Chapter 444 442-The Elders' Conspiracy
In a secret location within the Shadow clan's territory, the clan's elders were engaged in a discussion deeply entwined with Ethan's involvement.
They all felt that Sherry, as the newly appointed High Priest, had grown too close to Ethan.
They believed Ethan's influence over the Shadow clan was becoming overwhelmingly significant, and they desired to eliminate his sway over their affairs.
"Ethan's strength is indeed formidable, and it's true that he was instrumental in helping our Shadow clan navigate past crises. However, we cannot allow him to dictate the course of our clan," one of the elders stated, his voice tinged with a mix of respect and wariness.
"Sherry is not a fitting High Priest. She hasn't thoroughly contemplated her role or how to successfully lead the Shadow clan out of our current predicament."
This was declared by another elder, his voice laced with frustration and anger.
The other elders largely agreed with these sentiments.
While they did appreciate Ethan's help, they were not keen on allowing him to gain further advantages from the Shadow clan.
"Are we not focusing on trivial matters here?" another elder interjected.
"Regardless of our opinions, Sherry is now our High Priest."
"We have no power to overturn the final decision of the God of Shadow. Isn't Sherry's ascension to High Priest due to her acquisition of the powerful Power of Shadow?"
"What we need to discuss is the extent of the threat Ethan poses to our Shadow clan. Have you not paid attention to his actions so far?"
The youngest of the Shadow clan elders cut through the conversation, feeling that the discussion had strayed from the most pressing issue at hand.
Faced with the youngest elder's remarks, the other Shadow clan elders were taken aback.
Although they believed it prudent to be cautious of outsiders like Ethan, they had never considered him a threat to their clan.
If Ethan were truly a threat, why would he have offered them assistance in the past?
"Eck, have you misunderstood the situation? Ethan is the savior of our Shadow clan. How could he possibly pose a threat to us?"
The oldest among the elders voiced his dissatisfaction with Eck's statement.
Despite his own reservations about Ethan, he didn't perceive Ethan as a threat to the Shadow clan.
Eck, though the least experienced of the elders, felt he had every right to engage in this debate as a member of the elder council.
"You are becoming senile. Ethan is the biggest threat to our Shadow clan. Without him, Dart's rebellion would never have occurred."
"You should be well aware that Dart chose to rebel because he felt threatened by Ethan. Dart was once the most favored disciple of the former High Priest."
Eck continued, his voice firm with conviction.
"Had Ethan and Sherry not arrived, Dart would have become our new High Priest. Is it not possible that Dart's rebellion was intentionally provoked by Ethan?"
"He might have deliberately incited Dart to rebel, to create a situation where Sherry could smoothly take over as our new High Priest. In doing so, he could also seize control of our entire Shadow clan from behind the scenes."
Eck's words left everyone present in a state of profound surprise.
However, after the initial shock subsided, they began to see some merit in his reasoning.
According to Eck's theory, Dart's rebellion might not be as inexplicable as they had initially thought.
Furthermore, if his hypothesis held true, Dart, who had fled, could potentially return and ally with the Shadow clan once again.
"If that's the case, do you have any plan? With just us, there's no way we can defeat Ethan," one of the elders said, now persuaded by Eck's argument but still deeply concerned about Ethan's overwhelming strength.
He questioned the utility of their discussion if they stood no chance against Ethan.
Eck's expression shifted, betraying a hint of hesitation.
After a moment of silence, he spoke up, addressing the other elders.
"We don't have a way to counter Ethan immediately. Why don't we seek out High Priest Sherry? She should be able to provide us with some explanations."
The tone of Eck's voice had changed significantly from before.
Earlier, he had seemed utterly certain of his conclusions, but now, he appeared much more doubtful, as if unsure about the accuracy of his speculations.
The other elders were left uncertain by Eck's sudden proposal.
If, as Eck suggested, Sherry was merely a puppet of Ethan, wouldn't seeking her out immediately alert Ethan to their actions?
Faced with the discussions of the other elders, Eck quickly formulated a new argument.
"Although I suspect Sherry might be siding with Ethan, I think we must try to persuade her. After all, she possesses immense Power of Shadow and should be willing to aid our Shadow clan."
"Perhaps High Priest Sherry has been misled by Ethan. If we can make her realize the threat Ethan poses to our clan, she might be willing to cooperate with us."
This line of reasoning seemed very logical to the elders.
They all understood that as the High Priest, Sherry held the most potent Power of Shadow.
With such power, it was only natural for her to side with the Shadow clan.
After some deliberation, the elders decided to visit the High Priest's residence, assuming that Sherry was still there.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the High Priest's abode, the eldest elder knocked on the door, expecting Sherry to answer.
However, after a lengthy period of knocking, there was no response from inside.
This situation left all the Shadow clan elders present in a state of confusion.
"Could it be that the High Priest is not here? If she isn't, where could she possibly be?"
They began to speculate about the whereabouts of the High Priest.
Only Eck, the young elder who harbored significant hostility towards Ethan, maintained a calm expression.
He had already surmised that Sherry was not there.
Eck had led the elders here with the intention of sowing misunderstanding about Ethan.
In reality, he was well aware of Ethan's actions and knew that Ethan would soon be returning to this location.
As the elders speculated about the High Priest's whereabouts, Ethan and the Shadow Elf, carrying the unconscious Sherry, arrived at the High Priest's residence.
The encounter was met with mutual surprise.
Ethan was perplexed as to why the elders were gathered there, while the Shadow clan elders were astonished to see a Shadow Elf within their territory, and even more so to see the unconscious High Priest Sherry.
The eldest elder was so shocked by the scene that he fainted on the spot.
The other elders were equally at a loss, staring at Ethan in bewilderment.
Almost simultaneously, both parties asked, "Why are you here?"
The elders were the first to respond, as their presence in search of the High Priest was a logical course of action.
According to the traditions of the Shadow clan, all matters were to be deliberated by the High Priest and the elders.
"We came here to discuss the Shadow clan's future actions and plans with the High Priest. We have been waiting here for a while. What happened to High Priest Sherry? Why is she unconscious?"
Eck, the youngest of the elders, quickly provided an explanation and inquired about Sherry's condition.
Ethan did not detect anything amiss from the elders' response, as their explanation seemed entirely reasonable.
He then proceeded to explain why Sherry was unconscious, recounting all the events that had transpired.
However, it was apparent that the elders were far from convinced.
The Shadow clan elders could not fathom that Sherry, the emissary of the God of Shadow and the High Priest endowed with the most potent Power of Shadow, could lose her senses due to the corruption of that very power.
In their eyes, it seemed more plausible that Sherry had fallen victim to an attack by Ethan, especially since he had previously clashed with the former High Priest of the Shadow clan.
This line of thought brought a palpable tension to the atmosphere.
Although Ethan had no intention of becoming enemies with these Shadow clan elders, he was also not one to receive blows without retaliating.
Meanwhile, despite the elders' doubts about their ability to defeat Ethan, they felt compelled to make an attempt for the safety of their High Priest.
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