In a trance, Lu Ping felt a towering, icy mountain pressing down, and instinctively leaned back.
"Cough!" Li Tingyun cleared his throat dismissively.
Lu Ping was startled awake, blushing with embarrassment, his words spitting out as if from between his teeth.
"Eighteen noble families, three imperial families."
Lu Ping paused and emphasized, "What if they believe in the Upper Sect's abilities more?"
As Lu Ping finished speaking, he saw a disciple from the Upper Sect leading several people in.
Good heavens! Bai Shengyi took a closer look. The Emperor of Jinque, the head of the Lou family, the head of the Mei family, the head of the Sun family, the young master of the Tang family, and the ancestor of the Wei family were all present!
"They are the heads of several major families. Shouldn't we hear their opinions?"
Before Lu Ping's words had even faded, the Emperor of Jinque declared loudly, "We believe it's better to merge with the Upper Sect! In the future, we can enter the inner sect of the Upper Sect to cultivate more profound techniques and obtain more cultivation resources. Why wouldn't we?"
After speaking, he glanced pleadingly at Li Tingyun and Lu Ping.
Li Tingyun said indifferently, "Rest assured, as long as they are disciples of the Upper Sect, this sect will treat them equally."
He emphasized the word "disciples." However, the Emperor of Jinque, immersed in the joy of being struck by a "pie," did not catch it.
The heads of the Lou and Mei families did catch it, but the Tang, Sun, and Wei families had already quickly stated their positions. Unwilling to create animosity with the Upper Sect, they also chimed in, "We also hope to merge into the Upper Sect."
"Dean Qin." The head of the Sun family, with his small, shrewd eyes, wanted to further express the Sun family's sincerity to the Upper Sect. He shook his head, his tone full of disappointment, "Great Venerable Qingyun was also a wise scholar in his time. How is it that Dean Qin has not learned from Great Venerable Qingyun's selfless spirit?"
"For your own selfish gain, you would refuse such a bright future for everyone. We highly suspect that the so-called Protection Corps mentioned by Shenqi Academy was also for your own selfish desires!"
The head of the Sun family's words seemed to remind the others.
"Perhaps it's to weaken our strength," echoed the Emperor of Jinque and the young master of the Tang family.
The head of the Mei family fumed, "No wonder my Mei family suffered such heavy casualties in the Protection Corps!"
The head of the Lou family shook his head, wanting to speak but stopping himself, "I never expected Dean Qin to be this kind of person. It's a shame that the eighteen noble families and three imperial families trusted you so much..."
Seeing these hypocritical individuals, Qian Ying's eyes were filled with a crimson rage.
She thought of the Protection Corps members who were still tirelessly protecting civilians in various places, and of the young men and women who had fallen on the front lines while saving others, some of whom were not even twenty years old. A flame of anger ignited in her heart!
How could they say such things!
How could they falsely accuse the Protection Corps and Qin Si!
As Qian Ying's eyes flashed red and she was about to act, a gentle voice reached her ears.
"Senior sister, look down."
She instinctively lowered her head and immediately had a pill placed in her mouth.
The pill dissolved instantly upon entering her mouth, and soon, a clear sensation spread throughout her body. The violent anger in her mind dissipated like smoke blown away by the wind.
"Li... Little Junior Sister..." Qian Ying couldn't help but be shocked. Wasn't this a calming pill? Its effect was far superior to a calming pill.
Qian Ying knew how violent and out of control her emotions had been just moments ago, needing only a spark to explode completely.
But now, she felt refreshed and her mind was extraordinarily calm and tranquil.
"No, it's just something I refined in my spare time," Bai Shengyi said, then gestured to Qian Ying, "Senior sister, don't be angry. Just watch, Qin Si won't let this slide today."
Although they hadn't communicated deeply, Bai Shengyi understood Qin Si's thoughts.
New growth could only occur after removing the rot; the Shenqi Continent could never be a subordinate to others!
As Bai Shengyi spoke to Qian Ying, the head of the Sun family, the head of the Lou family, and the others had quieted down.
