Chapter 357 - 167: Jiangbei Defense Line, Has Taken Shape

Chapter 357: Chapter 167: Jiangbei Defense Line, Has Taken Shape

"It shouldn’t be long before we receive a reply from the Mortal Realm."

"Understood."

The Grand Elder said no more and quietly sat down. He had always found the Saint Master’s methods utterly bizarre, but judging by the outcomes, they were flawless. The results were always good.

Just then, a sparrow carrying an envelope in its beak landed on the windowsill.

The Saint Master opened the envelope and read its contents, his expression turning a little strange. "A number of merchant guilds from Jiangnan have headed to the Guanxi Plain recently. That fellow from the Heaven-Hating Sect slaughtered an entire guild that was flying a Death Banner. He’s put out the word that any merchant guild from Jiangnan that dares to come to the Guanxi Plain to do business will be killed on sight—he’ll kill every last one."

"That was a merchant guild from the Jiangnan Gongyang Race."

"They were transporting a batch of Skeleton Horses south."

"That’s perfectly normal," the Grand Elder said, his expression unchanged. "I’ve also heard recently that a batch of cheap Skeleton Horses has hit the market. The Heaven-Hating Sect’s own business is selling Skeleton Horses, so of course they’re furious about the competition. It’s no surprise they’d kill a few people."

"A fine kill."

The Saint Master clicked his tongue, a thoughtful look on his face. "But... according to our intel, a daughter of the Jiangnan Gongyang Race is, for all intents and purposes, married to an important figure in the Mortal Realm. If the Gongyang Race goes to the Mortal Realm and asks for their help... well, who knows how things will escalate..."

"That connection is far too tenuous."

The Grand Elder shook his head. "Saint Master, while I may not always understand your methods, I do understand how the leaders of other powers think. The Mortal Realm won’t get involved over something like this. The people who died weren’t from the Mortal Realm. There’s no point in them sticking their necks out."

"Is that so? But I’ve thought it through. If the Mortal Realm wants to extend its High-speed Rail line to the Guanxi Plain, they’ll need to make an example of someone to intimidate all the petty vultures out there. Otherwise, that High-speed Rail line of theirs is just asking to be sabotaged."

"The Heaven-Hating Sect is no mere chicken."

"That depends on who you ask."

The Saint Master let out a sly chuckle. "A power that rises so quickly is bound to have a few tricks up its sleeve. Here, this is an apology letter I just wrote. Send another one over to the Mortal Realm."

"Saint Master, your calligraphy is getting more and more beautiful."

"Of course. Practice makes perfect, after all."

"And this one, send it to the Heaven-Hating Sect as well."

"Another apology letter?"

"Yep. A while back, didn’t some disciples from our Slaughter Immortal Holy Land have a little conflict with disciples from the Heaven-Hating Sect?"

"That was six months ago."

"Send one anyway. What if those two actually go to war and the Heaven-Hating Sect suddenly unleashes some hidden power and wins? Better to send an apology letter first, just in case."

"Are we sending Ghost Stones as well?"

"Of course. You can’t just apologize with empty words."

"Are there any more apology letters to send today?"

"Not for now."

"You’ve worked hard, Saint Master."

"It’s all necessary for the development of the Holy Land."

...

「Mortal City.」

Gongyang Yiyue was sitting in a teahouse, idly chatting with Big Fish, when the Sound Transmission Talisman in his pocket suddenly grew warm. After listening to the message, he froze for a moment. He was silent for a long while before he stood up, looked down at Big Fish, and suddenly laughed.

"Big Fish, if I asked you to leave the Mortal Realm and wander the world with me, would you do it?"

"I wouldn’t."

Big Fish shook her head, but a flicker of confusion appeared in her eyes as she looked up at Gongyang Yiyue.

"Then never mind."

Gongyang Yiyue paused for a moment before forcing a smile. He waved a hand as he started walking out of the teahouse. "Something came up with my clan. I need to go back and take care of it."

’The time had come for him to be activated.’

’It’s just...’

’This time, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to be.’

"..."

Big Fish watched Gongyang Yiyue’s retreating figure. It suddenly clicked. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, and she dashed out of the teahouse, sprinting toward the Dark Pavilion on Nameless Mountain. ’Something must have happened to the Gongyang Race.’

The Dark Pavilion was in charge of the Mortal Realm’s intelligence network.

’She had to find out what had happened to the Gongyang Race, and whether Gongyang Yiyue was about to be activated.’

...

"Patriarch."

"Gongyang Yiyue has taken the High-speed Rail and is on his way back."

"Are we really not asking the Mortal Realm for help?"

Within the Gongyang Race’s Hidden City, in a metropolis built at great expense and adorned entirely with a uniform Vine Pattern, all the clan’s Elders were gathered for a meeting. They had just received news: the merchant guild they’d dispatched had been completely annihilated in the Guanxi Plain by a power known as the Heaven-Hating Sect.

The Patriarch of the Gongyang Race sat upon his seat, his expression grim. He spoke slowly, word by word. "The Mortal Realm will not go to war with a top-tier power in the Guanxi Plain just for our sake."

"If we go begging the Mortal Realm for help and are refused, not only will we lose face, but how would Gongyang Yue be able to hold her head high there afterward?"

"This is our problem. We will solve it ourselves."

"The Death Banner has been raised."

"We absolutely cannot let this matter drop. Otherwise, how could we ever hold our heads high again? I have already spoken with the Supreme Elder. He said he is ready to be activated at a moment’s notice. We must retaliate."

The surrounding Elders fell silent, none of them speaking.

In truth, they all knew.

Even if they deployed the Supreme Elder, the threat a single Night Watcher could pose to a top-tier power like that was minimal. He might fail to inflict any damage and would waste his one chance at activation. If their defenses were formidable, the Supreme Elder might not even make it back alive.

But—

Since the Patriarch’s mind was made up, they said no more.

Just then, a buzzing sound suddenly came from overhead. The Patriarch of the Gongyang Race paused, momentarily confused. Not knowing what was happening, he led the other Elders out of the council hall and looked up at the sky.