Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 452 New Sect Leader Of Heaven Sword Sect!

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[Host Info]

Host: Bai Zihan

Age: 18

Cultivation Realm: Void Refinement (Early)

Constitution: Supreme Dao Bone

Martial Arts:

Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword (Major Mastery)

Eternal Flowing Water Sword (Greater Mastery) Fate Severing Slash (Greater Mastery)

Heaven's Mandate Reversal (Beginner Mastery)

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"Not bad!"

Bai Zihan whispered to himself.

Successfully advancing to the Void Refinement Realm had been achieved, along with solidifying his foundation there.

A deep breath escaped his lips.

"How much time passed inside...?"

He halted briefly, relying on his innate sense to figure it out.

"Over two months."

That was the minimum, he figured.

From the cultivation platform, Bai Zihan stood up and gave a gentle stretch.

Dried spiritual remnants and sweat soaked his robes, making them unfit for any encounters.

First things first...

"Time for a bath."

***

Once cleaned up from the bath, he summoned Kong Zhanghong, yet the transmission talisman stayed silent.

Realizing outreach to Kong Zhanghong wouldn't work, Bai Zihan chose to stroll through the Bai Clan instead.

Bustling energy filled the Bai Clan.

Much more vibrant compared to pre-war times.

Fresh structures had sprung up. Practice areas rang with the clash of blades.

Disciples hurried along with clear intent, their auras keener, more balanced—mightier. Wherever Bai Zihan wandered, eyes turned his way.

And in every spot—

They offered deep bows of respect.

No hushed gossip.

No sympathetic glances.

No uneasy sidesteps.

As though his past disability meant absolutely nothing now.

Bai Zihan watched all this in silence.

He moved past known spots—ancient courtyards, serene nooks where he'd once practiced or relaxed.

But upon halting and scanning the area—

No companions appeared for chat.

No one lingered for idle talk.

Without thinking, a certain name bubbled up in his thoughts.

"...Luo Qing."

Bai Zihan stopped short.

At least with her around, brief conversations had been possible. Yet these days,

solitude reigned completely.

Alone in the courtyard, Bai Zihan remained.

"Friends are truly a thing of the past for me."

A wry smile crossed his face as he spoke.

"Never really mattered to me anyway."

Still, the quiet dragged on heavier than usual.

***

Calm days slipped by.

Typically, Kong Zhanghong would show up right after the message, but an issue must have held him back.

Bai Zihan felt no rush.

He practiced cultivation at a relaxed pace, roamed the clan territories, and noted the shifts caused by time and strength.

Suddenly—

By the fourth day—

Kong Zhanghong arrived in front of him, dropping to one knee instantly.

"Young Master!"

Bai Zihan regarded him with steady eyes.

"You kept me waiting."

Kong Zhanghong bowed his head even lower.

"Forgive me. An urgent matter demanded my focus."

Bai Zihan's stare intensified.

"Report!"

Kong Zhanghong faltered—only for the briefest instant.

Then he began.

"Sect Leader Tian Yuheng has been ousted."

The tranquil period shattered right then.

***

Though Kong Zhanghong's tone stayed even, the gravity of his update hung heavy.

During Bai Zihan's closed-door session, Clan Head Bai Tianheng kept his word.

The High Earth-Grade cultivation technique was delivered to Tian Yuheng, free of any demand for the Heaven Sword Sect to side with the Bai Clan.

Still, the effort arrived far too late.

The harm had already taken root well beforehand.

By that point, numerous disciples—outer, inner, and core alike—had secured the cultivation method via alternative sources.

Certain ones traced back to the Bai Clan's influence.

Others stemmed from the Li-Zhao Alliance.

The sect's inner discord had already hardened.

Inefficiency, in truth, sparked grudges quicker than flat refusal.

Instead of steadying the Heaven Sword Sect, Tian Yuheng's choice handed Elder Han yet another tool.

Elder Han openly branded him with more "boot-licking" toward the Bai Clan, insisting that even on the edge of ruin, the sect leader preferred pleading for scraps over commanding with power.

The moment struck at the ideal juncture.

Disciple discontent already simmered.

Elders split sharply.

A few Grand Elders opted for quiet—and on such issues, quiet equaled approval.

Supported by the Anti-Sect Leader group, Elder Han called a sect trial.

Tian Yuheng faced charges of failure, eroded command, and threatening the sect's path ahead.

The result loomed unavoidable.

