Ning Fa frowned and said, "What is there to hide from me? Is someone targeting the Huayu Sect?"
As he spoke, a sharp glint flashed in Ning Fa's eyes.
At this moment, Chou Zheng spoke up, "That's right, Senior Brother Ouyang, what can't be said to Uncle-Master Ning? I've had enough too!"
As he said this, Chou Zheng's face was filled with anger.
Then he directly shouted, "Uncle-Master, your guess is correct, someone is indeed targeting our Huayu Sect!
Ever since the Supreme Elder Council issued this regulation, besides the regular missions, the execution lists for those high-difficulty missions often include our sect's name.
So, despite our sect making great sacrifices, the mission completion rate hasn't been ideal, resulting in much less merit compared to other sects. This has led to our current situation.
Therefore, to preserve this spiritual mountain, even though most of our Core Formation elders are injured, Uncle-Master Cang Lei still has to lead a team to complete missions, all in order to earn more merit."
Upon hearing this, Ning Fa was furious. A terrifying spiritual pressure emanated from him, instantly making the grand hall feel like a deep abyss.
The Core Formation elders' faces turned pale, and they even found it difficult to breathe.
However, they couldn't help but look at Ning Fa with secret delight, as it was enough to show Ning Fa's astonishing strength.
Ning Fa took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, but still asked with great anger, "Why is the Supreme Elder Council targeting our Huayu Sect? And is Senior Brother Cang Lei just standing by and watching? Hasn't he appealed to the Spiritual Pivot Pavilion?"
Ouyang Zhenhua sighed and said, "After our Huayu Sect received several high-difficulty missions in succession, Uncle-Master Cang Lei finally couldn't stand it anymore and went to the Elder Council to demand an explanation.
But the Elder Council said that for the sake of fairness, the issuance of these high-difficulty missions was determined by a lottery.
So, it was just our sect's bad luck to be drawn repeatedly, and no one else could be blamed. They even said that Uncle-Master Cang Lei could watch the next lottery draw.
As a result, in the subsequent few lottery draws, Uncle-Master Cang Lei was present and watched, but he found no anomalies, and our sect was still drawn most of the time.
At this point, Uncle-Master Cang Lei had nothing more to say, but we all knew in our hearts that there must be something fishy going on, otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?
Later, we sought help from Senior Sang Wen of the Spiritual Pivot Pavilion. She has also successfully formed her Nascent Soul now, and she promised to help mediate.
For the next few years, the missions our sect received did indeed become more normal.
But after only a few years, the high-difficulty missions gradually increased again, and by then, we could no longer contact Senior Sang."
At this moment, Cheng Susu also said worriedly, "Husband, it was from that time that I never saw Xiao An again."
Hearing this, the sharp light in Ning Fa's eyes flickered, and the aura emanating from him was terrifying, making the few people feel a sense of dread.
Then Ning Fa slowly restrained his aura and said expressionlessly, "I believe that not all elders in the Elder Council are targeting our sect. It should be just one or two individuals, and they seem to hold high positions.
You must have some clues after all this time. Tell me, who is it?"
There was a moment of silence among them, and then Chou Zheng said in a deep voice, "According to our speculation, it should be two people.
The Pei Family Ancestor, Pei Nanshu, and the Grand Elder of the Yuxu Gate of the Righteous Path Alliance, True Lord Yu Chan."
Ning Fa's eyebrows shot up, and he looked surprised.
He never expected it to be these two.
And these two were not simple; they were precisely two of the three newly promoted Great Cultivators in Cangyuan over the past fifty years.
If these two were behind the scheme, it would be understandable why this situation had occurred.
After all, these were two Great Cultivators, and there were only nine in the entire Cangyuan, with two of them on the western front defending against the Sea Race.
It was no wonder that Wu Hong and Cao Xian had such hesitant expressions before, as they truly dared not speak carelessly when it involved Great Cultivators.
But the question was, why would these two Great Cultivators target the Huayu Sect?
And why would they, with their cultivation reaching the level of Great Cultivators, still target an ordinary Nascent Soul sect like the Huayu Sect?
Could it be because of him?
But he had never met them before.
At this moment, Chou Zheng continued, "As for why True Lord Yu Chan targets our sect, we have some idea. It's because of someone.
His name is Shi Shaoyang, do you still remember him, Uncle-Master?"
Ning Fa was stunned upon hearing this.
Shi Shaoyang...
Suddenly, some distant memories surfaced in his mind.
It was back at Thousand Wave Lake, before he left the Ning Family. Shi Shaoyang was the young master of the Chang Kong Alliance of the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, and he was madly infatuated with Meng Ruoqi.
Later, because he helped the Meng Family, Shi Shaoyang's master died tragically.
Afterward, Meng Ruoqi chose to stay at the Ning Family. Ning Fa, wanting to eliminate future trouble, intended to kill Shi Shaoyang directly, but Meng Ruoqi pleaded with him, and he ultimately let him go. He didn't expect this person to appear now.
Ning Fa's expression immediately turned grim. "I remember this Shi Shaoyang. What is his relationship with True Lord Yu Chan?"
Chou Zheng said in a deep voice, "Their relationship is not small, because Shi Shaoyang is the son-in-law of True Lord Yu Chan's daughter.
It is said that True Lord Yu Chan's only daughter encountered danger while traveling abroad, and Shi Shaoyang risked his life to save her. Therefore, True Lord Yu Chan values him very highly.
