Chapter 156: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

Slogans and the like are originally just empty talk; no one truly takes them seriously. Yet, this particular one was discerning. When it came from Dao Tianfeng's lips, it possessed far more impact than anything Ye Hanguang could muster. In a split second, the silent arena erupted once again into deafening cheers. Even those standing far away, who had not heard clearly or were merely ordinary onlookers catching the spectacle, could not help being swept up by the atmosphere, roaring with more enthusiasm than anyone else.

Such formidable momentum was truly extraordinary. Jianghu folk originally possessed considerable prowess. If they were to join hands, even an army numbering in the tens of thousands might not be able to handle them. Dao Tianfeng understood this, and the slender figure amidst the crowd understood it even better. With a faint smile, that figure began to move slowly outward. After all, the crowd was noisy, and moving in any direction proved difficult. By the time the cheering subsided, that person had not yet fully stepped out of the throng. But that mattered little; time was still on their side. The only concern was that the person seated on the nearby pavilion looked somewhat impatient.

"The Demonic Cult has always been exceptionally ruthless. Even though so many righteous people have gathered here, we neither fear it nor will we lose to it. However, given our large numbers, casualties are inevitable amidst the chaos. Furthermore, acting independently will make it difficult to achieve the desired results, wasting everyone's enthusiasm. Therefore, my master founded the Martial Arts Alliance and summoned all heroes to Jinjiang City precisely to resolve these drawbacks!"

Dao Tianfeng had already returned to his seat. With his status, speaking at great length on such matters was hardly beneficial; not only would it diminish his personal dignity, but a chattering old man also lacked gravitas. If this dragged on too long and everyone's enthusiasm faded, the effect would only worsen. Ye Hanguang was adept at reading expressions and naturally understood this principle. Seeing the cheers die down, he smoothly took over: "No matter what, our ultimate objective must be stated clearly. Each sect and faction possesses its own strengths. Concepts like martial virtue and righteousness cannot be gauged in a day or two. Therefore, since we martial artists are undertaking this enterprise, let us be straightforward and let the sword decide. My master's intention is to divide everyone into four groups based on their sects' geographical locations, and then select four skilled martial artists from among them to act as leaders. This ensures both fairness and efficiency. I wonder what everyone thinks?"

It was phrased as a question, yet it was not truly a consultation. Three months ago, while Shen Wanzi was still alive, the Qilian Mountains and the Mingyue Manor balanced each other, and choosing a side was an issue. But now, with Shen Wanzi's passing and internal discord among the senior pavilion masters of Mingyue Manor, mutual distrust had drastically weakened the manor's strength. Consequently, Dao Tianfeng had the final say. Under such circumstances, consultation was irrelevant. Opposition would be as futile as a cup of water trying to put out a cartload of firewood, and it would only offend the Qilian Mountains, inviting unpredictable retaliation in the future. Therefore, after a brief pause, the area beneath the high platform erupted into a chorus of agreement.

"Divided into four groups... Alliance Leader Dao is quite clever. On the surface, Jianghu people claim to be free and unconstrained, yet few can escape the vortex of power!"

Beneath the silk curtains, clear tea steamed continuously from the spout of the pot, creating a hazy mist. The speaker's voice clearly belonged to a woman, and judging by her accent, it differed somewhat from that of the Central Plains. Her fingers twirled, slowly pushing the teacup on the table toward the man before continuing: "Gushe simply fails to understand why they must stage this martial arts pageant. Why not simply order them to attack the Blue Lotus Cult? As long as these people can pin down that Water Demon, we can take the opportunity to seize the treasure in the forbidden land. With it, everything else will fall into place naturally, achieving twice the result with half the effort."

"The old man has his reasons for doing this."

Taking a gentle sip of tea, the man had no intention of elaborating further. Naturally, this tea could not compare to the exquisite brews of the Prince of Qi's estate, but Dragon Well tea picked before the spring rains was still palatable. Moreover, amidst such an atmosphere, the din of the crowd required some sort of anchor before quiet could be restored. After all, Xiao Jinghao was the mastermind behind the entire scheme; if even he could not see through it, it would be inexcusable.