Although the head of the Sun family's cultivation was not high, he was extremely shrewd from constantly navigating among the noble families and knew the principle of "too much is as bad as too little."
He silently lowered his head, calculating how to suppress the Lou family later and gain the favor of Sect Master Li. Just then, he heard a very calm voice.
"So you are all certain you wish to join the Upper Sect?"
It was Qin Si.
His phoenix eyes were deep and cold. When he spoke calmly, even with his pressure contained, he could make people feel suffocated and oppressed.
The head of the Sun family frowned slightly and opened his mouth, "We hope the entire Shenqi Continent..."
"You just need to tell Dean Qin whether you do or not!" Bai Shengyi interrupted him with a chuckle, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
The Sun family, they still had a debt to settle.
This was not the first time the head of the Sun family had seen Bai Shengyi; he had even tried to win Bai Shengyi over through Sun Ling.
He knew that Sun Ling was on good terms with Bai Shengyi and thought Bai Shengyi would show some consideration for the Sun family. However, this time, looking at Bai Shengyi's enigmatic smile, he regretted not having Sun Ling return.
He swallowed and said softly, "Yes."
"That's all there is to it," Bai Shengyi said, smiling at the others, "And you?"
The others also nodded slowly.
Qin Si leaned back in his chair, watching everyone in silence.
Seeing this, Lu Ping chuckled triumphantly, "Dean Qin, look, everyone else disagrees with your decision. You shouldn't be so willful and reckless."
Indeed, a parvenu from a declining place. Look, even someone from their own region couldn't wait to stab them in the back!
"Dean Qin, what do you say?" The Mountain Lord of Hualing suddenly spoke, "I've been watching for a while and I think I understand what you're hesitating about. In my opinion, it's not impossible for the Shenqi Continent to merge with the Upper Sect, it's just that..."
He looked at the interested eyes before him and suddenly stopped.
Lin Qingyu smiled, "It's just what? Mountain Lord Hualing, why don't you say more?"
"Young Hua Ling, what's wrong with you?" Yue Bufan, who had no opportunity to act earlier, was like a firecracker about to ignite, "Can't you speak properly?"
The Mountain Lord of Hualing gave a wry smile, "I am also thinking of the Shenqi Continent. With so many ordinary people, if they have no sect protection, how will they survive in the future? Hu Yu, don't you agree?"
He passed the question to the Mountain Lord of Huyu, who had been lowering his head and sitting silently.
"Hmm? Ah?" The Mountain Lord of Huyu raised his head, met Bai Shengyi's gaze, and then quickly lowered it, saying gently, "What you all say makes sense."
A hint of strangeness flashed in the Mountain Lord of Hualing's eyes.
Lin Qingyu sneered, "Mountain Lord Hualing truly has a Bodhisattva's heart, but—"
He paused, his seductive eyes tilting slightly, carrying a captivating yet cold mockery, "On what grounds? With the First Sect and the Two Pavilions still here, it's not your turn to step forward, Mountain Hualing, is it?"
The Mountain Lord of Hualing's expression changed.
Was the Demon King Lin Qingyu supporting Shenqi Academy?
"Your Majesty the Demon King speaks wisely. However, everyone," Qin Si suddenly chuckled lightly and looked at the eminent monk Ku Chan, Lin Qingyu, and the shopkeeper of Wanbao Pavilion, "May I trouble you to allow this junior to first handle some domestic affairs?"
"Amitabha, young friend, please."
"Naturally."
"Please."
Qin Si wasted no words. With a raise of his hand, a long sword, shimmering with a faint spiritual light, landed in his palm. The spiritual light scattered, like the wind of late autumn, bringing with it endless frost and snow, sweeping over them.
"In the name of the Mountain Lord, I expel the Sun family, the Lou family, the Mei family, the Tang family, the Wei family, and Jinque Country. As long as the mountains of the Shenqi Continent do not collapse and the Qianlian Sea does not dry up, the aforementioned cultivators are forbidden from setting foot here!"
The long sword was suddenly unsheathed, carrying a frosty white cold light, tearing through the sky and heading straight towards the west!
A sword move shook the heavens, endless ice and snow arose!