Chapter 170: Plotting Against Haotian Sect
At this moment, Yang Xiong began to truly understand the position that Tang Chen held in the Soul Master world.
Tang Chen had not only used his strength to suppress the entire Spirit Hall but also the entire Soul Master world. He was the true leader of the top three sects in their resistance against the Spirit Hall.
If the Spirit Hall truly confirmed that Tang Chen was dead, chaos would likely erupt in an instant, and the Spirit Hall would seize control of the world immediately.
Yang Xiong thought for a long while before speaking: "Sect Master, with Tang Chen's life and death unknown, shouldn't we make alternative plans?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head: "Any plan must be built on the foundation of strength. We had hoped that Tang Hao would become the next Tang Chen, but after seeing Tang Hao last time, it seems his talents have been wasted. Of course, Xiao Xiong, you have given me new hope. If I could give you fifty years, perhaps you could really reach Tang Chen's level."
Yang Xiong gave a bitter smile. Forget fifty years, even ten years would not be given to him by the Spirit Hall. The most dangerous time was less than a year away.
The strength of the Spirit Hall truly felt hopeless. Even if they wanted to unify the world now, there seemed to be no one who could stop them.
The room fell into silence for a long time as everyone looked at the information without saying a word, even Ning Rongrong seemed less naive than before.
Yang Xiong gritted his teeth: "Sect Master, we can't just sit here and wait to be suffocated. What are your plans?"
Ning Fengzhi seemed unusually calm: "Over the years, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has maintained a good relationship with the Heaven Dou Empire. Though their soul master strength is average, they command a million-strong army, and the Star Luo Empire has a similar military force. This can barely suppress the Spirit Hall."
Yang Xiong shook his head: "Sect Master, I think people can only rely on themselves. The army can't move freely, but we can rely on soul masters, especially top-level ones."
Ning Fengzhi said, "Xiao Xiong, then what do you suggest we do? After all, the disparity in strength is too great."
Yang Xiong's expression became incredibly serious: "Sect Master, ultimately, we need to strengthen ourselves and build alliances."
Ning Fengzhi suddenly became interested: "What exactly do you mean? There's no one left on the Douluo Continent who can truly become our ally."
Yang Xiong replied, "First, we need to consolidate our strength. The enemy can take advantage of any opportunity. They will learn that many of our disciples are out on missions. At most, 40% are out, at least 30%, which means 2,000 soul masters."
"I suggest we control the number of disciples going out. This way, our sect won't appear empty internally."
Ning Fengzhi was momentarily stunned, then said, "Xiao Xiong, you should know, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is the richest sect in the world. Only with enough disciples out there can we ensure the sect's business continues. If we reduce the number of disciples going out, our control over business will decline significantly."
"Moreover, many of the disciples are involved with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and withdrawing them hastily will likely cause major economic losses."
Yang Xiong suddenly realized why the Spirit Hall had such a great opportunity. It turned out that the information was leaked by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect itself.
Yang Xiong pondered for a moment and then spoke: "Sect Master, have you ever considered that the Heaven Dou Imperial Family is very complex? Not all the imperial family members are as they appear. Even Xue Qinghe was able to inherit the title of crown prince because two of the Emperor Xue Ye's sons died."
Ning Fengzhi was stunned: "Xiao Xiong, do you have any misunderstandings about Qinghe? Though there are many rumors, I believe Qinghe is not the kind of person who would harm his brothers."
Yang Xiong was speechless. Here was the leader of one of the top three sects, and he had been fooled for so long by Qian Renxue, this fake prince. He had even been taught carefully and had invested massive resources into him. How could people in this world be so naive?
But Yang Xiong didn't want to expose the truth: "Sect Master, what I mean is that any internal strife within the imperial family is incredibly brutal and bloody. They would do anything for power. We can't easily believe that the title of crown prince is so easily obtained."
Ning Fengzhi's face changed: "Xiao Xiong, what do you think we should do then?"
It was clear that Ning Fengzhi wasn't happy at all. He obviously admired Xue Qinghe, as they both had similar temperaments and ways of handling things. In this world, their master-disciple relationship was almost like a father-son bond.
Yang Xiong helplessly said: "The true decision-maker in the Heaven Dou Empire is Xue Ye the Great. Whether it's Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, Prince Xue Beng, Prince Xue Xing, or Princess Xue Ke, inheriting the throne only requires one word from Xue Ye the Great. We should focus more on cooperating with Xue Ye the Great. The title of crown prince is just a title."
"At least until Xue Ye the Great passes away, he will remain the only ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire, and even the crown prince won't change that."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head: "Xue Ye the Great is deep and calculating. Although he appears gentle, he is truly ruthless once you get to know him. From a business perspective, he's not a good partner. I wouldn't risk putting too much trust in Xue Ye the Great."
Yang Xiong smiled: "Sect Master, we're just a sect. Why involve ourselves too much in the affairs of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family? Rather than sending a large number of disciples to assist the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, we should fully support Xue Ye the Great and focus on our own development. How much influence do their business dealings have on our sect?"
"Even if we only send 10% of our disciples out, with the prestige of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, we won't lose much."
Ning Fengzhi was silent for a long time before speaking: "Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, Rongrong, what do you think? Especially you, Rongrong. You've recently started getting involved in our sect's business."
