Chapter 176: Definitely a Trap
Chapter 176: Definitely a Trap
“Greetings, Young Sect Master Xu. Greetings, Second Young Master Fang. And you two elders… haha!”
Fang Cun arranged for a Shoushan Sect disciple to invite them. Soon, the elders from sects like Nine Immortals Sect, Leshui Sect, Yun Huan Sect, and Lingwu Sect came as promised. After all, this time, Fang Cun had sent the invitation under his own name. Previously, the other sect leaders discovered that Fang Cun had met Divine King Nanhuang once, and their relationship was strange. So, those who didn’t dare to underestimate Second Young Master Fang before became even more cautious.
Although they got scolded badly in Qingjiang City, after boarding the cabin, they saw Fang Cun and Young Sect Master Xu. Still, they kept polite and bowed respectively. But when they spotted those two elders, they instantly stopped smiling. They sneered and looked at them with murderous faces.
Elder Green Pine and Elder Cold Stone seemed a bit uncomfortable. They sat quietly in the corner.
“Haha, might the elders take a seat, please!”
Fang Cun smiled as he invited the elders to sit down. Then he said:
“This joint action of the Six Sects to kill the Demon Hound is truly a major event. As our Shoushan Sect is set to rejoin the Six Sects and we got the call from Old Master Fan, even if we didn’t want to help, we couldn’t avoid it, so we must try our best. By inviting you elders here, we want to ask for your advice and talk about the plan to kill the Demon Hound…”
“Discuss the plan?”
The sect elders heard this. Their eyes met, and their faces showed a playful look.
Now Shoushan Sect thinks of discussing plans?
What about all that scolding in Qingjiang City just moments ago?
“Haha…”
Elder Ge from Nine Immortals Sect grinned a little and cupped his hands toward Fang Cun. He said:
“Second Young Master Fang, don’t blame me for being blunt. I’ve nothing against you personally, but this is a big decision between sects. I won’t play games in front of you…”
Fang Cun smiled and replied:
“Go ahead, senior!”
Young Sect Master Xu’s heart skipped a beat. Not disrespecting Second Young Master Fang? That meant disrespecting Shoushan Sect was likely.
Sure enough, Elder Ge chuckled and said:
“Since you understand me, why not just say it? This demon-slaying plan was pushed hard by Shoushan Sect and Old Master Fan. The Five Sects… well, we didn’t even get a chance to say no. Yet fighting demons is everyone’s duty; we won’t duck it. But we’ll only help as much as our strength allows!”
“The formation map was already shown to Shoushan Sect. If your sect has no objections…”
Fang Cun smiled and said:
“Actually, we have some objections.”
The elders paused a little. Then their faces showed more playful smiles.
Of course Shoushan Sect had objections. That formation layout was almost like asking Shoushan Sect to die. But even if they pointed it out, what could they do? Arranging positions depended on discussion among the Six Sects. In Qingjiang City, Shoushan Sect forced the Five Sects to join the hunt. Now outside town, were they going to still act stubborn and force us to accept their battle plan?
See who listens!
Next, Fang Cun added with a smile:
“Just giving us Position Jiacou isn’t enough. Positions Yixin and Bingyin should also go to us!”
“What?”
The Five Sects’ elders changed faces abruptly.
Earlier, they gave Shoushan Sect Position Jiacou, a death trap position. When the fight started, whoever held it faced the biggest pressure and couldn’t escape. They thought Shoushan Sect couldn’t be dumb enough to accept. But Shoushan Sect did the opposite; not only did they want Position Jiacou, they asked for two more spots. This was… asking to die faster?
“Haha, don’t overthink things…”
Just then, the two elders who stayed in the corner, worried about getting beat up, suddenly laughed coldly. Elder Green Pine said:
“Actually, Elder Fang Cun of our Shoushan Sect called you here. He wasn’t begging anything of you…”
Elder Cold Stone jumped in and laughed:
“No matter what plan, Shoushan Sect will kill that Demon Hound for sure!”
Elder Green Pine continued:
“For decades, we two old men kept to ourselves and didn’t clash with fellow sects. But Shoushan Sect has gotten the Treasure Body Method back. It’s time for our sect to stand strong among the Six Sects, even top them. We can’t hide anymore. This Demon Hound, that thirty thousand Merit, it’s Shoushan Sect’s big moment in Qingjiang Prefecture!”
Whoosh!
As they spoke, the elders snapped around. They locked deadly stares on them.
They wanted to fight!
And after their words, they wanted to fight even more…
“Haha, what bold talk from you two…”
When chatting with Fang Cun, they kept some face and restraint. But hearing these two speak, the sect elders’ expressions hardened instantly. Elder Xiu from Leshui Sect snorted and said:
“Long heard that Shoushan Sect’s Divine Nether Body Tempering Art is amazing. Never got to see it. Maybe during this hunt, we’ll see how powerful the long-lost technique is!”
