Silence...
After that elder, old six, had mentioned this did the other elders began to understand how grave this situation was.
If what he speculated was true, then this was no matter to be taken lightly.
Wang Xie had indeed contributed greatly despite the task appearing unremarkable. Yet, the results would have determined the fate of their sect if one mishap were to occur and everything would've fallen apart.
'That was a gamble! A ridiculous gamble betting on very weak cards held in his hands! What the hell was he thinking putting his faith on a young brat...'
His thoughts came to a halt as a thousand lightning strikes descended to hammer his head. Only then did old six, who was furious for an explanation, and a couple of elders along with Xingjian and Wang Liu, realized the entire purpose of sect leader's reckless scheme.
This Sect leader of theirs had always believed in the younger generation. He was always pinning his hopes on them. That one day he would get to see them soaring with their wings spread and carrying the Holy Grounds on their backs.
It wasn't because death was looming over his soul that he was gunning for the younger generation to grow, in fact, he still had a hundred centuries left until he would grow old and wrinkled. But the reason why was because he had already reached the limits of his potential. And he could no longer bring the sect to further heights.
As years go by, cultivating isn't getting any smoother for experts like them. Back when they were young and hot-blooded, they thought that they had unlimited potential and diligently cultivated to rise at the peaks. Only when they got old did their potential went dry and before they knew it...
Achieving a breakthrough wasn't so easy anymore.
Realizing what was hampering the Sect's rise to glory, he had devoted much resources on potential youngsters and had been eyeing on the talented young Wang ever since he got here.
He was willing to overlook any damage that brat has done so long as he could get him to contribute greatly for the sect.
Some of the elders didn't approve of sect leader's vision of believing in the younger generation. They believed that those who truly could bring the sect to glory are those devoted to the sect and had been following their teachings for generations.
But sect leader didn't think that way. After all, you don't have to be a local to help a starving village. And you don't have to be a devotee to contribute to a sect.
You can be a hero no matter who you are. And from what this situation with the village had settled them now, it seems sect leader was hell bent to prove his vision was the right course to take and everyone must support it...
Still though, sacrificing the lives of his subjects and endangering not only Wang Xie, but the entire foundation of their sect as well, if that was not his savage side showing again, they would have thought that the odds were just his unfortunate miscalculations.
Of course, old six was just speculating this, everyone knew that. But they couldn't help but take a glance at sect leader seated above the highest podium with his uncanny smile.
Somehow, that uncanny smile of his just got even more uncanny...
"I have no objections to the proposal."
"Same as I."
"I as well."
"Even I."
"Here as well."
Eventually, all the elders unanimously agreed to reward Wang Xie the baptism of the Holy Dragon's lake. Either way, it wasn't like they got an option. Wang Xie's contribution was irrefutable. If he had not done what he had did then the sect would have faced a catastrophe.
But then someone spoke to mention.
"In case we forgot, what about the Abbot who guards the lake? Don't we need his agreement too?"
"Since we all agreed to it, what can he possibly disagree with?" sect leader smiled. "In any case he's dissatisfied, I'll fire him on the spot!"
A short silence fell on the hall after that declaration. Then, as if wanting to proceed from this, it was Wang Liu's turn to speak.
"I know this is perhaps too late to mention but my son isn't in his perfect condition..." he began to explain what was happening to him. That he was currently unconscious, Demonic Energy was encroaching on his body, a Demonic Sword had transformed his human hand into the resilient flesh and bones of a demons.
And that suspicious squirrels sitting on the windowsill were staring at him with eyes of a murderer...
He explained all of it. And after all that, everything went silent.
Telepathic messages were transmitting everywhere again. The other elders were discussing how severe was Wang Xie's condition been. And then amongst the silence...
"I suggest we cut the arm off first to solve the problem."
"There you go again with that crazy idea! Stop that, okay! We are not cutting his arm!"
...
"Wang Xie has been tainted with the foulness of a Demon. I'm not going to ask why had he grasp a Demonic weapon without proper training first but clearly, we shouldn't haste his baptism. If we were to bathe him with such concentrated Yang Energy, then I'm afraid that he'll suffer unimaginable pain that he'll want to die from it... Or so I assume but, sect leader, is there a "good" reason why you want to baptize him in such a messy condition?"
