All the powerhouses were bewildered. They left their respective lodgings and gathered at Deng Xiong's residence.
Deng Xiong had already received a report from his subordinates and came out to meet them. "Greetings, fellow Daoists. What brings you all here?"
Tian Heng turned to Deng Xiong with a trace of displeasure. "Elder Deng, let us speak plainly rather than hide our words in the dark. Has something happened in your sect? If you need our help, you need only ask."
They were all great sects of the righteous path, yet their differing positions and interests forced them into scheming against one another and keeping up their guard. He disliked that.
But he could not reproach Deng Xiong for his position. He even had to take the initiative to uphold it.
These powerhouses all understood the importance of unity among the great sects. At this critical juncture, refraining from rash actions was a principle they had to follow.
Deng Xiong naturally understood Grand Elder Tian Heng's meaning. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "There is no need for concern, everyone. It is only a minor problem. Our sect's newly ascended Heaven-Tier Grand Elder, Fang Qianyuan, has already gone to investigate."
"In that case, we shall return to our lodgings." Grand Elder Tian Heng gave him a long, searching look but said nothing more.
Seeing that nothing was amiss, the others returned as well.
For the sake of the bigger picture, they all needed to remain here, but their disciples, retainers, and guards were under no such restrictions. Some had already sent messages outside, ordering them to investigate at once.
Out of respect, the Azure Cloud Sect could not impose too many restrictions on this either. Otherwise, would it not amount to placing their guests under house arrest?
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