♂
My guess had been right. After a round of official-sounding speeches, we came out of the hall. Zhao Ji arranged for an elder to take Sun Muchen and me to the Central Market, while he went to meet with the Third Sect Master in private. He probably had some other devilish scheme to hammer out between the two of them.
Sun Muchen and I stood on the deck of the jade ship. She was rather annoyed as she said, "Big Brother Xia, was I not right? Zhao Ji has the ambitions of a wolf. He's actually already setting his sights on Heaven's Unity Sect, thinking it's under his command and that he can raise Heaven's Unity Sect to the same rank as Pillcloud Sect and Azure Emperor Sect, then present it as a merit to gain favor. Fortunately, the Third Sect Master didn't buy it. Otherwise, the Sect Master would have been put in a passive position."
I naturally understood what she meant. If Heaven's Unity Sect received direct conferment and protection from Golden Immortal Path, it would be on equal footing with Pillcloud Sect and Azure Emperor Sect. From then on, it would no longer need to go through its superior sect and could answer directly to Golden Immortal Path.
On the surface, Heaven's Unity Sect would gain unrivaled prestige for a time, while Zhao Ji and Heaven's Unity Sect would both reap benefits. But what about the reality? Heaven's Unity Sect would only gain fame, while Zhao Ji would obtain genuine benefits. The Third Sect Master would naturally place even greater importance on him, and there were surely some benefits to be divided among them as well. But what about Heaven's Unity Sect? If it joined Golden Immortal Path directly, how would the tribute be calculated?
After