Chapter 325: Speculation, Battle, and Conspiracy
As soon as the topic of "extreme measures" was mentioned, the atmosphere in the hall grew tense.
Yun Yun, the Sect Leader of the Yun Lan Sect, was someone deeply respected by many present.
As one of the few Dou Huang powerhouses in the Jia Ma Empire, she had once stood alongside Jia Xing Tian to protect the empire, earning widespread admiration.
Yet now, a powerful Dou Huang like her had been reduced to a mere pawn by her own master...
The realization left everyone grim faced, and some of the older figures visibly seethed with rage.
Especially Hai Bodong.
As one of Wu Tian's subordinates, he had already come to understand many things.
During their return trip from the Black Corner Region, he had deliberately feigned ignorance, but he had definitely overheard something.
His master, Wu Tian, had once shared certain stories with Queen Medusa regarding Yun Yun...
And those stories implied that something shouldn't have happened between them
But it had happened.
When Hai Bodong first heard it, his jaw nearly hit the floor.
"My master… is truly my master. Even under the watchful gaze of his wife, he still..."
Respect.
There was simply no room for doubt.
Hai Bodong's eyes darkened with fury. Yun Yun was now one of his master's women!
His voice boomed, his palm slamming onto the table with a loud bang!
"Hmph!"
"That shameless old bastard Yun Shan! Using Yun Yun to tie down Gu He? That bastard has truly lost all honor!"
"If I, Hai Bodong, don't chop off his head and use it as a chamber pot, I'm not worthy of my name!"
The moment he spoke, the other leaders exchanged glances before quickly chiming in.
Mu Chen, the head of the Mu Clan, was the first to follow up:
"Indeed! That wretched old man is using his own disciple as bait for Gu He? Despicable!"
Meanwhile, Nalan Jie who had been sitting silently all this time suddenly wore a grave expression and muttered:
"No..."
"I don't think Yun Yun is the bride."
His words caused the entire hall to fall into silence.
Hai Bodong frowned, turning to stare at Nalan Jie.
"What do you mean?"
Nalan Jie's face was dark and filled with turmoil. His aged hands clenched tightly against the table, the deep shadows under his eyes making him appear completely exhausted.
The first to realize his meaning was Ya Fei.
Her beautiful brows furrowed as she gasped in realization.
"Nalan elder… could it be that you think the bride is Nalan Yanran?"
The moment those words left her lips, everyone in the room snapped to attention.
It was an audacious theory
But it made sense.
Nalan Yanran was at marriageable age, and she was Yun Shan's beloved grand disciple.
Perhaps Yun Shan was truly planning to marry her off
And if that were the case, was she being offered to someone from the Hall of Souls?
If so...
Then the Nalan Clan was completely doomed.
And Nalan Yanran's fate?
Even worse.
Three years ago, she had shocked the entire empire by publicly annulling her engagement with Xiao Yan.
Three years later, she was now being married off to a complete stranger...
Wouldn't she have been better off marrying that so called "trash" Xiao Yan instead?
The entire hall fell into an awkward silence as everyone subtly glanced at Nalan Jie and Nalan Su.
Sigh… what goes around, comes around.
Their family had been too arrogant, too proud.
And now?
Karma had arrived.
Did they really have the shamelessness to ask Wu Tian and Queen Medusa to save their precious little Yanran now?
Would they dare to open their mouths?
Nalan Jie and Nalan Su's faces darkened like charcoal, their guilt and regret painfully obvious.
If they could turn back time…
The two exchanged a silent look, then hesitantly turned toward Hai Bodong.
"Hai… elder…"
Hai Bodong waved them off before they could even finish.
He swept his gaze across the room, then spoke decisively:
"Whether it's Sect Master Yun Yun or Yanran, it doesn't matter."
"Yun Shan is just using this 'wedding' as bait to lure us in."
"This is a battle we cannot avoid. We will go."
"And we will destroy this wedding."
The room erupted in murmurs.
"Two days?"
"That soon?"
Hai Bodong grinned coldly.
"Heh… Gu He is a six tier alchemist. If we give him time to gather powerful reinforcements, taking down the Yun Lan Sect will become exponentially harder."
The young Empress, Yao Ye, took a deep breath and calmly declared:
"Hai elder, we will handle the Yun Lan Sect's disciples with the Imperial Army and other forces. Within these two days, we will also secretly begin purging Yun Lan Sect sympathizers."
"Once Yun Shan and his key supporters are dead, the remaining embers of their faction will be wiped from Jia Ma Empire."
Hai Bodong nodded.
Against Yun Shan and the Hall of Souls, they were powerless.
Only the Snake People Tribe could take on that battle.
Their forces were simply too weak.
Moreover, the top ten powerhouses of the empire were missing several names
A clear sign that many had already pledged allegiance to the Yun Lan Sect.
Gu He's influence was too great.
The Yun Lan Sect's power was overwhelming.
Their side was fighting an uphill battle.
Still
They had no choice.
Hai Bodong clasped his hands behind his back and smirked.
"Then it's decided. Prepare yourselves."
"In two days, we march to war."
Meanwhile, deep within the Yun Lan Sect
The towering mountains of Yun Lan were veiled in darkness, hidden beneath the shadows of the night.
Countless glowing lanterns dotted the peaks like scattered fireflies.
Despite the late hour, the entire sect remained brightly illuminated, brimming with an unsettling tension.
Security was stricter than ever.
Countless hidden sentries patrolled every corner, ensuring not a single movement went unnoticed.
Atop the highest peak
A grand, ancient hall stood in solemn silence.
Within the dimly lit chamber, a lone figure sat in quiet isolation.
A woman.
Shrouded in a delicate white robe, she sat upon a meditation cushion, her elegant face a mixture of dignity and fury.
Yun Yun.
The former Sect Leader.
A woman once respected across the entire Jia Ma Empire.
Now?
She had become nothing more than a bargaining chip.
Her heart burned with rage and disbelief as she replayed Yun Shan's words over and over again in her mind.
"Marry? To Gu He?"
The chill in her heart grew even colder.
Was this truly the same mentor who had once raised her with care and kindness?
Had he truly fallen this far?
Or…
Was there an even deeper conspiracy at play?
She had to find out.
She closed her sharp, intelligent eyes and took a deep breath.
Then
She spoke into the darkness.
"Since you're here… you might as well show yourself."
(End of Chapter)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10