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.