Though Tang Xiao didn't state it outright, everyone understood who he was referring to.
The Clear Sky Sect elders present turned ashen-faced at his insinuation. "Sect Master, if you have something to say, speak plainly. Why must you criticize us so obliquely in front of outsiders?"
Seizing the moment, Tang Xiao's voice turned grave. "Very well, I'll be direct. The Clear Sky Sect has been in seclusion for over a decade—where is the dignity of the former number one sect under heaven?"
"Now that the Spirit Hall wages war against both empires, this is our best opportunity to reemerge. I fail to comprehend what exactly you fear."
Hearing this, Gu Rong and the others felt slightly reassured. If the Clear Sky Sect joined the war, the gap in high-level combat power would narrow significantly, greatly impacting the overall situation.
"You make it sound simple," one elder countered sharply. "Our Clear Sky Sect isn't what it used to be—we have barely two hundred direct lineage members left. If we join this war, we risk complete annihilation of our bloodline."
"Could you face the Tang ancestors with such an outcome? Could you face the three characters 'Clear Sky Sect' above our gates?"
The words drained some resolve from Tang Xiao's eyes.
Indeed, the Clear Sky Sect had always been small in number. Even at its peak, direct descendants were few—now even fewer.
Two hundred clansmen were pitifully few for a continent-spanning war. One misstep could mean the end of their lineage.
Only Fang Chang remained unfazed, his eyes glinting with some unspoken scheme.
After a long silence, Tang Xiao tried again. "If the elders are so concerned, let me lead a select group of elites to battle while keeping the rest in the mountains."
"This way we preserve our bloodline while proving to the world that Clear Sky Sect men aren't cowards—that we're determined to restore our sect's glory."
"Foolishness!" Another elder waved dismissively. "We already have deep enmity with the Spirit Hall. If you join this war, do you think they'll spare those we leave behind?"
Another added gravely, "Moreover, many sects have recently suffered Spirit Hall assassinations. Yuehua's disappearance aside, even..."
He glanced at Gu Rong, leaving the implication hanging—the recent destruction of the four single-attribute clans and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family being too sensitive to mention directly.
Tang Xiao remained unconvinced. "Our mountain stronghold is impregnable, protected by all elders present. Even the Spirit Hall couldn't easily breach it."
"Besides, those attacks may not have been the Spirit Hall's doing. Yuehua's disappearance might not be their work either—it could be former vassal sects seeking revenge now that they know our location."
Fang Chang had been framing the Spirit Hall for his massacres. While most believed the narrative, Tang Xiao was among the skeptical few.
His reasoning was simple—Tang Yuehua had lived openly for over a decade with her weak cultivation. If the Spirit Hall knew her identity, why wait until now to act?
He suspected former vassal sects who recognized Yuehua and bore grudges from the Clear Sky Sect's retreat. Using the Spirit Hall's name provided perfect cover.
"But we cannot gamble our bloodline's survival on your speculation! You may afford the risk—we cannot!" The elders remained unmoved.
Preserving their lineage was paramount—too precious to stake on uncertainties.
At this impasse, Fang Chang finally spoke. "Sect Master Tang, honored elders—might this outsider offer perspective?"
All turned to him. In the strength-worshipping Clear Sky Sect, his power granted him audience.
"First, who do you believe will win this war—the Spirit Hall or the two empires?"
The elders exchanged glances but reached no consensus. "It's unclear. The empires have strength and allies, but the Spirit Hall's centuries of accumulation make them formidable."
"Otherwise... our Clear Sky Sect wouldn't have retreated back then..." Bitterness tinged their voices—the humiliation still raw.
"Then consider this," Fang Chang pressed. "If the empires win, what becomes of the Clear Sky Sect?"
He answered his own question. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, even former vassal sects will be hailed as heroes."
"Backed by the empires and revered by all, they'll flourish in the Spirit Hall's decline."
"And the Clear Sky Sect? You'll be remembered as cowards who hid while others fought! Even if you reemerge, that shame will follow you forever."
The elders stirred—they feared both extinction and disgrace.
"Conversely, if the Spirit Hall wins..." Fang Chang continued relentlessly.
"They'll dominate the continent unopposed. Do you truly believe they'll spare you then? Will you flee deeper into hiding? Or wait to face their full might alone?"
The elders bowed their heads, breathing heavily as Fang Chang's words struck home, their resistance crumbling.
"My Spider God Cult has a saying—'When lips are gone, teeth feel cold.' I trust you grasp its meaning."
The elders chuckled mirthlessly. Fang Chang had laid bare their precarious position with brutal clarity.
"So according to the Spider God Envoy, we have no choice but to join this war?"
"The choice remains yours," Fang Chang stated firmly. "No one can force you. But as elders, you must bear responsibility for your decision—and the sect will live with its consequences."
The once-defiant elders now fidgeted uncertainly.
Seeing their hesitation, Tang Xiao rose with a sigh. "I, Tang Xiao, current master of the Clear Sky Sect, choose to fight."
His gaze swept the elders.
One by one, they stood—first one, then others, voicing their assent.
A lone holdout initially refused, but under collective scrutiny, soon relented.
Thus, under Fang Chang's persuasion, the Clear Sky Sect's return to the world stage was unanimously decided.