Death… and me

Meng Chao Ran felt proud after Wu Yun Liang praised Chu Yang, but upon the hearing the words 'enough to compensate for all', he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Eldest Martial Brother, you seem high-spirited! Even at this hour, you're still in the mood to joke around."

"Why you rather have me crying?" Even though Wu Yun Liang was being facetious, he was very serious. He slowly said, " you need to cultivate Chu Yang well. In our Beyond the Heavens Sect, the number of people like him are far too few."

Meng Chao Ran nodded and said with a sigh, "There's no other way! Ever since we no lost the right to hold the title 'National Sect' of the Great State of Zhao and suffered a great loss in our power, no one in court supports us. To make matters worse, the government officials treat us with discrimination and other larger sects harass us. Any talented disciple could be stolen away or killed during competitions. Beyond the Heavens Sect's destiny is extremely precarious… If we are unable to protect the talents of the sect, then I am afraid that in our generation, Beyond the Heavens Sect will cease to exist."

Meng Chao Ran's words included some very serious warnings and reminders.

A pained smile appeared on Wu Yun Liang's face. He and Kong Jing Feng looked at each other. After his wrinkled face slowly relaxed, he smiled and said, "Perhaps, you're afraid we would sell off your disciple?"

With a moment's hesitation, Meng Chao Ran said, "You can't be too careful! Beyond the Heavens Sect is no longer what it used to be."

Wu Yun Liang sighed and said, "I know! So you guys are still dissatisfied with the ranking competition amongst the disciples in the sect. Indeed, Beyond the Heavens Sect is currently on the decline. If we have a competition like this, distinguished disciples will be known to the enemies and they will be put in danger. However… it must be done."

Meng Chao Ran clasped his hands behind his back, "well I think you only want to maintain the archaic traditions of Beyond the Heavens Sect. If you are so determined not to change them, then we have nothing else to say."

Meng Chao Ran was usually a pacifist, but he had just said these harsh words. Wu Yun Liang, who had been in the sect with him for decades, had never heard words as harsh as these before. At this point, Wu Yun Liang realised how dissatisfied his junior martial brother was.

With a sigh, Wu Yun Liang said sternly, "If I really wanted to change things, I only need to say so. But the reason I kept this old rule, is because I wanted to cultivate pure metal from inside the fiery hell. This competition will distinguish real talent from mediocre ones."

Wu Yun Liang calmed down, he slowly said, "There are currently 800 disciples in the eighth generation of Beyond the Heavens Sect. Whereas our seventh generation currently only has 70 left. Of the masters from the sixth generation, ten people barely remain. As for the fifth generation, there is currently only one, the Ninth Martial Great Uncle…"

His face strained as he gritted his teeth, "If my plans succeed, then of the thousand people from Beyond the Heavens Sect, those who are capable of surviving will not exceed a hundred. These people will become the foundation for Beyond the Heavens Sect to rise to its glorious peak."

"The useless need not be kept! The mediocre are simply not needed at all!!!" Wu Yun Liang took two slow steps and in a dreadful Low voice, " If a sacrifice is required, even I, Wu Yun Liang, will sacrifice!"

"A sect's decline is not due to the external pressures but due to the internal disputes and lack of unity. Our Beyond the Heavens Sect is a perfect example of such a case." Wu Yun Liang said enigmatically, "If a sect wishes to rise to the heavens, it has to go through blood and fire to be reborn!!!"

Meng Chao Ran sighed, "If these outstanding disciples were to be targeted by the enemies, it would have been us who have pushed them into danger. But the same goes for countless things in life. Only in overcoming hardship, can they become the pillars of the sect."

Wu Yun Liang said casually, "If we cannot overcome such adversity and are all killed, then Beyond the Heavens Sect will no longer exist. What I want is not to prolong that last breath, but to give our all in the final fight."

Kong Jing Feng nodded, "Eldest Martial Brother is right. Better to have one glorious moment, then a hundred waning years!"

Meng Chao Ran's pupils suddenly narrowed, "Eldest Martial Brother! The current decline of the sect is greatly related to the Zhao Dynasty. But now your plans to revive the sect. Are they perhaps … ?"

