novelbin Chapter 1587 - 1892: Internal Strife and External Threats
Chapter 1587 - 1892: Internal Strife and External Threats
"Understood, I’ll be right there." After speaking, Ling Chen patted Hu Fei on the shoulder and said, "Let’s discuss anything in the evening; let me finish the Martial Arts Tournament matters first."
Upon reaching the lounge, Ling Chen pushed the door open to find everyone present. Tong Zhentian and Su Mei were sitting side by side, whispering to each other about something unknown.
"Elder Tong, Master Su, were you looking for me?"
Su Mei nodded and said, "Ling Chen, there’s something we want to discuss with you."
"What is it?"
"This Martial Arts Tournament concluded satisfactorily. Despite not being highly successful, it achieved our expected goals. Moreover, the most crucial point is finding out about the existence of the Dark Pavilion. You’ve seen the prowess of Li Haibin and his men; they’re formidable. So many powerful individuals gathered together, which shows the terror of the Dark Pavilion. Just now, I was chatting with Elder Tong. After this tournament, dealing with the Dark Pavilion will be our significant objective moving forward."
"You aim to confront the Dark Pavilion?" Ling Chen glanced at Tong Zhentian and Su Mei, a thought suddenly sparked in his mind. "You didn’t call me here to discuss a collaboration, did you?"
"Indeed," Tong Zhentian nodded. "Master Su does have that intention. The Dark Pavilion we see is just the tip of the iceberg, but they already display enough strength to be concerning. Neither side can fight the Dark Pavilion alone. To defeat them, cooperation is our only path."
Ling Chen smiled, "I don’t oppose cooperation, but I think it’s necessary to remind you that we’re not just facing the Dark Pavilion but also internal and external conflict. You should understand what I mean."
Upon hearing this, Su Mei and Tong Zhentian exchanged a glance and said, "Are you referring to Qi Yong?"
"Everyone is well aware of Qi Yong’s ambitions. If he were to disrupt from within or stab us in the back when we’re unprepared, we’d be in grave danger. Therefore, before dealing with external threats, internal troubles must be resolved. How can we handle external threats without first addressing the internal ones?"
"Your point is valid," Su Mei stated. "What do you think we should do then?"
"Special times call for special measures. Since Qi Yong cannot be used for our benefit, we should eliminate him directly or remove him from the equation. However, knowing Qi Yong’s character, if we merely remove him, he would likely bear a grudge and seek revenge. So, the best approach would be..." Ling Chen didn’t finish his sentence but gestured a throat-cutting motion.
Seeing this, Su Mei’s expression slightly changed, and she asked, "Are you sure about this? It doesn’t seem like your usual way of handling things."
"As I said, special times require special approaches. At such a time, we can’t afford to be soft-hearted or merciful. Master Su, you lead the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; sometimes, you have to be decisive and not overthink things."
"I agree with Ling Chen’s suggestion," Du Kang, who had been silent until now, interjected. "Master Su, Ling Chen is right. Procrastination in decisive moments invites chaos. Qi Yong is a latent threat. If we can’t win him over to serve us, we must eliminate the threat."
"What about the force behind Qi Yong? Once Qi Yong is dead, the Dangyang Sect will definitely suspect us. Although there aren’t many experts around Qi Yong, the power he holds should not be underestimated," Su Mei still had some concerns.
Ling Chen smiled faintly, "This matter can be handled easily. Since the Dark Pavilion has appeared, why not let them take the blame? What do you think?"
"Who will handle it?" Su Mei asked.
"Master Su, I personally think your Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion should carry this out."
"Why?"
"It’s simple. The Dark Pavilion’s target is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Everything they’ve done is to bring you down. Dragon Tiger Hall can unconditionally support you on this matter. Resolving the threat of Qi Yong will allow you to focus on dealing with the Dark Pavilion. Master Su, do you think what I said makes sense?"
Hearing Ling Chen’s words, Su Mei fell into deep thought. After a while, she replied, "This isn’t a trivial matter; I need to consider it carefully. How about this: I’ll give you a response after the Martial Arts Tournament ends, okay?"
Ling Chen shrugged, "I have no problem with that. I’ll look forward to hearing from you then." With that, Ling Chen and Tong Zhentian rose and left the lounge.
Outside, Tong Zhentian asked, "Do you think the people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will agree?"
"Master Su might hesitate, but Du Kang will certainly persuade her to agree. Su He once told me something. I didn’t pay attention then, but now it seems he was right."
"What did he say?"
"Su Mei is only suitable to lead the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion during peacetime because her nature is too gentle, lacking ruthlessness in many matters. As a leader, one must have vision, thought, and overall perspective. However, Su Mei’s abilities haven’t reached that level. Frankly, without Elder Du assisting her, it’s doubtful she could lead the entire Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion." At this point, Ling Chen curiously asked, "Elder Tong, I’m puzzled. Being a member of the Su Family and the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, why hasn’t Su Mei practiced martial arts? In the Su Family, almost every pavilion master has been a top martial artist; why is she an exception?"
Tong Zhentian shook his head, "I’m afraid I can’t answer that for you, as I don’t know either. Had you not mentioned it, I wouldn’t have thought about it. It’s indeed strange for a pavilion master not to practice martial arts."
In the blink of an eye, the invitational event concluded, and the Martial Arts Tournament was nearing its end. Sitting in the command center, Ling Chen watched Tong Zhentian slowly walk onto the stage through the surveillance screen, and finally, his heart settled.
The five-day-long Martial Arts Tournament officially concluded, allowing Ling Chen to finally relax. Throughout these days, he hadn’t had a peaceful night’s sleep due to concerns over the venue’s safety.
With Tong Zhentian’s closing remarks, the Martial Arts Tournament wrapped up. Watching the audience gradually disperse, Ling Chen smiled slightly, stood up, and exited the command center. By now, his task was complete, and there was nothing more for him to do.
The dismantling of the venue was the responsibility of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Ling Chen counted the security personnel and then led the group back to the city by car. Everyone had worked hard for this mission, and as their leader, Ling Chen naturally wasn’t stingy. Each person received a generous bonus and vacation.
Returning to the Dragon Tiger Hall branch, Ling Chen went straight to the main hall, where he saw Tong Zhentian and He Ziyun chatting cheerfully, both with smiles on their faces, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter.
"Elder Tong, Mr. He, what are you two discussing that’s making you so happy?"