The Three Great Sects Deliberate, Just Wait for the Situation to Develop

With the three vassal kings neutralized without a drop of blood shed, the internal affairs of the entire Great Gan Dynasty were finally settled.

On the surface, there were no longer any factions capable of threatening the imperial family.

However, Lin Hanzhou and Yue Chan both knew that a far more troublesome opponent was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment.

That opponent was the three major sects, led by the Cloud Glow Sect.

Unlike the short-sighted vassal kings who only knew how to scramble for power and profit, these martial arts sects, with their thousand-year legacies, were undoubtedly more cunning and patient.

When they learned the outcome of the battle in the Capital City, the high-level officials of the three major sects held an emergency meeting overnight.

Although only six people participated in this meeting, the lowest cultivation level among them was that of a peak Grandmaster.

The three Sect Masters and the Supreme Elders of the three major sects were all in attendance.

The reason they attached such importance to this was that Lin Hanzhou's act of slaying two Grandmasters with his sword was simply too shocking.

Such peerless, divine might had completely intimidated them.

"Since everyone is here, I won't beat around the bush."

"The current State Preceptor is like a massive mountain, pressing down on us until we can barely breathe. We must find a way to deal with him."

"I believe those of you present are well aware of the situation we are currently facing."

The Sect Master of the Cloud Glow Sect spoke straight to the point.

"Of course I am aware. I came here specifically to discuss this matter with you."

"Same here."

The Sect Master of the Vajra Temple and the Sect Master of the Emotionless Gate expressed their positions one after another.

For them, their relationship with the current Great Gan Dynasty was like fire and water.

Whether it was their occupation of entire provinces or their secret support for the three vassal kings not long ago, they had already crossed the bottom line of the Great Gan.

If they waited for the other side to free up their hands, they would be the first to be targeted.

At this moment, the Supreme Elder of the Emotionless Gate let out a cold snort.

"No matter how strong that State Preceptor is, he is only one man. With the three of us Grandmasters joining forces, are we really afraid of him?"

"Furthermore, the opponent used a forbidden technique during that battle in the Capital City; it is hard to say how much strength he has left."

"That may be true, but his method of slaying two Grandmasters with his sword was too terrifying. If we clash head-on, I fear we will suffer heavy losses."

"Besides, we only know that the opponent used a forbidden technique, but we don't know his current condition. Are any of you willing to go and test him?"

The Supreme Elder of the Cloud Glow Sect frowned as he spoke.

Hearing this, the group fell into silence; not a single person was willing to go and test him.

After all, the reputation of that State Preceptor preceded him—he had killed two Grandmasters in an instant.

With such a terrifying combat record, how could they dare to test him?

If the opponent could still unleash that forbidden technique one more time, wouldn't they be courting death?

Every one of them present was a top-tier powerhouse of the current era; how could they be willing to risk their own lives to test him?

"Since none of you are willing to lead the charge, I have another plan."

Seeing that everyone remained silent for a long time, the Supreme Elder of the Cloud Glow Sect spoke up.

The eyes of the group turned to him, filled with curiosity.

"First, we must acknowledge that the State Preceptor used a forbidden technique, which resulted in his white hair and a clear decline in his life force."

"What he unleashed was undoubtedly a forbidden secret art that demands the burning of life force or longevity as a price."

"The greater the power of such a secret art, the more terrifying the backlash."

"From this, we can conclude that the White-Haired Sword Saint does not have long to live."

"In that case, we should simply avoid his edge, just as we did with the late Emperor."

"But what if he possesses treasures that can replenish his longevity? What should we do then?"

The Supreme Elder of the Vajra Temple raised this question at this moment.

"That is indeed a valid concern, but do not forget the actions of the late Emperor of the Great Gan."

"In his later years, the late Emperor exhausted almost every longevity-replenishing treasure in the entire Great Gan in his pursuit of immortality."

"Under such circumstances, even if the State Preceptor exhausts the power of the entire nation, he may not be able to find any more such treasures."

"Moreover, such treasures are rare and hard to come by; even our three major sects do not possess them, so how could he obtain them?"

As he spoke, the Supreme Elder of the Cloud Glow Sect stroked his beard, looking completely confident.

After hearing his analysis, everyone felt it made sense and expressed their agreement.

Their three major sects had been passed down for a thousand years and had experienced countless eras; what great storms had they not seen?

This so-called Protector Grand Master was nothing more than a slightly larger ripple in this era.

Thus, the three major sects collectively adopted a policy of "overcoming hardness with softness" and "waiting quietly for changes."

On the surface, they displayed unprecedented deference and submission to the imperial court.

When the court issued a decree requiring them to dispatch their top experts to assist in mopping up the remnants of the Qing Army on the northern border, they did not hesitate to immediately send out their most elite elders.

When the Empress called upon the world to donate money and grain to rebuild the prefectures and counties devastated by war, the three major sects were the first to step forward, voluntarily contributing vast amounts of gold, silver, and provisions.

Their level of generosity even left the Minister of Revenue tongue-tied.

It was the first time in his life he had ever seen these stingy iron roosters act so magnanimously.

Beyond this, the three major sects kept their mountain gates tightly shut, strictly forbidding their disciples from causing any trouble outside.

The entire martial arts world fell into a strange, eerie calm because of this.

Through their actions, the three major sects demonstrated their loyalty to the imperial court and the people of the world.

It was as if they were truly faithful supporters of the Great Gan and upright sects that sympathized with the suffering of the common people.

However, all of this was merely a facade.

In the shadows, they were waiting.

They were waiting for that white-haired State Preceptor, who weighed upon them like Gods and Devils, to exhaust his lifespan and pass away.

They believed that once that State Preceptor died, everything that followed would be easy to handle.

This seemingly powerful, newborn dynasty would once again become incredibly fragile.

At that time, without that State Preceptor to suppress them, the three major sects would be free to soar like birds in the vast sky.

They could still rely on their deep foundations and influence spread across the world to reclaim the power of speech that belonged to them.

When that time came, wouldn't that young Empress be nothing more than a puppet in their hands?

They had plenty of time and plenty of patience; they could afford to wait.

And so, the entire martial arts world sank into an unprecedented state of tranquility.

The three major sects kept their gates closed and their disciples inside, appearing as if they had truly become indifferent to the world and were wholeheartedly submissive.

Yet, everyone who truly understood the situation knew that beneath this calm surface, even deeper undercurrents were brewing.

With the Great Qing Dynasty eyeing them covetously from the north and the three major sects harboring ulterior motives within the borders, it was foreseeable that once that State Preceptor fell, the Great Gan would once again crumble into pieces.