Chaotic.
This was really the only word that Xi Shen could use to describe the current situation inside the Faction Hall.
“Lou Fu, what the hell do you mean your Wealthy Sword Faction deserves 20% of the resources?!! Do you think this is one of your Fei Clan’s business deals?!”
In one of the chairs around the hall, Fei Luo Fu, the eldest son of the Fei Clan-s Patriarch and Faction Leader of the Wealthy Sword Faction, was wearing fancy clothes embroidered with countless jewels. On all of his fine fingers were shiny rings.
He was a man who wasn't afraid to show his wealth, in fact, it seemed he was afraid people wouldn’t be able to tell he was extremely wealthy.
Hearing the yells of the young man in his early twenties directed to him, his jewelry bracelets and necklaces jingled a lot as he shrugged his shoulders and then said, “When it comes to the contributions we of the Wealthy Sword Faction have made to increase the wealth of the Sword Pavilion, and Academy as a whole, it’s more tangible than what all of you guys did by waving around your weapons.”
“Bullshit!! We of the Stormy Violet In The East Sword Faction have subjugated numerous hideouts of the Demonic Cult over the past year! How can you money-seeking bastards from the Wealthy Sword Faction, who only knows how to shamelessly cheat people out of their money, have contributions that are worth anything?!!”
The one to argue with Luo Fu was Lin Dong. He was the eldest son of the Lin Clan patriarch and Faction Leader of the Stormy Violet In The East Sword Faction.
Like most people with power and wealth, he was considered extremely handsome. Especially since he was well dressed in his Sword Pavilion’s white robes, with his having a violet sun insignia on his right chest. A Sword was strapped to his waist as well with a violet scabbard.
“Lin Dong, why do you speak as if your Faction was the biggest contributor to eliminating the secret hideouts of the Demonic Cult? Our Flowing River Sword Faction has subjugated eight low-level bases as well as one mid and high-level base. If I’m not mistaken, your Faction hasn’t even subjugated one mid-level base this year.”
The one who retorted to Lin Dong was Sua Yuming. She was the only daughter of the Sua Clan Matriarch, as well as the Faction Leader of the Flowing River Sword Faction, and Guiren’s older sister too.
One thing that should be noted was that the Sua Clan was actually ruled by a Matriarch instead of a Patriarch. However, Yuming’s father was the one who was in charge of the Sua Clan most of the time since her and Guiren’s mother would be in seclusion all year round, cultivating their Sua Clan’s famous technique, The Moon In The Well.
Her dress cascaded down to the ground rather messily, giving her the feeling of being a raging sea despite her delicate and calm demeanor.
Her dress had designs of blue waves on it's hems, that was meant to add a feature from her Clan to her attire.
This was common as seen from Lou Fu's luxurious redesigns of his Sword Pavilion’s white robes, and the violet-colored designs on Lin Dong’s robes as well.
When Lin Dong heard Yuming’s calm but vicious words, his expression turn ugly before indignantly saying, “That’s because before my Faction members could even take the missions, they were all stolen away by your Faction or the Divine Sword Faction!”
Lin Dong glared at Yuming before his gaze turned to an extremely beautiful young girl, who despite being among these slightly older and stronger seniors, was very calm and compose.
After hearing Lin Dong’s proclamation, she closed her eyes and said in a relaxed manner, “My brother’s Faction is not responsible for your failure to produce results.”
This young and beautiful girl who could cause the collapse of kingdoms, and made even a confident Yuming beside her, admit her inferiority to her looks, was none other than Ling Xia. Vice Faction Leader of the Divine Sword Faction and younger sister of the number one genius of the Celestial Academy, Ling Tian.
When entering the Faction Hall, Xi Shen and Yang Su only had frowns and cursory glances cast at them as they entered, or more specifically Xi Shen.
When Xi Shen took his seat with Yang Su standing behind his chair like most of the attendants of the various Faction Leaders, his and Yang Su’s gaze landed on Ling Xia as she entered the Faction Hall.
Xi Shen had recognized her right away but it took Yang Su a moment before his expression lit up.
He immediately went to talk to her to ask how she was, and Xi Shen was going to stop him at first, but then he chose not to.
And the results could be said to be extremely crushing for a poor Yang Su.
