Star Martial Soaring Cloud

The council hall of the East Coast Alliance is a natural stone chamber built against the mountain. After some minor repairs by the monks, it has become a place for discussing important matters.

The stone chamber was not large, but it was large enough to accommodate dozens of people.

At this moment, the long stone table was filled with people, the candlelight flickering and illuminating each resolute face.

Wang Xiao looked around and found that the room was full of familiar faces.

Xiao He of the Haoqi Pavilion sat on the left side of the main seat, dressed in a spotless black and white scholar's robe, with the Haoqi Sword hanging at his waist. He exuded righteousness and a calm aura.

Yuan Kong, who was standing next to him, was unusually quiet, with his hands clasped together and a solemn expression.

Wu Chen of Zi Qi Mansion sat opposite Xiao He, his green robe trailing on the ground, his long sword leaning against the table, his face calm as still water, but his eyes held a sharp insight that saw through everything.

Ling Cheng, standing beside him, remained as arrogant as ever, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms, his hair casually held back with a wooden hairpin, as he listlessly tapped the table.

Further out were the two fairies of Fengyuxuan—Su Qinhe, dressed in white, was as cold as frost, with a hint of aloofness in her eyes, yet she could not hide the composure in them; Yan Zixi, in a scarlet dress that trailed on the ground, had alluring eyes, seemingly languid, but in reality, she was insightful.

Lin Shisan sat at the end of the long table, his moon-white brocade robe spotless, a calm smile on his face, his demeanor gentle and refined. His gaze swept over everyone present, finally lingering on Wang Xiao for a moment, nodding slightly before slowly moving away.

Wang Xiao withdrew his gaze and his eyes fell on an unfamiliar figure in the corner.

She was a girl of seventeen or eighteen, wearing a light blue long dress with delicate cloud patterns embroidered on the hem, which swayed slightly in the wind. A moon-white ribbon was tied around her waist, which made her slender and graceful figure even more beautiful.

Her long hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, with a few strands of black hair hanging down beside her ears. Her features were delicate but not ostentatious, and her eyes and brows showed both a gentle femininity and a touch of heroic spirit.

The Fairy Palace of Rainbow Robes, the Clouds Clear and Jade.

According to Su Qinhe, she enjoys a very high reputation among the younger generation in southern Xinjiang, and her strength is unfathomable.

After the upheaval on Demon Island, she immediately gathered the seven remaining disciples of the Rainbow Palace and rushed to the East Coast Alliance overnight. On the way, she also rescued several trapped rogue cultivators. She acted decisively and was quite responsible.

Wang Xiao subconsciously glanced at it again.

Just then, Yun Qingyao also looked up, her eyes meeting Wang Xiao's.

Her eyes were clear as water, yet they held a scrutinizing gaze and a hint of barely perceptible curiosity, as if she were sizing up this young master Lu Yang, whose abilities were rumored to be quite formidable.

Wang Xiao paused for a moment, then smiled sheepishly and nodded slightly as a greeting.

Yun Qingyao, however, turned her gaze away expressionlessly, as if she hadn't seen anything, her coldness undiminished.

Wang Xiao awkwardly withdrew his gaze, thinking to himself: This girl has a rather cold personality.

This meeting was practically a gathering of the twelve strongest members of the Demon Island—Ye Wuhen of the Northern Plains Alliance stayed behind at the camp and was unable to attend; Leng Xuan, a rogue cultivator, disappeared without a trace after the teleportation array was destroyed, and his fate was unknown; apart from these, almost all the top young talents who had entered the island were gathered here.

Birds of a feather flock together.

A gambler will know most people in gambling dens; a frequent visitor to brothels will experience the world of prostitution; and a scholar will associate most with fellow students.

"One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black." Whether you are red or black, your own strength and decisions have already made the choice for you.

Wang Xiao is undoubtedly one of the best among the younger generation. His encounter with this group of outstanding talents is not accidental, but inevitable—those who climb high will eventually meet at the summit.

Xiao He coughed lightly, slowly stood up, and placed a black letter in the center of the stone table.

"Gentlemen, I'm sure you're all aware of the news about the Heavenly Change Sect." His voice was steady and powerful, with a penetrating quality. His gaze swept over everyone present, carrying an undeniable solemnity. "They've invited us to meet at Qingming Cliff tomorrow at noon. I've gathered you all here today to hear your opinions."

He paused, then added, "Qingming Cliff is located northwest of the eastern teleportation array, near the miasma wall. It's about a half-day's journey one way, and the terrain is treacherous, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."

After Xiao He finished speaking, he turned to look at Yuan Kong: "Master Yuan Kong, you speak first."

Yuan Kong clasped his hands together, his tone solemn: "Amitabha. The Tianyi Sect has been lying low for a long time. Their proactive appearance this time is definitely not without purpose; they must have something to rely on. I suggest that we send someone to investigate first, to find out their strengths and weaknesses and their arrangements, before making a decision. If it is a trap, we can prepare in advance and avoid being put on the defensive."

Xiao He nodded, then looked at Wu Chen: "Senior Brother Wu Chen, what do you think?"

Wu Chen pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "The Tianyi Sect acts cunningly and ruthlessly, never doing anything without certainty. The fact that they dared to meet with us means they must be confident. But if we don't go, not only will we give others ammunition, but it will also damage the morale of the alliance. We must go, but not all of us. We need to leave enough people to guard the rear and prevent them from luring us away to launch a surprise attack on our camp."

Xiao He nodded and turned to Ling Cheng: "Brother Ling?"

