Zhou Yin pondered for a moment before answering, "That makes sense. The Five Poisons Cult was indeed a major faction in the southern borders, with dozens of sects and noble families in the Jingxiang Region heeding its commands like loyal dogs. It’s normal for their martial arts to integrate strengths from various schools."
Upon hearing this, Yang Potian’s eyebrows didn’t show the slightest bit of relief. "If the Five Poisons Cult has established its faction in the southern border, why wouldn’t they trouble the White Lotus Sect? Instead, they travel all the way to Jinling to look for trouble with you and me—what is their intention?"
Zhou Yin looked at him helplessly, "If you ask me, who do I ask?"
With a sense of resignation, Yang Potian sighed and said, "Troubled times indeed."
Zhou Yin’s gaze drifted slightly when he heard that.
After a pause, Yang Potian pressed further, "If Yang Erlang is as strong as you’ve been saying... completely irrational?"
Zhou Yin held his forehead with his hand, "You’ve asked that no less than ten times. After more than a decade of friendship, do I have any need to deceive you?"
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Yang Potian shook his head, "I’m just saying, if Yang Erlang’s strength is truly as irrational as you say, then we needn’t worry about the Five Poisons Cult and this person."
Having said that, Zhou Yin suddenly remembered something and slapped his thigh with regret, "Damn it!"
Yang Potian looked at him, puzzled, "What’s the problem?"
Zhou Yin looked at him speechlessly, "The fellow just now might have already figured it out..."
Startled by his words, Yang Potian asked, "Zhou, what do you mean by that?"
With an air of frustration, Zhou Yin said, "Before I told you the details of the battle in the thunderstorm that day, didn’t you also believe that the unnamed black-armored Grandmaster was killed by True Lord Erlang and me joining forces?"
Realization struck Yang Potian, "Are you saying, this scoundrel personally came to test our strengths, as well as Yang Erlang’s?"
"Didn’t he already test our strengths just now?"
Zhou Yin grew increasingly regretful, "To be honest, if it weren’t for True Lord Erlang’s strong support, could you and I have so neatly refused that scoundrel’s proposal to divide the river and govern together?"
Yang Potian was at a loss for words and after a long while, he sighed, "One misstep in the game."
After a pause, he tried to remedy, "However, we needn’t worry too much. I also know Yang Erlang, and they’ve robbed his money and sent people to provoke him; this matter won’t be settled so easily. Later, I’ll go contact Tang, that old witch, to see what she’s thinking... I refuse to believe that after two hundred years, the southern border can still be their world!"
Zhou Yin fell silent for a moment before saying, "The matter might not be as simple as you think..."
Hearing this, Yang Potian also seemed to remember something, his expression growing more solemn.
After a long contemplation, he exhaled softly and calmly said, "Let’s take one step at a time. We can’t just submit because the main house hasn’t even shown its face and only a guard dog has appeared. If they want a say in the affairs of the Jianghu, they’ll have to take it with their own skills."
Zhou Yin also sighed, "That’s all we can do."
Yang Potian pondered for a moment, then said, "Do you think we should tip off Quanzhen and Shaolin about this matter?"
Zhou Yin contemplated for a bit and then shook his head, "Quanzhen and Shaolin are in the north, on a different path from us, not sharing our strategies. I’m afraid even if they knew about it, they would stay out of it, unconcerned."
Yang Potian took a deep breath and nodded, "You make sense, but I still think we should inform Quanzhen and Shaolin. There’s an old saying: ’When the lips perish, the teeth will be cold; when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.’ If we can’t hold our ground, they certainly won’t fare well either. I think Fei Yun the old fool and Walker the old baldy will understand such a simple truth."
Zhou Yin said, "Then let’s do as you suggest. I’ll handle this matter through my Loft on the Waves."
After a moment’s thought, Yang Potian probed, "About Yang Erlang..."
Zhou Yin decisively waved his hand, "If you want to go, send your own people. Don’t drag me into it. I know nothing. I understand nothing. It has nothing to do with me!"
Yang Potian frowned with dissatisfaction, "It’s just the two of us here. Do you need to be so cautious?"
"Heh heh..."
Zhou Yin let out a cold laugh, thinking to himself, ’Ignorance truly is bliss!’
Yang Potian thought for a while and wanted to say something more but faced with Zhou Yin’s profound secrecy, he ultimately could not speak.
He might not have witnessed firsthand how Yang Erlang killed an extraordinary Grandmaster with just two slashes...
But he knew Zhou Yin’s martial arts.
To put Zhou Yin in such a state,
The martial arts of Yang Erlang...
Ah, in times of chaos, a demon emerges!