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The middle-aged man chuckled after hearing this.

"The Dean is brilliant. A Martial Cultivator at the fifth realm must have consumed countless rare treasures. His flesh and blood would surely be top-grade ingredients for alchemy!"

"Tell Pei Gan not to touch Qin Guan. Leave no one else connected to Qin Guan alive!"

"Understood!" The middle-aged man nodded.

Meanwhile, at the Cloud Mist Sect.

Sect Master Zheng Wanshou was furious upon learning that the Black Dragon Protector, Inner Sect Enforcement Elder Zhao Zhijian, four Elders, and over a dozen disciples had all been killed!

The loss of so many experts at once was a severe blow to the Cloud Mist Sect. Especially after discovering that Chen Guanxiang had been wrongly accused, many voices of discontent arose within the sect.

As the Sect Master, Zheng Wanshou bore unavoidable responsibility for this loss.

"Sect Master, what are you waiting for? We can't tolerate this any longer! I suggest we destroy the Nan Family first, tear Qin Guan to pieces, and then settle the score with the Spirit Sword Academy. Oh, and the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion too!" a middle-aged man roared in the main hall.

"This matter might not be that simple," Zheng Wanshou shook his head. Having understood the cause and effect, he felt there were many suspicious elements involved.

"Sect Master, do you really believe Elder Black Dragon was killed by Qin Guan? How could a mere Martial Cultivator at the fifth realm kill the Black Dragon Protector?" the middle-aged man asked sternly.

Hearing this, Zheng Wanshou fell silent, lost in thought.

The middle-aged man looked at Zheng Wanshou and hurriedly said, "Sect Master, even if there's dispute over the death of the Black Dragon Protector, the deaths of the five Elders and over a dozen disciples are related to Qin Guan and the Nan Family, right? The entire sect is waiting to see your stance. If this matter isn't handled quickly, it might severely impact your prestige!"

Zheng Wanshou nodded. "We'll destroy the Nan Family and Qin Guan first to quell the situation. As for the Spirit Sword Academy and the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, we'll deal with them later!"

"Issue an order to..."

"Foolish!"

Just as Zheng Wanshou was about to dispatch someone, a furious shout echoed from outside the hall.

Soon, an elder with white hair walked in.

"Father, why are you here?"

Seeing the newcomer, Zheng Wanshou quickly stood up.

"Greetings, Grand Elder!"

The middle-aged man beside Zheng Wanshou also quickly bowed.

The white-haired elder looked at Zheng Wanshou with a grim expression. "You already made a mistake with the Chen Guanxiang incident last time. Haven't you learned your lesson? If you make another mistake, will you still be fit to be Sect Master?"

"Father..."

Before Zheng Wanshou could say anything, the white-haired elder continued, "Observe the situation calmly. Do not go looking for trouble with Qin Guan again!"

Zheng Wanshou found this difficult to accept. "Father, the entire sect is watching me, their Sect Master, for a lead. If we just observe..."

"How many times have I told you, don't act rashly? Think carefully before you act. Qin Guan is a fifth-realm Martial Cultivator at such a young age. Do you think he's simple? Do you know the cost of cultivating a fifth-realm Martial Cultivator? Do you know what forces are backing him? And the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, willing to offend our Cloud Mist Sect to help him, have you considered these issues?"

The string of questions from the white-haired elder left Zheng Wanshou speechless. He had considered these questions himself.

However, deep down, he looked down on Qin Guan. Even as a fifth-realm Martial Cultivator, he honestly didn't think much of him, given the Cloud Mist Sect's deep foundation. Dealing with a fifth-realm Martial Cultivator shouldn't be a major problem. It was precisely because of this that he hadn't delved deeper into these matters.

Arrogance and underestimation – he knew he had made these two fatal mistakes.

"Don't worry. Even if we don't act, with the Spirit Sword Academy's style, they will make their move soon. For now, we must remain calm and observe the situation. Let the Spirit Sword Academy make the first move, understand?"

"Thank you for your reminder, Father!" Zheng Wanshou nodded hurriedly.

"You are not suited to be Sect Master," the white-haired elder shook his head and turned to leave.

After the white-haired elder left, Zheng Wanshou's expression turned as dark as water. His father's words about him not being suitable to be Sect Master made him very uncomfortable.

"Sect Master, should we follow the Grand Elder's advice on this matter?" the middle-aged man asked, glancing at Zheng Wanshou.

"Father is right. We'll endure for now and let the Spirit Sword Academy handle it," Zheng Wanshou said, his gaze filled with suppressed emotion.

"But if the Spirit Sword Academy destroys the Nan Family and Qin Guan, and our Cloud Mist Sect does nothing, won't people laugh at us as cowards? And say that you, the Sect Master..." the middle-aged man trailed off.

"Enough! We'll wait on this matter!" Zheng Wanshou declared and left the hall.

The middle-aged man looked at Zheng Wanshou's retreating back and sneered, "Without your father steering the ship, you're nothing."

Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, Imperial Capital.

"Grandfather, you will definitely regret this!"

In a luxurious room, Jiang Lianyue's pretty face was frosty with anger.

"Regret? I've been active for decades and have never misjudged anyone. Can a fifth-realm Martial Cultivator at sixteen compare to a Sword King at sixteen?"

Across from Jiang Lianyue, a robed old man said sternly.

Jiang Lianyue retorted angrily, "Why can't they? Qin Guan is stronger than Shen Huan! Moreover, I believe Qin Guan's strength might even be above the fifth realm!"

"Above the fifth realm? You don't actually think Qin Guan is a sixth-realm Martial Cultivator, do you?"

The robed old man sneered. "Do you know how difficult it is to advance in the Martial Cultivator realms? Let alone a sixth-realm Martial Cultivator, there aren't more than ten sixth-realm Cultivators in Qingzhou, and most of them are old fellows who have lived for nearly a hundred years. A sixteen-year-old sixth-realm Martial Cultivator, Yue'er, do you believe yourself when you say such things?"