Chapter Twenty-Eight: Sudden Upheaval at the Branch

After Zhang Xiao left the main hall of Mount Mao, he did not return to his own bamboo hut but instead used the teleportation array to head to the G State Branch. The moment he stepped out of the array, his expression turned icy cold. The disciples managing the teleportation formation had been replaced. While it was normal for disciple positions to be rotated, those responsible for the teleportation array were typically never changed. Zhang Xiao looked around at the unfamiliar faces, not recognizing a single one.

“Where is Zhang Hu?” he demanded.

One disciple stepped forward and replied respectfully, “Elder, Zhang Hu violated sect rules and has been imprisoned. The G State Branch is now under Li Danian’s command.” Despite his courteous tone, Zhang Xiao could sense the thinly veiled contempt and arrogance lurking beneath the disciple’s words.

Zhang Xiao narrowed his eyes, a nameless fury rising in his chest. “What sect rule did Zhang Hu violate? Tell me everything in detail!” he snapped.

The disciple hesitated. Though he had anticipated some questioning and prepared his answers, he had not expected Zhang Xiao to speak with such a chilling tone—he could feel a faint murderous intent enveloping him. Swallowing hard, the disciple stammered, “Zhang Hu started a conflict with the Ten Thousand Demons Sect without permission, causing great harm to the branch. He also made enemies with other orthodox sects and defied orders, offending the Senior Brother…”

“Senior Brother! Hmph! It seems his wings have grown. And what about the disciples who were originally responsible for the teleportation array?” Zhang Xiao’s gaze swept across the disciples.

None dared meet his eyes; all shivered under his scrutiny, heads bowed. The disciple trembled as he replied, “The former disciples were sent to hard labor.”

“Hmph!” Zhang Xiao strode toward the council hall. Only after he left did these disciples collapse onto the ground, some even fainting from terror. “Quick, send word to Senior Brother!” one managed to gasp before passing out.

“Greetings, Elder. To what do we owe your visit?” Li Danian greeted Zhang Xiao with only a perfunctory salute, his words betraying his utter disregard.

Zhang Xiao smiled faintly. “Branch Master Li, you’ve worked hard. I’m here for a simple matter—I need something.”

Li Danian chuckled coldly. “Elder, every resource of the outer branches belongs to the sect. Forgive me, but I cannot simply allocate resources at your request unless you have an order from the sect leader…” Before he could finish, Zhang Xiao struck him squarely on the forehead with a palm.

The force of Zhang Xiao’s blow was beyond anything Li Danian could withstand. His skull shattered; he died instantly. With a kick, Zhang Xiao sent Li Danian’s corpse flying, then strode to the chief seat of the hall. Casting a cold glance at the remaining disciples, he declared, “So much idle chatter. It seems you still don’t understand who holds authority in the outer sect. Remember this: I am the Elder of the Outer Sect. Aside from the Sect Leader, no one can command me here. I am your highest leader—your lives and deaths rest in my hands. Don’t think that having someone support you means you can act with impunity.”

The assembled disciples all lowered their heads in silence. Zhang Xiao’s eyes narrowed to slits. He slammed the table, roaring, “What, are you all mute now?!”

The outburst, imbued with spiritual energy, left the disciples pale and shaken—some even suffered internal injuries. “Go and bring Zhang Hu from the dungeon to see me.”

No one dared disobey; someone hurried off to carry out his order. Soon, Zhang Hu was brought out from the dungeon, but his condition made Zhang Xiao’s anger flare anew.

Two iron rods had been driven through Zhang Hu’s back, piercing his shoulder blades. The agony was evident from Zhang Hu’s paper-white face.

“Elder… save… me…” Zhang Hu managed to gasp before losing consciousness again. Zhang Xiao stepped forward, produced a healing pill, and placed it in Zhang Hu’s mouth.

With a gentle strike to Zhang Hu’s back, the two iron rods clattered to the floor. “Take him to rest, and summon Tang Chuan to see me.”

Even with the healing pill, Zhang Hu would need to remain bedridden for at least two days to recover—a testament to his high cultivation and robust constitution. Before the recent upheaval in the world, such injuries would have been fatal or left him crippled for life.

As Zhang Xiao awaited Tang Chuan, Wang Yanbo hurried over from the inner sect. Upon hearing that Zhang Xiao had killed Li Danian in a fit of rage, Wang Yanbo’s anger only intensified. Li Danian had been his loyal disciple; for Zhang Xiao to kill him outright was an affront Wang Yanbo could not ignore—otherwise, he’d lose all standing in the outer sect.

“Zhang Xiao, you’re bold indeed!” Wang Yanbo shouted, not even through the door.

“So, you’ve finally arrived,” Zhang Xiao mused to himself.

A silent figure appeared behind Zhang Xiao—it was Ironclad Corpse Number One.

Wang Yanbo stomped into the hall, eyes blazing with fury. “You’ve violated sect rules, interfering in outer sect affairs. Didn’t the Sect Leader send you to meditate in reflection at Kuyun Cave? How dare you defy the Sect Leader’s order? Now you’ve even killed a fellow disciple! I will—”

A resounding slap cut him off. Wang Yanbo’s face burned; before he could react, Zhang Xiao was already at his side.

