Movements on All Sides

Ye Xiu's words had been blunt, yet Xie Xun had no way to deal with him at all.

The moment Ye Xiu had truly produced a second gun, it had already explained many things.

A new weapon could not have appeared out of thin air, much less when the one Ye Xiu had taken out now looked more like part of an already mature system.

Coupled with the master Ye Xiu had constantly mentioned, to be honest, Xie Xun did not have the slightest confidence in daring to make a move against Ye Xiu.

"Junior Brother, you jest."

Xie Xun forced a smile onto his face. "On my own, naturally I would not dare claim I could swallow you whole. But the people behind me may very well possess that strength."

The mockery vanished from Ye Xiu's face. It was quite a well-known rumor among the outer sect that an inner sect elder stood behind Xie Xun.

Though no one had ever been able to verify it in the end, Ye Xiu could tell from the cultivation technique Xie Xun practiced alone that this was no smoke without fire.

"Elder Xie of the inner sect is an elder of my clan's main branch. Beyond that, there are quite a few rising stars from our line in the inner sect as well."

As though afraid Ye Xiu did not understand the situation in the inner sect, Xie Xun named several famous inner sect senior brothers in one breath.

Listening to Xie Xun, Ye Xiu discovered with some surprise that, by the other man's account, more than half the disciples and elders in the inner sect were connected to him in some way.

"Under ordinary circumstances, everyone naturally cultivates for themselves. But the struggle for the position of Holy Son is right around the corner, and everyone has to choose where they stand."

As though noticing the confusion in Ye Xiu's eyes, Xie Xun explained.

"So, Junior Brother, there is no need for you to worry whether those above are willing to provide the resources. At a time like this, every disciple who can be brought in matters..."

Seeing that Xie Xun seemed about to continue, Ye Xiu raised a hand to stop him.

"This matter involves too much. I need a few more days to consider it."

Xie Xun let out a breath of relief. He was not afraid of Ye Xiu demanding too high a price; he was afraid Ye Xiu would refuse outright, leaving no room for negotiation.

Since a foundation for future cooperation had been left behind, it was merely a matter of raising the price. It was also the perfect chance for him to report to those old ancestors in the inner sect.

The matter was of great importance. If Xie Xun were truly expected to make the decision himself, he would not have any confidence either.

"No rush, Junior Brother. Take this opportunity to go back and discuss it as well. Once you have an answer, simply come find me at the Alchemy Hall."

As he spoke, Xie Xun took a token from his waist and placed it in Ye Xiu's hand.

Then he swiftly left the private room.

Yet as Ye Xiu watched Xie Xun leave, he was in no hurry to depart.

By his estimation, it would not be long before someone else came knocking. This was also the perfect opportunity to make this storm descend even more fiercely.

Inside a secret chamber of the Punishment Hall.

Fang Qiong sat cross-legged in midair with his eyes closed, surrounded by spirit stones of every color that gleamed with strange radiance.

Fang Ye's death last time had not only dealt a severe blow to the Punishment Hall's power; the pressure of public opinion had also greatly displeased Senior Brother Xu of the inner sect, the man behind Fang Qiong.

With the advancement competition drawing near, Fang Qiong had no time to salvage his reputation. Raising his strength and achieving good results in the advancement competition were the most crucial matters now; everything else was not worth mentioning.

He slowly exhaled a long breath of turbid air. Feeling the spiritual power within him grow a little more refined, a sharp glint flashed through Fang Qiong's eyes.

The cultivation resources bestowed by Senior Brother Xu truly were extraordinary. If the advancement competition had not been limited to those below the Foundation Establishment Realm, he felt his current strength was entirely sufficient to break through to Foundation Establishment.

"Senior Brother, something terrible has happened!"

The sudden footsteps outside made Fang Qiong frown. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the doors being violently pushed open.

"Bastard! No one is allowed to disturb me while I am in seclusion. Are you tired of living?!"

Seeing the Punishment Hall disciple before him trembling in panic, Fang Qiong's face immediately darkened.

He suddenly swung out a palm. Before the disciple could utter a word, he screamed and flew backward.

The several disciples following behind watched their leading senior brother crash into the wall, vomiting blood, his fate unknown. They were so frightened that they dropped to their knees and did not dare say a single word.

"Ruleless fool. Strip him of his position, then send him to the mines for three months."

Fang Qiong coldly pronounced the man's punishment, yet the chill on his face did not lessen in the slightest.

Perhaps influenced by the public opinion of late, the disciples beneath him had grown increasingly presumptuous. Should I find a group of people and kill a chicken to scare the monkeys...

As he pondered, Fang Qiong maintained his icy expression and asked, "Tell me, what could possibly be so urgent?"

"Senior Brother, something huge has happened! A mysterious disciple carrying a strange weapon appeared at the tavern. That weapon can be activated without spiritual power, and at close range, its might is great enough to instantly kill cultivators in the Qi Condensation Realm!"

"That man from the Xie Clan has already made contact with him. He may have already gotten his hands on it..."

Having received Fang Qiong's permission, the disciple kneeling on the ground immediately recounted everything he had seen and heard at the tavern.

When Fang Qiong heard that even Xie Xun, using his full strength, had failed to block that shot, his face had already turned utterly grim.

Then, when he heard that Xie Xun and that mysterious disciple had become acquainted through a fight and had even obtained that weapon from him, he could no longer remain seated.

"Bastard! Why did you wait until now to tell me something this important?!"

With one kick, Fang Qiong sent the man flying, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

Xie Xun had always been his greatest rival in the advancement competition, not to mention the competition between the people backing them.

If the other party relied on the advantage of this weapon to defeat him in the advancement competition, then Senior Brother Xu...

Fang Qiong did not dare think further. Nor did he have time to punish these fools tasked with gathering intelligence outside. Activating his spiritual power, he immediately sped toward the market tavern...

Inside the tavern, as Xie Xun hurried out of the private room, the crowd's discussions became impossible to contain.

"Could Senior Brother Xie really have acquired that weapon? His strength was already among the best. Now that he has gotten this weapon, would he not reign supreme alone in the advancement competition?"

"Hard to say. The other competitive factions definitely will not sit by and watch. Look, how much time has passed, and already so many people have come looking for that Senior Brother Yan."

"Come to think of it, where exactly did that Senior Brother Yan spring from? Why have we never heard any news about him before?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, yet no one dared step forward rashly.

Since Xie Xun had left, every person entering that private room had been a prominent figure in the outer sect. They now understood that if they wanted a share of the pie from this mysteriously emerged disciple, they needed sufficient strength of their own.

When Fang Qiong stepped into the tavern, he naturally heard the discussions.

Upon learning that quite a few people had already contacted that mysterious man before him, Fang Qiong grew even more anxious.

Ignoring the somewhat strange looks from the crowd, Fang Qiong stared at the private room door upstairs, drew a deep breath, and activated his spiritual power.

"Junior Brother upstairs, I am Fang Qiong of the Punishment Hall. May we meet?"

Hearing Fang Qiong's voice, Ye Xiu, who had been waiting for a long time, curled his lips.

He had finally arrived.

"Fang Qiong of the Punishment Hall? I seem to have heard that name before."

Delight appeared on Fang Qiong's face at those words, but in the next moment, Ye Xiu's words froze his expression solid.