Once the discussion was settled, everyone except those with urgent business would remain behind to guard the villa. These were extraordinary times; leaving only one or two people on watch as they did in ordinary days would be nowhere near enough. Only by pooling the strength of them all could they hold the villa. After all, the men of the Tai Gu Alliance were all masters of the Heavenly Dao stage—any one of them who barged in would be a force to be reckoned with, and a handful of people could never cope with that.

As for Qiu Lingshan, she returned to the Mystery Investigation Bureau. There she supervised the hunt for the primordial spirit cultivator on one front, and on the other, after discussing matters with Feng Tianlong, began preparations to assemble a cultivation alliance spanning the entire secular world. The first thing she had to do was contact those ancient sects, warn them not to clash with the Tai Gu Alliance, and at the same time sound them out on the idea of a united front.

The reactions of the ancient sects were almost identical. Apart from expressing gratitude for the Mystery Investigation Bureau's warning, they were somewhat equivocal on the matter of a united front. They too knew that things having come to this pass, joining forces was the best choice, but the matter was of grave consequence and would require a good deal of discussion within each sect. Most crucial of all was this: once the united front was formed, who would lead it?

Looking back over the whole history of cultivation, in any alliance whatsoever, the scramble for power and the play of scheming had always been the order of the day. The Mystery Investigation Bureau was admittedly the obvious choice to take the lead; neither the secular level nor the hidden level would raise much objection. But these ancient sects were a different matter. To make them bow their heads was all but impossible—unless a forceful figure like Wei Zhao of old stepped forward.

Qiu Lingshan could not help but grow anxious in secret. At this rate, heaven only knew how much wrangling the business of the united front would involve. And if word leaked out and the Tai Gu Alliance learned of it, and the other side set about dividing and conquering them one by one, that would be even more troublesome.

What Qiu Lingshan had not expected was that before she could sound out all the ancient sects, the Tai Gu Alliance had already made its move!

"What? Something has happened at Snow Valley?" Wu Chengtian and the others were thunderstruck at the news.

"I am not entirely clear on the details myself. Their reply said two Heavenly Dao stage masters came knocking for trouble, intending to forcibly take disciples of exceptional aptitude away from Snow Valley. Words led to blows, and many in Snow Valley were gravely wounded!" Qiu Lingshan said with a grim expression.

"Heavenly Dao stage masters—then they must be from the Tai Gu Alliance. Wolves' ambition, just as I thought!" Everyone was filled with righteous fury at the news.

Just then another message came through on her phone. Qiu Lingshan glanced at it, and her face changed drastically. Clenching her teeth, she said, "Tang Yun's mother has been hurt as well!"

"Those bastards!" Everyone was aghast, and a towering rage swept out from the villa. True, Tang Yun's mother had no ties of any kind with any of them, but she was Wei Zhao's mother-in-law! Wei Zhao had left them to guard the household, and now they could not even protect Tang Yun's mother—how would they ever have the face to meet Wei Zhao again?

"No. This is not something we can swallow in silence. We go to Snow Valley!" Wu Chengtian said in a fury.

"Right. So what if it is the Tai Gu Alliance? So what if they are Heavenly Dao stage masters? As long as we stake everything on one desperate fight, I refuse to believe we have no chance at all. At worst we throw our lives away!" The others too were seething with rage.

"But what about Mengyao and the others?" Qiu Lingshan said with a frown. She too could not choke down this foul breath, but if they all rushed off on impulse in the heat of the moment and Gu Mengyao and the rest were left with no one to look after them—or worse, came to harm because of it—the regret would be beyond remedy.

The others looked at one another, and just as they were about to discuss it, a voice came drifting down from the staircase to the second floor: "You mean those lovely ladies upstairs, still unconscious? Don't worry. Just come with me to the Tai Gu Alliance."

Watching the man slowly descend the stairs, everyone was greatly alarmed and surrounded him in a tight ring as though facing a mortal enemy. Wu Chengtian barked coldly, "Who are you? How did you get in?"

"Who am I? Has she not introduced me to you?" As he spoke, the newcomer settled himself on the sofa with perfect composure, not regarding this pack of Heaven Rank Great Perfection masters in the least.

All eyes turned as one to Qiu Lingshan. Her face was a mix of shock and fury. Clenching her teeth, she said, "Xue Jianfeng!"

At this, the pressure on Wu Chengtian and the others redoubled. No one could have imagined that Xue Jianfeng would suddenly appear in the villa—and stroll brazenly down from the second floor at that—while so many Heaven Rank Great Perfection masters had failed to notice a thing. Such strength was truly enough to make one's heart leap with fright.

"Why are you here? What have you done to Mengyao and the others?" Qiu Lingshan demanded at once, and at the same time shot a look at Ying Ziyu and the others beside her, who immediately rushed up the stairs to check.

"Rest easy. I am, after all, the senior disciple of a sect in the Tai Gu Alliance. I would not stoop to anything so sly and despicable. Those women are all unconscious—what could I possibly do to them?" Xue Jianfeng said mildly.

"Is that so?" Qiu Lingshan and the others were hardly convinced. It was not until Ying Ziyu and the rest came back downstairs and confirmed that Gu Mengyao and the others had not been touched and that all was as usual that they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very well. Now I can answer your first question—why am I here? The reason is simple. I went to the Mystery Investigation Bureau and could not find you, so naturally I had to condescend to come here in person." Xue Jianfeng's tone was haughty.

Qiu Lingshan was startled to the core. Dull as she might be, she had already grasped it: she had plainly been followed by this bastard!

Realizing this, Qiu Lingshan was beside herself with chagrin. She had been far too careless. Knowing full well that this creature meant no good, she had still swaggered straight over to the villa. If anything had gone wrong, she would have been guilty of a crime no death could atone for!

In truth, she was simply overthinking it. With Xue Jianfeng's strength, following anyone present was a trifling matter. Unless she had never come to the villa to meet the others at all, this outcome had been inevitable, and the blame was not hers in the least.

"Good. Since you are here, you may as well give us an explanation. Last time you insisted at every turn that you would not disrupt the order of the secular world—but what about now? Surely you will not claim you know nothing of the fine work your Tai Gu Alliance has done at Snow Valley?" Qiu Lingshan demanded furiously.

"Snow Valley?" Xue Jianfeng arched his brows with a trace of amusement and curled his lip. "I have heard people speak of that business. It is true the Tai Gu Alliance has a rule that the order of the secular world must not be disturbed at will—but it is only a rule. Whether it is strictly observed varies from person to person." (To be continued.)