Everyone had heard about the conflict that erupted a few days ago between the twelve Chixiao people stationed at the Fengyun and Huoyun Branch Halls—Ziyang and Wei Xuan among them—and the Dianyun and Leiyun Branch Halls. Shui Yunruo had also heard about it and noticed many people at the scene discussing the matter, so she asked.
"Fei'er, did your four Crimson-Letter Branch Halls have a falling out a few days ago? Is that true?"
Seeing Lan Feier nod, Shui Yunruo asked further, "Was it over the Dragon-Elephant Seed?"
"The Dragon-Elephant Seed was more or less the trigger."
Recalling the events of a few days ago, Lan Feier's expression was filled with helplessness and anger as she said quietly, "When our twelve old Senior Chixiao from Fengyun and Huoyun learned about it, they went over immediately to inquire about the Dragon-Elephant Seed. It was just an inquiry, nothing more."
Lan Feier pursed her lips and explained, "Although the dragon-elephant is a symbol of the Crimson-Letter and holds extremely special significance in the hearts of these old Chixiao veterans, that doesn't mean others cannot possess one. The old seniors never meant that; they just wanted to know the origin of the seed."
"If that's the case, why did it escalate so badly? I heard they almost came to blows?"
Lan Feier nodded. She had been present at the time and was very clear about the cause and progression of the incident. "The attitude of the people from the Dianyun and Leiyun Branch Halls was truly appalling. Not only were they disrespectful to the old Senior Chixiao, their words were full of contempt, telling the old seniors to mind their own business. Especially that Wei Jiaojiao—not only did she insult them verbally, she even tried to lay hands on the old seniors."
"Wei Jiaojiao?"
Hearing that name, Shui Yunruo's willow-leaf brows furrowed slightly, a flash of disgust in her eyes. "That woman, relying on her grandfather being the Grand Elder of the Leiyun Branch Hall, has always been arrogant and willful. She's vicious and extremely cunning. Many old seniors across the Four Great Regions have fallen victim to her schemes."
"The poor attitude from Dianyun and Leiyun, the old Senior Chixiao could overlook. The Dragon-Elephant Seed, the old Senior Chixiao could let slide. What truly enraged the old seniors and what they could not tolerate was that Dianyun and Leiyun had been secretly colluding with the Nine-Hua Alliance all along, and the Dragon-Elephant Seed was most likely refined by someone from the Nine-Hua Alliance."
The matter of Dianyun and Leiyun secretly colluding with the Nine-Hua Alliance was an open secret in the Four Great Regions.
Lan Feier knew about it. Her master, the Hall Master of the Fengyun Branch Hall, also knew about it.
But knowing was one thing; what could they do about it?
Many years ago, people from the Fengyun and Huoyun Branch Halls had gone to persuade them, but it was useless. The Leiyun and Dianyun Branch Halls had never regarded Fengyun and Huoyun with any respect.
Because of this, Fengyun and Huoyun were furious, yet helpless.
Whether in terms of influence, strength, prestige, or anything else, Huoyun and Fengyun were far inferior to Dianyun and Leiyun. Moreover, the Leiyun Branch Hall was filled with experts, and those elders were of higher seniority. Huoyun and Fengyun could only choose to turn a blind eye.
"The creed of our Crimson-Letter is to take vanquishing demons and defending the Dao as our duty, to guard the world's underground order, and to never participate in the struggles and conflicts of any faction. Unfortunately, the Dianyun and Leiyun Branch Halls long ago cast aside the Crimson-Letter's creed, secretly colluding with the Nine-Hua Alliance and joining their conflicts."
Shui Yunruo inquired, "Don't the Dianyun and Leiyun Branch Halls also have old Senior Chixiao stationed there? Haven't they done anything about it?"
"The old Senior Chixiao stationed at the Leiyun and Dianyun Branch Halls have been in seclusion all along, detached from worldly affairs. They have rarely emerged since the Calamity a hundred years ago."
