While Tang Hao rushed toward Heaven Dou City at top speed, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was likewise located just outside Heaven Dou City.
Even before Spirit Hall could announce it to the entire continent, Seven Treasures had guessed that something had happened to the Clear Sky Sect.
After all, they were both outside Heaven Dou City. Spirit Hall's forces had made no effort to hide the fact that they were hauling things out of the Clear Sky Sect from top to bottom.
But because Spirit Hall had continued lingering around the Clear Sky Sect, Seven Treasures had not dared send anyone to investigate, leaving them without any accurate information.
But now, they knew.
Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and a man praised as "the greatest sage in the world," was holding two letters in his hands. His expression was grim, and the usual refined calmness had vanished from his face.
Had there been outsiders present, they would have noticed that Ning Fengzhi's face was not merely unsightly—there was also a trace of fear in his eyes.
Of course he was afraid. After Qian Daoliu had lost to Tang Chen and his sect had recruited the two Title Douluo, Sword and Bone, he had immediately driven out the two Title Douluo Spirit Hall had sent to Seven Treasures, turning against them and declaring independence.
The reason for his defection was not complicated. Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. Spirit Hall had single-handedly supported the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and raised Seven Treasures to one of the Upper Three Sects. But that still meant living under another's roof. In the end, people had to rely on themselves.
Moreover, Spirit Hall had already shown signs of decline before the Clear Sky Sect. Even Qian Daoliu, Spirit Hall's strongest, had lost to Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect. With the changing of the old order seemingly imminent, if he did not rebel then, when would he?
But now, could someone please tell Ning Fengzhi why? Why had the Clear Sky Sect, once so arrogantly unstoppable, suddenly vanished? Where was Tang Chen, the invincible man beneath the heavens, from the Clear Sky Sect?
When the Clear Sky Sect sealed itself away, Ning Fengzhi had nearly been frightened out of his wits. And now this again?!
The Clear Sky Sect's destruction itself was not a problem. Ning Fengzhi had actually disliked that nouveau riche style of theirs, and now thousands of corpses lay there as proof that the Clear Sky Sect had been full of Evil Soul Masters. But the problem was, with the Clear Sky Sect gone, what would happen to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
Do not say Spirit Hall would be magnanimous and spare Seven Treasures.
Seven Treasures was not Blue Lightning. Blue Lightning had always remained independent and had never submitted to anyone. Besides, Blue Lightning had merely sat on the fence and watched. When Spirit Hall was powerful, Blue Lightning could lower its head a little, and Spirit Hall would not do anything to it.
But Seven Treasures itself had been supported by Spirit Hall, only to defect afterward. Traitors were unwelcome anywhere. As the master of a sect, Ning Fengzhi knew exactly how detestable traitors were.
How could he secure a path to survival for Seven Treasures?
Submit to Spirit Hall again? No, that would not work. Even if Seven Treasures submitted, Spirit Hall might not accept them.
Join every force he could contact and resist Spirit Hall? That would not work either. Never mind whether Spirit Hall would allow such an alliance to form; even if it did, it probably would not amount to much against Spirit Hall.
Just as Ning Fengzhi racked his brains over the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a tall old man, thin as a skeleton, hurried into the hall where Ning Fengzhi was seated.
"Fengzhi, something happened!"
Ning Fengzhi gathered his thoughts and once again put on a refined, amiable smile.
"Bone Uncle, what is it?
"If it is about the Clear Sky Sect, I already know."
As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi waved the letters in his hand.
The newcomer was none other than Gu Rong, Bone Douluo, one of Seven Treasures' two Title Douluo.
Hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, Gu Rong merely shook his head. "It is not what Spirit Hall has already announced. Something has happened inside Heaven Dou City. Spirit Hall has surrounded Moonlight Pavilion and the Strength Clan!
"I came to ask you, Fengzhi—do you want to help them?"
Knowing what had happened, Ning Fengzhi could only smile bitterly.
"Spirit Hall moves quickly.
"But, Bone Uncle, Seven Treasures can barely protect itself now. Why should we concern ourselves with them?
"Let Spirit Hall handle this as it wishes. We will see whether Tang Hao, who is still active outside, makes any move."
Gu Rong let out a long breath upon hearing Ning Fengzhi say that.
He had not come here intending to persuade Ning Fengzhi to intervene. On the contrary, he had feared that once Ning Fengzhi learned of this, he would meddle under the excuse that "the Upper Three Sects shared branches and breath," bringing trouble upon himself. Gu Rong had come to persuade Ning Fengzhi not to act.
