Dry Firewood and Blazing Flames

Shang Chaozong understood the reasoning, but Guo Qingkong's group had come secretly to meet him. Clearly, they had obtained Great Zen Mountain's cooperation.

Great Zen Mountain cultivators guarded the entire area. Without Great Zen Mountain's cooperation, Guo Qingkong could not have met him in secret.

And it had to be with Great Zen Mountain's cooperation. If Great Zen Mountain had not cooperated, Guo Qingkong could not have come to meet him secretly either, with people from Spirit Sword Mountain and Purple Gold Cave watching.

The arrival of this letter had torn the matter open, showing that the confidential meeting they had tried to conceal had not escaped Thatched Cottage Manor.

This was no different from telling them that any unusual movement within the Southern Prefecture Governor's Office could not be hidden from Thatched Cottage Manor's eyes. It was plainly telling Shang Chaozong: I have people around you.

Yet under the current circumstances, that was no longer important. If he wanted to purge them, he could straighten out everyone around him at any time and clean them out completely.

But as long as Niu Youdao meant him no harm, there was no need to do such a thing if he had done nothing shameful. Niu Youdao normally did not interfere in Southern Prefecture's military and political affairs. It was understandable that he kept an eye on this side; he could not possibly remain utterly uninformed.

So under normal circumstances, even if he knew Thatched Cottage Manor had people around him, he would not touch them. In a sense, he himself was one of Thatched Cottage Manor's people.

Conversely, if he truly moved against them, if he truly did that, it meant he no longer wished to be one of Thatched Cottage Manor's people and intended to fall out with Niu Youdao!