As she said this, a very helpless expression appeared on Lan Feier's face. "In a sense, they have tacitly approved of this matter."
"This..." Shui Yunruo frowned deeply upon hearing this and asked again, "The one stationed at the Leiyun Branch Hall is Old Master Fang, right? Old Master Fang was once an Incense Master of the Chixiao Sect back in the day. Could he also..."
"That's something I've always been puzzled about too. Back then, my master and I went to see Old Master Fang, but the old master never received us."
Lan Feier shook her head slightly and continued, "This time, the twelve old Senior Chixiao from our Fengyun and Huoyun Branch Halls went together to see Old Master Fang."
"With so many old Senior Chixiao going together, Old Master Fang wouldn't refuse to see them, would he?"
"He did see them..."
"And the result?"
"I don't know the result either. I only know that when our old seniors from Fengyun and Huoyun returned, they were all shaking their heads and sighing."
"Why?"
"They said Old Master Fang has grown old... that he wants to live a leisurely life. And... after meeting Old Master Fang, our twelve old Senior Chixiao from Fengyun and Huoyun also seemed to stop bringing up the matter of Leiyun and Dianyun colluding with the Nine-Hua Alliance."
"This..." Shui Yunruo was speechless for a moment. "Could it be that the twelve old Senior Chixiao were persuaded by Old Master Fang to tacitly approve of this as well?"
Lan Feier did not respond to this question, only shaking her head repeatedly with a bitter smile. "As much as I don't want to admit it, I have to acknowledge that it's probably eighty percent true..."
Shui Yunruo opened her mouth, wanting to say something but stopping herself. Having asked this far, she really didn't know what else to say.
In her impression, the old Senior Chixiao were all righteous heroes of towering spirit, great heroes who had followed Monarch Chixiao in conquering the world in the past—slaying immortals above, butchering demons below, each one a true man forged in a sea of blood.
How had they all become like this after the Calamity?
Had they all grown old?
Did they all want a leisurely life?
At this moment, Lan Feier said, "They haven't grown old, and it's not that they want a leisurely life. On the contrary, it's precisely because life is too leisurely, the world too peaceful. So leisurely that they've lost interest in anything, so peaceful that they have nothing to do. Most importantly, Monarch Chixiao—for whom they were once willing to go through fire and water without hesitation—is no longer here. These old Senior Chixiao are like a ship without a rudder. Apart from secluded cultivation, they really don't know what to do..."
"So the matter of Leiyun and Dianyun joining forces with the Nine-Hua Alliance is just left like that?"
"What else can we do?"
Lan Feier glanced at her and said with a bitter smile, "Even the old Senior Chixiao have tacitly approved. What can us juniors do? Moreover, as far as I know, it's not just our Crimson-Letter Branch Halls in the Four Great Regions that are like this. Probably all the Crimson-Letter Branch Halls across the entire Great Northwest, and even the whole world, are the same..."
"I thought only my master was like this. I never imagined the Chixiao people who once followed Monarch Chixiao in conquering the world would be the same."
Shui Yunruo also sighed. "The charisma of Monarch Chixiao was truly too great. After he was judged by the Immortal Dao and his soul scattered, it plunged many into endless despondency. Those Chixiao people who followed him back then were like this, and the women who admired him back then were too..."
Shui Yunruo came from Taixing Cave. Monarch Chixiao had once recuperated at Taixing Cave, and somehow won the favor of her master, who was also the Cave Master of Taixing Cave. Unfortunately, to avoid implicating Taixing Cave, Monarch Chixiao politely declined her master's affection, though her master never gave up because of it.
Shui Yunruo was certain that even now, her master still thought of Monarch Chixiao—at the very least, had not forgotten him.
Otherwise, after Monarch Chixiao was judged by the Immortal Dao back then, her master wouldn't have been depressed all day, either entering secluded cultivation or, when she emerged, often sitting alone in a daze.