Qian Xunji sneered. "If the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan isn't destroyed after this, there's no justice in the world!"
"You know the situation. It never had to come to this, but now? Heh!"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei nodded slightly. They knew what Spirit Hall had endured over the past year.
Some outsiders had even started calling Spirit Hall's Soul Masters members of "Coward Hall." Everyone in Spirit Hall, from top to bottom, was seething!
"The Grand Worshipper will take part in this operation too!" Qian Xunji's words hit like a thunderclap.
Who was the Grand Worshipper? One of the Douluo Continent's three Peerless Douluo, the pillar that held up Spirit Hall!
And he was going to make a move?
"Surprised?" Qian Xunji had seen the looks on Yue Guan's and Gui Mei's faces. "Now you understand how serious this is?"
"This is far more serious than anyone imagines. It's reached the point where the Grand Worshipper has no choice but to act."
Yue Guan was speechless. "It's come to that?"
"Gather five thousand Soul Masters fit for combat as quickly as possible, and notify the other elders. I'm leaving it to you."
"We won't fail you!" Yue Guan and Gui Mei said.
The two left the room, then stood outside for a long time, staring at each other in stunned silence.
"Old Ghost, is it really that serious?" Yue Guan asked slowly. He could hardly believe the Grand Worshipper would take action.
"The Grand Worshipper! That's a Level-Ninety-Nine Peerless Douluo! And he's stepping in over this?"
Old Ghost thought for a moment. "It seems so. This has affected Spirit Hall far more than we imagined."
"Just as His Holiness the Pope said, if Spirit Hall loses its people's loyalty, it'll be hard to lead them."
"It's shocking that the Grand Worshipper is getting involved, but when you think about it, it makes sense."
"Everyone in Spirit Hall is furious. If we don't crush the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in one swift blow, how will we rally them again?"
"But..." Yue Guan said. "Isn't this using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"
"It's only the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. They have just one Titled Douluo. Why would we need the Grand Worshipper?"
"That's where we're not clever enough," Gui Mei said calmly. "His Holiness the Pope managed to convince the Grand Worshipper to act."
"He clearly wants to crush the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in one swift blow and restore our prestige. If we can destroy them so easily, Spirit Hall's prestige will soar beyond what it once was!"
"His Holiness the Pope thinks so far ahead. He considered things we never could." Gui Mei sounded thoroughly impressed.
"Uh..." The more Yue Guan heard, the more absurd it sounded. "Old Ghost, aren't you overthinking this?"
Gui Mei shook his head. "Yue Guan, have you considered that His Holiness the Pope might have wanted to destroy the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a year ago?"
"What? That's impossible," Yue Guan said at once.
"Nothing is impossible," Gui Mei replied. "Spirit Hall may be the strongest Soul Master force, but even we can't do whatever we please."
"That's why His Holiness the Pope left Bibi Dong in the central square a year ago and let public opinion build."
"Now, a year later, the other powers won't dare object when we destroy the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. We have just cause!"
"Everyone saw that we gave the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a whole year, and they did nothing."
"Even if we destroy them, they'll have brought it on themselves," Gui Mei said evenly.
"That's the cleverest part of His Holiness the Pope's plan!" Gui Mei said with a smile. "The moment he learned Bibi Dong had betrayed Spirit Hall, he wanted to bring down the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
"But if he'd acted then, the resistance would have been enormous. Now... after all this, the other powers will understand!"
"What are you two muttering about?" Qian Xunji's voice came through the door to Yue Guan and Gui Mei. "Get on with your work!"
"Yes, Your Holiness!" Yue Guan and Gui Mei left.
Inside the room, Qian Xunji leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Did I really think that far ahead?
He had heard their entire conversation. They were right: if Spirit Hall had moved against the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a year ago, it would have faced enormous resistance and damaged its reputation.
But now... no one would call Spirit Hall overbearing. They would say it had been merciful enough to give the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a year to make amends.
Unfortunately, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had wasted that chance. For an entire year, they had played dead without making the slightest gesture.
"Heh. A lucky accident," Qian Xunji said.
"Five thousand Soul Masters, several Titled Douluo elders, and my father, the Grand Worshipper. Crushing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan should be easy," Qian Xunji murmured.
He looked at the administrative work awaiting him, then shook his head. "I'm off. Tomorrow's a good day for today's work."
At Qian Xunji's command, Yue Guan and Gui Mei began gathering forces. Spirit Hall's war machine quietly stirred into motion.
No one knew that, after holding back for a year, Spirit Hall would finally strike the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! And no one knew that its most formidable figure would join the fight!
Of course, even if Spirit Hall attacked, most people would think it justified. If it did nothing, it really would become Coward Hall, a target anyone could trample.
As for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? By the second month, they had begun hoping they would get away with it.
When Spirit Hall made no move in the first month, they lived in fear of a devastating strike. When it still made no move in the second, they gradually lowered their guard.
By the third month, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had decided Spirit Hall had never blamed them at all.
After all, they were the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects, wielders of the strongest beast Martial Soul! Even Spirit Hall had reason to fear them!
By now, the clan had not forgotten what had happened, but they no longer cared. On some occasions, they even openly mocked Spirit Hall for its weakness.
But a few perceptive people saw the signs. Perhaps this was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's final moment of glory.
Those headed for ruin first grew reckless!
To those perceptive people, that was exactly what had happened to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. They had lost all sense. A whole year had passed, and instead of apologizing, they were still slandering Spirit Hall?
Before you continue