Forced from his seat.

Tian Yuheng refrained from resistance, knowing it risked sparking Civil War in the Heaven Sword Sect, which he sought to prevent above all.

Resigning struck him as the wisest choice for the Heaven Sword Sect's sake.

Thus, the expected inner conflict that many anticipated never erupted.

Tian Yuheng's life went untouched.

His cultivation stayed whole, and he could keep an Elder's rank.

But Tian Yuheng gave up that post on his own—without delay.

He recognized Elder Han's offer as mere mockery.

"Elder Han has risen to Sect Leader."

For an instant, silence gripped the courtyard. Under the tree's shadow, Bai Zihan froze.

The end result felt predictable and easy to grasp.

Kong Zhanghong went on.

"Formally, the Heaven Sword Sect announces 'internal restructuring!'

Behind the scenes—"

"They've joined the Li-Zhao Alliance," Bai Zihan stated bluntly.

Their involvement had to be massive.

"Indeed," Kong Zhanghong confirmed.

"Every vital role now falls to Elder Han's allies. Supplies,

disciples, outside dealings—all of it."

Bai Zihan's eyes drifted far off.

The identity of the Sect Leader held no interest for him.

Whether Tian Yuheng led or Elder Han took over didn't matter.

However—

"Letting Li and Zhao seize a premier sect like this..."

"I won't permit that."

Kong Zhanghong felt another jolt from Bai Zihan's declaration.

Facing any foe, Bai Zihan showed no trace of doubt.

Kong Zhanghong started to speak but held back once more.

Bai Zihan caught it right away.

"More details to share?"

Kong Zhanghong's hand tightened into a fist briefly, then eased.

"Yes."

He stood tall and locked gazes with Bai Zihan.

"Speak without restraint," Bai Zihan urged. "Hold nothing in."

Kong Zhanghong drew a steady breath and pressed on.

Elder Han lost no moment in securing his hold over the Heaven Sword Sect.

Right after Tian Yuheng's departure, drastic reforms swept in—swift, firm, and ruthless.

The initial step targeted inner cleansing.

Disciples showing open ties to the Bai Clan got banished.

Pushback surged, of course.

Outcries rose from inner and core disciples.

A handful of elders raised objections.

Even some sword halls rejected the orders.

Yet none of it counted.

As the new Sect Leader, Elder Han's commands stood as absolute decree.

Resisters earned tags as holdovers from the prior era.

Debaters faced claims of undermining the sect's destiny.

And waverers received equal treatment.

The true shock for many lay not in the banishments—

But their vast reach.

Not just Bai Clan supporters faced removal, nor solely those from the Sect Leader's circle.

Neutrals got pulled into the chaos too.

Including—

Qinglan!

The mentor to Bai Zihan, Bai Xueqing, and Kong Zhanghong alike.

Throughout the turmoil, she stayed unaligned.

Never backing Tian Yuheng nor challenging Elder Han.

But staying neutral turned into an offense.

In the fresh regime, impartiality counted as subtle rebellion.

Qinglan ended up under "temporary confinement."

Her powers got revoked.

Her actions watched closely.

Her students suffered the same.

Bai Xueqing, especially, exploded in anger.

Outrage consumed her.

Differing from Bai Zihan, she shared profound bonds with the Heaven Sword Sect and Qinglan.

Worsening it all, an expulsion notice hit Bai Xueqing and every Bai Clan member.

She received orders to depart the sect.

Currently, she lingered inside the Heaven Sword Sect—but Elder Han showed no signs of backing down.

Elder Han's group kept squeezing tighter. Supporters of Tian Yuheng faced subtle curbs. Questioners got called in for "disciplinary discussions."

Silent elders now drew inspection.

The Heaven Sword Sect transformed.

No more splits. Unity reigned—via terror and control.

With a somber look, Kong Zhanghong wrapped up his account.

Having once been a Heaven Sword Sect disciple, seeing its decline left a sour sting.

"The Heaven Sword Sect sits solidly in Li-Zhao hands now," he summed up.

"And Young Miss faces enemy treatment."

The atmosphere near Bai Zihan chilled sharply.

This went beyond power plays or equilibrium.

Boundaries got breached.

Elder Han turned it deeply personal.

The man dropped all pretense of loyalty.

A smirk formed on Bai Zihan's lips.

"Kong Zhanghong," he commanded coolly, "ready my vessel."

"Time to face this idiot."

"And put him back in his spot!"