Several months later.

Everyone had already assumed that with the appearance of the golden eagle and the four people that were riding on it, the flame sect will soon come out into the world. ​​

The mountain where the flame sect resided was off-limit to other but after the rumours going around, some people decided to go into the mountain in case they would be lucky enough to see someone from the flame sect or to find out some news about the flame sect, this became a nuisance for the disciples as they couldn't go anymore and now all their sources with the outer world was cut off when the sect leader laced a barrier around the mountain, no ordinary person could enter the barrier and if you were strong enough to enter the barrier, everything in front of you would be black and you will continue having hallucinations until you leave the mountain.

The measures the flame sect took to cut themselves from the outer world brought suspicions to the heart of the other sects, who wondered why they were trying so hard to keep themselves away unless they are plotting something or they are preparing for something big, they had no reason to do that.

The wind sect decided to summon all the sect leader of each sect to an alliance meeting to discuss the issue under the guise of discussing the affairs of the sect alliance when they were, in fact, going to discuss about the flame sect.

Apart from the three main sects after the flame sect, many other sects came to attend the meeting in hopes that they would find out the news of the flame sect.

In the wind sect.

All the sect leaders and their important subordinates such as their elders and their young masters or mistresses started trooping into the wind sect on the schedules day of the meeting including those that are situated hundreds of miles away from the wind sect but since the wind sect leader is the leader of the sect alliance, they had no choice but to hold the meeting in the wind sect.

"Alliance leader!" the sect leaders greeted as they passed by, the only ones that could strike a conversation with the wind sect leader are the tops sect who are known for their invincible techniques or their talents.

"Alliance leader!" the thunder sect leader greeted with his fist and palm cupped together and raised as he entered the wind sect with his son and the daughter of the thunder sect first elder behind him.

Martial Uncle!" Lin Bohai and Tang Fan greeted each other's father

"Junior Martial Brother, there is no need for such formalities between us," the wind sect leader said in an imposing manner, he had specially dressed in a regal manner, fit for the leader of all the sects, he wore a large blue coloured robe with wide vertical sleeves which made him seem like a king with many embroideries on his robe, his golden hair holder made him seem even more dignified, as the guests entered, they could feel the imposing manner in which he stood and spoke to them and even the thunder sect leader could understand the kind of image he had prepared for them today.

"You must be kidding Alliance leader, you are the dignified alliance leader, how can I not pay my respect to you, even if we are cousins, we still have to follow the Jianghu rules," he said with a fake smile on his face that he had designed to make the wind sect leader think that he held him in high esteem while he sneered at him in his heart.

"If you say so but the fact that we are cousins doesn't change so you can limit these formalities in the future," the wind sect leader said.

"It has been long since I saw the young master of the flame sect, but now that I have seen him again, I realize that the rumours I have been hearing are true," the thunder sect leader said with a flattering smile etched at the edge of his lips.

From what he knows, his cousin would never praise someone else unless if it was to curry favour with the person or to bring out a point that would surely not sound pleasant but he was still curious to know what this cousin of his has heard, he has built a very good image for himself and his son so he didn't think that the thunder sect leader would have anything bad to spot out.

"I wonder what martial uncle has heard about me?" Lin Bohai said with a confident but inquisitive smile on his lips.

"Do you still need me to say it, you are rumoured to be talented and handsome, the desire of many females and the envy of many men and today, I can see why they have been saying such things" the thunder sect leader replied, then both sect leaders chuckled at the praises the thunder sect leader had given Lin Bohai, while Tang Fan who knew what his father was driving at had a sneer hanging on his lips.

"I am afraid I do not deserve such praises, martial uncle has given me more praise than I deserve," Lin Bohai said with his head slightly bowed in a humble manner.

"Those were the things I heard but…... I am also aware that the young master of the wind sect is also good at gambling" the thunder set leader said with a jeer on his face. The wind sect leader immediately faced the thunder sect leader with a serious face, e has never for once heard that his son gambled and of course their reputation has also been good all these years so why would there be such a thing now.

Although gambling in Nan gong street is not considered to be a bad thing to one's reputation, some people who carry themselves in an aloof manner still refrain from doing things like gambling in Nan gong street even though no one would ever gossip about such things as long as it was done in Nan Gong street.

"Where did junior martial brother hear such rumours?" the wind sect leader asked with a stern look on his face, while Lin Bohai knowing what he was getting at just stood straight without a flattering look on his face in readiness to defend himself no matter what the thunder sect leader was going to say.

