Chapter 3303 — The Grand Elder's Decision

And so the Grand Elder refused outright, to his face.

"Grand Elder, you had best think carefully before you speak. For Miss Gu to be favored by our Young Master of the Heaven Sect is her good fortune. Or do you mean to make an enemy of our Xuandan Sect, you of the Dark Night Palace?" Kang Jingming's face could not hold up under the Grand Elder's refusal. He had guessed beforehand that there was an eighty percent chance she would refuse, yet a sliver of hope had lingered in his heart. Now it was utterly dashed.

"Little Yi, is it? The affairs of our Dark Night Palace were all settled back then by that Mr. Yang. If the two of you think you can make an enemy of Mr. Yang, then do as you please," the Grand Elder said, turning to look at Little Yi and speaking slowly.

"Mr. Yang?" Little Yi was taken aback.

"Mr. Yang is one half of the Twin Fiends of Vajra. If you do not know of him, go back and ask your master, the Patriarch Xuanchen. He will certainly know," the Grand Elder said. "Back then, why did Mr. Yang not beat him to death?"

"You—" Little Yi had of course heard of the fearsome name of the Twin Fiends of Vajra. Though the Twin Fiends had never come looking for the Five Luminaries Sect back then, word had still spread, and at the time every soul in the Five Luminaries Sect had feared for his life. Now that the Grand Elder had suddenly brought them up, Little Yi was given a fright.

This Dark Night Palace was actually connected to the Twin Fiends of Vajra? Was it true or false? Surely this old crone was not just trying to scare them? Why had he never heard a whisper of it before? It had to be the old woman bluffing! The Twin Fiends of Vajra had vanished for so many years — how could they possibly have any connection to the Dark Night Palace? If they did, would the Dark Night Palace have fallen into such a sorry state?

"Heh heh. Elder Kang, if you do not believe it, go back and ask that Ninth Elder of yours. He knew of it back then as well. Oh — though a few of them were carried off by the Twin Fiends of Vajra in those years, so he should have been promoted by now. His position must surely rank above yours," the Grand Elder said blandly.

"Cough, cough — let us not speak of such idle things. I came here mainly to pass along this message. The decision, of course, rests with your Dark Night Palace; we will not interfere!" Kang Jingming had also heard tales of the Twin Fiends of Vajra, but he had not lived through those times, so he felt no great fear of those two legendary figures. Not wanting Little Yi to keep quarreling with the Grand Elder, he spoke up directly: "Think it over!"

"There is nothing to think over. Our Dark Night Palace will not agree. You two may leave," the Grand Elder refused flatly.

"Heh heh. Actually, we meant well. If the Grand Elder does not agree, then pretend I never said it," Kang Jingming said with a shrug, sounding helpless.

"Meant well? You call this meaning well?" Gu Mengyao shot back coldly.

"Does our Xuandan Sect not simply feel that your Dark Night Palace is rather weak and has no one to lean on? If Miss Gu were to marry our Young Master of the Heaven Sect, then our two sects would be kin. In the future, whatever troubles the Dark Night Palace faced, our Xuandan Sect would lend a hand," Kang Jingming said.

"No need," the Grand Elder cut him off. "Is there anything else you wish to say?"

"Heh heh, if there is no need, then so be it. I know Miss Gu has Wei Zhao to lean on. But Wei Zhao — tsk tsk — has Miss Gu heard what has happened to Wei Zhao lately? That support, I fear, may not hold. Kang Jingming shook his head and sighed. "Lately, things in the Ancient Realm have been far from peaceful. Oh, yes — as the Grand Elder mentioned, those Black and White Fiends have been gone too long. They can no longer keep the Ancient Realm in check. Recently a band of robbers has sprung up in the Ancient Realm. You would do well to be careful. If trouble comes, just turn to Wei Zhao for help. Our Xuandan Sect can offer nothing."

"Kang Jingming, what do you mean by that? If you have something to say, say it plainly. What do you mean, a band of robbers?" Gu Mengyao frowned. Kang Jingming's words were vague and unclear, and she could not make sense of them.

"Nothing much. I merely heard that a gang has been committing crimes lately, robbing the weaker Ancient Realm sects in particular. So be careful," Kang Jingming said. Then he rose to his feet, making ready to take his leave. "Well then, that is all I have to say. Consider it among yourselves!"

"Elder Kang, are you trying to frighten us?" The Grand Elder had never heard of any gang robbing Ancient Realm sects lately, and so took Kang Jingming's words for harsh threats uttered because he had failed to get what he wanted.

"Heh heh, believe it or not, I have said my piece," Kang Jingming said with a shake of his head. He and Little Yi left the reception hall together and departed at a brisk pace.

The Grand Elder did not stop them. If Kang Jingming would not speak, pressing him would do no good. And though the Grand Elder was forceful, she could not very well detain Kang Jingming by force — that would be to make an enemy of the Xuandan Sect, and the Grand Elder did not wish to drag the Dark Night Palace into such a mess.

"Yaoyao, what do you make of Kang Jingming's meaning? Did he truly come to propose marriage?" The Grand Elder could not shake the feeling that Kang Jingming's purpose was not entirely pure — that he had some ulterior motive.

"I do not know. But why don't I contact Wei Zhao and see whether he can come? We can discuss it with him. He knows Kang Jingming better than I do!" Gu Mengyao suggested. In truth, she had been missing Wei Zhao quite a bit lately; she simply had no chance to go back, and Wei Zhao was always busy. So she thought to use this as a pretext to have him come.

"Wei Zhao?" The Grand Elder frowned. "Yaoyao, I say this for your own good — Wei Zhao is a lone cultivator, and his strength has now been exposed as a sham. Why do you still keep company with him? A nobody like him is utterly unworthy of you. And not only that — if you summon him here, he may bring trouble down upon our Dark Night Palace! He is already Kang Jingming's enemy. If he comes now, we will be plainly setting ourselves against Kang Jingming, and that is offending the Xuandan Sect beyond all repair."

The Grand Elder did not wish to form a marriage alliance with the Xuandan Sect, but neither did she wish to tear off all pretense of civility. And of course, she looked down on Wei Zhao even more. She saw nothing admirable in him, and she did not want the present Gu Mengyao to repeat the mistakes of Ye Rou'er of old — to let something happen between herself and Wei Zhao.

"Grand Elder, what do you mean by that? Did you not say you would not interfere in my private affairs? Besides, Wei Zhao is very capable. Do you trust me, or do you trust Kang Jingming?" Gu Mengyao was somewhat displeased. The Grand Elder's utter contempt for Wei Zhao made her thoroughly uncomfortable. (To be continued.