No one spoke for a long while; in the end, it was Hong Qingyuan who broke the silence.

"Er, that..." Hong Qingyuan had been about to address Bing Wushuang by name, but then it occurred to him that if the man truly was a Nascent Soul elder, such familiarity would be presumption. He settled for something vaguer: "Forgive me for asking out of turn, but have you truly condensed your Nascent Soul?"

The matter was too grave for carelessness; he had no choice but to screw up his courage and confirm it beyond any doubt, or else they would all become a laughingstock.

"Shall I give a demonstration?" As he spoke, Bing Wushuang released an imposing air of unprecedented power from within his body. This was not the same as his Heartless Ice Force—strictly speaking, the Heartless Ice Force was an offensive art, its range subject to his control, and at his present level his mastery of it was so consummate that no one but its target could gauge its true depths. That was precisely why doubts lingered.

The aura before them now was a different matter entirely; it struck the senses with utter immediacy, and everyone in the hall understood at once—this was unquestionably a genuine Nascent Soul elder!

"We pay our respects to the Grand Elder!" Hong Qingyuan harbored not the slightest doubt now and hurriedly led the assembly in a grand salute, daring not show the least negligence or disrespect.

Whatever Bing Wushuang's former station, whatever his generation in the sect, the ancestral precepts were clear: anyone within the sect who advanced to Nascent Soul automatically became a Grand Elder, and all—from the sect master down to the lowliest disciple—must pay him grand homage, or be reckoned guilty of deceiving the master and betraying the ancestors.

Bing Wushuang was not surprised in the least. He gave a slight nod, then waved a hand. "All of you, rise."

"Our thanks to the Grand Elder." Only then did Hong Qingyuan lead the others to their feet, standing before Bing Wushuang with the utmost deference, not daring to put on the slightest display of the authority they habitually wielded. To throw one's weight around before a Nascent Soul elder was to court death—a truth even Xue Jianming understood.

"You gave Xue Jianming the post of executive vice sect master—so shouldn't you find me a position too?" Bing Wushuang asked offhandedly.

"Huh?" Hong Qingyuan and the others were struck dumb. He was already a Grand Elder. What position could he possibly want?

"Is there a problem?" Bing Wushuang shot him a glance.

"Er, pray enlighten us, Grand Elder." Hong Qingyuan broke into a cold sweat under that look. By rights, as sect master he had dealt with Nascent Soul elders often enough in the past and ought not to be this nervous; but Bing Wushuang was decidedly an anomaly, a man of notoriously erratic temper, and Hong Qingyuan had never had much to do with him in the past. His behavior just now had been all caprice, impossible to read.

"You already have a Grand Elder, and now you go and call me Grand Elder too—isn't that confusing? Why not follow Xue Jianming's example and make me executive grand elder?" Perhaps because his recent breakthrough had put him in excellent spirits, Bing Wushuang allowed himself a rare touch of mockery.

"Executive grand elder?" The crowd's eyes went wide. What kind of new turn was this?

"Er... that..." Hong Qingyuan hesitated a moment, then could only smile bitterly. "I'm afraid that is beyond our power to decide. You know as well as we do that the council of elders may only deliberate on sect affairs beneath the sect master's station—strictly speaking, beneath Xue Jianming's post of executive vice sect master. Even our arbitrarily deciding that much was already somewhat overstepping. To say nothing of making you executive grand elder—that is a matter you would have to discuss with Elder Tong. We are in no position to offer an opinion..."

Elder Tong was the Snowsword Sect's former Grand Elder.

"Isn't Elder Tong in seclusion? You would have me go drag him out?" Bing Wushuang frowned.

"Then perhaps you might wait a while, and speak with Elder Tong in detail once he emerges?" Hong Qingyuan suggested cautiously.

"I can't wait," Bing Wushuang replied offhandedly.

"Er..." Hong Qingyuan was instantly choked off. He turned and exchanged looks with Chi Qianqiu and the rest, more conflicted at heart than before. They had finally seen off the lawless Xue Jianming, only to be saddled with an eccentric Nascent Soul elder. Was this not even harder to serve?

Can't wait? Then what was to be done?

Hong Qingyuan was racking his brains for a suitable reply when Bing Wushuang's next words solved his difficulty: "I have to go out on a trip. The matter of the executive grand elder can wait until I return."

"You're going out?" Hong Qingyuan and the others were startled.

"To the Northern Isle," Bing Wushuang said mildly.

"You have acquaintances on the Northern Isle?" Hong Qingyuan asked.

"Interrogating me?" Bing Wushuang's expression, which had rarely softened, at once returned to its usual blankness. A fearsome thing.

"No, no, no! This disciple would never dare!" Hong Qingyuan shook his head hurriedly and rushed to explain: "This disciple meant no disrespect whatsoever—I only thought that if you intended to visit other sects, I ought to arrange a proper escort and procession in good time to accompany you."

Whenever a new Nascent Soul elder appeared in any sect, it was customary for him to make a circuit of the great sects and show his face, both to display power and to observe the many ceremonies involved, which must on no account be neglected. Otherwise, though others might fear you to your face, behind your back they would mock you as an uncultured upstart who did not even know the rudiments of visiting etiquette.

"No need. I'm just going to see one person; there's no point in all that fuss. By the way, while I'm gone, keep an eye on Leng Leng. If anything happens to her before I return, I'll hold you accountable," Bing Wushuang instructed.

"Yes!" Hong Qingyuan and the others all tensed. They did not know why Bing Wushuang took such care of Leng Leng, but since he had spoken thus, they would have to protect her even at the cost of their lives—for to do otherwise was to oppose a Nascent Soul elder, and how many lives did they have?

Fortunately, Xue Jianming had already suffered a heavy loss; his leg injury would take months to heal under ordinary circumstances, so he should not stir up trouble for the time being. Of course, if Hong Qingyuan and the others truly made up their minds, it would not matter even if Xue Jianming did cause trouble—Hong Qingyuan alone could keep him in check. They had merely been wary before; now that Bing Wushuang had their backs, what was there left to fear?

One was a Golden Core at perfection, the other a Nascent Soul elder. There was no need even to think about which side to stand on.

Bing Wushuang nodded and at once had them prepare the finest flying spirit beast the Snowsword Sect possessed. Under the eyes of Hong Qingyuan and the rest, he rose into the air and soon shrank to a black speck that vanished at the horizon.

"Our Snowsword Sect is finally entering a new era," Chi Qianqiu remarked with a sigh, half gratified, half rueful.

Earlier, two Golden Core adepts at perfection had appeared all at once; though that too greatly bolstered their strength, it had done nothing substantive for the sect's standing among the sects! (To be continued.)