The elder emphasized the "good" word just to show that his worries represented everyone's worries and assume that sect leader was showing his savage side again for a long time now.
The Holy Dragon's lake was indeed a blessed ground for cultivation. In fact, it would have been nirvana to those who cultivated Yang-type cultivation manuals, Sun principles or Draconian energy.
However, to demonic creatures who were born with bodies to breathe Demonic energy, the lake was ultimately abhorred by them due to its highly concentrated Yang energy.
Yin and Yang can mix as long as they balanced out, but demon and yang won't since their existing principles completely destroys each other!
If that were not the case then Demons and Gods wouldn't abhor each other so greatly as if they couldn't stand living under the same heaven and earth!
Query with such an opposition, sect leader merely chuckled and said with a calm-filled voice.
"It is generally known that young Wang has a Unique Body Constitution that can absorb and harness volatile elements that even geniuses couldn't handle, correct?"
The elders nodded in agreement but their confusion remains the same.
Indeed, it was generally known that Wang Xie had a Unique Body Constitution. In fact, it was too widely known that everyone who knows him knows it.
If someone were to converse topics about Unique Body Constitutions, then the first thought that pops into their minds is Wang Xie with his "Ebullient Spirit Body".
A Unique Body Constitution so unique yet so perfect for cultivation that people who diligently cultivated for centuries would gone bat-shit crazy in indignation if they were to be compared with his unlimited potential.
His Unique Body Constitution was very powerful that it could even warrant the filthy greed of so many powerful individuals would have come to kidnap Wang Xie for their own selfish desires.
If that were to happen then even Helios Dragon Sect with all its power couldn't protect Wang Xie from them and end up getting utterly annihilated from the annals of history!
Knowing such predicament looming on their hearts, they had tried their very best to conceal the special existence known as Wang Xie. Forcing him to stay inside sect territory and treat him like a king so that he'll be contented to stay... Because y'know, absolutely treating him like he's the most precious treasure they ever had instead of treating like a human being always goes well, right?
Right?!
Well unfortunately for them, no wall can hold the wind, or so the idiom goes and the uniqueness of Wang Xie's existence was widely known like wildfire spreading hysterically. Brewing up a clamorous storm amongst everyone who became interested in Unique Body Constitutions.
... But so far, there had been no powerful expert as of late to kidnap Wang Xie.
Why is that? Well, the reason is very simple.
Backings.
Wang Xie's background is very deep and widely known to everyone. Yet, the only thing they knew about him is just the tip of the iceberg.
Because if one were to even mention who backs the safety of Wang Xie, then they would have been scared shitless and hesitate to kidnap him for they own greed.
Even the most powerful of Holy Daoists are no exception.
But to explain Wang Xie's backings would too much time to explain so anyone who wants to explain it would just say briefly...
He has both the backings of Cosmic Dragon Sect and the Great Wang Clan.
Anyone was to have even one of them as their backings could do whatever they want to do in all 8 directions!
You wanna kill half of humanity, go for it!
You wanna take all the beautiful princesses as your concubines, go for it!
You wanna conquer the world without lifting a finger, go for it, you Lazy-ass!
Because with these backings, you can be king of the world!
... Or so everyone assumes but in reality, that was just an exaggeration. The truth is, no one can really mess with you if you had just one of them as your backings.
Not even a God will dare to push his weight on you.
That was because the influence and authority those two existing organizations wield in this world is comparable to the decree from the Immortal Emperor!
Oh, and by the way, Wang Xie has both of them.
But backings aside, Wang Xie's blessing and curse had always been his Unique Body Constitution. If he did not have such backings, then he would have cursed his own parents why he had been born.
Or curse at Ben Li the author of this world.
"Yes, we do know that he was blessed with such a constitution, but that doesn't guarantee his greatness as long as he doesn't cultivate his potential. So far, his performance with his specialties had been meager compared to the first expert had with his 'Ebullient Spirit Body' due to its Awakening incomplete. If his Unique Body Constitution were 100% awakened, then we wouldn't have to worry even if Demonic Energy were to encroach his Spirit!"
"And the last updated news was Wang Xie's constitution was at least 89% awakened. If we were to provide him resources capable of Awakening the remaining percentage of his constitution, then after that, will really be the time to unleash him as a true Cultivator."
