The aerial battle raged on, Lin Yun drawing away two foes had eased the pressure on the Heavenly Sword Sect considerably.
But the fight remained deadlocked, with the current situation, neither side could easily crush the other, at this level, everyone had trump cards and life-saving measures.
To force a decisive outcome, both sides would likely pay a steep price!
“Though Lin Yun’s escaped, this battle’s still unresolved, who knows how it’ll end, who’ll come out on top?”
The onlookers gazed at the clash in the sky.
Atop the city wall.
“I suppose it’s time I got involved,” Master Hong of Xiaoyao Tower said, looking skyward.
“Master Hong, you’re stepping in? That could have a bad impact on you,” the Imperial Guard Commander said, surprised.
“In life and actions, one can’t always fret over consequences, beyond profit, there’s still human sentiment,” Master Hong said, his gaze profound.
With that, he leapt into the air, flying towards the battlefield.
“Look! That’s Master Hong, the head of Xiaoyao Tower’s main branch, he… he’s charging into the fray, with his status, he shouldn’t be meddling in faction disputes!”
“No idea which side he’s helping.”
The crowd buzzed with surprise as they spotted Master Hong.
As the head of Xiaoyao Tower’s main branch, his reputation was no small matter.
“Trouble!”
The Heavenly Sword Sect Leader saw Master Hong enter the battlefield and inwardly cursed, though he knew him, they were mere acquaintances, he assumed Master Hong wasn’t there to help.
Could he be another ally of the Zhutian Alliance? That’d spell disaster!
In moments, Master Hong reached the battlefield.
“Everyone, since Lin Yun’s gone, is there any need to keep fighting?” his resonant voice rang out.
At those words, the Gu family head and the Sect Leader halted their clash instinctively.
Even the Wanderer, Du Yuanzi, and the ten sect leaders paused, turning to Master Hong.
The reason was simple: Master Hong’s public strength was ninth-rank Tribulation Realm, his involvement, whichever side he took, would tip the scales dramatically!
“Master Hong, what’s your intent here?” the Gu family head asked, puzzled.
“Gu family head, my meaning’s clear, your target was Lin Yun, he’s left, so why keep tangling with the Heavenly Sword Sect? Give me, Hong, some face, let them go, how about it?” Master Hong stood with hands behind his back, hovering midair.
His words sparked a wave of gasps from the crowd outside the gate.
No one expected Master Hong to step in and plead for the Heavenly Sword Sect!
Even the Sect Leader, mid-battlefield, was stunned, he had no deep bond with Master Hong, yet here he was, advocating for his sect in this dire moment? It left him overwhelmed.
“It must be Lin Yun!”
He quickly realised it had to be Lin Yun’s connection with Master Hong, a strong one at that, he couldn’t think of any other reason.
“Haha, Master Hong from Xiaoyao Tower’s helping our Heavenly Sword Sect!”
Zhi Jin and the sect’s disciples erupted in wild joy.
This was hope.
The Gu family head and the Zhutian Alliance’s ten sect leaders’ faces twitched, Master Hong was interceding for the Heavenly Sword Sect?
“Master Hong, as head of Xiaoyao Tower’s main branch, meddling in this doesn’t bode well for you or the tower’s reputation, aren’t you afraid we’ll report you to your superiors?” the Gu family head said with an awkward smile.
Organisations like Xiaoyao Tower and Taixu Tavern, spread across the four empires and various kingdoms, had rules against interfering in local conflicts unless attacked.
It made sense, operating in cities across the continent, if they meddled in local disputes, chaos would ensue, no empire or kingdom would tolerate it.
“Today’s actions are in my personal capacity, not Xiaoyao Tower’s, I hope you’ll give me this face, Gu family head, if you won’t, we’ve plenty of time ahead in the Xingwu Empire, you might find yourselves in some trouble,” Master Hong said, hands still clasped behind him.
He wouldn’t fight today, bound by Xiaoyao’s rules, his role was to ‘mediate’, not to strike.
“This…”
The Gu family head and the sect leaders’ faces shifted again, Master Hong was threatening them, implying future sabotage from Xiaoyao Tower!
The Gu family head couldn’t help but fear him, as head of Xiaoyao Tower in the Xingwu Empire, he wielded significant influence over its affairs here.
They’d dread him subtly tripping them up later, something he could easily do.
“Master Hong, for the Heavenly Sword Sect and Lin Yun, is it worth crossing my Gu family and all these sects?” the Gu family head said coldly.
“Worth it or not, I’ve my own measure, Gu family head, you just need to decide if you’re willing to cross me,” Master Hong replied calmly.
The Gu family head glanced at the other ten sect leaders, exchanging looks, most nodded in agreement, clearly reluctant to antagonise Master Hong.
After a moment’s pause, he said, “Master Hong, we can consider sparing the Heavenly Sword Sect, but our pursuit of Lin Yun, the Zhutian Alliance will never stop! If you want to protect him too, we’ll cross you, no matter the cost!”
Their main goal was eliminating Lin Yun, that was paramount!
And given the situation, even if they kept fighting, with the Wanderer and Du Yuanzi involved, winning outright and destroying the sect today would cost them dearly.
Add Master Hong into the mix, and it’d be even messier.
So, the Gu family head had to compromise to an extent.
But one thing he wouldn’t budge on was halting the hunt for Lin Yun.
“Fine, I agree!” Master Hong nodded.
He couldn’t join the fight, only mediate, stopping the Zhutian Alliance from wiping out the Heavenly Sword Sect was the best he could manage.
Protect Lin Yun too? He knew he couldn’t, if he pushed it and the alliance turned on him, even the sect wouldn’t be spared.
