It was when the Tang Family had departed for Neijiang.

"What? The Family Head of the Tang Family is personally stepping forward?"

"Yes."

"Ha!"

Meng Sheguang couldn't help but be bewildered by the information transmitted by the intelligence network he had sent to Ganyang in advance.

No matter how much it was a political marriage, what kind of father would just send his daughter and sit idle?

Since his daughter was staying at the Tang Family for a while, he had even left a messenger.

The Tang Family's rejection.

The young man had no manners.

It would have been insufficient even if he came directly and apologized, but sending just a single letter through his daughter was so infuriating that he subtly pressured the Minglun Chamber.

To cut off the Tang Family's financial lifeline.

Why would he worry about his own daughter?

He thought that no matter how rude the Tang Family Head was, he wouldn't harm his own daughter.

But to personally step forward to resolve the Minglun Chamber's issue?

Does the Tang Family have so few people?

"How many escorts did he bring when he departed?"

"Ten."

"What? Ten?"

"Yes."

"Did you confirm this properly?"

"Yes, I did."

"Ha!"

He let out another hollow laugh.

Ten...

Truly an amusing fellow, isn't he?

Does he really intend to personally step forward and resolve it through conversation?

In such cases, it would be far more effective to send Guishou, who had become the Tang Family's elder.

Even the Minglun Chamber couldn't ignore Guishou.

It was a very small curiosity.

He was dying to know what words this fellow would use to persuade the Minglun Chamber Leader.

So he set out.

He secretly slipped out of the Black Heaven Sect without anyone knowing and came alone to Neijiang Wharf, where the Tang Family Head was headed.

But what was this?

When he passed nearby and felt a familiar sensation, he investigated.

"Why are you all here?"

"Ah! G-Grand Elder! We greet you."

"Greet and nonsense, why are you all here near Neijiang Wharf? And hiding like mice?"

"Ah, that is..."

"Speak up!"

At his stern rebuke, the Black Heaven Sect martial artists explained the situation.

"Rong?"

"Yes."

"That damn brat!"

The current Black Heaven Sect Leader Meng Rong had issued a separate order.

To attack the Tang Family.

"That fool of a Sect Leader has gone mad, absolutely mad."

The restraint was one thing.

But if it was an outright hostile attack, that was different.

In a battle at Neijiang, Meng Serling, who was staying with the Tang Family, could be put in danger.

Scolding could wait. He was about to send a messenger when the Tang Family arrived at the wharf.

And among them was Meng Serling.

How could a father not recognize his daughter's appearance even with a veil covering her face?

His daughter was beside this fellow called Cheonyeong.

Why?

Why did he bring this child?

His curiosity about Cheonyeong grew even stronger.

So he watched.

Anxious that something might happen to his daughter.

And the battle began.

"Ha! What's that?"

It was beyond bewildering.

The moment the Minglun Chamber's attack began, one fellow suddenly broke away, and the Tang Family's hidden weapons barrage erupted.

"Ha, quite impressive weapons."

He couldn't help but admire.

Dozens of martial artists being completely annihilated at once wasn't something you saw every day.

"Ha! What's that again? Blue Green Sect?"

The Tang Family's martial artist couldn't possibly have learned Taoist hidden weapon techniques.

But upon closer inspection, the sword looked familiar.

"So it's that fellow from the rumors, a disciple of Changlim."

He had fought several times, so he couldn't fail to recognize that sword. The movement of the pale blue sword energy was unmistakably Changlim's.

Something about Qiankun...

"Damn, that bastard raised his disciple really well."

Having witnessed the entire sequence of events, Meng Sheguang felt his curiosity about Cheonyeong growing even stronger.

He realized that bringing only ten wasn't meant as negotiation.

This fellow aimed for both.

With ten, it would be sufficient courtesy to the Minglun Chamber.

I have no intention of threatening you, so don't be on guard.

In the midst of this, he had prepared thoroughly for battle.

