The elders’ war of words had transformed into a tempest of violence. The Heaven Path Realm elders clashed with unparalleled fury, their blows reverberating across the sect’s grounds. The skies darkened as their energies collided, creating storms of spiritual force that tore through the sect’s landscape.

Below, disciples scrambled for safety, their faces pale with terror. Buildings shook, and protective formations around the sect groaned under the strain. Shen Yuan, hidden within the shadows on a nearby cliff, watched the chaos unfold with an impassive gaze. “How easy it is to make the mighty fall apart”, he mused, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Master and Gui Zuwang…. were right, those oldies who lost their path will never reach the Dao!” Shen Yuan spoke with a twisted excitement rising in him.

The elders, consumed by their grievances, paid no mind to the damage they caused. Accusations flew as fast as their attacks.

“You dare call me a traitor, Feng Mo!? Your schemes reek of cowardice!”

“Cowardice? Look at your pathetic attempts to sabotage me, Elder Zhu! You think your little games have gone unnoticed?”

Each word, each strike, deepened the cracks in their unity. Shen Yuan’s smile grew colder. “Dance to my tune, old fools. The deeper the divide, the easier my victory. La la la~” Shen Yuan hummed with amusement.

Suddenly, the temperature in the area plummeted, and an oppressive aura descended like a mountain crushing everything in its wake. The battling elders froze mid-strike, their eyes widening in fear.

A figure clad in a flowing black robe appeared amidst the chaos, his presence enough to make the world tremble. His sharp gaze swept over the trembling elders, silencing them instantly.

It was Elder Tian Xu, a Nirvana Realm cultivator, whose authority extended over the entire sect and could be said to be equal in power to the four faction masters of the Gui Clan.

“Have you all lost your minds?” His voice was calm, but it carried a weight that crushed the spirits of everyone present. “Heaven Path Realm elders, disgracing yourselves with petty squabbles like mortals bickering over scraps. Look at the destruction you’ve wrought!”

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The elders bowed their heads in shame, their spiritual auras withdrawing as though afraid to offend further.

Tian Xu’s eyes narrowed. “This is the height of folly. You’ve brought chaos to the sect for what? Personal grievances? I suggest you remember your duties and act your age.”

He stepped forward, his gaze piercing through each elder in turn. His presence felt like a blade at their throats. “Or shall I teach you what true power is?”

The elders exchanged nervous glances, each muttering hurried apologies. Tian Xu didn’t respond immediately, his gaze grew colder.

“If you’re so desperate to fight, perhaps channel your efforts toward the source of your paranoia.” He turned and pointed toward the horizon, his finger seeming to cut through the air.

“The boy,” he said. “Shen Yuan!”

Gasps rippled through the elders. The name was like a spark to dry tinder.

“Shen Yuan!? A mere junior?”

“He’s nothing but a child playing at cultivation!”

Tian Xu’s lips curled into a thin smile. “And yet he has all of you, Heaven Path cultivators, at each other’s throats. Perhaps you should reflect on who the true child is here.”

The elders stiffened, the truth of his words burning like fire.

From his vantage point, Shen Yuan felt a chill run down his spine. He tried to remain calm, but the Nirvana Realm elder’s next action shattered his composure.

Without turning, Tian Xu’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. His spiritual sense swept out like a tidal wave, brushing over Shen Yuan’s hiding place.

Shen Yuan froze, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.

“He knows I’m here.”

The Nirvana elder’s lips curled into a faint, knowing smirk, though he didn’t say a word. Instead, he turned back to the elders, speaking with authority.

“Resolve your grievances, or I will resolve them for you. And if you wish to act against the boy, I suggest you do it with less embarrassment than this farce.”

With a wave of his hand, the oppressive aura vanished, and Tian Xu disappeared, leaving only silence in his wake.

The elders stood frozen, their gazes shifting uneasily. Each was lost in their own thoughts, calculating their next move.

Meanwhile, Shen Yuan melted deeper into the shadows, his breathing steadying as his heart resumed its normal rhythm. “A Nirvana elder…” The realization filled him with both fear and exhilaration.

“So, I’m on the radar now.”

Despite the danger, a devilish smile crept onto his face. “This only means my plans are succeeding faster than I expected.”

He turned and vanished into the darkness, his mind already racing with his next scheme.