Chapter 154: Everyone is Making Final Preparations

Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Everyone is Making Final Preparations

"If not for the two old monsters from the Red Blood Mansion stationed on Three Mountains Island, annihilating a sect like the Red Blood Mansion would be a trivial matter with the power I now possess."

Chu Fan said proudly.

The three Sect Leaders looked at Chu Fan in disbelief.

"The Profound Wind Mercenary Corps, the Yellow Storm Mercenary Corps, Mr. Hong’s Auction House, and the Dark Night Envoys are all my people. I, Chu Fan, may be untalented, but I dare to be the first to act."

With that single sentence, the attitudes of the three Sect Leaders before Chu Fan immediately changed. A moment ago, they had carried themselves as his seniors, but now they regarded him as an equal.

"The Spirit Medicines auctioned at the Shuoyue City auction over a month ago—I can prepare a portion for each of you..."

"I was also the one who completed Zi Wu Gate’s Midday Celestial Burning Technique."

"As for the Martial Techniques from the auction, I have plenty more."

With every sentence Chu Fan spoke, the expressions on the three men’s faces became more incredible.

By the end, the three of them were shamelessly showering Chu Fan with praise.

Chu Fan spoke with the three of them for over two hours. In the end, the three Sect Leaders departed, filled with a mixture of shock, anticipation, and lingering doubt.

Their doubt wasn’t aimed at the truth of Chu Fan’s words. Instead, they were doubting themselves, wondering if they had grown too old to keep up with the times.

As for Chu Fan, he hadn’t wasted half a day’s effort; he had achieved his goal.

After leaving Zao Ying Mountain, he activated his Wind Thunder Escape Body Technique and sped toward the Thirty Mile Crossing of the Qi River.

He had arranged to meet Wang Zhiheng there, and Wang Zhiheng must have been waiting anxiously.

Sure enough, when Chu Fan arrived at the crossing, Wang Zhiheng was standing on the bow of a black-canopied boat, scanning his surroundings.

Chu Fan, now in the guise of a middle-aged man in blue robes, flew and landed on the bow.

"You are the true owner of Mr. Hong’s Auction House?" Wang Zhiheng said, sizing Chu Fan up.

Chu Fan stroked the beard on his chin and said, "I’ve kept Sect Leader Wang waiting."

"How should I address you?" Wang Zhiheng asked.

"This is no place to talk." As Chu Fan spoke, he unleashed the Heaven-Reaching Palm at the river’s surface.

A pillar of water shot up into the sky, and the boat beneath their feet shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, speeding towards the center of the river.

This palm strike from Chu Fan was clearly meant as a show of force.

Before boarding the boat, his Spiritual Power had already detected several hidden experts nearby.

Sure enough, Wang Zhiheng’s expression changed the moment he saw Chu Fan’s palm strike.

"Sect Leader Wang, I’ve invited you here today to discuss a deal." Once the boat reached the center of the river, Chu Fan got straight to the point.

"And what deal would that be?" Wang Zhiheng asked, his tone much more modest.

"I will deploy a Defense Array for your Cyan Cloud Sect. In addition, I’ll gift you two Inner Power Heart Methods, comparable in grade to the Cultivation Techniques from the last auction. I can also provide you with several stalks of Illusion Heart Grass and Bone Marrow Nourishing Root."

"And the conditions?" Wang Zhiheng’s heart pounded with excitement.

"At the Tengxing Grand Assembly, you will support the proposal made by the Dark Moon Sect, the Profound Celestial Sect, and the Xuandao Sect."

"What proposal?"

Wang Zhiheng’s excitement turned to shock. ’Doesn’t this mean the Dark Moon Sect, the Profound Celestial Sect, and the Xuandao Sect all have an indescribable relationship with Mr. Hong’s Auction House?’

"You will know in due time. This matter will not bring any harm to your Cyan Cloud Sect."

"If that’s the case, I can agree right now. Where are the items?"

"The conditions don’t stop there. The Defense Array I will set up for you is not only high-level and highly defensive, but it also possesses concealment properties. Once the array is activated, not even a Tribulation Crossing Realm Cultivator could break in. Moreover, setting up such an array requires at least a thousand pieces of high-grade Jade, and the value of this Jade is simply immeasurable."

