Chapter 2159 — Utterly Alarmed

"Oh, so that means I have to heal him too, do I?" Wei Zhao said with a trace of amusement. "Then tell me—do you want to save the man, or do you want to pledge yourself to a leader? Pick one."

"I..." Pi Zhishan's mind raced as he weighed Wei Zhao's question, but it did not take him long to grasp what Wei Zhao meant. Wei Zhao was testing him—was he truly sincere about pledging himself, or was he merely using this chance to have Pi Zhihai treated?

Truth be told, pledging to Wei Zhao as leader had been no more than a passing impulse on Pi Zhishan's part. But then he thought of the awe-inspiring might of the Hidden Han Family—Han Xiaopo, once such a weakling, had not only suddenly become a skilled hand of the early Earth Rank, but now carried himself with more swagger than Pi Zhishan himself—and his heart was moved.

And once the words were out, there was no reining Pi Zhihai in; he was burning to attach himself to Wei Zhao. Who was Wei Zhao? A man who gave headaches to the old masters of so many hidden families and the sect masters of so many factions. If the Hidden Pi Family threw in their lot with such a man, they would surely not come out the worse for it.

Besides, the Hidden Pi Family was not quite the same as the Hidden Han Family. The Hidden Pi were an old-line clan, and by the constraints of the ancient stratum and the Hidden Family Arbitration Association, no family could move openly against another. That was why those people had resorted to the Hidden World Family Summit to deal with the Hidden Han Family. If dealing with the Hidden Han required such elaborate effort, how much more so would it be with the Hidden Pi?

Most important of all, the Hidden Pi Family had backing in that ancient stratum as well—an advantage even greater than the Hidden Han's. Even if the Hidden You and Hidden Yu Families wished to destroy the Hidden Pi, they would have to weigh the balance of interests among the masters behind them. The Divine Fist Hall was no pushover either.

"Of course I mean to pledge myself to you as leader!" Pi Zhishan had thought it through clearly. Once he had pledged, what need was there to fret over saving the man?

"Oh. I will think it over, and observe you for a while," Wei Zhao said. Until he had a clear picture of the Hidden Pi Family's true intentions and temperament, Wei Zhao would not agree lightly. He did not accept every pledge of allegiance that came his way—what sort of allegiance was it that came without sincerity?

"Very good, thank you, Leader Wei Zhao!" Pi Zhishan pressed his advantage and addressed him directly as Leader Wei Zhao. "Leader Wei Zhao, when you leave with the Hidden Han Family shortly, shall our Hidden Pi Family travel with you?"

"Hmm..." Wei Zhao pondered a moment, then said, "Not for now. Since that is how things stand, keep yourselves hidden. I have some confidence in getting out this time. Your Hidden Pi Family can still gather intelligence for me."

"That works too—we will do as Leader Wei Zhao says!" Pi Zhishan said. "This is my mobile number. When you leave the estate, Leader Wei Zhao, if you run into trouble, call me, and our Hidden Pi Family will come to your aid!"

"Good," Wei Zhao answered indifferently.

After hanging up, Wei Zhao saved Pi Zhishan's number in his phone, then looked toward Han Tianba and Han Xiaopo and said, "Pi Zhishan tipped us off. When we leave in a while, those families of the Hidden Zhao and the rest really do mean to move against us!"

"Leader, what are we to do then?" Han Xiaopo had caught fragments of the phone conversation. "This Pi Zhishan coming to pledge allegiance—is it in earnest or in deceit?"

"That is unclear for now, but it does not sound false. He needs me on account of Pi Zhihai's matter, and to the Hidden Pi Family, the interests of those other families are nothing beside Pi Zhihai's life and safety," Wei Zhao said. "This news is likely true, but it does not matter. We will leave as we normally would in a while. Follow my instructions in all things."

"Yes, Leader!" Han Xiaopo trusted Wei Zhao blindly. If Wei Zhao said there was a way, then there was certainly a way.

After dinner, Wei Zhao came to the council hall together with Han Tianba and Han Xiaopo. In the hall, besides Old Master Zhao, there were also Old Master Yu, Old Master You, Old Master Tang, Old Master Pi, Sect Master Wo, and Sect Master Jin. Old Master Zhuang, An Mingyue, and the others were absent—plainly unwilling to take part in this affair.

And Old Master Pi's presence here surely meant he was continuing his role as an undercover agent.

"Old Master Zhao, we have come to complete the formalities. We leave tonight," Han Tianba said.

"Heh heh, Old Master Han, won't you stay a few more days?" Old Master Zhao asked politely.

"No. Our family is from East Sea City as well. We have seen all those scenic sights, so there is no need to go again," Han Tianba said, sneering inwardly while keeping his face utterly composed.

"Very well then, I won't press you to stay!" Old Master Zhao readily handed a pass for the Zhao Family Estate into Han Tianba's hand. "There are still many family heads and sect masters here, so forgive me for not seeing you off in person. With this pass in hand, Old Master Han, you may go anywhere without hindrance and leave directly by the gate!"

"My thanks, then!" Han Tianba said no more and took the pass.

"By the way, Old Master Yu, there is a matter I would like to remind you of." Wei Zhao suddenly halted, turned his head toward Old Master Yu, and said, "Yu Bing and I are on somewhat friendly terms, and I would rather not see you used as someone else's spear without even knowing it!"

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Old Master Yu frowned, a chill rising in his heart as he looked at Wei Zhao.

"Wei Zhao, what nonsense are you spouting? This is the Zhao Family's council hall—do not speak wildly here." Old Master Zhao assumed that Wei Zhao had seen through their alliance against him and was trying to sow discord.

"Heh heh, Old Master Zhao, I have not even said anything yet, and already you object? Could it be a guilty conscience?" Wei Zhao said with a faint smile. "Old Master Yu, would you like to know where the Qi-Gathering Pill is?"

"What? The Qi-Gathering Pill?" Old Master Yu's expression froze, and he asked, "Wei Zhao, what do you mean by that? Is that Qi-Gathering Pill not in your hands?"

"I do have a Qi-Gathering Pill, true enough, but I have already consumed it." Wei Zhao shrugged. "Plotting to get my Qi-Gathering Pill is out of the question now. But there were two Qi-Gathering Pills in that ancient tomb back then—one for me, one for Leader Yu. As for Leader Yu's... would you like to know where it went?"

"What? There were two?" Old Master Yu's eyes went wide. "Where?"

"Wei Zhao, what are you babbling about here? The Hidden World Family Summit is over, you have completed your departure formalities, and you are no longer welcome here!" Old Master Zhao said furiously.

He was seized with panic, instinctively sensing that something gravely amiss was at hand. For Wei Zhao to say such things at such a moment, he must have grasped something of the situation—and against whom it was aimed went without saying. How could Old Master Zhao not be alarmed?

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