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**
Just as Xiao Lin was pondering the relationship between the Sky Serpent Mansion and the Imperial Family of the Sky Serpent Empire, a sudden question from Jin She, the Mansion Master of the Sky Serpent Mansion, interrupted his thoughts.
"Mr. Lin Xiao, what are your thoughts regarding this Founding Ceremony?"
This inexplicable question from Jin She caught Xiao Lin completely off guard.
What did he mean, how did he see it? He saw it with his eyes!
The brewing conflict between the Sky Serpent Empire's Imperial Family and the Sky Serpent Mansion—what did that have to do with him, an outsider?
However, as Xiao Lin noticed the Mansion Master staring at him with burning eyes, waiting for an answer, he suddenly realized that something was slightly amiss.
"Wait, this matter clearly has nothing to do with me. Why would Jin She ask me this?"
Xiao Lin couldn't help but think to himself.
But soon, a sharp glint flickered through Xiao Lin's eyes. He seemed to have guessed why Jin She, the Mansion Master of the Sky Serpent Mansion, cared so much about the answer to this question.
Because to the Sky Serpent Mansion, he was a variable!
This much could already be inferred from when Xiao Lin had previously met Shui She and Huo She, the two guarding the Spatial Wormhole.
After all, the Sky Serpent Imperial Family had invited Jia Nan Academy to participate in this Founding Ceremony, yet the Sky Serpent Mansion actually had no idea!
Furthermore, Jia Nan Academy and the Sky Serpent Empire were collectively known as the two overlord-level powers of the Northwestern Continent!
In other words, if the conflict between the Imperial Family and the Sky Serpent Mansion were to completely erupt, Jia Nan Academy could serve as the deciding factor that tilted the scales of victory between the two sides.
Especially since the one representing Jia Nan Academy was Xiao Lin, an Eight-Star Dou Zong. Therefore, Jin She, the Mansion Master of the Sky Serpent Mansion, would naturally care about the attitude of Xiao Lin—or rather, the Jia Nan Academy behind him—regarding this matter.
Even though the Sky Serpent Mansion side knew that even if Jia Nan Academy's attitude leaned toward the Imperial Family, as long as the Headmaster of Jia Nan Academy, Mang Tianchi, did not personally intervene, they would still have the victory within their grasp!
However, Jia Nan Academy did have a formidable reputation after all.
If Xiao Lin remained firmly standing on the side of the Sky Serpent Imperial Family, it would still pose a significant amount of trouble for the Sky Serpent Mansion. Having understood all of this, Xiao Lin naturally guessed what kind of answer Jin She wanted to hear.
At this moment, Xiao Lin gave a slight smile and finally spoke.
"As a neutral power, Jia Nan Academy is only responsible for teaching students. Regarding other matters, we are merely here to join in the fun at most. As long as no one provokes us, we naturally will not form an alliance with anyone!"
Xiao Lin's words were equivalent to playing dumb.
The answer was also quite formulaic.
They were neutral and would not offend either side!
Of course, there was a layer of meaning revealed in Xiao Lin's words. That was: whoever offended him, he would lean toward the other side.
As for the matters the Sky Serpent Imperial Family had previously promised Jia Nan Academy, after the other party had left him out in the cold for so many days, Xiao Lin had long since stopped taking it seriously.
What a joke.
It was your Sky Serpent Imperial Family that requested help from my Jia Nan Academy; did you expect us to rush over and beg you for a trade?
Furthermore, before he left, Grand Elder Su Qian had also instructed him. He could handle all matters occurring in the Sky Serpent Empire as he saw fit!
Anyway, if the deal with the Sky Serpent Imperial Family was completed, Jia Nan Academy would profit. If the deal wasn't completed, Jia Nan Academy wouldn't lose anything either, right?
While this answer of Xiao Lin's didn't completely satisfy Jin She, the Mansion Master of the Sky Serpent Mansion, it could be considered a relief. After all, their Sky Serpent Mansion truly had no reason to offend Jia Nan Academy, did they?
In other words, as long as the Sky Serpent Mansion did not do anything to cause Jia Nan Academy's resentment, the other party had no reason to stand on the side of the Imperial Family and oppose them.
With this realization, the smile on Jin She's face became much more genuine.
"Hahaha, good! Mr. Lin Xiao, I've definitely decided to make you a friend. If you have time in the future, you can come sit at our Sky Serpent Mansion. I will surely fulfill my duties as a host!"
At this time, Jin She laughed loudly and issued an invitation to Xiao Lin.
"Certainly. I only hope Mansion Master Jin She won't blame me for bothering you when the time comes."
Xiao Lin likewise gave a polite reply to the Mansion Master.
Afterward, the two of them chatted idly about various things. During this period, Mu She and Tu She, who were seated below Jin She, also exchanged a few words with Xiao Lin. The conversation between the two sides could be considered pleasant.
Time slowly flowed by amidst the idle chatter of several people.
Very soon, it reached the hour of noon.
When the sun hung high in the sky, the beginning of the Sky Serpent Empire's Founding Ceremony finally arrived.
One could see the Emperor of the Sky Serpent Empire, Tian She, dressed in a pitch-black Sky Serpent Robe, wearing a crown on his head and a Sky Serpent Longsword at his waist, as he slowly walked onto a tall sacrificial altar in front of the imperial palace.
At the same time, everyone, including Xiao Lin, stopped talking and stood up, watching as the Emperor of the Sky Serpent Empire walked up the ninety-nine steps one pace at a time, finally standing at the peak of the altar.
At the top of the altar, there was a lifelike Sky Serpent statue.
Surrounding this statue were four clusters of unknown flames that flickered as they burned. Following this, the Emperor, who had already walked before the Sky Serpent statue, began the sacrificial ceremony to the heavens.
"By the grace of heaven's luck, my Sky Serpent Empire has been established for 800 years. Today, I, a descendant of the Sky Serpent Imperial Family, shall hold the Founding Ceremony in this place to seek the protection of our ancestors..."
In a grand and sweeping manner, the Emperor of the Sky Serpent Empire spent roughly half an hour chanting "scriptures."
Of course, to Xiao Lin's ears, this was no different from chanting a sutra. Xiao Lin didn't understand why, in a fantasy world like Battle Through the Heavens, there was still a need to sacrifice to the heavens?
However, regarding the Emperor's "chanting" ceremony, although it went in one ear and out the other for him, the people of the Sky Serpent Empire clearly took it very seriously.
See, including the people from the Imperial Family and the Sky Serpent Mansion, everyone's expression became incomparably solemn at this moment. On this point, even the Sky Serpent Mansion, which already had significant friction with the Imperial Family, was the same.
After all, to the Sky Serpent Mansion, they were also a part of the Sky Serpent Empire!
Regardless of how the conflict between them and the Imperial Family would eventually end, they clearly acknowledged their identity as members of the Sky Serpent Empire.
Since that was the case, during the sacrificial ceremony, their attitude was naturally no different from the rest of the people in the Sky Serpent Empire—they were quite sincere.
Afterward, the Emperor of the Sky Serpent Empire spent about another hour finishing the remaining tasks, and only then did the ceremony finally draw to a close.
**
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