Chapter 311 : Fear Spreads (2)
Gao Xiong's face paled visibly. Those words could not have been any clearer. Ke Cang Ju had obviously insinuated that he would not be leaving without Ash Cloud disciples going back with him. The Ash Cloud Peak had lost Jiang Chen Qing's protective wing and if he persisted to go against Ke Cang Ju, he would in turn become the one in trouble!
"This..... this way please, Elder Ke." Gao Xiong steeled his heart as he uttered those hated words.
Hua Yao nodded in satisfaction and led Jun Wu Xie and Qiao Chu intrusively into the Ash Cloud Peak and walked obtrusively within.
The three of them attracted all the curious gazes from the disciples of the Ash Cloud Peak. In moments, Gao Xiong revealed Elder Ke's purpose of visit was to "select" disciples from among them and the news spread fast and furiously.
At that moment, the curious gazes turned to ones of fury and they all sensed the impending danger. They all knew the consequences from being selected only too well, and what Ke Cang Ju's true intentions were.
If chosen, and brought back to the Hidden Cloud Peak, they would only face the inescapable fate of untold torment.
All the disciples prayed, that Elder Ke would not "grace" them with his eye.
Qiao Chu followed behind Hua Yao, looking at the disciples shrinking back in terror, he suddenly felt like a butcher about to choose livestock.
"Why do I feel like I am a villain?" Qiao Chu asked, rubbing his nose.
"If they are given a chance to retaliate, they would in turn become the villains. The reason you feel pity for them now is because we hold the upper hand now and they are victimised and can only submit themselves to our whims. If not for Jun Xie's ingenuity, we would be the ones persecuted and victimised instead." Hua Yao did not feel the least bit guilty. He had come to the Qing Yun Clan earlier than Qiao Chu, and in that period of a short half month, he had clearly seen the hidden hideous and ugly face of the mightiest clan throughout the lands.
The pitiful looking disciples cowering in fear before them now had been insufferably arrogant and egotistical before.
There had been several villages below the Cloudy Peaks before, but now, the villages had all disappeared and not a single person could be seen. Where had all the villagers gone? And why did they all disappear?
Within the Cloudy Peaks, every single one of them was guilty.
"You're right. If that is the case, I would choose to be the villain right from the start, and not make myself a victim if the real villains had made their move against me first instead." Qiao Chu said laughing.
Showing compassion to the Qing Yun Clan?
What a joke. Neither had the disciples of the Hidden Cloud Peak pitied the monthly new recruits who were all tormented to death by Ke Cang Ju, but had partaken in deeds driving them further towards their doom.
The disciples of the Qing Yun Clan had all lost their conscience.
Within the whole of the Qing Yun Clan, those who had any sliver of conscience left had been killed by the supposed mightiest clan of the lands.
Hua Yao and Qiao Chu spoke in whispers and Jun Wu Xie looked at the two of them silently. She had heard their conversation and she raised an eyebrow as she continued to stare at the two youths, seemingly silently thinking.
They were slightly younger than Mo Qian Yuan, but it seemed that they were a tad bit more mature in thinking.
Her newfound allies this time round, might not be such a handful to handle.
They prowled around the Ash Cloud Peak for half a day, almost driving the disciples there insane in fear, before they nonchalantly picked two disciples from among them.
The two selected disciples fell to their knees immediately, faces white as sheets, tears running down their faces, their eyes pleading hopefully at Gao Xiong who stood at one side observing the events, his heart wrenching in turmoil.
Gao Xiong was just the most senior disciple under Jiang Chen Qing, and he did not have the authority nor did he dare to defy the orders from Ke Cang Ju. Added to that fact was the loss of Jiang Chen Qing protection, Gao Xiong could only look away at the two disciples' pleading eyes and maintained a stoic expression as he saw Ke Cang Ju out of the Ash Cloud Peak.
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Chapter 312 : Fear Spreads (3)
The two disciples were brought back to the Hidden Cloud Peak, their faces resigned and pale. When they stood before the gates to the Hidden Cloud Peak, they started trembling uncontrollably, a pitiful sight.
