Obtaining Top Art on Family's Extermination Night
Chapter 302 - 161: Where Are the Masters?
「Anyue City, within the City Lord’s Mansion.」
City Lord Wang Lu’an personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to the woman before him, whose face was obscured by a light veil.
This was Lan Yin, an expert from the Saintess Sect.
However, Wang Lu’an and Lan Yin were not the only ones present.
The great hall was already packed.
A single glance around the room revealed a gathering of renowned masters from the Northern Domain Martial World.
Bai Hongzhou, Master of the Meridian Hall.
Zhuo Qingshan, Master of the New Rain Pavilion.
Gou Danian, the Earth Sea Hall Master.
Han Xiao, the Thousand Gold Ghost Hall Master... and many more.
Among them, Bai Hongzhou of the Meridian Hall and Zhuo Qingshan of the New Rain Pavilion were both hegemons who dominated their respective domains.
As for Gou Danian, the Earth Sea Hall Master, and Han Xiao, the Thousand Gold Ghost Hall Master, they were less renowned, but their clandestine influence was not to be underestimated.
This impressive assembly had gathered here today for one reason: Fang Shuwen.
Flames blazed in the hearth, driving the chill from the hall. Gou Danian, his hands tucked in his sleeves, hawked and spat a thick wad of phlegm on the floor.
"If you ask me, there’s nothing to discuss.
"That Fang Shuwen is arrogant, thinking he’s so tough with his precious Martial Arts. When the time comes, we should all just rush him at once. We’ll show him what the Northern Domain Martial World is made of!"
"A poor idea."
Zhuo Qingshan shook his head emphatically.
"Back in that town, we all fought on our own and were utterly crushed by him.
"There were just as many of us gathered then, yet we still couldn’t stop that Killing God. His Martial Arts are simply on another level. If we charge in recklessly, I fear we’ll suffer devastating losses."
There was more he left unsaid.
’Even if we could win that way, we might just be paving the way for someone else to reap the rewards.’
’Dealing with Fang Shuwen is just the official excuse, and it’s a perfectly good one.’
’But then there’s Long Qingzhi to consider...’
’So, besides dealing with Fang Shuwen, the question of who gets the Glazed Saint Body also needs to be weighed carefully.’
’If we exhaust ourselves fighting Fang Shuwen to the death, only for someone else to swoop in and snatch Long Qingzhi, wouldn’t all our efforts be for nothing?’
In truth, before the news of Long Qingzhi possessing the Glazed Saint Body had spread, such thoughts hadn’t even crossed their minds.
Men of the Jianghu, for all their focus on personal gain, still possessed a fiery sense of honor.
When an enemy came right to their doorstep, they weren’t the type to just sit back and take it. They would meet the challenge head-on and fight with all their might. Win or lose, it would be a life lived without regret.
Unfortunately, the temptation of Long Qingzhi was too great. Everyone began to harbor their own secret plans, and the spirit of cooperation was tainted by self-interest.
"If you ask me... why not use a bit of cunning?"
Han Xiao, the Thousand Gold Ghost Hall Master, spoke with a soft chuckle.
"Fang Shuwen became famous at a young age, so he’s bound to be proud and arrogant.
"Why don’t we feign weakness and invite him to a banquet here at the City Lord’s Mansion?
"We’ll act humbly and lower his guard."
"And then?"
Wang Lu’an looked at Han Xiao.
"Your methods are brilliant, Hall Master Han. Please, do enlighten us."
Han Xiao smiled, producing two small vials from within his robes and placing them on the table.
"These two vials each contain a different drug.
"Used alone, neither will cause any harm. But when combined... they create a poison so deadly it kills in an instant.
"During the banquet, we’ll mix one into the food and blend the other into the sandalwood incense.
"He will ingest one and inhale the other. I wager that no matter how peerless his skills are, even Fang Shuwen won’t be able to withstand such a ploy.
"By then, his Martial Arts will be severely weakened, and we can spring our trap.
"First, we’ll send men to drain his Inner Strength. Once his reserves are completely depleted, we strike all at once and hack him to pieces!
"What say you, gentlemen?"
For a moment, the hall fell silent.
But a glint of light shone in their eyes.
Eventually, all eyes subconsciously turned to Wang Lu’an, who in turn looked to Lan Yin for her opinion.
Everyone knew that the true authority in the room was not Wang Lu’an, the City Lord of Anyue City.
It was the expert from the Saintess Sect.
Lan Yin lifted her teacup, used the lid to brush aside the floating leaves, and spoke softly.
"The Saintess Sect does not care who gets Long Qingzhi.
"But Fang Shuwen must not be killed. I am to bring him back to the Saintess Sect."
This was the only time she had spoken all day. The men in the hall exchanged glances, a clear look of delight in their eyes.
"Yes, we shall obey the Saintess’s command."
Everyone in the Saintess Sect was called a Saintess—at least, that was the official story for outsiders.
As for their internal customs... no outsider knew.
Not that these men cared.
They were, of course, curious. They wondered how Fang Shuwen had achieved such a level of Martial Arts at his age and guessed he must be harboring some earth-shattering secret.
But compared to Fang Shuwen’s secret, a living Long Qingzhi was far more alluring.
If they could get their hands on Long Qingzhi, who cared about a mere Fang Shuwen?
With the matter settled, the group was about to hash out the finer details when they suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside. A voice called out, drawing out the word, "Repo~rt!" In the blink of an eye, a messenger had reached the entrance to the great hall.
He dropped to his knees with a THUD and cried out:
"Reporting to the City Lord! Fang Shuwen... Fang Shuwen is here!"
Wang Lu’an was stunned. ’He’s here already!?’
’He must have come straight for Anyue City the moment he heard the news. Is he completely fearless?’
The others in the hall stared at one another in dismay, their eyes all asking the same question: What now?
The man was already here. How could they go out and feign weakness now?
As the City Lord of Anyue City, Wang Lu’an was the first to regain his composure. He asked in a grim voice:
"Where is Fang Shuwen now?"
"He’s... He’s already fought his way into the city!"
"He fought his way in?"
Wang Lu’an’s head was spinning. ’My Anyue City isn’t made of paper, how could he just fight his way in whenever he pleases?’