Seven Days? . . .
Turning toward Wan-Er, Master Bai inquired, "Has Xiu-Er returned?"
Still basking in her happiness, Wan-Er responded with a slight delay, "She's en route."
Nodding thoughtfully, Master Bai maintained his gaze ahead, his fingers rhythmically contracting and extending. He posed another question in a gentle tone, "How fares everything in Chen-Xing City?"
"Peaceful," Wan-Er replied. "Yet, it's a tranquility that heralds an impending storm."
"Good," Master Bai remarked, his voice betraying a sense of foreboding. "The longer we can keep it suppressed, the more intense the eventual upheaval."
"Indeed," Wan-Er agreed. "I plan to visit the two great sects tonight and further humiliate them."
Master Bai concurred, emphasizing the need to maintain a careful balance, saying, "Correct. Let them stew in their anger but avoid pushing them to the brink of destruction. We can't have them dying prematurely."
"I understand," Wan-Er assured him.
"When they are pushed to their limit, nearing the brink of despair, that is when Xiu-Er should return," Master Bai's eyes grew more resolute. "And when she does, you and Xiu-Er will ignite the powder keg of their suppression."
Wan-Er nodded earnestly, her commitment clear. "Rest assured, we won't disappoint you."
A smile graced Master Bai's lips. "I have complete faith in both of you. Over the years, you've never failed me."
He raised his head, gazing into the distance, as if he could discern the fires of the impending conflict. His eyes radiated a hint of scorn as he casually remarked, "There are myriad ways to bring the world to its knees."
He chuckled softly, speaking in a low, disdainful tone, "Supreme Dan? What a charade. Heh, heh..."
...
Wan-Er had initially been perplexed by her master's decision to bring Xiu-Er back. It wasn't until she reflected on the events that unfolded when Feng Zhiling sought their aid that the pieces fell into place. Master Bai's calculated actions had been aimed at orchestrating the present situation, wherein the humiliation of the two great sects had set the stage for an impending upheaval.
With his intricate plans now unfolding seamlessly, Master Bai exuded an air of confidence and unsurprise. None of the formidable factions within Chen-Xing City dared to make a rash move, nor did they dare leave its confines.
Anyone who wished to depart safely had no choice but to mobilize their entire clan or sect to safeguard the Supreme Dan Beads. This, of course, played directly into Master Bai's hands.
Given the ample presence of superior cultivators, the impending events within the city had the potential to send shockwaves across the land. It would create a situation where even the combined guarding forces of the three kingdoms would be ill-equipped to confront the amassed power of the world's superior cultivators, not to mention the capital of the Kingdom of Chen.
Master Bai's confidence in this matter was unshakable. It appeared that Ling-Bao Hall's actions had infuriated various hostile forces, who promptly dispatched their most elite individuals to the city. They aimed to further stoke the flames of the coming disturbance, and the impending turmoil was beyond anyone's imagination.
In his calm and leisurely demeanor, Master Bai seemed to be the sole individual who could envision the magnitude of the chaos that loomed on the horizon.
"Seven days," he stated with unwavering composure.
...
Meanwhile, in the House of Cha, Cha Eun Xiao had just completed the final phase of his cultivation. He sensed the East-rising Purple Qi's energy within him, ready to surge forth with newfound vitality. The Yin Yang Eyes had also experienced an advancement, not a significant one, but a substantial improvement nonetheless.
As he contemplated the vast treasures amassed by the clans and sects in Ling-Bao Hall, Cha Eun Xiao's eyes gleamed with avarice. He couldn't help but salivate at the thought of the potential windfall that awaited him. It promised to be an unprecedented bonanza.
To his side, Bing-Er sat cross-legged, her eyes closed and countenance relaxed. Her training had progressed at an astonishing rate, prompting a tinge of envy from Cha Eun Xiao.
"Is there any end to her physical prowess?" he mused. "It's only been a short time since her injuries healed, and the martial art I taught her just a month ago… She has already attained a level as high as the third stage of the Human Origin Stage. This kind of progress would make her an exceptional disciple in any sect."
Cha Eun Xiao sighed inwardly, wondering why those sects remained oblivious to Bing-Er's tremendous potential.
Grateful for the blindness of the various sects and their failure to recognize Bing-Er's exceptional potential, Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but revel in his good fortune. It was as if a pie had descended from the heavens, not just within his grasp but directly into his mouth, which he savored with delight.
The satisfaction of this unexpected windfall filled him with unbridled joy.
Observing the dedicated efforts Bing-Er invested in her cultivation, Cha Eun Xiao contemplated his role in shaping her into an extraordinary woman, one who embodied both civil and martial virtues. He aspired to mold her into the unparalleled beauty of the universe, well-versed in the arts of poetry, calligraphy, and painting, as well as the wisdom of great men. She would be skilled in both the civil and martial domains, mastering an array of martial arts. It was a vision of versatility and excellence that filled him with confidence.
With these ambitions in mind, Cha Eun Xiao quietly left his current location. He had pressing matters to attend to: a visit to Ling-Bao Hall to claim the treasures amassed, a solution to Bing Xinyue's health predicament, and a reckoning with the Mu Clan, whose longstanding hostility he was now ready to confront. The entire Mu Clan was concentrated in the capital, making it the opportune time for a decisive engagement.
Considering the ongoing intrigues involving the Crown Prince's Palace and Guan Zhengwen, Cha Eun Xiao pondered whether it was also time to address these issues.