"Six Lords, if we activate the Prison God's Decree and fail to lure Chu Feng here, I, Baili Xukong, will bear full responsibility."
Baili Xukong declared.
"Bear responsibility?"
"What could you possibly offer?"
Cang Li sneered with contempt.
"The manner of punishment will be decided by the six Lords. Even if the six Lords want my life, I, Baili Xukong, will harbor no complaints."
When Baili Xukong made this declaration, not only were the five from the neutral faction and the members of the ancient faction stunned — even Cang Li was momentarily taken aback.
Baili Xukong was willing to stake his own life on such faith in Jie Tianran?
"Baili Xukong, you had better mean what you say."
Cang Li said, his voice grave.
"I, Baili Xukong, have always kept my word." Baili Xukong's tone was resolute.
"Xukong, there is no need to go that far. Even if Chu Feng truly does not come, it would not warrant taking your life."
"However, the Prison God's Decree is at stake. If it is wasted, we would be squandering the Prison Sect's future and the Prison Lord's painstaking efforts."
"If Chu Feng truly does not come, from this point forward, you will follow our directives in all Prison Sect affairs."
Ting Yun said.
"I, Baili Xukong, swear — if Chu Feng does not come this time, from now on I will follow the six Lords' commands alone."
"Even if the six Lords do not trust Jie Tianran and order me to kill him, I will not hesitate."
Baili Xukong truly raised his palm and swore an oath.
This left the six neutral elders with no room to back down.
The truth was, the reason they had been willing to accept such a pledge from Baili Xukong was that deep down, they had already inclined toward activating the Prison God's Decree.
"Then let it be decided. We will activate the Prison God's Decree to ambush Chu Feng."
Ting Yun looked to the other five, and since they were already of one mind, the other five nodded in agreement.
"Six Lords."
"I know that activating the Prison God's Decree is an exceedingly dangerous endeavor."
"That is why I asked Jie Tianran to craft talismans to assist the six Lords, based on the conditions required for activation."
"I have already examined them — these talismans are completely safe. The six Lords may use them without worry."
Baili Xukong produced a box and opened it, revealing eighteen talismans laid out inside.
"Baili Xukong, you had this planned all along, didn't you? You wanted us to activate this thing to capture Chu Feng!"
Cang Li regarded Baili Xukong with undisguised disdain.
"My Lord, it is all for the Prison Sect."
Baili Xukong replied.
In truth, when Chu Feng had invaded the Immortal Star Domain, Baili Xukong had secretly proposed that the six neutral elders activate the Prison God's Decree to capture him.
But the six neutral elders had refused, claiming they had not brought the Prison God's Decree with them.
Yet how could something as important as the Prison God's Decree not be in their possession?
Baili Xukong knew full well that the six were simply afraid of failing the activation and losing their lives.
But then again, the six neutral elders were indispensable combat forces of the Prison Sect. If something were truly to happen to them, the loss would be one the Prison Sect could not afford.
So Baili Xukong had not forced the six neutral elders to activate the Prison God's Decree against Chu Feng that day.
Instead, he had commissioned Jie Tianran to forge these talismans to assist in the activation.
The six neutral elders accepted the talismans and could immediately feel that the power within was genuinely useful.
This eased the worry that had been weighing on their minds.
"Xukong, you have been most thoughtful."
Ting Yun could not help but praise.
"My Lord, it is all for the Prison Sect."
Baili Xukong repeated his earlier words, but everyone could tell that there was more meaning behind what he said.
Afterward, the meeting adjourned.
Baili Xukong led his people to make full defensive preparations.
Although the ancient faction's leader, Dongfang Hansong, was absent, the ancient faction members did not dare disobey the orders of the six neutral elders.
And so, the ancient faction's forces also began setting up defensive perimeters around the anomaly as instructed.
But after everyone dispersed, the six neutral elders remained gathered together.
And in Ting Yun's hands, she held a statue that radiated a blood-red aura.