Chapter 116: The Mysterious Grandfather and Granddaughter Duo
Even Second Hallmaster Yue Qun was shocked senseless with this information.
“Qiao Baishi has such a solid relationship with Jiang Chen?”
Song Tianxing also hadn’t expected this twist. He had trained Qiao Baishi from the start and knew of Qiao Baishi’s feelings for the Hall.
That day when all of the senior executives were convening, almost everyone had wanted to hand over Qiao Baishi to the Long family. This had truly and deeply wounded Qiao Baishi’s feelings and made him feel despair.
Except, Song Tianxing hadn’t reckoned that Qiao Baishi would’ve thrown himself to the mercy of Jiang Chen, the son of a duke.
Elder Blue however, added fuel to the flames and mocked, “This was well within expectations. Qiao Baishi has long since been harboring thoughts of helping outsiders. I’m not surprised at all that he flocked to Jiang Chen’s banner. I just wonder how many secrets of the Hall did he take with him?”
Song Tianxing was thoroughly enraged when he heard these words. “Elder Blue, I command you to shut up! Do you have the bearing of an elder at all? Must you be so diametrically opposed to someone who’s already left? If you have the spare time to jeer at someone who’s already left, why don’t you spend it on contemplating how to prolong our cooperation with the Jiang family?”
“I…” Elder Blue had been admonished but didn’t dare to retort a single word. The dignity of the Lord Hallmaster was present. Although he was normally peaceful and amiable, his presence was quite frightening when his temper was roused.
“I have no wish to listen to anymore useless blather. I still have those same words. Whoever can further our cooperation with the Jiang family will be the next Lord Hallmaster. All other words are empty hot air and I have no desire to listen to them.”
Song Tianxing swept his gaze in a circle. “Which one of you is willing to make a trip to the Jiang Han territory?”
The person who’d originally put himself forward, Wang Li, involuntarily shrank back when Song Tianxing’s gaze swept over him. He wanted to go, but knew that it would be a futile effort since Qiao Baishi was there. There would be no way that the partnership could be continued and he may even end up with a faceful of dust from Qiao Baishi’s ridicule.
Elder Blue also ducked her reddened face and didn’t dare to even respond when swept by Song Tianxing’s gaze. She had even less of a right to speak.
It was an unknown factor if she’d even be able to make it back alive if she went to the Jiang Han territory.
“Number two, how about you make a trip?” Song Tianxing looked at Yue Qun.
Yue Qun’s old face flushed as he scratched the back of his head. “Boss, I’m an old man unskilled at social maneuvering. Not to mention that I’m old and have no common language with youngsters. It would look odd no matter what if I went to find Jiang Chen. Would he even be willing to receive an old man like me?”
All the other senior executives hung their heads and cast their eyes downwards when Song Tianxing’s gaze traveled by. No one stepped forward to volunteer.
Song Tianxing sighed lightly and shook his head. Now that things had gotten to this point, would he really have to make a personal trip ?
When he saw Ying Wuyou, Song Tianxing’s eyes suddenly brightened. “Wuyou, why don’t you make the trip to the Jiang Han territory on behalf of the Hall?”
“Lord Hallmaster, I’ve already decided to resign. Please look elsewhere to resolve this matter. Besides, I also think that with the Hall’s current situation, the result would be the same even if the Lord Hallmaster himself made a personal trip. It’s a foregone conclusion that you will return empty-handed.”
Wuyou felt like he’d vented a breath of ill will when he saw the crowd of senior executives standing around with their heads down. He felt damn good inside. Weren’t you guys great at adding insult to injury? Weren’t you just ostracizing Qiao Baishi?
Without Qiao Baishi, you can’t do anything at all.
Now what? Don’t wear a long face everyone!
It wasn’t that Ying Wuyou was delighting in the mishaps of others, but that he felt vindicated and pleased. Previously, these people had shown no mercy when attacking Qiao Baishi.
And look at things now. They weren’t able to handle anything without begging for Qiao Baishi.
Yue Qun was still a bit unwilling to accept things. “Wuyou, do you think that the young duke Jiang Chen would really forgo a partnership with the Hall just because of Qiao Baishi? Qiao Baishi is alright, but does he really have so much charisma as to affect the the young duke Jiang’s decisions?”
Ying Wuyou chuckled. “I don’t know whether or not Qiao Baishi has that much charisma, but I know one thing. Every time something has happened to the Jiang family, Qiao Baishi was the first person they called upon. When the Duke of Jiang Han, Jiang Feng, was ambushed, Qiao Baishi was the one who was called to cure him. When the Jiang family was retreating, they concealed their tracks through Qiao Baishi’s efforts. You tell me whether or not the Jiang family values Qiao Baishi?”
Yue Qun laughed wryly, “Well this is absurd. Do we really have to invite Qiao Baishi back?”
Yue Qun felt even his own face burn when he said this. When he had admonished Qiao Baishi, he hadn’t left any face for the other party.
Inviting Qiao Baishi to return — only someone with as thick a face as him was able to say something like this.
The others didn’t even have the courage to suggest this, particularly Elder Blue. When she heard these words, her thickly done up face changed to a pale white.
“Invite Qiao Baishi back? Will our Hall really die without him?” Elder Blue couldn’t help but say.
“If you can, then why don’t you go?” Yue Qun lost his temper.
Song Tianxing sighed. “Wuyou, you were just now speaking in anger when you wanted to resign. How about this, you make a trip to the Jiang family. If you can convince the Jiang family, then you’ll directly be promoted to Third Hallmaster.”
All the others couldn’t do it if they went. Ying Wuyou was good friends with Qiao Baishi. They had a chance only if he went.
