Elsewhere, the seventeen Sky-level sects which had joined hands to set up the friendly organization “Sky Light Alliance” also received Grenade-Throwing Senior Immortal’s reply as he gracefully declined their invitation. It could be said that they had expected this result – how could a new sect, directly given a Sky-level third-class ranking, think anything of them? Their foundations alone were already not on the same level.

　　If the General Office of Strategic Deception was allowed to continue expanding, it would become a real hidden danger. Everyone was well aware of the management abilities of sect head Grenade-Throwing Senior Immortal, this Death-Courting Great Senior. Of all the country’s online forums at the moment, only the cultivation forum which he ran made a profit year after year, as it built on its economic benefits to the utmost.

　　Even without the combined investment from these companies, Grenade-Throwing Senior Immortal was capable of setting up a new sect on his own.

　　With this investment, the General Office of Strategic Deception was just like a tiger with wings.

　　Lu Youming was lost in deep thought as he gazed at Grenade-Throwing Senior Immortal’s letter of reply.

　　Without knowing what the other party’s sect doctrine was, it was impossible to boldly beat them down. Furthermore, Grenade-Throwing Senior Immortal had been pretty tactful in his reply, which indirectly demonstrated that while the other party wasn’t going to join the Alliance, they also didn’t want to make enemies of them.

　　As the president of the Alliance, once Lu Youming decided to crowd someone out, that was the same as rejecting their good intentions and declaring war.

　　This was the trickiest part of the whole thing.

　　On one hand, the Alliance wanted to suppress the strength of Grenade-Throwing Senior Immortal’s newly set-up sect so that it wouldn’t grow too quickly, and give the old sects some breathing room. On the other hand, the Alliance couldn’t incite something without knowing the ins and outs of the matter; on the contrary, they might get caught up in trouble themselves.

　　The three major Sky-level sects that hadn’t joined the Alliance — Immortal Palm Tree Sect, Fighting Horse Sect and Myriad Beasts School — had been dissatisfied with the establishment of the Alliance all these years.

　　If these three major sects seized this opportunity to join hands with Grenade-Throwing Senior Immortal’s new sect, the General Office of Strategic Deception, and incited other Sky-level sects under fifth class, the Alliance was bound to fall, never to get back up again… What kind of situation would that be?

　　The villages surrounding the city!

　　What a brilliant strategy!

　　But Immortal Palm Tree Sect had yet to act for now, mainly because it didn’t want to make trouble or provoke dispute.

　　Once a sect reached the top, it often paid more attention to its image and reputation; the party that acted first in stirring up trouble tended to become the focus of derision.

　　One of the sect leaders present was agitated. “Can we truly not do anything about the Office of Strategic Deception?”

　　“There is no other way for the time being.” Lu Youming shook his head. “Before we’re clear on the exact situation, we can’t act carelessly.”

　　“Not necessarily.”

　　At that time, a sect leader waved his hand. His name was Sun Hanzhe, and his Radish King Sect specialized in the study of different kinds of devil insects and spirit insects. Its business of mixing dry insects into medicine and its momentum had been pretty good all these years, which allowed it to advance to Sky-level fifth class several years ago and to join the Alliance.

　　“Sect Leader Sun, do you have any good ideas?” Lu Youming remembered that yesterday, this conservative Sect Leader Sun had recommended that they wait and see first, but his attitude suddenly changed today.

　　It was obvious that he had received some sort of expert guidance…

　　This Sect Leader Sun smiled proudly. “Yesterday, a senior suddenly contacted my sect to say that he was willing to lend our Alliance a hand and find out more details on this Office of Strategic Deception.”

　　“Since he wants to help the Alliance, why did he contact you? Shouldn’t he have contacted President Lu directly?” someone asked.

　　“Don’t rush, brothers, listen to me.” Leader Sect Sun didn’t take offense and waved his hand. “It’s like this: this senior contacted me in quite a unique way. The other party directly possessed the body of a flying mantis, one of the insects my sect raises, to speak with me. At that time, I was inspecting the farm.”

　　“He entered the insect’s body?”

　　“That’s right.” Sect Leader Sun nodded. “I think this senior used this spell in order to hide his true identity, and borrowed this insect’s body to pass on his suggestion. He wanted me to explain his intentions to the president at today’s meeting.”

　　Borrowed an insect’s body?

　　Hearing this, President Lu narrowed his eyes. For him to be elected as the president of the Alliance, President Lu naturally wasn’t an ordinary person, and his vision, insight, and connections were far more extensive than the majority of the people present. Otherwise, it would be hard for him to sway the crowd, even as the president.

　　“President, have you thought of something?” someone quickly asked when they saw President Lu’s expression.

　　“This is the Soul Insect Technique…” Lu Youming swiftly replied. “This is a secret technique of the Long clan, who was famous back then for the Art of Insect Manipulation. But according to historical records, the Long clan offended its nemesis and the whole family was exterminated; the entire clan no longer exists. When clan leader Long Jiangnan was caught back then, he was still drafting an outline of the clan’s story…”

　　Realization dawned on many of the sect leaders present when he said this

　　The eyes of an old man with gray whiskers and hair lit up. “I remember this! This old man once participated in an auction many years ago. Clan leader Long Jiangnan’s Long Clan manuscript sold for millions and millions, and is rumored to contain the secret of the Soul Insect Technique.”

　　“Hm.” Lu Youming said, “It’s always been said in the circle that the reason why the Long clan was exterminated back then was because Long Jiangnan was too slow with his updates, so all kinds of big shot readers dropped in to attack the sect… But this has yet to be verified to this day. Now that the Soul Insect Technique has reappeared in the world, that senior’s identity is very likely related to the Long clan.”

　　After carefully mulling it over, Lu Youming gazed at Sun Hanzhe, sect leader of Radish King Sect, and said, “What conditions does this senior have?”

　　“His conditions are very simple.”

　　Sect Leader Sun replied, “On the day of the Office of Strategic Deception’s founding, we just need to go in and secretly set up transmission crystals prepared by the senior, and he will do the rest. Apart from that, he also hopes that our Alliance will take action to suppress a school.”

　　“Which college?”

　　“Not a college; it’s a senior high school.”

　　“High… high school? It’s just Foundation Establishment students, right?”

　　“President Lu should have heard of No. 60 High, which has appeared often in the news recently?”

　　“I have…”

　　“That senior said that bullying Foundation Establishment students is a hobby of his.”

　　“…”