At that moment,
Guang Ling, hidden deep within the forest, took it all in.
He concealed himself behind the branches of an ancient tree bent beneath the snow. Through the gaps in its foliage, his ice-blue eyes calmly watched the figure in the snow, steeped in despair and venom.
Watching Yu Xiaogang's wretched state as he was thrown out of the Mountain Gate, listening to his hate-filled howls, then glancing at the disciples busily loading carts inside, Guang Ling's ice-blue eyes showed not the slightest ripple, as though he were watching a farce that had nothing to do with him.
A moment later, Guang Ling became a streak of ice-blue light and shot toward Heaven Dou City like an arrow loosed from a bow. The sound of his robes slicing through the wind and snow flashed through the forest and vanished.
His task was complete. All that remained was to report the outcome to Qian Daoliu.
Barely an hour later, an ice-blue figure silently landed beside Qian Daoliu's carriage, bringing a chill that made the surrounding snow tremble slightly.
"Big Brother."
Guang Ling walked over to Qian Daoliu, his tone flat, betraying neither joy nor anger.
Qian Daoliu had been resting with his eyes closed. At the sound of his voice, he slowly opened them, his golden eyes unruffled:
"Is it done?"
"Yes."
Guang Ling nodded and gave a concise report,
"They held a clan assembly and expelled Yu Xiaogang. As you instructed, I left a letter and reduced the resources to one quarter."
"It seems Sect Master Yu made a 'wise' choice."
Qian Daoliu smiled faintly. Pale golden soul power rippled gently at his fingertips, like ripples spreading across a tranquil lake,
"Yu Yuanzhen may be a ruthless leader with ambitions of supremacy, but in the end, his clan's centuries-old foundation bound his hands and feet. He could never truly stake everything on a single throw."
He paused and turned toward Guang Ling, a hint of inquiry in his eyes:
"What about Yu Xiaogang?"
"Deep resentment."
Guang Ling answered succinctly, the image of Yu Xiaogang's bloodshot eyes flashing through his mind,
"He hates not only us, but the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan too."
The smile at the corner of Qian Daoliu's mouth deepened with understanding:
"That's only natural. Abandoned by the clan closest to him-it would be strange if he didn't hate them."
The carriage began moving slowly. Its wheels rolled over Heaven Dou City's flagstone streets with a steady rumble, mingling with street vendors' cries and pedestrians' laughter and conversation, carrying the distinctive bustle of everyday life in Heaven Dou City.
Inside the carriage, Bibi Dong carefully changed Xiao Wu’s Mother’s dressing, her movements as gentle as though she were handling fragile porcelain. The cool sensation of ointment spreading over her wounds made Xiao Wu’s Mother furrow her brow slightly.
Xiao Wu nestled in her mother's arms, her ruby-red eyes curiously watching the candied hawthorn stalls pass outside the window. Her little nose twitched involuntarily, as though she were still savoring the sweetness of yesterday's sugar painting.
Qian Daoliu watched the streets slide past the carriage window, his fingertips tapping his knee in a leisurely rhythm.
Once the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan delivered the resources, this matter would be settled for the time being.
As the carriage entered Heaven Dou City, dusk was painting the blue-gray city walls a warm gold.
At the stone table in the Spirit Temple's rear courtyard, Jiang Mo poked the coals with a twig. Fat from the sizzling Pipi Pig dripped into the flames, sending up white smoke fragrant with roasting meat.
"That old mudfish's face turned green by the end."
Jiang Mo bit into the crisp, charred pigskin and chuckled through his mouthful,
"If Big Brother hadn't stopped me, I would've torn down his lousy Mountain Gate right then!"
Guang Ling was wiping an ice-blue arrow. He looked up at those words:
"Yu Yuanzhen knew what was good for him. He understood that keeping Yu Xiaogang would only bring more trouble."
"In the end, he was simply afraid of us."
Golden Crocodile lifted his hot tea, and droplets condensed on the cup slid down between his fingers,
"Three soul bones and a quarter of his resources to avert his clan's annihilation-he still came out ahead."
Qian Daoliu sat at the head of the table, twirling pale golden soul power between his fingertips as he watched the dancing flames:
"He didn't come out ahead. He had no choice. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan may seem deeply rooted, but cracks had long since formed within it. Yu Xiaogang's martial soul mutation was a thorn. This time, we merely pulled it out."
