"The Seven Stars Sect and the Murong Clan have always been as thick as thieves, and they've consistently viewed our Yuqing Sect as a thorn in their side. If I'm not mistaken, once the Centennial Term is over, the Seven Stars Sect and the Murong Clan will target our Yuqing Sect first."
Although Huo Dong, Wang He, and Ma Zhengtian could hardly be considered friends—in fact, they were more like rivals—the three of them shared a common enemy in the Seven Stars Sect and the Murong Clan. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Therefore, Huo Dong didn't hold anything back. Moreover, he was well aware that some things simply couldn't be hidden, at least not from Wang He and Ma Zhengtian.
"Since the Seven Stars Sect and the Murong Clan are bound to come after our Yuqing Sect, why should I care whether it's sooner or later?"
Wang He asked, "It seems Young Master Huo has already made preparations. In that case, have you already met that Gu Qingfeng? Or perhaps I should ask, have you already subdued him?"
"I haven't met him," Huo Dong replied with a faint smile. "But I believe, and am confident, that I can persuade him."
"Oh?" Wang He was slightly taken aback. "It seems Young Master Huo wants to sound out Brother Ma's intentions before making a move."
Wang He had caught on. Huo Dong wanted to win over Gu Qingfeng. What truly gave him pause wasn't the Murong Clan, but the Dianyun Branch Hall and the Leiyun Branch Hall. Gu Qingfeng's current identity was mysterious and unknown, but that wasn't the important part. What mattered was the attitude of the Leiyun and Dianyun Branch Halls towards him.
After all, Gu Qingfeng had killed a deputy hall master of the Dianyun Branch Hall at Liuren Mountain.
And he might also be a fraud impersonating the successor of a Chixiao Banner Lord.
If the Leiyun and Dianyun Branch Halls were determined to hold Gu Qingfeng accountable, then even if Huo Dong managed to recruit him, he wouldn't be able to shoulder the responsibility for Gu Qingfeng's actions. With the Yuqing Sect already a prominent target drawing criticism and viewed as a thorn by the Seven Stars Sect, he certainly didn't want to offend the Crimson-Letter Sect of the Four Great Regions as well. Therefore, only after confirming the Leiyun Branch Hall's stance on Gu Qingfeng would he step forward to recruit him.
"Huo Dong, I told you earlier, you'd better abandon that idea."
Ma Zhengtian's voice rang out. Huo Dong didn't seem particularly surprised, merely asking, "So, Brother Ma is determined to hold Gu Qingfeng accountable?"
"That fellow surnamed Gu killed a deputy hall master of our Dianyun Branch Hall."
At this moment, Xu Jintong also stepped forward. "Young Master Huo, don't tell me you think our Dianyun Branch Hall will let him off? Moreover, impersonating the successor of a Chixiao Banner Lord is a capital offense. It's just that our Dianyun and Leiyun Branch Halls haven't had the time to deal with him recently. Once this period is over, that fellow surnamed Gu is undoubtedly dead!"
Both Huo Dong and Wang He knew that the Dianyun and Leiyun Branch Halls had been very busy lately, occupied with matters of the Nine-Hua Alliance while also dealing with the twelve Chixiao People from Huoyun and Fengyun.
Others might not know, but as the heir apparent of the Yuqing Sect and the young master of the Huwei Family, Huo Dong and Wang He were aware that the Leiyun and Dianyun Branch Halls had actually joined the Nine-Hua Alliance long ago. For years, they had not only been cultivating within the Tai Xuan Secret Realm, but even the so-called Dragon-Elephant Seeds had been bestowed upon them by that immensely powerful Venerable Tai Xuan.
"I heard that after learning of this matter, the twelve Chixiao People from Huoyun and Fengyun were extremely furious and almost came to blows. I wonder what the situation is now?"
"What situation? What can a bunch of old fogies possibly do?"
