Luo Ping secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew he could not compete with Nan Zhuoran, nor did he wish to clash head-on with Chen Qing.
Hua Yunfeng stood behind Chen Qing, and he knew the temperament of this former Sect Leader all too well.
Better to sit atop the wall and watch. Once the two tigers had fought, perhaps there would still be room to maneuver.
Jiang Lishan took in everyone's reactions. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Since that is the case, why not decide it by vote?"
His words sounded impartial, but in truth, he had already quietly tipped the scales.
If they truly voted, given the current distribution of forces in the hall, Nan Zhuoran's victory would be almost inevitable.
The Nine Heavens Vein was powerful, and many neutral factions leaned toward him as well. The votes would surely give him an overwhelming advantage.
Though the True Martial lineage was strong, it would still be difficult for it to reverse the overall situation.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall grew even heavier.
Many eyes fell upon Chen Qing, eager to see how he would respond.
Chen Qing remained seated without moving.
Naturally, he understood Jiang Lishan's intentions. The seemingly fair vote was in fact meant to hand the position of Master of Wanfa Peak to Nan Zhuoran in a "legitimate" manner.
And once Nan Zhuoran took that position, with its authority and resources, his strength would rise rapidly. He might even break through to the Grandmaster realm in one fell swoop.
Chen Qing slowly drew a breath and was just about to speak—
"A vote? What meaning is there in voting?"
A hoarse, icy voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone froze and turned toward the sound.
Hua Yunfeng slowly raised his eyelids.