Weapon seller in the world of magic-Chapter 689: Meeting in the dark

The moon had barely risen when the Ancient Lan Sect fell into an unusually heavy silence that evening.

The coronation celebrations were over, the guests had returned to their dignified quarters, and the clan disciples had finally settled after the shock of Mark’s sudden reforms. Even the grand courtyards, usually bright with lanterns, seemed dimmer that night.

Mark had returned to his own humble and cozy residence nearby the sect, where he lived for months, rather than the Ice Palace of the Clan, exhausted from the coronation and the flood of responsibilities he had to take on his shoulders. He retired to his residence without fanfare, unaware of what was happening on the other side of the mountain.

Far from the main halls, deep within a secluded chamber in the Ice Palace, a door creaked open. A group of shadowed figures slipped inside, one by one, moving in silence. Their robes were long, their hoods drawn so low that not even their chins were visible. Only the flickering red lamp at the center of the room illuminated their silhouettes.

The chamber itself was built for secrecy. With a noise-canceling barrier around the chamber, the sound will not leave it. This place had been used for secret discussions for thousands of years, and tonight, once again, it was used.

When the last hooded elder entered, the door closed with a dull thud, sealing them inside.

Everyone took their seats around a long, curved table. At the very end of it stood a single elevated throne carved from black frost-crystal. A figure occupied it already, draped in an embroidered cloak just like the others. This was the leader of the secret council.

The meeting began the moment he raised his hand.

"Everything that happened today," he said slowly, "cannot be ignored."

A murmur rippled across the chamber, hushed but full of emotion. A few elders leaned forward, while their faces were still hidden under their hoods.

One of them whispered sharply, "He declared independence. Independence from the Heavenly Ocean Empire! Does he want to destroy the entire dominion?"

Another scoffed from across the table. "Whether he wants it or not, his actions will cause war. You heard him. He wants to so-called modernize everything, change traditions, and even make peace with the Fire Clan. He’s destabilizing every foundation our ancestors maintained for generations."

A third elder spoke with a colder tone. "He is too bold and arrogant. And he doesn’t treat us as his seniors at all. Today he embarrassed the imperial envoy, declared political war, and walked off as if nothing mattered. If we let it go by like this, disaster befalls our clan. The other clans will betray us the moment the Imperial family declares war."

Several nodded in agreement.

Someone else, however, spoke with hesitation. "However, he is... terrifyingly strong. He defeated the Patriarch in front of everyone’s eyes. His sister is the inheritor, and even our own guardian, the Blizzard Pegasus, is supporting him. Are you certain we should provoke someone like that?"

"Strong or not," another elder snapped, "power is not the problem. The problem is the direction he is taking us in. We cannot allow a newly risen transcendent with foreign ideas to rewrite thousands of years of heritage."

A deep, aged voice joined the debate. "And if we let him continue, he will drag us all into disaster. If the Emperor truly becomes furious, the Empire might mobilize Lord Hei. Do you believe we can survive him just because we have a guardian beast now? Sure, the Blizzard Pegasus will protect him from such power, but what about us?"

The room grew colder with each accusation, each prediction of doom. Every voice felt like a dagger being pushed further into a wound. Even those who didn’t hate Mark were filled with fear.

The leader on the throne finally lifted his hand again, and the entire room fell silent.

For a few seconds, nothing moved.

And then he spoke, "You are all saying the same thing. Some fear him. Some resent him. Some do not care what happens to him. But all of you agree on one truth."

His head lifted slightly beneath the hood.

"He is a threat. A threat to tradition. A threat to the sect’s stability. And a threat to our survival."

Several elders lowered their heads. Some clenched their fists. One of them whispered, "Then what do you suggest?"

The leader leaned forward slowly, the shadow of his hood casting a dark veil over the table.

"We remove the threat."

"But, he is your family..." gasped one.

The leader replied, "The clan is above one’s bond. The Clan is above one individual, whether it is you, me, or even Lan Zhen."

A chill swept through the chamber at his voice, filled with seriousness. A few elders inhaled softly, some in fear, some in anticipation. They were only expecting to dethrone Mark, not kill him.

The leader continued without a hint of hesitation.

"Lan Zhen must be killed in the bud before he grows into a tree and destroys everything we built. And we have to do it before he moves to the palace."

No one spoke after that.

The lantern flickered again.

And inside the dark chamber, the secret council of the Ancient Lan Sect began discussing how to eliminate their newly crowned Sect Head.

While some loyalists to the throne were discussing how to remove Mark from existence, in the meantime, Mark sat cross-legged inside his residence. His room was dim, lit only by the small jade lamp he kept beside the meditation mat.

He had tried to meditate, but his mind refused to settle. He let out a long, quiet sigh.

"Was this... really the right choice?"

He leaned back slightly, staring at the ceiling as if the answer might appear there.

The truth was, everything had escalated too quickly. Too unexpectedly.

Just a week ago, he was planning a simple return home. Bring Lan Xia and Shang Jiao with him before settling there for good.

It was a simple plan and a straightforward path.

But as soon as Shang Jiao looked him in the eye and told him she wouldn’t come home...

Everything changed.

He could still remember that moment vividly, the look on her face, determined yet hiding something painful that Mark was familiar with. She was only eighteen, far too young to carry such burdens, yet she stood her ground anyway. It was the same thing Mark experienced when he left his brother behind and joined the military back in his past life, but he didn’t understand what is it that bothering his sister. She has been that way ever since she was saved from the Curse of Time. And Mark, as her brother, couldn’t just leave her behind without ensuring her safety.

That very moment, he decided he would take the clan head position. Not for prestige. Not for authority.

It was for her.

He wanted to become the clan head, smooth her path, strengthen the Lan Sect, and secure a safe environment for her future. Then pass the position to Lan Yuxuan with the excuse of being unfit after "offending the imperial family."

Simple. Clean. Reasonable.

But then...

The Fourteenth Prince arrived...

Demanding they join a war specially arranged to cripple the clan...

Trying to push them into a political death trap...

And worst of all, daring to look at Lan Xia with that disgusting interest.

Then his great-grandfather forced him into a duel. Forcing him to go all out, eventually leading to him becoming the clan head in front of the entire sect.

Then the elders demanded compliance with imperial orders.

Then the Empire tried to control them.

Then the only way to protect the clan... was to sever ties completely.

Now, here he was, sitting alone in a quiet room, crowned as the Sect Head of the Ancient Lan Sect, a title he never wanted, gaining authority he never planned to hold, shaping the fate of a clan that he even considers as his own.

He rubbed his temples slowly.

"Damn it... Why did everything have to grow this big?"

He wanted to bring Shen Ling and the children here. He wanted his worlds connected. He wanted his family whole again.

But how could he bring them?

This realm was full of forces he didn’t understand yet.

Technology from Earth could help, yes. But even then... security wasn’t absolute.

Moreover, there is a problem with the environment.

"I cannot bring them into a battlefield..." he mumbled. "Not with unknown enemies lurking around. Not until the elders fall in line. Not until the Empire backs off. Not until..."

The list kept growing.

He let out another sigh, heavier than the first.