The one who said this was neither Ma Zhengtian nor Xu Jintong, but a stunningly beautiful woman. She appeared to be in her early twenties, dressed in vibrant red formal attire, adorned extravagantly, holding a fox in her arms. Her brows carried a willful arrogance, and her eyes were filled with haughtiness.
Many recognized her.
Wei Jiaojiao.
She was the granddaughter of the Grand Elder of the Leiyun Branch Hall, and also an outstanding proud daughter of the Leiyun Branch Hall. She possessed Nascent Soul cultivation, was a Great Nature Five Realms Nine Refolds Color Spirit, and had an acquired inheritance. She was equally famous as Lan Fei'er, Shui Yunruo, and Huo Wuchenyue, all being among the Ten Little Phoenix Hairpins.
However, in the eyes of many, Wei Jiaojiao simply couldn't compare to Lan Fei'er and Shui Yunruo.
The reason was her excessively willful, capricious, arrogant, and conceited nature. Most detestable was her complete lack of the tenderness a woman should possess, not even a shred of compassion. She was ruthless and cruel, often finding amusement in tormenting others. And this 'torment' was far from ordinary.
Almost everyone who had heard the name Wei Jiaojiao knew that she had not only gouged out people's eyes but also frequently crippled legs and refined people's Golden Cores. In her eyes, the lives of ordinary people were no different from ants. If she was in the mood, she would toy with them as she pleased. A single disagreement, and she would demand their lives.
Many in the Four Great Regions, even some senior figures, had fallen victim to her cruelty. Regarding this, everyone dared to be angry but not speak out.
Firstly, Wei Jiaojiao was immensely powerful; ordinary cultivators were no match for her.
Most importantly, she was the granddaughter of the Grand Elder of the Leiyun Branch Hall. And the Grand Elder of the Leiyun Branch Hall, although not a Chixiao Person, was a master who had joined the Crimson-Letter Sect before the Calamity. Back then, he had followed Old Man Fang and others to quell the chaos in this world, rendering meritorious service, and could be considered an old-timer of the Crimson-Letter Sect.
Old Man Fang and the other Chixiao People stationed at the Leiyun Branch Hall had long since withdrawn from worldly affairs. The Leiyun Branch Hall had always been managed by Ma Zhengtian's father and the Grand Elder. One could imagine how formidable their status and position in the Four Great Regions were.
With such a background, who in the Four Great Regions would dare to touch Wei Jiaojiao?
The answer was definite: no one.
Even figures like Huo Dong, the heir apparent of the top sect, and Wang He, the young master of the Huwei Family, would have to carefully consider whether they could bear the severe consequences if they ever thought of moving against Wei Jiaojiao.
"Those dozen or so old fogies from Fengyun and Huoyun, every one of them is stubborn and obstinate."
Wei Jiaojiao, holding her fox, stepped forward and said with a disdainful curl of her lip, "If my grandfather and the hall master hadn't stopped me at the time, this young lady would have beaten those old things until they knelt and begged for mercy. How preposterous! A bunch of old fools with one foot in the grave actually dare to meddle in the affairs of our Leiyun Branch Hall. They have no idea what death means."
"Jiaojiao, don't be disrespectful."
Ma Zhengtian said calmly, "The twelve senior masters from Fengyun and Huoyun are, after all, Chixiao People who followed the Chixiao Monarch back in the day. Even though they are now advanced in years and their thinking may be outdated, we juniors should not be discourteous."
"What Chixiao People or not! So what if they are Chixiao People who followed the Chixiao Monarch? The Chixiao Sect was founded by the Chixiao Monarch, but our Crimson-Letter Sect was built through the battles my grandfather and the others fought north and south, quelling chaos! I really don't understand why our Crimson-Letter Sect has to let these old, decrepit Chixiao People hold positions of authority. It's disgusting just thinking about it!"
"Every one of them is dim-sighted and muddle-headed, actually taking a fraud for the successor of some Chixiao Banner Lord. It's utterly shameful!"