Face, Sometimes More Important Than Life

Saintess Hall, bedchamber.

Bibi Dong took off that heavy Pope robe, changed into a light purple nightgown, and reclined on the soft couch by the window.

After the Elder Hall meeting concluded, Bibi Dong had returned here.

The renovation project over at the Pope Palace was proceeding in full swing; those gaudy, gold-plated decorations that made her nauseous were being dismantled one by one, replaced by the purple and gold color scheme she favored.

Even though she had already taken her revenge, she did not want to see a single trace of Qian Xunji appearing before her eyes, or else she would feel sick.

"Huu..."

Bibi Dong let out a long sigh. Although she had been fierce and imposing while slaughtering the opposition in the Elder Hall just moments ago, once she calmed down, those "hidden dangers" that Nan Feng had deliberately ignored began to circle in her mind again.

"Nan Feng, I still feel this plan is too risky."

"The Clear Sky Sect is, after all, the number one sect in the world, and its foundation is unfathomable. Furthermore... the Upper Three Sects are of one mind; this has been the consensus in the soul master world for hundreds of years. With Martial Soul Hall making such a huge scene this time, will the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan really just stand by and watch?"

"That group of dragons from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan who look down on everyone else is one thing; they have always disdained associating with other sects. But the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect... that old fox Ning Fengzhi is most adept at muddling the waters and the art of balance."

A trace of wariness flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is as wealthy as a nation and is close to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. If he intervenes..."

"Intervene? With what will he intervene?"

In the Sea of Consciousness, Nan Feng lay on the bed, looking unimpressed. "Is he going to smash people with his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? Or use money to bribe us?"

"Little Dongdong, you are overestimating this so-called 'being of one mind'."

"Ning Fengzhi is indeed a smart man, but he is an even shrewder businessman. What do businessmen value most? It is profit and risk assessment."

"What is the situation now? The Pope of Martial Soul Hall is dead! The former Pope was beaten to death by Tang Hao!"

"This is like a country's emperor being killed, and the new ruler ascending the throne to send troops for revenge. At this time, the prime minister of a neighboring country runs over and says: 'Oh, everyone should value peace, stop fighting, stop fighting'."

"Do you think that is possible?"

"This is a life-and-death feud! It is a national hatred and personal vendetta that must be settled with blood!"

"Whoever dares to come and mediate at this time is not giving Martial Soul Hall face; they are provoking the bottom line of Martial Soul Hall and inviting disaster upon themselves!"

"Ning Fengzhi is a smart man; he knows this better than anyone."

"Not only will he not dare to mediate, but he will even have to pretend he doesn't know, or send people to bring gifts to mourn Qian Xunji, indicating, 'I am also very sorry, please do as you wish'."

Bibi Dong was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

Indeed, the dead are to be respected. Qian Xunji's death gave Martial Soul Hall a reason for war that no one could refute.

"What about Tang Hao, then?"

Bibi Dong remained uneasy. "Although Tang Hao has only just entered the Title Douluo realm, he was able to take on three by himself and beat Qian Xunji and the Chrysanthemum and Ghost duo into that state. If he appears while we are attacking the Four Great Clans, it might really lead to an accident."

"My dear, do you have some misunderstanding about Ring Detonation?" Nan Feng was even more speechless. "Do you think Tang Hao is Tang Chen? Or do you think he is a perpetual motion machine?"

"Infinite mana? Infinite resurrection?"

"What is Ring Detonation? It is the desperate forbidden technique of the Clear Sky Sect! It is a suicidal move that deals a thousand points of damage to the enemy while suffering eight hundred oneself!"

"He is someone who just reached level ninety. Even with the special magnetic field from the hundred-thousand-year soul beast's sacrifice, plus the desperate secret technique of Ring Detonation, he barely managed to defeat three Title Douluos."

"But, what is the cost?"

"After Ring Detonation, the soul rings shatter, and it takes a very long time to recover. The current Tang Hao probably hasn't even fully restored his soul rings, and his soul power is likely still in a period of weakness. With what will he appear?"

"Will he fight with his head?"

"Even if we take a step back..."

A hint of cunning flashed in Nan Feng's eyes. "Qian Xunji was nominally beaten to death by Tang Hao. Even in reality, Tang Hao was an accomplice in this matter. Without that guy beating Qian Xunji into a cripple, could you have succeeded?"

"If Tang Hao really dared to show up, do you think Qian Daoliu would sit by and watch?"

"His own son was hammered to death, and the enemy is right in front of him. If Qian Daoliu could still hold back and not strike, he might as well give up his title of 'Invincible in the Sky' and change it to 'Ninja Turtle' instead."

"Therefore, we don't need to worry about the threat of Tang Hao at all, with Qian Daoliu there to block him."

Listening to Nan Feng's analysis point by point, Bibi Dong felt it was a bit crude, but upon closer inspection, it was impeccable.