A light like that of a viper’s shot out from Wang Li’s eyes when he heard this.
“Lord Hallmaster, this isn’t fair! A lowly ranked elder rising to the position of Third Hallmaster all of a sudden. This… this isn’t fair. I can’t accept it!”
Wang Li felt extremely upset as he raised a hue and cry.
Song Tianxing said coldly, “If you can succeed, I’ll directly name you the next Lord Hallmaster. Can you do it?”
Wang Li grit his teeth and his two eyes became bloodshot. He wanted to agree, but knew very well that he didn’t have the ability to.
Ying Wuyou spread out his hands. “Lord Hallmaster, y’all dont need to keep bickering over me. I will go to the Jiang Han territory, but to visit an old friend. The matters of the Hall have nothing to do with me. All of you… can do as you see fit.”
Ying Wuyou placed his elder medallion lightly on the table after he’d finished speaking, and turned to float away. Ying Wuyou had seen through everything and knew that there was no place for him within the endless internal strife within the Hall.
As long as people like Yue Qun, Wang Li, and Elder blue were present, even if he could complete this mission, his future prospects would also be dim.
Therefore, as opposed to suffering humiliation and disgrace from them, he might as well leave freely and dashingly!
Song Tianxing’s mouth moved slightly, but he said nothing. He suddenly felt completely listless and a supreme lack of interest. He waved his hands and only said, “Dismissed.”
…
Elder Shun and the mysterious girl Huang’er were respectively sitting and standing within a secret chamber of the Hall. They had clearly heard all the happenings during the senior executives convention.
“This great building is about to collapse. Song Tianxing’s personality and methods are all fine, but it’s a pity that he lacks that pivotal bit of presence in a crucial moment.” Elder Shun sighed lightly.
The young girl called Huang’er was wearing a pale green outfit as she stood by the window, idly toying with a few flowers and grass. Her clear eyes appeared to be quite serious and her whole being seemed like it was part of a painting.
“Elder Shun, haven’t you not cared about the matters of the Hall before?”
Elder Shun chuckled, “Well, after all, as we’ve stayed here for quite a period of time, I’ve still paid some attention. It looks like we’re going to leave now.”
“Leave?” Huang’er started.
“Mm, leave.” Elder Shun nodded decisively. “Huang’er, what do you say to us heading for the Jiang Han territory, or going somewhere else?”
“Head for Jiang Han territory?” Huang’ers slender arms paused slightly as a trace of levity flashed across her goddess-like features. “Elder Shun, are you truly paying that much attention to that Jiang Chen?”
“Haha, Huang’er you’re correct. I like that Jiang Chen very much. If this wasn’t the case, why else would I have lent him a helping hand that day in the Second Crossing?”
Huang’er smiled faintly as she played with the flowers and grass, not saying anything.
“Huang’er, I have to say, a great power was concealed within Jiang Chen’s body during that battle of the Second Crossing. It was a great enough power that moved even an old man like me. The Swordbird army followed his commands to cover the skies and blot out the sun, triggering countless changes in the heavens. All those scenes were truly awe inspiring.”
“Furthermore, those three spirit dao disciples that the Purple Sun Sect sent out one after another — one died and one was injured. If it wasn’t for the last one being too strong, I likely wouldn’t even have needed to make a move. Jiang Chen refused to submit even under those circumstances. That refusal to admit defeat is quite up my alley.”
Elder Shun smiled as he spoke. He knew that there was no way that Huang’er would be interested in something like this. Except, they had spent so much time cooped up in a small place like the Eastern Kingdom that there were truly too few things that was worthy of being discussed.
At least there was that little bit of uniqueness about Jiang Chen that he could chatter on about.
The most important things was that Elder Shun stubbornly felt that the divination signs that old man Qian Ji had seen were that Huang’er’s sickness would have the chance of finding a cure within the Eastern Kingdom. Elder Shun even more stubbornly felt that some hints of this chance seemed be related to Jiang Chen.
Even if it was the slightest of hopes, it was enough to tempt Elder Shun.
After all, with his identity as the ordinary son of a duke, Jiang Chen’s recent string of heaven-defying performances had far outstripped the limits of his identity.
In the years that he’d spent in the Eastern Kingdom, Elder Shun had paid attention to everything, and the only thing that even vaguely surprised him was Jiang Chen’s performance.
Who else was there, apart from him?
Long Juxue? An azure phoenix constitution?
In Elder Shun’s eyes, a so-called innate constitution was just that. The level of a sect like the Purple Sun Sect couldn’t even provoke any acknowledgement from Elder Shun.
If it hadn’t been for Elder Shun valuing his identity, he could have turned Chu Xinghan and the others into dust with a flick of his fingers that day in front of the Second Crossing.
He hadn’t done so because he valued his own being and didn’t wish to engage in a dispute with his juniors. He also didn’t want to give too many hints to Jiang Chen and allow Jiang Chen to feel like he had a patron behind him.
He wanted to further observe Jiang Chen and see just how much potential he possessed, and how he would develop with his every step.
If he really was a promising person, Elder Shun didn’t mind continuing to keep an eye on him. If it was just a brief appearance like the morning dew, Elder Shun could extract himself from the situation at any time and ignore Jiang Chen, allowing him to live and die as he would.
These were Elder Shun’s most truthful thoughts.
He wouldn’t give up as long as there was a single trace of hope. But, if he discovered that this hope was false, then Elder Shun obviously wouldn’t spend too much time on it.
After all, the affairs and people of the Eastern Kingdom were on a level too low for excess attention from Elder Shun.
If it wasn’t for Huang’er’s illness, Elder Shun probably would have never even set foot onto such a common kingdom in the next ten thousand years.