Meanwhile, on the same night when Song Jia and Ji Wuye were about to spar, far back at Kunlun, the cavernous Hall of Insight was abuzz with activity.

Official Disciples and Inner Disciples scurried in and out, their robes swishing as the gigantic wooden door creaked open, revealing a gathering of all Elders.

Polished stone floors lay beneath them, reflecting the warm glow of red lantern lights that danced across the hall.

Large round tables filled the center, where each Elder sat with a practiced calmness, though their furrowed brows and pursed lips hinted at the gravity of the matter. Several stacks of parchments were scattered haphazardly over the aged wooden tables.

The Patriarch, seated at the center of attention, had his face veiled in shadows as usual, an impenetrable mask concealing his expression.

As the last disciples exited and the soft thud of the closing wooden door echoed through the chamber, a hush fell over the gathering - the meeting had officially begun.

One of the Elders, Elder Tan, stood up from his seat, the flickering lantern light casting dramatic shadows across his long black hair and the jagged scar that cut across his face from mouth to forehead.

He unrolled a parchment with a crisp snap, his sharp eyes gazing levelly at all those present. "First, we need to discuss the current chaos in the Qinghai Region." His voice was clipped, authoritative.

Elder Tan continued, "Several villages under our protection have been raided. New and old bandit groups have emerged, but thanks to our swift responses and the villagers' requests, the situation is almost settled."

He paused, mouth setting in a grim line. "However, we have unexpectedly received many requests from noble clans to exterminate these bandits in their regions as well."

"Exterminate? Don't those nobles have their pride? They're actually asking us to take on their responsibilities?" Elder Fang, whose downturned eyes and piercing sharp gaze commanded a withering presence, scoffed loudly.

He was always critical in his judgment - the one who had managed to guess about the dungeon.

"Yes, sadly," Elder Tan replied with a resigned honesty, meeting Elder Fang's intense stare. The other Elders shifted in their seats, expressions ranging from displeasure to confusion.

"Their defense is that they were outnumbered and lack manpower." Elder Tan went on, mouth twisting wryly. "In their messages, they stated, 'Would the Kunlun, once the protector of Jianghu and descendants of Immortals, be willing to lend their power to help us, the commoners?'"

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Those noble clans mostly consisted of generals and officers of the Western Xia dynasty. If they were pleading for help, it meant even the royals themselves could not handle the escalating situation, underscoring its grave urgency.

"This is truly chaos..." Elder Ma's deep voice rumbled like distant thunder, the muscular Elder's entire expression twitching with barely contained unease. The austere lines of his face seemed etched ever deeper by flickering lantern light.

"How many disciples do we have available?" Elder Fang's piercing gaze shifted to Elder Xia, who had been massaging his throbbing forehead throughout the tense meeting. A muscle twitched beneath Fang's scowling brow.

Elder Xia sighed heavily, dark bags visible beneath his lifeless eyes - a testament to many sleepless nights. "Not many, and if we deploy them, we won't have enough manpower remaining to guard the sect," he admitted, the words landing like lead weights.

An uneasy silence descended as Elder Xia's words sank in. It was true they had no formal obligation to aid the empire. But as those who walked the righteous path of virtue and kindness, they were bound by an unshakable moral code. To ignore these pleas and turn a blind eye to the suffering of the commoners... it left a sour taste.

"Hmm, let's approach this differently," Elder Qiao's voice sliced through the heavy quiet.

Until now, she had remained silent, covering her lower face with an ornately carved fan. She rose with practiced grace, gesturing for Elder Tan to surrender the parchment as her sharp eyes scanned its contents intently. "Since we lack sufficient manpower, we must prioritize any potential threats to our home first. Who knows when danger could strike us directly, especially amid such chaos?"

Her pragmatic words struck a chord, and the other Elders nodded in grim agreement. All except Elder Fang, whose narrowed gaze bored into her, awaiting her full proposal.

With a clap and a flourish of her fan, Elder Qiao strode to a nearby wooden board and deftly embedded the parchment, securing it with a forceful stab. "That must be our first priority," she declared crisply. "Now, regarding those pleas from the noble families for reinforcements..."

Her words trailed off as she unfurled a large map of the Western Xia dynasty's territories. All eyes locked on the sprawling map as a long wooden stick appeared, gripped purposefully in Elder Qiao's hand.

Elder Qiao continued, her tone measured but decisive, "But instead of blindly aiding them all, we should prioritize assisting only those in truly dire circumstances. This report,"

She rapped the parchment with her wooden stick, "specifies which situations are indeed critical emergencies, and which are merely exaggerated 'assumptions' on their part."

"An excellent strategy, Elder Qiao! As expected from one of our sharpest minds! The young always bring fresh ideas!"Elder Tan's drawn features brightened with palpable relief, and excited murmurs of approval rippled through the other Elders.

However, Elder Fang remained unmoved, his arms crossed tightly as his skeptical gaze bored into her. "But what if those arrogant noble clans refuse to accept our terms and continue demanding full reinforcement in the areas they've requested?" he challenged.

"And how can we verify these reports are even truthful? What if they are merely self-serving lies, not actual mandates from the Emperor himself?"

His words gave the other Elders pause, and frowns creased their brows once more. Most were skilled martial artists focused solely on training, not tactical maneuvers or political machinations.

They were not generals nor soldiers that could devise or utilize cunning tactics, nor were they scholars who used words and politics.

At their core, they remained a group of formidable yet straightforward martial artist bound by righteousness.

"Which is precisely why, before accepting any requests, we should first dispatch an envoy to confirm the validity of these reports directly with the Emperor," Elder Qiao replied calmly, her piercing gaze shifting to the center of the table where the Patriarch sat, his face still obscured in enigmatic shadows. "Is that correct, Patriarch?"

No one except their paramount leader could command an audience and persuade the Emperor himself. The reason was simple - besides being their strongest, the Patriarch's days were utterly unencumbered, leaving him with ample time for such a crucial task.

The other Elders nodded in reluctant agreement, their eyes turning expectantly toward that imposing yet veiled figure.

Sending the Patriarch was indeed crucial to ensure swift delivery. Being peerless in strength, he could travel at unmatched speed or leverage any means to expedite the journey. If they sent a mere disciple, it would take over a week to reach the capital city.

Dispatching one of the Elders would delay vital sect functions, as most Inner Disciples were away on assignments.

In essence, the Patriarch - who contributed little beyond accepting final decisions by virtue of being their strongest - was the most suitable candidate.

Moreover, if a paramount leader from such a powerful sect visited the Emperor's court, the process of securing an audience would be rapidly accelerated.

"Very well."