The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, becoming a disciple of Yue Buqun.

"In that case, Brother Dongfang, just give the order. I, Tong Baixiong, will not hesitate to do whatever is required."

Tong Baixiong said directly.

Dongfang Bubai smiled and said, "Brother Tong, the most urgent task is to stabilize the current internal situation of the Divine Sect, prevent others from harboring disloyal intentions, and maintain our strength."

Tong Baixiong nodded.

This is indeed the case.

Dongfang Bubai thought for a moment and said, "After you killed the previous Elder Luo of the Vermilion Bird Hall, there has been no elder to fill the vacancy. So, Brother Tong, you can take on the role and also serve as the head of the Wind and Thunder Hall."

In the Twelve Halls of the Sun Moon Sect, the Hall Master of each hall is the second-in-command, while the Elder of each hall is the head. Usually, the Elder also serves as the Hall Master of his hall, just like Tong Baixiong.

Tong Baixiong was originally an elder and head of the Fenglei Hall, and now he also serves as an elder of the Zhuque Hall. Yang Lianting's pupils contracted when he heard this news.

The power that Dongfang Bubai granted was far too great.

The Vermilion Bird Hall ranks third in strength among the twelve halls, and the Wind and Thunder Hall ranks fifth. Now, Tong Baixiong controls both halls alone, making his strength extremely terrifying. He directly surpasses Jia Bu's Azure Dragon Hall, and his status has risen sharply. In the current Sun Moon Sect, he is probably second only to Dongfang Bubai.

Chapter 410: Let him grow.

Dongfang Bubai gave Tong Baixiong far too much power, even more than he could.

After all, he only became the Grand Steward because of the favor bestowed upon him by Dongfang Bubai, but Tong Baixiong was a person of real power.

Yang Lianting's face was grim.

Tong Baixiong and he were already at odds, and now that the other party has taken control of the Vermilion Bird Hall, he probably doesn't take him seriously at all.

Tong Baixiong couldn't help but look at Dongfang Bubai at this moment.

Yang Lianting went on to say, "The Divine Sect has never had such a precedent."

Indeed, no one in the history of the Sun Moon Sect has ever simultaneously managed two halls.

Dongfang Bubai smiled.

"There has never been a precedent of two leaders in the religion. In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken."

Yang Lianting said nothing more.

Tong Baixiong hesitated at this moment.

"Won't this upset other members of the church?"

Dongfang Bubai did not reply to him; his gaze drifted into a daze as he was lost in memories.

After a while.

Dongfang Bubai murmured.

"Back when I was besieged by the Seven Tigers of Ludong in the Taihang Mountains, my life was hanging by a thread. If it weren't for Brother Tong risking his life to save me, I probably wouldn't be alive today."

Upon hearing Dongfang Bubai's words, Tong Baixiong was taken aback, and his gaze softened.

"It's been so long, I didn't expect you to still remember."

"I don't remember."

Dongfang Bubai asked a question in return, and then laughed and said, "Later, when I first took office as the leader, Elder Luo of the Vermilion Bird Hall was dissatisfied with me and intended to join forces with other elders to oust me from the position of leader."

Dongfang Bubai's voice was soft and gentle.

"It was Brother Tong who made the decisive move to kill Elder Luo with one strike and support me as the leader. Otherwise, my appointment as leader would not have been so smooth."

Tong Baixiong sighed slightly as he recalled the past.

Dongfang Bubai continued, "I've known you since I was eleven. When I was young, my family was poor, and there was a famine. My parents passed away and we had no money for their burial. You took care of their funeral arrangements for me. Later, I followed you into the Divine Cult. Decades have passed in the blink of an eye. Your kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain. Now I'm putting you in charge of the Vermilion Bird and Wind and Thunder Halls. No one else in the cult will say anything."

When Dongfang Bubai mentioned these past events, Tong Baixiong couldn't help but lose his composure.

Only Yang Lianting's expression changed at this moment.

"Don't worry, I will never allow Ren Woxing to take away your position as leader, even if it costs me my life."

After a long silence, Tong Baixiong spoke again.

Dongfang Bubai smiled and said, "Of course I believe you."

Tong Baixiong stood up.

“Brother Dongfang, since the situation is so serious, I will go and organize the Fenglei Hall and Zhuque Hall, and await your orders at any time.”

Dongfang Bubai nodded.