"You might as well state all of your conditions at once."

Chu Fan then laid out his conditions one by one.

After Wang Zhiheng finished listening, his gaze hardened. "Impossible. Absolutely not."

"Sect Leader Wang, you must think this through. Among the Six Sects and Eight Gates, your Cyan Cloud Sect is merely Middle Class. Isn’t this an opportunity for your Cyan Cloud Sect?"

Wang Zhiheng stood on the bow, his gaze fixed on the river water. He weighed the options in his heart for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "If the array you speak of doesn’t perform as you’ve described, don’t blame me for backing out."

Chu Fan smiled and raised his palm, and Wang Zhiheng slapped it.

Afterward, the two of them sped toward the Cyan Cloud Sect together.

...

With four days left until the Tengxing Grand Assembly, the sects located farther away from the Cyan Cloud Sect were already on their way.

Meanwhile, the Red Blood Mansion had also begun to arrange its forces.

In the Council Hall on Three Mountains Island, besides Yan Qi and the Elders of the Red Blood Mansion, all of the Red Blood Mansion’s Stewards, as well as the Sect Leaders of the second and third-class sects affiliated with them, were gathered.

"The Six Sects and Eight Gates are holding the Tengxing Grand Assembly. What other purpose could they have but to unite and conspire against us? Given the importance of this assembly, every participating sect will have their Sect Leader and their most prominent prodigies gathered in one place."

Yan Qi stood before the main seat, his hands clasped behind his back. He spoke at length, filled with an air of absolute confidence.

"So, on the very road they must take out of the Cyan Cloud Sect’s mountain, we will ensure that none of them return. Once those sects have lost their Sect Leaders and prodigies, what will they have left? The old monsters on the verge of death who are guarding their sects? When that time comes, won’t the entire Eastern Domain be ours for the taking?"

"Sect Leader, should we recall the Martial Artists stationed in the Da Zhao and Celestial Qi Kingdoms? Without them, I’m afraid our current numbers will be..."

"Rest assured," Yan Qi declared. "Although the people the Six Sects and Eight Gates are sending to the Tengxing Grand Assembly are important, they won’t dare bring too many. After all, the events of three years ago served as a wake-up call. They’re afraid of having their own homes raided while they’re away."

"And how could I not be looking forward to this Tengxing Grand Assembly? When the time comes, I have a big gift prepared for them!"

"Since Sect Leader Yan has already made his decision, we will certainly give it our all," the Sect Leaders of the second and third-class sects promised in unison.

Yan Qi then publicly gave each of them their detailed assignments before dismissing them to make their preparations.

Only he and a few Elders remained in the Council Hall.

"Sect Leader, the Great Xia Kingdom has massed troops on the borders of the Da Zhao and Celestial Qi Kingdoms. They look poised to attack at any moment, yet they delay. Could this be a coordinated move to support the Tengxing Grand Assembly?" the Great Elder asked.

"So what if it is? How could they possibly fathom our true strength? Besides, I have prepared a great many Palm Thunders. Before the fighting even begins, we’ll give them a harsh lesson. The Great Xia Kingdom? It’s a complete joke," Yan Qi said with a sneer.

"Besides, it’s impossible for the Great Xia Kingdom and the Six Sects and Eight Gates to be on the same side. The Great Xia Kingdom intends to unify the Eastern Domain and even wants to enact laws to restrain Cultivators. Doesn’t that also make them enemies of the Six Sects and Eight Gates? If they could actually coordinate a performance of that level, I’d have to admit some respect for the Six Sects and Eight Gates. But as it is, the Six Sects and Eight Gates are just a heap of loose sand, each with their own schemes. It’s only because our Red Blood Mansion has been making too much noise that they’ve been forced to hold this Tengxing Grand Assembly in the first place."

"What about the Lingyun Sect?" the Second Elder asked.

"Li Mosheng has taken so many benefits from me; it’s about time he did something to earn them," Yan Qi said, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.