Just a step behind Li Shen was Lihua.
Strangely enough, both of them weren’t wearing the Sword Pavilion robes, instead, they wore custom design white and black robes only public members of the Divine Sword Music Faction wore.
On their chests, embroidered in golden threads, was a single musical note cross with a sword.
This was something that no other Faction was allowed to do.
“Welcome Elder brother and senior sister Lihua!”
The crowd of youths and young men in the hall all stood and greeted them.
Walking up to the podium in front of the hall, Li Shen motioned them to sit with a smile.
Two mats were present on the podium and Li Shen took a cross-legged seat with Lihua behind him.
“So, who did I hear had a breakthrough?”
Li Shen was resting his head on his hand that was propped up on his knee. His other hand held a fan that he casually opened and began fanning himself with.
Streams of sunlight seeped through the window and landed on everyone, but on him, it made him resemble a free and wandering spirit that just so happened to make a stop here to impart his wisdom, before wandering to his next destination.
No matter how many times they see him, these disciples couldn’t help but wonder how the rumors going around in the outside world were so completely far from the truth.
He was neither a greedy miser since if he was he wouldn’t be doing this for them. As for him secretly resembling a devil with horns and sharp teeth that he would use to chump on little kids' flesh. Just look at his appearance! Can someone like that be called a hideous devil?
If he was, then every other man was nothing more than the slippery wet fart of a hideous devil.
With a heart-pounding with nervousness, the youth from before stuttered out.
“E-Elder brother, that would be me.”
“Oh, then would you mind standing up.”
The youth did as told before Li Shen said.
“Renshu, since you’re new here you probably don’t know this yet, but those who go through a breakthrough are allowed to ask me one question.”
Renshu was shocked that Li Shen knew his name, but immediately he felt numerous jealous stares penetrate his back.
“Uh…”
Seeing his nervous attitude, Li Shen said.
“Guys stop it, if you want the same treatment then make a breakthrough, it’s as simple as that.”
With Li Shen’s words, the stares Renshu felt vanished.
“So, do you have a question you’d like to ask? It doesn't have to be about cultivation, it can be about anything you might want to know about me, the faction, or anything in general.
“Though I should say not to waste this opportunity. There’ve been a few who came here only to waste asking questions I might not answer.”
A few people in the crowd displayed bitter expressions upon hearing that.
Renshu stood there in silence for a moment, but Li Shen patiently waited for him to speak.
After a couple of seconds, Renshu turned to Li Shen and said.
“Elder brother, I’ve decided.”
“Hm, then ask away.”
Everyone became curious about what type of question he would ask, this was equally a benefit for them if he asked the right question they wanted to know the answer to.
Amidst the anticipating crowd, Renshu opened his mouth and asked.
“Elder brother, what I want to know is… why you're doing this?”
Li Shen hearing this was taken aback, however, he soon chuckled and that chuckle then turned into a burst of small laughter.
The crowd as well was taken aback by his question.
“I never got that question before, are you sure that you want to choose that as your question?”
Renshu nodded firmly.
“Alright, it’s not a question I mind answering. The reason why I hand select you all to come here to listen to me play is that I want you all to be indebted to me.”
Everyone in the hall froze at that.
Even Lihua's stoic expression changed before she looked at Li Shen’s back.
Seeing everyone’s reaction, Li Shen had one eye open as he asked the crowd of disciples.
“What? You didn’t expect that answer? Were you thinking I was doing this because of my kind nature?
“In what world would someone waste their time and energy on something that doesn’t benefit them? I help all of you overcome your limits and in exchange, you become my eyes and ears within the other Factions.”
Various looks appeared on each person’s faces in the crowd.
It not like that wasn’t something they hadn’t thought about, but they didn’t expect Li Shen to come out in the open and say it.
“Are all of you having regrets now? If you think unfavorable to what I’m doing you can leave, there is the door. I will neither threaten to harm you if you want to reveal what I said just now nor will there be any consequence. So, who wants to leave?”
A deafening silence swept over the hall.
Then, someone suddenly stood up, but he didn’t leave. He only looked around at everyone and said in a threatening tone.
“Elder brother might not do anything to those who want to betray him, but If anyone thinks they can leave this place and turn on him then you’ll surely regret that decision.”
Another person stood up and reiterated.
“That’s right, whether Elder brother's methods are right or wrong, he’s still willing to provide us with this opportunity. If the price of that is becoming a loyal unofficial member of the Divine Sword Music Faction that isn’t a con, that’s another opportunity!”
“Exactly! I’m not getting any younger and I missed the best years to rapidly improve my cultivation. Because of that, I fell into a routine of cultivating but not improving. I went to all the instructors in the Inner Academy for help, but they all gave me the same bullshit that I’ve reached the limit of my potential. Being told that constantly I started believing it and even consider signing up to become an Elder of the Academy, becoming just like those old farts.
“However, Elder brother reached out to me and gave me this opportunity to improve my once stagnate cultivation. I was trapped in a cycle that was festering among disciples like us. Having the same thing preached to you by those Elders who were told the same thing. I broke out of that cycle, but do any of you want to return to it by leaving this opportunity behind? You must be a fool!”
More than a few people spoke words like this until the entire hall was in agreement.
They weren’t leaving.
Li Shen seeing this released an inconspicuous smile. Meanwhile, Lihua was looking at the crowd of disciples' reactions with an attentive expression.
However, a voice suddenly echoed out that cut through the cohesion of the disciples.
“All of you are a bunch of dogs listening to this idiot’s rubbish!”
Ping.
A pin just fell across the room to echoed everywhere, the silence that came over the hall all of a sudden was frightening, making the atmosphere filled with tension.
The person who said that, was extremely brave to oppose the common consensus of the room.
All heads turned to look at the young man who said that.
He wore plain clothes and he looked relatively unremarkable.
A youth beside him turned to him with a frown and said.
“Shoi-ming, what the hell are you talking about? You’ve been here for all this time, are you seriously going to betray Elder brother?”
The young man named Shoi-ming snorted coldly before saying with derision dripping from his lips.
“All of you have been brainwashed by that Second Prince, and none of you don’t even realize it.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
Someone in the crowd immediately barked in retort.
However, Shoi-ming only looked at that person with ridicule. He then turned to Li Shen and said.
“You might be able to fool everyone, but I can tell what you're doing to these people. You’re slowly brainwashing them into your puppets to infiltrate the other factions. Your true goal is to become an all-encompassing hand that manipulates the Academy from the shadows!”
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