Almost immediately after the unwelcomed guests of the Solitary Manor had left, Celestial Shi Guanyin had called for an urgent meeting to all the grand elders in a secret room.
It was obvious that she was still flushed with anger over her fight with Celestial Bai Laoxiong. In actuality, she was even more upset that Tang Bufan had got away.
But this was not what had upset her the most.
It was because of what had happened to Qin Keqin.
All the other five grand elders had a solemn expression on their countenances as well.
Shi Guanyin said with burning rage, "Our sect leader has sacrificed herself for the sake of our clan. I don't want anyone to gossip about this or it will be the most severe clan punishments for the offender. Her shame is our shame as well."
Ouyang Xue nodded. Her beautiful face was ashen and she was still shaken by the earlier encounter with Old Saint Wen. But she said courageously, "Our sect leader is nobler than we know her. I am truly ashamed to be a grand elder of the Heavens Ridge Ville because there is nothing that I can do."
Even Yun Xing who rarely agreed with Shi Guanyin was saying solemnly, "We have to avenge for our sect leader's honor even if it mean that we will be inviting destruction upon ourselves."
Celestial Kong Guxin, Wang Ming and Mu Han were all looking at the ladies quietly. They could understand why they were so indignant and they were also boiling with rage.
It was because the old patriarch of the Solitary Manor had taken advantage of Qin Keqin right inside the Heavens Ridge Villa. By taking advantage of Qin Keqin in their home ground was akin to bullying the Heavens Ridge Villa. How could they, as grand elders of the Heavens Ridge Villa bear this shame?
Shi Guanyin said furiously, "This is a vendetta that we have to settle with the Solitary Manor even if it means our total destruction. What do you say?"
Celestial Kong Guxin asked quietly, "So what do you propose?"
Shi Guanyin replied coldly, "We can make use of the absence of their old patriarch tonight to make a night raid against the Solitary Manor tonight."
Mu Han muttered, "Even if the raid will be successful, we will still be wiped out tomorrow by that Old Saint Wen when he eventually found out that it is us. Moreover, the strength of the Solitary Manor is stronger than us. They have three fifth realm golden celestials, including Celestial Bai Laoxiong and a sixth realm golden supremacy in Wen Hongguang himself. We may not be able to win."
Wang Ming said solemnly, "Both Wen Hongguang and Bai Laoxiong are both injured at the moment. This is our one and only chance to deal with them. Moreover they won't be expecting us to attack them on this very night."
Mu Han muttered, "I'm sure they will. It is a common practice for all the major celestial clans to place a spy or two in each other midst. I am sure that we do have some protégés that are serving the Solitary Manor on the sly."
Yun Xing said quietly, "Mu Han, do you fear death?"
Mu Han began to stammer as he looked at Yun Xing…
Yun Ying was someone that he had secretly liked. Although they had quarreled in the open on a number of occasions, it was because he was trying to get her attention and was not meant to really oppose her. But this time was different. This concerned the fate of their clan in the future.
"I don't…" he muttered.
Yun Xing smiled coldly, "Is that so? Our sect leader has sacrificed her chastity for our survival so that we can all live with borrow time. But is it really what we want? Is it the honor that we want? This is a shame that we have to cleanse with the blood of our enemies."
Shi Guanyin added with teething rage, "To touch our sect leader Qin Keqin is a face smacking act on all the leaders of the Heavens Ridge Villa. We cannot allow this shame, this despicable act to live in their memories."
Mu Han smiled coldly, "Since the ladies are all for it, can a real man like me say no?"
Yun Xing was slightly startled by Mu Han's reply. For the very first time, she saw him as not a political opponent but a respected protégé of the same clan. She had thought that Mu Han would be arguing with her just like before.
Wang Ming gave a pat on Mu Han's shoulder as he laughed, "Good brother! This old man here applauds your courage!"
Celestial Kong Guxin smiled coldly, "So it will be two golden celestials versus their two golden celestials then. This is a battle that I am actually looking forward to."
Shi Guanyin said with a note of caution, "Bai Laoxiong and Wen Hongguang are still around. So we must be extra vigilant."
Yun Xing turned to Ouyang Xue and said, "Xue'Er, you are the youngest here. You ought to stay behind."
But Ouyang Xue smiled coldly, "Benevolent master, what is the point of staying behind if I am to die anyway? I rather die in battle than in the hands of that despicable Old Saint Wen."
Yun Xing did not reproach her but she was smiling, "Xue'Er good. You are indeed my good disciple! Very well then, we shall fight together then!"
Shi Guanyin said melancholy, "Don't tell our sect leader. She is putting on a fake smile in front of us but deep inside her, she must be feeling very sad and depressed by what had happened. It is all our fault for unable to protect even our sect leader."
Then she said solemnly as she trembled lightly, "Gather all the upper second realm master practitioners and above. Don't tell them the mission yet so that our enemies may not get wind of our movements so quickly. This very night, we will all attack the Solitary Manor to avenge the honor of our clan and for the dishonorable act that is being done to our sect leader. This vendetta must be paid with the blood of our enemies!"
Yun Xing had never seen Shi Guanyin so upset before. She muttered with a faint smile as she lowered her glances, "Senior sister, I think that this is the very first time that I truly agree with you on something and I am not putting on an act."
Shi Guanyin lit a slow smile, "Junior sister, I'm sorry for my past actions. Truly sorry. If the time can be reversed, I will be more sincere and nicer to you."
Wang Ming was laughing hoarsely with his old voice, "This is actually the first time that I have seen our clan so united."
Celestial Kong Guxin was also smiling, "Our sect leader is really a charismatic leader. Although she isn't here often but she seems to have made a huge impact on all of us. This is good…"
Ouyang Xue nodded as well. Qin Keqin had saved her life back in the Misty Desolate Valley and had even appointed her as a grand elder so that she could freely access the martial library of the Crystal Cloud Spirit Hall for her breakthrough. To this day, she had often wondered why Qin Keqin did not punish her for making the ridiculous marriage proposal to Lu Qingyun in the past. It was obvious that she had overheard their conversations…
But now, nothing mattered anymore. Because after tonight, she would soon be dead.
She could only hope that Lu Qingyun may be able to survive the aftermath of this calamity. This was her one and only wish now…
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At this moment, Qin Keqin was attending to the internal injuries of Lu Qingyun who was unconscious when she sensed an uneasy feeling in the air.
"Weird," she muttered. "Why is that I am feeling that I am the subject of a topic?"
Heaving a soft sigh after she had stabilized the condition of Lu Qingyun, she said to Lie Xingyuan. "Xingyuan, please take care of him. I am going out now."
Lie Xingyuan replied weakly, "Sect leader, you are meeting Old Saint Wen?"
Qin Keqin chuckled, "That is right. I am supposed to meet him tonight and it is about time that I set off soon."
Lie Xingyuan muttered, "Erm, may I know what exactly happens inside? I think senior brother may have some misunderstanding earlier."
"Misunderstanding? Huh? About what?" Qin Keqin asked curiously.
Lie Xingyuan did not know how to tell her. As she hesitated for a while to put forward the words to say, "I think that everyone-"
As she lifted her glances, she stopped in her tracks. It was because Qin Keqin had already left the room.
Lie Xingyuan sighed softly, "She is really in such a terrible hurry…"
She turned around as she tenderly looked at Lu Qingyun before she covered him properly with the cotton blanket as she muttered, "Please rest well senior brother…"
Lie Xingyuan did not know that a dark storm was about to be loosened this very night as the fighters of the Heavens Ridge Villa were all being summoned at this very moment by the grand elders to make an attack on the Solitary Manor.