"Senior Brother Yun Yun really is impressive!"
In Jiuling City, Yun Zimo exclaimed in admiration as he held a scroll. It was full of intelligence on the Black Alliance, including even some of its most closely guarded secrets!
A year ago, after receiving word from Jia Nan Academy and Xia Lan, Yun Yun had volunteered to come to the Black-Corner Region. He began with merchants, peddlers, teahouses, and little shops, then used his innate gift for winning people over to make connections with sects and factions of every size.
Without making a sound, he had managed to plant informants inside the Black Alliance. Some of its upper ranks were even working for him!
"Master Yun."
A warm, resonant male voice rang out. The handsome young man in blue robes bowed respectfully.
"Here's what you asked for."
"Xiu Ya, once you've finished dealing with these matters, go practice your sword at the waterfall on Jiuling Mountain. When you've forgotten all your old sword moves and Dou Techniques, your sword intent should be close."
Yun Zimo took the scroll from Lin Xiuya and reminded him softly.
That day, Yun Zimo hadn't wanted to see two geniuses take even more needless detours. He had risen on a whim, formed a sword with his fingers, and sent out a forceful yet gentle sword aura that knocked Liu Qing and Lin Xiuya, locked in a fierce struggle, off the arena. Then, without another word, he had flown straight to Su Qian's office to tell him that Zi Yan was in the Inner Academy and shouldn't cause trouble, before returning to Jiuling City alone.
A Dou Emperor-level wind-attribute sword cultivator!
After learning Yun Zimo's identity from the First Elder, Lin Xiuya had applied to the Inner Academy's Elder Seat for a post in the Black-Corner Region. He had dragged Liu Qing all the way there and stayed in Jiuling City.
After being subdued by a single sword strike once again, Lin Xiuya had chosen to become Yun Zimo's disciple without the slightest hesitation!
But Yun Zimo truly had no interest in taking on disciples, so he told Lin Xiuya to follow him and said that how much he learned was up to him.
What surprised Yun Zimo, though, was that Lin Xiuya, who appeared refined and mild-mannered, was actually quite bold and domineering in his dealings. His talent for administration and social maneuvering far surpassed his talent for cultivation. And he wasn't, as Yun Zimo had assumed, a scion of a Central Plains clan. He was a genuine rogue cultivator!
"It seems I still can't remember things very clearly."
After Lin Xiuya left, Yun Zimo shook his head as he unrolled the scroll. Though his soul power was quite strong now, his memories of his past life had grown hazy. He remembered even less of those novels he'd once skimmed at a glance. Being able to recall the general plot, the characters, and some of the details was already pretty good.
"A vanguard in the Central Plains. Heh, now that I think about it, that's not a bad idea!"
Without realizing it, Yun Zimo had discovered that the Misty Cloud Sect's reach now extended across the entire Northwest Continent. Nearly every empire surrounding the Black-Corner Region had a Misty Cloud Sect branch, while disciples from top sects in other areas, such as the Heavenly Snake Mansion, had also joined them.
Those sects might have known their ranks could be infiltrated, but did they care? No sect would turn away a talented disciple, and they were confident they could win any newcomer's loyalty completely.
So the plan to advance into the Central Plains could finally be put on the agenda. It was the wish of the Misty Cloud Sect's first patriarch, Yun Potian, and the Yun family's founding ancestor, Mo Li—the long-cherished hope of generations of sect masters.
To make the Misty Cloud Sect renowned across the continent—he had to see that through!
"First, I'll deal with the Black Alliance. I'll bring the Black-Corner Region to heel and find out what the Soul Hall is doing in the west. Then I'll think about the Central Plains!"
Yun Zimo ran a finger lightly over the scroll. The Mad Lion Gang, the Rakshasa Gate, the Black Emperor Sect... They'd all submitted.
Wu Tie, leader of the Mad Lion Gang, looked honest and simple-minded, but he was the best at reading the situation. Su Mei, the leader of the Rakshasa Gate, the Heavenly Yin Sect, the Black Emperor Sect, and the others all had their own designs as well.
"Why is the Black Emperor Sect, a Dou Zong faction, meddling in the petty squabbles of Dou Emperor factions?"
The one thing that puzzled Yun Zimo was the Black Emperor Sect. As a Dou Zong faction, it had far more territory and influence than Han Feng, and it even kept a large number of alchemists in its employ. By all appearances, it had no reason to get involved with the Black Alliance.
