Meanwhile, in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's council hall, sandalwood incense curled through the air. Ning Fengzhi sat in the seat of honor, toying with a translucent glazed crystal bead, his expression thoughtful.
Chen Xin leaned against a pillar with his arms folded, his robes whiter than snow and a hint of defiance in his brow. Gu Rong sat on the other side, a keen light flickering deep in his eyes.
"Fengzhi, how much blood do you think Heaven Dou will have to bleed this time to appease Spirit Hall's wrath?"
Chen Xin spoke first, his voice clear as a ringing sword, his tone tinged with disdain.
"In the battle at Soulbreak Valley, Heaven Dou lost all three hundred of its elite Soul Masters, along with two Soul Douluos. Any other power would refuse to let losses like that go unanswered, but their opponent happened to be Spirit Hall. And now look-Heaven Dou has to compensate Spirit Hall instead."
Gu Rong's voice was somewhat hoarse.
"That fool Xue Xing dug his own grave. He shattered a perfectly good balance on the continent. Now he's not only dragged the Heaven Dou Empire into danger, but left all of us who depend on Heaven Dou on the back foot as well. Spirit Hall's momentum is soaring. If Heaven Dou falls, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might be the next to suffer."
Ning Fengzhi gently set down the glazed crystal bead, his tone steady.
"Xue Xing was indeed reckless, but things have come to this, and blaming him now will accomplish nothing. What matters most is understanding the situation and preparing our response. Spirit Hall's goal this time is certainly not compensation alone. They will undoubtedly use this incident to further weaken the Heaven Dou Empire, and may even demand concessions