News of "Ke Cang Ju" trip to seize disciples from the Ash Cloud Peak spread quickly throughout the Cloudy Peaks. The news reached the ears of the Elders but they did not give much reaction to it.
The Ash Cloud Peak had lost their Elder, Jiang Chen Qing, and it was deemed to be expected for them to suffer the injustice.
When Jiang Chen Qing was still around, the Ash Cloud Peak disciples had exploited their Elder's close relations with Qin Yue and been arrogant in their demeanour, offending many of the disciples of the other peaks.
Now that Ke Cang Ju's domineering ways were inflicted on those scoundrels, the other Elders thought that the Ash Cloud Peak deserved it and only felt that Ke Cang Ju was rather daring to target them so soon after the demise of their Elder.
But Qin Yue had always favoured Ke Cang Ju and the other Elders did not think much more on it.
The other peaks were spared and nonchalant but the Ash Cloud Peak disciples were still feeling jittery about the whole thing.
On the second day that the two disciples were brought to the Hidden Cloud Peak, Gao Xiong secretly tried to gather information on news of them. Ke Cang Ju might have claimed that they were only drafted to help out, Gao Xiong was nevertheless worried as Elder Ke was reputed to be insidious in his ways and he might very well just come back in a few days and Gao Xiong would be helpless to stop him.
So, he could only source for news of the two disciples discreetly and pray they would not meet with too miserable a fate and that would allow him to at least set the minds of the other disciples at ease a little.
After that day, the Ash Cloud Peak became very depressive. The loss of Jiang Chen Qing had already thrown the disciples of the peak into disarray when the news of his demise came in, and Ke Cang Ju had come knocking immediately bullying the helpless peak!
Without the authority of an Elder to resist, the Ash Cloud Peak could only be coerced into obedience.
By the third day of Ke Cang Ju's visit to the Ash Cloud Peak, Gao Xiong stopped receiving any news of the two disciples from his sources and he knew very well what that could only mean!
Disciples who disappeared from the Hidden Cloud Peak could only mean one thing. It meant that they have been killed and their remains are currently serving as nutrients for the plants.
Gao Xiong did not try to suppress that fact and the Ash Cloud Peak disciples soon came to know about it. That was the last straw that broke the camel's back and the Ash Cloud Peak disciples were struck by their helplessness.
After losing Jiang Chen Qing, the other Elders had turned a blind eye to their frailty and even the Sovereign had indulged Ke Cang Ju in the killing of disciples of the Qing Yun Clan. The disciples now started to fear for their own safety and developed hatred for the other peaks.
They were afraid that they would turn out to be the next target and they took it out on the other Elders' and the Sovereign's indifference to their plight.
They were disciples of the Qing Yun Clan just like the others. Why were they abandoned and allowed to be oppressed by Ke Cang Ju so openly?
The indignation and hatred festered and they soon cut off all forms of contact with the other peaks. The Ash Cloud Peak was in a state of lockdown and their disciples were never seen outside again.
They were abandoned by the clan and had received no pity or consideration for the dire plight the peak was suffering under. They refused to become sacrificial sheep for any of the other peaks to take for granted.
Just days after the injustice suffered by the Ash Cloud Peak, the other Elders who had been indifferent suddenly stopped smiling.
As "Ke Cang Ju" started to make rounds with his two disciples to appear before their gates. They had come to ask for the exact same thing as they had asked from the Ash Cloud Peak.
The first to be hit was the Cloud Banner Peak!
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Chapter 313 : Fear Spreads (4)
The Elder of the Cloud Banner Peak was Cai Zhuo, a man past fifty. Before Qin Yue took over as the Sovereign, he was already an Elder of the Qing Yun Clan then. Due to his seniority, Cai Zhuo commanded quite a bit of respect among the other Elders and even Qin Yue deferred to him at times.
No one had expected that Ke Cang Ju would be so bold to go straight up to the Cloud Banner Peak and stand before the white bearded Cai Zhuo and snatch two disciples from right under his nose. Their domineering ways nearly made the Elder faint in rage!
Arrogance! Absolute tyranny!
