Once they had thoroughly discussed Xiao Tongquan's affair, neither Jiang Yi nor Li Ruohan spoke again. They sat in silence for a long while, both somewhat shaken, like rabbits mourning a dead fox.
"Illuminating the Hidden, True Gu, and even Qing Chi before them-Sect-tier Dharma Lineages devour people without spitting out the bones."
Jiang Yi's thoughts drifted. Under the Demonic Dao's rule, whether you were a mortal as worthless as grass that could be plucked from a field or a precious direct descendant of a Qi Refining Clan, there was little difference in the eyes of the Upper Cultivators.
When the former wished to manipulate them, the latter could only submit obediently, unable to utter even a single word of refusal.
Sometimes, they might not even realize they were being kneaded and molded, just like marionettes on a stage, with no control whatsoever over how they moved or where they went.
Li Ruohan sipped her tea. Coming back to herself, she gently suppressed those useless reflections. "Now that you've securely broken through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, Senior Brother Jiang, one of the supplementary places in the Inner Peaks should be a nail hammered into the board."
Jiang Yi nodded. "It was all thanks to Duty Officer Yang running about on my behalf and securing a connection to Elder Sui."
Pulling strings was something to keep under wraps before it succeeded, but once it had, there was no need to conceal it.
Besides, Xu Yan had already taken the initiative to show goodwill at Qigong Court. He could not hide it even if he wanted to, so he might as well speak openly.
"Though Elder Sui has lived in seclusion for years, his words still carry considerable weight. Leaving everything else aside, Senior Brother Xu Yan alone is