Chapter 4491 — All Heretical Cultivators

"You're not convinced?" Hai Wuliang cast a provoking glance at Qi Mingyuan. As for Long Kuiba and Cheng Haonan standing off to the side, he could not even be bothered to look their way—in his eyes, those two were already dead men.

"Heh. Still putting on the airs of head judge, are we—so used to being the overlord of the escort agencies that you plan to cling on till death, refusing to let go? You think we'll be convinced?" Qi Mingyuan gave a cold laugh.

"And the rest of you? What do you think?" Hai Wuliang smiled without a care and turned his gaze toward Zhao Bufan and the others.

If Qingtian Escort Agency and Longzhou Escort Agency were both taken down, his Four Seas Escort Agency would only rise from sixth to fourth—but Divine Wind Escort Agency would leap straight from third to first, reaping far greater benefit than Four Seas. And for the other agencies among the Five Great Escort Agencies, it would be a rare stroke of good fortune as well.

These escort magnates had always been devotees of profit above all else; there was no need to guess how they would choose. And so long as he could win their support, Hai Wuliang would stand naturally in an unassailable position. Never mind Longzhou Escort Agency—even Qingtian Escort Agency would have no hope of ever rising again.

Every gaze fell upon Zhao Bufan, waiting for the head of Divine Wind Escort Agency to speak his mind. And indeed he did not disappoint. Clearing his throat, he declared in a ringing voice: "To send Qingtian Escort Agency and Longzhou Escort Agency packing together—Head Escort Hai has truly played a fine hand. It is only a pity that this humble one cannot agree."

Cannot agree? Hai Wuliang was struck dumb on the spot. Without expending the slightest effort, the seat of escort overlord could be taken into hand—this was fat meat delivered right to the door. How could anyone not agree?

"This humble one's view aligns with that of Head Escort Zhao," Tianhong Escort Agency declared immediately after.

Having heard these two declarations, the crowd's interest kindled anew, and their gazes shifted to Zhao Shanying. Black Eagle Escort Agency now ranked fifth, and could be counted a settled powerhouse among the Five Great Escort Agencies.

"Such a shameless, laughable affair—my Black Eagle Escort Agency could never bring itself to do it." Zhao Shanying gave a cold laugh, curling his lip in unsparing disdain.

Hai Wuliang's expression darkened once more in an instant. The declarations of these three meant that not a single one of the Five Great Escort Agencies approved. And as for his identity as head judge—since Four Seas Escort Agency ranked only sixth, it looked dubious and ill-founded no matter how one saw it. This was utterly at odds with what he had envisioned; nothing at all was turning out as he had planned.

Not only Hai Wuliang—even Qi Mingyuan could not help but regard these men with astonishment. He too had never imagined that at a moment like this, these escort magnates who never rose early unless there was profit to be had would prove so "righteous and principled."

The onlookers were all at a loss, but Zhao Bufan and the others knew full well in their own hearts. It was not that their consciences had awoken and they had shed their profit-first nature—Divine Wind Escort Agency especially. Faced with the seat of escort overlord dropping into his lap, to claim he felt no temptation would be a bald-faced lie.

But the problem was, this was a scalding-hot potato he dared not take up!

With a single sentence, Hai Wuliang would dare send Qingtian Escort Agency and Longzhou Escort Agency packing together. If Divine Wind Escort Agency took up the offer, might he not later play the same trick again—and cancel Divine Wind's own qualification along with it?

From the mocking gazes of everyone in the hall, it was plain that Hai Wuliang's method was sheer reckless meddling, utterly without feasibility.

Under such circumstances, even if Divine Wind Escort Agency ultimately chanced to gain the advantage and took it, it would be a castle in the air, ill-founded and unjustified. Beyond offending Qingtian Escort Agency and Longzhou Escort Agency to the death, if trouble truly arose later, Hai Wuliang could turn around and push them out as scapegoats, while he himself stood safely aloof. After all, who had made Divine Wind Escort Agency the greatest beneficiary?

Others might not see through Hai Wuliang's designs, but to conceal them from the eyes of these men was simply impossible.

Not only did Zhao Bufan and the others refuse to take the bait, they even struck a posture of righteous indignation and turned the accusation back on him. This unexpected response left Hai Wuliang dumbfounded, unable to react for a long while.

But an arrow once loosed cannot return. Since Hai Wuliang had already torn off all pretense in the open, he could not simply abandon it halfway. That Zhao Bufan and the others all opposed him could mean only one thing: their own minds were dull, and they would not eat the meat that had dropped right by their mouths. Then they had best not blame Four Seas Escort Agency for an ugly display of greed.

"Heh. It seems everyone is still ignorant of the truth. But this head judge has already dropped such an obvious hint—before you speak, could you not at least use your heads?" Beginning with Zhao Bufan, Hai Wuliang swept his mocking gaze across their faces one by one, finally coming to rest on Qi Mingyuan and Long Kuiba.

"Hmph, out with it then. If this matter cannot be made clear today, one of us will surely be shedding blood!" Qi Mingyuan snorted coldly. A straight man fears no crooked shadow—he was not afraid of whatever trick Hai Wuliang might be playing.

Long Kuiba, however, had no such confidence. Under Hai Wuliang's stare, he unconsciously shrank his neck and stole a glance at Cheng Haonan, whose own face was ashen. Today's business, he feared, was hanging by a thread.

"Good. Then let us all bear witness together." Hai Wuliang gave a cold laugh and turned to Long Kuiba. "Head Escort Long, this head judge will ask you a question. You had best answer truthfully—do you or do you not know that Cheng Haonan and Wu Baoliang are both heretical cultivators?"

Heretical cultivators? The entire hall changed color at once. Cheng Haonan and Wu Baoliang, with their monstrous, heaven-defying strength—both of them heretical cultivators?!

Only Wei Zhao remained as calm as ever. Whether Cheng Haonan was truly a heretical cultivator, he still dared not say for certain—but Wu Baoliang was beyond all doubt. That much was officially acknowledged by the North Island!

What left Wei Zhao somewhat puzzled, however, was this: even if they were heretical cultivators, so what? Did everyone need to react so strongly?

The South Continent seas were a chaotic expanse where murder and arson were commonplace. Wei Zhao had assumed from the outset that this must be a paradise for heretical cultivators—otherwise, why would Wu Baoliang have traveled a thousand li to take refuge here? Everyone ought to have long since grown used to heretical cultivators. There was no reason for such shock.

After all, Wei Zhao was merely an outsider. Though he had stayed several months, his understanding of the South Continent seas was in truth not deep, and even his grasp of the South Continent Escort Grand Gathering was shallow. Had he known that this was the very representative assembly of the South Continent's righteous path, he would have understood why everyone reacted this way to heretical cultivators.

The reaction of Qi Wenmo beside him, however, was most amusing. Upon hearing Hai Wuliang's words, he raised his hand without a second thought and slapped himself across the face, his features steeped in regret: "Damn it all, how did I not think of that!"