Chapter 2307 — Backup Plan

But that was not what Old Ancestor Xuanchen wanted. What he wanted was to return to that tier—the tier his sect should rightfully have returned to long ago. And to return there, the only path was for him and his fellow disciples to set foot upon a higher realm!

To set foot upon a higher realm, they could not do without that plan!

Yet now—had it all come to nothing? A flower in the mirror, a moon in the water, an empty dream?

Looking at his master Old Ancestor Xuanchen's exceedingly grim expression, the sixth disciple gave a bitter smile and said, "It is all my fault and junior brother Twelve's—we bungled the affair and something went wrong. Please, Master, punish us!"

"Forget it. This matter is not on you." Old Ancestor Xuanchen waved a hand. "I never imagined that the old madman, after all these years, would not decline but advance in skill—that he could muster such a grand array and kill little Thirteen. Against him, your odds of victory were slim at best! That the two of you have returned safe and sound is a blessing in misfortune!"

Old Ancestor Xuanchen did not blame his disciples at random, for he knew well that in this affair they were in truth blameless. After all, the whole thing had been unforeseeable. Had he known beforehand that the Heaven-Rank old madman had grown so formidable, he would have sent little One and little Two and the others—he would never have entrusted the task to little Six and little Twelve.

"Thank you for your understanding, Master..." The sixth disciple let out a breath of relief. It seemed that though the master grieved, he could still tell right from wrong and would not lay blame about carelessly.

"That Zhang Naipao—have you found any word of him? Just who is this person, and whence does he come?" asked Old Ancestor Xuanchen.

"Eldest senior brother has already gone to investigate. Word should come soon, I think?" said the sixth disciple.

"Mm..." Old Ancestor Xuanchen nodded. Even as they spoke, a formidable figure walked in—a man of peak Heaven-Rank late-stage strength, infinitely close to Great Perfection. This was the eldest senior brother the sixth disciple had spoken of.

"Little One, you are back. Any news?" Old Ancestor Xuanchen asked mildly.

"Master, after investigation, that Zhang Naipao is a man of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect, and moreover a personal disciple of the sect master. It is said he is the candidate their Old Ancestor designated to cultivate the Chrysanthemum Treasure Manual..." The eldest senior brother was clearly one of those privy to some of Old Ancestor Xuanchen's plans and secrets, and so his expression was now full of difficulty.

"What? A man of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect, and a cultivator of the Chrysanthemum Treasure Manual at that?" Old Ancestor Xuanchen was struck dumb for a moment, his expression turning somewhat odd! The Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect—unless it was absolutely necessary, he had no wish whatsoever to offend them. And if the final great plan was to be carried out, the disciple of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect who cultivated the Chrysanthemum Treasure Manual was a vital link: in the stage that opened that plan, there had to be someone who had cultivated the Bee-Devouring Divine Art of the Chrysanthemum Treasure Manual to fill the role... "Indeed. But whether it is that particular Zhang Naipao, for the moment I do not know. I have already sent word by swift bird, inquiring into Zhang Naipao's recent movements with the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect. If it is him, then..." The eldest senior brother paused there and said no more.

"If it is not him, well and good. If it is him, then this vengeance cannot be taken! Who told that boy Tagan Long to have no eyes in his head and offend Zhang Naipao?" Old Ancestor Xuanchen sighed and spoke with some helplessness.

"But I think it should not be him. After all, if he truly were that Zhang Naipao of the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect, then his mastery of the Bee-Devouring Divine Art would not have left him unable to strike back before the five guardians, all Earth-Rank experts like himself, nor would he have ended up saved by the Great Fire Lion..." The sixth disciple hesitated before speaking.

"There is sense in what little Six says." Old Ancestor Xuanchen waved a hand. "Fortunately, I still have a backup plan. Activate Backup Plan Number Two now. Little One, you see to the arrangements. And of course, the medicine to heal Tagan Long must not be neglected—find it as quickly as possible!"

"Yes, Master!" The eldest senior brother nodded and answered hastily.

But the sixth and twelfth disciples had no notion of what the backup plan was; they had not yet come into contact with such core secrets. Yet they dared not ask at will, and only stood silently to one side, waiting quietly.

The eldest senior brother withdrew. Old Ancestor Xuanchen waved a hand at the sixth and twelfth disciples. "You may go down as well. I must carefully consider our plans for the future..."

"Yes, Master!" The sixth and twelfth disciples likewise cupped their fists and cautiously withdrew.

Old Ancestor Xuanchen's mood at this moment was far from good. Though there was a backup plan, it had a flaw that could not be remedied—unless those inheritors likewise turned up some heaven-defying circumstance, that flaw could not be made good!

With Tagan Long, no such problem existed. But there was no help for it: until Tagan Long's injuries healed, Old Ancestor Xuanchen had no choice but to set the backup plan in motion. Even a flawed backup plan was, in the end, better than losing everything!

The arrow once loosed cannot return. Old Ancestor Xuanchen had waited so many years, and at last the time had come when the inheritors appeared one after another. He did not wish to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Old Ancestor Xuanchen stood in the great hall throughout, from day until night, never stirring the whole while. Come evening, the eldest senior brother returned once more.

"Master, the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect has sent word back saying that Zhang Naipao has been at the sect all this time, visiting friends, and has never left." The eldest senior brother held out the letter sent by the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect and presented it before his master.

"I will not read it. The Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect would not lie; their strength is no trifling thing, and there is no need for them to deceive us." Old Ancestor Xuanchen sighed. "This Zhang Naipao is most likely a case of a shared name—or else someone is framing the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect! Or perhaps he is simply a descendant of that sect on the mountain, framing the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect to set us at each other's throats while he sits on the mountain and watches the tigers fight."

"That must be it." The eldest senior brother nodded, thinking the same.

"Well then—have you notified that sleeper agent, telling them to make ready to take Mingzi's place?" asked Old Ancestor Xuanchen.

"Word has already been sent by swift bird. But... though the sleeper's strength is high, to have them do that thing now—the odds of success are probably rather small. And if it fails, what then?" The eldest senior brother hesitated before speaking.

"There is no retreat now. By my reckoning, that moment draws nearer and nearer. If we miss it, who knows how long we must wait again. I cannot wait, nor can I afford to. All we can do is have the sleeper take extra care..." said Old Ancestor Xuanchen.

"Alas—can we not go and lend a hand?" asked the eldest senior brother.

"No!" Old Ancestor Xuanchen shook his head. "You cannot help—unless Tagan Long..."

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