Chapter 4040: From Open Palm To Closed Fist

The Law Division elders stood in stunned silence for several breaths after the Wild Peak members finished their impromptu appointment.

Most of them had spent thousands of years memorizing sect regulations, adjudicating disputes, enforcing disciplinary rulings, and arguing over the precise interpretation of rules that had existed for hundreds of thousands of years.

What they had just witnessed violated so many procedures at once that several of them were struggling to decide which violation they should object to first. Eventually, one of the Law Division High Elders cautiously approached Daoist Bone Ruler.

"Division Head," the man spoke through a Jade Slip, evidently unwilling to let the Wild Peak members hear him. "Is any of this actually legitimate?"

Daoist Bone Ruler slowly turned toward him and the old man’s expression contained the exhaustion of someone who had experienced several years of trouble compressed into a single day.

"What do you want me to say?" Daoist Bone Ruler replied.

The High Elder blinked. "But there are procedures for appointing an Interim Peak Head."

"I know."

"The Administrative Division needs to certify the appointment."

"I know."

"The Peak’s elder council must formally submit the nomination."

"I know."

"The Patriarch must receive notification."

"I know!" Daoist Bone Ruler’s final response came loudly enough that several people glanced toward him.

He rubbed his forehead before lowering his voice again. "Peak Head Mountain Roar is outside the Heavenly Stream Guardian World. Practically every senior Wild Peak elder currently available has agreed to this appointment. Their disciples recognize him. Their High Elders recognize him. More importantly, do you intend to walk over there and tell Senior Mengli Zhenyu that his appointment is invalid?"

The Law Division High Elder looked toward Zhenyu.

The massive white-haired elder was standing calmly among the Wild Peak cultivators with his arms folded behind his back. His expression was serene, almost grandfatherly. Then the High Elder remembered the reports concerning the battle against Daoist Bone Ruler.

He remembered that Daoist Bone Ruler had nearly been crushed in not one but two disasters.

The Law Division High Elder looked away. "I suppose the documentation can be completed afterward."

Daoist Bone Ruler gave him a flat stare. "How remarkably flexible of you."

The other Law Division elders were similarly at a loss. Some whispered among themselves while others simply decided that this particular matter belonged to someone with a higher position.

Unfortunately, every time they searched for such a person, their eyes eventually returned to Daoist Bone Ruler. And Daoist Bone Ruler deeply regretted being that person. Meanwhile, the mood among the Wild Peak cultivators had changed dramatically.

With Zhenyu recognized as their Interim Peak Head, everyone naturally turned toward him for direction. There was an almost tangible expectation in their gazes. Their conflict with the Law Division and the Vault Division had dragged on for too long.

Their Peak Head had been sent far away, High Elder Shatter Peak had been imprisoned, Little Bull had vanished into the Mad Demon Depths, and Taegong had disappeared after orchestrating everything.

Now, for the first time since the conflict began, they had someone capable of taking full command. High Elder Shatter Peak suddenly stepped forward. Then, to everyone’s surprise, the enormous man bowed.

"Interim Peak Head, I beseech you to change the status of our Wild Peak." High Elder Shatter Peak requested.

Lin Mu was genuinely taken aback.

He had already researched the Wild Peak extensively, so he knew exactly what Shatter Peak meant. Still, he had expected the matter to come later, perhaps after they returned to the Wild Peak and discussed their next course of action.

But High Elder Shatter Peak clearly had no intention of waiting.

Before Lin Mu could think further, the High Elder raised his head. "I wish for you to change our status from Open Palm to Closed Fist."

Several Law Division elders visibly trembled. One disciple from another division looked confused by their reaction, but the older members of the Law Division understood perfectly.

The Wild Peak’s traditions were eccentric even by the standards of the Heavenly Stream Guardian Sect. Some had existed for so long that they had become formally acknowledged by generations of Patriarchs.