Armed with formidable weapons and bringing along the Taoist from Blue Green Sect.

Just by looking at the battle's progression, he could tell.

The Tang Family wouldn't lose.

As long as he didn't deploy the reinforcements sent by the Black Heaven Sect.

The problem was that his daughter had entered the reception hall with Cheonyeong.

Why on earth?

The moment he held that doubt, the Minglun Chamber Leader escaped the reception hall and the formation was activated.

"What a damn bastard!"

He almost rushed out and destroyed the Minglun Chamber entirely.

But soon the reception hall burst apart, and amid the scattering dust and debris, he saw two figures.

"Huh?"

Meng Sheguang blinked for a long time.

Cheonyeong and his own daughter... were they embracing?

No, it was his daughter who was embracing.

And wasn't his daughter's cheeks flushed as if she had caught a cold?

"This child? Ha, hahahaha."

Relief and laughter came at once.

It had only been a few days...

Surely she had developed romantic feelings.

She was sent for a political marriage, and she's doing romance?

His always indifferent daughter showing interest in a man—he couldn't contain himself.

Just as he was itching to find out what kind of fellow this was, the signal flare calling for the Black Heaven Sect's reinforcements burst, and Meng Serling walked out of the formation.

"Hmm."

Meng Sheguang had the Black Heaven Sect martial artists bring his daughter and asked about the situation.

But it was only stories about Cheonyeong.

She was completely smitten with that fellow...

But only then could Meng Sheguang vaguely understand why Guishou had chosen Cheonyeong.

And when the battle between the Minglun Chamber Leader and Cheonyeong began, he finally revealed himself.

* * *

"What brings the Patriarch of the Black Heaven Sect to this place?"

Cheonyeong spoke with a tense expression, and Meng Sheguang smiled gently.

"Patriarch? I'm just an old man in the back room."

"Is that so?"

Cheonyeong smiled bitterly.

Who didn't know that was just words?

Being called one of the Three Sages alongside Changlim, a giant, his martial prowess would be comparable to Changlim's.

No, he would be far more difficult as an opponent.

Changlim's sword was straightforward, but Meng Sheguang's, as the leader of the unorthodox faction, would be unconventional.

Could he win if they fought?

No, he had to win.

If he pushed to the extreme with Samyang Divine Art and exhausted all his hidden weapons, perhaps...

Cheonyeong showed a respectful attitude while preparing to fight Meng Sheguang.

Observing the surroundings to understand the terrain.

"Would you have a cup of tea?"

"...Yes?"

"Tea, I mean tea. I'd like to have a brief conversation with you."

Meng Sheguang smiled and made a gesture of drinking tea.

Tea?

Not a fight?

How was he supposed to accept this situation?

Unable to grasp the situation, Cheonyeong answered respectfully.

"I'm currently fighting the Minglun Chamber."

"Is that so? From my perspective, it seems the Tang Family has already won, doesn't it?"

At those words, Cheonyeong calmed the fighting spirit he had harbored in his heart.

The Tang Family's victory.

It was enough to receive confirmation.

Meng Sheguang was essentially declaring that he had no intention of interfering.

"G-Grand Elder! What do you mean?"

It was Gu Yongtae who was bewildered.

"What do I mean? What do you mean?"

"Yes?"

"Should I be helping you?"

"D-do you mean...?"

Gu Yongtae was repeatedly bewildered.

How grateful had he been when Meng Sheguang appeared?

One of the Three Sages.

A person with martial prowess that could destroy a mid-tier faction in half a day with just one person.

Wasn't he someone with near-absolute power?

No matter how much Cheonyeong struggled, with his arrival, victory should belong to the Minglun Chamber.

But Meng Sheguang suddenly withdrew his support.

Even acknowledging the Tang Family's victory.

It felt as if everything he had believed in was crumbling.

The Minglun Chamber's everything... would be annexed by the Tang Family.

"This can't be. I did all this for someone! You can't just discard me like this!"

