Chapter 333: Ning Fengzhi Takes Action, The Upper Three Sects Stand Together
Chapter 333: Ning Fengzhi Takes Action, The Upper Three Sects Stand Together
Ning Fengzhi nodded, slowly retracting his three fingers and clenching them into a fist.
"In this world, to be able to make four clans disappear silently in the suburbs of Heaven Dou City without alerting the City Guard, without leaving any traces of a fight, and without even leaving the Four Single-Attribute Clans’ Spirit DouluoClan Chiefs any room to resist—"
Ning Fengzhi paused. "Aside from Spirit Hall, I cannot think of another faction with this kind of strength."
The hall fell quiet once again.
A wind rose outside, causing the window lattices to rattle gently.
Gu Rong walked to the window and placed his hand on the frame, steadying the vibrations.
"Why would Spirit Hall move against the Four Single-Attribute Clans?"
Chen Xin raised the most crucial question.
"Although the four clans are within the Heaven Dou Empire territory, they have never pledged loyalty to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family."
"Even if Spirit Hall wanted to weaken the Heaven Dou Empire’s strength, they should have chosen to strike at the staunch royalists."
This question left Ning Fengzhi silent for a long time.
The candle flame flickered again, and wax dripped down the copper stand, pooling at the base.
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, try thinking from a different perspective."
Ning Fengzhi’s voice lowered, as if he feared eavesdroppers.
"The target Spirit Hall wants to move against might not be the Heaven Dou Empire at all."
Chen Xin was slightly taken aback.
Gu Rong turned around from the window, the clicking sound of his bones ceasing.
"You mean—"
Chen Xin’s mind moved quickly. "Spirit Hall’s target is the Clear Sky Sect?"
Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly, but it was enough for the two to see.
"The relationship between the Four Single-Attribute Clans and the Clear Sky Sect, even after being severed for over a decade, cannot be broken just like that."
"Spirit Hall moving against the Four Single-Attribute Clans is very likely sending a signal to the Clear Sky Sect, or perhaps they are pruning the Clear Sky Sect’s peripheral forces."
"If that is truly the case..."
Gu Rong’s voice became even deeper, like bones grinding underground.
"Spirit Hall is planning to make a move against the Upper Three Sects!"
After this sentence fell, all three were silent.
The Upper Three Sects: the Clear Sky Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
In the past, Spirit Hall was powerful, and only by uniting could the Upper Three Sects barely maintain a balance in their power struggle.
It could be said that although the Upper Three Sects are currently unrelated to each other, they stand together in secret.
Because they have a common enemy.
If Spirit Hall truly begins to take action against the Clear Sky Sect, it means that Spirit Hall no longer cares about this balance.
And no one dared to think deeply about what this represented behind the scenes.
Chen Xin leaned his sword against a pillar and sat on a nearby chair, his voice very soft. "Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong has only been in power for a few years, yet has she already expanded to this extent?"
Gu Rong walked back from the window, each step steady. "Ning Fengzhi, what do you plan to do?"
Ning Fengzhi stood up, straightened his robes, and faced Gu Rong.
"Uncle Bone, I would like to ask you to make a trip."
"Where to?"
"The Clear Sky Sect."
Gu Rong did not agree immediately, but he did not refuse either.
He was waiting for Ning Fengzhi to give his reasons.
"The Clear Sky Sect may not yet know about the encounter of the Four Single-Attribute Clans."
Ning Fengzhi said, "Regardless of who Spirit Hall’s true target is this time, the Clear Sky Sect has the right to be informed in advance."
"This matter concerns not only the life and death of the four clans, but even more so the survival of the entire Upper Three Sects."
"Ning Fengzhi, if you are sending me to the Clear Sky Sect, what message do you want me to bring?" Gu Rong asked.
Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment. "Just tell them that the Power, Agility, Defense, and Attack clans within Heaven Dou territory disappeared overnight, and it is highly likely that Spirit Hall was the one who made the move."
"Just state the situation clearly; there is no need to embellish it."
"The Clear Sky Sect has been in seclusion for so many years; they may not be willing to get involved in this matter."
"Regardless of whether they choose to get involved or not, the message must be delivered."
Ning Fengzhi’s tone was firm. "The Upper Three Sects stand together—even if this is just an empty phrase, the things that need to be done must still be done."
"Besides—"
He paused and looked at the pitch-black night sky outside the hall.
"Besides, if this matter truly involves Spirit Hall moving against the Clear Sky Sect, then the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will sooner or later be dragged into this chessboard."
