Translator: AnubisTL
"What should we do? Should we reveal the secret of the Immortal Eye to the public?" Chu Youhuan asked softly, her face filled with worry, whispering into Gu Feng's ear.
Qiu Potian had the support of the former Sect Master and the Crown Prince. Without a miracle, it would be difficult for Gu Feng to turn the situation around.
The only plan now was to spread the secret of the Immortal Eye, causing chaos, and then take advantage of the confusion.
"The chances of success are too slim. We can't take the risk," Gu Feng said solemnly, his mind racing as he quickly assessed the current situation.
The Crown Prince had been pressuring the Sunset Glow Sect for some time, yet the Immortal Eye beneath the Sect Master's residence remained intact. This indicated that the Crown Prince had not revealed the secret of the Immortal Eye to the former Sect Master. Even within the Inner Sect of the Sunset Glow Sect, the Immortal Eye remained a secret.
From Liu Wuxiang's behavior, it seemed he was unaware of the Immortal Eye's existence.
Shu Yuheng, who knew about the Immortal Eye, was already dead. Given his personality, he would never have disclosed this secret to anyone.
Even within the entire Qiu family, only the Three Heroes of the Qiu family and the Qiu family head knew this secret.
Given Qiu Potian's ruthlessness, he had likely already killed any Inner Sect disciples he believed knew the secret.
In other words, among those present, only he and Qiu Potian knew the secret of the Immortal Eye.
To be precise, in Qiu Potian's mind, he was the only one who knew this secret, as Gu Feng was not from the families of those craftsmen from back then.
"At this point, the only way to ascend to the position of Sect Master and seize the Immortal Eye is through a major battle!" Gu Feng thought, organizing his thoughts.
The Outer Sect Elders should be on his side, but their strength was far from sufficient. He could only try to leverage the power of the shareholder families.
In ordinary disputes, the shareholders would never intervene, but if it concerned the Swamp Fortress, that would be different.
"Qiu Potian, you sided with the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince worked so hard to push you to the position of Sect Master of the Sunset Glow Sect, all for my Swamp Fortress!" Gu Feng shouted at Qiu Potian.
Hearing this, Qiu Potian was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized that Gu Feng was trying to stir up conflict between him and the various forces of Cloud Prefecture.
He immediately denied it.
Gu Feng smiled without saying a word.
This statement clearly struck a nerve with the Myriad Harmony Guild, the Bao family, the Unwavering Sect, the Cloud Prefecture Prince's family, and other forces.
If the Outer Sect of the Sunset Glow Sect were defeated and Gu Feng perished, 59% of the shares of the Swamp Fortress would fall into the hands of the Inner Sect of the Sunset Glow Sect. Qiu Tian, being the Crown Prince's lackey, would effectively make the Crown Prince the major shareholder of the Swamp Zone.
This would be highly unfavorable for them.
Even if Gu Feng acted recklessly, they still had the ability to restrain him. But how could they restrain the Crown Prince, who was destined to ascend the throne?
Promises meant nothing in the face of absolute status and power.
Moreover, the century-long lease of the Swamp Fortress was signed in Gu Feng's name. If he were gone, the very existence of the Swamp Fortress would be in question.
Now, they were in a dilemma.
Facing Gu Feng were five Supreme Elders of the Qiu family, the Inner Sect of the Sunset Glow Sect, and two teams of personal guards. A direct confrontation would inevitably result in heavy casualties.
"Old Yan, what do you think? The situation doesn't look good," Bao Tian, the head of the Bao family, asked in a low voice.
"Let's wait and see. Many Supreme Elders of the Sunset Glow Sect haven't shown up... No matter what, Gu Feng cannot die," Yan Hanyun replied gravely.
"Indeed, as long as Gu Feng is alive, the majority of the shares still belong to him personally. There might still be variables, especially since the Supreme Elder of the Sunset Glow Sect hasn't appeared yet!" The family of the Cloud Prefecture Prefect also made their stance clear.
The Sunset Glow Sect has a heritage of five thousand years, with extraordinary depth. After the Sect Master steps down, they become a Supreme Elder. Some ordinary Elders, tired of worldly affairs and having reached the required strength, also become Supreme Elders.
It is no exaggeration to say that the number of Supreme Elders in the Sunset Glow Sect is undoubtedly the highest among all forces in Cloud Prefecture.
Their attitude is crucial!
Qiu Potian glared fiercely at Gu Feng. He wanted to kill Gu Feng and seize the treasures on him. However, the most critical task at hand was to succeed as the Sect Master. Once he became the Sect Master, crushing Gu Feng would be as easy as lifting a finger.
Under the gaze of the crowd, Qiu Potian, accompanied by two teams of the Crown Prince's personal guards and five Supreme Elders from the Qiu family, ascended the high platform.
"Old Sect Master, this must not be done! If you pass the Sect Master position to Qiu Potian, the Sunset Glow Sect will become the Qiu family's domain..."
"Qiu Potian has allied with the Crown Prince. Passing the Sect Master position to him would mean the Sunset Glow Sect becomes a subordinate of the Crown Prince!"
"..."
Several Inner Sect Elders began to dissuade.
"My decision is final. From today, Qiu Potian is the Sect Master of the Sunset Glow Sect!"