Tong Baixiong was about to turn and leave, but as he left, his gaze couldn't help but fall on Yang Lianting, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

He never dreamed that Yang Lianting and Dongfang Bubai had this kind of relationship.

After Tong Baixiong left, only Yang Lianting and Dongfang Bubai remained.

The two remained silent at this moment.

After a while.

"Tong Baixiong treated me very well."

"Dongfang Bubai suddenly said."

Yang Lianting's expression changed again.

He understood Dongfang Bubai's meaning when Dongfang Bubai mentioned the past to Tong Baixiong.

"I see."

After a moment of silence, Yang Lianting said, "As long as he doesn't oppose me, I won't target him anymore."

Dongfang Bubai laughed and took the initiative to change the subject.

"I heard that the Five Mountains Sword Sects elected a new leader last month?"

"Correct."

Yang Lianting nodded.

A month has passed since the internal strife among the Five Mountains Sword Sects that occurred on Mount Song in June, and the Seven Star Envoys that Yang Lianting sent out to investigate have returned.

"However, instead of electing a leader for the Five Mountains Alliance, a large number of people died."

Yang Lianting then recounted what had happened on Mount Song a month earlier.

"Ren Woxing and Ren Yingying led those who had betrayed the sect to Mount Song, intending to cause trouble for a disciple of the Huashan Sect. The two sides agreed to a best-of-three duel..."

Just as Yang Lianting was speaking, Dongfang Bubai suddenly interrupted.

"Is it the young man who hurt Yingying before?"

"Correct."

Yang Lianting said.

Dongfang Bubai nodded, signaling Yang Lianting to continue.

"That kid beat Xiang Wentian, and his master Yue Buqun also beat Ren Woxing."

Yang Lianting sneered, "Ren Woxing went up Mount Song with great momentum, but he ended up with bad luck and lost face in front of the world."

Dongfang Bubai, however, paid no attention to this matter, but instead noticed something else.

"Are those young men and Yue Buqun really that skilled in martial arts?"

Dongfang Bubai was somewhat surprised.

Yang Lianting nodded.

"I heard that when Yue Buqun was fighting Ren Woxing, Ren Woxing suddenly suffered a relapse of his old injury and was defeated. But it is true that the kid defeated Xiang Wentian. If Ren Woxing hadn't intervened, Xiang Wentian might have even died at the kid's hands."

Yang Lianting was also taken aback when he heard the news.

Xiang Wentian was the Left Guardian of the Brightness Sect, whose martial arts skills were second only to Dongfang Bubai and Ren Woxing, yet he was defeated by a second-generation disciple of Mount Hua and almost killed, which is truly astonishing.

Dongfang Bubai was somewhat surprised, but he didn't say anything else, only remarking that the righteous path had produced a rising star.

Seeing that he didn't ask any more questions, Yang Lianting continued, recounting in detail how the Five Mountains Sword Sects had an internal conflict, from Zuo Lengchan and Yue Buqun's feigned loss of power during their duel, to the final infighting between the two sides, which resulted in the complete annihilation of the Songshan Sect.

Dongfang Bubai listened quietly the whole time, only asking a question at the very end.

"Who killed Zuo Lengchan? Yue Buqun?"

Yang Lianting paused for a moment, then said, "It's still that Huashan disciple."

Dongfang Bubai remained silent, but a strange glint appeared in his usually calm eyes.

After a while.

"What's his name?"

Yang Lianting glanced at Dongfang Bubai before saying, "Jiang Ning."

"Jiangning..."

Dongfang Bubai lowered his head and whispered the name.

After a while, Dongfang Bubai looked up at Yang Lianting again.

"Was it him you sent to Pingyu Town to hunt him down last time?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Lianting was startled and subconsciously looked at Dongfang Bubai, almost blurting out, "How did you know?"

But then she realized what was happening.

Dongfang Bubai knew even that he had planned to harm Tong Baixiong, so how could he not know what he had done?

"Yes."

Yang Lianting nodded in agreement.

Dongfang Bubai didn't say anything upon hearing this, as if he were just asking a question, and he didn't ask Yang Lianting why he was chasing Jiang Ning.

But Yang Lianting wanted to explain: "This person is very hostile to my Divine Sect and is also a disciple of the Five Mountains Sword Sect. He is very talented, and given time, he may lead the Five Mountains Sword Sect to be an enemy of my Divine Sect. I think he may threaten you, so I want to get rid of him in advance."

Dongfang Bubai nodded slightly.

"You don't need to send anyone to hunt him down anymore."