The Three Great Sects Confer; They Need Only Wait and See

After the three vassal kings had been dealt with without a single battle, the Great Gan Dynasty had finally achieved complete stability within its borders.

On the surface, no forces remained that could threaten the imperial house.

Yet Lin Hanzhou and Li Yuechan both knew that a far more troublesome foe was still lurking in the shadows, waiting for its moment.

That foe was the Three Great Sects, led by the Cloud Glow Sect.

Unlike the vassal kings, who were short-sighted and knew only how to fight for power and profit, these martial sects had inherited their legacies for nearly a thousand years. They were undoubtedly more cunning—and far more patient.

When they learned the outcome of the battle in Capital City, the leaders of the Three Great Sects held an emergency meeting that very night.

Only six people attended, yet the weakest among them was an unparalleled grandmaster.

The three sect masters and their respective grand elders were all present.

They took the matter so seriously because Lin Hanzhou's sword had slain two grandmasters—a truly earth-shattering feat.

That peerless might had completely cowed them.

"Since everyone is here, I'll get straight to the point."

"The current State Preceptor is like a great mountain pressing down on us, leaving us unable to catch our breath. We must find a way to deal with him."

"I believe everyone here understands the situation we now face."

The Cloud Glow Sect's master spoke bluntly.

"Of course we do. I came here precisely to discuss this with you."

"Same here."

The masters of Vajra Temple and the Emotionless Gate both made their positions clear.

To them, the Great Gan Dynasty and their own sects were now as incompatible as fire and water.

Whether it was their control over an entire province or their secret support for the three vassal kings not long ago, they had already crossed the Great Gan Dynasty's bottom line.

Once the dynasty had a free hand, they would be its first targets.

At that moment, the Emotionless Gate's grand elder snorted.

"However powerful that State Preceptor may be, he's still only one man. The three of us are grandmasters. Are we really afraid to join forces against him?"

"Besides, he used a forbidden technique in that battle in Capital City. Who knows how much strength he has left?"

"That may be true, but his method of slaying two grandmasters with his sword was so astonishing that if we meet him head-on, we're bound to suffer heavy losses."

"Besides, all we know is that he used a forbidden technique. We don't know what condition he's in now. Are any of you willing to test him?"

The Cloud Glow Sect's grand elder furrowed his brow.

At those words, everyone fell silent. Not one of them was willing to test him.

After all, the State Preceptor's reputation spoke for itself: he had slain two grandmasters in an instant.

With such a terrifying feat to his name, how could they dare test him?

If he could unleash that forbidden technique one more time, wouldn't they be walking straight to their deaths?

Every person seated there was a top-tier expert of the age. How could they bear to risk their own lives just to find out?

"Since none of you are willing to be the first to step forward, I have another plan."

Seeing that nobody had spoken for some time, the Cloud Glow Sect's grand elder continued.

Everyone turned their eyes toward him, curiosity plain on their faces.

"First, we know that the State Preceptor used a forbidden technique, leaving him with a head of white hair and a noticeably diminished life force."

"The technique he used must have been a forbidden secret art that exacts a price in life force or lifespan."

"The greater its power, the more horrifying the backlash."

"From this, we can conclude that the White-Haired Sword Saint won't live much longer."

"So, we need only deal with him the way we dealt with the previous emperor: avoid his sharp edge and wait for him to weaken."

"But what if he has a treasure that can replenish his lifespan? What should we do then?"

At that moment, the grand elder of Vajra Temple raised a question.

"That is indeed a problem, but don't forget what the previous emperor of Great Gan did."

"In his later years, he sought immortality and nearly exhausted every treasure in Great Gan that could replenish one's lifespan."

"In those circumstances, even if the State Preceptor exhausted the resources of the entire nation, he might not find a treasure that could replenish his lifespan."

"Besides, such treasures are things one can only stumble upon by chance. None of our three sects has one. How could he possibly get his hands on one?"

As he spoke, the Cloud Glow Sect's grand elder stroked his beard, looking utterly confident.

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

Their three sects had endured for a thousand years, weathering who knew how many eras. What storms had they not seen?

This so-called Protector Grand Master was nothing more than a slightly larger wave in the tide of the present age.

And so, the Three Great Sects adopted the policy of "using softness to overcome hardness" and "waiting to see what happened."

On the surface, they showed the court a level of obedience and submission they had never displayed before.

When the court issued an order requiring them to send their experts to help wipe out the remnants of the Qing Army along the northern border, they dispatched the most elite elders in their sects without hesitation.

When the Empress called upon the realm to donate money and grain to rebuild the provinces and counties devastated by war, the Three Great Sects were the first to step forward, voluntarily donating vast amounts of silver and food.

Their generosity left even the Minister of Revenue speechless.

In all his life, this was the first time he had seen such miserly old skinflints give so generously.

In addition, the Three Great Sects shut their mountain gates and strictly forbade their disciples from causing trouble outside.

As a result, the entire martial world sank into an eerie stillness.

Through their actions, the Three Great Sects were displaying their loyalty to the court and to all under heaven.

It was as if they were truly devoted supporters of Great Gan, upright sects that sympathized with the people's suffering.

But it was all just a façade.

In secret, they were waiting.

Waiting for the White-Haired State Preceptor, who loomed over them like a god or devil, to exhaust his lifespan and pass away.

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

This seemingly powerful new dynasty would once again become fragile and vulnerable.

When that time came, with no State Preceptor to keep them in check, wouldn't the Three Great Sects be free to soar wherever they pleased?

They could still rely on their deep foundations and influence across the realm to reclaim their say in the world.

By then, wouldn't the young Empress be nothing more than a puppet in their hands?

They had time. They had patience. They could afford to wait.

And so, the entire martial world fell into a stillness unlike any it had ever known.

The Three Great Sects shut their mountain gates and kept their disciples inside, as if they had truly withdrawn from worldly affairs and devoted themselves to submission.

Yet everyone who truly understood the situation knew that beneath the lake's tranquil surface, a far deeper current was gathering strength.

To the north, the Great Qing Dynasty watched like a tiger poised to pounce. Within Great Gan, the Three Great Sects harbored their own designs.

It was plain to see: the moment the State Preceptor fell, Great Gan would once again fall apart.