Ch. 1663Wariness
Summary: Chapter "Wariness"
Key Plot Points
- After Zhang Tie reunites with his family and the Iron Dragon Sect knights, his followers unleash over ten thousand columns of Battle Qi beacon-smoke and tornadoes—visible for hundreds of kilometers.
- Watching from a Taiyi Mystical Sect flying boat, three Saint-level leaders—Taiyi Patriarch (Taiyi Mystical Sect), Primordial Unity Heavenly Lord (Heaven-Wielding Pavilion), and Divine Void Patriarch (Jade Tower)—realize how much influence and prestige Zhang Tie has accumulated.
- They discuss issuing a sect black warrant against Zhang Tie, acknowledging he could rally a force capable of overturning Great Xia at a critical moment.
- They decide Zhang Tie must die, but kill him in a way that looks like an accident—over the Nether Sea in the Gobi Desert—by sacrificing at least ten precious spatial equipment pieces to trigger an anomaly.
- They avoid openly attacking him to prevent backlash from Xuanyuan Hill, Prince of Guangnan's Mansion, the Celestial Mechanism Sect, and Demon Slaying Valley.
- They plot further political moves: use Third Prince's marriage to Lan Yunxi to connect to Huaiyuan Hall; dismantle the Iron Dragon Sect; revive Zhang Taixuan's death to justify seizing Golden Crow Hall; and take control of Torch Oil and Panacea Potions. Taiyi Patriarch will handle Lan Yunxi.
- Tension rises when Divine Void Patriarch and Primordial Unity Heavenly Lord notice Taiyi Patriarch's cultivation seems unusually advanced; he deflects by attributing it to insights in the Taiyi True Scripture, leaving lingering suspicion.
- The chapter ends as Zhang Tie returns to the Iron Dragon Sect flying boat and receives several unexpected visitors seeking an audience.
Character Developments
- Taiyi Patriarch: Cold, calculating, evidently more powerful than he admits; represents the driving force behind the conspiracy.
- Primordial Unity Heavenly Lord: Aggressive, favors decisive killing; openly carries the Heaven-Measuring Ruler; trusts in “those who obey me shall live, those who defy me shall die.”
- Divine Void Patriarch: Mysterious and observant; notices Taiyi Patriarch’s hidden progress and grows wary despite outward deference.
- Zhang Tie: Though off-screen, his accumulated prestige, record of deeds, and ability to command loyalty mark him as a pivotal figure—both admired and targeted.
Significant Themes
- The power of earned reputation and networks—able to challenge even Saint-level authorities.
- Conspiracy and political scheming: assassination disguised as accident, manipulation of marriages and past grievances.
- Internal distrust among allies: even within the Imperial Way Alliance, the Saint-level leaders do not fully trust one another.
Character Interactions
- The three Saint-level leaders share a secret meeting filled with mutual wariness and veiled probing.
- Their conversation reveals the gap between outward unity and internal suspicion, especially regarding Taiyi Patriarch’s cultivation breakthrough.
- The final scene sets up Zhang Tie’s next encounter with unannounced visitors, hinting at new developments.