Gu Yongtae, burning with rage, cursed at Meng Sheguang.

But Meng Sheguang remained calm.

"For whom?"

"What?"

"Did I order you to attack the Tang Family? I merely asked you to apply pressure because I wanted to see how the Tang Family Head would react, didn't I?"

"B-but that's...?"

"Shouldn't you take that up with Rong, not me?"

"...Yes?"

"Go find him, Rong. I won't stop you."

Rong referred to the current Black Heaven Sect Leader, Meng Rong.

But find him?

At the Black Heaven Sect?

He would surely lose his head before even crossing the threshold, asking why he didn't help when attacking the Tang Family.

"G-Grand Elder! Please help me! I don't want to collapse like this."

"Ha, your knees are quite quick. You use formal speech readily when you need something. But didn't you also harbor greed?"

"..."

"It must have been difficult to refuse Rong's request, but you also wanted to seize the Tang Family's territory, didn't you?"

"Grand Elder! Please help me!"

With nothing else working, Gu Yongtae dropped to his knees and pleaded, striking his forehead on the ground until blood flowed.

"Tsk, tsk. You mobilized two hundred and lost to ten, and you have the nerve to say something? Handle your own affairs. I've been away from power for a long time—what strength do I have? I don't want to interfere."

Meng Sheguang turned away with a click of his tongue.

Was it because he thought it was over?

"G-Grand Elder!"

Just as Gu Yongtae, raising his head, was about to plead once more, Meng Sheguang stopped his steps.

"Ah! I just remembered."

"...?"

"That you tried to kill my precious daughter."

He smiled gently and simply waved his hand as if swatting away a fly.

Crunch!

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Gu Yongtae's arm was completely torn off before an unprecedented force, rolling away as blood sprayed in all directions.

"Count yourself fortunate that your neck wasn't torn off. If your sword had even scratched my daughter's body, I would have slaughtered not just you, but your entire family and the whole Minglun Chamber."

Meng Sheguang looked like a tiger.

At the low growl, it was as if an untimely winter had arrived, and the entire surroundings became chilled, raising goosebumps.

Watching that sight, Cheonyeong quietly pushed the hidden weapons he had drawn back into his pocket.

What a terrifying old man.

If they had fought, he would have been in trouble.

"What are you doing? Clean it up."

"Yes!"

At Meng Sheguang's instruction, the Black Heaven Sect martial artists dragged Gu Yongtae away.

The battle was over.

The Chamber Leader had been helplessly defeated by the Tang Family Head, and with Meng Sheguang showing his support for the Tang Family, none of the Minglun Chamber martial artists could raise their heads.

"Ah! My apologies. It seems I was angry for a moment because of my daughter. How about it? Would you have a cup of tea?"

"Yes! I'll serve you."

Cheonyeong led the way cheerfully toward a nearby tavern near the wharf.

Following behind him, Meng Sheguang couldn't help but feel satisfied.

The fellow who had been radiating fierce momentum like poison when about to fight suddenly changed his stance and acted obsequiously.

He liked it.

If this was a man who could adapt his own emotions to the situation...

Meng Sheguang firmly resolved in his heart.

Not because of Guishou, but to obtain Cheonyeong himself, he absolutely had to marry off his daughter.

He didn't need to exert himself.

His daughter had already had her heart stolen...

If he left it alone, they would naturally grow closer.

Wasn't it an age overflowing with youthful vigor?

However, he thought his son Rong might find himself in a difficult position.

With the Tang Family holding the Blue Serpent Sect and now the Minglun Chamber, it seemed they would eventually surpass the Black Heaven Sect and stand tall in Sichuan.

But wasn't the martial world about survival of the fittest?

This fellow wasn't one who rose by borrowing others' strength, but one who grew stronger by claiming things one by one for himself.

"Hehe, it's not natural for the front wave to interfere with the back wave."

He would simply let it flow.

As the martial world had always done.

At least his daughter might share in the Tang Family's glory.

(End of Chapter)