The early morning sunshine Penetration's faint mist fell on a wide official road at the Heaven Dou Empire border. Three carriages, which were not gorgeously decorated but made of exquisite materials and bore Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's unique glazed coat of arms, were driving slowly and slowly under the protection of more than a dozen guards with calm auras.
In the carriage in the middle, the atmosphere was calm. Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Leader Ning Fengzhi was wearing a moon-white robe, with a peaceful expression, and was closing his eyes to rest. Opposite him, two sect elders were sitting.
On the left is an old man in white robes with a clear face and calm temperament, who is the chief elder of the sect. On the right is Ning Fengzhi's cousin, Ning Xin, who is in charge of part of the sect's industry. She is lifting the curtain on the side wall of the carriage and looking at the scenery passing by outside the window. She frowns slightly and seems to be a little uneasy.
"Sect Master," Ning Xin put down the curtain, turned to Ning Fengzhi, and couldn't help but say, "We are going to Gengxin City on this trip. In addition to discussing the construction period of the customized batch of Hidden Weapon, you deliberately detoured this remote border route. Is it really just to..."try your luck" and find the "mysterious strong man" who does not exist?"
Ning Fengzhi slowly opened his eyes, with a warm and peaceful luster. He looked at Ning Xin and said with a smile, "Do you think this move is a bit hasty, or even... childish?"
Ning Xin bit his lip and said bluntly, "I'm a little confused. Sect Master, the rumors about the Black Rock Mountain Range are just vague messages passed down by word of mouth among border adventurers. It's hard to tell whether they are true or false.
They say there was a terrible war, but there are no traces afterward... There are not ten but eight such rumors in the border area every year. Most of them are exaggerated or spread rumors. Just because of such a rumor, should we change the established route and go deep into this remote place..."
"Is it too aggressive and uncertain?" Ning Fengzhi took over her words, his tone still calm.
The white-robed Elder Ning, who was resting with his eyes closed at the side, also opened his eyes slightly and looked at Ning Fengzhi, obviously he also had this question.
Ning Fengzhi shook his head slightly, looking at the Penetration carriage, looking at the slightly desolate wilderness on both sides of the official road and the rolling mountains in the distance.
"Do you know why, Uncle Jian, I, Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, am struggling after Uncle Gu passed away?"
As soon as these words came out, both Ning Xin and Elder Bai looked solemn. The death of sword fighting Bone Douluo was an unbearable pain for the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. At this moment, the sect leader mentioned in the carriage that even though a soundproof barrier had been set up, the two of them still felt heavy in their hearts.
"The top combat power is a sect's true sea-fixing needle and the foundation of its right to speak." Ning Fengzhi's voice became a little deeper, "Without Uncle Sword and Uncle Bone, our Nine Treasure Glazed Sect has lost its sharpest sword and strongest shield.
Over the years, all the forces seem to still respect me, Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but they are wary of my clan's accumulated wealth, connections, and... the secrets that have not been fully exposed. But this balance is fragile. Once there is a change, or if the situation in the empire becomes turbulent again, I, Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, will be the most fertile and easiest prey in the eyes of others."
There was silence in the carriage, except for the sound of wheels running over the road.
"So, we need new 'swords' and 'shields'." Ning Fengzhi's eyes became sharp. "They are not those guest ministers who are attached to wealth, but the peak powerhouses who can truly share weal and woe with the sect and can shock everyone around. The position of protecting the sect Douluo cannot remain vacant forever."
Ning Xin frowned and said, "What the sect leader said is absolutely true. However, such powerful people are rare to find. The Titled Douluo known on the mainland have either already belonged to the major forces, or they are lonely and difficult to recruit.
Trying our luck here is tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack. In my opinion, it is better to release high-level tasks through the Mercenary Guild, and use Soul Bone and rare treasures as rewards. Maybe it can attract the attention of some strong individuals who are alone, and then slowly try to figure it out."
This is the safest and most conventional approach. Use the financial resources of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to attract the strong with resources.
However, Ning Fengzhi shook his head again, with a meaningful smile on his lips, "You don't understand this."
He leaned forward slightly and spoke in a low voice, but with a kind of certainty that he understood the world. "If we contact you through the Mercenary Guild.
Let's assume that this strong man can be found by us. The most we can do is entrust him with tasks and pay a corresponding price, such as Soul Bone, rare materials, and massive amounts of Gold Soul Coin, in exchange for him taking one or more shots. This is just a transaction, and the money is paid in full, clean and tidy.