"Exactly!"

Wu Yun Liang said pensively, "for the past ten years, whenever I wasn't at the sect, then I was at the Iron Cloud Nation. The Zhao Dynasty has always bullied us. Why should we have to cling to them? So what if they are the Great state? There are no guarantees that it will continually prosper and without ever falling."

Meng Chao Ran was shocked. But upon seeing Kong Jing Feng's calm countenance, he immediately understood that Elder Martial Brother Kong already knew about this.

"Eldest Martial Brother, this is far too dangerous!" Meng Chao Ran took a deep breath, his face still worried.

"Find fortune in danger!" Wu Yun Liang said blandly. "The first time a sect needs to rise up is difficult but definitely not impossible. It is only, after succeeding, and it declines again, rising up the second time will be far more difficult. We need to prepare carefully as though the sect is about to perish."

Meng Chao Ran sighed and did not say anymore.

"Three days ago, I dispatched Ninth Junior Martial Brother along with Qian Qian, Xue Ye, and Mu Shang to secretly go to Iron Cloud Nation. First, it was to complete a task. Second, to provide them with an opportunity for them to venture into Jiang Hu and learn."

After hearing this, Kong Jing Feng became terrified. "Eldest Martial Brother, how could you let Qian Qian go like that?!"

"I knew that you would certainly have tried to stop it if you knew, which is precisely why I didn't." Wu Yun Liang replied casually. "It has been three days. Even if you want to bring her back, you can't."

Kong Jing Feng immediately raised his voice, "I have no issue with Ninth Junior Martial Brother bringing Xue Ye and Mu Shang, but why did you let Qian Qian go along? This trip is very dangerous. Moreover, all the major sects are like tigers on the prowl for us…"

"It's up to fate!!!" Wu Yun Liang said coldly. "A few days ago, when you and I were talking about the female disciples of the sect, I had already thought about this. Now, let Qian Qian go out there and hone her skills in Jiang Hu!"

"Honing skills in Jiang Hu… our Beyond the Heavens Sect has many such female disciples. Those with beauty like Qian Qian are not few, but why do you have to send Qian Qian?" Kong Jing Feng was livid.

"She is your daughter!"

"She is my daughter, and are all the other female disciples are without parents? Are they not precious to them?" Wu Yun Liang said, burdened. "Should I pamper my daughter forever?"

Kong Jing Feng stomped his foot in indignation, his gaze became filled with anger as he stared at his elder martial brother. "She's not just your daughter, she's our niece! You can't let her take such risks."

"It is exactly because she is my daughter, which is why she has to take on the responsibility more so than the instead of other female disciples." Wu Yun Liang said coldly. "My daughter is not a precious princess. If I keep her in hiding while I let her martial sisters face danger… then I would rather not have this daughter…"

"Beyond the Heavens Sect is already in such deep trouble and the pressure against us which is keeping us down is getting even stronger each day. If we want to rise again, then we can't avoid paying a big price. No one should be an exception. Not you, nor I, not even my daughter!!!" After he finished speaking, Wu Yun Liang immediately turned around. His entire body stiffened. The two others could not see that his eyes were quivering.

Let's hope… Qian Qian will be able to return safely.

I am a father, but I have heartlessly sent my daughter to carry out such dangerous duties. Is it possible that I am true without feelings?

However, I am not only a father, I am the master of a thousand disciples of Beyond the Heavens Sect.

When it is necessary, even if all must be sacrificed, it must be done. However, if only one person needs to be sacrificed, then… then let it be my daughter. Because I am the master of Beyond the Heavens Sect.

Wu Yun Liang clenched his teeth, his jaw trembled before returning to normal. He still did not turn around. But said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Junior Martial Brother, you must teach Chu Yang well. That Fleeting Snow Cloud Movement Technique…" He paused and contemplated for a second. Then calmly said, "Let him cultivate well. If there are any secrets to it… he can keep them to himself. Or you both can hold on to them. But you must remember, no third party can ever know of them.

Meng Chao Ran pondered for a second before he said, "Shouldn't we teach it to the entire sect? If we teach this technique, the power of Beyond the Heavens Sect would increase by even double."