Upon returning to Blackwood Cliff, Alex first arranged quarters for Lin Pingzhi, then escorted Elder Qu Yang to the back mountain to report his mission's outcome. The air was thick with the scent of pine and the distant echo of wind through the cliffs.
Today, Chief Steward Yang Lianting was absent, likely tending to pressing matters elsewhere. The familiar chamber awaited, its pink gauze veil draping the room, revealing only the faint silhouette of Dongfang Bubai beyond.
Qu Yang knelt silently, head bowed, resigned to his fate.
"Leader, I've completed the mission and brought Elder Qu Yang back," Alex said, offering a concise account of his actions at the Jinpen Retirement Conference.
"Well done," came the delicate voice from behind the gauze, serene and untroubled. "Elder Qu, the Sun Moon Sect has treated you generously. Why collude with the Five Mountains Sword Sect and betray us?"
Dongfang Bubai's tone carried no anger, as if Qu Yang's treachery was a minor curiosity.
"Leader, I share a bond with Brother Liu Zhengfeng through music, not betrayal," Qu Yang replied, voice steady despite his peril. "I've never forsaken the Sun Moon Sect. I beg your understanding."
His words hung in the air. Dongfang Bubai paused, then turned to Alex. "Elder Alex, do you believe Qu Yang's claim?"
"Me?" Alex blinked, caught off guard. He hadn't anticipated the leader seeking his judgment. Composing himself, he nodded. "I do."
"Oh? Why?" A spark of intrigue laced Dongfang Bubai's voice, as if Alex's reasoning intrigued him more than Qu Yang's fate.
"When someone is consumed by a passion, power and fame fade in importance," Alex explained. "Elder Qu Yang's devotion to music surpasses all else."
A brief silence followed, then Dongfang Bubai's voice softened. "An intriguing perspective." He addressed Qu Yang: "Your betrayal warrants death, but Elder Alex's plea spares you. The death penalty is lifted, but not the punishment. Leave Blackwood Cliff—your fate is no longer the sect's concern."
Swish!
A faint gleam flashed. An embroidery needle, precise as a viper's strike, pierced Qu Yang's Dantian Qihai, shattering his martial arts. His face paled, aging decades in an instant. Trembling, he endured the agony, rose, and bowed. "Thank you, Leader, for sparing my life." He saluted Alex, then hobbled out, a broken man.
"I take my leave," Alex said, bowing, eager to depart. Dongfang Bubai's presence always unnerved him, an instinct he couldn't shake.
"Afraid of me, Elder Alex?" Dongfang Bubai teased, sensing his haste.
"I wouldn't dare," Alex replied smoothly, masking his discomfort. Admitting fear would be an affront to the leader's pride.
Whether true or not, the answer pleased Dongfang Bubai. He shifted topics. "A pigeon letter detailed your exploits at the Jinpen Retirement Conference. Beyond your mastery of hidden weapons, your swordsmanship—Controlling the sword with Qi—has astonished the Jianghu."
Alex froze. He'd stationed disciples at Hengshan's base, but who sent the letter? Then it clicked: the Sun Moon Sect's decades-long feud with the Five Mountains likely involved spies within their ranks. "My meager skills are nothing compared to your peerless martial arts, Leader," he said, deflecting with praise.
"Your skill and composure ensure a bright future," Dongfang Bubai replied. "Serve the Sun Moon Sect diligently, and the deputy leader's seat is within reach. Go now, but when you're free, visit me to spar with flying needles."
Alex's actions had elevated the sect's prestige, earning Dongfang Bubai's approval. With a final salute, Alex turned and left swiftly, relief washing over him as he exited the chamber.
"Haha, Alex? What a curious soul," Dongfang Bubai mused, his voice lilting and crystalline behind the pink veil after Alex's departure. "Unswayed by the elder's rank or even the deputy leader's throne? Power holds no allure for you." His laughter, soft and melodious, echoed in the chamber.
He had deliberately dangled the titles of elder and deputy leader, yet Alex showed neither joy nor ambition. Dongfang Bubai, with his piercing insight, saw no pretense—Alex's indifference was genuine.
"Deputy leader?" Alex muttered, descending Blackwood Cliff's rugged paths, the wind carrying the scent of ancient pines. He shook his head, dismissing Dongfang Bubai's grand offer.
His journey through the X-Men world taught him he'd depart this world eventually. What value was a deputy leader's seat? Even the title of martial world hegemon paled beside his true goals: securing the Dugu Nine Swords, Yijin Jing, or Zixia Magic Skill.
As he left the back mountain, Alex crossed paths with Yang Lianting. The chief steward's face darkened at the sight of Alex emerging from the sacred grounds. "What business have you in the back mountain?" Yang Lianting demanded, his brow furrowed with displeasure.
"Reporting to the chief steward, I completed the leader's task and came to report," Alex replied evenly, his tone respectful but firm.
"Hmph! As chief steward of the Sun Moon Sect, all matters pass through me. You dare disturb the leader?" Yang Lianting's voice dripped with indignation. "I warn you: from today, you're forbidden from setting foot in the back mountain."
Alex's patience waned. He'd shown courtesy, yet Yang Lianting's arrogance grated. His expression hardened. "Chief Steward Yang, respect is a two-way path. Mind your tone, or even the leader's favor won't shield you from my displeasure."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yang Lianting sputtered, enraged. "In the Sun Moon Sect, my authority is second only to the leader's!"
No one had ever defied him so openly. Fury boiled within him, but Alex's lips curled into a cold smirk. Ignoring the steward's bluster, he turned and walked away, his black robe billowing in the mountain breeze.
"Insolent fool! I'm not done with you!" Yang Lianting shouted, but Alex's retreating figure didn't falter. Powerless, Yang Lianting stormed off to complain to Dongfang Bubai. His influence rested solely on the leader's favor, and his martial skills were no match for Alex's.
Alex paid him no mind. He'd joined the Sun Moon Sect for convenience, not servitude. Only Dongfang Bubai commanded his caution; no one else in the sect posed a threat. Even if he left, the leader wouldn't pursue him across the Jianghu, would they?
His focus shifted to martial training. Alex intensified his practice, honing his inner strength and sword control. He also tasked his disciples with gathering intelligence from the martial world, particularly on Linghu Chong. By his reckoning, Linghu Chong would soon master the Dugu Nine Swords—a prize Alex intended to claim.