Ling Cheng suddenly looked up, grinned, and a fierce fighting spirit flashed in his eyes. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Let's go! What are we afraid of? They're not three-headed and six-armed, they can't eat us, can they? I've been wanting to meet that bastard Qin Wuming for a long time, to see what he's really made of, and to get justice for all the dead!"

Xiao He offered no comment, and instead looked at Lin Shisan.

Lin Shisan smiled slightly, his tone calm yet unwavering: "We must go. The Tianyi Sect destroyed our teleportation array and killed my fellow disciples. This is an irreconcilable feud, a blood feud that must be settled. Since they dare to show themselves, there is no reason for us not to go. However, Wuchen is right; we need to leave someone behind to guard the rear, in case of unforeseen circumstances."

Xiao He nodded, his gaze falling on Su Qinhe, Yan Zixi, and Yun Qingyao: "What do you three fairies think?"

Su Qinhe spoke calmly, "Go. But we must not act rashly. We need to be fully prepared, have a clear division of labor, and be wary of any ambush set by the other side."

Yan Zixi covered her mouth and smiled, her eyes sparkling. Her tone was somewhat lazy, yet measured: "I will listen to everyone. Anyway, following you all, I won't suffer any losses. It's also a good opportunity to see what tricks the Tianyi Sect is up to."

"Go!" Yun Qingyao met Xiao He's gaze, her tone brief and firm, without any unnecessary words, yet exuding absolute confidence.

Xiao He finally looked at Wang Xiao, his eyes filled with expectation: "Brother Lu Yang, what do you say?"

Wang Xiao remained silent for a moment, then slowly stood up. His gaze swept over the crowd, and his tone was steady and forceful: "The Heavenly Yi Sect's proactive appearance suggests only two possibilities—either a trap or negotiations. If it's a trap, we have the numbers and might not be afraid of them; if it's negotiations, it means they also have reservations, and we have even less reason not to go. In any case, we must go!"

Xiao He looked around and, seeing that no one else would speak, nodded emphatically: "In that case, it's settled—tomorrow at noon, we'll meet at Qingming Cliff!"

He paused, then said, "Next, let's discuss who will go and who will stay behind."

This problem is more complicated than whether or not to go.

The exact number of members of the Tianyi Sect is unknown, but judging from previous encounters, Qin Wuming, Yang Xuan, Yan, and the mysterious shadowy figure are all formidable opponents.

In terms of numbers, the two alliances together have nearly two hundred people, putting the Tianyi Sect at a significant disadvantage. However, everyone present understands that in battles between cultivators, numbers are often not the key to victory. Whether or not they can defeat the Tianyi Sect depends mainly on the people present.

Wang Xiao stood up, looked around, and said with a confident tone, "I have a suggestion."

All eyes immediately fell on him.

"We six men will go to keep the appointment and see what the Tianyi Sect is up to." He turned to Su Qinhe, Yan Zixi, and Yun Qingyao, his tone sincere, "I would like to ask the three fairies to be responsible for guarding the rear, leading the other disciples, and doing a good job of defense."

The words had barely left his lips when a clear, cold voice suddenly rang out: "Does Young Master Lu look down on us weak women?"

It was Yun Qingyao who spoke. Her gaze was fixed on Wang Xiao, and her tone was calm, yet carried a clear hint of questioning.

Wang Xiao quickly waved his hand and explained, "Absolutely not! Fairy, you misunderstand. This appointment is just as important as securing the rear. No one can guarantee that this isn't a diversionary tactic by the Tianyi Sect. With three fairies in charge of the rear, they are meticulous, capable, and far stronger than us men, which makes them much more reassuring."

He paused, softened his tone, and chuckled, "Besides, who would refuse to work with three fairies?"

Yun Qingyao glanced at him but didn't reply. However, the coldness on her face subsided slightly, indicating that she had accepted the explanation.

Yan Zixi spoke up at the right moment to smooth things over, saying, "Qingyao, what Young Master Lu said is both pleasing to the ear and reasonable. He has clearly entrusted us with an even more arduous task—to lead everyone and guard against unforeseen events. This is no small burden, and he is not looking down on us."

There is no doubt that going to Qingming Cliff is more dangerous, and Wang Xiao's consideration was not underestimating the danger, but rather a well-intentioned one.

Yan Zixi and Su Qinhe both felt this kindness.

Su Qinhe nodded and calmly analyzed, "We definitely have to be on guard. The Tianyi Sect's invitation to meet us certainly doesn't mean they have good intentions. If they take advantage of our main force being out there and launch a surprise attack on the camp, the consequences would be unimaginable. We would then be attacked from both sides." She paused and added, "I suggest that the remaining members be divided into ten groups, each maintaining an appropriate distance so as not to interfere with each other, yet still able to look out for one another. If anything goes wrong, we can provide immediate support and avoid being wiped out in one fell swoop."

Upon hearing this, Xiao He smiled slightly: "That's not difficult."

He explained that in order to prevent the presence of spies from the Tianyi Sect within the alliance, the group took many precautions after gathering.

No abnormalities have been found so far. The camp has been divided into small teams, and each team's food and water come from different sources in order to prevent being secretly poisoned.

The sentries and patrolmen were randomly selected. He, Yuan Kong, Wu Chen, and Ling Cheng would take turns each day to serve as a sentry, patrolling the camp to ensure that nothing went wrong.

"That's excellent." Wang Xiao nodded. "Then let's proceed according to plan, each fulfilling our duties, and be on time for the appointment tomorrow."

The group discussed some details, such as the formation when going to the meeting and the communication method when staying behind, and then they dispersed.

As Wang Xiao walked out of the council hall, the evening breeze carried the coolness of the mountains. He was about to return to his residence to rest when someone blocked his way.