Alex returned to Blackwood Cliff unharmed, a clear sign the Leader hadn't condemned him. Tong Baixiong and the others didn't hassle him further and even freed Lin Pingzhi.
In the days that followed, Yang Lianting, the chief steward, vanished from sight. Tong Baixiong and his men were baffled, clueless about what had happened in the back mountain's shadows.
After resting a few days, Alex sought out Lin Pingzhi. Under the guise of teaching, he used the initiation method to copy the Dugu Nine Swords into his apprentice's mind.
"Thank you, Master!" Lin Pingzhi exclaimed, dropping to his knees. "I'll master this unmatched swordsmanship, I swear!" Having felt the Dugu Nine Swords' power through the initiation, he was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Lin Pingzhi's heart swelled. The initiation method was said to drain the teacher's mind, yet Alex had shared this peerless skill without hesitation.
"Get up," Alex said, waving a hand, his tone cool. "I don't care for formalities. If you're truly grateful, keep it in your heart."
The master and apprentice talked a bit longer, but Lin Pingzhi was itching to seek revenge on Yu Canghai.
"Train hard here at Blackwood Cliff," Alex advised. "In a month, you can head down the mountain." He knew Lin Pingzhi's blood feud weighed heavy. Even with weak inner energy, the Dugu Nine Swords should be enough to crush Yu Canghai.
In the original tales, Linghu Chong, stripped of inner energy, still used the arrow-breaking move to blind eight bandits in a single strike.
"By the way, Master," Lin Pingzhi said suddenly, "Yang Lianting tried to kill you. He's gone now—did you finish him?"
Alex shook his head. "I only scarred his face, didn't kill him. He's been with the Leader these past days."
"Hmph," Lin Pingzhi scoffed. "He tried to murder you, and you just marred his face? That's letting him off easy."
"Easy?" Alex gave Lin Pingzhi a strange look. "You think I went soft? No, he's as good as dead."
"Dead? How?" Lin Pingzhi asked, confused. If Yang Lianting was with the Leader, wasn't he safe?
Alex just smirked, saying nothing.
Sure enough, half a month later, Dongfang Bubai announced he'd retreat to the back mountain for training, banning all visitors. Even Yang Lianting was cast out.
Yang Lianting, now scarred with four or five gruesome marks across his face, looked monstrous. Sect members whispered behind his back, their eyes full of scorn.
Disfigured and stripped of Dongfang Bubai's favor, Yang Lianting grew vicious. He lashed out, beating and cursing followers at every turn.
Days later, an order came from the back mountain. Dongfang Bubai stripped Yang Lianting of his chief steward role and named Alex the deputy leader of the Sun Moon Sect, handing him control over all sect affairs.
"Master!" Lin Pingzhi said eagerly after Alex's promotion. "Yang Lianting's lost his power, and you're deputy leader now. Let me deal with him—avenge his plot against you!"
Alex shook his head. "Focus on your Dugu Nine Swords. Yang Lianting's not worth our time. Someone else will handle him."
True to Alex's words, three days later, news spread: Yang Lianting had fallen from Blackwood Cliff and died.
As chief steward, Yang Lianting's arrogance had earned him many enemies in the Sun Moon Sect. Only Dongfang Bubai's favor had shielded him. Now, powerless, his foes had their chance.
When Alex heard Yang Lianting had fallen from Blackwood Cliff and died, he just nodded, his face unreadable.
It was no surprise—exactly as he'd planned.
That day in the back mountain, Alex could've killed Yang Lianting. So why only scar his face?
Yang Lianting had Dongfang Bubai's favor. Killing him would've pushed Dongfang Bubai beyond a few sparring moves into a fight to the death. Alex knew he couldn't beat Dongfang Bubai, nor was he sure he could escape. So, he disfigured Yang Lianting instead—enough to anger Dongfang Bubai, but not enough to make an enemy for life.
And would Dongfang Bubai still favor a scarred Yang Lianting? Hardly. Within ten days, Dongfang Bubai banished him from the back mountain.
If Yang Lianting had been smart—if he'd left quietly and managed the Sun Moon Sect well—Dongfang Bubai might've kept him on for his skills and old loyalty. But Yang Lianting, stripped of favor, turned cruel, lashing out at sect members. Their resentment grew, and Dongfang Bubai's decision to demote him made sense. His assassination was only a matter of time.
"But the Leader wants me to run the Sun Moon Sect?" Alex thought, frowning. The deputy leader role, with power over all sect affairs, troubled him.
Lin Pingzhi, Tong Baixiong, and others congratulated Alex, thrilled at his rise. They didn't see that Alex had no interest in managing the sect—he found it a waste of time.
He was just passing through this world. Why bother!,
The next day, while no one watched, Alex slipped away to the back mountain to find Dongfang Bubai.
He had one goal: resign as deputy leader.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
At Dongfang Bubai's secluded retreat, Alex saw him honing his hidden weapon skills. Embroidery needles clashed mid-air, redirecting with deadly precision to strike wooden targets.
"Brother Alex, here to talk flying needle techniques at last?" Dongfang Bubai said, his voice sharp, a faint grin breaking his stern face. Though he'd banned visitors to the back mountain, Alex was clearly welcome.
"No, Leader," Alex replied, keeping his eyes on the ground, his tone formal. "I'm here about sect affairs."
Dongfang Bubai's grin faded. "Sect affairs? I gave you full control. No need to check with me." He seemed unbothered by the idea of Alex holding power.
"You misunderstand," Alex said, shaking his head. "I'm here to resign as deputy leader."
