Chapter 463: Cooperation

Everyone else in the room gave a nod at these words, and the young man voiced his assent, preparing to leave and resume his watch.

But just at that moment, a rhythmic knocking sound came from outside the window of the room where the group was gathered.

At the sound, the Third Elder turned to look, then flicked a finger, using a bolt of force to knock loose the window's latch.

Immediately after, a young figure pushed the window open from outside and quickly slipped into the room.

"Greetings, Third Elder, and to all the elders present."

The newly arrived young man spoke in a low voice. The Third Elder waved a hand and asked first, "What exactly is the situation with Old Five right now?"

"It's a long story. The Fifth Elder cannot leave for the time being, and he has specifically instructed me to come and deliver word."

The young man shook his head. Ah Xiu and the Fifth Elder, worried that leaving together would draw too much attention and make them easy targets, had decided to send him ahead quietly to report back for the time being.

He then continued without waiting for further questions, his expression turning grave, "We were unable to obtain the White Tiger Fang. It's currently in the possession of that Eighth Prince of Great Li."

"What's more, the Fifth Elder advises against any further attempt to retrieve the White Tiger Fang from that prince. He hopes the clan can consider other alternatives."

At those words, everyone in the room, the Third Elder included, wore unpleasant expressions. That Fifth Elder's group had failed to obtain the White Tiger Fang was already bad news in itself, and now, on top of that, the White Tiger Fang had ended up in the hands of the very prince of Great Li who currently commanded the entire Hidden Kill Pavilion.

"This won't do. We need to report this to the clan elders immediately."

The Third Elder showed no intention of blaming the young man for any of this, and with these grave words, left without asking any further questions, immediately concealing his form and departing.

Roughly the time it takes to burn a stick of incense later, the Third Elder's figure moved stealthily into a large mansion in the western district of White Emperor City.

The mansion before him was a secret outpost belonging to the surviving descendants of the ancient city of Jingjue in White Emperor City. Once inside, the Third Elder wasted no time and headed directly toward the ancestral shrine in the back courtyard of the residence.

But before he had even crossed the threshold into the outer courtyard of the ancestral shrine, an aged, gravelly voice reached his ears, "Third boy, why have you come here? Has something happened?"

At those words, the Third Elder immediately stopped where he was and bowed respectfully in the direction of the ancestral shrine, then gave a general account of the situation with the White Tiger Fang.

After hearing the Third Elder's report, the ancestral shrine fell into a noticeable silence for a moment.

After a while, the aged voice spoke again, "No need to rush. The White Tiger Fang is certainly important, but it isn't the only way. We still have other means of opening the Tomb of the White Emperor."

At those words, the Third Elder instinctively looked up toward the ancestral shrine. The clan elder within, upon hearing the news, hadn't mentioned reclaiming the White Tiger Fang at all, and instead intended to pursue an alternative approach.

It was clear that even the clan elders held a considerable degree of wariness toward this Eighth Prince of Great Li, and had no intention whatsoever of making a move against him.

"Then what should we do next?"

The Third Elder asked respectfully toward the ancestral shrine before him. Up until this point, the White Tiger Fang had been their most important task, and the specifics of the clan's other plans were known only to the clan elders and the Grand Elder.

"You must keep constant watch on developments in White Emperor City, particularly concerning that Eighth Prince of Great Li. Now that he has obtained the White Tiger Fang, he will inevitably come to understand its true purpose, and there's no telling whether he might set his sights on the Tomb of the White Emperor as well."

The aged voice from within the ancestral shrine spoke again slowly, "As for what comes next for the clan, we already have our own plans in motion. We will inform all of you when your involvement is required."

At those words, the Third Elder immediately nodded in agreement and pressed no further.

Matters concerning the clan's grand plan for revival were naturally best kept known to as few people as possible, and for now, the only thing they could do was carry out their assigned duties well.

The voice from within the ancestral shrine then gave the Third Elder a few final instructions, and told him to leave with an easy mind.

But not long after the Third Elder had departed, a voice from within the ancestral shrine reached a particular room somewhere within the mansion, "Have your Tower Master come to the ancestral shrine to see us."

At those words, a young man in a room somewhere within the mansion snapped his eyes open from his meditation, then frowned slightly.

Even so, he didn't hesitate long, and immediately opened a hidden passage within the room and slipped inside.

Before long, the young man emerged from the underground passage alongside a middle-aged man wearing a half black-and-white mask over his face.

"So those surviving descendants of the ancient city of Jingjue have finally come to seek your help, Tower Master."

The young man spoke quietly, then glanced in the direction of the ancestral shrine. The masked middle-aged man's expression remained composed, and he said, "This was to be expected. Unable to obtain the White Tiger Fang, they naturally have no choice but to cooperate with us."

With that, the middle-aged man waved a hand, instructing the young man to stay behind, and his figure vanished from where he stood.

Before long, the middle-aged man wearing the half black-and-white mask descended from the sky and landed within the courtyard of the mansion's ancestral shrine.

At the same time, an elder seated cross-legged on a cushion at the center of the shrine slightly raised his eyes to look at the middle-aged man now standing at the entrance.

The elder was dressed in gray robes, his head crowned with silver hair, his white eyebrows hanging down past his chest, and he spoke, "This old one saved your life once, and took you in to help develop the Qingshan Tower's presence in the Western Desert. Now is the time for you to repay our clan's kindness."

At those words, the middle-aged man wearing the half black-and-white mask gave a slight nod, "I keep the Sixth Ancestor's kindness ever in my heart. I proposed before that the Qingshan Tower and the ancient city of Jingjue's survivors should cooperate to seize the Tomb of the White Emperor together."

"Unfortunately, you, honored elder, harbored too much suspicion, always assuming I had some hidden agenda. And yet I have always held you in the deepest respect. How could I possibly be someone who forgets kindness and betrays trust?"

"Besides, as remnants of the fallen Great Qi dynasty, we share the same hope as you, that one day we might restore our clan and our nation. Surely you can understand my position..."

But before the Tower Master of the Qingshan Tower could finish speaking, the elder within the ancestral shrine cut him off, "Enough. Once we open the Tomb of the White Emperor, this old one will personally see to it that the Qingshan Tower receives its fair share of the benefits."

As he said this, the elder gave the Qingshan Tower's Tower Master a long, penetrating look, then shifted his tone and continued, "Even so, once this is done, you must agree to one condition of mine. From that point forward, you will lead the Qingshan Tower and withdraw entirely from the Western Desert. Where you choose to go among the five kingdoms afterward is no longer this old one's concern."

At those words, the masked Tower Master's expression, hidden behind the black-and-white mask, gave nothing away. He was silent for a moment before saying, "It seems you still don't fully trust me, honored elder. Even so, since this is your request, I will honor it. After all, the Qingshan Tower's true purpose was never the Western Desert to begin with."

The white-browed elder within the shrine slowly withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes, "Now that you've agreed, there can be no going back on it in the future. Otherwise, don't blame this old one for forgetting our past ties."

The Tower Master of the Qingshan Tower gave a nod, "Of course. I have always been a man of my word."