The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

Lin Qian's words left Lei Qian speechless, and a sense of anger welled up within him. He knew exactly what his boss was referring to—the situation with the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe's purchase of the warships.

When the Sea Tribe came to buy the warships, many elders in the Wanxiang Sect supported the sale, eager to gain resources to strengthen the sect and reclaim Linhai Prefecture. However, Ye Xin had firmly opposed the sale, insisting that the decision should be made only after Lin Qian's return.

Ye Xin's reasoning was simple: the warships belonged to Lin Qian personally, and they had no right to sell them without his approval, not even her.

Faced with Ye Xin's insistence, the Wanxiang Sect elders had no choice but to wait. After all, the warships were under the control of imperial scholars who only took orders from three people—Guard General Lei Qian, Imperial Mentor Wei Wushuang, and Empress Ye Xin.

This hierarchy wasn't common knowledge, but it caused considerable frustration among the elders. Some of them complained to Qin Wushuang, arguing that as a disciple of the Wanxiang Sect, Lin Qian should have handed over any treasures he found in the sect's territory, including the warships.

At that time, Lei Qian's grandfather, Lei Heng, and Qin Wushuang had opposed the elders' demands, but the greed of some had clouded their judgment. The gifts from the Sea Tribe had only fueled their determination to sell the warships and claim the profits for the sect.

"Now, my grandfather and Sect Master Qin are focusing on their cultivation, leaving those troublesome elders to their own devices. They don't want to cause any more conflict, given their history with the sect," Lei Qian said, shaking his head in frustration.

The actions of those elders were indeed disgraceful, and it was a relief that most of the sect's disciples hadn't been swayed by their manipulations. Only a small number had been influenced, while the majority still supported Lin Qian.

"Don't worry about it. Let them rant and rave for now. We'll deal with them later," Lin Qian said, his tone calming as he spoke. "For now, I'll give Uncle a bit of face and let them off the hook."

But just as Lin Qian finished speaking, a scholar hurriedly entered the meeting hall, delivering news that felt like a slap in the face.

According to the report, those same elders from the Wanxiang Sect had forcefully broken into the warship's control area and even leaked the ship's location to the Sheng Tian Sect!

"What?!" Lei Qian leaped to his feet, his face contorted in disbelief and anger.

Lin Qian's expression darkened as he stood up, saying nothing as he strode toward the door. The others quickly followed him, eager to see the situation for themselves.

When they arrived on the deck, they found a large group of people gathered, divided into two opposing factions.

On one side stood Qin Wushuang, Wei Wushuang, Wei Qingqing, Mei Yuexia, Lei Heng, the formation elder, and the punishment elder, along with many disciples who had aligned with them.

On the other side were a dozen elders, led by a white-haired old man with a furrowed brow who glared at Qin Wushuang. "Little Qin, do you really intend to stand in my way?"

"Uncle, when the Wanxiang Sect was in trouble, you weren't present—you were in seclusion in your hometown. You don't understand how much Lin Qian has helped us. These things belong to him, and we have no right to interfere," Qin Wushuang said, pointing to some of the elders behind him. "You were there when it happened. Don't you understand?"

"He's a disciple of the Wanxiang Sect. Anything he finds in the sect's territory should be handed over. Isn't that the way it should be?" the old man argued. "As a disciple, he should prioritize the sect above all else. Don't think I don't know—he's been secretly trading with the Sea Tribe, selling warships and pocketing the profits without telling us. He's just trying to keep it all for himself."

This elder, Peng Jiangtian, was the former sect master's junior brother and Lei Heng's senior brother. Known for his harsh and arrogant demeanor, Peng Jiangtian was a difficult person to deal with. As a Supreme Elder of the Wanxiang Sect, his stubbornness left Qin Wushuang and the others with no easy way to resolve the situation.

Qin Wushuang had once asked his senior brother, Wei Wushuang, for advice on how to handle the matter. Wei Wushuang had simply told him that Lin Qian would handle it himself and that it was best not to interfere.

"This old man is such a headache..." Gao Benli muttered, standing off to the side with a frown. Just then, he noticed a familiar figure approaching—Lin Qian.

"Junior Brother!" Gao Benli called out, walking over to meet him. "You're back after two years of absence, and you've already made a big deal. Not even a little gift for your senior brother?"

"No gifts, but I do have some new flavors of spirit jade," Lin Qian replied, tossing a storage ring to his senior brother.

Gao Benli caught the ring, surprised by its high quality—far superior to the one he currently wore. When he looked inside and saw the variety of items, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. He quickly popped a piece of spirit jade into his mouth, savoring the taste.

"Ah, that's the flavor," Gao Benli said with satisfaction.

"Lin Qian is here."

"Yes, he's finally back. Could it be that what Elder Peng said is true?"

As Lin Qian approached, many disciples began to whisper among themselves. Most of them hadn't known he had returned, and they were even more surprised to see Zhang Qi with him.

"Hmph, so the ungrateful disciple dares to show himself," Peng Jiangtian sneered, clearly displeased.

Lin Qian looked at the old man before him, noting the wrinkles etched into his face, his white hair, and the high-quality soul artifact robe he wore. It was evident that this elder had amassed considerable wealth, and his eyes gleamed with greed.

"From this day forward, I am no longer a disciple of the Wanxiang Sect," Lin Qian declared loudly. "I am now the Emperor of the Hua Xia Empire, which will officially establish its presence in Linhai Prefecture."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "Going forward, I will form an alliance with the Wanxiang Sect, but we will be separate entities."