The tragedy that befell the Ash Cloud Peak was replicated in the Cloud Banner Peak in just days apart! What was even more unacceptable was that Ke Cang Ju had seized the disciples in the face of Cai Zhuo's refusal, totally disregarding the authority of an Elder.
When the Ash Cloud Peak's disciples had been seized, the other peaks had thought it was due to the lack of an Elder's protection that Ke Cang Ju dared dominate over them.
But in the case of the Cloud Banner Peak, Ke Cang Ju's tyranny could clearly be seen!
Their Elder had been present, alive and kicking, but Ke Cang Ju had seized disciples right before his eyes! He acted like he owned the Cloudy Peaks!
Cai Zhuo was furious and his disciples persuaded him to go to Qin Yue. The senior Elder related Ke Cang Ju's arrogance and tyranny in detail to the Sovereign and pleaded till his voice went hoarse, but he still did not manage to convince Qin Yue to act against Ke Cang Ju.
Qin Yue only tried to appease Cai Zhuo and promised that in the next upcoming recruitment, he would allow Cai Zhuo first pick at the talents and did not say anything more about the matter.
When Cai Zhuo departed from Qin Yue's, his face became pale from his long suppressed rage and upon stepping out the gates, he dropped in a dead faint and had to be carried back to the Cloud Banner Peak by his flustered disciples!
With the Cloud Banner Peak as a prime example, the other Elders started to get worried. Ke Cang Ju had shown that he was capable of such atrocities and the Sovereign still chose to distant himself from the matter. Ke Cang Ju was hence allowed to act with impunity.
The Ash Cloud Peak and the Cloud Banner Peak were hit, and the tragedy was expected to come knocking upon their very own doors soon!
Losing a disciple or two did not affect the various Elders much. They were more concerned with the impunity that Ke Cang Ju was allowed to carry out his insidious deeds! Coming right up to the gates of the various peaks and seizing the Elders' disciples before their very own eyes. They could not swallow that prick to their pride!
The deeds that Ke Cang Ju carried out within the Hidden Cloud Peak was like an open secret within the disciples of the Qing Yun Clan. If the various Elders were to allow Ke Cang Ju to kidnap their own disciples before themselves, they would lose all sense of credibility before their disciples. That was as good as telling their own disciples that their Teacher was useless, powerless before tyranny, and unable to even protect his own disciples!
It was a slap across the faces of the various Elders!
And enough was enough!
From that moment, the Elders started to take serious note of any whispers of movement from the Hidden Cloud Peak and all the disciples started to fear for their own safety.
But, tragedy still struck them.
Within weeks, Ke Cang Ju had swept through six peaks and the faces of the various Elders had all been slapped swollen by the domineering ways employed.
Ke Cang Ju was neither discreet nor merciful. He showed up arrogantly and carried Qin Yue's approval prominently before him, and forcibly seized disciples from before the respective Elders.
The famed and revered reputations of the Elders were shredded to pieces becoming non existent in a matter of weeks. They disciples started to eye their Elders with distrust and the Elders could do nothing but let their faces turn red in shame.
Their dignity as Elders in tatters, the respect the disciples had for their Teachers shredded, rage and hatred exploded in the Qing Yun Clan. The Elders cursed at Ke Cang Ju incessantly in rage and hatred grew for Qin Yue for his indulgence and indifference to the sorry plight of the other Elders!
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Chapter 314 : Mu Chen's Unbending Will (1)
While Hua Yao impersonated as Ke Cang Ju wrecked havoc and fanned the fire of hatred and fear throughout the Qing Yun Clan, Jun Wu Xie had not been idle. She used the nights to develop her spiritual powers with the Embellished Wooden Bead and picked suitable herbs in the Hidden Cloud Peak to cultivate elixirs with varying effects.
In the midst of all that, she made a trip down the Hidden Cloud Peak specially to hand over some medicine and herbs to correct and nurture specific complications in veins and arteries to Rong Heng.