However, she was still somewhat unwilling, or rather, she was accustomed to the feeling of planning before acting and leaving nothing to chance. She instinctively resisted this kind of plan that carried the nature of a gamble.

"Then what if the Clear Sky Sect really shrinks back and refuses to come out?"

Bibi Dong raised her final question. "If Tang Xiao really loses all sense of shame and directly announces the closing of the mountain to avoid the world, not even saving the Four Great Clans, then even if we wipe out those four clans, besides venting our anger, we haven't damaged the foundation of the Clear Sky Sect."

"Instead, it will make the world think that Martial Soul Hall bullies the weak and fears the strong, only knowing how to take it out on vassal sects."

"Sigh..."

Nan Feng let out a long sigh, his tone filled with helplessness. "Little Dongdong, you are usually quite smart, so why do you like to split hairs at such critical moments?"

"Can you stop using your own absolute rational thinking to measure these soul masters who have muscles growing in their brains?"

"You think this plan is full of loopholes? But in my opinion, the only loophole in this plan is that you have underestimated the importance of 'face' to the so-called number one sect in the world."

"What is the Clear Sky Sect? It is the number one sect that has stood tall on the Douluo Continent for a thousand years! What is the Clear Sky Hammer? It is the number one tool martial soul in the world!"

"People from such a sect, even the one guarding the gate, have an arrogance deep in their bones that says, 'I am the best in the world'."

"This kind of arrogance is both the source of their strength and their greatest weakness."

"If the Martial Soul Hall army presses down on their borders, slaps them in the face, and wipes out their affiliated clans, and they don't even dare to let out a peep, choosing instead to seal the mountain and play the turtle..."

"Then by the next day, the spit of the entire spirit master world would be enough to drown them!"

"Is this the number one sect under heaven? They won't even save their own kin? They don't even dare to step out of their gates? They would be nothing but trash!"

"Do you think Tang Xiao, as the sect master, could withstand that kind of public pressure? Could those elders?"

"Once they do that, the hearts of the Clear Sky Sect will scatter, and their faith will collapse. That would be more agonizing than killing them!"

"Therefore, a fight is inevitable."

Nan Feng's tone was resolute. "Whether for the sake of their reputation or to suppress the voices of the radicals within the sect, the Clear Sky Sect will definitely send people out to clash with the Martial Soul Hall first."

"They must let everyone see that it isn't that they don't dare to fight, but that they truly cannot win."

"Not being able to win and not daring to fight are two different things."

"If they fight and lose, it will be seen as the Martial Soul Hall bullying others with their power, acting as the strong oppressing the weak. After all, everyone knows the Martial Soul Hall is in the wrong from beginning to end."

"But if they don't even fight and just hide away..."

Nan Feng sneered. "Then they are spineless! They are cowards!"

"The spirit master world values the strong and values grit. If the Clear Sky Sect loses a fight and is forced to seal the mountain, everyone will only sympathize with them, feeling that the Martial Soul Hall went too far. At the very least, they would have preserved the dignity of a glorious defeat."

"But if they just run away..."

"Will the Martial Soul Hall stop there? Impossible!"

"We will only press our advantage, strike directly at Clear Sky Peak, and by then, they will have lost both their face and their substance, dying an even uglier death!"

"So, this is a dead end."

"No matter what they choose, they have to follow our script."

Listening to this analysis, the worry in Bibi Dong's eyes finally dissipated bit by bit, replaced by a glimmer of clarity and ruthlessness.

Indeed.

Face is sometimes more important than life.

Especially for those ancient sects that value "honor" above all else.

"Who exactly are you?" Bibi Dong suddenly asked, her purple eyes staring fixedly at Nan Feng within her Sea of Consciousness. "A spirit beast that has lived in Death Canyon for years cannot possibly have such a clear, piercing insight into human power struggles, human nature, or even such complex entanglements of interest."

"You are more like a human who has spent half a lifetime crawling through the halls of power than I am."

"Me?"

Nan Feng lay on the bed, crossing his legs and humming an unknown tune, saying nonchalantly, "I'm just an ordinary spirit beast. Every day, besides eating and sleeping, I just watch the show."

"Watch the show?"

"That's right. Although Death Canyon is a forbidden zone, it isn't completely sealed off. Over the years, there have always been humans who think they are clever running in to hunt for treasure, kill spirit beasts, or... run for their lives."

Nan Feng turned over and looked at Bibi Dong, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes:

"When those people are in despair, they say everything and spill every secret. I've heard so much that I naturally came to understand."

"And besides..."

Nan Feng pointed to his own head. "Didn't I tell you? Our souls are intertwined; your memories are my memories."

Bibi Dong's face darkened. "Just how much have you seen?"

This was the thing she minded the most. Her past, her shame, and those secrets she never wanted to see the light of day.