Sword Douluo remained silent, seemingly uninterested in these worldly matters, while Bone Douluo looked hesitant before speaking: "Fengzhi, over the years you've been too focused on the sect's business. While it has helped us accumulate vast wealth, our true focus should be on our development in the Soul Master world. Wealth is secondary; only strength is the real foundation."
"You're also aware of the recent situation with the Elephant Armor Sect, and with the Spirit Hall watching us closely, I think Xiao Xiong is right. We need to consolidate our strength."
Bone Douluo had always been in charge of dealing with the hidden matters of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Having dealt with much darkness, he understood what was truly important for the sect.
Ning Rongrong thought for a while before speaking: "Father, actually, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is already wealthy enough. I checked the sect's situation recently, and even if we didn't do any business for decades, it wouldn't affect the sect's development."
"Moreover, as Xiao Xiong said, if 10% of our disciples are still active, we would still be the wealthiest sect on the continent."
Ning Fengzhi nodded: "Alright, I'll re-evaluate our sect's business and try to keep the disciples focused on cultivation while ensuring they have sufficient resources."
As Yang Xiong had expected, Ning Fengzhi was a true businessman, fully aware of how to choose between gain and loss.
Ning Fengzhi then continued: "Xiao Xiong, you mentioned foreign support. What's that about?"
Yang Xiong became very serious: "Sect Master, do you still have contact with the Haotian Sect?"
Everyone was stunned. The Haotian Sect had been in seclusion for nearly twenty years, and no one expected Yang Xiong to ask this question.
Ning Fengzhi gave a bitter smile: "Of course, if we hadn't been supporting them secretly, do you think the Haotian Sect's thousand soul masters could be hiding in their ancestral land with no cultivation resources, and even basic living resources? With just the little money from Yuexuan, they couldn't possibly survive."
Yang Xiong quickly asked: "Then, Sect Master, do you know what kind of strength the Haotian Sect has now? How many Title Douluos do they have?"
Ning Fengzhi replied: "I'm not entirely sure, but over the years, they should have produced some Title Douluos. Though they haven't made it public, I've gathered some clues."
Yang Xiong thought for a moment before speaking: "Sect Master, we need allies now. We must find a way to get the Haotian Sect to come out of seclusion."
"I once read some records about the Soul Master world. Tang Hao and Tang Xiao were known as the Haotian Twin Stars. Their talents and strength were exceptional. While Tang Hao was called Haotian Douluo, Tang Xiao was probably not weaker than Tang Hao, especially with his calm temperament. He might be even stronger than Tang Hao now."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head: "Xiao Xiong, you're thinking too simply. If the Haotian Sect doesn't emerge, the Spirit Hall will still be wary. At least their great priests won't show themselves. But if the Haotian Sect reappears, the alliance will be broken, and the Spirit Hall will likely reveal its true power."
Yang Xiong helplessly replied: "Sect Master, we must know our allies' strength. If we blindly go to war with the Spirit Hall without understanding them, the outcome could be devastating."
Although Yang Xiong said this, Ning Fengzhi still seemed unmoved. On one hand, he viewed the Haotian Sect as an ally, but on the other, he was wary of them. If this number one sect in the world truly emerged, it might affect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's status in the Soul Master world.
Yang Xiong was also helpless. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's current strength, they were still far from being able to compete with the Spirit Hall. Meanwhile, the Haotian Sect had been in seclusion, only to emerge when the battle was nearly over, sweeping the battlefield.
When the Haotian Sect finally emerged, they had seven Title Douluos, shocking the world and instantly becoming the number one sect.
The Haotian Sect had preserved its strength and gained the final victory. Their strategy had been perfect, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Rex family had either been destroyed or severely weakened.
Finally, Yang Xiong said: "Sect Master, even if the Haotian Sect doesn't emerge, we still need to understand our allies' strength. How about asking Bone Douluo to personally visit the Haotian Sect and discuss the possibility of their return? Otherwise, if the Spirit Hall continues to develop like this, by the time the Haotian Sect emerges, the Soul Master world will already be set."
"Of course, if possible, I would also like to visit the Haotian Sect myself to experience the legendary Haotian martial soul."
Ning Fengzhi did not oppose Yang Xiong's suggestion, clearly wanting to understand the true strength of the Haotian Sect.
Yang Xiong believed that once Bone Douluo visited the Haotian Sect and understood their strength, Ning Fengzhi would definitely reassess their stance and approach.
Of course, Yang Xiong also proposed another suggestion: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect should try to communicate with Dugu Bo, even if it meant spending resources and treasures, and form an alliance with him.
Ning Fengzhi was very interested in this suggestion. Dugu Bo was known as invincible in group battles and could make up for some of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's shortcomings.
Since their past grievances with Dugu Bo over the spirit herb theft had been resolved, Yang Xiong had always wanted to pull Dugu Bo into the Body Sect.
Unfortunately, Dugu Bo had always been very hostile toward Yang Xiong. Even though he had a good relationship with Yang Wudi, every time he encountered Yang Xiong, he would glare and scowl, finding fault with everything. Yang Xiong didn't know what to say.
(END CHAPTER)
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