Rong Heng had fully expected the youth that he had escorted to the Hidden Cloud Peak weeks earlier to be dead, and when he received the package, he had been flustered and could only thank Jun Wu Xie profusely. Before he left, he did not forget to remind Jun Wu Xie to be a little more careful in the Hidden Cloud Peak and that Ke Cang Ju had been stirring up quite a bit of trouble in the others peaks, so he should stay within the Hidden Cloud Peak to avoid any acts of retaliation from the other peaks.
The disciples of the other peaks were fearful and held a lot of hatred for the Hidden Cloud Peak, and they might exact their revenge on any stray Hidden Cloud Peak disciples.
Jun Wu Xie listened to his well intentioned warning, but she remained silent. She was very glad that chaos was running wild among the peaks.
Only when the whole of the Qing Yun Clan were held in the thralls of fear could her scheme proceed as planned!
Every few days, she went with Hua Yao and Qiao Chu to carry out their "insidious deeds". Jun Wu Xie managed to get a good grasp of the differing situations among the differing peaks as well as the different personalities of the different Elders. Some were calm, some were fiery, some gloomy, but they all fell victim to Hua Yao's tyranny as he held the banner of the Sovereign's approval of his actions high over his head, their revered reputations shredded to pieces and almost non existent.
The wave of chaos swept over and hung heavy over the Cloudy Peaks and all the disciples and even the Elders, could not find sleep well in the middle of all the mayhem.
After sowing the seeds of fear within the various peaks of many Elders, Jun Wu Xie set her eyes on her last target, the Cloud Treading Peak of Mu Chen's!
The Cloud Treading Peak was the least conspicuous among the twelve peaks and it was the peak with the least number of disciples. Within the whole mountain, the total disciples number only slightly over twenty. The immense peak only housed Mu Chen and over twenty disciples all year round, and it usually looked pitifully sparse and uninhabited.
Compared to the other peaks, where they could easily round up hundreds of disciples, Mu Chen's numbers looked especially pathetic.
Mu Chen seldom accepted disciples, as he would rather not have disciples than to accept unsuitable candidates. If they did not meet the mark, he would choose to go without recruiting a single person. Added to that, Qin Yue had always suppressed Mu Chen's power secretly further adding on to the dismal situation in the Cloud Trading Peak.
"Elder Mu Chen seems to be rather different compared to the other Elders." Qiao Chu remarked, rubbing his chin. He had lived luxuriously and reveled in the tyranny with Hua Yao as they terrorized the various peaks, and he felt his chin was getting a little rounded.
"Mmm, if the Qing Yun Clan had a side that was clean, that would be only the Cloud Treading Peak. The Elder might be very young, but he is a steady and stalwart man. Righteous and everything that I had heard about him did not implicate him in any immoral or shady deeds. He is the only exception among all that I know about the other peaks." Hua Yao nodded in agreement, as he shared the good impression he had of Mu Chen.
Jun Wu Xie stood at the foot of the Cloud Treading Peak and raised her head to look towards the summit.
At the summit, she seemed to be able to see a figure, dressed in blue, the robes flapping in the wind.
That man seemed to be looking in their direction.
"Can we use Mu Chen?" Hua Yao looked at the silent Jun Xie. The order that the Elders were to be terrorized were chosen by Jun Xie, and he had placed Mu Chen to be the last. On their way here, Jun Wu Xie had hinted with her words that made Hua Yao understand that Mu Chen was perceived to be different from the other Elders of the Qing Yun Clan.
Be it his personality or circumstances, he did not fit into the Qing Yun Clan at present.
"Whether he can be useful, will be his own choice." Jun Wu Xie lowered her head, looking thoughtful.
Hua Yao smiled in silent agreement.
Qiao Chu laughed out loud and exclaimed: "Let's put together our arrogant and tyrannical faces and set forth!"
The only reply he got to his boisterous exclamation were two sets of cold stares directed right at him!
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Chapter 315 : Mu Chen's Unbending Will (2)
Within the Cloud Treading Peak, Mu Chen stood at the summit with all his disciples around him. He eyes were resolute as he observed the slowly approaching form of Ke Cang Ju.
