Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 601 - 33 Powers and Responsibilities

"Good."

Zhao Jianzhong, leaning on the table, stood up, "The candidate I recommend the most is nominated three times. Among them, Yang Zheng is the most familiar to everyone. He was also a member when the Yan Zhao Club was first formed, having fought side by side with many people here. I won’t introduce him further. We can directly vote on whether Yang Zheng should enter the second seat."

Zhan Yuejin was the first to raise his hand, followed by a number of heavenly Proxy Travelers. However, Su Ling didn’t raise her hand, Wuwei Sanzang didn’t either, and even Zhao Jianzhong himself didn’t seem to have any intention of raising his hand.

A clean-cut young man on the first seat, dressed in a crisp suit, spoke up, "Regardless of character or experience, I am happy to see Yang Zheng enter the second seat, but after all, he is only at Peak of the Seven Palaces. Let’s see what happens later, what do you all think?"

His words prompted responses from quite a few people.

However, in the hearts of many, after Weiyue Yan managed to secure the second seat, they weren’t very optimistic about Yang Zheng’s chances.

Jingang Zhi, Nine Phoenixes, and Taishuai, all three had the strength of Six Ministries level. It wouldn’t make sense for them, grand Six Ministries, to lose to someone only at Peak of the Seven Palaces.

Under normal circumstances, that is.

"Okay, let’s move on. Besides Yang Zheng, I also recommended proxies for Nine Phoenixes and Taishuai, Zhang Meng’ao and Lady Dan. Meng’ao, stand up and greet your old comrades."

After Zhao Jianzhong finished speaking, there was a buzz of discussion in the room.

"Zhang Meng’ao? Wasn’t Qi Liancheng the one representing Nine Phoenixes under Mr. Zhao?"

"Who is Zhang Meng’ao? Why does that name sound so familiar to me?"

Lady Dan’s gaze shifted, and sitting beside her was a man, his features and body hidden beneath a black turtleneck coat.

The proxy traveler named Zhang Meng’ao stood up. He nodded coldly to everyone on the first seat, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have returned."

"He doesn’t seem to be from the Yan Zhao Club. Could he be a Yan Fu traveler who was recently rescued from the special talent list?"

On the third seat, Ju Mang asked the woman with draped hair.

But the woman with draped hair did not answer him, instead staring blankly, "He’s actually still alive?"

Many present revealed startled expressions, while others lowered their heads in thought.

Zhao Jianzhong said, "His name is Zhang Meng’ao. I think some here may no longer recognize him, but most should remember. He once bore the role of Sifan’s illness. To this day, the Bitter Instrument of illness is still within his body."

Those who had not experienced the war to exterminate Sifan two years ago finally showed intrigued expressions.

"Fifteen years ago, he had already joined Yan Fu. In terms of seniority, he is older than many current second and third seat proxy travelers. If anyone here is willing to look back over the records of Yan Fu travelers from a few years ago, the record clearly states that Zhang Meng’ao himself, five years ago—when we had yet to eradicate Sifan and establish the Yan Zhao Club—went missing permanently due to a failure in a Yan Fu event. Later on, he was chosen by Sifan, taking on the role of illness."

"But that’s not actually what happened. He was working for the precursor to the Yan Zhao Club, also known as the Law Enforcement Society, established by me, Cao Yuanchao, and Liu Dajun. At that time, we organized a group of people to infiltrate Sifan for various reasons, preparing for its later eradication. Then a lot happened. Sifan fell apart, and with Meng’ao’s merits at that time, he should have entered the first seat. But he never returned from falling into the Leaf Sea’s Eight Sufferings Life Realm, and we all thought he was dead."

"Until today, with the resurgence of Sifan, we found him. He has been exposed, and I have passed on the complete Nine Phoenixes’ legacy to Meng’ao to suppress the Bitter Instrument within his body, and I promised him that if he returned to the Yan Zhao Club, he would at least take a seat in the second seat."

Pausing, Zhao Jianzhong finally said, "Of course, what I say does not determine everything. I will not spout clichéd flattery; some youngsters think I’m talking nonsense after hearing just a few words from me. But regarding Zhang Meng’ao, I have complete trust. In several internal meetings, several Yan Fu Masters, as well as Wuwei Sanzang and Bu Yang, also showed complete trust in Zhang Meng’ao. Now, members of the first seat may cast your votes."

