Seven Treasures

While Tang Hao was rushing toward Tiandou City, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, located just outside the city, was in a state of turmoil.

In truth, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had guessed that something had happened to the Haotian Sect long before Wuhun Hall made its official announcement to the entire continent.

After all, being located just outside Tiandou City, the movements of Wuhun Hall's forces as they moved items in and out of the Haotian Sect were hardly a secret.

However, because Wuhun Hall's forces had been constantly patrolling the perimeter of the Haotian Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect dared not 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 hailed as the "greatest wise man under heaven," was currently gripping two letters in his hands. His expression was grim, and the refined, calm demeanor he usually displayed had vanished.

If any outsiders were present, they would have noticed that not only was Ning Fengzhi's complexion ghastly, but there was also a flicker of terror in his eyes.

He was terrified, and for good reason. After Qian Daoliu had lost to Tang Chen and his sect had successfully recruited the two Title Douluo, Sword and Bone, he had immediately expelled the two Title Douluo sent by Wuhun Hall to his sect, effectively rebelling to stand on his own.

His reason for rebelling was simple: better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. Wuhun Hall had single-handedly supported the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and helped them ascend to the throne of the Upper Three Sects. But that was always living under someone else's roof; in the end, one had to rely on oneself.

Furthermore, at the time, Wuhun Hall's decline in the face of the Haotian Sect had been evident. Even Wuhun Hall's strongest, Qian Daoliu, had lost to Tang Chen of the Haotian Sect. With a change of dynasty seemingly imminent, when else would be the time to rebel if not then?

But now, who could tell him, Ning Fengzhi, why? Why had the once arrogantly unbridled Haotian Sect suddenly ceased to exist? And what about Tang Chen, that invincible force on the ground from the Haotian Sect?

When the Haotian Sect had closed its gates, Ning Fengzhi had been scared out of his wits, and now this?!

It wouldn't have mattered if the Haotian Sect were gone; Ning Fengzhi actually despised their nouveau riche attitude. But the problem was that thousands of corpses were now laid out there, "proving" that the Haotian Sect were all Evil Soul Masters. With the Haotian Sect gone, what was to become of his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Do not think for a moment that Wuhun Hall would be magnanimous and let the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect off the hook.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was not the Blue Lightning Sect. The Blue Lightning Sect had always been independent and had never pledged allegiance to anyone. Moreover, they had merely sat on the fence; when Wuhun Hall was powerful, the Blue Lightning Sect would bow their heads, and Wuhun Hall wouldn't do anything to them.

But the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had been supported by Wuhun Hall and had subsequently rebelled. Traitors were never welcomed anywhere, and as a sect master, Ning Fengzhi knew very well how much traitors were despised.

How on earth can I plot a path of survival for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

Submit to Wuhun Hall again? That won't work; even if we submit, Wuhun Hall might not accept us.

Unite all available forces to resist Wuhun Hall? That won't work either. Not to mention whether Wuhun Hall would allow such an alliance to form, even if we did unite, it would likely mean nothing to Wuhun Hall.

Just as Ning Fengzhi was racking his brains over the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, an old man with a tall frame, yet as thin as a skeleton, hurried into the hall where Ning Fengzhi was sitting.

"Fengzhi, something has happened!"

Ning Fengzhi reined in his thoughts and forced a refined, gentle smile back onto his face.

"Uncle Bone, what is it?"

"If it's about the Haotian Sect, I already know."

As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi shook the letters in his hand.

The person who had arrived was none other than Gu Rong, one of the two Title Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, known as Bone Douluo.

Upon hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, Gu Rong simply shook his head and said, "It's not about what Wuhun Hall has already announced. It's that something has happened inside Tiandou City—Wuhun Hall has surrounded Yuexuan and the Strength Clan!"

"I came to find you, Fengzhi, to ask if you intend to go and help them."

Ning Fengzhi, who already knew what was going on, could only offer a bitter smile.

"Wuhun Hall is truly swift in their actions."

"But, Uncle Bone, our own sect is barely hanging on; why should we worry about them?"

"Let Wuhun Hall do as they please. We shall see if Tang Hao, who is still active outside, will take any action."

When Gu Rong heard Ning Fengzhi say this, he let out a long sigh of relief.

He hadn't come here to persuade Ning Fengzhi to intervene; on the contrary, he was afraid that once Ning Fengzhi learned of this, he would use the excuse of "the Upper Three Sects being of one mind" to get involved and end up covered in filth. He had come to persuade Ning Fengzhi not to act.

