Indeed, Bai Qifeng and the other Saint Emperors, while possessing profound Profound Qi cultivation, were destined to remain solitary travelers. This situation, though ensuring rapid personal advancement in their own strength, inherently barred them from ever comprehending the intricate maneuvering between the great families.
That was politics!
The Phantom Prefecture, in reality, operated as a distinctly peculiar nation!
Once the situation descended to the political stratum, unless one could be legitimately charged with treason and rebellion, there was simply no way the Zhan family, an institution stretching back nearly ten millennia, could be utterly eradicated!
In fact, even those who held the reins of the Phantom Prefecture might not willingly consent to the Zhan family’s demise. For the sudden disappearance of one major power would invariably shatter the delicate balance of authority that had been maintained for millennia; the Prefecture would then require a long, arduous period to readjust, and it wasn't even impossible that such a power vacuum could trigger a complete shift in the ruling structure...
However, these were concerns only pondered by the highest echelons of the ruling class!
Compared to Bai Qifeng and the other Saint Emperors, these matters were somewhat arcane, and their lack of understanding was entirely understandable!
The meal concluded well past the mid-morning mark, and then Cao Guofeng, the Saint Emperor Cao, entered with a face as dark as soot. It was immediately evident that this particular endeavor had not yielded the favorable outcome originally anticipated...
“Those old bastards in the Zhan family! They nearly drove me mad! Despicable, shameless, base, vile, and utterly filthy! They managed to push every shred of responsibility onto those few guards who carried out the assassination attempt... Claiming those guards, resentful of the Zhan family’s authority, and having already suffered severe punishment for their own family’s professional oversights, acted out of sheer dissatisfaction on their own initiative, intending to kill Jun Ye and frame the Zhan family to achieve their own revenge goal...”
“What a clean narrative. How could they possibly expect anyone to believe that? With such a story, the Zhan family transforms instantly into something completely blameless! Even victims! Who on earth would swallow that lie?...”
Cao Guofeng’s mighty beard bristled with fury: “Confusing right and wrong, inverting black and white, calling a deer a horse—an entire clan capable of reaching such a zenith of shamelessness! It has opened my eyes! No wonder they are hailed as the premier family of the Phantom Prefecture!”
“That’s absolute, steaming horse-shit!” Bai Qifeng exploded instantly: “If those guards truly refused to obey orders, would they dare entrust the family’s two most crucial young masters to their care? All six of them are Venerable-level masters, yet they all ignored discipline? Who in hell believes such nonsense! They’re trying to fool a three-year-old!”
“But that is the reality presented. Because Zhan Han claimed lax familial education and negligent oversight, which led to such a massive incident. The Prefecture Lord ordered Family Head Zhan Wuyun to return and undertake severe internal rectification and stricter discipline... Ultimately... the matter was simply dropped...” Cao Guofeng slammed a palm onto his thigh, filled with frustration and disbelief...
Bai Qifeng was even more indignant, spitting out the words: “I’m going to find the Prefecture Lord and demand justice! This matter absolutely cannot end here! If they don't give us a satisfactory accounting, I’ll storm right into Zhan Han’s main residence! If I don’t have the sense for politics, do I lack the ability to beat people up?!”
“Calm yourself, brother. If you make such a ruckus, even when we are in the right, we will appear wrong... Actually, the Prefecture Lord did offer us compensation. He allowed Jun Ye the privilege of accessing the Inner Cabinet Library twice a month to peruse ancient texts. Furthermore, the access qualification to the Spirit Herb Garden that Jun Ye won through the bet, the Prefecture Lord revoked before the Zhan family could even demand it, and instead allowed our seven brothers to enter the Spirit Herb Garden as well... And lastly, he ordered the Zhan family to produce a Divine Weapon as reparations for Jun Ye's shock and distress...”
As he spoke, Cao Guofeng’s spirits flagged considerably.
“These things should have been his by right, given his Ethereal Body constitution! This hardly qualifies as compensation! The only shred of benefit is that the seven of us can enter the Spirit Herb Garden... I’d rather not go! What’s so great about that blasted place? And they treat it like a treasure! These Zhan family bastards are despicable, and the Prefecture Lord fails to discern right from wrong—it’s truly chilling...” Bai Qifeng seethed with anger.
“Be content! The Prefecture Lord also has his difficulties. In truth, we aren’t the ones who suffered the worst of it in this affair. At least our Jun Ye received several items of compensation. Conversely, the Prefecture Lord’s own family seems even more vexed than us...”
Cao Guofeng sighed: “We all heard Jun Ye mention that he wasn’t the only one targeted by assassins last night. The beloved daughter of Old Man Miao also happened to be present and suffered shock no less severe than Jun Ye’s. Yet that girl received nothing, not even a mention...”
“Difficulties my foot! Would he really mistreat his own granddaughter?”
Bai Qifeng’s eyes widened, radiating the aura of a scoundrel: “Brother, your mind is too... dull! Do you really believe everything the Prefecture Lord says? It’s entirely possible that old fox withheld many benefits rightfully belonging to Jun Ye and handed them over to his granddaughter instead. People's hearts are deceptive; you...”
“Nonsense! Shut your mouth this instant!” Cao Guofeng’s face darkened: “What kind of talk is that? How could the Prefecture Lord be that sort of person? Besides... wasn’t it that boy who charmed his granddaughter? It leaves the Prefecture Lord with no choice! Right now, the Miao family is in an uproar; where would they have the energy to demand reparations from the Zhan family?”