He happily approached Ling Xia but her attendant behind her immediately stepped forward and blocked him.
Yang Su was first taken aback and felt rather uncomfortable at this person suddenly glaring at him, but he wasn’t deterred and spoke around him to Ling Xia.
Seeing Yang Su trying to talk to his young miss so familiarly, the attendant expression became hesitant and he turned to look at Ling Xia, perhaps she knew this person.
However, Ling Xia in response was to take a glance at him before indifferently looking away.
Seeing her indifference, the attendant took Yang Su to be an admirer of Ling Xia who wanted to talk to her. In utter disgust, he ridicule Yang Su in front of everyone in the Faction Hall, Yang Su was so embarrassed that he couldn’t even find the ability to retort.
He was really sad, as well as confused.
Why would Ling Xia act like she didn’t know him?
This was the question that Yang Su asked himself as he replayed the cold and indifferent look Ling Xia had given him.
Yang Su then walked back to stand behind Xi Shen with his head lowered.
Even after the meeting had begun, he hadn’t once looked up.
Xi Shen didn’t really know what to say to cheer him up, so he just didn’t say anything in hopes Yang Su would eventually get over the devastating blow.
But putting that aside.
Xi Shen glanced at the Faction Hall entirely to once more look at the clear dividing line between the Faction Leaders.
The Factions of the six of the Seven Major Clans were up front with larger chairs, while the rest were in lower chairs some distance away from them, as if to remind people of the above all existence they have in the Academy.
In the Academy, there were Conclave disciples who created Factions that spread to all of the divisions in the Academy. And there were the Faction Leaders from the Core Formation and Inner Disciple Academy who chose to create a Faction that stayed in one division.
This Faction meeting was only for the Factions within the Sword Pavilion. But even so, the number of Faction Leaders inside wasn’t small.
All the Conclave Disciples who were Faction Leaders were from the Seven Major Clans and were the only ones that have their Factions spread to the other divisions.
But they were all members of the Sword Pavilion in the Conclave Academy, and they place extreme importance on their family’s Faction there since it was the number one division in the Academy. Well, except for the Ming Clan who didn’t have any there. Their base of operation was more in the Blade Pavilion.
So with that established, Faction Leaders from the Conclave Academy down to the Inner Academy, were here in this Faction Hall.
This was the one time of the year that Inner Disciples, Core Disciples, and Conclave Disciples could be found in one room. This was also the only time the Inner and Core Disciple were allowed to enter the Conclave Academy where the Faction Hall was located.
What this also meant, is that all the Puppet Faction Leaders were here as well. All of them have nervous looks on their faces, making it obvious they didn’t want to be there.
It was obvious their Factions that were only focused on scamming disciples contributed nothing to receive resources from the Sword Pavilion.
They were in lower chairs at the end of the Hall near the exit. This was actually where Xi Shen was as well. It was a common consensus that the useless Factions were put at the back in inconspicuous positions in the Faction Hall.
Whether it was to undermine Xi Shen or they weren’t taking his Faction seriously, either way, to designate a seat to him here was meant to humiliate him. But he took it in strides and didn’t show a ounce of complaint on his face, and only watched these highly respected senior brothers and sisters higher up in the hierarchy of the Academy quarrel over Academy Points and resources to fund their Factions.
After Ling Xia spoke, Shirong, who was the eldest son of the Zhong Clan patriarch and Faction Leader of the Scholar Sword Faction, said to her, “And where is your brother? To think he would disobey the rules of the Academy and ditch this meeting to have his little sister fill in for him.”
Ling Xia calmly responded, “My brother is currently out on a special mission for the Academy, he is unable to make it here so he allowed me to take his place.”
“Well, that’s wonderful and all, but this argument is going nowhere!”
A burly-looking Bai Huang Fu said before he turned his gaze to an old man who had been calmly sipping tea at the end of the Hall this entire time. He then said, “Head Elder, how are the resources split up? We can argue among ourselves all day but ultimately it is your to decide on how the resources are distributed.”
This old man who was referred to as Head Elder, was in charge of the Sword Pavilion and was below the Vice Headmaster. Below him were the six elders in the Inner Academy, the Core Academy, and the Conclave Academy, and after that were the Deacons.
After sipping his tea, he calmly responded to Huang Fu’s question.
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