It was clear that Meng Nan would not let this matter rest and would surely avenge Han Chengze.
Currently, Meng Nan did not possess sufficient strength to deal with them, but that could change in the future.
After all, many factions within the Peak Meeting would form alliances, both openly and secretly. If Meng Nan were to gain allies, the threat to the Hidden Group would be even greater.
Therefore, Qiangwei felt it was necessary to eliminate the people of Snow Peak before Meng Nan could fully establish himself.
"There's no need for that!"
"Meng Nan is just a piece of trash."
Ye Cangtian said indifferently. For him, eliminating Meng Nan was a simple matter.
However, the problem was that he could not make the first move.
If he were to act proactively, someone would undoubtedly gossip about it, labeling him as narrow-minded and incapable of tolerating others.
Moreover, if he were to kill Meng Nan, Snow Peak would likely struggle to suppress the situation.
Should a war erupt between Snow Peak and the Hidden Group, it would result in many casualties and potentially allow others to seize opportunities.
Upon hearing Ye Cangtian's words, Qiangwei frowned. He continued, "What you say has merit, but we cannot simply wait to be schemed against, can we?"
"How could that be!"
Ye Cangtian smiled mischievously and said, "I think someone will find us soon."
Huh?
Qiangwei was taken aback by his words and then asked, "Are you planning to employ the 'driving wolves to devour tigers' strategy, uniting various factions to make them attack Snow Peak?"
"Heh heh, incorrect answer."
Ye Cangtian chuckled and continued, "Let me give you a hint. Who would be most displeased if Meng Nan were to assume the position of Peak Master?"
Hmm?
Upon hearing this, Qiangwei's eyes began to gleam.
Previously, Ye Cangtian and his group had discussed Snow Peak.
During their discussion, they had believed that the Peak Master of Snow Peak was the second disciple, Hou Qing!
However, upon their arrival, they discovered that the Peak Master of Snow Peak had changed again, with Meng Nan now holding the current position.
Hou Qing was an ambitious man who craved power. How could he easily relinquish the position of Peak Master to Meng Nan?
The process must have been quite unpleasant!
Now that Meng Nan had a conflict with Ye Cangtian, as long as Hou Qing had some sense, he would likely ally with Ye Cangtian.
After all, other factions would hardly concern themselves with Snow Peak's internal affairs. The only party likely to intervene would be the Hidden Group.
Therefore, based on the principle that an enemy's enemy is an ally, Hou Qing should contact the Hidden Group to jointly deal with Meng Nan.
Thinking of this, Qiangwei glanced at Ye Cangtian and said, "I am truly impressed with you. Don't you get tired from thinking so much all the time!"
Ye Cangtian smiled helplessly at his remark and said, "In my position, can I afford not to think extensively?"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As soon as Ye Cangtian finished speaking, a knock on the door was heard.
Ye Cangtian glanced at the night outside the window and smiled eerily. Those who came at night were generally seeking alliances.
With that thought, he glanced at Taishan.
Seeing this, Taishan quickly turned to open the door, and the inn's attendant entered.
The attendant directly approached Ye Cangtian and said, "Lord Ye, a man just asked me to give this note to you..."
As he spoke, the guard handed the note to Ye Cangtian and then withdrew from the room.
Ye Cangtian opened the note, which only contained a single sentence: "The pavilion under the waterfall at midnight."
Only the time and place were specified, with no signature.
"A coward who hides his face. There's no point in going."
Qiangwei glanced at the note and scoffed. Without even a signature, it was clear this was no good person.
Ye Cangtian waved his hand and smiled, "We have to go. Even if it's not Hou Qing from Snow Peak, we still have to go if it's another faction."
Ye Cangtian's reasoning was simple: the Peak Meeting involved exploring unknown territories.
Such exploration was fraught with danger even for the Hidden Group, so having an extra friend was far better than having an extra enemy.
Who knew when these factions might offer assistance that could save the Hidden Group's lives?
Upon hearing Ye Cangtian's explanation, Qiangwei fell silent.
In the blink of an eye, it was midnight.
Ye Cangtian arrived at a pavilion under the waterfall as agreed.
During the day, one could admire the spectacular sight of the cascading waterfall, and at night, the reflection of the moon and stars in the deep pool offered a beautiful scene.
Ye Cangtian lit a cigarette, took two slow puffs, and then said calmly, "Since you've come, why not show yourself?"
