Chapter 245: 158、After this, you will be the whetstone for Xu Xing’s knife (4K words)
Acts with propriety, adept at planning and making decisions; habitually leverages power to oppress others and seize profit.
Acts with propriety, adept at planning and making decisions; enjoys forging ties with the humble to broaden his network.
At this moment, the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch recalled the Sect’s personality assessments for Xu Xing and Song Knife.
The former was the personality assessment on Xu Xing’s Jade Certificate.
The latter was the personality assessment on Song Knife’s Jade Certificate.
Both possessed the Human King physique. Because they had both been Founding Emperors, they both received an evaluation of "acts with propriety, adept at planning and making decisions."
However, the final part of their evaluations differed. One was "adept at leveraging power to oppress others and seize profit," while the other was "enjoys forging ties with the humble to broaden his network."
The reason for this difference was related to the methods Song Knife and Xu Xing had used to seize their empires.
Song Knife came from humble beginnings, while Xu Xing had a background as a disgraced official, though both ultimately conquered their lands using soldiers and horses.
But in this process, their different origins naturally led to different approaches.
Upon arriving at the Immortal Sect, both had effective methods for handling matters, and from this, their differences gradually emerged.
「Inside the Flying Immortal Hall.」
Although the Wangui Daoist and the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch were currently "enemies," both hailed from the same Master and Disciple Lineage, so they both sat on the left side of the hall.
The right side of the hall belonged to the Family Line.
"Sect Master, I disagree with the three charges the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch has brought against Song Knife..."
As soon as he took his seat, the Wangui Daoist began to back Song Knife.
It was the Sect’s affair to uphold the status and dignity of an aging powerhouse like the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch; it concerned him little. Conversely, because of the Immortal Decree, Song Knife had already promised to serve him for one hundred years.
In terms of value, Song Knife was more important than the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch’s friendship.
Furthermore, the first charge the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch leveled against Song Knife implicated him, the Wangui Daoist. If Song Knife were guilty on this count, he too could not escape culpability.
Since the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch had chosen to dispense with all pretense, he, the Wangui Daoist, was not one to be trifled with either.
He certainly wouldn’t shamelessly approach the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch seeking reconciliation.
"The evidence for the three charges is conclusive."
"Wangui, why do you disagree?"
Irritated by Song Knife, Ren Yuanrui had grown displeased with him. Therefore, he insisted on the validity of the evidence for Song Knife’s three charges, choosing to side with Xu Xing and the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch.
As soon as these words were spoken, the complexion of Song Knife, who was kneeling in the hall, changed slightly.
Fortunately, he had kept his head bowed, so no one could see the utter turmoil on his face.
Hoisted by my own petard!
In that instant, Song Knife understood why Sect Master Ren Yuanrui had chosen to target him.
His silence during the interrogation, before the Wangui Daoist arrived, had indeed been a brilliant move. However, it had undoubtedly undermined the authority of Sect Master Ren Yuanrui.
In front of the four Dao Lords... if Ren Yuanrui doesn’t reassert his authority now, he’ll surely be disdained by others in the Sect.
No, I don’t regret it!
If only the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch were here, and the Wangui Daoist absent, even if I had spoken, I would inevitably have been at a disadvantage. My life or death would have been entirely at the mercy of others...
Song Knife shook his head, crushing his nascent cowardly thoughts.
Choose the lesser of two evils! Perhaps if the Wangui Daoist hadn’t been present, my situation wouldn’t even be this good. Right and wrong are determined by the word of those at the top.
"Sect Master, our Sect’s True lineage has always advocated for striving... As long as it does not harm the Sect, we should not restrict it..."
Hearing Ren Yuanrui’s words, the Wangui Daoist suppressed the rebuttal he had prepared. He paused for a moment, then spoke.
Before coming to the Flying Immortal Hall, Song Knife had already recounted the full story to him via a voice transmission talisman. On this point, Song Knife would not be so foolish as to deliberately deceive him.
The Wangui Daoist believed that for the third charge, neither the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch nor Sect Master Ren Yuanrui could possibly possess conclusive evidence.
But—Sect Master Ren Yuanrui had actually said such a thing.
If I were to argue... it wouldn’t be worth it.
At this point, the Wangui Daoist’s tone shifted. "Although Song Knife has committed a grievous crime, in my view, his offense is not unpardonable, nor has it yet resulted in a major catastrophe. It is not too late to mend the fences."
Since the Sect Master declared Song Knife guilty, he could not sing a different tune.
The charges being laid down did not mean Song Knife had no hope of recovery.
The crucial point was the punishment.
Guilt and punishment were two separate matters.
The Wangui Daoist believed that if he concurred with Ren Yuanrui’s stance at this moment, Ren Yuanrui would reciprocate and not make things too difficult for him.
Besides, this was an internal conflict within the Master and Disciple Lineage. Killing Song Knife was a small matter, but if it brought great shame upon the Master and Disciple Lineage and caused an internal schism, that would be Ren Yuanrui’s dereliction of duty.
Song Knife was the Sixth Chief Seat of the Master and Disciple Lineage.
Through his efforts over the years, he had cultivated an extensive network. Even if his relationships with some Nascent Soul Daoist Lords were superficial, there were quite a few disciples from various lineages who had deep friendships with Song Knife.
Furthermore, while the Lingxiao Dao Lord’s influence had waned, as is common when one is no longer in power, he still held some lingering affection for the Sect.
"Song Knife... is willing to accept the Sect Master’s punishment."
At this moment, Song Knife straightened up, composed himself, and then solemnly kowtowed to Ren Yuanrui, his demeanor respectful. He was admitting his guilt, lowering his stance. Ren Yuanrui’s anger diminished considerably as a result. He nodded slightly, looked at the Wangui Daoist, and began a Divine Sense Communication with him to discuss how to deal with Song Knife.
By now, Ren Yuanrui had also largely realized that the Giant Sword Daoist Monarch did not possess solid evidence of Song Knife colluding with assassins from the Shadow Assassination Hall.