After flying over the small city at the foot of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's mountain, the flying soul beast gradually gained altitude before slowly descending outside the sect's main gate on the summit.
After stepping out of the carriage, Ning Fengzhi looked around and said with a hint of caution, "Qinghe, let's talk in the tea room."
Qian Renxue naturally nodded in agreement, and the two made their way to a side hall in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, where they sat down in a rather secluded tea room. Once the maids had served the tea, they dismissed them.
"Teacher, did you call me here to discuss something important?" Qian Renxue asked, neither servile nor overbearing.
There had never been such an air of secrecy before, which meant there must be something relatively important to discuss.
Ning Fengzhi seemed preoccupied, his fingers absently fiddling with his tea bowl. Only after a long while did he speak. "Qinghe, there's no need for us to beat around the bush. How do you think we should handle matters concerning the Jiuzhou Empire?"
Qian Renxue knew that Ning Fengzhi's "we" referred neither to the empire nor to the Peace Faction, but to her Crown Prince Faction, which still had few adherents, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. As the crown prince's teacher, Ning Fengzhi was essentially already a grasshopper tied to the same rope. If Xue Qinghe failed to inherit the throne, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might appear to suffer no losses overall, but the accession of another emperor would still result in some of its businesses being carved up by other Dragon-following Ministers, just as Xue Qinghe would seek to weaken the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect after taking the throne and hand its share of power