"By then, for every bit of preparation the Clear Sky Sect has, we will have that much more chance of winning."
After listening, Gu Rong nodded slowly.
Ning Fengzhi walked to the hall entrance and pushed open the great doors himself.
The night wind rushed in, causing the candles inside the hall to flicker violently.
Several candles were extinguished directly, leaving only the one in the center still burning.
"The wind has risen." Ning Fengzhi said, gazing at the night sky.
Chen Xin stood up and walked to Ning Fengzhi’s side. Gu Rong also followed.
The three stood before the main hall, watching the clouds piling up at the horizon.
The moon was half-hidden, revealing only a blurry halo of light.
The wind blew from the north, carrying the scent of bent grass and trees.
"This wind, I fear it won’t stop anytime soon." Gu Rong said.
Chen Xin did not speak.
His Seven Kill Sword had not been drawn from its scabbard for many years, but the patterns on the scabbard had been polished smooth and shiny by his touch.
...
Only Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin remained in the hall.
"Ning Fengzhi, is there anything else?" Chen Xin asked.
Ning Fengzhi walked back to the main seat and sat down, took a letter from his sleeve, and pushed it in front of Chen Xin.
The envelope was stamped with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile SchoolSect Master’s wax seal, as red as a drop of congealed blood.
"Uncle Sword, keep this letter."
Chen Xin did not reach out to take it, but looked at Ning Fengzhi. "What is it?"
"A personal letter to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon ClanSect Master, Yu Yuanzhen."
Ning Fengzhi said, "I chatted with Yu Luomian outside the palace gates today, but there were many things that were inconvenient to discuss in detail at the palace entrance."
"I will write down all my conjectures in this letter; please deliver it another day, Uncle Sword."
"Why another day?"
"Because Uncle Bone will set off for the Clear Sky Sect at dawn, and this matter will likely attract attention very soon."
"Once all parties have received the information, it will be more effective for you to set off for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Uncle Sword."
Chen Xin nodded and tucked the letter into his sleeve.
He had always been decisive in his actions; he didn’t need to ask more, just needed to know what to do.
Ning Fengzhi looked at the deepening night outside the hall, his voice lowered to the lowest point. "Uncle Sword, if Spirit Hall really wants to move against the Clear Sky Sect, what do you think they will do?"
Chen Xin was silent for quite a while.
"If I were commanding troops, I would not directly attack the Clear Sky Sect’s mountain gate."
"The location of the Clear Sky Sect is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the outside world has never had accurate information on how strong the Clear Sky Sect is now."
"Even if Spirit Hall is powerful, they will not rashly rush in."
"Therefore, they will first prune the branches and leaves, then cut the main trunk."
"The Four Single-Attribute Clans are the first batch of branches and leaves to be pruned."
"Chen Xin said, "There may be a second batch, a third batch, and so on, in the future."
Ning Fengzhi’s fingers unconsciously drew circles on the tabletop. "Aside from the four clans from back then, who else are the Clear Sky Sect’s affiliate forces?"
"They have all scattered."
Chen Xin recalled, "After the Clear Sky Sect went into seclusion, some of the small clans that were attached to them joined other factions, some established their own, and others simply disappeared without a trace."
"Spirit Hall chose to strike at the four clans, most likely because they are the most conspicuous, and they have a reputation within the Heaven Dou territory."
"To kill the chicken to warn the monkey."
"Yes."
Chen Xin said, "Let all the Spirit Master factions on the continent see that if you have had any connection with the Clear Sky Sect, even if you have severed it for over a decade, Spirit Hall can still find you."
Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
The connection between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Clear Sky Sect is not deep, but the existence of the Upper Three Sects is itself a kind of balance.
If the Clear Sky Sect falls, the next one will be the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and then it will be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Spirit Hall’s ambition has never been something that one Clear Sky Sect could satisfy.
"Uncle Sword, you should go get some rest too." Ning Fengzhi said.
Chen Xin stood up, walked to the door, and stopped again, turning his head to ask, "Ning Fengzhi, do you think Emperor Xue Ye will be able to sleep tonight?"
Ning Fengzhi was amused by this question, but the smile vanished before it reached his eyes.
"He won’t be able to sleep."
"Not only will he not be able to sleep, but anyone in Heaven Dou City with even the slightest bit of access to information won’t be able to sleep tonight either."
Chen Xin said nothing more, picked up his sword, and walked out of the hall.
The candle flame flickered twice more and finally went out.
(End of Chapter)
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