Chapter 2926 — The Flame Mountain Sect

"Ahem... Dingtian, I understand how you feel, but trials are a matter of life and death. Yang Shuizhen went into the trial and did not come back—all we can say is that his fate ran dry and there was nothing we could do! Dingtian, you must accept your loss and move on..." Rocket Cannon consoled him with some helplessness.

"Old Sect Master, you do not know the half of it—I only just received the news myself! Our Shuizhen was not killed by a spirit beast in the trial; he was killed by Zhang Naipao of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect!" Yang Dingtian said in bitter grief.

"What?! Killed by Zhang Naipao of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect?" Rocket Cannon's expression changed at once! If Yang Shuizhen had died by misadventure, then Flame Mountain could only grieve and count itself unlucky, but to be murdered by another was a different matter altogether—it was not only a question of vengeance, but a question of Flame Mountain's face: "Are you certain?"

"Yes! Old Sect Master!" Yang Dingtian nodded and said: "My grandson, in the Xuandan Sect's trial, found a relatively safe haven and was preparing to rest inside for a while, but never imagined that the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect's disciple Zhang Naipao, who was also resting there, suddenly turned violent—not only refusing to let my grandson in to rest, but demanding the trial spirit herbs by force. When my grandson would not give them up, he struck out and killed him!"

Though Yang Dingtian had embellished somewhat, the truth of the matter was not far off.

"This Zhang Naipao is far too arrogant!" Rocket Cannon said in a heavy voice: "Does he think Flame Mountain is easy to bully?"

"Old Sect Master, it is not a question of being easy to bully... the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect is something Flame Mountain truly cannot afford to provoke!" Yang Dingtian said, his eyes red as he wept. If he could afford to provoke them, he would not have come to Sect Master Huo for a solution—he would have gone himself to confront the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect and take his revenge.

"Where did this news of yours come from? Is it accurate?" Rocket Cannon too felt a headache coming on. Indeed, the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect, like the Five Luminaries Sect, was a sect that had descended from the most ancient tier. As the saying goes, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; though these two sects were no longer of the most ancient tier, they were at least a notch stronger than the other ancient sects, were they not?

"It was the young sect master Huo Shaoyun who uncovered this news; it should not be false!" Yang Dingtian said.

"Oh? Huo Shaoyun uncovered it?" Rocket Cannon was briefly taken aback, then said: "Have Shaoyun come here at once and tell me the details of the matter!"

"Yes!" Yang Dingtian answered, then walked to the door and gave a few instructions to a disciple on duty, whereupon the disciple hurried away...

Before long, a youth with somewhat dark skin walked respectfully into the room. From his appearance, his eyes were red-rimmed, as though he too had been weeping not long ago: "Huo Shaoyun pays his respects to Grandfather and the Great Elder!"

"Shaoyun, what exactly happened?" Rocket Cannon asked.

"Grandfather, Brother Shuizhen was indeed killed by Zhang Naipao, a disciple of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect!" Huo Shaoyun had grown up alongside Yang Shuizhen from childhood, cultivating together, and the sect had deliberately groomed Yang Shuizhen to be Huo Shaoyun's future right hand, to succeed to the post of Great Elder—so the bond between the two was exceedingly close! Not brothers by blood, yet closer than brothers. Now that the grievous news of Yang Shuizhen had suddenly arrived, Huo Shaoyun was overcome with sorrow and hated Zhang Naipao to the marrow of his bones!

This time Huo Shaoyun's account was rather more detailed, and differed somewhat from what Yang Dingtian had said. Though Yang Shuizhen had behaved somewhat arrogantly and overbearingly, it was Zhang Naipao who had provoked him first, and Huo Shaoyun did not favor Yang Shuizhen either—he simply spoke the truth.

"So it seems we too bear some responsibility. Yang Shuizhen was simply too impetuous!" Rocket Cannon could not help but sigh after hearing this.

"Old Sect Master, who has never been young and reckless? Think back—when you and I were young, did we not also fancy ourselves the finest under heaven?" Yang Dingtian said mournfully.

"That is true. Ah! But if this Zhang Naipao were a disciple of some other ancient sect, we could at least call them to account—but the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect..." Rocket Cannon did not continue, but the implication was clear: we cannot afford to provoke them!

Yang Dingtian fell silent as well. Indeed, the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect was beyond their reach! If the two sects truly came to blows, it was likely Flame Mountain would be the one to suffer in the end!

"Grandfather, Great Elder, I actually... have an idea..." Seeing that neither of them spoke, Huo Shaoyun hesitated a moment, then said.

"Oh? What idea?" Rocket Cannon raised his head and looked at Huo Shaoyun.

"Overbearing as the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect and Zhang Naipao may be, it is not as though no one can bring them to heel!" Huo Shaoyun had long wanted to say this; it was only that speaking it aloud would somewhat diminish Flame Mountain's prestige.

"What do you mean? You mean the people of the Five Luminaries Sect?" Rocket Cannon was slightly startled.

"Of course not. The Five Luminaries Sect would never ally with Flame Mountain—we are merely a pawn sect in their plans. Though we all make use of one another, they stand so far above us that they would hardly pay heed to affairs like ours," Huo Shaoyun shook his head: "Besides, the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect is also an important piece in that same plan..."

"Then what do you mean..." Rocket Cannon looked at Huo Shaoyun in some bewilderment and asked.

"In this trial, there was a rogue cultivator named Wei Zhao..." Huo Shaoyun changed tack and recounted to Rocket Cannon and Yang Dingtian all that Wei Zhao had done in the trial.

When he had finished, Rocket Cannon and Yang Dingtian were both struck with astonishment. After a long while, Rocket Cannon finally said: "You mean to say that Wei Zhao killed Mo Eight and Mo Nine and yet suffered no consequences at all? Not only did Zhang Naipao not dare to do anything to him, but the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect did not move against him either?"

"Exactly! And that is not all. After I noticed this rogue cultivator named Wei Zhao, I deliberately made some further inquiries and learned of other matters," Huo Shaoyun continued: "In the Ice Palace's trial, Wei Zhao crippled Zhang Naipao, and yet the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect did not utter a single sound..."

"So then, this Wei Zhao must have something about him?" A thoughtful expression came over Rocket Cannon's face: "You mean..."

"We can join forces with Wei Zhao and ask for his help to teach the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow sect a lesson," Huo Shaoyun said.

"On what grounds would Wei Zhao help us?" Rocket Cannon was taken aback. Flame Mountain and Wei Zhao had not the slightest acquaintance—why would Wei Zhao concern himself with such matters? (To be continued.)