Ning Fengzhi, a True Talent

"Bring the documents."

Bibi Dong looked down at the Clear Sky Sect camp, extending her right hand to the side. A Red Bishop immediately stepped forward, holding a stack of documents and respectfully placing them in Bibi Dong's hand.

Bibi Dong opened them and glanced through them twice before quickly handing them back.

"Start from the beginning. Read every word to the Clear Sky Sect members without missing a single one. Read it loudly."

The Red Bishop nodded. He casually swept his gaze across the entire venue, including those outside it, and could not help thinking that he actually had a day this glorious.

At this moment, it felt as though the Seven Great Sects and the two great empires all had to act according to his expression.

Of course, the Red Bishop knew that was merely an illusion. Ignoring the somewhat ugly expressions of the Clear Sky Sect members, he began to read:

"At the beginning of this year, Tang Ping, a Clear Sky Sect disciple traveling outside, took a fancy to the wife of a steward from one of our Spirit Hall Branches and fought the man. He called it, 'Only the strong deserve beautiful women.' Later, the steward and his wife self-destructed their martial souls and died. Tang Ping fled, and the Clear Sky Sect ultimately suppressed the matter in secret."

"Tang Ping?"

Within the Clear Sky Sect camp, everyone looked toward an utterly ordinary young man in the crowd, unable to hide their shock.

He was actually that kind of person?!

Naturally, quite a few people also covertly shifted their gazes toward the Fifth Elder.

Because Tang Ping was the Fifth Elder's grandson!

And if there was anyone who could have covered up what Tang Ping had done, it would undoubtedly have been the Fifth Elder.

Everyone instinctively moved a little farther away from them.

Seeing the undisguised embarrassment on the Fifth Elder's and Tang Ping's faces, Tang Xiao's expression darkened as well. He opened his mouth, but in the end, said nothing.

Not only had they truly committed such a disgraceful act, but Spirit Hall had even gotten hold of evidence against them...

Sigh.

They were really finished today!

On the other side, the Red Bishop continued reading:

"Last autumn, at an auction held by one of our Spirit Hall Branches in a remote city of the Star Luo Empire, Clear Sky Sect disciple Tang Li took a fancy to a piece of special ironstone and bid against another person for it. When he failed to outbid them, he fought them after the auction ended, forcibly seized the item, and then strode away with his sleeves fluttering."

"Though this matter did not cause Spirit Hall any substantial losses, it severely damaged Spirit Hall's reputation."

"This..."

For a moment, the expressions of many people on the Clear Sky Sect's side turned ugly.

Although the sect had never explicitly stated it, they had indeed all tacitly regarded Spirit Hall as their sect's greatest enemy. Relying on Spirit Hall's vast wealth and influence, they often went to Spirit Hall Branches in remote areas to carry out subtle suppression and flaunt their authority in passing.

How could they have imagined that Spirit Hall would one day use these matters as grounds to settle accounts with the Clear Sky Sect all at once?

"Last summer, one of our Spirit Hall Branches organized an operation to eliminate a group of bandits occupying a mountain. During the operation, two Clear Sky Sect disciples suddenly appeared, claiming they had come to uphold justice. Without a word, they began wildly smashing everything around them with Clear Sky Hammers. They did provide some help, but they caused even more trouble. While smashing about with their Clear Sky Hammers, they also, whether intentionally or not, affected several of our Spirit Hall stewards."

"Their names were later uncovered. They were Tang Ming and Tang Ming, likely brothers."

"The winter before last, one of our Spirit Hall Branches led a team of soul masters against a beast tide erupting from a Soul Beast Forest. Along the way, Clear Sky Sect disciples suddenly appeared..."

"The spring before last, one of our Spirit Hall Branches..."

"At the beginning of the year before last..."

"Three years ago..."

As the Red Bishop turned page after page and read through the documents, the expressions on the Clear Sky Sect's side grew increasingly unpleasant.

Because they knew every word was true.

As for whether Spirit Hall had done such things in return?

Perhaps it had, but the number of such cases was definitely pitifully small.

After all, if Spirit Hall truly wanted to suppress the Clear Sky Sect, there was no need for such petty tricks that could easily leave behind evidence.

Furthermore, Spirit Hall was far too massive an organization, with all sorts of people within it, most of them commoners. They simply could not afford to provoke the Clear Sky Sect.

Like in the original work, Tang Hao going around smashing Spirit Hall Branches to vent his anger was nothing but impotent rage and utterly unreasonable. It was no different from Evil Soul Masters massacring villages.

Consider the proportion of soul masters to ordinary people on Douluo Continent. The weak soul masters in Spirit Hall Branches throughout the continent were only weak in relative terms. To their families, they were the pillars of their households, people who could truly bring honor to their ancestors. After several generations, a family might finally produce a soul master child, only for Tang Hao to casually smash them to death.

It was simply speechless.

No one knew how long it took, but the Red Bishop finally finished reading the documents. The entire venue was now silent.

"Sect Master Tang Xiao, do you have anything else to say?"

Bibi Dong rested her head on one hand, her chilling gaze directed at the Clear Sky Sect.

"Our sect... is willing to compensate Spirit Hall for all its losses."

Tang Xiao said helplessly, using Soul Power to transmit his voice.

But if they did that, they would practically be reduced to eating dirt.

Although the Clear Sky Sect was the number one sect under heaven, it was not particularly wealthy in terms of money and assets.

Even with the support of the Four Single-Attribute Clans in ordinary times, the Clear Sky Sect itself still needed to consume resources internally.

Just consider the Clear Sky Sect's inherited martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer. With such a domineering power-type martial soul, cultivation would inevitably accumulate hidden injuries within the body. Those needed medicine to regulate and heal them. After all, not everyone was born able to skillfully control the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.

Just then.

A voice suddenly came from afar.

"My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to bear half of the Clear Sky Sect's compensation!"

It was Ning Fengzhi.

Damn, that shit-stirrer who went on all day about being "branches of the same tree" was here again.

As soon as his words fell, a massive sword descended from the sky. Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin then appeared.

"Everyone, harmony brings wealth. So long as it can be resolved with money, it is not a problem."

Ning Fengzhi said with a kind smile, looking every bit the peacemaker.

Bibi Dong tilted her head to look at him.

"This is a grudge between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect. Why is your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect joining in?"

"Hehe, the Upper Three Sects are branches of the same tree. Besides, we are all top powers of the continent. In my view, we should not be fighting among ourselves every day. It would be better for us to stand united against external threats."

"Oh? Stand united against external threats?"

Bibi Dong smiled at that.

"That is simple. Spirit Hall is very inclusive. Take the Holy Dragon Legion, for example. Their Holy Dragon Sect's inheritance has remained perfectly intact to this day."

"So your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Clear Sky Sect could also join us directly, forming the Clear Sky Legion and Seven Treasure Legion respectively. Then we could stand united against external threats. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Hiss~ That would greatly reduce the conflicts across the continent. Sect Master Ning, you truly are quite the talent!"