“Too much talk.” Zhang Xiao kicked Wang Yanbo in the chest, sending him flying.

“Argh! I’ll fight you to the death!” Wang Yanbo roared, scrambling to his feet.

He had come intending to use the Sect Leader’s authority to force Zhang Xiao into submission, but Zhang Xiao had attacked without warning, leaving Wang Yanbo reeling.

Suddenly, an ironclad corpse stepped out—Wang Yanbo’s own, which he had received upon joining the sect and had just recently advanced. Although newly advanced, it was already formidable.

“Kill him!” Wang Yanbo commanded, pointing at Zhang Xiao.

Zhang Xiao only smirked, unfazed as the ironclad corpse charged. In a blur, a shadow shot out from the side—Zhang Xiao’s own Ironclad Corpse Number One—colliding with Wang Yanbo’s corpse and sending it flying.

Wang Yanbo’s eyes widened in shock. “You… you have an ironclad corpse too?” No wonder—Zhang Xiao had never revealed Number One within the sect; few knew of its existence.

“Hmph! Wang Yanbo, didn’t you just threaten to kill me? How brazen.” Zhang Xiao pointed at him and barked.

Wang Yanbo was momentarily stunned, not grasping Zhang Xiao’s implication. Zhang Xiao continued, “You have disrupted the outer branch, used private punishment to eliminate dissidents, and sought to seize control. This is overstepping your authority. You may be a founding disciple, but I am an Elder. To insult me is to defy your superiors; disciplining you is my duty. But you even tried to kill me—now that is true betrayal and fratricide!”

Zhang Xiao heaped accusation after accusation upon Wang Yanbo, who opened his mouth to protest but found no words, his shame and rage boiling over. “Soul-Reaping Claw!” Wang Yanbo roared, his hand morphing into a claw shrouded in dark energy, slashing at Zhang Xiao’s shoulder. The fetid wind preceding the attack engulfed Zhang Xiao.

This Soul-Reaping Claw was one of Mount Mao’s most fearsome close-combat techniques; mastered, it could rend the heavens with a single strike. Zhang Xiao watched Wang Yanbo’s attack and thought, “What a fine move, wasted on a fool like Wang Yanbo.”

He dodged left, letting the attack narrowly miss. Before Wang Yanbo could react, Zhang Xiao seized his throat with one hand and struck his abdomen with his knee and fists—blow after blow rained down.

Though Zhang Xiao had not practiced any advanced techniques, his attributes far surpassed ordinary men. His strength stat alone exceeded 200; a single punch could flatten a car. Only because Wang Yanbo was at the peak of Qi Refining did he survive—a lesser man would have been crippled or dead already. Even so, Wang Yanbo coughed up blood with each blow, suffering severe internal injuries.

“Hmph!” Seeing that Wang Yanbo could no longer stand, Zhang Xiao did not press the attack. After all, as a founding disciple, Wang Yanbo’s status was still formidable; killing him outright would bring the Sect Leader Kong Xuan down on Zhang Xiao’s head. With a final whip-kick to Wang Yanbo’s chest, he sent him flying.

Zhang Xiao pointed at Wang Yanbo’s head and declared, “Wang Yanbo, you may be a founding disciple, but remember this: as long as you cannot defeat me, you have no right to meddle in the outer sect’s affairs. All personnel changes and life-and-death matters in the outer sect are mine to command. If you dare interfere again, I’ll thrash you every time I see you.” He then shouted, “Someone, escort your Senior Brother back to the inner sect!”

Shock rippled through the hall; Zhang Xiao’s thunderous methods left everyone in awe. If even a founding disciple of Mount Mao could be pummeled like this, what chance did the outer disciples have? The thought made the legs of those previously disrespectful toward Zhang Xiao turn to jelly.

Fortunately, Zhang Xiao ignored these minor figures. Once Wang Yanbo was taken away, Tang Chuan was brought out from the labor camp. Upon seeing Zhang Xiao, Tang Chuan was overwhelmed and hurried forward, tearfully recounting his grievances. After Li Danian had pledged himself to Wang Yanbo, he not only imprisoned Zhang Hu but also purged the original management of the G State Branch and confiscated Tang Chuan’s storage bag.

Zhang Xiao patted Tang Chuan’s shoulder in comfort. “It’s settled. Zhang Hu is recovering. In the next two days, take my token and recall the original staff to restore order. Send word: Li Danian betrayed the sect, harmed his fellow disciples, and usurped the branch master’s position. From today, he is to be imprisoned until Zhang Hu recovers and a decision is made. Any who conspired with Li Danian must confess within a day; those who do will be forgiven. Anyone found guilty after that will share his fate.”

With these orders, turmoil swept the branch. Li Danian, barely back from the dead, was quickly bound and thrown into the dungeon by a mob of disciples before he even knew what had happened.

As for Zhang Xiao, he paid no further attention. Tang Chuan and Zhang Hu were more than enough to handle these matters. He had more important tasks ahead and, after delegating his affairs, hurried away to seclusion.