He is still a free and unencumbered lone ranger. We cannot gain his loyalty, and we cannot even guarantee whether the Soul Bone and secrets we have paid will become a bargaining chip for him to trade with other forces."
"But what if," Ning Fengzhi's eyes flashed, "We can find him in person, treat him with sincerity, promise huge profits, or even... invite him with the honor and resources of Douluo, the guest elder of the sect, or even the future protector of the sect before he is completely exposed, or when he is in need of certain resources or identity?"
"Protect the sect Douluo?" Ning Xin whispered, with a look of surprise in his eyes. This position is of great significance in the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, representing supreme trust, status and resource tilt. The sect leader actually has such great expectations and chips for a character who only exists in rumors and may not be real?
"That's right." Ning Fengzhi nodded affirmatively, "If this kind of person can handle many high-level Soul Master quietly without leaving any traces, his methods, temperament, and strength are absolutely extraordinary.
If I can get his sincere help, it will be worth far more than a few Soul Bone. He will be a sharp sword for me Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect hidden in the dark, or a heavy shield in the open, enough to make many coveters weigh it."
He paused and continued his analysis, "Through the guild, it is a transaction. And when we search and recruit in person, it is a nashi. The former is a combination of interests, while the latter is a matter of affection, belonging, and bonds.
For the truly strong, especially those who have been alone for a long time and may be looking for a suitable place to stay, the latter are often more attractive and more likely to gain true loyalty - at least, longer-term cooperation and protection."
Elder Ning stroked his beard and pondered, and said slowly, "The sect leader has far-reaching concerns and wants to do something extraordinary, so there must be an extraordinary method. But... is it too risky to mobilize troops and mobilize people like this just based on rumors on the border? If the news is untrue, or the person has already escaped, wouldn't our trip be in vain and delay Gengxin City's important things?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled calmly, "So, we are just 'following the way'." He pointed out the window, "This route is already among our optional paths to Gengxin City, but it is just a little remote.
We did not conduct a large-scale search, but only sent a small number of elite guards to explore the road ahead on the pretext of purchasing border specialties and surveying mineral veins. We also paid attention to whether there were any strange and powerful people matching the description.
Even if nothing is gained, it is just a matter of spending a few extra days traveling to inspect border industries and understand the actual situation of the empire's border defense, and there is no loss."
He looked at Ning Xin: "As for the information... you are in charge of part of the intelligence, you should know that a lot of truly valuable information does not come from official documents, but from market rumors, adventurers' drunken bragging, and the chatter of border guards.
Although the rumors are vague, the fact that they can combine the elements of 'multiple high-level Soul Master', 'violent fluctuations', and 'no trace after the war', and are mentioned by more than one source within a certain range, means that it is definitely true and not groundless. As for how strong it is, whether it is an enemy or a friend, whether it is a human or a beast, that is what we need to 'try our luck' to find out."
Ning Xin Suddenly, the sect leader did not blindly believe the rumors, but extracted key information from the rumors - an unusual high-level battle took place there.
And a strong person who can create this kind of battle and clean up the battlefield is worthy of attention and trying to contact. With the energy of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, in such a remote place, the cost of "encountering" and trying to contact a possible lone strong person is not high, but the potential benefits may be huge. This is indeed a seemingly random but in fact subtle move.
"I understand, sect master." Ning Xin nodded sincerely, "I think it's simple. To deal with it with the guild is a bad and urgent strategy; to recruit it with sincerity is a best and long-term strategy. Even if we don't have a chance to see you on this trip, it is a good thing to find out the reality of the border."
Ning Fengzhi nodded with satisfaction, leaned back in the chair again, closed his eyes, and seemed to start to rest his mind again.
"As for whether you can find it, it depends on God's will." He finally said lightly, his voice almost inaudible, "But opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared and willing to try."
The carriage continued to drive on the slightly bumpy official border road, heading towards the Black Rock Mountain Range direction where there were rumors of unusual movements, moving slowly and slowly.
The carriage returned to silence, with only Ning Fengzhi's fingertips tapping lightly on his knees unconsciously, as if thinking about how to speak if he really "encountered" the mysterious strong man, so that this possible "sword" or "heavy shield" could be brought under the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Glazed Pagoda halo.