"Abandoned children trained to die." Shou Xins killing intent vanished as he calmly walked forward the disciples of the various clans flinching.
To the side, the young lords watched from afar, Juon Kang sitting with a particularly interested gaze.
Naturally, upon hearing Shou Xin's words, the disciples understood what was being said, and they felt a pinch in their hearts.
After feeling his strength and having many days to think over why it could have been that no seniors had come with them… they had understood.
"We are not the strongest." Shou Xin's voice drew them in like a beautiful song despite it's rough truths, "However."
Liu Gang turned his back, revealing the Shou Emblem.
"When we rise, it is together." Shou Xin slowly turned his back revealing he too had an executioners platform, "And when we fall, it is together."
The disciples, and even the bosses were shocked.
Many could not believe their eyes.
For an emblem to have an executioners platform sent a clear message, it was loyalty unto death, but for the head of that clan to wear it the same, it was no longer a message.
It was a promise.
That not matter the horrible times, no matter how high the waters or dark the morning light had become, no matter anything at all good or bad, they would never be alone in their convictions, from the newest member to the veteran with white hair and a shortening lifespan.
They could always look forward and see that promise, no matter how far back, nor how far forward, their sight was also assured to the ones beside and in front of them.
Even now, as the Shou Clan which had little actual combat experience, did not flinch.
Through thick and thin, hell or high waters they would live and die together.
That was the promise it told.
It not a message, nor threat.
It was their oath.
--
The disciples understood this, upon seeing the absolute faith he had to give his back to the enemy knowing his disciples would defend him, the faith his disciples had knowing he would do the same for them.
The conviction which sat quietly, like a preying tiger in their eyes.
The battle was over, before it had begun.
Their fighting spirit evaporated like morning dew.
"Those who seek to join, are welcome." Yui Luo stood beside Shou Xin and spoke, not needing to shout in the pin drop silence.
"If you wish, you may also leave. No one will harm you today." Liu Gang stabbed his sword into the ground, his gaze solemn and serious.
That was the final nail in the coffin.
"I will- Ah!" A disciple stepped forward, however just as he did, a terrifying energy appeared from somewhere arriving at his throat at breakneck speeds!
However!
Shou Xin was faster!
The strike which was about to land on the girl, was stopped short by an inch, Fukkatsu in it's sheath, had completely nullified the attack.
"This is your answer?" Shou Xin's calm gaze fell on the bosses who felt a blood chilling sensation crawl up their backs.
They'd intended to scare the disciples into listening, but only succeeded in turning them against themselves.
The methods of crime families would not work against disciples who had trained under legitimate clans, it would only enrage them.
That was their mistake.
In an instant, the crowd they'd brought turned on them.
"You tried to kill me! That's proof enough! Everyone listen! We are here to be sacrificed! Do we owe loyalty to such a clan that would throw us away like dirt?! Do we have to die because they tell us! We are being used as… as… as expendables!" The girl disciple's eyes watered, tears falling like a stream, "Have we not been bullied enough?!"
Shou Xin calmly looked at the girl disciple.
It was clear what she meant.
Within the clan's, there is no way that someone they had deemed would never become an elite, either because their Primeval Qi was too low to create a foundation, or their talent too weak to be worth training, would be treated well!
If anything, they would have been severely mistreated and bullied.
Her words sealed it in his mind.
"Beneath the winged sword, all are afforded dignity." Shou Xin's words crawled into their souls like fresh food into the mouth of a hungry ghost.
The group of disciples sent by the clans, bearing their many colors… surrender their weapons.
In doing so, Shou Xin looked up to the bosses who stood on his clan's walls, his Sword Aura keeping them in place through the sheer pressure.
Because of his Cursed Chains, he was not ten times stronger than the First Chain Experts, nay, he was fifteen their strength.
"Surrender." He said calmly.
Those bosses who were being pressured could not reply, and whilst the crowd all stared at him with killing intent, none of them could hope to notice what they saw.
Shou Xin's clouded eyes were glinting mercilessly.
It was then they understood.
He never intended to let them surrender.
"Out with the old, in with the new." Shou Xin thought as he ruthlessly marked the air with a single long horizontal brush stroke, "To truly take power, one must first pull the roots out from the old powers."
"Fukkatsu Kiru." Shou Xin's words were like a bloody wind in the face of the crowd.
It was over in a flash of red light.
The bosses heads rolled.
Those disciples shivered in fear, their faces pale. Seeing how easily they'd been slaughtered, it cut out any thought that perhaps their clans were simply underestimating the Shou or overestimating them.
It was now doubtless.
Pawns.
They'd been abandoned by their clans to die.
This realization was crushing to many of them, such that when the bodies hit the ground, many fell to their knees, hyperventilating, vomiting and passing out.
It was too heavy a blow.
Shou Xin watched all of this and raised a hand, letting it fall on the girl disciples shoulder.
"What is your name?"
"Responding to Patriarch, I am called Wo Yiyu a trail walker." Wo Yiyu said from behind her deep, black hair.
"You have a good head." Shou Xin said calmly, "Follow."
"Yes, Patriarch!" Wo Yiyu's eyes sparkled as she followed behind him closely.
"Liu Gang is the Guard Commander. Yui Luo is the Treasury Head." Shou Xin said as he stood before the two, "Go."
The two bowed and quickly moved forward, disarming the force and bringing them into the clan with places to stay already prepared beforehand.
Wo Yiyu, who stood next beside him, quietly looked around as they soon arrived at the bamboo forest, she seemed curious but said nothing, her gaze constantly analyzing her surroundings.
"These are our allies, Elder Yu of Tai School, and Guo Long of Sea Spring Merchant Union." Shou Xin introduced the two who looked at the girl strangely, "Take a seat."
Shou Xin sat where he was previously, as did Elder Tai and Guo Long.
Yet, there was a fourth chair prepared now.
Wo Yiyu's expression shifted slightly as she sat down.
"How did you know?"
Shou Xin warmed his tea and raised the other cup to Wo Yiyu who shook her head so he passed it to her cold.
"I don't see with my eyes," Shou Xin quietly reached out with his Sanguine Sword Qi grabbing onto Wo Yiyu's face which began to sift as though it were sand until a new face appeared, "I am sensitive to small changes."
"Woah!" Wo Yiyu's smile emerged brightly, "So that's how? They taught us in the academy that such things were nearly impossible for regular cultivators to notice, though?"
She looked at Shou Xin, her true face revealed.
A true beauty, her skin soft and not coarse like a wanderer, her eyes sharp and crimson hair fearsome like a phoenix's feathers!
She seemed more mature as well, leaning back in her seat. Through her innocent facade, Shou Xin could see a vast wealth of experiences, as though he were looking into his fathers eyes and not a young girls.
"There are many methods in the world." Elder Yu took a sip of his tea, "The External Affairs branch is quite involved in this matter, are they not?"
"That was swift. Truly the great work of an alumni of the the Cloud Spire." A shadow emerged from the corner of the room.
"Muu…" Wo Yiyu's face portrayed that of a girl who had much to say, but refused to say word about it.
"Branch Head." Guo Long nodded and with a flick of his wrist, a chair was pulled up.
"Union Leader Guo," The shadow nodded and sat down, "Elder Yu, it is an honor to make your acquaintance, I hope my colleagues in the Yan Province are treating you well."
"They are effective." Elder Yu looked down to his tea uncaringly.
Shou Xin poured a cup of the cold tea, and raised it.