"Clan Head Lance, do not worry. This is not a threat. When I entered the city, I happened to run into a few Flying Sword Sect disciples. Because they behaved improperly, I had someone kill them. As the saying goes, when the lower beam is crooked, the upper beam cannot be straight, so I killed their sect master in passing.
"After I return to Spirit City, I will mention it to the pope as well. At that time, the Flying Sword Sect's dissolution will be announced."
In just a few light words, Wu Ling determined the fate of the entire Flying Sword Sect. As for a sect that had never even appeared in the original story, he did not care at all whether it vanished.
Although Wu Ling told him not to worry, Victor Lance's expression only grew more respectful.
Staying alive was nothing to be ashamed of.
That was the Flying Sword Sect. Although it could not compare to the two empires or Spirit Hall, any faction capable of becoming one of the lower four sects already counted as a great power in the eyes of commoners and most ordinary Spirit Masters. Even someone with Victor's combat strength would not act rashly against them. Yet now, just like that, they were gone.
"What is wrong? Are you not inviting me in to sit, Clan Head Lance?" Wu Ling asked calmly when he saw Victor standing there in a daze. His tone made it sound as if Wu Ling were the host and Victor the guest.
"I was negligent. Your Highness, please come inside."
Led by Victor, Wu Ling and Cassian Lance arrived at the reception room. On the way, nostalgia flickered in Cassian's eyes.
Although Spirit Hall had captured him before the Breaking Clan settled in this place, Victor had deliberately built the new residence according to the old courtyard. Because of that, to Cassian, the scenery here looked almost identical to the home where he had spent decades in his youth.
It did not matter. After today, he would be able to come back again.
After all, as Victor Lance's younger brother, Cassian could tell what Victor was thinking from a blink. Though they had not seen each other for more than ten years, from Victor's earlier expression and tone, Cassian already understood his plan.
When they reached the guest hall, Victor personally brewed Wu Ling a cup of tea.
"Your Highness, forgive the poor offering. These are tea leaves I developed myself. They may not be worthy of your eye, but the sincerity is real."
Wu Ling swirled the teacup and looked at the clear green tea inside. He gave a light laugh.
"It seems Clan Head Lance has already made his decision."
This was Wu Ling's first time meeting Victor, but from Cassian, he knew that Victor was an aloof man. Yet in this short time, Wu Ling could not see any coldness on his face. Instead, Victor gave him the feeling of someone who wanted to express something but did not know where to begin.
Because of that, Wu Ling understood Victor's thoughts. As long as he gave Victor a way down, Victor would take it. Wu Ling could then naturally bring the Breaking Clan under his command.
"Clan Head Lance, did Clan Head Bastion tell you?"
Hearing Wu Ling's question, Victor froze. He wanted to explain on Mason's behalf, but when he saw Wu Ling's eyes, the words reached his lips and would not come out.
"...Yes. Old Bastion told me."
Under that faint pressure, Victor's eyes, which could stare straight at a Titled Sage, actually began to avoid Wu Ling's. In the end, he chose the truth. Since Wu Ling had asked, he most likely already knew. If Victor lied or tried to defend Mason, he would not only be treating Wu Ling like a fool. He would make himself look even more foolish.
"Good."
Wu Ling accepted the answer, though Victor did not know whether that good was because Mason had told him, or because Victor had told the truth.
"From the look of things, you have made your decision, yes? Not joining Spirit Hall, but submitting to me and entering under Wu Ling's name.
"Of course, if you are still unwilling, choose combat or medicine. You can even choose both. Either way, the result will be the same."
After hearing Wu Ling's words, Victor did not feel that Wu Ling was arrogant. Instead, he felt that Wu Ling's confidence was exactly what a person he should follow ought to possess.
All his life, Victor had researched how to make his attack power stronger. He focused completely on his Martial Soul. Apart from the spear, there was nothing else. To him, no matter what kind of opponent appeared, his state of mind should not be affected. Only by forever maintaining the conviction that he would win, without letting anything the opponent did sway his emotions, could he raise his momentum to its peak and unleash his strongest Break.
For the past two days, Mason's letter had left him unable to eat or sleep. After meeting Wu Ling, he had been suppressed by Wu Ling's presence as well. From beginning to end, Wu Ling had led him by the nose.
A moment ago, Victor had already felt his shaken conviction. Now, after Wu Ling provoked him like this, he looked at Wu Ling's confident expression and took a deep breath. His aura changed with it.
"Your Highness, I want to choose both. But submission comes first, and the challenge comes after."
Victor's tone was the same as before, but the feeling he gave off had changed. He looked straight into Wu Ling's eyes, his conviction firm once more.
As a clan head, compromising for the sake of his clan was no problem at all. But as a martial artist, he had considered too much. After paving a road for his family, he decided to challenge Wu Ling in his own name.
"Whether combat or medicine, please instruct me, Your Highness!"
As Victor spoke, the Soul Breaking Spear appeared in his hand with eight Spirit Rings.
Wu Ling gave a light laugh.
"Good. Then let me see this Soul Breaking Spear that never turns back."
Two purple, two black, and three red Spirit Rings emerged around Wu Ling. Even Victor, whose will had just steadied, froze for an instant. In that brief pause, a golden spear had already appeared in Wu Ling's hand. With a boom, Victor was blasted away.
"Come, Clan Head Lance. Use your full strength. Do not let me beat you to death!"
Ten minutes later.
Wu Ling dragged Victor back into the room like a dead dog.
"Your Highness, are you hurt?" Cassian hurried forward as soon as he saw Wu Ling enter. At the same time, his gaze could not stop flicking to Victor.
He knew his elder brother's strength. After becoming a Spirit Emperor, Victor could even clash with a Titled Sage. Yet in only ten short minutes, he had been beaten unconscious.
None of Victor's attacks could even make Wu Ling bleed. But if Wu Ling did not use the spear tip and only whipped the shaft forward with sudden force, Victor would spit blood from that pure strength alone. If Wu Ling had used the spear tip, then Victor would probably not be unconscious now. He would be dead.
"Here. Give this to him. Have him drink half. Let him research the rest himself."
Wu Ling tossed Cassian a test tube filled with medicine, then returned to his seat and drank his tea. The tea was still warm.
After Cassian fed him half the tube, Victor woke up in only a minute. He felt the power inside his body continuously repairing him, then reached out and accepted the remaining half tube from Cassian.
A long while later, Victor came before Wu Ling and knelt on one knee.
"Your Highness, I lost... I, Victor Lance, now lead the entire Breaking Clan in submission under Your Highness's name!"