All Sides Lend an Ear to This Way of Will, Cross-Domain Challenge Letter Sent to Holy Mountain

"It's starting, that mouth..."

Wind Clan City, Southern Domain. First Viewing Platform.

Dao Qiongchang descended with his sleeves hanging loose, landing amid the motley crowd. Not a single person spared him a glance.

Beside him, chaotic discussions rang out.

Some were discussing Master Shou's ideals, extrapolating his current personal views.

Others pushed further ahead, interpreting Master Shou's relationship with the Dao Hall Master and just how close the two truly were.

By now, only a very small fraction still supported the Dao Hall Master. They believed things like "Puppet Thread Control" and the "Heavenly Secrets Art" were all Master Shou's slander, calling for the Dao Hall Master to step forward and clear his name.

Under normal circumstances, Dao Qiongchang would have gone over, thrown an arm around someone's shoulders, chatted for a bit, and aired his own opinions.

Now, he merely smiled bitterly and said nothing.

There was no way to clear this up! What Xu Xiaoshou had said before the Five Domains was like water splashed from a basin—once poured out, it could never be gathered back.

Even if he wished to take it back, a multitude of mouths could melt gold. He could not change public opinion.

Even if he tried to explain himself, it would be like mud falling into his trouser pocket—the more he argued, the filthier it looked. There was simply no clearing it up.

Besides, as clever as Dao Qiongchang was, he could plainly see that Xu Xiaoshou dragging him into this mess had merely been incidental.

Xu Xiaoshou had concealed spears and hidden cudgels within his story. Yet this personal resentment of his had not put anyone off; instead, it grounded his originally ethereal ideals in something tangible, making them feel believable and convincing.

And beyond the surface lay the essence. What Xu