Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1089: One more thing

"Ah, one more thing", Wei Yuanjie interjected once more with a smile, drawing all eyes towards him, the Ember Palm Pavilion members among them regarding him with the utmost caution and concurrent hatred. "You see, I have spent a considerable amount of time mingling with the locals and have acquired substantial knowledge during my stay, familiarizing myself with the current situation."

As his slightly protracted discourse began, the Fifth Prince's eyes narrowed, perceiving Wei Yuanjie's words as a veiled attack against him, who had only been present for two weeks yet was presuming to meddle in local affairs.

Meanwhile, Wei Yuanjie pressed on, "Which led me to a realization. If this is a contest between the various Sects, should not the local Sects themselves have a voice in determining who will safeguard a World Stone of this region?"

His pronouncement was met with an immediate hush in the auction hall, quickly followed by a smattering of chuckles that erupted into full-blown laughter throughout the room.

However, those who did not join the mirth were the representatives of the Ember Palm Pavilion, whose faces suddenly contorted with horror as they grasped the implication of Wei Yuanjie's words, yet found themselves powerless to intervene.

"I am quite serious," Wei Yuanjie affirmed, appearing utterly unfazed by their reaction, and added with a smile, "I understand your thoughts; you believe no local Sect would dare to participate in this competition, for reasons we are all aware of. But technically, this competition remains open to them if they so choose, correct?"

He directed his query towards Lu Bihai, who, maintaining his smile, nodded and responded, "Indeed, the Martial Alliance acts with complete impartiality, serving solely as a witness and observer to this competition. Our role is to ensure the proceedings are smooth and to validate the outcomes. If a Sect expresses a desire to enter this contest, there exists no legal or binding constraint that would justify their exclusion."

This declaration caused the members of the three major Sects to adopt somber expressions, their gazes turning intently towards Lu Bihai, who seemed oblivious to the unspoken questions in their eyes.

"Very well, there is a Sect I endorse that wishes to participate in this competition," Wei Yuanjie declared with a smile. "You see, during my sojourn here, I took under my protection a group of ascenders from the Battle God's Cradle..."

All eyes immediately shifted towards Duan Feng.

"That is common knowledge. What is not widely known is that I subsequently encountered another group and also extended my protection to them," Wei Yuanjie continued, once again sparking an uproar. "The initial group arrived from the lower Boundless World's Fractured World; they were sought after but managed to evade discovery. However, they understood that remaining concealed indefinitely was untenable, so they approached me, given that I already harbored a group of ascenders under my protection."

"T-That should not be permissible! Do you believe your status grants you the right to shield multiple groups of ascenders? There are boundaries! If there are no limits, then why don't you simply declare the entire Boundless Mortal World under your protection? Let's see how that unfolds! I demand that the protection of either of these groups be transferred to me!" At this point, Wei Liheng pointed his finger directly at Wei Yuanjie, then turned his gaze towards Wei Lufan, calling out, "Uncle..."

"Khm," Wei Lufan loudly cleared his throat, releasing a ripple of Spiritual Qi that effectively quelled the burgeoning chaos within the room. "Yuanjie is within his rights to offer protection to whomever he chooses; there are no specific restrictions against it. Naturally, there are practical limitations, as he cannot hoard ascenders or claim all individuals emerging from lower worlds under his patronage without substantial justification. However, in this particular instance, it was he who established contact with a group that was otherwise positioned to remain in secrecy. Of course, the complication arises from the fact that the group in question was technically being sought under the authority of the Martial Alliance..."

He then turned his attention to Lu Bihai, who responded with a smile, "It poses no issue. The reason for our search was to ensure their safety, and their safety is indeed assured if they are under His Highness's protection. By virtue of my authority, I hereby officially acknowledge the protection extended by His Highness the Ninth Prince, and by extension, the Wei Dynasty, over this group, on behalf of the Martial Alliance, and consequently, I withdraw the search."

This declaration caused a few eyebrows to lift, even among the Martial Alliance delegation positioned on the same private balcony as Lu Bihai. However, as no one present held authority equal to his, none voiced any objections.

The Fifth Prince, however, was left utterly dismayed.

"Now that this matter is resolved, I shall proceed," Wei Yuanjie chuckled, "The group in question is known as the Eternal Duality Valley, represented here by Daoist Chu Ren."

He gestured to his side, and Chu Ren stepped forward, drawing the attention of everyone present.

"And I," Wei Yuanjie concluded, "endorse their participation in this competition."

"You mentioned local Sects, Your Highness," the Inner Court Elder from the Crystal Wood Sect raised his voice. "While I concede that the ascenders from the Battle God's Cradle might be considered 'locals,' entrusting them with the World Stone when they haven't even established a firm foothold seems..."

He left the sentence unfinished, but his unspoken words clearly conveyed his reservations.

"That is not an issue," Chu Ren interjected on behalf of Wei Yuanjie. "We have already secured a position on this continent, possessing both history and status here."

He gestured downwards towards the gallery with his palm. A man then stood, accompanied by a small retinue. He was recognized by most of the locals, and even some outsiders, as Yu Zhen. "Good evening, everyone. My name is Yu Zhen. I have recently assumed the mantle of Sect Master for the Three Pillars Sect, an organization with a multi-generational legacy on this land. Furthermore, our Sect recently resolved to officially join the Eternal Duality Valley, adopting the name Three Pillars Palace, with myself as its Palace Master."

The hall erupted once more in a cacophony of chatter, gasps, and exclamations.

"Given that the 9th Prince is the one providing the endorsement, I shall acknowledge it on behalf of the Dynasty," Wei Lufan declared with a grin. He was thoroughly amused by the repeated maneuvers his nephew had been executing throughout his stay in Silver Wing City, finding it almost difficult to recognize the young man from mere months prior.

"In that case, as the representative of the Martial Alliance on this continent, I find no reason to oppose this entry," Lu Bihai added, further intensifying the uproar.

Throughout this exchange, the expressions of the three Elders from the Ember Palm Pavilion grew increasingly grim. Their eyes, resembling those of cornered beasts, darted from one speaker to another as they gradually grasped the gravity of the setbacks they had suffered that day.

Their most potent weapon against their previously enigmatic adversaries was the intelligence that had now been willingly disseminated into the open.

Their strategic vote had been deployed to pivot the situation towards a competition, a scenario that now worked against them.

They had forfeited the advantage of their trump card – their superior cultivation realms, which had become inconsequential in resolving the current predicament.

To make matters worse, their partners were now attempting to openly enter into direct competition with them, positioning themselves as their most formidable rivals.

It had become abundantly clear that Lu Bihai was aligning himself with the Eternal Duality Valley, rather than with them. The look in his eyes conveyed a distinct message: 'You've made a mess of things, now witness the consequences.'

In essence, within the span of less than half an hour, they had lost all their leverage and found themselves vulnerable to the Eternal Duality Valley, becoming its direct competitors.