Everyone was watching Hong Qingyuan. With the conversation having reached this point, the sect master would be hard-pressed to justify staying silent any longer.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Hong Qingyuan tapped the table again and again, strings of suspense tugging at everyone's nerves, and then he suddenly grinned. "Well then, let us have a managing vice sect master. I shall be relying on him a great deal from now on."

"What?!" Chi Qianqiu and the others were thunderstruck. A managing vice sect master plainly existed to divide the sect master's authority—and compared with them elders, it was Hong Qingyuan, the sect master himself, who stood to lose the most. They had assumed he would refuse no matter what. That he had agreed so readily—what on earth was going on?

Xue Jianming and his father Xue Liping were both rather taken aback. They had even prepared a set of arguments to counter the other side's excuses, never expecting Hong Qingyuan to be so accommodating as to agree without a second word.

"Then I thank the sect master for his generosity." Xue Jianming inclined his head slightly, already carrying himself like the managing vice sect master, and when he looked again at Chi Qianqiu and the rest, his gaze was unmistakably that of a man looking down from on high. This newly promoted number two of the elders' council slipped into his role quickly.

"Sect Master Hong, this is no trifling matter. Ought we not report it to the grand elder to be safe?" Chi Qianqiu said with a frown. He did not know what Hong Qingyuan was really thinking, but this matter was plainly no good thing for him and the other elders. With the deep bond between him and the grand elder, he trusted the grand elder would not idly stand by and let Xue Jianming climb atop the heads of these veteran elders and do as he pleased.

"That..." Hong Qingyuan tapped the table, his tone noncommittal. "The matter of the managing vice sect master is indeed of grave importance, but the grand elder has been in seclusion all this time of late. I dare not disturb him rashly. What say the rest of you?"

"I see no need for it. By the long-standing custom of our Snow Sword Sect, only the selection of the sect master and the grand elder must be reported to the grand elder for confirmation; all other matters may be discussed and decided within the elders' council. If we must go troubling the grand elder over every little thing, what use are the rest of us?" Xue Liping was the first to step forward in opposition.

"That is my meaning as well. The grand elder's seclusion concerns the future of our entire Snow Sword Sect—how could we disturb him over a trifle that concerns me alone? If anyone insists on going, then I suggest he go to the grand elder himself and see what comes of it." Xue Jianming eyed Chi Qianqiu and the other elders with ill intent.

"..." Everyone fell silent as one, able only to turn their eyes in unison toward Hong Qingyuan. Communicating with the grand elder was the sect master's exclusive privilege; unless in special circumstances, no one else might bypass the hierarchy to report up. And disturbing the grand elder's seclusion was no small matter—most people truly lacked the nerve.

Hong Qingyuan mused for a moment, then finally gave his verdict. "Very well. In principle, this matter does indeed call for a report to the grand elder, but it is not so important as to require a separate report. So the next time I pay my respects to the grand elder, I shall report it along with everything else. Until then, the matter of the managing vice sect master stands as decided."

"The sect master is wise." Xue Jianming and Xue Liping exchanged a smile.

Chi Qianqiu and the others could only shake their heads helplessly. Since Hong Qingyuan had given his verdict, no matter how great their objections, it would be in vain. After all, the sect master held the final say with a single word—and when one added the influence of Xue Jianming and Xue Liping, they had no choice but to accept their fate.

"Good. Since the sect master places such trust in me, I, Xue Jianming, shall not decline. As they say, a new official lights three fires upon taking office. Now that I formally attend the elders' council for the first time as managing vice sect master, I cannot let everyone down too badly." Xue Jianming paused slightly, then his gaze fell with meaning upon a woman seated in the last row. It was none other than Leng Leng's master, Xu Xiaoshuang.

Under that stare, Xu Xiaoshuang's heart lurched. The last time the man had made his move, it was Bing Wushuang who had fended him off. But Bing Wushuang was still in seclusion, and Xue Jianming had now transformed into the managing vice sect master, second only to one and above ten thousand. If he made another public attack, what could she possibly use to stand against him?

Sure enough, Xue Jianming's next words once again aimed their spearhead at Leng Leng. "As managing vice sect master, my first order of business is to reopen discussion with everyone on the matter of Leng Leng."

"What is there left to discuss about Leng Leng? The last meeting already reached a conclusion. Surely you do not mean to overturn it?" Xu Xiaoshuang hurried to object.

"What position do you hold? Is it your place to speak now?" Xue Jianming glanced at her with disdain.

Xu Xiaoshuang flushed crimson with anger and could not muster a single word for a long while. Indeed, in terms of rank, she was merely the lowest-ranked candidate elder, while the man before her was the august managing vice sect master—they were not on the same level at all.

At this, Hong Qingyuan stepped in to smooth things over. "No matter. Let all speak freely. But the matter of Leng Leng is already settled and sealed. There truly is no need to keep harping on it."

In approving the managing vice sect master, he had already conceded a great deal. If he continued to tolerate and yield on the matter of Leng Leng now, it would look rather like a lack of bottom line. In the eyes of bystanders like Chi Qianqiu, they might even conclude that he had secretly reached an understanding with Xue Jianming and Xue Liping—and then hearts would drift and loyalty scatter, which was hardly the situation he wished to see.

"Managing Vice Sect Master, a new official lighting three fires is all very well, but to keep lighting them in the same spot—is that not a bit too obsessive?" the Third Elder said with an ugly chuckle, and the rest of Chi Qianqiu's faction likewise wore expressions of amusement.

"You misunderstand, everyone. Though I speak of Leng Leng again, it is not about her disobeying orders during her training—it is about another grave crime of hers: leaking our sect's core techniques to outsiders!" Xue Jianming declared with utter conviction.

"What?!" At these words, everyone—Xu Xiaoshuang included—was stunned. Disobeying sect orders could be taken lightly or seriously; a spell in confinement and it would be over. But if it was as Xue Jianming said, and Leng Leng had divulged the sect's core techniques to outsiders, then the charge was truly grave—this was all but outright betrayal of the sect! (To be continued.)