Dongfang Bubai's eyes widened in surprise. "Resign?" he asked, his voice low. "When Ren Woxing led the sect, I stepped back as deputy leader to ease his suspicions. You're not pulling the same trick, are you, Brother Alex? I'm not as paranoid as Ren Woxing."
Alex didn't reply, just met Dongfang Bubai's gaze with clear, steady eyes, his resolve plain.
Seeing Alex's sincerity, Dongfang Bubai realized he meant it.
After a moment of silence, he said: "Brother Alex, let's be frank. Whether it is our Sun Moon Sect or those so-called famous and upright sects, how many people can escape fame, wealth and power? Don't you really care?"
"For me, my own strength is everything. The so-called power? I don't care about it," Alex shook his head and said seriously.
Having said this, he paused slightly and continued: "If it weren't for the fact that I could get a lot of help in cultivation in the Sun Moon Sect, maybe I would rather find a place where no one is to live in seclusion?"
"Hahaha, Brother Alex and I are of the same mind," Alex's words made Dongfang Bubai suddenly laugh. Although the voice was bold, it had its own heroic spirit.
"Back then, I was determined to seize the position of the leader, but later, I found that the so-called power and status were nothing more than this. It would be better for me to practice in the back mountain and seek the deeper truths of the martial path. I see that the entire martial arts world is fighting for fame, wealth and power. I thought the road ahead was long and there were no friends, but I never thought that Brother Alex, at such a young age, could reach such a level."
"Well…"
Having said this, Dongfang Bubai sighed slightly and said, "I originally saw Brother Alex's ability. If he really took care of the affairs of the sect, he would definitely make my Sun Moon Sect more famous. But since Brother Alex is not interested in this, I will not force it. Brother Alex can choose someone from the sect to share the affairs of the sect with you."
"Thank you for your understanding, Leader," Alex replied with a fist, and then turned and left after hearing Dongfang Bubai's answer.
"Alex? What an interesting person....." Looking at Alex's leaving figure, Dongfang Bubai's face gradually showed a smile.
"It seems that Dongfang Bubai has seen through my method of dealing with Yang Lianting…"
After leaving the back mountain, Alex thought of what Dongfang Bubai had just said, praising his own methods and saying that if he really took care of the sect affairs, he would definitely be able to take the Sun Moon Sect to a higher level. Alex understood that Dongfang Bubai had seen through his method of dealing with Yang Lianting.
But think about it, it's not surprising. Ren Woxing was extremely domineering and suspicious by nature, but Dongfang Bubai was able to take the position of leader from him. It can be seen that Dongfang Bubai's martial arts and methods are extraordinary. It is reasonable that his methods cannot be hidden from him.
However, even if he saw his methods, Dongfang Bubai still entrusted him with an important task. This made Alex secretly admire his mind. If it were someone else, maybe he would have found a way to suppress him long ago, right?
Looking at it at this time, Alex found that it was no wonder that Dongfang Bubai was called the number one in the world.
Whether it was Yue Buqun or Ren Woxing, they were all thinking about revitalizing the sect, seizing power, and unifying the world, but Dongfang Bubai's vision had already surpassed these.
After arriving at the main hall of the Sun Moon Sect, Alex made drastic reforms to the Sun Moon Sect. Following the way of the court, he formed a council cabinet with all the hall masters and the elders with weight, similar to the organization of the court's military office.
All the affairs of the sect are handled by the elders of this council cabinet after the discussion. The minority obeys the majority. After the discussion, they just need to report to themselves for approval.
In this way, I don't have to waste time on these sect affairs.
In this world where everyone is fighting for power, it is really surprising that Alex gives power to others.
Of course, Alex's sharing of power also shows his trust and attention to the people below, which makes the elders and hall masters grateful and take care of the sect affairs more carefully.
These days, Alex's drastic reforms have made his reputation higher and higher, and Dongfang Bubai lives in seclusion in the back mountain.
Faintly, Alex's reputation seems to be about to surpass Dongfang Bubai.
In recent days, some confidants secretly reminded Alex that with his current power, he might arouse the suspicion of the leader, so he should be prepared to deal with it.
"It's okay. The leader is broad-minded and will not be suspicious. There is no need to talk about this matter anymore," Alex knew that these confidants' reminders were also for his own good, but he just waved his hand and said indifferently.
"Will Dongfang Bubai suspect me? You still don't understand him. If he really suspects me, then he would have remove me from the position of deputy leader," Alex murmured in his heart after looking at these confidants.
At the same time, in the back mountain, Dongfang Bubai, as the leader, naturally has his own confidants. Several elders secretly came to Dongfang Bubai's house and reported Alex's recent actions to Dongfang Bubai through the gauze.
They also specifically pointed out that Alex's reputation is very high now, so that Dongfang Bubai can be prepared.
After all, Dongfang Bubai used such means to win the position of leader, right?
"I already know about this matter. You can go back. From now on, you don't need to report these things to me…" Similarly, Dongfang Bubai also spoke, deliberately speaking in a deep voice, and drove all these people away.
"Alas, what a bunch of fools…" As these people left, Dongfang Bubai's voice was filled with a hint of loneliness.
"If Brother Alex really wanted to seize the position of the leader, how could he have given power to you? You thought you were here to see me secretly, maybe he already knew about it, and he was hoping that I would be afraid of him now, so that he could take back his power?" Dongfang Bubai said in a faint voice.
At this point, Dongfang Bubai chuckled again, thinking that Alex's vision and character were very similar to his own, and he felt like a kindred spirit.