"But he's a businessman. Business is business, so there's no need to worry too much."
Setting the Black Emperor Sect aside for now, Yun Zimo marked several names on the scroll. The Rakshasa Gate and the Mad Lion Gang were among them.
Aside from a few loyal members such as the Eight-Fan Gate and the Green Dragon Gang, the other Black Alliance factions were all harboring ulterior motives. As far as Yun Zimo was concerned, other than Senior Brother Yun Yun's undercover agents, they were all worth trying to win over.
He could leave those matters to Ren Xia. With the Second Hall working alongside Lin Xiuya, surely they could make the Black Alliance crumble from within!
"The Gold and Silver Elders and Han Feng—one and a half Dou Zongs—and Mo Tianxing, a Four-Star Dou Zong. Judging by that, the Black Alliance is already no weaker than an ordinary Dou Zong faction on the surface!"
Yun Zimo tapped the tabletop lightly. A wisp of wind curled around his fingers, and several illusory faces shifted within its spinning currents, finally settling into a seemingly kindly visage.
Mo Tianxing, the sect master of the Black Emperor Sect, a first-rate power in the Black-Corner Region.
The Black Emperor Sect operated the largest auction house in the entire Black-Corner Region, but it served more as a black market for the continent. It often auctioned off rare treasures that even factions in the Central Plains wouldn't dare touch—or, to put it plainly, stolen goods!
Among the few Dou Zongs who had stopped Yun Zimo when he broke through to Dou Emperor last time at Su Qian's behest, this Black Emperor Sect master had been one of them.
"Demon Flame Valley hasn't made a move, though..."
As one of the top factions in the Black-Corner Region and Jia Nan Academy's archenemy, Demon Flame Valley had no reason not to be interested in the Black Alliance, which was hostile to Jia Nan Academy.
The Black Emperor Sect, which Yun Zimo had thought would stay neutral, had joined the Black Alliance, while Demon Flame Valley, its enemy, had made no move at all. Yun Zimo couldn't help finding it strange.
Meanwhile, at the Black Alliance's headquarters in Feng City—
"I hope you'll keep the pill for my son's breakthrough in mind, Medicine Emperor!"
The old man in yellow robes gently set down his teacup and spoke courteously with a smile.
"Rest assured, Sect Master Mo. Han Feng knows his obligations. I'll certainly deliver the pills I promised your sect."
"But I hope you'll also devote more effort to the Black Alliance, Sect Master Mo."
The handsome young man in green brocade robes spoke gently. A faint medicinal fragrance surrounded him, and the specially made alchemist's robe gave off a weak glow.
His lips were thin, and a shadowy gloom clung to his brows and eyes, lending him an oddly demonic air.
Mo Tianxing nodded inwardly. If not for Mo Ya, he wouldn't have bothered with Han Feng's mess. The man had somehow made an enemy of Jia Nan Academy for no good reason. A shrewd businessman like Mo Tianxing would never have done such a thing.
For his son, Mo Tianxing had gone to untold lengths. Mo Ya had done his part, too. After being showered with countless resources, he had finally stepped into the Dou Huang Realm at twenty-five. He now had the strength of a Five-Star Dou Emperor.
But perhaps he'd swallowed too many pills. Mo Ya hadn't progressed in a full three years. At twenty-nine, he was still stuck at Five-Star Dou Emperor, unable to take another step. The higher Dou Emperor ranks remained a distant dream.
Then Han Feng had come to him, offering a top-grade sixth-tier pill to repair Mo Ya's foundation, along with an Emperor's Extreme Pill. In return, the Black Emperor Sect had to join the Black Alliance!
After much hesitation, Mo Tianxing had accepted Han Feng's offer for Mo Ya's sake. The Black Emperor Sect did have high-tier alchemists, but none could compare to Han Feng, a top-grade sixth-tier alchemist.
Though he didn't know why Han Feng had remained stuck at the peak of Dou Emperor for so many years, his status as a top-grade sixth-tier alchemist was enough to put him on par with a Dou Zong.
"Still, I have to prepare for both outcomes!"
Mo Tianxing never put all his eggs in one basket. He had never severed his ties with Xia Lan, either. This rising faction, which had close ties to Jia Nan Academy, was Mo Tianxing's fallback plan.
He didn't really believe that Han Feng's great ship would suddenly sink—but what if it did?
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