Third Ancestor Demon Lord Liu Heng set down his teacup.
The cup had been carved from a single piece of blue-gold warm jade, its walls exceedingly thin.
The tea had already gone cold, but he did not care.
"First Ancestor, everyone."
He raised his eyelids slightly, his voice calm and unhurried.
"As I just said, this situation is different from those before. The key is neither that Qilin's cultivation nor how formidable Qingwu Heavenly Lord is in battle."
"It is... that this man's cultivation is too high."
Second Ancestor Demon Lord Xi Qi frowned.
"Liu Heng, why are you beating around the bush?"
"So what if he is at the peak True Immortal stage?"
"Couldn't any one of the five of us take down someone at the peak True Immortal stage?"
The Third Ancestor shook his head.
"Second Ancestor, hear me out."
He rose and paced a couple of steps through the hall.
Mountain winds swept between the massive pillars, gently fluttering the hem of his robe.
"The reason our Qilin Clan can forcibly rescue enslaved clansmen..."
"Is that Racial Innate Secret Art."
"When we kill their master, the servants do not perish with them. Instead, they are freed."
"That secret art is a sure bet against Earth Immortals, Heaven Immortals, and even ordinary True Immortals."
"But at the peak True Immortal stage..."
He paused.
"Qingwu Heavenly Lord's soul is deeply bound to that little Qilin."
"If we use the secret art to forcibly kill Qingwu Heavenly Lord, he will need only a single thought before dying to annihilate that Qilin's soul."
"When that happens... we will gain nothing."
At those words...
The hall fell silent.
The Second Ancestor opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but could find nothing to say.
Fourth Ancestor Demon Lord Silver Que also frowned.
Fifth