In the Heaven Dou Empire,
At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan,
Ning Fengzhi sat at the head of the table in the meeting room, with Chen Xin and Gu Rong behind him, looking at the core elders he had summoned.
Around the table, the core elders of the clan sat in silence. Each one was a pillar of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, chosen not for their cultivation or their years, but their absolute loyalty. These were people Ning Fengzhi trusted without reservation.
After greeting each other, Ning Fengzhi distributed part of the Xuan Tian Records to the core elders.
"Read them carefully," Ning Fengzhi said seriously. "And remember, what you hold in your hands never leaves this room."
"Yes, Clan Leader."
With that, the core elders picked up the papers and began reading, while Ning Fengzhi observed their expressions.
He knew the danger. If the contents of these records leaked to the outside world, it would not just bring fame, it would bring a catastrophe that could wipe the clan off the map.
Only those he absolutely trusted were present.
Silence filled the hall, broken only by the sound of rapid, shallow breathing.
As the core elders read, their initial curiosity transformed into visible shock.
Hands that had held weapons for decades began to tremble.
Eyes that had seen countless battles widened in disbelief.
"This... this..."
They trembled with excitement.
"Elders, what are your thoughts?" Ning Fengzhi asked as he observed them.
The core elders, who had been completely immersed in excitement, were jolted back to reality.
"Clan Leader, this is a divine techniques."
"Yes, Clan Leader, it will shake the very foundations of the Spirit Master world."
"With these techniques, our descendants will not remain support soul masters anymore."
"With this," another elder added, his eyes burning with ambition, "our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan will become the undisputed number one sect in the world."
Ning Fengzhi remained composed, his sharp eyes searching for any flicker of greed that outweighed loyalty. Finding none, he allowed a small smile to touch his lips.
"You understand its value," Ning Fengzhi stated. "From this moment on, this is the clan's ultimate core secret. It is to be protected with your lives."
"Understood!" the elders vowed.
"Clan Leader," one elder asked, his tone turning sharp, "who else is aware of these techniques? We must ensure there is no possibility of a leak."
"Only those in this room," Ning Fengzhi replied steadily, "and one other person."
The temperature in the room plummeted. Several elders released a flicker of killing intent so sharp it felt like physical blades.
"Who?" the eldest among them demanded. "Tell us, Clan Leader. We will eliminate them immediately. No matter the cost, no matter their status, this secret must be ours alone."
"Calm yourselves," Ning Fengzhi raised a hand. "That person's identity is sensitive. For now, they cannot be touched."
The elders became agitated, leaning forward.
"Even so, Clan Leader! For the future of our clan, if we cannot kill them, we must control them. They must be brought into the fold or silenced permanently before the Spirit Hall or any other clans catches wind of this."
"I have already made the necessary arrangements," Ning Fengzhi said, his tone ending the debate. "The reason I summoned you is to discuss the allocation. Who among the disciples shall receive this?"
"We cannot give this to the outer disciples," an elder said immediately, his voice turning grim. "The risk of betrayal is too high."
"Even the inner disciples are a concern," another pointed out. "We all know the Spirit Hall has eyes everywhere. They have infiltrated almost every major power. Even among our core disciples or lower elders, we cannot be certain of everyone's heart."
Hearing this, the room grew heavy.
Ning Fengzhi's face also turned grim. This was the main reason he had called them. He knew there were many spies within the clan. He needed to be extremely careful with the distribution of the Xuan Tian Records.
"Elders, I have a mission for you," Ning Fengzhi said, leaning forward.
"Clan Leader, speak. We will see it done perfectly."
"I want you to personally find the most loyal, most devoted members of the clan. Filter them through every test we have. We will concentrate our resources on this small, elite group. They will cultivate these techniques in absolute secrecy. They will not be our face, they will be our backbone. Our hidden blade."
"Yes, Clan Leader!" the elders responded, their voices filled with seriousness.
After the core elders had bowed and retreated, the heavy doors clicked shut, leaving only Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong in the meeting room.
Just as Ning Fengzhi was about to speak
KNOCK... KNOCK
"Clan Leader, information has arrived from our spies," a man's voice came from outside the door.
"Come in."
Soon, the messenger entered, delivered the letter, and left.
Ning Fengzhi scanned the report, his eyes narrowing as he processed the contents.
The report was a meticulous breakdown of Xiao Wu's life: her movements, her social circle, and every mundane detail of her daily routine.
Seeing this information, Gu Rong asked, "Clan Leader, since Tang San is already controlled and we got what we need, this girl is not necessary anymore, right?"
Chen Xin nodded his head in agreement. The original plan, binding Tang San to the clan through Ning Rongrong, had been discarded. After witnessing the boy's cold temperament, Ning Fengzhi knew that a son-in-law who could not be trusted was simply a viper in the bedsheets. So, Xiao Wu had become seemingly useless.
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, Tang San is not simple, and his methods are very deadly, we have already experienced it," Ning Fengzhi said solemnly, then continued, "so she is still important. In the previous situation, killing her was to eliminate an obstacle. But in the present situation, controlling her is best for preventing Tang San from retaliating."
Chen Xin and Gu Rong nodded, agreeing with Ning Fengzhi's plan, recalling Tang San's behavior.
Ning Fengzhi had originally planned to send one Soul Saint to complete the task. However, after learning that Liu Erlong of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was close to them, in order to ensure the plan was foolproof, he decided to send three Agility Soul Saints, including one high-level Soul Saint, to complete the task perfectly without mistakes.
After finalizing Xiao Wu's fate, Ning Fengzhi began attending to clan matters.