"Elder Mu, it has been a rather long time." Hua Yao had become very good at imitating Ke Cang Ju's shrill cackle by now, and coupled with his sinister tone, his voice sent chills down the spine of the disciples before them.
"The Cloud Treading Peak does not welcome Elder Ke, we would request that Elder Ke depart from here." Mu Chen's face was stoic and he did not hesitate in asking them to leave.
Jun Wu Xie observed Mu Chen silently thinking he was indeed different from the other Elders.
In the other peaks, the Elders had known of "Ke Cang Ju's" intentions but had submitted to Qin Yue's approval and allowed their disciples to be sacrificed. None of them had reacted like Mu Chen, who had not immediately refused them entry and protected his disciples without any deference nor hesitation.
The disciples who stood by Mu Chen did not show any fear in their eyes but had been resolute and defiant. Within those disciples, Jun Wu Xie spotted Rong Heng, who stood just behind Mu Chen. He had been shocked to see Jun Wu Xie for a moment, but he recovered quickly and his stance grew just as defiant as his fellow disciples.
"Ke Cang Ju" heard Mu Chen's impolite words and his sinister countenance quickly turned to be one of anger. He said sneeringly: "Mu Chen, seeing that we are both Elders, I shall choose not to take offence with your attitude. But you should at least know your place! The purpose of my trip here to select disciples from you was the Sovereign's idea. Would you dare say your authority as an Elder overrides the Sovereign's?"
A string of curses erupted and Mu Chen's face darkened. The faces of the disciples behind Mu Chen started to turn red with anger hearing the nasty words.
"I just found out that Brother Hua is getting rather skilled at attracting hatred to himself." Impressed by Hua Yao's ongoing tirade giving rise to the rage starting to boil over among the Cloud Treading Peak disciples, Qiao Chu could not help himself but whisper to Jun Wu Xie in praise.
"Hasn't he always been so?" Jun Wu Xie raised an eyebrow in query. Hua Yao's personality had seemed cold and unfeeling, and he had always had a poisonous tongue, and he had seemed to be capable of driving people up the wall with his gift of the gab alone.
"That's true." Qiao Chu nodded discreetly, having experienced it himself many times.
Hua Yao continued: "Elder Mu, I would suggest you accept our peaceful request now and not make things difficult for yourself. My task of the selection of disciples from the various peaks are under the direct orders of the Sovereign himself. The other Elders had been cooperative and I would ask our Elder Mu to not put up a futile struggle, as it is only a matter of merely two disciples."
Mu Chen's jaw was tightly clenched and his face dark with anger. He simply replied: "I will not accept those orders!"
Hua Yao's face became even more sinister. "Looks like our Elder Mu is bent on defying the Sovereign's orders? Even as an Elder, defying the orders of the Sovereign is a crime even you cannot shoulder!"
After Qin Yue assumed leadership of the Qing Yun Clan as the Sovereign, the powers of the various Elders had been slowly diminished. Qin Yue soon held the power to reprimand and punish an Elder unilaterally. Moreover, Mu Chen and Qin Yue had been on bad terms and it was widely known throughout the Qing Yun Clan.
Mu Chen had always laid low and avoided drawing attention to himself and the Cloud Treading Peak all this time just to avoid giving Qin Yue any excuse to act against him. But if he were to be stuck with the crime of defying the orders of the Sovereign, Qin Yue would gain a perfect reason to be rid of Mu Chen henceforth!
Everyone present was acutely aware of what "Ke Cang Ju" had meant.
Without waiting for Mu Chen to respond, Rong Heng who stood behind him stepped forward.
"Elder Ke, you need not say anymore. I'll go with you."
Mu Chen was at a loss for words as he stared at Rong Heng who had volunteered to sacrifice himself for everyone. Soon another Cloud Treading Peak disciple stepped up as well, showing his willingness to follow Elder Ke back to the Hidden Cloud Peak.
This situation was absolutely unheard of! In the other peaks, all the disciples had stayed far away from Hua Yao, fearful that they would be chosen to go to the Hidden Cloud Peak. And the chosen ones had been completely terrified and knelt before their Teacher in pleading sobs, for the Elder to save them from their unavoidable fate.