The Haotian Sect was now composed of a group of Evil Soul Masters; what could one possibly gain from helping them other than getting dragged into the mud?

Gu Rong naturally hated Evil Soul Masters as well—or rather, aside from a few oddities, no one on the continent today didn't despise the Evil Soul Masters of history.

Ning Fengzhi did not question Gu Rong's behavior; instead, he seemed to fall into deep thought.

Tang Hao? Tang Hao left the sect...

Seeing that Ning Fengzhi seemed to be distracted, Gu Rong had no choice but to interrupt his thoughts again.

"Fengzhi, I came this time to remind you: the Haotian Sect is now a group of Evil Soul Masters. From now on, do not touch anything related to the Haotian Sect, or you'll end up covered in filth."

After regaining his composure, Ning Fengzhi smiled.

"Uncle Gu, what are you thinking? Even if I wanted to unite the Upper Three Sects, I wouldn't unite with a group of Evil Soul Masters."

"However, we must remain vigilant. I will have to trouble you and Uncle Sword to arrange the sect's defenses."

Gu Rong's expression turned solemn. Indeed, Evil Soul Masters had to be eradicated, but one thing at a time—Wuhun Hall's sudden, aggressive behavior was still quite frightening.

"I will go and make the arrangements then."

Gu Rong turned and walked out of the hall, while Ning Fengzhi continued to wear his refined, gentle smile.

Only when Gu Rong's figure had vanished from Ning Fengzhi's perception did he drop the smile, his eyes revealing a sense of struggle.

When Tang Hao was mentioned earlier, Ning Fengzhi had suddenly found a line of thought.

Before Wuhun Hall's revelation, the most famous things about Tang Hao, besides severely wounding Qian Xunji, were that the heir to the Haotian Sect had left the sect.

Do not misunderstand; Ning Fengzhi hadn't suddenly gone mad and wanted to learn from Tang Hao by leaving his sect. If a sect master were to suddenly leave his sect, he would need others to actually believe it.

Rather, it was the act of dumping all the responsibility onto Tang Hao alone that was worth pondering.

Seven Treasures might as well learn from that; after all, it was under his, Ning Fengzhi's, leadership that Seven Treasures rebelled, so wouldn't it be enough to just shoulder 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 survival of Seven Treasures.

It was just that while his own life did not matter, he might end up dragging his two dear friends, Sword and Bone, down with him.

Judging by the way Wuhun Hall treated its enemies, once they were determined to subjugate Seven Treasures again, the two high-end combatants, Sword and Bone, would certainly have to be eliminated; if it were him, Ning Fengzhi, he would do the same.

It didn't matter if he died, but sending Sword and Bone, the two Title Douluo who had protected Seven Treasures for decades, to their deaths was something he still struggled with internally.

In the end, Ning Fengzhi made up his mind: the survival of the sect was the most important thing.

However, how to take all the responsibility upon himself while ensuring Wuhun Hall did not implicate Seven Treasures still required some careful planning.

Simply running to Wuhun City to surrender and die would certainly not work; given the current style of Pope Bibi Dong, she would surely wipe out Seven Treasures along with him.

Therefore, he needed to establish a connection first, and as for establishing connections...

Wasn't Bibi Dong on very good terms with Yu Xiaogang of the Blue Lightning family when she was young, and even now, wasn't she still helping him promote and maintain his so-called title of "Grandmaster" across the continent?

Although Ning Fengzhi had once been quite puzzled as to how a piece of trash like Yu Xiaogang could have gained Bibi Dong's favor and become a so-called "Grandmaster."

But that doubt was unimportant now, and whether Yu Xiaogang had any real talent or learning didn't matter either; as long as there was a connection, that was enough.

Ning Fengzhi happened to know that Yu Xiaogang's close friend, Flender, had started Shrek Academy outside Suotuo City; didn't that provide the perfect connection?

When the time came, he would send the sect heir, Ning Rongrong, to Shrek to become a student, and then have Flender bring Yu Xiaogang over, establishing a teacher-student relationship.

By then, Ning Fengzhi would shoulder the responsibility for betraying Wuhun Hall and die alongside Sword and Bone, and Bibi Dong would surely spare Seven Treasures for the sake of Yu Xiaogang.

As for the internal strife within Wuhun Hall between Pope Hall and Consecrator Hall, and who would eventually emerge victorious to become the master of Wuhun Hall.

On this point, Ning Fengzhi absolutely believed in Bibi Dong; considering how young she was compared to those elders in Consecrator Hall, and the fact that they were already fighting to a standstill, it was obvious who would win in the end.