Yu Yuanzhen brought Niu Ben back to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Niu Ben had held a deep grudge against the sect that killed his father—accident or not, Niu Gao had died under Chen Xin's sword.
But now his hatred for the Clear Sky Sect exceeded everything—even Spirit Hall—because he'd seen the Grandmaster's corpse and understood: they'd come to kill him to silence him.
To avenge himself on the Clear Sky Sect, he unhesitatingly produced the Grandmaster's second letter. Yu Yuanzhen took it at once. The letter was addressed to Bibi Dong—another farewell. It said he'd been forced by the Clear Sky Sect to use his life to frame the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and provoke Bibi Dong's hatred to start a war. He disagreed, so he wrote this contingency. If Bibi Dong was reading it, he had already died at the Clear Sky Sect's hands. He urged her to be careful and not be goaded into war with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect; they were very strong now, and he feared she'd be in danger.
Another letter that never explicitly called for revenge, yet dripped with heartfelt words that would push Bibi Dong to avenge him. The difference: the first letter's target was the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect; the second's target was the Clear Sky Sect.
Clearly, compared to his disciple, his own life mattered most.
After reading it, Liu Erlong wept anew. She couldn't understand why, at the end, the Grandmaster was still thinking of Bibi Dong. With her straightforward mind, she couldn't read between the lines—she was simply wounded by the letter's tender words, which weren't written for her.
As a sect master, Yu Yuanzhen was sharper. His fists clenched. "I see. Clear Sky Sect—good, very good. To aid Tang San and Tang Hao's revenge, you resort to framing schemes like this."
"What do you mean, Senior? Please explain."
"Yes, Sect Master Yu—what do you mean 'framing'? Was the Grandmaster not their true target?" Tianlin and Ning Fengzhi looked puzzled. The son-in-law and father-in-law had recently studied acting and looked much more natural than before.
Yu Yuanzhen said, "Sect Master Ning, you said the letter I received wasn't written by you, but by someone forging your hand?"
"Yes." Ning Fengzhi nodded. That was indeed what he had arranged.
"If I'm right, there's another letter at Xiaogang's home, one forged in my handwriting. Two purposes: first, to lure me to the Seven Treasures Sect, then have Xiaogang die quietly here and let me 'happen' to find the body, making me a witness. Second, to use my name to draw Xiaogang to Seven Treasures Mountain. Otherwise, with the grudge he bore you, if not for a letter from me, why would he come?"
"I even suspect there's a third letter, forged in Xiaogang's tone and hand, already sent to Bibi Dong, with contents much like this one—but with the target switched from the Clear Sky Sect to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, saying he came here to die to avenge his disciple, and telling her not to worry."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi suddenly understood. "I see. If their plan had worked, the Grandmaster would have died on our mountain, and Bibi Dong, upon receiving his letter, would think we killed him, pushing her into war against us."
Yu Yuanzhen nodded. "Exactly. But when they told Xiaogang, he refused. So they revised the plan, using these three letters to manipulate me, Xiaogang, and Bibi Dong. If not for Erlong following and the ensuing battle with Tang Xiao drawing our attention, their plan would have succeeded."
Yu Yuanzhen shuddered at the close call. Credit belonged entirely to Liu Erlong.
In the back, Yang Wudi smirked. Ning Fengzhi never left leaks. How could he make such a mistake? In truth, if Liu Erlong hadn't come, he would have happened to be gathering herbs nearby, and a battle to draw attention would still have erupted.
"I remember now. When we visited the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Yuehua sent me and Boss Flender away and spoke to Xiaogang alone. He came out looking different—this must have been it." Liu Erlong's tears flowed again. "That idiot always tries to shoulder everything alone. Why didn't he tell me? We could have gone back to the clan early—what could the Clear Sky Sect do to us?"
"This… For the Clear Sky Sect to scheme so deeply… Sect Master Yu, you are truly perceptive. I never would've thought this far. Without you, I would already be in their trap." Ning Fengzhi said in shock.
"Sect Master Ning, don't belittle yourself. You're brilliant, but compared to me you're still young and lack guile. Guile grows with age. When you're as old as I am and have experienced all kinds of plots, you'll see through them too." Yu Yuanzhen comforted him.
Ning Fengzhi nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes. I am enlightened."
Yu Yuanzhen and Chen Xin were of the same generation; Ning Fengzhi treating him as a senior was fitting.
"Oh no—by now Bibi Dong has likely received that forged letter from Xiaogang. If she falls for it, the Clear Sky Sect's conspiracy will succeed." Yu Yuanzhen suddenly remembered. "We must deliver Xiaogang's genuine letter to Bibi Dong to avert disaster."
"Let me go. I'll bring the Grandmaster's remains and this letter to the Spirit Empire. With my current strength, I won't be in danger there. And this is the Grandmaster's last wish—he thought of Bibi Dong until the end. I've always respected him; I'll help fulfill his final wish." Tianlin stepped forward.
"Good child, I leave it to you!" Yu Yuanzhen nodded. With Chen Xin in seclusion, Tianlin was the strongest here and could move freely within the Spirit Empire—the perfect envoy.
Tianlin stored the Grandmaster's body in a soul guide, took the letter, and flew off on his sword.
…
Within the Spirit Empire, to face the shifting continent, Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong were in hard cultivation.
Qian Renxue's sixth trial was at its final juncture. She was already behind Ning Rongrong—she had to face Qian Daoliu at full power, only barred from borrowing Angel God power, with no limitations on soul skills, and unlike Ning Rongrong, she had no helpers.
Much harder.
Even so, she nearly cleared it on her own.
"Angel's Judgment!" As the final stick of incense was nearly burnt, Qian Daoliu unleashed his last assault.
"Angelic Radiance—Seal of the Swords of Light!" Qian Renxue transformed Angelic power into countless light swords, covering Qian Daoliu in a sword rain. The swords dealt no damage, but any struck would have their soul power stalled and be unable to move—a sealing technique.
Thanks to her new ultimate, Qian Daoliu's attack was delayed by a few seconds. In those few seconds, the incense burned out.
["Qian Renxue—Angel God Sixth Trial passed. Reward: Angel God Affinity +20%. Current: 70%."]
Qian Renxue passed the sixth trial, and her affinity was strikingly high—matching Tianlin's when he cleared the Asura God's sixth trial. It seemed her strength was far beyond the original.