126. Cold Truth

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'However, Tang Hao, such an exceptional heir, chose to voluntarily withdraw from Clear Sky School and even stepped down from the ranks of heir. What could he have been seeking?' In a moment, Ning Fengzhi pieced together all the scattered doubts.

Tang Hao's departure from Clear Sky School was filled with oddities.

To begin with, why had Tang Hao chosen to voluntarily leave Clear Sky School?

"If we were to assume, it's because he was afraid of harming the sect," Ning Fengzhi could only express wry amusement.

An heir of a sect represented the face of the sect, whether within its walls or beyond. Damaging that face, especially for a sect like the Clear Sky School, the world's number one sect, was unthinkable. Even in Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, they would need to clash with the Spirit Hall before discussing victory or defeat.

Winning or losing wasn't the critical issue; maintaining a steadfast stance was. Yielding once would make one an easy target for manipulation, an opportunity for others to press on and gradually wear them down.

Ning Fengzhi knew this methodology all too well.

Considering his own situation, he felt that it was only natural to seize the position of Clear Sky School's leader during this time. From the perspective of the sect, it was reasonable for an heir to contribute to the sect's cause. It was implausible to let him die, wasn't it? Furthermore, considering that the other heir was his own brother and their relationship was amicable, there was no potential for brotherly strife.

In terms of external considerations, was it feasible for the Spirit Hall to oversee the selection of the new suzerain for their Clear Sky School? Could they afford the loss of prestige?

As for Shang Sanzong, would their reputation remain intact?

Ranging from major concerns to minor issues, the Soul Master Academy could only pretend they hadn't noticed and let it fade into oblivion.

If Ning Fengzhi's plan had been followed, the incident back then might never have occurred.

After excluding this seemingly likely possibility, a bleak thought emerged: Had Tang Hao deliberately pushed himself into a perilous situation?

Ning Fengzhi didn't dare to speculate on this matter.

However, he had already made certain inferences.

Next, how had Tang Hao's location been disclosed?

Even if Spirit Hall possessed exceptional observation skills, it would still be difficult to detect Tang Hao's traces. After all, every sect had its own intelligence network. These three cases all fell under their jurisdiction, so it wasn't improbable for them to stop Spirit Hall's investigators.

So, even if Clear Sky School hadn't put forth much effort and the intelligence network had been running on autopilot, it wouldn't have been easy for Spirit Hall to track down Tang Hao's whereabouts. How could they mobilize a large number of people in such a short span to pinpoint Tang Hao's position and execute a flawless siege?

In an instant, Ning Fengzhi saw through the intricacies of this operation.

"It appears you've already discerned something," Lu Yuan commented, calmly sipping from his wine glass as he sat nearby.

Ning Fengzhi responded with a wry smile, taking a deep gulp of strong wine to alleviate the chill that had crept into his body.

Honestly, he had never considered these matters before. However, upon making a bold assumption, the logic seemed to fall perfectly into place. This realization was rather chilling—it meant that his theory was likely accurate. And this truth...

This truth was unsettling, to say the least.

The last three cases had been manipulated by Tang Hao, as if he had orchestrated them. Well, not exactly. If the conjecture was correct, it seemed that Spirit Hall was being played by Tang Hao much like the previous three sects.

However, Tang Hao's story had come to an end after all.

Upon his return, Ning Fengzhi found himself more intrigued by the mention of "Yu Xiaogang."

Tang Hao's intelligence was already intricate enough, but the fact that Yu Xiaogang was on par with him only deepened Ning Fengzhi's sense of inadequacy as the head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The Clear Sky School possessed an ancestral attack-type martial soul, with one heir excelling in leadership while the other excelled in strategy.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, boasting an ancestral attack-type martial soul, had the Nine Dragons Unification, making the elder Yu Yuanzhen almost unbeatable in one-on-one battles.

Allying with them, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School held no advantages.

"After briefly discussing Tang Hao, the next topic is Yu Xiaogang," Lu Yuan remarked, knocking lightly on the table before asking with a smile, "Sect Master Ning, what aspects would you like to know more about?"

Ning Fengzhi responded, "Of course, his evaluation."

"Alright," the smile on Lu Yuan's face faded, and he organized his thoughts before continuing, "Sect Master Ning, consider the answers to the following questions."

"First, why would a dignified maiden like the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall fall in love with someone of lower cultivation and knowledge?"

"Second, what compelled a disciple from one of the top three sects to divulge invaluable information, such as the optimal pairing of soul rings, and precious knowledge to the public, against his own family's interests?"

"Third, what's the reason a renowned and knowledgeable master couldn't recognize the variation of his own family's martial soul?"

"Fourth, why did the current Pope of the Spirit Hall, shortly after assuming office, learn that the person who admired him was his cousin?"

"Fifth, what prompted this master to retreat to a small border town, where a junior Soul Master Academy looked down upon him?"

"Sixth, why did this master, with sudden acumen, identify the son of the Clear Sky Douluo from a crowd and take him as his disciple?"

"Seventh, if he genuinely believed things were wrong back then, why did he rush to the Lanba Academy after so many years?"

"Eighth, even though Spirit Hall attitude remains intriguing, the arrest warrant for Tang Hao hasn't been revoked; in this scenario, why would he, an honorary elder, knowingly defy Spirit Hall?"

"Ninth, how could he recognize the unassuming Crown Prince at a glance?"

Nine questions, akin to nine bolts of lightning, rendered Ning Fengzhi dazed.

Each question hit the nail on the head.

Though many details were left out, Ning Fengzhi knew that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's information network could verify these processes. Yet, based on the questions posed, each answer he obtained left him astounded.

When all the answers were pieced together, the only logically consistent explanation was a complete subversion of Yu Xiaogang's image.

What exactly was Yu Xiaogang intending? Ning Fengzhi considered various possibilities.

The Clear Sky School, represented by Tang Hao and his son, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan, representing himself. His ex-lover was the current Pope of the Spirit Hall, and his current lover was the illegitimate daughter of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan's second elder. Additionally, he was entangling himself in a feud with Heaven Dou Prince.

This realization left Ning Fengzhi utterly stunned. Had his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect been inadvertently isolated?

As the head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he had been unaware that he had walked straight into Lu Yuan's trap today, simply intending to discuss his personally created soul skills.

Even if he hadn't realized it, Ning Fengzhi understood the magnitude of the impact that such an alliance could wield if it ever materialized.

Unifying the continent was no longer a distant possibility.

In the face of this, what should he do with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

He hadn't even had the chance to choose a side. Yu Xiaogang's intricate web had ensnared him.

"Wonderful!" Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but exclaim.

Despite the overwhelming potential, strength reigned supreme. Faced with absolute strength, potential had no room for growth.

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