Later, Shi Shaoyang married his daughter and was also taken in as a personal disciple by True Lord Yu Chan.
So, because of True Lord Yu Chan, Shi Shaoyang now holds a very high position. Even ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators have to give him face.
And this Shi Shaoyang..."
Chou Zheng wanted to say more but stopped, yet Ning Fa already understood everything.
If it was Shi Shaoyang, then he had every motive to come trouble the Huayu Sect or the Ning Family.
But Ning Fa still couldn't help but feel his anger surge.
Shi Shaoyang was one thing; after all, Ning Fa had snatched the woman Shi Shaoyang loved. It was normal for him to seek revenge now that he had the upper hand. Ning Fa would certainly retaliate when he returned.
The problem was that True Lord Yu Chan, disregarding the dignity of a Great Cultivator, was influenced by his son-in-law to target a Nascent Soul sect, especially when they were resisting an external enemy.
At this moment, Ning Fa's expression suddenly changed as he thought of Meng Ruoqi.
After all, Meng Ruoqi was the root of Shi Shaoyang's hatred. Now that this person had power, his first act of revenge would likely be against Meng Ruoqi.
Cheng Susu looked at him worriedly and quickly said, "Husband, you don't need to worry. Sister Ruoqi is fine.
Indeed, a mysterious cultivator appeared and tried to abduct Sister Ruoqi. Fortunately, Uncle-Master Cang Lei discovered him and scared the person away.
Later, we learned about Shi Shaoyang's situation, so we've kept Sister Ruoqi in the sect's secure areas. She's on the mountain now, and you'll be able to see her shortly."
Hearing this, Ning Fa felt relieved.
However, he clenched his fists, his heart filled with rage. They dared to come and forcibly abduct her? This made him wish he could storm over there right now.
He suppressed his emotions and asked, "Then what's this about the Pei Family Ancestor, Pei Nanshu?"
Everyone present exchanged glances. Ouyang Zhenhua hesitated slightly and said, "Actually, we still don't understand why this Pei Family Ancestor is targeting our Huayu Sect.
Moreover, his hostility towards our Huayu Sect and the Ning Family is even greater than True Lord Yu Chan's.
Compared to him, True Lord Yu Chan is merely an accomplice, while he is the main culprit.
The Nascent Soul seniors like Miaoyin, Yun Jing, and Tian Fu couldn't stand it and jointly submitted a request to the Elder Council.
They hoped that given our Huayu Sect's continuous execution of high-difficulty missions, we would be assigned some easier tasks to recuperate. However, this Pei Family Ancestor directly rejected all of them.
We even heard that the sect leader of another major Righteous Path sect, the Jingming Sect, also interceded on our behalf, but Pei Nanshu directly refused him as well."
Ning Fa was so surprised that he momentarily forgot his anger. This was very strange.
He hadn't even heard of this Pei Family Ancestor before. Why did he harbor such great animosity towards the Huayu Sect and the Ning Family?
Furthermore, targeting both the Huayu Sect and the Ning Family simultaneously suggested it might be related to him.
Cheng Ziyi said with a worried expression, "Xiao Fa, you need to calm down. You might not know them, but these two are newly promoted Great Cultivators in recent years.
So, don't act impulsively. Since you're back now, I believe these two won't go too far in the future."
Cheng Susu also said worriedly, "Yes, Husband, you must remain calm."
Others also chimed in to persuade him. After all, no matter how much confidence they had in Ning Fa, facing two Great Cultivators was a despairing thought.
A cold glint flashed in Ning Fa's eyes.
They were just two newly advanced Great Cultivators, their strength at most at the lower-tier Great Cultivator level. It was highly possible that even if they joined forces, they wouldn't be his match.
Now they dared to provoke him. Since he was back, they should prepare for his reckoning.
If he was angered, he wouldn't care about righteousness or the bigger picture. If he didn't get a satisfactory explanation, he wouldn't hesitate to kill them both!
The sharp aura emanating from Ning Fa startled everyone. Just as they were about to persuade him further, Ning Fa suddenly returned to normal and asked curiously:
"What about our Yunhuang Alliance's True Lord Kongli and that Sword Lord Xu Yi?
If the forces within our alliance are bullied by other Great Cultivators like this, won't they do anything?"
Everyone exchanged glances, their expressions troubled, seemingly unsure how to answer.
Ning Fa's brow furrowed. He suddenly thought of something and slowly said, "Could it be related to me?"
Ouyang Zhenhua nodded with a wry smile. "That's indeed the case. For some reason, True Lord Kongli and Sword Lord Xu Yi seem to dislike Uncle very much. So, even though they didn't come to trouble us, they also didn't help."
Ning Fa's sword-like eyebrows knitted tightly. Then, his mind raced, and he suddenly thought of a possibility.
Could it be related to the Divine Maiden Zhu Lingyun?
Did True Lord Kongli and Xu Yi find out about his past with her?
But Ning Fa still found it difficult to understand.
He didn't believe Zhu Lingyun would tell such private matters to others, especially not Xu Yi.
At this moment, Ning Fa recalled Wu Hong's unusual expression when he had asked about Zhu Lingyun's recent situation, and her saying that Zhu Lingyun had been in seclusion for many years.
Ning Fa now vaguely felt that Zhu Lingyun's seclusion was probably not that simple.
Something might have happened, and it was likely related to him, which was why both Kongli and Xu Yi disliked him so much.
What exactly could it be?