The two elders joked around:
“Then you won’t see it, because we don’t know it either…”
Elder Xiu nearly fainted from rage.
Elder Ge from Nine Immortals Sect snorted again and said:
“Since you two don’t master your sect’s skills, please keep quiet. I’ll only ask Second Young Master Fang this: You want those three positions? Aren’t you afraid Shoushan Sect can’t hold them?”
Fang Cun smiled and answered:
“No need for worry, senior. If I ask for them, I have good reason.”
The Five Sects’ elders heard this. Their faces turned dead serious.
Fang Cun sounded too confident. It suddenly felt wrong.
They gave Shoushan Sect Position Jiacou to bully them because Shoushan Sect couldn’t possibly kill the hound alone. But seeing Fang Cun’s calmness now, they recalled: Shoushan Sect also had Second Young Master Fang from Willow Lake City. Could Shoushan Sect have a secret way to beat the Demon Hound?
After all, even though his cultivation wasn’t high, nobody dared to look down on him.
And didn’t Second Young Master Fang bring back the lost Treasure Body Method for Shoushan Sect?
Immortal Master Fang Chi’s level was way beyond anyone present. Immortal Master Fang Chi had passed on. But who knew? Maybe he left strong Magic Treasures for his family? Could Second Young Master Fang really kill the Demon Hound?
And if Shoushan Sect did kill it, things got messy…
This hunt could burnish their names and earn Merit. But the hunt started because Shoushan Sect pushed it. And if they killed the Demon Hound alone, what face would the Five Sects have left?
If Shoushan Sect rose up after that, how much Dragon Stone would the Five Sects lose?
It was too important. The elders felt confused. They found it hard to agree.
“Haha, don’t make up stuff…”
Just as the Five Sects’ elders were puzzled, trying to pry Fang Cun’s secret, the two Shoushan Sect elders in the corner, still scared of fighting, now chuckled. Elder Cold Stone said:
“Not hiding it: We two old men decided to take action. We stayed low before and didn’t fight over fame in Qingjiang. But in this big moment, we can’t hide. We committed to act now. That little Demon Hound? Easy kill, just slaughter it!”
“Huh?”
Hearing them, the Five Sects’ elders’ anger flared up again.
If it was Fang Cun who could do something, the Five Sects might believe it more. But just those two guys?
Elder Xiu from Leshui Sect lost his cool and mocked back:
“You two could kill the Demon Hound? Then I…”
The two elders instantly glared at him. One said:
“Then what? Want to apprentice under us?”
The other added:
“Shoushan Sect doesn’t take elders this old!”
Elder Xiu raged:
“You could kill it? I’d bow to you in person!”
“Who needs your bow?”
The two elders sneered coldly. They suddenly looked around at the sect elders and shouted:
“If you doubt us, why not bet?”
“Bet?”
The Five Sects’ elders looked surprised. They asked without thinking:
“Bet what?”
Elder Green Pine gave a cold laugh and said:
“Bet this: If Shoushan Sect chops off the Demon Hound’s head and hangs it on Qingjiang City’s gate, if we win, your Five Sects promise full support for Shoushan Sect rejoining the Six Sects. No objections allowed. If we lose… well, Shoushan Sect guarantees: We won’t touch one Dragon Stone from this hunt…”
“Huh?”
Hearing this, the Five Sects’ elders stiffened inside.
Trap!
They were all crafty old foxes. Anyone betting suddenly had a big trick up their sleeve.
Were Shoushan Sect’s elders treating them as kids?
They all let out cold sneers. No one answered or took it further.
Just then, Elder Cold Stone sharply added after Elder Green Pine. He said firmly:
“If Shoushan Sect loses, not only do we take zero pieces of Dragon Stone from this. Plus, we’ll give the Five Sects the three hundred Dragon Stone from the Spiritual Vein sale!”
Whoosh!
The Five Great Sects’ elders gaped with shock.
Three hundred Dragon Stone?
They stared at each other. Then they knew for sure: Definitely a trap!
The bigger the bet, meant… should we not say yes?
Young Sect Master Xu nearby sighed softly. The Five Great Sects’ elders weren’t fools. How could they fall for such an easy trap?
“Since we’re betting, I’ll add a stake too…”
At that, Fang Cun softly chuckled:
“Two hundred more Dragon Stone.”
“But the terms change.”
“Everyone knows Shoushan Sect got the Treasure Body Method back. But we’re missing many skills and techniques. So if Shoushan Sect succeeds, we hope your Five Sects agree: Let us visit your Scripture Halls and view your sects’ techniques…”
“…”
“…”
“What?”
The Five Great Sects’ elders’ eyes popped wide: “Another two hundred?”
The refuse words were on their lips but stuck hard.
Someone was covering their mouths…