As his voice fell, a rustling sound came from the darkness not far away.
Turning his head, he saw a black figure, entirely enveloped in a cloak, with only a pair of eyes visible.
When the figure approached, Ye Cangtian said indifferently, "You asked me to come but refuse to show your true face, acting like an assassin. This is rather uninteresting."
The man waved his hand and said, "Mr. Ye, you misunderstand. My attire is out of necessity."
As he spoke, the man removed his veil, revealing his true face. He cupped his fists in greeting to Ye Cangtian before putting the veil back on.
Ye Cangtian's face broke into a faint smile as he heard the voice. Based on the voice alone, he had already identified the person's identity.
It was none other than Hou Qing, whom he had mentioned to Qiangwei and the others.
"There's no need for this."
Seeing Hou Qing put on the veil again, Ye Cangtian said helplessly.
Hou Qing quickly replied, "Mr. Ye, I have no choice but to do so. If I am discovered meeting with you, I will surely meet a terrible end."
Oh?
Ye Cangtian understood but still cast a questioning glance.
Seeing this, Hou Qing hastily explained, "Mr. Ye, Meng Nan is persistently seeking revenge for our master, no matter the cost. If he discovers me meeting with you, he will definitely treat me as a traitor!"
Oh.
Ye Cangtian responded with an "oh" and continued, "As a disciple, seeking revenge for his master is understandable. However, if you are worried about this matter being exposed and facing utter destruction, you didn't have to seek me out."
Uh...
Ye Cangtian's words caused Hou Qing's face to flush. What he said was true; if he hadn't sought Ye Cangtian out, he wouldn't have courted death.
But if that were the case, his heart would be filled with resentment!
With that thought, he looked at Ye Cangtian and said, "Mr. Ye, I have come here to make a deal with you."
"Tell me, what kind of deal?" Ye Cangtian asked, already having a good guess.
Hearing the question, Hou Qing no longer concealed his intentions and said directly, "I will provide you with all the information on Meng Nan. All I ask is that you help me eliminate him! What do you say?"
Heh heh.
Ye Cangtian chuckled upon hearing this and said, "Hou Qing, are you perhaps overthinking things? Firstly, although Meng Nan and I have animosity, it hasn't reached a point where we must kill each other.
Secondly, if I help you eliminate Meng Nan and you become the Peak Master, I gain nothing. This deal of yours is truly quite profitable for you!"
As he spoke, Ye Cangtian's gaze carried a hint of disdain. The man's approach was, to put it bluntly, an attempt to get something for nothing!
"That's not entirely true."
Hou Qing waved his hands repeatedly and said, "By providing you with information on Meng Nan, I can prevent the Hidden Group from facing unforeseen disasters. Furthermore, if I become the Peak Master, I guarantee that I will not engage in conflict with the Hidden Group during my lifetime!"
As he spoke, Hou Qing looked at Ye Cangtian solemnly and continued, "Aren't these things Mr. Ye wishes to see?"
In Hou Qing's eyes, avenging his master was far less important than the position of Peak Master.
For this reason, he was willing to forgo revenge and cooperate with Ye Cangtian, showcasing his utmost sincerity.
"Hou Qing, my helping you eliminate Meng Nan in exchange for your information is already a reasonable arrangement," Ye Cangtian said.
Ye Cangtian glanced at Hou Qing and continued, "Even taking a step back, even without your information, do you really think Meng Nan can succeed? I advise you not to overestimate him!"
Ye Cangtian paused and then added, "Furthermore, to put it bluntly, I believe many people within Snow Peak would be willing to cooperate with me and offer substantial benefits..."
This!
With just a few words, Hou Qing's body trembled.
The last sentence, in particular, filled him with dread.
Naturally, many within Snow Peak coveted the position of Peak Master, but their ambitions were suppressed due to the presence of him and Meng Nan.
However, if Ye Cangtian agreed to act, the situation would be entirely different.
Ye Cangtian could agree to eliminate Meng Nan, and he could equally agree to eliminate him. In that case, not only would he lose the position of Peak Master, but he might even lose his life.
Thinking of this, Hou Qing quickly said, "Mr. Ye, my previous thinking was rather shallow. Please do not take offense. Rest assured, once I ascend to the position of Peak Master, I will prepare a generous gift that will satisfy you..."