A lopsided grin tugged at Wei Hou's lips as he acknowledged the revelation of his identity, "Hehe! Kudos to the renowned Eccentric Lightning Elder, for penetrating through this young master's covert technique." His tone dripped with sarcasm, masking a well-concealed note of admiration for the Eccentric Lightning Elder's perceptiveness. His eyes, flickering with a mixture of amusement and arrogance, scanned the assembly of cultivators. His gaze lingered momentarily on some, while he seemed to dismiss others, reflecting the disparity in his regard for them. Eventually, his attention settled on the Azure Treasure Ship, the source of the earlier display of might.
A grunt of dismissal echoed from within the Azure Treasure Ship, shattering the silence that had descended upon the crowd. "Humph!" The response was curt and almost derisive, a clear indication of the Eccentric Lightning Elder's disdain for Wei Hou's show of arrogance. The dismissive tone, however, seemed to strike a nerve in Wei Hou. His jovial features clouded over momentarily, replaced by a stormy expression that betrayed his irritation.
Fairy Ziyan, who had been watching the exchange with a wary eye, chose this moment to voice her suspicion. "Your presence here... I don't suppose this has the makings of a ploy by Ancestor Qin's Plateau?" she ventured, her words filled with doubt. Her voice cut through the palpable tension, prompting a ripple of whispers among the gathered cultivators. Her suspicion of Ancestor Qin's involvement added another layer of intrigue to the unfolding drama.
Against everyone's expectation, Wei Hou responded to Fairy Ziyan's inquiry with a confession. "Indeed! The mastermind behind all this is none other than yours truly. Your Eternal Grace Sect was raided by my disciples, and your elders were under my directive to pin the blame on the Hidden Evil School!" His smirk widened into a triumphant grin as he unveiled his scheme. His gaze roved over the crowd, the pride in his eyes unabashed. His eyes eventually lingered on the emerald-clad woman, Fairy Fern Spirit. His gaze was uncomfortably invasive, causing a wave of discomfort to pass through the crowd.
Fairy Fern Spirit responded to Wei Hou's audacious stare with a blank expression. Her face was an unreadable mask, betraying no emotion. As she held Wei Hou's gaze, a subtle shift occurred within the crowd. Elder Wei, the aged scholar, and the group of cultivators who had previously launched their assault against the Spirit face, silently made their way towards Wei Hou. Their actions resulted in a clear demarcation of alliances. The assembly was divided into three factions, with Wei Hou, Fairy Fern Spirit, and the Hidden Evil School at the vertices of an invisible triangle. This marked the commencement of a three-way standoff, the outcome of which was anything but predictable.
The revelation of Wei Hou's mastermind status, while not entirely unexpected by Fairy Fern Spirit and Fairy Ziyan, seemed to add a stark layer of gravity to their expressions. The subtle change was noticeable; their eyes hardened, and the corners of their mouths tightened slightly. A flicker of apprehension passed through the crowd as onlookers watched the changes sweep over their faces. It was clear that Wei Hou's confession was a game changer, shifting the power dynamic of the entire encounter.
" Elder Wei, Zhong, why would you betray us when we have always treated you with kindness?" Xiaolian cried out, her voice breaking the tense silence. The onlookers could see her face had paled dramatically, her lips tightly pressed together and her eyes wide with shock and betrayal. The sight of Elder Wei and his followers rallying around Wei Hou was a sight she had never imagined she would witness.
For years, Xiaolian had tirelessly labored to win Elder Wei's favor. She had hoped that, with him on her side, she could challenge Fairy Ziyan's status within the Eternal Grace Sect. She had made sacrifices, willingly and unwaveringly, to secure his loyalty. But now, his abrupt and unexplained defection to Wei Hou's side felt like a cruel betrayal. It left her swirling in a whirlpool of shock, anger, and apprehension.
Elder Wei's face contorted subtly, an indication of the internal struggle he was undergoing. He swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously between Xiaolian and Wei Hou. "Elder Tan, this wasn't a path I wanted to tread," he managed to utter, his voice filled with evident discomfort. He continued, "Our lives, unfortunately, have been ensnared by their plots. We had no other alternative!" His voice trailed off, but the impact of his words hung heavily in the air.
His revelation hit Xiaolian like a tidal wave. She staggered slightly, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and disbelief. She opened her mouth to argue, to protest against the actions of Elder Wei and the others. However, before she could utter a word, Fairy Fern Spirit's frosty voice sliced through the air, "Senior Martial Sister Xiaolian, dialogue won't yield any benefits at this stage." Her gaze swept over Elder Wei and his defectors before landing on Wei Hou. "The foes were audacious enough to trap us, suggesting a powerful backing. We should prioritize extricating ourselves from this crisis before anything else."
In the midst of this tense standoff, Wei Hou's gaze wandered from one figure to another until it finally settled on the veiled face of the woman clad in emerald robes. The corner of his mouth twitched into a suggestive smile as he appreciated her features. He broke the silence, his voice filled with an unapologetic admiration, "Fairy Fern Spirit indeed epitomizes unparalleled beauty. This young master has been an admirer for some time now." His gaze held a certain brazenness that stirred whispers among the onlookers.
Without letting his lecherous gaze waver, he extended an outrageous proposition, "Would you consider becoming my bride? Though I already have numerous concubines, I have yet to choose my principal wife." The suggestion hung in the air, its audacity sending murmurs of shock through the crowd. Han Cai and the others watched with bated breath, their eyes widened in anticipation of Fairy Fern Spirit's response.
