Chapter 247: Refusing Battle

Chapter 247: Refusing Battle

Aunt Jin glanced at Meng Zhang and said, "Sect Master Meng, you have suffered serious injuries. The three of us received distress signals and went to reinforce the Golden Blade Sect, but we arrived a step too late."

"The Golden Blade Sect's entire force was annihilated under the siege of the sand monster army, and even Brother Ruan didn't manage to escape; unfortunately, he got trapped within the sand monster horde."

"We engaged in a fierce battle against the sand monster army, but we were vastly outnumbered and unable to hold our ground."

"We managed to break free after great difficulty, but got separated from Sect Master Meng."

"Now that we see Sect Master Meng safe and sound, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Upon hearing Aunt Jin's words, Daoist Guang Hong responded sharply, "Who would have expected such a ferocious attack from the sand monster army this time?"

Zhao Jiudou interjected sarcastically, "Your Forest Spring Watch's Sect Master Guang Hui Daoist personally led the army to pursue the sand monster group. I wonder where he chased them to; unexpectedly, such a large group of sand monsters appeared here."

Guang Hong Daoist's expression turned gloomy upon hearing Zhao Jiudou's words, but he remained silent.The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

Seeing Meng Zhang's puzzled expression, Jin Qigu explained to him:

"After receiving the distress signal from the Golden Blade Sect, Aunt Jin and I went to provide assistance. As for whether the Golden Blade Sect was ambushed by the roaming sand monsters or if they discovered the sand monster nest, leading to the attack, we are unsure."

"The area where the Golden Blade Sect was located was completely occupied by the sand monster army, making it impossible for us to get close."

"After the Golden Blade Sect sent out the distress signal, the Forest Mountain School also suffered a surprise attack from the sand monsters."

After discussing the next strategic plan, everyone dispersed. Meng Zhang left the flying boat and returned to his own team. The flying boats of the three sects dispersed to avoid being surrounded by the sand monster army together. However, they remained relatively close, maintaining a distance that allowed them to assist each other if needed.

Not long after Meng Zhang returned to the Taiyi Sect's flying boat, Jin Qigu came to visit. Jin Qigu claimed to discuss coordinated operations and stood with Meng Zhang at the bow of the flying boat to chat.

After some small talk, Jin Qigu began to probe whether Meng Zhang had seen the circumstances of Ruan Dadao's death. Meng Zhang pretended to be confused at this moment, stating that when Ruan Dadao was surrounded by sand monsters, he was too far away to rescue him in time and could only watch as Ruan Dadao was besieged and killed by the sand monsters.

Listening to Meng Zhang's words, Jin Qigu stared at him for a while and then revealed some private information. He mentioned that Qiaoshou Sect and Golden Blade Sect were closely related, and some Qiaoshou Sect female disciples had married into the Golden Blade Sect. Over the years, Qiaoshou Sect had established reliable sources of information within the Golden Blade Sect.

It was revealed that Ruan Dadao colluded with the demonic beings from the Yellow Lotus Sect and leaked Jin Qiao'er's whereabouts, leading to the ambush near Firewell Market. Jin Qigu then specifically urged Meng Zhang not to disclose this information. Ruan Dadao was already dead, and it was best to preserve his reputation for the sake of the Golden Blade Sect.

With the mid-Foundation Building stage leader Ruan Dadao gone, the Golden Blade Sect could not solely rely on the Refining Qi stage disciples to defend its foundation. The decline of the Golden Blade Sect was now inevitable. Their territories, as well as the territories they had seized during expansion, had become attractive targets.

While Forest Spring Watch would likely claim the largest and most valuable piece, if Qiaoshou Sect and Taiyi Sect joined forces, they could still secure a smaller portion. The alliance between Qiaoshou Sect and the Taiyi Sect could not be maintained with the weakened Golden Blade Sect as an ally. They should support each other and share both prosperity and adversity in the future.

In terms of benefits, Qiaoshou Sect would follow Taiyi Sect's lead. Meng Zhang looked at Jin Qigu, remaining silent for a long time. Many years ago, he deliberately befriended Qiaoshou Sect to alleviate the pressure they and the Golden Blade Sect posed to Taiyi Sect. He had never anticipated that things would develop to this extent.

Even if the Golden Blade Sect were not to be destroyed this time, it could no longer retain its former status and interests. Fate had brought Taiyi Sect and Qiaoshou Sect together to become allies. Regardless of the reliability of Jin Qigu's promises or the trustworthiness of Qiaoshou Sect as an ally, Taiyi Sect undeniably needed an ally.

Originally a small and inconspicuous sect, Taiyi Sect gradually rose after Meng Zhang became the Sect Master. With insufficient overall accumulation and a lack of connections, they were easily isolated. Having Qiaoshou Sect, even if not entirely reliable, as an ally would help Taiyi Sect make up for its shortcomings. Both sects had complementary strengths, and Taiyi Sect genuinely needed Qiaoshou Sect as an ally.

With determination, Meng Zhang agreed to form an alliance with Qiaoshou Sect. However, this alliance was only verbal; no formal agreement or detailed arrangements were made. Both sects were vassals of Forest Spring Watch, so it was best not to arouse suspicion and let them get too close, though a closer relationship was acceptable as long as Forest Spring Watch didn't discover their alliance.

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