After the Spirit Hall members had finished paying their respects, the plaza fell quiet. The wind swept dead leaves across the stone bricks with a rustling sound.
The sect masters and Titled Douluo from the great sects across the continent stood on the southern side of the plaza. All wore plain-colored cloaks, their expressions varied as they watched from there.
Among the Upper Three Sects, Tang Chen personally led five elders from the Clear Sky Sect, while Tang Hao and Tang Xiao wore plain robes. Ning Xiuyuan, the master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, stood in the second row with Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, and Chen Xin. All were dressed in pure white, their expressions grief-stricken. Behind them came the Nine Heart Begonia Clan, the Zhenyue Sect, the Tu Clan, the Elephant Armored Sect...
These great sects were now closely tied to the Spirit Hall Empire, and had, for the most part, come to mourn in genuine sorrow.
But the remaining sects—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the White Tiger Sect, and those second-rate sects that occupied mountains and islands—though they all wore mournful expressions, each had their own schemes.
Before the Spirit Hall Empire was founded, Murong Huai had used iron-fisted methods as Adjudication Elder to bring the great sects under his control. Now that Murong Huai was dead, many secretly rejoiced. Without him, would the Spirit Hall Empire descend into chaos? Everyone was watching and waiting. Some had come to pay their respects today merely to go through the motions and sound things out. Whether they truly felt any grief was another matter.
After all, no one wanted to remain forever bound by the rules of the Spirit Hall Empire.
Some sect members lowered their voices. "Look, now that Murong Huai is dead, there's bound to