Chapter 118: Gathering Storm
"What should we do?"
"I heard that the branch in the capital has already sided with the Crown Prince's residence and declared its independence from the Hundred Herbs Pavilion!"
"Those ungrateful traitors! If it weren't for our headquarters supporting the capital branch all these years, could they have developed so quickly?"
"This isn't the time to complain about that. Once the turmoil in the capital spreads, I'm afraid other branches in different provinces will follow suit. That would be a disaster!"
In the Hundred Herbs Pavilion headquarters,
More than twenty high-ranking members of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion looked grave, some even pacing anxiously in the hall, their faces filled with worry.
Their cultivation levels varied, with the strongest being at the Tribulation Transcendence stage and the lowest at the Nascent Soul stage.
Tribulation Transcendence and Great Ascension cultivators were mostly the pavilion's guardians, responsible for protecting the branches, while those in managerial positions often had lower cultivation levels.
These twenty or so individuals were from branches near Ming Province. Managers from farther regions were also rushing to the headquarters but were still on their way.
"What is Mr. Mo's stance?"
A Tribulation Transcendence cultivator at the peak stage asked in a low voice.
Everyone looked at this cultivator with respect.
Tang Xuangan, a renowned Tribulation Transcendence cultivator in Ming Province, had joined the Hundred Herbs Pavilion a century ago after Mr. Mo saved his life. Over the years, Tang Xuangan had handled most of the major troubles the pavilion faced without Mr. Mo needing to lift a finger.
It could be said that, aside from Mr. Mo, Tang Xuangan held the highest prestige within the Hundred Herbs Pavilion.
As for Li Changsheng, before entering the blessed land, he had deliberately downplayed his presence, rarely showing himself. Many who joined the pavilion later only knew that there was a Manager Li behind Mr. Mo but had no idea how old he was or what he looked like.
"Mr. Mo is still in seclusion. He's been notified and should emerge soon," a manager from the headquarters quickly replied.
"I'm here!"
At that moment, Mo Chengkong walked in through the door.
Everyone in the hall stood up and greeted him.
"Mr. Mo."
"Sir, what should we do? Although our Hundred Herbs Pavilion's strength isn't comparable to the South Li Empire, we can't be bullied by other factions either."
"Exactly, let's fight them!"
"Let's wipe out a few of the attacking factions first to set an example!"
The room was filled with fervor.
"No need. First, we'll consolidate our assets. Abandon the branches in other provinces and bring everything back to the headquarters," Mo Chengkong said calmly.
"Mr. Mo, we can't do that!"
"Right, the loss would be too great for our Hundred Herbs Pavilion!"
Everyone grew anxious upon hearing Mo Chengkong's words. Over the past century, the Hundred Herbs Pavilion's operations had spread across half of the South Li Empire. Abandoning them now would be a huge waste.
"Enough!"
Mo Chengkong raised his hand to stop the agitated crowd and said indifferently,
"This matter is decided. Once the Young Master returns, they'll have to spit out everything they've taken."
'The Young Master truly foresaw everything,' Mo Chengkong sighed inwardly.
Before Li Changsheng left, he had instructed Mo Chengkong that if the Crown Prince's residence targeted the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, they should simply abandon the branches and preserve their spirit stones.
Moreover, the Young Master had mentioned he would be in seclusion for about a century.
Now, it was about time for the Young Master to emerge from seclusion!
Mo Chengkong couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation to see the Young Master after his seclusion. He had witnessed the Young Master's growth over the years, from a Soul Formation cultivator to someone even he couldn't see through. After a hundred years, how much stronger would he be now?
Although those in the hall felt reluctant, Mo Chengkong was the only Human Immortal in the Hundred Herbs Pavilion. They didn't dare contradict him and could only follow his orders.
At the Marquis of the Northern Garrison's residence.
A hundred years had passed, but Lin Ruoxi's appearance hadn't changed at all.
Her cultivation had now reached the Great Ascension stage. At this moment, many people had gathered at the residence, including the prodigies of a century ago who had now become the pillars of major factions.
Over the past century, these cultivators, who had once been at the Soul Formation and Integration stages, had progressed further. Three of them had even reached the Great Ascension stage, with Li Chunyang, the strongest among them, now at the late Great Ascension stage.
"A storm is brewing!"
"Do you think the Hundred Herbs Pavilion can survive this?"
Li Chunyang whispered.
While others might hold little hope for the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, given that the Crown Prince, who was about to ascend to the pinnacle of power, was targeting them, Li Chunyang and the others had witnessed Li Changsheng's prowess in the Demon Abyss.
Moreover, while rumors of the past century had attributed the Hundred Herbs Pavilion's Human Immortal powerhouse to Mr. Mo, they knew that Manager Li's strength was nothing to scoff at.
Although the Hundred Herbs Pavilion's strength might not compare to the Crown Prince's residence, as long as the Crown Prince hadn't officially ascended the throne and couldn't mobilize the true might of the South Li Empire, taking down the Hundred Herbs Pavilion wouldn't be an easy task.
"This matter is beyond our control…"
Lin Ruoxi gazed in the direction of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion headquarters and murmured.
After Mo Chengkong issued his orders,
Branches of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion began consolidating their assets and rushing to Ming Province.
As the Hundred Herbs Pavilion moved, other major factions also stirred.
For a time, half of the South Li Empire seemed to be on the brink of turmoil!
Three days later.
Witnesses reported seeing a golden streak of light shooting into the Hundred Herbs Pavilion headquarters.
According to the eyewitness, the golden light was incredibly fast. Even with his Soul Formation cultivation, he couldn't make out what it was, only vaguely recognizing it as a golden avian creature.
In Song City, ten thousand miles away from Pearl City.
Ren Wu, the Sect Master of the Profound Heaven Sect, sat in a private room of a restaurant with an old man dressed in black and another in white.
Song Feiyan stood to the side, serving the three as they drank.
All three exuded terrifying auras—they were clearly at the Human Immortal stage. However, if Li Changsheng were present, he would have noticed that their auras were mixed, indicating they hadn't reached the Human Immortal stage through conventional means.
"Two hours ago, a golden streak of light appeared in the sky above Pearl City and entered the Hundred Herbs Pavilion headquarters. Did you know about this?"
The black-robed elder asked calmly.
"Naturally."
"But even if that golden light carried a Human Immortal, it wouldn't change the tide of the situation," the white-robed elder said dismissively.
Only Ren Wu furrowed his brows and said,
"Friends, we mustn't be careless."
"That Mo Chengkong from the Hundred Herbs Pavilion is no ordinary figure. Even the Crown Prince's chief steward has tried to deal with him several times over the past century but failed to gain any advantage."
"If the golden streak of light carries someone as strong as Mo Chengkong, destroying the Hundred Herbs Pavilion won't be so easy."
"Hmph!" The white-robed elder snorted coldly and said indifferently,
"Not only has the chief steward come, but he's also brought another Human Immortal from the Crown Prince's residence."
"With the combined strength of our five Human Immortals, the Hundred Herbs Pavilion will surely be annihilated in three days!"