“Ying Wuyou. I’ve heard Baishi mention you before and know that you are a man with principles and strength of character. This is excellent. The Hall of Healing precisely lacks people like you.”
Jiang Chen nodded and spoke a few words of encouragement.
When he heard these words, Ying Wuyou felt the pressure on him ease slightly. It looked like young duke’s impression of him wasn’t that bad.
“There are no outsiders here so I’ll speak frankly. Baishi has already left the Hall and will be following me in the future. It’s impossible for him to return to the Hall. However, the future of the Hall still needs someone at the helm. I’ve discussed this with Baishi and we feel that your character and abilities are on par with the Fourth Hallmaster Wang Li. Therefore, we’d like to use you as a term of negotiation in our discussions with the Hall. You can discuss further with Baishi on what the details should be.”
“Me?” Ying Wuyou started and blurted out, “I came to seek shelter with brother Baishi and not to borrow your strength…”
“We know all of this.” Jiang Chen chuckled. “This is also the very reason as to why we’ve decided on you. If you’d come to borrow our influence, we wouldn’t have even considered you. If you can appropriately control the Hall, you will be rendering a great service to mankind and this will also be the best way to follow Qiao Baishi.”
Qiao Baishi also encouraged, “Wuyou, you and I are most intimate of friends. I am quite at ease with your competence and character. I also know that you’ve offended quite a lot of people with your departure this time. The journey back will be difficult. But be at ease, we hold the initiative! The senior executives of the Hall are due for a purging. Those who should be made an example of will be dealt with, and those who should leave will be forced out. If an agreement cannot be met, we’ll forgo cooperation with the Hall. I can at the very least guarantee you food at every meal if you follow me.”
“If they’re willing to cooperate, we will certainly borrow strength from all sides to help you effortlessly control the Hall. You and I were both cultivated by the Hall, and have certainly not expended less time and effort on the Hall than them. Wuyou, are you willing to shoulder this burden for me?”
Ying Wuyou didn’t express his stance. To be honest, he was tempted.
Following Qiao Baishi was a decision of his heart, but he truly did have a very deep connection to the Hall of Healing. If the lineup of the senior executives of the Hall could be adjusted and the useless trash washed out, then he could easily return to the Hall as the successor to the Lord Hallmaster. He could then control of the matters of the Hall. This was indeed a very strong temptation.
“Brother Baishi, I…”
“Don’t hem and haw. You have the ability, just tell me if you have the charisma.” Qiao Baishi was a decisive person.
A surge of strong emotion agitated Ying Wuyou’s heart and he nodded his head abruptly. “Alright, since the young duke and brother Baishi both think so highly of me, I, Ying Wuyou, will give it a try even if I end up on the executioner’s block. The Hall has given birth to me and nurtured me. I can’t bear to watch it be destroyed in the hands of these lowlifes.”
Ying Wuyou was also filled with a bellyful of resentment whenever he thought of Wang Li, Elder Blue, and the others.
….
In one of the large inns in River Wave City, the Hall of Healing had been quite generous and reserved a large yard.
Almost all the senior executives had arrived in the Jiang Han territory.
They had already stayed for a full five days within this inn. Over the past five days, they had obtained intelligence from all sorts of venues that said the young duke was truly in closed door cultivation.
However, they couldn’t obtain any intelligence with regards to Qiao Baishi. It was as if Qiao Baishi was purposefully evading them.
On this morning, several senior executives were sitting dejectedly within a house drinking tea. A cloud of gloom hung over them and they were unable to find any energy within themselves.
Suddenly, a string of rushed footsteps sounded from the outside as one of the middle management members from the Hall hurriedly walked in.
“Lord Hallmaster, there’s news, there’s news! I’ve heard that the young duke has emerged from closed door training.”
“What?” Song Tianxing was overjoyed as he surged to his feet. “Then, did we send over our calling card?”
“Yes, your subordinate did so personally. However, the young duke’s household only accepted the calling card and didn’t express anything else. It seems that we’re to continue waiting.”