"Gushe, you have followed Dawa Drolma for many years. You have changed a great deal since I first met you, and even your accent has been influenced by her, taking on a touch of the Western Regions. Yet your scheming still falls far short of hers. It seems she will be returning soon; you can ask her yourself when the time comes."

Given Gushe's status, since the other party chose not to speak, she naturally could not press further. Moreover, footsteps could now be faintly heard approaching up the stairs. One did not need to guess who it was. Yet her curiosity could not be reined in at will; indeed, with the arrival of that person, it only deepened. Her gaze involuntarily turned toward the stairway, filled with a hint of anticipation.

"What bad things are you two saying behind my back?"

Before her figure even appeared, her voice preceded her. Compared to the Fairy Gushe, her tone was distinctly more exotic. This was clearly Dawa Drolma. Her face was wreathed in smiles; obviously, this accusation was merely said in jest and not meant to be taken seriously. Even so, Gushe hurriedly stood up from her stool, her expression somewhat nervous: "How would we dare speak ill of Your Highness? Just now, His Highness was praising Your Highness's extraordinary intelligence before your servant, saying that even though I have followed you for so long and my accent has changed, I still haven't learned a fraction of it."

"Listen to this nonsense. If he were willing to praise me, the sun would rise from the west. He's a man who trusts no one. And you, Gushe, why do you always refer to yourself as your servant? I've told you so many times, when there are no outsiders, just call me elder sister. If you keep acting like this, don't blame me for truly acting like an elder sister!"

Her words were light and casual. When her gaze rested on Xiao Jinghao, both of them exchanged a soft chuckle. The concept of psychological resonance was perfectly expressed through their body language. As for Gushe, though her tone held a hint of reprimand, she felt no genuine anger toward her. When the two women stood side by side, the height difference truly made them look like an elder sister and a younger sister. Before Gushe could react, Dawa Drolma continued, "They always say an elder sister has every right to discipline her younger sister. Jinghao, don't you agree?"

Xiao Jinghao was hardly adept at answering such remarks. Seeing the two women standing before him playing thus, he could only deepen the smile on his lips and respond with silence. For reasons unknown, such scenes always evoked a nameless warmth in his heart. Though he tried to tell himself to look away every single time, he had never truly managed to avoid it.

"The last time there was such a commotion must have been four years ago. The existence of this Blue Lotus Demonic Cult is truly formidable. I fear even our Prince of Qi's estate might not possess the capability to gather all these people together. Judging by their demeanor, they likely won't rest until every member of the demonic cult has been hacked to pieces!"

The bantering tone did not last long; after all, coming here today was not for sightseeing, and Dawa Drolma knew this well. She casually found a stool and sat down, not bothering to fetch a new cup for tea. Instead, she took a large gulp from Xiao Jinghao's cup until it was empty, wetting her throat before continuing with a trace of emotion in her voice. Her gaze even drifted toward the high platform outside the window, as if watching the development of the situation unfold.

"Your servant—er, your younger sister is also puzzled. You say Alliance Leader Dao holding this martial arts assembly is fine and well, but why divide them into four teams and select four leaders through martial competitions?"

Prompted by Dawa Drolma's words, Gushe's thoughts were suddenly pulled back. With doubts in her heart, she naturally wanted to find out. This was originally what Xiao Jinghao had instructed her to do while playing coy, but the moment the word "servant" slipped past her lips, she noticed the subtle change in the other's expression. Catching herself, she hurriedly corrected her address. Even so, it still felt extremely awkward, causing the remainder of her sentence to trail off incoherently.

"Old Daoist is truly formidable. Doing this serves two purposes. First, it avoids arousing the suspicion of these Jianghu folk; being cautious makes the affair feel more genuine. Second, this is an excellent opportunity to stand out. How could capable people easily let it slip by? When the time comes, it will naturally reveal who truly possesses genuine skill. As for these people, either our Prince of Qi's estate will recruit them into our service, or—"

At this point, Dawa Drolma paused significantly. Some things were tacitly understood; being too direct lost its charm. Her gaze drifted back to Xiao Jinghao, the corners of her mouth curving upward with a hint of triumph.