Chapter 2970 — A Letter from Home: So Either Something Momentous Has Happened, or Some Disciple Who Knows No Manners Has Arrived.

"Patriarch Kuanglong, Sect Master, your disciple has a matter of grave importance to report!" The speaker was a disciple in the retinue of Zhong Yongliang, the Pure Yang Heavenly Venerable.

"Come in!" Hearing that it was one of his attendant disciples, Zhong Yongliang knew at once that something serious must have happened. He admitted the man and asked, "What exactly has happened?"

"Word has come in that Wei Zhao—the very man Patriarch Kuanglong bade us watch so closely—has been struck by a strange poison. His meridians and his dantian have been destroyed. He is a cripple now, nothing more!" the disciple said.

"Oh? How did this come about? Tell me everything, in detail!" Zhong Yongliang was taken aback and pressed him at once.

"It is like this..." And so the disciple recounted to Zhong Yongliang all the intelligence he had gathered. That Wei Zhao had fallen out with the Hidden Zhao family, that the Hidden Zhaos had poisoned him and then destroyed his meridians and dantian—this was no secret anymore. He also relayed what had followed: how the Night Palace had gone to make trouble for Wei Zhao, and how the young sect master of the Xuandan Sect had stopped them.

Zhong Yongliang, however, paid no mind to the interference of Tian Canbian. How could two people with nothing whatever to do with each other possibly be connected? To his mind, Tian Canbian had done it for no reason other than to flaunt the Xuandan Sect's fairness and justice, and so draw more trial participants to the next Xuandan Sect trial.

"This news is good news indeed. Wei Zhao has so many enemies that even if we do not lift a finger, others will do the deed for us!" the Pure Yang Heavenly Venerable said after hearing it out. "Master, if others strike, it saves us the trouble of covering our tracks."

"Mm. Then let us wait and see. If no one else moves against him, we shall finish Wei Zhao ourselves," Zhong Yongliang said with a nod of agreement.

……………………

The Hidden Zhao family.

These past days the Hidden Zhaos had kept close watch on Wei Zhao's every move, hoping someone would step forward and do away with him. So when the black-robed elder of the Night Palace appeared, they were elated—only for the outcome to be Zhao Qibing's arm severed and the black-robed elder slinking away in dejection.

"Zhao Qilei, does Wei Zhao know Tian Canbian, the young sect master of the Xuandan Sect?" Old Master Zhao likewise found the business somewhat baffling. Why should the Xuandan Sect stir itself over such a trifling matter?

In times past, these ancient sects had been lofty beings above the clouds; Old Master Zhao could go years without seeing one of them appear. How was it that they had all surfaced at once?

"No, he does not. If anyone were to appear, it should have been Feng Xiaoxiao, the vice palace master of the Ice Palace—not Tian Canbian." Naturally, Zhao Qilei did not mention that during the trial Tian Canbian had come to question him about Wei Zhao.

In truth, Zhao Qilei had not given it much thought. He kept silent only for fear of stirring up complications. To his mind, it was nothing strange that Tian Canbian should have inquired about Wei Zhao and the others during the trial and afterward upheld justice; it merely showcased the Xuandan Sect's principle of fairness and equity, a consideration for the trial participants' sake—a most humane arrangement.

"By the way, if you had not brought it up, I would truly have forgotten about Zhao Qiwu. How is he? How far has his cultivation progressed? I heard word some time ago that he had already set foot upon the Heaven Rank?" Old Master Zhao inquired with feigned "concern."

This was a matter he could not help but concern himself with. Now that Zhao Qilei had returned, if the relationship with Zhao Qiwu were not handled well, it would inevitably undermine the unity of the Zhao family in days to come. If Zhao Qiwu were merely an ordinary Earth Rank expert, it would not matter; but if he had reached the Heaven Rank, then should a conflict arise with Zhao Qibing in the future, how would that be resolved?

"He should be at the Heaven Rank by now..." Zhao Qilei was in fact not particularly certain. After all, the letter Zhao Qiwu had sent home had been read by everyone in the Zhao family; what he knew, the others knew as well.

"This being so: if you have no pressing business in the days ahead, make a trip to the Ice Palace. Tell him I sent you to look in on him, and that whatever he lacks, the Hidden Zhao family will see to it. I shall write a letter home in my own hand presently, to give him encouragement. When he returns having mastered his craft, I shall make him a figure like Yu Yi of the Hidden Yu family, standing at Zhao Qibing's side!" Old Master Zhao said.

Hearing Old Master Zhao's words, Zhao Qilei said nothing on the surface, but inwardly he gave a cold laugh. How could he fail to see through the old master's little scheme? Dangle rich rewards before Zhao Qiwu and make him one of Zhao Qibing's men!

In Old Master Zhao's view, Zhao Qiwu might once have followed Zhao Qilei, but in the end he was still a Zhao. His loyalty to the Zhao family ought to run deeper than his loyalty to Zhao Qilei. So long as he served the Zhao family, he could, without betraying the family, throw in his lot with Old Master Zhao's faction.

And Old Master Zhao's method was in fact an open stratagem. Once the old master's letter in his own hand was delivered, Zhao Qiwu, as a disciple of the Hidden Zhao family, would by every rule of feeling and propriety have to send a reply. It would be well-nigh impossible for Zhao Qilei to hide the old master's letter and not pass it on—for that would amount to betraying the family again, just after he had made a show of goodwill toward it.

Of course, Old Master Zhao had also underestimated Zhao Qiwu's loyalty. Zhao Qiwu was cast in the same mold as Zhao Qilei: during the Ice Palace trial he too had enjoyed Wei Zhao's kindness, and like Zhao Qilei he was overflowing with gratitude toward Wei Zhao. So long as Zhao Qilei did not betray Wei Zhao, Zhao Qiwu would never betray Zhao Qilei.

What was the Hidden Zhao family to the present Zhao Qiwu but a passing cloud? If he simply stayed on at the Ice Palace, he could at least secure the standing of an outer sect elder; and though the Ice Palace's inner sect had no men, was not Steward Li, who managed the Ice Palace's inn, living quite comfortably?

"Yes, Grandfather!" Zhao Qilei made a show of hesitating, as though turning the matter over, before nodding in assent—though his expression was a shade unnatural. Feigned, of course.

Old Master Zhao noted it and was well pleased with Zhao Qilei's performance. Had Zhao Qilei nodded and agreed straightaway, the old master would not have believed him. The more Zhao Qilei hesitated, the more it betokened an inner struggle—and only a decision reached after such struggle could be trusted as genuine.

"Mm. I shall write the letter now." Old Master Zhao had his reasons for sending Zhao Qilei away. Zhao Qibing was at the Night Palace studying and was not at home; if Zhao Qilei remained here, he might well cultivate his own connections in private and quietly ally himself with other members of the Zhao family. Old Master Zhao might be the family head, but he knew well the pitfalls involved. The only solution was to have Zhao Qilei away from the Zhao household—and even without the pretext of visiting Zhao Qiwu, he would have found some reason to send him off.

Old Master Zhao brought all the cunning of a family head long entrenched in power to bear, and wrote a long letter home, flowing and sonorous, full of rises and falls!RS