The other elders express their approval as they nod.
Owing to the fact that Wang Xie has not fully grasp his potential, they held back on their plans which would have benefited both him and the sect. They would have loved to wait a bit more years until they could procure more resources that won't potentially affect the sect if ever consumed and wasted but it seems... Sect leader couldn't wait.
"The reason why I propose to baptize young Wang now in his deteriorating condition is to over-stimulate the Awakening of his constitution using the Refine Yang energy of the lake! Considering that Awakening his constitution requires more energy than what a Power Core Expert can harness, the energy of the Holy Dragon's lake is more than enough to stimulate his potential. The opportunity is now, gentlemen. Perhaps we will get many opportunities later in the future, but if we had the opportunity, why not do it now?"
"Please don't forget the crucial information, sect leader, if we were to bathe him in a condition where he is eroded by Demonic energy, what good would it do if his Spirit Vessel is crippled for cultivation as the Aftermath due to the conflict between two polar extremes of energy?"
"Hmph! Are getting senile with worries, you old worrywart?! If we were to hasten the full Awakening of his constitution, then the powers of his body will activate on its own to passively absorb the Demonic energy and convert it into its own powers! Not only will the conflict between two polar extremes not cripple him, it will even further fortify his cultivation to further heights! Reaching an unfathomable level of potential than ever before!"
After stating this conclusion, the hall fell silent.
After thinking it through, with the right preparation, and the perfect supervisor of the ritual, then the chances of further grooming him into a dragon will increase ten folds!
"Then I will say it again, this is our opportunity, gentlemen. For the sake of the sect's future, we must provide young Wang our support!"
"I agree!"
"Agree!"
"... Agree."
Pretty soon, everyone had approved to bathe Wang Xie in the Holy Dragon's lake. Whether the ritual will improve the sect's future prospects or not, will be up to how much effort they put into the ritual moments later.
Soon enough, the hall was swept with silence as the elders bid this discussion adjourn and left the hall. Old six remain with sect leader as they stared each other in the eye. An uncanny smile crept up on their faces as they laugh mockingly.
"... Haha! Old six, thanks for cornering their wits to my advantage. Without you, I couldn't possibly convince those idiots to agree with my proposal."
"Kukuku... Sect leader, don't you dare call yourself innocent. When you've already set us all up from the very beginning. Although I don't know how you did it, but if it were me then I could never pull it off so flawlessly. Sect leader, your mischief never ceases to horrifying me."
"No no, that's where you're overthinking it. I didn't really know that the Dragon Vein in whisker village was corrupted to begin with. In fact, I didn't even know that the damn Poisonmancer would resort to massacre the entire village. Although I set up an invisible Barrier to cage him, it was a miscalculation on my part that they died so horrifically. Had I known that he was a lunatic that had the impulse to kill, I would have never cage him with those innocent people."
Sect leader cast down his visage. Feeling very gloomy that he hadn't foreseen such events. Feeling the atmosphere has dampen, old six coughed in embarrassment to lighten up the mood.
"Nevertheless, it was with this miscalculation that Wang Xie had manage to contribute greatly. Had he not, then the future would have been so bleak for us."
"True, and if it wasn't for you here, then the elders would have pushed me to a corner instead and investigate my blunder."
"I grew up with the idiots as their big brother to begin with. Trust me, if you knew how to outwit those fools, then they would be in the palm of our hands. Shame though that they don't trust your vision and determination enough."
A languid sigh leaked out from his lips as old six recalls the old days in his memories.
Just when they were about to end this conversation, a disciple barged in from the hallway with a frantic, panic look on his face and drew the attention of the two.
"Sect leader! Sect leader! Bad news!"
"What? What is it, lad? Calm down and speak as you breathe."
Even though sect leader said that with a carefree voice, we were also getting nervous to what this lady had to report.
After calming down in the space of 4 seconds, the disciple finally regains some of his composure and reported after a respectful bow.
"It's the squirrels, sect leader. The squirrels from the Demonic forest took elder brother Wang from his infirmary room!"
"..." sect leader and old six.
What could those ungrateful creatures be doing to Wang xie? Those who knew had such worrying thoughts swirling in their heads