Chapter 261: Chapter 138: A New Cage, Waiting for a High Price?_3
 

Feng Qi furrowed his brows slightly upon hearing these words, and asked in a low voice, “Does Elder Brother Wen mean to say that our two great sub-sects should play hard to get? Wait and see which side offers a higher price, and then choose to support that side?”

Upon hearing this, Wen Zaichu gave a faint smile.

Then, he picked up the steaming cup of tea from the stone table.

After draining the tea in one gulp,

He turned to Feng Qi beside him and whispered, “No, playing hard to get is a very dangerous move. Even if we manage to secure benefits now, there’s no guarantee that the sub-sect which eventually comes out on top won’t carry out a covert reckoning against both our parties…”

Now, Feng Qi grew even more puzzled. “Elder Brother Wen, if you say that playing hard to get might lead to a reckoning in the long run, why aren’t we making a choice sooner? As you know, the earlier we make a decision, the more beneficial it will be for our future development!”

Within the courtyard, beneath the Stone Pavilion,

Wen Zaichu, holding a teacup, couldn’t help but smile again.

“Oh, Brother Feng, you’re still a bit too young. Indeed, it’s not wise to play hard to get, but who said that after taking benefits, we must definitely choose to support the Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect or the Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect?”

“Could I not take the benefits from Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect and then choose to side with Luoshan Prefecture Sub-sect afterward?”

“Or conversely, take the benefits from Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect and then choose to support Changqing Prefecture?”

“When playing hard to get, it’s essentially like licking blood off the edge of a sword; one careless move and you could wound yourself.”

“Since we’ve taken the benefits already and also made enemies,”

“Why can’t we choose to side with the other party?”

“With the support of both our great sub-sects, the side we choose will inevitably secure the top position among the sub-sects.”

“The party we’ve offended, no matter how furious they are within, what can they actually do to us?”

…

Following Wen Zaichu’s words,

A burst of hearty laughter rang out in the courtyard.

Wen Zaichu’s strategy was indeed clever.

I’ll take the benefits,

And I’ll also take the timely help.

As for the Wan Dan Sect Sub-sect that Wen Zaichu and Feng Qi had grievously offended,

That matter was completely out of their consideration now.

Without securing the first place among sub-sects, what could their anger do to them?

…

The subsequent events

Unfolded just as Wen Zaichu and Feng Qi had imagined.

People from the Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect brought their offerings.

And their offerings were not just one or two trifles.

Even for Wen Zaichu, the current Sect Master of Wan Shan Prefecture Sub-sect, the gifts were tempting indeed.

Of course, he accepted the benefits.

Everything was agreed to in front of Zhuang Hong, the Deputy Sect Master of Changqing Prefecture.

It was said that, after three days,

Wen would openly join Changping Prefecture Sub-sect in public support for Changqing Prefecture.

Having received such an answer, Zhuang Hong too left quite satisfied.

…

“Elder Brother Wen, should we now publicly support the Luoshan Prefecture Sub-sect?”

In the courtyard of Wan Shan Prefecture Sub-sect,

Feng Qi, the current Sect Master of Changping Prefecture Sub-sect, stood silently by Wen Zaichu’s side, asking in a low voice.

“After all, we’ve made enemies already.”

“We certainly wouldn’t want to make it easy for Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect to seek retribution later on, would we?”

Under the Stone Pavilion, Wen Zaichu spoke quietly.

What he hadn’t anticipated was

That the first to bring offerings would be Zhuang Hong, the Deputy Sect Master of Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect, rather than someone from Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect.

Initially, he had thought

That Changqing Prefecture, after all, was an old-established sub-sect of Wan Dan Sect, the holy land of alchemists in the great Da Feng Dynasty.

Even if Luoshan Prefecture Sub-sect had been rising fiercely of late,

They likely couldn’t match up to Changqing Prefecture.

But who could have expected…

That the people from Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect hadn’t come, but those from Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect unexpectedly did.

“Next, our only option is to choose Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect.”

“Compared to being reckoned with by Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect later on,”

“I feel it’s better to choose to support Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect…”

Even if, as a result of this series of maneuvers,

He was looked down upon by the people on Luo Mountain Prefecture’s side,

That was still, at least, better than being settled with by the people from Changqing Prefecture later on.

…

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the Da Feng Dynasty, at the Luo Family Ancestral Land,

Inside the courtyard where the Ancestor of the Luo Family resided,

Luo Changfeng was sitting quietly beneath a stone pavilion.

He held a teapot in his hands,

Pouring a cup for himself, one for the old fellow Fu Qiu in front of him, and the last one for that old child Zhong Mudao.

Only after Luo Changfeng had poured these three cups of steaming tea,

Did he raise his head and inquire in a low voice to Fu Qiu in front of him,

“So, the Wan Shan Prefecture Sub-sect and Changping Prefecture Sub-sect that opted to remain neutral observers, they both chose to side with us at Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect?”

Fu Qiu nodded silently.

He picked up his cup of tea from the stone table,

And after downing the tea in one gulp, he spoke with some confusion, “But that’s exactly why I’m perplexed. If the intelligence isn’t incorrect, Zhuang Hong, the Deputy Sect Master of Changqing Prefecture Sub-sect, visited Wan Shan Prefecture Sub-sect three days ago and spent some time talking with Wen Zaichu, the Sect Master of the sub-sect.”

“If things went as expected, Zhuang Hong would have been trying to win over Wen Zaichu, the current Sect Master of Wan Shan Prefecture Sub-sect at that time.”

“However, some unexpected events took place…”

“Both Wan Shan Prefecture Sub-sect and Changping Prefecture Sub-sect, remarkably, chose to side with us at Luo Mountain Prefecture Sub-sect.”

“So I’m wondering what they could have possibly discussed three days ago,”

“That led to Wen Zaichu making such a choice.”