What could helping a Clear Sky Sect made up of Evil Soul Masters accomplish besides bringing trouble upon themselves?
Naturally, Gu Rong also hated Evil Soul Masters. Or rather, aside from a few oddballs, no one on the current continent failed to hate the Evil Soul Masters recorded in history.
Ning Fengzhi was not puzzled by Gu Rong's behavior. Instead, he seemed to have fallen into thought.
Tang Hao? Tang Hao leaving the sect...
Seeing that Ning Fengzhi seemed distracted, Gu Rong had no choice but to interrupt his thoughts again.
"Fengzhi, I came this time to remind you that the Clear Sky Sect is now a pack of Evil Soul Masters. Do not get involved with anything related to the Clear Sky Sect in the future and bring trouble upon yourself."
After returning to his senses, Ning Fengzhi smiled.
"Bone Uncle, what are you thinking? Even if I wanted to unite the Upper Three Sects, I would never unite with a group of Evil Soul Masters.
"Still, we must remain vigilant. I will have to trouble you and Sword Uncle to arrange the sect's defenses."
Gu Rong's expression turned solemn. Indeed, Evil Soul Masters deserved to be eliminated, but that was one matter. Spirit Hall's habit of suddenly showing up at someone's doorstep was still quite frightening.
"Then I will go make the arrangements."
Gu Rong immediately turned and walked out of the hall, while Ning Fengzhi continued wearing his refined, amiable smile.
Only after Gu Rong's figure had vanished from Ning Fengzhi's senses did Ning Fengzhi put away his smile, struggle surfacing in his eyes.
When Tang Hao had been mentioned earlier, Ning Fengzhi had suddenly found an idea.
Before Spirit Hall's revelation, Tang Hao had been most famous for two things: severely injuring Qian Xunji, and the Clear Sky Sect's heir leaving the sect.
Do not misunderstand. Ning Fengzhi had not suddenly gone mad and decided to imitate Tang Hao by leaving his sect. If a sect master suddenly left his own sect, who would believe it?
Rather, the act of placing all responsibility onto Tang Hao alone was worth considering.
Seven Treasures might be able to learn from it. After all, Seven Treasures had defected under Ning Fengzhi's leadership. Would it not be enough for him to take all the blame himself?
As for whether he would survive, Ning Fengzhi did not care much. In his heart, there was only the growth and continued existence of Seven Treasures.
But Ning Fengzhi's own life was one thing. Sword and Bone, his two close friends, might be dragged down with him.
Judging by how Spirit Hall dealt with its enemies, if it truly intended to subdue Seven Treasures again, it would certainly remove Sword and Bone, those two high-level combatants. Ning Fengzhi himself would do the same.
It did not matter if Ning Fengzhi died himself, but sending Sword and Bone—two Title Douluo who had protected Seven Treasures for decades—down a path to death left him deeply conflicted.
In the end, Ning Fengzhi made up his mind. The sect's continued existence was the most important thing.
However, how to take all responsibility upon himself while ensuring Spirit Hall did not implicate Seven Treasures still required some thought.
It definitely would not work for him to suddenly run to Spirit City, lower his head, and await death. Given Pope Bibi Dong's current methods, she would certainly wipe out Seven Treasures along with him.
Therefore, he first needed to establish connections, and when it came to connections...
Had Bibi Dong not been very close in her youth to Yu Xiaogang of the Blue Lightning family? Was she not even now still promoting and defending Yu Xiaogang's so-called title of "Grandmaster" across the continent?
Although Ning Fengzhi had once been quite puzzled about how trash like Yu Xiaogang had won Bibi Dong's favor and even become a so-called Grandmaster.
But such doubts no longer mattered. Whether Yu Xiaogang possessed any real ability did not matter either. Having connections was enough.
Ning Fengzhi happened to know that Yu Xiaogang's close friend, Flender, had founded a Shrek Academy outside Suotuo City. Was that not the connection he needed?
He could send Ning Rongrong, the sect master's heir, to Shrek as a student, then have Flender bring Yu Xiaogang over. That would establish a teacher-student relationship.
Then, once Ning Fengzhi took responsibility for betraying Spirit Hall and died alongside Sword and Bone, Bibi Dong would spare Seven Treasures for Yu Xiaogang's sake.
As for the internal struggle between Pope Hall and Worship Hall within Spirit Hall, and who would ultimately prevail to become Spirit Hall's master.
Ning Fengzhi had absolute faith in Bibi Dong on that point. How old was Bibi Dong? And how old were those High Priests of Spirit Hall? They were already fighting to a standstill now. Was it not obvious who would emerge victorious in the future?