Bibi Dong helped Xiao Wu’s Mother sit beside them and said softly:
"Now that Yu Xiaogang has been expelled, he'll probably hold a grudge for the rest of his life."
"A grudge is exactly what we want."
Qian Daoliu smiled faintly,
"A useless man filled with venom won't stir up any great waves, but he can become a hidden danger to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
The Soft Bone Rabbit in Xiao Wu’s Mother’s arms poked her head out and blinked her ruby-red eyes:
"Are all human clans this complicated?"
Qian Daoliu stroked her soft fur:
"Once you learn to read human writing, you'll understand."
Over the next two days, Heaven Dou City's Spirit Temple was exceptionally quiet.
Each day, Qian Daoliu used divine power to keep Xiao Wu’s Mother’s injuries in check. Golden Crocodile and Guang Ling sparred in the courtyard, while Jiang Mo went out every so often to hunt down delicious food.
Their days passed peacefully, yet undercurrents stirred beneath the surface.
On the morning of the third day,
The synchronized clatter of hooves sounded outside the temple.
Standing by an upstairs window, Qian Daoliu watched a group of disciples dressed in blue and white escort two heavily laden carriages to a stop at the entrance.
Yu Yuanzhen wore a plain robe, the white hair at his temples particularly conspicuous in the morning light. Behind him, the grand elder held a rosewood box, his expression grim as iron.
"They're here."
Qian Daoliu turned and went downstairs, with Golden Crocodile and the others close behind.
In the temple's main hall,
Yu Yuanzhen placed the wooden box on the table and pushed it toward Qian Daoliu:
"Inside is the final soul bone, along with an inventory of one quarter of our resources. The medicinal herbs, Gold Soul Coins, and various rare metals listed are all on the carriages."
His voice was hoarse. Avoiding Qian Daoliu's eyes, he kept his gaze on the blue bricks beneath his feet.
Qian Daoliu did not look at the inventory. He merely lifted his chin toward Guang Ling.
Guang Ling stepped forward and opened the wooden box. Ice-blue soul power swept over the inventory from his fingertips, then he went out to check the carriages. A short while later, he returned and nodded:
"The quantities are correct."
"Very good."
Qian Daoliu closed the wooden box, pale golden soul power flowing over its surface,
"You've been most attentive, Sect Master Yu."
Yu Yuanzhen clenched his cuffs, his knuckles turning white:
"The resources have been delivered. May we leave?"
"Please do."
Qian Daoliu stepped aside to clear the way, his gaze passing over Yu Yuanzhen's pale face,
"The future of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will require considerable care from you, Sect Master Yu."
Those words pierced like a needle, making Yu Yuanzhen's entire body stiffen.
He abruptly raised his head, wanting to say something, but when his gaze met Qian Daoliu's unfathomable golden eyes, he ultimately only gritted his teeth and turned to leave with the grand elder.
The sound of carriage wheels grinding over the ground faded into the distance, as though marking the end of this humiliating transaction.
The instant Yu Yuanzhen's party disappeared at the end of the street, a clear system notification suddenly sounded in Qian Daoliu's mind:
[Congratulations to the host for completing the mission "This Isn't Over Yet." Mission reward received: three lucky draw chances.]
The pale golden soul power twirling at Qian Daoliu's fingertips paused briefly, then an almost imperceptible smile curved his lips. Without betraying anything, he glanced at Golden Crocodile and Guang Ling beside him. Both were focused on tallying the newly stored resources and had not noticed the subtle change in his expression.
"Tonight, I'll go big."
Qian Daoliu murmured to himself, his golden eyes gleaming with absolute confidence.
Jiang Mo looked in the direction they had left and scoffed:
"That old mudfish probably never wants to see us again for the rest of his life."
Qian Daoliu handed the wooden box to Guang Ling:
"Have the Red-robed Cardinal send the resources back to Spirit Hall. Keep some supplies for medicinal baths as cultivation reserves for Dong'er and Xiao Wu, and send the remaining herbs to Yue Guan."
He paused and looked out the window,
"The matter of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is over. It's time to consider the Chaos Bell's first soul ring."
Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow across the floor.
The atmosphere in the hall grew solemn once more. Everyone knew that Yu Xiaogang and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been no more than an interlude. The true storm still lay ahead.
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