At that time, this was the extent of the knowledge held by the majority of the sect.
This matter possesses a deeper origin... All three were children who had grown up within the sect, playing together and associating as companions since their youth.When Chen Shuyuan conceived his grand ambition, he could not lack trusted hands to serve as his "arms and legs"; thus, his two closest friends were the first to be recruited to join his cause of transforming the sect.Furthermore, his goal in entering into a sworn brotherhood with them was to build a coalition among the younger generation within the Divine Eagle Sect to support his ascent.
These two sworn brothers of his not only shared a long-standing friendship but also possessed extraordinary martial prowess.Sikong Fu was singularly proficient in both equestrian skills and the use of the spear, executing them with a bizarre finesse.Meanwhile, Dongmen Yuan, in addition to being a master of twin swords and finger techniques, also possessed peerless skills in aquatic combat and commanding a fleet.Though both had only received instruction in the first level of the Thunderbolt Eagle Claw and the Sky-Soaring Eagle Sword Style, they each possessed unique techniques inherited from their own formidable and illustrious families.
Having utterly eradicated the Demon Wolf Sect and successfully secured its territories, businesses, and interests for the Divine Eagle Sect, Vice-Master Chen returned to the fold as a hero.Yet, he displayed no trace of arrogance or self-complacency.On the contrary, he feigned a profound and tearful sorrow, acting as though he were heavily grieved by the passing of Sect Master Lin.
For the return journey, the Vice-Master went so far as to command everyone to don white mourning robes, forming a grand funeral procession.The frame of Sect Master Lin was transported in a massive black coffin placed upon a carriage drawn by eight horses, adorned with white silk and paper blossoms.Retainers carried banners inscribed with elegiac words of mourning, and there were even incense burners and braziers of fragrant frankincense for veneration, alongside the wooden box containing the severed head of Shi Lijin as a sacrificial offering.As for Chen Shuyuan himself, his countenance remained a mask of woe, his eyes perpetually drenched in tears.
Upon arriving at the gates of the Divine Eagle Sect by the banks of the Fen River in Taiyuan, Chen Shuyuan's grand performance commenced.He feigned a stunned hesitation, seemingly not daring to ride his steed through the gates.A solemn silence enveloped the entire surroundings until the cry of a woman rang out.
"Uncle!" It was the voice of Sect Master Lin's widow.
This was the title the Sect Master's wife used to address Chen Shuyuan.She was a lady of noble lineage but lacked any martial prowess; yet, she placed her absolute trust in this Vice-Master, regarding him as though he were her husband's own blood brother.Thus, she addressed him with such honor, following the manner of her two sons.
"Uncle!" the Sect Master's widow cried out repeatedly in wretched agony.Weeping, she led her two sons out to greet Chen Shuyuan's procession at the grand gates, accompanied by the Sect Elders.
Chen Shuyuan let out a thunderous, wailing cry; he even leapt from his steed, threw himself down, and rolled upon the earth.He crawled forward and knelt, kowtowing before the widow until blood stained his countenance.He wept and implored for punishment, lamenting his failure to protect the Sect Master, which had allowed Master Lin to perish.This grand performance was so soul-shattering that it moved all the onlookers to burst into tears alongside him.
Having avenged the Sect Master and led the host to a crushing victory, the "Celestial Sword Divine Eagle" returned to the fold as a hero.By virtue of his station as Vice-Master, it could be said he had become the foremost figure of prestige within the Divine Eagle Sect.With such readiness, had he wished to seize absolute power and ascend the throne as he long desired, it was certainly within his reach; yet he did not act with impetuous haste to usurp control.
Chen Shuyuan had resided within the sect for a long time and had witnessed many treacherous schemes for power while following at Sect Master Lin Xiu's side; thus, he knew well that he must not be in a hurry.If he did not wait until the opportunity was fully ripe, he would inevitably face resistance from within the ranks.Although his rank was the highest, the various pillars of strength within the sect were held by the Elders, some of whom had served since the era of the first-generation founder.These men, though lacking a title equal to his, possessed deep-rooted connections and a formidable, unwavering strength.
Truth be told, several of the Sect Elders still commanded greater prestige and influence over the members than he did in his station as Vice-Master.Consequently, he had to bide his time for a favorable opening to create his own opportunity... Until that destined hour, he remained calm and maintained a reserved bearing.
Once the funeral rites had concluded, Chen Shuyuan continued his usual duties as the sect's second-in-command.However, an additional responsibility was thrust upon him: providing counsel and care for the Sect Master's eldest son, who was now installed as the Acting Master.Though the son had reached the age of seventeen, he had been raised with excessive coddling as the Master's scion; never having shouldered any real burden, his judgment in critical decisions remained poor.Furthermore, because he had never encountered true hardship or rigorous refinement, he possessed neither mental fortitude nor martial strength; his prowess was merely mediocre, for he had not mastered even the second level of either the sword or the claw techniques.