“Charmed his granddaughter? That Miao Xiaomiao? The number one beauty among the younger generation in the Phantom Prefecture?”
Bai Qifeng’s eyes bulged even wider. Seeing Cao Guofeng nod grimly, Bai Qifeng suddenly erupted into roaring laughter, clapping Jun Moxie hard on the shoulder.
“Good boy! Impressive! You’ve only been here a few days and you’ve already captured the Prefecture Lord’s granddaughter! This speed of advancement truly befits an Ethereal Body constitution...”
Jun Moxie’s face turned into a black line: What does this have to do with the Ethereal Body constitution? Besides, what did I do? I didn’t make a single move! And did I capture her? She’s the one who captured me! Who am I supposed to complain to about this humiliation?!
“Alright, alright, you all clean yourselves up quickly. The Prefecture Lord and the heads of the great families heard that a miracle occurred here and insisted on coming to see it for themselves. They should be arriving any moment now,” Cao Guofeng urged quickly.
In truth, there wasn’t much left to tidy up. Apart from the deliberately maintained bamboo grove and lawn, the rest of the courtyard had already been trampled flat by the brothers’ activities...
However, the residual effect of that pure force seemed not to have entirely dissipated; occasionally, a bamboo shoot would suddenly sprout from the ground with a whoosh. If someone happened to sit down right on top of one, the resulting situation would certainly be quite lively...
Indeed, not long after, a flurry of white robes appeared, and a group of old men arrived, seemingly riding the clouds like immortals.
The Family Heads of the Miao, Zhan, Li, Gu, Meng, Qiu, and Yun families, along with the Zhang family—the eight great families of the Phantom Prefecture—plus the Phantom Prefecture Lord, Miao Jingyun, totaling nine individuals, gathered here. Coupled with the seven Saint Emperors already present, they nearly overflowed the small courtyard.
Although Miao Jingyun belonged to the Miao family, since he concurrently held the position of Phantom Prefecture Lord, he could no longer serve as the Miao Family Head, nor was it appropriate for him to identify too closely as a member of the Miao clan; thus, the current Miao Family Head was someone else entirely.
Upon seeing the treasures presented by the Saint Emperors—the one-foot-long Sacred Ginseng and the Violet Ganoderma Azure Essence—everyone present gasped in wonder. Every one of them was an expert judge of quality; any forgery would be impossible to hide from their perceptive eyes. The rare treasures displayed by Saint Emperor Cao and the others were indisputably extraordinary items, not easily obtained. Observing their intrinsic qualities allowed for an instant assessment of the deep foundations supporting them!
Then, their gaze fell upon the courtyard filled with the lush, flowing tassels of the Phoenix Tail Grass, and many influential figures revealed expressions of envy.
This truly pure pastoral scenery possessed an ethereal charm that artificial cultivation could never replicate...
It should be noted that these nine elders were all old friends who often frequented this area, meaning they were intimately familiar with Cao Guofeng’s modest courtyard. Initially, several of the older gentlemen suspected Cao Guofeng was merely exaggerating, deliberately boasting to encourage his Ethereal Body disciple by fabricating some 'miracle' to build his prestige.
But witnessing it firsthand now, their belief solidified instantly.
The reason was simple: no one could rationally explain how a mere small clump of bamboo could develop into an entire grove overnight. This single fact was enough to convince everyone! Not to mention the freshly manifested heavenly and earthly treasures!
The evidence didn't end there. The vines clinging to the courtyard walls had thickened by several layers in a single night. The innermost layers had already withered. A careful count would likely reveal more than a hundred layers. One night equating to a hundred years—that seemed to be the most conservative estimate...
Cao Guofeng’s original courtyard walls had been kept strictly bare, prohibiting such growth, as it was deemed an eyesore...
All the facts proved unequivocally that this place had indeed been favored by divine grace last night!
Once this point was established, the expressions of three of the old men immediately became quite complex.
One, an elder whose eyes shone with sharp light yet whose bearing held a hint of cold indifference, regarded Jun Moxie with a gaze tinged with unmistakable conflict. This man was Zhan Wuyun, the current Head of the Zhan Family.
Another, whose expression was equally complicated as he sized up Jun Moxie, was roughly the same height as Zhan Wuyun but bore far more wrinkles around his eyes. This elder was Gu Yunyang, Head of the Gu Family, and the biological grandfather of Gu Feiyu, whose spirit had been utterly crushed by Jun Moxie’s words. Having met the young Master Jun once before, though that meeting certainly couldn't be called auspicious!
The last of the three possessed long, flowing black hair cascading down his back, exuding an air of unparalleled grace. His complexion was ruddy, and his presence commanded respect without uttering a word. Simply standing there, he seemed to hold the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers beneath his feet, and all creation within his grasp!
Such an aura could only be cultivated through long immersion in supreme power, holding the authority over life and death for an extended period.
This man was naturally the current Master of the Ethereal Phantom Prefecture, Miao Xiaomiao’s own grandfather, Miao Jingyun.
At this moment, Miao Jingyun stared with a complex expression at the bearer of the Ethereal Body, truly unable to decipher the emotion stirring within his own heart...