Chapter 3279 — The Council of Vengeance

And Xiao Shu's standing was plain for all to see—she was the heir of Fireflame Mountain. Even without the Yu family quietly watching over her, the great name of Fireflame Mountain alone was enough; the moment the Yu family raised that banner, no one would dare lay a hand on her.

As for Wang Xinyan, though she had no such inheritance to shield her, she was still, in name, Kang Jinglong's betrothed—and with Kang Jingming, an elder of the Mystic Core Sect, standing behind her, no one would dare touch her either.

These girls living in the villa were safe, and that settled the matter. As for the others who had some connection to Wei Zhao but did not live here, there was no need to worry about them either—the people of the ancient stratum were not yet so utterly reckless.

The secular great houses might count for little, but the ancient houses and sects could hardly drag them into a feud over one man, Wei Zhao, for no reason at all.

So, having weighed the risks and gains clearly, Wei Zhao set his mind at ease and stayed on Island X, planning to spend a few days there and relax.

Wei Zhao's judgment had in fact been sound. When the Mystic Dust Patriarch learned that the Pure Yang Heavenly Worthy of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect, seeking vengeance for his junior brother the Pure Yin Heavenly Worthy, had broken through to the peak of the late Heaven rank—the great consummation of full mastery—he was at once overjoyed.

"Father-in-law, this Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect really is a peculiar one. That hatred of theirs can actually speed up their cultivation—it is truly uncanny," Kang Jingming said, sounding rather puzzled.

"Indeed, that is simply how their sect is. But how they cultivate is none of our concern. Their set of heart-method formulas would be of no use to us even if we knew them, so let us focus on the matter at hand," said the Mystic Dust Patriarch, who had not the slightest interest in other sects' heart-method formulas. This was because, constrained by the peculiarity of a cultivator's single heart method, even knowing another's formulas would not let one practice them. Without understanding the essential points of the practice, and with no one to guide them, those who muddled through on their own—even if they abandoned their present heart method and started over—would not necessarily succeed; on the contrary, they would easily fall prey to qi deviation. This was also why no one had ever bothered to study Wei Zhao's heart-method formulas.

If studying it would be useless anyway, why study it at all?

"Yes! Then shall we now release the news and notify the Eastern family, the Black Horse Society, and the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect?" Kang Jingming nodded and asked at once.

"Yes. Do it. The time has come," the Mystic Dust Patriarch said with a nod, approving Kang Jingming's decision.

Wei Zhao in truth had no real strength to speak of. Abroad, the Overseas Cultivators' Association had hunted him like a stray dog. The ones who had actually slain those several late Heaven rank peak experts and the great consummation masters were the three patriarchs of the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect.

In no time at all the whole ancient stratum was in an uproar. But since the news had come from the Five Luminaries Sect, the ancient sects had not the slightest doubt of it. After all, to the ancient stratum the Five Luminaries Sect was a lofty weather vane of an existence; its words could not be idle boasts, nor did it have any need to make them.

And such a matter could simply be confirmed by anyone with connections abroad.

Which of these ancient sects did not have a personal friend in the Overseas Cultivators' Association? After all, cultivators from the association did occasionally come to take part in trials, auctions, and other such activities.

Of course. Most of the ancient sects were shaken when they learned the news, and among them there were also those who burned with rage and those who were filled with dread. Those who raged were, naturally, the sects that had lost their people. In their hearts at this moment, hatred of Wei Zhao was secondary—their hatred for the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect was so bitter they ground their teeth.

Has your Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect grown so utterly contemptuous of the other ancient sects? You casually slaughter the high-ranking cultivators of our ancient sects—this is nothing short of a breach of all order! Are you truly so overbearing? Do you think that with two great consummation masters you are invincible under heaven?

Even an existence as formidable as the Five Luminaries Sect has never been so overbearing as you!

Since Wei Zhao is still abroad, then let us first take the patriarchs of your Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect and make a sacrifice of them to our banner! As for Wei Zhao—once the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect is dealt with, can there be any worry of dealing with him? These ancient sects also understood full well that Wei Zhao must have offered the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect conditions it could not refuse.

But whatever those conditions were, once the patriarchs of the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect were dead, Wei Zhao would be left with nothing to lean on. Still, even if the three patriarchs could not be slain, they would at least kill the weakest of them, the Gloomy Patriarch, and then force the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect to disgorge a mountain of benefits before the fury of these sects could be appeased.

This time, several ancient sects that had never been much given to alliances had at last come to sit at the same table.

Attending this council of vengeance were four houses: the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect, the ancient Eastern family, the ancient Feng family, and the Black Horse Society. Feng Tianhu, of course, attended quietly and merely as an observer; his presence was only to offer counsel and to confirm that Wei Zhao truly lacked that kind of strength.

"Feng Tianhu, are you certain that Wei Zhao has indeed lost his strength?" Elder Dongfang Badao turned a cold, piercing gaze upon Feng Tianhu. Were it not for this Feng Tianhu egging on his own daughter, the Feng family could never have lost so many people one after another!

Then again, the Eastern family had never imagined that a mere Wei Zhao could stir up so much trouble.

"That is so, Elder Dongfang. I planted a nail at Xu Shilan's side, and that nail is now also charged with probing for information about Wei Zhao," Feng Tianhu said with a confident nod.

"That is so, Elder Dongfang. I planted a nail at Xu Shilan's side, and that nail is now also charged with probing for information about Wei Zhao," Feng Tianhu said with a confident nod. "But what is certain is that Wei Zhao did not lose his strength—his strength was never high to begin with. All those rumors out there were blown up out of all proportion, and that is entirely to the credit of the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect."

"So then, if we merely destroy the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect—or rather, make them stay their hand—we can kill Wei Zhao?" Dongfang Badao nodded and asked.

"Indeed. Or, if we have the means to force the Blood-Robed Yellow Springs Sect to turn against him and do the killing themselves, that would be the safest course—it would achieve the aim of borrowing a knife to slay a man," Feng Tianhu went on, nodding again.

"That is a fine idea," Dongfang Badao said, rather approving after hearing it. He then turned to Qian Boguang, president of the Black Horse Society: "President Qian, what do you think?"

"Yes, I too think it a fine method," Qian Boguang said, slowly nodding. (To be continued)