The phone reading: The accountant was struck a blow that shattered his dantian, and since he was already severely injured, he instantly fainted. Eight Zero E-book: Dong Qinkuan took a deep breath, glanced at Qin Feng, who was flirting with He Muqing, and said with determination, "Everyone, I've already dealt with the person at fault. Is there anything else you'd like to say?" A head of a mid-tier sect declared, "Dong Master truly embodies clear distinction between righteousness and evil—no wonder he is the head of the foremost sect in cultivation!" "Indeed, we wholeheartedly support Dong Master," said another head of a smaller sect. Dong Qinkuan bowed to the gathering, forcing a smile and said, "Thank you all for your support. This matter was actually my own fault. As the head of this sect and the host of this once-in-a-century gathering, I have a responsibility to create a clean and harmonious environment for everyone." He felt his face restored, thinking it wasn't in vain that one life had been sacrificed. If, because of this matter, he were excluded from the core of the Gathering of the Celestial Immortals, that would indeed be tragic. The heads of the major sects all maintained composed expressions. Regardless, Dong Qunkuan had directly dismissed the one who had made the mistake—should they now complain further, it would seem unkind. The whole farce thus came to an end. The abbot of Tongling Sect approached Qin Feng and said earnestly, "Brother, why didn't you intercede earlier? If you had, Abbot Dong would have had a way to step down and lessen the punishment on the accounting officer. Now, however, not only has your person been dismissed, but you're about to be expelled and left to fend for yourself—your grudge against each other is settled!" Qin Feng smiled and replied, "The other abbots didn't speak up either. Besides, Abbot Dong is eager to restore his dignity and authority. Even if I had pleaded, I'm not sure I could have saved that man's life!" "The Master of the Spirit-Channeling Sect shook his head."At least you've spoken up. Whether or not to forgive him is entirely up to Dong Qiankun. As long as you've made your voice heard, he'll have no grounds to trouble you in the future. Young man, you still lack experience!" Qin Feng didn't take it too seriously. His enemies were numerous—Dong Qiankun wasn't any different. After all, everyone here is here to vie for the Lotus Platform. They'll inevitably clash with one another. Even without this incident, they wouldn't become friends. Don't forget that the Lotus Platform was originally meant for Qin's younger brother. Under pressure from Dong Qiankun and the others, it ended up becoming unclaimed—so the grudge between them has long been established. The rather awkward old man glared at Qin Feng and sneered, "Master Qin, your generous advice to my disciple just now—I've noted it down. I'll surely repay you one day!" That was a clearly threatening remark. Qin Feng responded firmly, "We'll be ready whenever you're ready!" "You're just a mediocre Sky-Perceiving cultivator, calling upon a bunch of mere disciples—nothing I can't handle. What's so impressive about that? The Master of Tongling Sect shook his head, giving his precious disciple Ling'er a thoughtful glance. He was wondering whether he should gently remind her—perhaps she should keep her distance from Qin Feng, since being too close might not be beneficial. Before he could speak, however, he was already pulled away by the rather awkward old man. Ling'er, on the other hand, held a different view. She smiled warmly at Qin Feng and said, "Well done, big bad guy! You've masterfully employed the tactic of 'intentionally letting go to gain control,' drawing more attention, then launched a strong counterattack that left your opponent speechless—now you're firmly in a winning position!" Qin Feng silently thought: Who would have thought this young lady wasn't out of touch with the world—her clear understanding of the entire situation speaks volumes. "Heh, Ling'er, you're really quite clever," he said, testing the waters. The younger sister lifted her chin and said with pride, "That's right. They all think I'm a child, that I don't understand anything. In fact, I'm quite clever! As for you, big bad guy—what are you doing to me? Are you secretly plotting something against me?" "Cough, cough." He cleared his throat and defended, "It's a misunderstanding! I was actually aiming to photograph something else—my eyes just happened to catch you. How could I possibly have any intention of bothering you, this little girl? It's absolutely impossible!" The younger sister furrowed her brows and asked seriously, "Really?" "Of course!" Qin Shao now even puffed out his chest, feeling quite embarrassed by this young girl. He had clearly underestimated her all along. Ling'er raised an eyebrow and said with a sniff, "Then what about the three high school students you're always with? Aren't they little girls too?" "Three high school students," Qin Shao said, surprised, then turned to He Muqing and asked, "Did you tell her all about your family matters?" "Leader's eyes flickered, shifting from side to side, avoiding the issue: "Ling'er, what did you say you wanted to do just now? We shouldn't just stand here idle—let's get moving!" It was clear that Ling'er hadn't yet established a mutual understanding with her, so she blinked and said stupidly, "Actually, I didn't say anything about going anywhere. Did you perhaps misremember?" Qin Shao stared at Leader, waiting for her explanation. Seeing Ling'er so uncooperative, Leader stiffened her neck: "I did share some matters with Ling'er. What's wrong with that? Those are all observable facts—how can I possibly feel they're not suitable to share? Do you have an objection? Then surely, they aren't facts!" Qin Shao immediately deflated, muttering, "Even if they are facts, they're matters concerning our own family—why should we share them with outsiders?" Leader stood her ground: "Ling'er isn't an outsider!" "Exactly, I'm not an outsider," the younger sister added. "Alright, alright—you're not an outsider." "Qin Sha gritted his teeth, thinking, "One day, I'll truly make you no longer a stranger, but a member of the Qin family—wah-ha-ha!" From afar, two pairs of eyes were intently watching the scene. One of them was a close acquaintance of Qin Da Shao—Ma Yinghong, the one who had been driven out from the "volcanic crater" the previous time. Ma Yinghong had been deeply aggrieved ever since, especially after hearing that someone had discovered a lotus platform inside. He believed that if not for Qin Feng's obstruction, the platform might have been his own. "Master, that man is Qin Feng," he said, biting his lips. "Indeed, a true master of skill," the elder remarked, observing him for a while. "Even a legendary figure like Dong Qiankun in the cultivation world has fallen to him. Your defeat wasn't a disgrace at all!" "Still, if it hadn't been for him, the treasure might have already been ours of the Jinlong Sect," he insisted, not convinced. Master Shi smiled, "What's destined for us will surely be ours; if it's not meant for us, even if we strive, it won't make a difference. Right now, there's nothing wrong with this situation—after all, the Lotus Platform remains unclaimed, and we still have a chance to secure it!" Ma Yinghong remained unconvinced, saying, "Then we simply let Qin Feng go? What about the grudge my master holds against him?" Master Shi stroked his beard and replied, "That's true. Let's settle for now. Perhaps the others won't feel grateful for our magnanimity. Here's what I suggest—before the grand assembly begins, bear with it. You've seen how strict Dong Qunkuan is with his own people. Anyone who causes trouble on his territory will surely face serious consequences. Why make things difficult for yourself? Everything can be settled after the assembly concludes."