"Alliance leader, what I just said is not based on rumours, although it isn't something to really be proud of, Tang Fan is quite good when it comes to gambling but he only plays with people of his calibre or his Jianghu friends, months ago, he had the chance to meet your son in Nan Gong street, so he couldn't help his desire to play a few rounds with the wind young master just to lighten up the mood. Although he wasn't able to win Tang Fan, at least, he was able to win some of the bet." The thunder sect leader said in a playful manner.

The wind sect leader frowned slightly at the news the thunder sect leader had just delivered to him but he was never going to let him think he had the winning card before he could say anything, Lin Bohai had already taken the initiative.

"You must be joking martial uncle, of course, I can't be compared to young master Tang Fan when it comes to gambling, I am too busy with practising my sword techniques and cultivating to bother about such trivial things, if not for Tang Fan urging me to play a game with him, how would I even have the chance to do such things," Lin Bohai said in a humble manner but they all knew that deep meaning behind his words, they were determined to play each other with their words but only one person wasn't in the mood for that.

"By your words are you saying that our young master wastes his time gambling inside of cultivating?" Yun BiYu said in a serious tone, she is true as they had described her as, unlike Tang Fan, she is a very serious person who is devoted to cultivating herself and she never gets involve in childish things like this unless it involves the thunder sect.

If not for Tang Fan being the young master of the thunder sect, she would have been the perfect candidate to inherit the position of the future sect leader.

"Of course, I would never imply such a thing, I am sorry if it came across in such a way" Lin Bohai said

"But who would have expected the both of you to lose five thousand taels of silver to a stranger that no one even recognises" the thunder sect leader continued.

"Is that true?" the wind sect leader asked Lin Bohai with a stern look on his face.

"I did make such a mistake please forgive me," Lin Bohai said with his head bowed, but the sect leader was of course not willing to give the thunder sect leader the result he wanted.

"This will serve as a lesson to you, not to indulge in such trivial things again" then he turned to face the thunder sect leader.

"We have been discussing for so long, I assume that all the guest would have been ushered in by Meng Hui, lets head to the hall then we can discuss whatever private matter we need to discuss after the alliance meeting.

"Alright" the thunder sect leader answered with a frown on his face, he was hoping that Sect leader Lin would make a scene or scold Lin Bohai in front of him but unexpectedly he still kept his dignified character while he ended up making his son seem like a good for nothing who only knows how to gamble.

Yun BiYu shook her head and glared at Tang Fan who noticed her intense look piercing through the side of his face as they walked behind their sect leader.

Meanwhile, the sect leader that had already been unshed into the sect hall by Meng Hui were seated according to their influence in the Jianghu world, they were still discussing all that had happened during the moths that had passed after the twice appearance of the golden eagle and the people that were riding on it.

They all kept quiet as soon as they saw the wind sect leader and the thunder sect leader entering the sect hall with great strides.

"Alliance Leader Lin!" they all chorused as they stood up from their respective seat in an organised manner, they all bowed their heads in reverence to him as he walked to his seat at the head of the hall.

He raised his hand signalling them to take their seat, they quickly understood the meaning then they sat back on their seats.

This hypocrite, he acts like he doesn't enjoy the reverence but he is even viler and more hypocritical than anyone knows, just wait until I get my hands on evidence that would pull him down from that position...

The thunder sect leader thought with enmity in his heart towards sect leader Lin, he is the only one who knows the steps the wind sect leader took in order to rule the sect and his collaboration with the emperor but he didn't have any proof to back up his words if he were to overthrow him one day and become the alliance leader.

"I wonder why Alliance leader Lin has called for an alliance meeting today," the sect leader of the talisman sect asked, she is one of the three most influential female sect leaders and she is known for her decisive and unyielding character which has earned her sect respect in the Jianghu.

As the sect leader of the third most influential sect, she had a wide range of connection and authority both in the court and in Jianghu.

"You are really impatient sect leader Meng, I was just about to bring up the reason for this meeting but you had already spoken even before I did," Sect leader Lin said, everyone, cowered their head when they heard his statement.

It was obviously rebuking Sect leader Meng for her impudent attitude but she wasn't one to be intimidated by such things.

"It seems like I have interrupted you, I am sorry for that" Sect leader Meng said without any hint of courtesy. Sect leader Lin was quite angry that she wasn't even giving him the basic respect as the leader of the alliance but if he brings it up now, it would only cause unnecessary sentiments.