The Open Palm and Closed Fist Doctrine was among the most important of those traditions. And the Wild Peak had remained in the Open Palm state for a very long time.

Daoist Bone Ruler closed his eyes briefly. ’Of course.’

Apparently his day still had room to become worse.

Zhenyu looked down at Shatter Peak while slowly stroking his long white beard. "Closed Fist," he repeated.

"Yes, Interim Peak Head."

Zhenyu’s gaze swept across the other Wild Peak elders. "If I do that, what exactly do all of you intend to do?"

It was a reasonable question, and even the Law Division members found themselves listening closely.

High Elder Shatter Peak straightened. "Since the founding of our Peak, we have followed the Open Palm and Closed Fist Doctrine. The doctrine was acknowledged by the sect’s Patriarchs and incorporated into the authority granted to our Peak."

Several Law Division elders exchanged surprised looks as High Elder Shatter Peak sounded disturbingly competent.

One elder even glanced toward Daoist Bone Ruler as if silently asking whether this was truly the same man whose disciplinary record required several separate jade slips.

High Elder Shatter Peak continued without noticing their reactions.

"While our Peak remains an Open Palm, we operate under the ordinary authority granted to the Wild Peak. We train our disciples, accept missions, protect sect territory, and respond to threats according to normal sect procedures."

His expression hardened. "The Closed Fist exists for situations where the Wild Peak believes the sect itself faces treachery and threat, both from outside and within."

The atmosphere grew heavier.

"Once Closed Fist is declared, our elders gain authority under the old Wild Peak charter to actively pursue suspected traitors of the sect. We may investigate those connected to them, pursue them across divisions, and mobilize our combat members without waiting for ordinary mission assignments."

A Law Division elder grimaced.

That was precisely why they hated dealing with Closed Fist.

The doctrine had been created during a much more violent era of the Heavenly Stream Guardian Sect’s history, when internal rebellions and infiltrations were considerably more common. The Wild Peak had effectively served as one of the sect’s emergency hammers.

And everyone knew what the Wild Peak did with hammers.

They swung them... Hard.

"Only the Peak Head has the authority to change our state," High Elder Shatter Peak finished. "Peak Head Mountain Roar is absent. You currently hold his authority. Therefore, I ask you to close the fist."

Zhenyu looked towards High Elder Palm Saber. "And the rest of you?"

High Elder Palm Saber stepped forward immediately. "I support it."

"So do I," another High Elder said.

"We’ve been restrained long enough."

"Taegong framed one of our disciples, sent him into the Mad Demon Depths, and then disappeared."

"Someone helped him."

"And whoever helped him is still within the sect."

The anger that had briefly settled began rising again.

Zhenyu turned toward the disciples. "What about you?"

There was barely a moment of hesitation.

"WE SUPPORT IT!" The roar echoed across the Law Division grounds.

Several nearby disciples from other divisions instinctively stepped backward. Lin Mu remained silent for several seconds. Internally, he was considering the consequences as declaring Closed Fist would escalate the situation considerably.

Yet that escalation could also be useful.

Taegong’s allies had successfully hidden themselves because the Wild Peak had been forced to operate through normal channels. If the Wild Peak suddenly gained the authority to actively pursue suspected traitors, those hidden forces would have to respond.

And responses created openings.

Lin Mu’s eyes sharpened while the Law Division members watched him anxiously.

Finally, Zhenyu spoke.

"Wild Peak!" His voice exploded across the grounds.

Every member of the Peak immediately straightened. "YES, INTERIM PEAK HEAD!"

Zhenyu slowly raised his right arm.

His hand was open.

Five thick fingers stretched toward the heavens, the palm facing outward. For a moment, nothing happened and the Wild Peak cultivators stared at that open hand. So did the Law Division.

Then Zhenyu’s fingers began to move.

One curled inward.

Then another.

The third followed.

Then the fourth.

Finally, his thumb closed over them.

The Open Palm became a Closed Fist!