Li Xi's words resonated powerfully throughout the villa, easing the tense atmosphere.
Master Ying immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
The ordinary people watching had already received favors from the Red Lotus Sect, so they loudly echoed, "The Red Lotus Sect is indeed benevolent!"
The faces of the people from various sects present darkened, but this was not a good time to refute them.
On the contrary, it will go against the public's sentiment and make the situation even more difficult to control.
They exchanged wary and complex glances, secretly calculating how to properly handle this sudden turn of events without angering the public.
Upon seeing this, Situ Feng smiled faintly.
He slowly stepped forward a few steps, "Fellow martial artists, I know you may have doubts or dissatisfaction. But as the Holy Maiden said, our sect is only here to show our stance and will not compete with you for the position of leader."
After saying this, he left with Li Xi, and the rest of the Red Lotus Sect members followed.
Yun Feiyang was extremely frustrated. Not only was he defeated, but the other party also said that he did not want the position of alliance leader. Wouldn't that make him an unworthy alliance leader?
The once highly significant order of the alliance leader has now become dispensable.
However, Master Ying of Tiger Roar Manor still ordered the ceremony to continue.
After all, this martial arts competition is closely related to the imperial court.
Although they are martial arts practitioners, they cannot completely escape the constraints of worldly life.
Meanwhile, the members of the Red Lotus Sect had already gone far away.
Inside the carriage, Meng Zhelan quickly handed Li Xi a cup of ginseng tea, saying, "Holy Maiden, please moisten your mouth."
Li Xi gently took the ginseng tea; her fingertips were slightly cool, a stark contrast to the warmth in the cup.
She took a small sip, and the warmth instantly spread throughout her body. She exclaimed, "Lily of the Valley, you are so thoughtful."
Meng Zhelan replied respectfully, "This is what this servant should do."
Situ Feng nodded in satisfaction. "Hmm, Linglan, you did a good job. Be sure to serve the Holy Maiden well, and you will be richly rewarded."
Seeing this, Meng Zhelan was flattered and said, "Thank you very much. This servant will do her best to serve the Holy Maiden."
After drinking a cup of ginseng tea, Situ Feng got off the carriage and went to talk to the Grand Protector.
This time, he gave those chivalrous heroes a good slap in the face, and Situ Feng was extremely satisfied.
"Your Excellency, what are the next arrangements, Master?" the Great Protector asked curiously.
Situ Feng's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "First, strengthen the sect's internal defenses to ensure our foundation is solid. In the near future, I will personally inspect the defense and training of the various branch sects to ensure that nothing goes wrong. At the same time, spread the word to the outside world to recruit more ambitious people to join our sect, but we must be very selective and not accept unqualified individuals."
Upon hearing this, the Great Protector's eyes lit up, and he respectfully replied, "Your Excellency is wise. I will make the arrangements immediately."
"Furthermore," Situ Feng changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious, "I need you to secretly investigate something. It's been learned that someone is lobbying various sects and martial arts figures to deal with us, and is also extensively collecting information about the destruction of the Xuanming Sect back then."
In his memory, his godfather had nothing to do with this matter; he assumed that those people were innocent bystanders.
The Grand Protector, who followed closely behind, had a complex expression on his face and his eyes flickered.
He knew that the cult leader had been hiding things from this adopted son, and had not allowed him to participate in many confidential matters.
This may seem like a well-intentioned act of protection, but it is actually more like a form of exploitation, placing the respected person in a prestigious but powerless position.
Furthermore, the Venerable One's parents died because of the leader.
For some reason, the cult leader adopted him.
As the leader's confidant, the Grand Protector already knew all this.
It was the cult leader who arranged for him to be by the Venerable One's side, secretly monitoring him.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Great Protector replied.
The members of the Red Lotus Sect returned to their branch in Qing'an City, intending to continue spreading their doctrines there.
Qing'an City is located at the southernmost tip of Jingyuan, near Jiye City of Beiji Kingdom, so it also has some exotic features.
After the seven kingdoms began trading, many people intermarried with each other.
Moreover, this place is only forty miles away from Beiji, and the living habits of the people in the two places are largely the same.
Frequent cultural exchanges have made Qing'an City a unique place where cultures blend together.
Along the streets, there are both exquisite and elegant local buildings in Jingyuan, as well as shops with a rugged and bold style in the northern Hebei region, with colorful signs swaying gently in the wind.
The establishment of a branch here was naturally a deliberate decision by the sect leader, and the Grand Protector wanted to ensure the smooth operation of this branch.
Prince An encountered an unexpected person here—Xiao Yan, the fifth prince of the Northern Ji Kingdom.
Although he was dressed in coarse cloth shorts, Qi Yu recognized him.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Yan appeared in this remote place and even had an interaction with the Great Protector.
Qi Yu and Sun Tiantian, now the two most valued assistants of the Great Protector, are guarding outside the Great Protector's study.
This chief protector of the Red Lotus Sect was known in the martial arts world as the "Divine Calculator".
He was not only the leader's most trusted right-hand man, but also a veteran who had fought alongside him since the sect's inception.
The Great Protector now looks to be in his forties or fifties.
He has an unremarkable appearance; one could say he has a face that's hard to remember.
The Great Protector and Xiao Yan stayed in the study for almost an hour before coming out.
Qi Yu made a gesture without making a sound, and Lu Er, who was hidden in the shadows, understood and followed silently.
As the Holy Maiden of the Red Lotus Sect, Li Xi has a small courtyard wherever she goes, which is a privilege she deserves.
Now, Hongying and Wanyue are in charge of the Holy Maiden's meals, and they carefully select the freshest ingredients every day.
Meng Zhelan became the saintess's personal maid, accompanying her every day and fulfilling her duties diligently.
Although the Holy Maiden was highly skilled in martial arts, Situ Feng still assigned her several followers to act as her guards.
After all, it would be an insult to the Holy Maiden to have to do everything herself.
Those who join the Red Lotus Cult must take a special pill to control the followers and effectively prevent traitors from emerging.
However, to Situ Feng's surprise, Meng Zhelan actually had an antidote that could cure this poison.
She also saw the record in that notebook, and she never expected it to actually be useful.
What he didn't know was that everyone in Li Xi's courtyard had been replaced by people he didn't recognize.
It must be said that Du Yifei's disguise skills are indeed impressive; so far, they have not aroused the suspicion of other believers within the cult.
It was also thanks to Qin Xiaolin and Elder Sun's previous experience of infiltrating the Red Lotus Sect that they had some understanding of the sect members' activities.
Every night, while Li Xi was fast asleep, Meng Zhelan and the eccentric doctor Huang Banxian would appear to treat her.
"Master Huang, when do you think it would be appropriate to remove this Gu worm?" Meng Zhelan felt very distressed when she saw Li Xi frowning.
Huang Banxian narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "This Gu worm is no ordinary thing. It is already closely connected with Miss Li's life force. Acting rashly may damage her very foundation."
It requires finding a night when yin and yang are in harmony, and the moonlight is at its brightest, to draw it out with the power of heaven and earth.
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