The Eight Halls had gone from enemies to kin, an outcome Chen Ping hadn’t anticipated.
But it was the best result. Chen Ping still knew little about the Temple and the divine race, but with the Eight Halls’ leader as his father-in-law, he could better understand them.
He knew the Temple wouldn’t let this go, and a battle with the entire divine race might loom. Chen Ping needed to know his enemy.
For now, he had Huo Zhao keep the Eight Halls’ people on the Cangxuan Continent. Lan Lianhua was quite welcoming to them.
After all, a strong ally was far better than a strong enemy.
Yesterday’s foes were today’s confidants!
Change could be so surreal.
All because Chen Ping had forcibly slept with Huo Jingjing one night, everything had shifted.
“Father-in-law, can you tell me more about the Temple and the divine race?” Chen Ping asked Huo Zhao.
He wanted to learn more about the Temple.
Huo Zhao’s expression grew serious, and he said quietly, “Dear son-in-law, you killed the Inspector. The Temple won’t let it slide.”
“The divine race sees themselves as the chosen, their bloodline noble, never allowing defilement by outsiders.”
“And you…” He glanced at Huo Jingjing beside Chen Ping, hesitating.
Huo Jingjing blushed slightly and said softly, “Father, Chen Ping didn’t mean to offend the divine race. Besides… I was willing.”
Huo Zhao gave a bitter smile and shook his head, “Silly girl, the Temple won’t care if you were willing.”
“If a divine maiden marries an outsider, the lightest punishment is losing her cultivation, the heaviest… execution!”
Chen Ping frowned, “That tyrannical?”
Huo Zhao nodded, “That’s how the divine race’s rules have always been.”
“But…” He lowered his voice, “If you want to oppose the Temple, dear son-in-law, it’s not entirely hopeless.”
“Oh?” Chen Ping’s eyes narrowed, “What’s your insight, father-in-law?”
A glint flashed in Huo Zhao’s eyes, “The divine race isn’t a monolith!”
“Though the Eight Halls are under the Temple, we’re just peripheral forces. The real power lies in the ‘Divine King Palace.’”
“And within the Divine King Palace, there are two factions—conservatives and reformers!”
“The conservatives insist on pure divine bloodlines, forbidding intermarriage with outsiders, while the reformers believe that to sustain the divine race’s glory, we must recruit outside talents and break the bloodline shackles!”
Chen Ping pondered, “So, father-in-law, you’re with… the reformers?”
Huo Zhao laughed, “You’re sharp, dear son-in-law!”
“Though the Eight Halls outwardly follow the Temple’s orders, we’ve long been dissatisfied with their outdated rules!”
“If I hadn’t been gravely injured in that soul-separation battle with you, I’d have rebelled already!”
Hearing this, Chen Ping felt a bit embarrassed, having injured Huo Zhao twice.
“How’s your injury now, father-in-law?” Chen Ping asked.
Huo Zhao shook his head, sighing, “The Temple doesn’t care much for us peripheral forces, so we get few resources. Without them, my injury won’t heal easily.”
“If I hadn’t been desperate, I wouldn’t have led my people to this First Heaven, taken over Flying Tiger City, and plundered resources.”
“Father-in-law, were the Eight Halls in the Second Heaven before?” Chen Ping asked curiously.
“Indeed. I still have a residence in the Second Heaven, but injured and with the Eight Halls’ strength, gathering resources there was tough, so we came to the First Heaven,” Huo Zhao nodded.
“Father-in-law, since I caused your injury, I’ll make it up to you,” Chen Ping said.
