Chapter 35: "Preperation I"

A tense silence gripped the Ancestral Hall, the air thick with unspoken tension. The male elder's words hung heavy, echoing off the ancient stone walls: "You would risk the entire Vermillion Flame Sect… for a single disciple?"

Qin Lian met his gaze, unflinching. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the stillness, but her resolve remained unshaken. The weight of her decision pressed down on her shoulders, yet she stood tall, her posture unwavering.

"This is not just about Ye Xiaotian," she said firmly, her voice resonating with conviction. "It is about the future of our sect."

The male elder's eyes narrowed, sharp, and penetrating. "Explain."

Qin Lian drew a slow, deliberate breath, choosing her words with the precision of a seasoned strategist. "Ye Xiaotian is no ordinary genius, Ancestor. His growth defies logic and surpasses all expectations. He has slain a Soul Awakening Realm expert while still at the Foundation Establishment Realm. He defeated all the core disciples of our sect without taking a single step. In mere days, he has grasped alchemy knowledge that takes others months, even years, to comprehend."

She paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle upon the assembled elders. The silence stretched, punctuated only by the crackling of the incense burners.

"The heavens, or perhaps fate itself, has blessed our sect with someone extraordinary," she continued, her voice gaining strength. "If we abandon him now if we allow our enemies to claim him, to twist his talent for their own purposes, or worse, to extinguish his flame entirely… we will discard the greatest opportunity our sect has ever received."

One of the female elders, her face etched with concern, tapped her fingers rhythmically against the surface of the ancient stone tablet before her. The sound, small yet insistent, cut through the silence. "You assume he will remain loyal to us, Qin Lian. A genius such as his is often… fickle."

Qin Lian's expression softened slightly, a hint of warmth flickering in her eyes. "I have watched over him, Ancestor. I have seen the fire in his heart, the unwavering spirit that burns within him. He is not someone who forgets kindness, and someone who disregards loyalty. But more than that…" she paused, her gaze meeting the elders directly, "I trust him."

The male elder leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes studying her, searching for any hint of weakness or doubt. "Trust alone is not enough, Sect Master. Sentimentality has no place in the harsh realities of the cultivation world."

Qin Lian inhaled deeply, steeling her resolve. She had anticipated this resistance, these pragmatic concerns. "Then let us speak of practicality, Ancestor. The Black Serpent Sect will not stop until they have Ye Xiaotian's head. They have made that abundantly clear. If we abandon him, if we show even a hint of hesitation, they will interpret it as weakness. Our enemies will sense our vulnerability, they will smell blood, and they will strike us down before we can recover."

She clenched her fists, her knuckles whitening. "If we stand by Ye Xiaotian, if we protect him from those who seek to exploit him, we do not just protect him we send a message to the entire continent. We are not weak. We are not afraid. We will not cower before the so-called powers of the Desolate Shadow Continent. We will not surrender our future."

The hall remained silent for a long, drawn-out moment, the weight of Qin Lian's words hanging heavy in the air. The only sound was the almost imperceptible crackle of the incense burning in the ornate braziers, their fragrant smoke curling upwards like ghostly tendrils.

The female elder who had previously spoken, her face etched with the wisdom of ages, finally exhaled, a soft sigh that seemed to carry the weight of centuries. "Bold words, Qin Lian," she said, her voice laced with a hint of both admiration and caution, "but you are young. War is not a game, nor is it easily won. It is a consuming beast, one that demands sacrifices and leaves scars that never truly heal."

Qin Lian met her gaze, acknowledging the truth in her words. "I understand, Ancestor," she replied, her voice steady and resolute. "I do not underestimate the gravity of the situation. That is precisely why I have come before you, to seek the wisdom of our ancestors. If we are to protect Ye Xiaotian, if we are to safeguard the future of our sect, then we must prepare for the war that is inevitably coming."

The three female elders exchanged a long, silent look, a complex communication passing between them in the briefest of moments. Then, their gazes turned in unison towards the male elder, their expressions a mixture of anticipation and concern.

The male elder stroked his long, white beard thoughtfully, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns woven into its silken strands. His brow was furrowed, his eyes clouded with the weight of responsibility. "You seek our guidance, Qin Lian," he said, his voice low and resonant, "yet the path you propose, the path of war, will drag the Vermillion Flame Sect into the abyss. It will test our strength, our resolve, and could very well shatter the very foundations upon which our sect was built."

"Then so be it," Qin Lian replied without hesitation, her voice ringing with unwavering conviction. "If war is inevitable, if the Black Serpent Sect will not rest until they have what they desire, then we must not face it unprepared. We must meet it head-on, with courage and with fire."

The male elder let out a deep, weary sigh, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of ages. His aura, which had been sharp and oppressive, radiating a palpable sense of power, slowly began to soften, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Hmph," he grunted, a flicker of something akin to amusement in his eyes. "Very well, Qin Lian. You have made your stance clear. Your heart is resolute."

