Upon hearing this, Zhu Junfeng instantly understood. His sectâs elder was planning to stir up a storm to neutralize Zhong Mingâs strongest ability.
Influencing the weather like this wasnât a direct attack. And if the elder refused to admit it, insisting it was just a natural storm, no one could say a thing.
"Phew..."
The ordinary disciples of the Void Moon Sect all breathed a sigh of relief. They now knew that Zhong Mingâs power wasnât entirely his own but relied on an external forceâa force their sect could counter.
Then, an idea struck one of the younger disciples. His eyes lit up as he said, "Senior Brother Zhu, since we can summon a storm, why wait three days? You can challenge Zhong Ming tomorrow and restore our sectâs reputation."
"After Senior Brother Lin Kong was defeated, the outside worldâs opinion of our Void Moon Sect has grown increasingly harsh..."
The Void Moon Sect discipleâs tone was urgent, as if he were genuinely concerned for his sect. What he failed to notice, however, was a deeply hidden flicker of gloom and annoyance in Zhu Junfengâs eyes.
He didnât want to face Zhong Ming so soon. The man had pulled off too many unbelievable feats. Even with his elder neutralizing Zhong Mingâs greatest strength, the Solar Power, Zhu Junfeng still wasnât certain he could win.
âZhu Junfeng himself didnât realize it, but his mindset had been influenced by Zhong Mingâs Sword Heart: Heaven and Earth, Only I am Supreme.
After Lin Kongâs defeat, he had come up with several high-minded excuses, but the undeniable truth was this: he subconsciously believed he couldnât defeat Zhong Ming, and so he had shrunk from the challenge.
This retreat was, without a doubt, a form of defeat in itself. As a result, Zhong Mingâs invincible Dominating Thought had been etched into the depths of his mind, making him subconsciously fear the man.
This fear meant that without a foolproof plan, he didnât dare to face Zhong Ming in a duel.
âThree days from now is enough time for the sect to send over the treasure thatâs perfectly compatible with me. With the treasureâs help, and with a torrential downpour to block out the heavensâ light, my victory will be one hundred percent certain.â
âPlus, Iâll be able to score a free treasure out of it.â
These were Zhu Junfengâs inner calculations. Of course, he wouldnât say any of this out loud.
Fortunately, he was clever and quickly came up with a few plausible-sounding excuses.
"Junior Brother Chi, youâre right. Fighting tomorrow would be the fastest way to restore the sectâs reputation."
"However, Lin Kong was ultimately defeated. Under these circumstances, even if we defeat Zhong Ming, it will still be a flawed victory, and weâll be mocked by the other Major Sects."
"So, Iâve specifically left a three-day window for others to challenge Zhong Mingâthey donât necessarily know the source of Zhong Mingâs power. Without a way to counter it, they are sure to be defeated."
"At that time, I will step in to clean up the mess and defeat Zhong Ming. With the defeats of other Major Sects as a backdrop, not only will our reputation be restored, but our prestige will soar!"
This reasoning was quite convincing, and many began to flatter Zhu Junfeng. "Senior Brother Zhu is truly a man of great foresight."
However, while some were full of praise, others frowned and said, "Senior Brother, will the other Major Sects actually make a move? Theyâre wary of Zhong Ming and would rather see us eliminated. Itâs more likely theyâll just sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight."
"Heh heh..." Zhu Junfeng chuckled at his junior brothersâ words, his laugh tinged with malice and cunning. "Not make a move? It wonât be up to them."
"They used public opinion to force us to fight. Thatâs a trick we know how to play, too."
Waving his hand, Zhu Junfeng beckoned the others forward. "Come here. I have something I need you to do..."
...
The Void Moon Sect had found a âmethodâ to deal with Zhong Ming and was even preparing to drag the other Major Sects into the fray.
Meanwhile, Prince Qinghe had a feeling this would happen. While he didnât think Zhong Ming could ultimately triumph against a siege by the Major Sects, he was still prepared to lend him a hand.
"I recall that Zhong Ming lacks a Qi Cultivation Technique, and YueâEr has been searching for one for him... Take the mansionâs partially restored copy of the *Star River Secret Manual* and give it to YueâEr. Have her deliver it to Zhong Ming."
"Yes, Your Highness." Bowing, the old butler accepted the command and slowly withdrew.
After he left, Prince Qinghe went to the window. He looked out over the vast Qinghe Prefecture City, his gaze profound, his thoughts unreadable.
...
While Prince Qingheâs Mansion and the Void Moon Sect were making their own moves, the other Major Sects were not idle either.
Some watched from the sidelines to see how things would develop; others, however, were happy to stir up trouble and spread rumors in the Prefecture City, making the situation even more chaotic.
Nangong Die of the Spirit Illusion Sect was one of the most active among them.
Summoning a few of her trusted subordinates, her eyes twinkling with a cunning light, she gave her orders:
"In a moment, I want you to go out and spread this: Zhong Ming is arrogant and treats the True Disciples of the Major Sects like ants..."
At this, her subordinatesâ expressions didnât change at all. In their eyes, Zhong Mingâs temperament was indeed that arrogant and domineering.
But they werenât expecting what she said next:
"And add thisâthe Celestial Sound Sect feels threatened by Zhong Ming and doesnât want their sectâs reputation to be damaged, so their True Disciple, Miaoyun, secretly went to find Zhong Ming at midnight. The two of them were in a private discussion in his room all night long..."
"Huh?" Her words gave the Cultivators pause, and they exchanged uncertain glances. "Senior Sister, will anyone actually believe that?"
"Oh, they will." A mischievous grin spread across Nangong Dieâs face as she savored the idea. "Sex and gossip are primal urges. A scandalous affair like this is exactly what common Cultivators love to hear about..."
The actions of the Major Sects caused the situation in Qinghe Prefecture City to become treacherous and unpredictable.