"Absolutely not! We must summon the Supreme Elders!" Seeing the old Sect Master about to hand the Sect Master's token to Qiu Potian, Liu Wuxiang, in desperation, called for the Supreme Elders.
"How lively! It's been many years since the Sunset Glow Sect has been this bustling," said a hunched old man, leaning on a cane, walking through the void.
His steps were slow, each step forming a stair beneath his feet.
The former Chief Elder of the Outer Sect!!
"Hahaha, it's been many years since I last appeared. Today, I came out for some fresh air!" Another old man descended from the sky.
The former Chief Elder of the Inner Sect's Cultivation Method Hall!!
After the appearance of these two Supreme Elders, more Supreme Elders emerged one after another.
In an instant, eighteen figures appeared in the sky, showcasing the depth of the Sunset Glow Sect—eighteen Sea Condensation Cultivators.
"We welcome the Supreme Elders!!"
Everyone, including the old Sect Master, bowed and shouted in unison.
"The Sunset Glow Sect remains the top sect in Cloud Prefecture, with Sea Condensation Cultivators outnumbering those in our Unwavering Sect by half," sighed Lin Xinhua, the Sect Master of the Unwavering Sect.
"Their attitude is crucial, almost determining the future of the Sunset Glow Sect!" Gu Santong said with a grave expression.
Everyone held their breath, and the entire Sunset Glow Sect fell silent, as if a heavy lid had been placed over the void, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
"We are aware of what has happened here! We old folks have discussed it and have reached a decision!" one of the Supreme Elders declared.
"Discussed it? I didn't know about it!" another Supreme Elder immediately retorted.
"I'm not aware either!"
"Whether you're aware or not is irrelevant to the final decision!"
"You old fool, what are you saying?"
"..."
An absurd scene unfolded. Before the final result was announced, the eighteen Supreme Elders were already in a heated argument.
They were divided into two factions, one with twelve and the other with six, arguing fiercely.
Seeing Elder Liu's grim expression, Gu Feng's heart sank. Clearly, two-thirds of the Supreme Elders agreed to pass the Sect Master position to Qiu Potian.
"Senior Zhu, you are after all the founder of the Sunset Glow Sect. These disciples and descendants are about to hand over the sect. Aren't you going to do something about it?" Gu Feng couldn't help but vent his frustration to Zhu Qingyan.
"You're my disciple's disciple, and I can't even control you. How could I possibly control them?" Zhu Qingyan retorted with a pout.
"Gu Feng, don't argue anymore. The tide is not in your favor. The Swamp Fortress has investments from the Grand Harmony Academy, and they won't act recklessly," Chu Youhuan whispered, trying to persuade him. She had assessed the situation and realized it was very unfavorable for Gu Feng. If he persisted, he might face a great calamity.
At that moment, Yan Yexue also entered the scene and approached Gu Feng.
"Father asked me to tell you that all the shareholders present support you. Although they won't go to war for you, they absolutely won't allow anyone to take your life."
Gu Feng nodded slightly. He understood the shareholders' intentions and their choices. If he were in their position, he wouldn't risk his entire family for a collaborator either.
Their relationship hadn't reached the point of life-and-death trust, so their willingness to protect his life was already commendable.
"Gu Feng, what will you choose?" Chu Youhuan asked, her voice filled with concern as she noticed Gu Feng's increasingly resolute gaze.
Gu Feng remained silent, his eyes narrowing slightly as he silently communicated with Zhu Qingyan, asking about his chances of survival. After receiving a positive response, he smiled casually.
"Of course, I'll fight for it!"
Gu Feng stepped forward, heading towards the stage.
At that moment, the Inner and Outer Sects were still engaged in a heated debate.
They saw Gu Feng but paid him no attention.
Gu Feng walked straight onto the stage, and as he passed by Liu Wuxiang, he whispered, "Be ready to save me!"
This abrupt and cryptic statement left Liu Wuxiang bewildered, unsure of what Gu Feng meant.
"Qiu Potian, I never thought you, a stray dog, would have a chance to turn the tables," Gu Feng said calmly as he approached Qiu Potian.
"Haha, I'm just lucky. What can you do about it?" Qiu Potian sneered, crossing his arms and looking down at Gu Feng.
"If I didn't know the secret of the Immortal Eye, I would have stayed as far away as possible. But unfortunately, I do know, so..." Gu Feng's words were soft, audible only to Qiu Potian.
When the words "Immortal Eye" reached his ears, Qiu Potian's pupils contracted, and a sense of foreboding surged through his entire body.
Gu Feng knew about the Immortal Eye, which meant he wouldn't give up!
So, he came here to kill me?
The thought flashed through his mind, making every hair on his body stand on end. He wanted to retreat quickly, to escape from Gu Feng.
However, his speed was still too slow.
Gu Feng's fist shot out like a bolt of lightning, piercing through Qiu Potian's chest. Spiritual Power exploded, and before Qiu Potian could even scream, his body turned to dust.
The entire hall fell into a deathly silence!
Everyone was shaken by this sudden turn of events!
Gu Feng had just publicly killed Qiu Potian!
Was he insane?!?!
"Alright, everyone, stop arguing. Qiu Potian is already dead!"
Gu Feng spoke calmly.
(End of the Chapter)
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