In the previous internal meetings of the Yan Zhao Club, with numbers varying from thirty to fifty people, they were determined by the first seat and some members of the second seat. The matter of the new Nine Phoenixes Zhang Meng’ao was clearly prepared in advance, and nearly everyone in the first seat abruptly raised their hands.

The war two years ago to eradicate Sifan was the most ferocious battle since the Yan Fu travelers began to band together. Those who survived that battle were mere pawns, yet now almost all have become representatives of the third and fourth seats. Yan Fu travelers were truly entering a golden age unseen in a century. Two years may seem short, yet for proxy travelers who often travel in lower sequences, it is already something that can be forgotten.

The atmosphere at the scene was not particularly warm, but it was far from deserted. Most people accepted Zhang Meng’ao’s entrance to the second seat with pleasure, and even if Zhang Meng’ao participated in the public vote, his votes would likely be far from low.

Before even reaching the public voting stage, half of the vacant second seat had already been taken.

Zhang Meng’ao had successfully taken the second seat, but his expression remained very indifferent.

Bai Xiao glanced at Yang Zheng and felt a bit confused. He had originally thought that with four seats available and three members from the Six Ministries, Yang Zheng’s secured spot in the second seat was a certainty, but now, the situation was sliding in a different direction.

There was no doubt that Jingang Zhi and Taishuai were able to defeat Yang Zheng with their strength alone.

The people present seemed unable to emerge from the enormous amount of information within Zhao Jianzhong’s words.

"Lastly is Taishuai. The former Taishuai defected from Yan Fu, and there’s nothing to be said about that. As for the origins of this new Taishuai, I believe many have heard rumors. Unlike all of us, she is a Mountain Spirit born of the Scale-Ding You Twenty-Four Fruits sequence. But Taishuai is an indispensable succession for structuring Yan Fu, which has been supported by Hou Tu alone for several years. How much longer can she hold out? I know that many people here strongly disagree with my recommendation of the Mountain Spirit. To be honest, I didn’t intend to recommend the Mountain Spirit at first, but rather to bring the succession of Taishuai back to Yan Fu through some exchanges of interests,"

Said Zhao Jianzhong, as he looked towards Lady Dan: "But the conditions she proposed are worth considering, which is why I agreed to endorse her for the second seat."

"I would like you to elaborate on this point, sir. After all, at the previous meeting, you only touched on it briefly, and even up to this day, I believe the other Yan Fu Masters are also unclear as to why you insist on having a Mountain Spirit in the second seat,"

A representative from the second seat said unabashedly.

This person was named Xing Sen, famous in the second seat for his explosive temper. He was the one who had clashed head on with Si Wenji last time.

Lady Dan showed no expression on her face. She stood up and nodded to Zhao Jianzhong, "Lord Human Master, since it’s my proposal, allow me to answer his question."

"You can just call me Mr. Zhao,"

Having said that, Zhao Jianzhong simply sat down, actually letting Lady Dan speak for herself.

Lady Dan addressed the second seat representative: "The second seat of the Yan Zhao Club had only one standard in the past, which was the representation of the Six Ministries. Since this is the case, why can’t Taishuai enter Yan Fu?"

"I’m someone who speaks frankly—your origin is different from ours, and so are your stance and way of thinking. The set of principles that Sifan has, fits better with your background. I could reluctantly agree to you joining Yan Zhao Club, but the position of the second seat shouldn’t be handed to an outsider. As for the importance of Taishuai..."

He paused for a while, then Xing Sen continued, "Let me put it this way, as long as you are here, the succession of Taishuai can’t fly out of this assembly hall."

"In other words, you need the succession of Taishuai, but you don’t want me to be in charge, am I right?"

"Basically, that’s what I mean."

Lady Dan nodded: "I can give up this second seat."

Xing Sen frowned, "Are you withdrawing too?"

"No, I will run for election, but I don’t have to take this second seat, I don’t even have to join Yan Zhao Club. I will renounce all the rights of the Yan Zhao Club and will only fulfill the responsibilities of Taishuai within Yan Fu."

Xing Sen sneered dismissively, "Responsibility is power, power is responsibility. Are you playing word games with me?"

"Of course not,"

Lady Dan shook her head.