Watching the Mountain

Chapter 256: Chapter 162: Succession

Xu Ran was well aware of why Li Daoyi was so insistent on strengthening the Sect.

Li Daoyi hailed from one of the most ancient families within the Sect, a family that could be said to have dedicated its very all to the Sect’s cause.

His family had produced eleven Sect Leaders. And almost every single one of them had stepped up during the Sect’s most dire crises, turning the tide and saving it from the brink of disaster.

Not a single one of them had died of old age. Every last one had fallen in battle, fighting for the Sect.

This was why, despite the family’s large numbers and considerable influence within the Sect, not a single disciple ever held a grievance against them. The disciples felt they had earned their status; many even believed the Sect was indebted to the family.

Many families with deep ties to the Sect might engage in sordid affairs, such as siphoning off Sect resources to bolster their own clan or treating the Sect as their private enterprise.

But this was not the case for the family behind Li Daoyi. They had cultivated a proud and unyielding family ethos.

Namely: the Sect belongs to all its members, not to any single family. It is the Sect that shelters and nurtures the growth of its families, not the families that make the Sect powerful.

When an entire family has adopted such a proud creed and atmosphere, underhanded dealings become far less common. Even if a few selfish individuals were to tarnish the family’s reputation, they would never be able to gain significant traction.

At least for now, the family behind Li Daoyi was held in high regard within the Sect. They also strictly adhered to their principles, sending only a select few elites into the Sect and carefully controlling the number of their kin among the ranks.

Xu Ran felt a deep admiration for the family behind Li Daoyi. They were a clan that truly possessed their own integrity and convictions; there was a reason their legacy had endured for so long.

Li Daoyi himself was a perfect example. His pride was directed inward, only at himself. Toward his fellow disciples, he was warm-hearted, humble, and courteous.

Xu Ran often heard him encouraging other disciples, saying, "The Sect’s strength depends on the hard work of every single one of its members."

In Xu Ran’s assessment, his martial nephew was a young man with his own pride, yet also righteous and chivalrous—the kind of young prodigy who embodied the ancient spirit of both the noble Immortal and the gallant hero.

Therefore, whenever Li Daoyi came to him, Xu Ran was always happy to oblige his requests for guidance on his Swordsmanship.

But what Xu Ran never would have expected was that, while he was so pleased with his martial nephew, his martial nephew did not seem to be pleased with him.

One day, when Lu Mingchen was away, Li Daoyi clasped his hands in a salute to Xu Ran and spoke in a gentle, polite tone.

"Martial Uncle, this disciple has a question. It may cause you offense, but I must ask for your clarification."

Xu Ran gave him a strange look and asked curiously, "What kind of question could possibly offend me? Speak freely."

Li Daoyi first raised his hands and formed a Dao Seal. After bowing respectfully, he fixed his gaze on Xu Ran and spoke.

"Master once said that you and Senior Sword Dao Ye Shan are the closest of friends and that he even gave you guidance on your Swordsmanship. I was curious about you, but I couldn’t find any information, so I went to the Internal Affairs Hall and applied to view your public file."

"But the public file states that you only joined the Sect in recent years. If that is true, then you logically shouldn’t know Senior Sword Dao Ye Shan, let alone my master."

Xu Ran gave Li Daoyi a long, searching look. He hadn’t expected that so soon after changing his identity, someone would actually investigate his records—and that person, of all people, would be his own martial nephew.

For Li Daoyi to investigate his records and then bring it up so openly, questioning him to his face... it was remarkably forthright.

He asked with a hint of curiosity, "What are you trying to imply by telling me all this, Martial Nephew?"

Li Daoyi seemed surprised that Xu Ran wasn’t angry in the slightest. An astonished look crossed his face before he paused to reflect for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"Under normal circumstances, a person in the Sect has no need to change their identity. Unless, of course, they have a secret they can’t afford to have exposed."

He paused, glancing at Xu Ran to gauge his reaction before continuing.

"I do not know why you changed your identity, Martial Uncle. But with your Purple Mansion Stage Cultivation, you certainly couldn’t have managed it on your own. Someone else must have helped you."

"Furthermore, I have been observing for some time. You spend every day either in the Scripture Pavilion or your Cave Mansion, never taking on any other assignments. This is even more peculiar. The duties in the Scripture Pavilion are typically reserved for elders who can no longer perform regular missions but have made significant contributions to the Sect. You, Martial Uncle, clearly do not fit that description."

"And yet, here you are, holding a post in the Scripture Pavilion..."

Xu Ran nodded slightly. He understood now. His martial nephew likely saw him as a freeloader who had gotten his position through connections and was living off the Sect’s dime.

He smiled and asked Li Daoyi, "If you think there’s something wrong with my identity, then why haven’t you reported me to the Law Enforcement Hall?"

Li Daoyi shook his head, his expression calm as he replied:

"Anyone capable of arranging such a flawless new identity for you must hold a significant position within the Sect. And the fact that you can remain here so openly suggests you have no fear of the Law Enforcement Hall."

He paused to think for a moment before saying to Xu Ran in a serious tone, "More importantly, my master is acquainted with you. Given his character and his pride, if you were truly a nobody, he would never associate with you."

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