He turned to the three female elders, his gaze sweeping across their faces, seeking their counsel. "What say you?" he asked, his voice now carrying a hint of resignation. "Do we stand with our Sect Master, do we embrace the storm, or do we cower in fear, clinging to a false peace that will ultimately lead to our demise?"

The first female elder, the one seated in the middle, her posture radiating an air of quiet authority, nodded slowly. "She has conviction, Elder," she said, her voice firm and clear. "And she is not wrong. If we abandon Ye Xiaotian now if we sacrifice him to appease our enemies, we will lose more than just a disciple we will lose our standing, our prestige, our very soul."

The second female elder, her face etched with lines of worry and experience, exhaled a slow breath. "This war will not be easy," she acknowledged, her voice laced with concern. "The Black Serpent Sect is a formidable foe. But… our sect has avoided the battlefield for too long. We have become complacent, allowing our flames to dwindle. Perhaps it is time we remind the world why we once stood among the greatest powers of this continent, why our name was once synonymous with strength and resilience."

The third female elder, her eyes closed as if she was peering into the future, opened them suddenly, her gaze sharp and focused. A glint of steel, of unwavering determination, shone within their depths. "If we commit to this path, if we choose to walk the path of war," she said, her voice ringing with conviction, "then we must be ruthless. We must be decisive. We must strike first before our enemies can fully mobilize against us before they can gather their forces and unleash their fury upon us."

The male elder let out a low chuckle, a sound that rumbled deep within his chest. "Hah," he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "I see the fire has not left you three yet. The embers of our ancestors still burn brightly within your hearts."

The male elder let out a low chuckle, a sound that rumbled in his chest like distant thunder. "Hah. I see the fire has not left you three yet," he remarked, a hint of pride lacing his voice.

The three female elders, despite their advanced age and serene demeanor, remained composed, their expressions betraying nothing of the amusement or challenge implied in the male elder's words. Beneath their calm exteriors, a glint of sharpness flickered in their eyes. These were not simply relics of a bygone era, elders lost in the mists of time. They were seasoned cultivators, veterans of countless battles, individuals who had once wielded immense power and shaped the very fate of the Vermillion Flame Sect with their combined wisdom and strength.

The first female elder, the one seated in the center, her posture radiating quiet authority, turned her gaze towards Qin Lian, her eyes filled with a mixture of resolve and practicality. "Now that we have decided to protect Ye Xiaotian, now that we have chosen to stand against the storm," she said, her voice clear and steady, "we must discuss how to do so. War is not fought with words alone, nor is it won through wishful thinking. It requires meticulous planning, unwavering resolve, and a clear understanding of the enemy we face."

The male elder stroked his long, white beard thoughtfully, his gaze clouding with the weight of the impending conflict. "The Black Serpent Sect is ruthless, Qin Lian," he warned, his voice low and grave. "They are not a forgiving foe. Now that they know of Ye Xiaotian's existence, now that they have tasted the sting of his defiance, they will stop at nothing to eliminate him. Worse," he continued his voice hardening, "they will see him as more than just a threat he is an insult to their power, a direct challenge to their authority. A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator who dared to slay one of their Sect Masters? It is not just revenge they seek, but the complete and utter erasure of the humiliation he has caused them."

The second female elder, her fingers tapping lightly and rhythmically against the surface of her ancient stone tablet, nodded in agreement. "Their retaliation will be swift and brutal," she concurred, her voice laced with concern. "They will not hesitate to unleash the full force of their power upon us. We must ensure that when they come, they break against our walls, that their attacks shatter against our defenses, rather than tear through them like a wildfire through dry brush."

Qin Lian, absorbing the wisdom and warnings of the elders, nodded, her expression resolute. "I understand, Ancestors," she said, her voice firm. "Then what must be done first? What are the immediate steps we must take to prepare for the coming storm?"

The male elder's voice turned sharp, his tone now carrying the weight of command. "First, we must secure the sect itself. Our defenses have remained stable for years, perhaps even decades, but they were never designed, never intended, to withstand a full-scale assault from an enemy as powerful and as determined as the Black Serpent Sect. We have become complacent, relying on the strength of our past, neglecting the present dangers."

The first female elder's eyes flickered with thought, her gaze turning inward as she considered the necessary preparations. "The first and most crucial course of action," she stated, her voice decisive, "should be reinforcing the protective formations that surround the sect. The Vermillion Flame Array has shielded us for centuries, a testament to the ingenuity of our predecessors, but it has grown weak with time, its power diminished. It must be strengthened and revitalized. We will need to inscribe new formations, more potent and resilient, and integrate them seamlessly with the existing structure, creating a layered defense that can withstand even the most ferocious attacks."

Qin Lian immediately agreed, recognizing the wisdom in the elder's words. "You are right, Ancestor," she said without hesitation. "I will order our formation masters to reinforce the Vermillion Flame Array at once. No time can be wasted."

End of Chapter 35