In a private room at the Hundred Flavors Tower in Yunlin Prefecture City.

The table was laden with exquisite dishes.

Yet, the members of Cold Jade Valley seemed to have no appetite. The atmosphere was somber.

Xiao Bieli had taken a secret Healing Elixir from the Sect. Some color had returned to his pale face, but he sat in silence, his eyes vacant.

Ye Qingyi kept her head down, her chopsticks long untouched. The image of Chen Qing standing tall with his spear flashed repeatedly in her mind, seared there like a brand, impossible to erase.

Leng Qianqiu’s gaze swept over his two beloved disciples, his voice as cold and clear as ever. "What, is this small setback really enough to break you?"

"Master..."

At the sound of his voice, Xiao Bieli looked up, a trace of resentment and confusion in his eyes.

"A great man must know when to yield and when to stand firm."

Leng Qianqiu set down his wine cup and said indifferently, "That Chen Qing’s strength was indeed unexpected. His Horizontal Hard Skill has reached the Tiger Elephant Realm, and his mastery of Spear Technique is astonishing. Your loss to him is only temporary."

"Have you grown complacent because of your smooth progress recently? If you had focused on a single path, you might have already reached Embracing Pill Perfection. The outcome of today’s battle might have been different."

Xiao Bieli’s lips moved, but in the end, he offered no rebuttal, only nodding slowly.

He knew his master was right. By dividing his attention and cultivating two types of True Qi simultaneously, he had slowed his progress in opening his twelfth Main Meridian, despite the immense potential it offered.

"Besides," Leng Qianqiu continued, "you cultivate both the Langyue and Cold Ice True Qi. If you can build an incomparably solid foundation, once you succeed in the future and find an opportunity to merge the two, the increase in your strength will be far beyond what someone who cultivates a single path could ever match. Chen Qing relies on his Hard Skill, which makes him formidable for now. However, the more advanced a Hard Skill becomes, the slower its progress. It places more stringent demands on one’s Flesh Body and requires more resources. In terms of long-term potential, you are still superior to him."

These words were like the sun breaking through the clouds, and Xiao Bieli’s spirits lifted.

’That’s right. A single victory or defeat means nothing. My path is unique and holds immense potential. Why should I sell myself short over one loss?’

He took a deep breath, fighting spirit reigniting in his eyes. "Your teachings are wise, Master. I was lost in my own delusions. I will redouble my efforts in my cultivation, solidify my foundation, and I will not disappoint your expectations!"

Listening from the side, Ye Qingyi also nodded to herself.

’Master is right. Senior Brother’s talent and potential are undeniable. The one who laughs last is the true winner.’

Just then, an Elder who had accompanied them cautiously asked in a low voice, "Sect Leader, it was quite unexpected that Qixia Manor would side with us today. I wonder..."

A cold smile touched the corners of Leng Qianqiu’s mouth. "That old fox, He Qianshan, secretly sent word to me before he went into seclusion. Qixia Manor is the weakest of the Three Sects and has always been adept at playing both sides. His actions today were merely because he saw the Xuanjia Sect and the Wutai Sect subtly joining forces. He was afraid that if my Cold Jade Valley was completely suppressed, his Qixia Manor would have no standing in the alliance. So, he stepped in to create a balance.""He did me a favor without completely offending He Yuzhou. A very clever calculation on his part."

Hearing this, the others all nodded, finally understanding the intricacies of the situation.

Someone else sighed with regret. "It’s a shame we couldn’t defeat He Yuzhou in one fell swoop today and ensure the Sect Leader’s ascension to the position of Alliance Leader. That He Yuzhou is truly a grave threat..."

"He Yuzhou?"

Leng Qianqiu’s expression became incredibly grave. "At most, he is a difficult rival, but he can’t be called a grave threat. The true grave threat has always been the Demon Sect, lurking in the shadows, stirring restlessly!"

Everyone’s heart went cold, and the atmosphere in the private room grew heavy.

Leng Qianqiu’s gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over everyone present. "My fight with He Yuzhou today seemed intense, but in truth, we both held back and didn’t fight to the death. Did you really think we were only concerned about mutual casualties? Who can guarantee that there weren’t spies from the Demon Sect mixed in with that crowd of onlookers?"

"This alliance is not a bad thing for our Cold Jade Valley. Once the alliance is formed, resisting the Demon Sect together becomes the prevailing trend. As the Cloud Forest Leader, Cold Jade Valley is the strongest and naturally attracts the most attention. We are also the most likely to be seen as a thorn in the Demon Sect’s side, their primary target. Now, with the four-sect pact in place, if the Demon Sect wants to move against us, they’ll have to consider whether they can withstand the combined retaliation of all four sects. This layer of protection is far more practical than the empty title of Alliance Leader."

Hearing this, they all considered his words carefully. Looks of realization and admiration appeared on their faces as they said in unison, "Sect Leader, you are wise and far-sighted! We are in awe!"

.....

「Meanwhile, in a hidden forest dozens of miles from the Wutai Sect’s mountain gate.」

A middle-aged man in a brocade robe was pacing anxiously. His brows were furrowed and his expression grave. It was the Patriarch of the Sun Family from Yunlin Prefecture City.

Suddenly, the shadows in the forest shifted, and two figures dressed in black appeared without a sound.

One of them had a graceful figure, her face veiled by a light scarf. It was none other than Hu Mei, one of the Eight Great Guardians of the Demon Sect.

The other was a young man with a sinister face and a dark, cold aura. It was the long-lost Young Master of the Zheng Family—Zheng Hui!

He had clearly joined the Demon Sect and was cultivating the Infinite Demon Skill.

His Cultivation was now much higher than before.

Zheng Hui eagerly took a step forward and asked in a low, urgent voice, "Patriarch Sun, what’s the situation?"

Patriarch Sun hurriedly recounted everything he had seen and heard, focusing on the thrilling yet restrained duel between Leng Qianqiu and He Yuzhou, and the final outcome of the four sects forming an alliance without appointing an Alliance Leader for the time being.

"A draw? Heh heh..."

Hu Mei let out a soft laugh. "They really were quite restrained, weren’t they."