely intending to kill him, believing he was crucial to the plan and that the sect would protect him even if he killed Shen Lian.

However, Lu E had misjudged Shen Lian’s strength, leading to the premature collapse of the scheme before it even began, and he ended up becoming another casualty of Shen Lian’s blade.

The hidden intricacies and tangled relationships meant that even the plan’s architect couldn’t fully control the outcome, leaving the Sect Leader deeply troubled.

Fortunately, amidst all the turmoil, the discovery of a prodigy like Shen Lian brought some consolation to the Sect Leader’s frustrations.

Reflecting on Shen Lian, the Sect Leader’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “You personally selected this boy. At such a young age, he has already grasped the embryonic form of sword intent while still in the Qi Refinement stage. He’s a once-in-a-century talent, and it’s a stroke of luck for Azure Cloud Sect to have him.”

“With his potential, as long as he continues to grow steadily, his future achievements will be boundless. If he can reach the Nascent Soul stage, what would Thunder Valley even matter…”

The Sect Leader spoke with excitement, while the Seventh Elder looked puzzled.

“Wait, Senior Brother, did you just say Shen Lian has grasped the embryonic form of sword intent?”