431 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

**Chapter 431: The End of an Era** With a flourish of his brush, Qi Xiu completed the last stroke on the character 'mourning' and exhaled heavily. Satisfied after examining his work from different angles, he finally put down the brush, content with the quality of his elegiac couplet. Qi Xiu was well-known for his calligraphy across the entire northwest of Baishan. The houses within the Chu-Qin Alliance were eager to cater to his interest. Whenever there was an opportunity for calligraphy, they would certainly let the Chu-Qin master take the lead, resulting in Qi Xiu’s inscriptions being displayed at various mountain gates throughout Chu-Qin territory. Today, with the death of Xiong Tie Bi, Qi Xiu had come personally to Bei Lie Mountain to pay his respects, and naturally, the Xiong family gave him a chance to demonstrate his calligraphy on the spot. However, this time it was a mourning couplet, and the usual flattery was absent, which left Qi Xiu feeling slightly out of place. He clicked his tongue before handing the couplet to the Xiong family to hang up. The old man should have lived a few more years, yet after the sudden fall of the Baishan Huashen, while the storm clouds were gathered for a great war, a breeze of peace swept through unexpectedly, causing prices to plummet, which left the northern families, who had been profiting from the war, rather unhappy. He made a foolish move by purchasing a massive amount of combat artifacts from the Wanhua Pavilion at a high price, planning to sell at a profit when the war in the south escalated and prices spiked. Unexpectedly, the peace crash-landed the market, yet the Wanhua Pavilion’s bill was non-negotiable. The Xiong family of Bei Lie Mountain found themselves bankrupt, and the old man, already frail and aged, was so enraged that he passed away. "I formed my core, and his ambitions soared, yet inevitably, his family was absorbed into the Chu-Qin Alliance, harboring resentment. This time, with the southern chaos, he thought the Qi family of Qushan would reap benefits, and as our Xiong family lagged behind, he wasn't content. Hence, he made a wrong turn..." Xiong Shi Si candidly revealed Xiong Tie Bi's intentions to Qi Xiu. Being newly formed into a core, he was ambitious but capable of patience, unlike the late elder. In Qi Xiu’s presence, he was well-behaved and much more cunning than when he used to spar with Mo Jian Xin. Qi Xiu nodded. This attitude was precisely what he desired. He didn’t harbor expectations for wholehearted loyalty, this was good enough. “This might not even be a wrong turn. The south might descend into chaos again soon; you can hold onto the goods from Wanhua Pavilion, it's only material. There’s nothing that can’t be resolved.” Qi Xiu offered a few comforting words. Initially, he intended to smooth things over with the Wanhua Pavilion to throw Xiong Shi Si a bone and win him over. However, the manager at Heihe Square wasn’t cooperative, having refused aid in Qi Xiu’s previous battle with Huo Bai, and now, he flatly denied helping in renegotiating the Xiong family’s deal. “Commercial alliances like Wanhua Pavilion have cultivators from various backgrounds. For example, at Heihe Square, the manager is rumored to be from the Qi Yun Five Peaks lineage. In the Qi Yun sect, the Gao and Pei families are significant adversaries of Shu Chu and my Chu-Qin. They hold considerable sway in the mundane and the Five Peaks. Since you are part of our Chu-Qin Alliance, future interactions with cultivators from Qi Yun must be handled with caution...” Taking this opportunity, Qi Xiu carefully advised the clan heads within the alliance, instilling necessary wisdom post-establishment of the Chu-Qin Alliance. Certainly, the Gao and Pei families wouldn’t spare discernment between Chu-Qin Sect and the Chu-Qin Alliance; both would suffer underhanded tactics if not cautious, as evidenced by Xiong Tie Bi’s costly blunder. Everyone expressed their appreciation for the guidance. She Yi Shan gazed at Xiong Tie Bi's coffin in the mourning hall with a look of remembrance, then sighed deeply, “Alas! Our era has ended.” Gan Long and Qi Bing Yan shared a silent understanding, their faces reflecting a sorrowful melancholy. Indeed, these patriarchs were of the same generation as Qi Xiu. Having failed to form a core, they were now stepping into the twilight of their lives. The era She Yi Shan referred to was the time of fierce competition among various forces in the former domain of the Luo family. For Qi Xiu now, the term 'heroes' might be exaggerated, but back then, it was indeed a golden age for chief figures like Xiong Tie Bi. At the very least, they didn’t have to live dependent, subservient lives, and their opportunities back then weren’t inferior to Qi Xiu’s. Xiong Tie Bi’s death signaled the end of their generation and their era, most of whom would inevitably face the end in the next two decades. Only a few like Qi Xiu, fortunate enough to have achieved the Golden Core stage, would continue to be busy and pursue their paths—either holding life firmly by its reins or continuing their futile struggles in the world’s sorrowful cage. ... After a lively time, the guests began to take their leave. For the Xiong family, Xiong Tie Bi’s death marked the formal transition to Xiong Shi Si’s era. With a Golden Core patriarch, despite the temporary financial setback, the future was undoubtedly brighter. For the next three hundred years, if Xiong Shi Si avoided mishaps, maintaining their status in Baishan would be effortless. With dignity, the Xiong family concluded the funeral and was ready to remove their mourning attire when suddenly, Mo Jian Xin arrived in person. "Uh, your family, uh, this mourning attire, you can't take it off yet." Mo Jian Xin himself donned a fresh white mourning garment, feeling awkward but needing to convey, “The ten Nascent Soul sects of Baishan have jointly decreed that all Baishan cultivators must mourn for the fallen Huashen ancestor…” He held up three fingers, sorrowfully stating, “Three years.” “Three years!” The Xiong family exclaimed collectively, taken aback by the lengthy mourning decree! “No other way, since everyone is doing it, our Chu-Qin Alliance shouldn’t make exceptions…” Mo Jian Xin explained. “No problem, it’s appropriate, especially given how rare it is for a Huashen to fall…” Xiong Shi Si, albeit resigned to the circumstances, instructed his family to continue mourning attire, then pulled Mo Jian Xin aside into a private room for a chat. “The ten families of Baishan are this united now?” Worthy of a Golden Core cultivator, he swiftly grasped the essence from a singular action. “Unknown…” Mo Jian Xin shook his head, “At least for the next three years, no more conflicts.” “Sigh!” Xiong Shi Si sighed sorrowfully at the mountain of artifacts in their store, a consequence of following Qi Wu Shuang's ventures, and later fairing well behind Qi Xiu. The capital accumulated over nearly a century was all gambled away by Xiong Tie Bi, leaving the new leader, Xiong Shi Si, with his hands tied. “There’s a saying in the mundane world, ‘A single penny can topple a hero,’ only now do I truly understand it.” Having sparred with Mo Jian Xin yielded camaraderie; some things one might refrain from discussing with Qi Xiu, yet with Mo Jian Xin, he felt comfortable sharing freely. Qi Xiu anticipated such issues early on. Mo Jian Xin feigned contemplation and then agreed to lend a sum of spirit stones to aid Xiong family’s liquidity before taking his leave. Walking through the somber Xiu Gu Mountain, layers of white mourning attire filled the view, until reaching the peak of the great hall where Yao Qing’s voice echoed, “For a Buddhist sect to do something like this is peculiar. Beware the ten Nascent Soul sects of Baishan possibly fabricating illusory peace; they might use these three years for ulterior motives.” “Plus, if that was Baishan’s sole Huashen cultivator, danger could be brewing from beyond Baishan. Vigilance is advised.” (To be continued)