Worse still, he had never engaged in true mortal combat.In past sparring sessions, his partners had invariably held back their strength, for his station was so exalted that should any injury or mishap befall him, none could bear the weight of the responsibility.
Thus... were he forced into a genuine struggle for life, it was feared that even a lowly disciple who had attained only the first level of martial arts might overcome him!
At this time, when the father—the pillar of the sect—had just perished, and with a mother who possessed no martial skills and never meddled in sect affairs, Chen Shuyuan was the only person capable of filling this void.In his capacity as the one addressed as "Uncle," he watched over the Acting Master with constant and attentive care... and yet, all of this was but a part of his grand scheme.
During the season of mourning, fractures began to appear within the sect's foundation.The opinions of the members divided into two factions: one side urged for the immediate appointment of the eldest son to the throne, while the other maintained that it was not yet an appropriate hour.Both parties invoked the "interests of the sect" as their pretext, but in truth, how many actually harbored such loyalty in their hearts?
It is but the common nature of men to prioritize their own future, and even the Sect Elders were no exception to this rule.Some maintained that the Sect Master's son was still green in experience and his martial prowess too shallow; should the heavy mantle of leadership be thrust upon him, they feared he would be unequal to the task.In such an event, the Divine Eagle Sect would inevitably wane in strength, causing those who soared beneath its illustrious shadow—like birds seeking refuge under a great canopy—to suffer grave repercussions.Should they be unfortunate enough to encounter a rival sect of superior might and ferocity, they feared for their accumulated wealth and even their very lives.
Furthermore, there were even those who plotted to replace him, intending to elevate the Master's younger son to the throne to serve as a mere puppet for their own treacherous ambitions!
These developments were all observed by Chen Shuyuan, who had not only anticipated them but had, in some instances, secretly instigated the discord himself!His aim was to create a tumultuous undercurrent to shake the very foundations of the Divine Eagle Sect.For only through such chaos could he forge a path of legitimacy for himself, following the ancient adage that "troubled times breed heroes"—except that these troubled times were a spectacle he had conjured with his own hands.
As the days passed and the disorder became more apparent, Chen Shuyuan alone maintained a reserved bearing, feigning an air of indifference.He remained steadfast in his duties, masking his true heart with a countenance of honest sincerity.When the various factions were finally at the point of turning their blades against each other, he stepped forward to offer a stern reprimand and interpose himself as a mediator. He eventually brought all parties back to the parley table, using his silver tongue and persuasive discourse to convince them to prioritize the sect's survival.
In this, he was remarkably successful, for he knew that although they prioritized their own benefits, they understood that internal strife would yield no gain for anyone.He guided them to realize that their current lives were already blessed, while weaving grand dreams for the sect's future.The parley concluded in solemn silence, with Chen Shuyuan suppressing the explosive energy within his own palm, waiting for the destined hour when he would be the one to unleash it!
Through his countenance of pure sincerity and the humble bearing with which he approached all sides—never once manifesting the slightest trace of thirsting for absolute power—he ensured that he never became a target for the destruction of the other factions.
When the various factions began their head-on clash, yet none could gain the ascendancy and none would yield, Chen Shuyuan emerged as the paramount choice.For his meritorious deeds were illustrious; he had led the host to triumph in battle even when the Sect Master perished on the field.Possessed of high martial prowess and iron courage, he was viewed as the one capable of countering the threats of other influential sects that loomed over them.
Regarding this matter, the tidings that rival powers were plotting to seize the Divine Eagle Sect's sphere of influence were, in truth, rumors spread secretly by Chen himself and his cohorts.He instigated these reports throughout the Jianghu to inflame an internal reaction within the sect, birthing a climate of anxiety and a dire need for a supreme expert.This spectacle was meticulously designed to align perfectly with Chen Shuyuan's own reputation and image as the leader who had utterly eradicated the Demon Wolf Sect.
Furthermore, he possessed vast experience in managing the sect's internal affairs, and his station as "Vice-Master" commanded the respect and reverence of the general membership.Moreover, his bearing following the demise of Sect Master Lin Xiu was one of quiet restraint; he remained in his original post, manifesting not the slightest trace of a desire to usurp absolute power.To all observers, he appeared to pose no threat to any faction.
In addition, his image reaped the absolute trust of the entire sect—from the late Master's widow and his two scions to the venerable Elders.They all beheld him as humble as before, maintaining the air of the simple attendant who had followed Master Lin in his youth and remained approachable to all.Most crucially, he did not appear as a menace who would turn his hand against anyone within the sect.
Consequently, at last, a general assembly of the Elders and key figures of the sect was convened.It was resolved that Chen Shuyuan be entrusted as the Acting Sect Master until the eldest son, the rightful heir, attained the age of twenty and was ready to assume the throne of his grandfather and father.
All of this had been calculated within Chen Shuyuan's grand scheme from the very beginning... it could be said that the first phase of his plot was successfully accomplished!
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