Grand Martial Academy, top-floor conference hall.
The long obsidian conference table gleamed with a cold, hard luster. On either side, high-backed chairs were occupied by the academy's and the sect's core figures.
Dugu Bo sat near the head, lightly tapping his fingers on the table in a rhythmic, almost inaudible beat. He glanced at those present; his voice was not loud but clearly reached every ear.
"You've all heard what happened with the Strength Clan. The young sect master was ambushed by Tai Tan outside Heaven Dou City."
At these words, the room's atmosphere seemed to freeze further.
Yang Wudi, Yang Wushuang, and Niu Gao sat on one side, their expressions somewhat complicated. The four single-attribute clans had long been separated, their concepts and choices diverging, but upon hearing that a brother clan had been wiped out, emotion and sighs inevitably arose in their hearts.
Niu Gao sighed deeply, furrowing his thick brows. Yang Wudi closed his eyes, fists lightly clenched on his knees. Only Yang Wushuang remained expressionless, though his gaze had grown deeper than usual.
The Second Elder sat at the head, surveying everyone while taking a sip of tea before continuing smoothly,
"This matter has been dealt with. The Heaven Dou royal family ordered the Strength Clan's bodies to be displayed for ten days outside the city as a warning—both to explain to the people and as an invisible deterrent."
His gaze sharpened.
"But now, we have accurate news: just three days after the display began, Bai He, head of the Speed Clan, personally led men to sneak in and spirit away Tai Tan and some of core members."
"What?!"
"Bai He, has he lost his mind?!"
"It's only the third day!"
Murmurs broke out. Everyone understood the implications. The Xue Emperor's order was punitive on the surface, but also demonstrated the Body Sect's attitude—a warning to those with different intentions. Chen Yi had used thunder to destroy the clan, a show of muscle and a red line drawn in the sand—
This matter should have ended there.
The ten days of exposure were more ritual declaration than punishment—a short time, tolerable with patience.
But the Speed Clan couldn't wait, and disobeying the royal order was more than mere defiance now. It was a direct challenge to the Body Sect's authority, testing that red line—a slap in the face to the entire sect.
The Second Elder set his teacup down with a crisp "ping." Standing up, not tall but exuding calm and authority, he declared:
"If our sect does nothing, everyone on the continent will think we are weak."
"If they dare recover the bodies today, tomorrow they'll dare even more."
His gaze swept the room and finally landed on Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo understood at once. Of those present, the Second Elder had to coordinate the overall situation and couldn't act rashly. The Yang brothers and Niu Gao had old ties with the Speed Clan; even if their positions had changed, if they acted, hard feelings would be unavoidable and would become a point of contention. As for Ye Cien, he was simply ignored.
The most suitable candidates to handle this were Dugu Bo and Hong Yue, but Hong Yue had slightly less deterrence than Dugu Bo.
Just as Dugu Bo moved to step forward and accept the task, a calm voice rang out,
"Leave this matter to me."
Everyone looked over in surprise; Yang Wushuang had stood up at some point. He stood tall and straight as a pine tree, utterly expressionless, as if passing judgment not on former brothers or clansmen, but simply taking care of a routine matter.
"Wushuang, you…" Yang Wudi stared at his brother, eyes filled with turmoil. Niu Gao started to say something, but only sighed in the end.
They understood Yang Wushuang. He wasn't a ruthless man; his decision to step forward now meant he was the most rational and fully understood the consequences. If Dugu Bo were allowed to act, given his poisonous methods and the need for deterrence, the Speed Clan's top leaders would not survive. But if Yang Wushuang went, he could control the degree—kill only the main culprit Bai He, make the sect's stance clear, but spare as much as possible the Speed Clan's remaining strength and avoid a complete break with old ties.
As for infamy for "betraying old friendships" or "cruelty," Yang Wushuang was clearly willing to bear it.
The Second Elder looked deeply at Yang Wushuang, a flash of clarity and complexity in his eyes. In that moment, he fully understood why the sect master and Grand Elder personally valued him—this was a man who practiced extreme rationality, who could make the "right" but hardest choices for the greater good.
"Very well," the Second Elder nodded slowly. "Elder Yang, I entrust this matter to you. Handle it as you see fit."
Yang Wushuang nodded lightly, saying little, as if making a trivial decision. The atmosphere in the conference room grew heavier and more subtle with his decision.
But before the tension could dissipate, the sound of wings flapping suddenly came from outside the window. All eyes were drawn to the sight: a hawk with deep blue feathers and metallic wings landing softly. Though small, its gaze was sharp as a blade—the "Message Hawk," specially bred by the Body Sect for emergency communications.
The Second Elder opened the window and let the hawk perch on his arm, then retrieved a thin, secret letter from its leg. He read it quickly, his expression shifting from calm, to slightly stunned, to deeply contemplative.
After a while, he looked up at Yang Wushuang, who had just accepted the task. His tone was a bit odd.
"Elder Yang, regarding this matter… sorry, but there's no need for you to go."
Yang Wushuang raised his brows slightly, questioning. The Second Elder placed the letter on the table and gently slid it forward.
"One day ago, Fifteen Ton Douluo and Falling Devil Douluo, acting on Qian Daoliu's orders, had already taken action against the Speed Clan… The entire clan is annihilated, Clan Head Bai He beheaded, his head sent to Spirit Hall for public display."
"Qian Daoliu? They acted so quickly?!"
All eyes moved. No one had expected Spirit Hall to move so fast. They were still discussing the matter, while Spirit Hall had already finished the job.
…
Qianfeng City
This bustling city, located deep in the southwestern part of the Heaven Dou Empire, was named after the "Howling Wind Valley." It was home to the Wind Sword Sect, the region's main soul master gathering place and a major trading hub.
Most city buildings were made from local white stone; under the sunlight, they appeared clean and elegant. The streets were broad, the flow of people like woven fabric. Compared with Heaven Dou City's grandeur, it was another scene of intricate prosperity.
On the third floor of the city's largest restaurant, Tingfeng Pavilion, Chen Yi dined alone. Several of Qianfeng's signature dishes were laid out on the table. But instead of eating, he appeared to idly gaze at the streets below, while in reality, his spiritual power quietly spread out like mercury, picking up on subtle information in the air—recent news about the Wind Sword Sect, the distribution of forces in the city, notable figures…
This was a habit he maintained wherever he went.
Just as he picked up a jade cabbage with his chopsticks, a gentle voice sounded beside him.
"Brother, it's hard to find a seat. Would it inconvenience you if my sister and I shared a table?"
Chen Yi paused for a moment and looked up. In front of him stood a young man and woman, both about fifteen or sixteen, sharing seven or eight points of resemblance—clearly twin siblings. They wore dark robes speckled with stars, giving off a mysterious, eye-catching air.
Chen Yi narrowed his eyes. That was the emblem of the Star Crown Sect.
…
Bonus chapter at 300 PS