In the end, Fang Di Chang once again emphasized: "Looking across the Five Regions, the Northern Plains, Central Continent, and Eastern Sea all have Venerable leaders. The Southern Border also has a Righteous Path alliance. Only our Western Desert remains fragmented—disparate forces locked in mutual rivalry, a scattering of sand."
"Put simply, we Western Desert are the weakest among all Five Regions."
"Under these circumstances, we absolutely must not take the initiative to lead or set an example."
"If other powers recruit us, we shall play all sides, secretly pledging allegiance where it serves our clan's interests first. Our Fang Clan was besieged before precisely because we obtained the God Emperor City. We cannot make that mistake again. Being a target for everyone's arrows once more would be far too foolish."
Fang Gong and Fang Hua Sheng nodded again.
Though Fang Di Chang's cultivation was lacking, his strategic vision remained sound.
Southern Border.
Skyblue Mountain—the Luo Clan's main headquarters.
In the great hall, nearly every Luo Clan Gu Immortal had gathered. Those who could not come in person sent a strand of will to participate on their behalf.
Grand Elder Luo Zu of the Luo Clan had only Seventh Transformation cultivation. He swept his gaze across the room and spoke: "Three Venerables coexisting—an era of chaos and war is upon us. Where should the Luo Clan go from here? Speak your thoughts."
The Luo Clan immortals exchanged glances, and soon one of them opened his mouth.
This man was a specialist in the Path of Space—Luo Ran, the Luo Clan's great general, who possessed Peak Stage Seventh Transformation combat strength, surpassing even Grand Elder Luo Zu himself.
Luo Ran spoke: "Everyone, the news of three Venerables coexisting is shocking. I've thought about it at length, tried putting myself in their shoes. If I were any one of the three Venerables, I would first swallow the Southern Border and Western Desert. After all, you squeeze the softest persimmon. The three Venerables going to war would be terrible for the native powers of the Eastern Sea, Central Continent, and Northern Plains. The wisest course of action would be to first strengthen oneself, absorb more territories and resources, and only then engage in Venerable-level confrontation."
"Our Luo Clan is situated at the northernmost edge of the Southern Border, closest to the Central Continent. If Star Constellation Immortal Venerable reaches toward our Southern Border, our Luo Clan will inevitably bear the brunt!"
The assembled Luo Clan immortals nodded one after another, their expressions grim.
Ever since the barriers between the Five Regions had vanished, their pressure had only intensified with each passing day. They had been privately pondering their own futures, and the fate of the clan.
Luo Ran continued: "Three Venerables coexisting—unless our Southern Border produces a Venerable of its own, even if every Gu Immortal in the Southern Border united as one, working in perfect harmony, they would not be the match of any single one of the three. Other great powers deep in the interior may still have room to negotiate, to weigh their options. But our Luo Clan sits at the border between the Southern Border and Central Continent. I fear that once conflict erupts, we will be forced to choose a side first."
His words had barely fallen when the assembled Luo Clan immortals began to stir restlessly.
One of them shot to his feet and cried out indignantly: "Luo Zu! Are you suggesting our Luo Clan should surrender without a fight? Will you disregard the righteous reputation our ancestors have built over generations? Will you cast aside the glory of our Luo Clan's guardianship of justice?"
All eyes turned to the speaker—Luo Fei.
In short order, several other Luo Clan immortals voiced their agreement with Luo Fei.
"When our Luo Clan was at its peak, we nearly rivaled the Wu Clan's standing. How can we possibly resort to such cowardice?"
"Exactly! It's true that Venerables are invincible, but in this era three Venerables coexist—who's to say another Venerable won't resurrect as well? The future holds endless possibilities. We cannot give up before the battle even begins!"
"In my opinion, none of the current three Venerables are worthy of our allegiance. Heavenly Court operates under a master-disciple system—if our Luo Clan joins, we'd be forced to reform. Giant Sun Immortal Venerable is the type to protect his own—the Hundred Foot Clan and Chu Clan in the Northern Plains have repeatedly suffered the discrimination of the Golden Bloodline. And Refining Heaven Demon Venerable has old grudges with our clan. If we bow our heads to him, I couldn't even respect myself!"
Seeing the passionate outcry, Luo Ran hastily waved his hands: "Everyone, I spoke without considering things fully just now."
Luo Fei glared: "Lord Luo Ran, you are the strongest fighter in our entire Luo Clan. If even you harbor such thoughts, it would be truly disappointing!"
Luo Ran's face showed a trace of shame: "I was wrong."
Luo Fei pressed on: "In my view, the situation is not nearly as dire as it seems. Three Venerables coexisting means they eye each other warily and keep each other in check—they won't act so easily. During the battle for the Crazed Demon Cave, Qi Jue Demon Immortal, Xiao He Jian, and others all fell. Fang Yuan's forces suffered devastating losses. He himself is still recuperating. He hasn't even settled the Eastern Sea—how could he have the spare strength to meddle in other regions?"
"Furthermore, while our Southern Border has no Venerable, we do have the Southern Alliance, with Alliance Leader Lord Wu Yong. During the Fate War, it was Lord Wu Yong who led us Southern Border Righteous Path cultivators. He has never let us down! Why can't we hold on to a measure of hope—for him, and for ourselves?"
With those words, Luo Fei sat back down.
But many of the Luo Clan immortals were quietly nodding—it made considerable sense.
The entire Luo Clan held favorable sentiments toward the Wu Clan.
Because in the past, when the Luo Clan's expedition into Qi Jue's Grotto-Heaven ended in failure and they were hunted down, it was the Wu Clan they turned to for aid—and the Wu Clan preserved their clan's strength.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Luo Zu announced the meeting adjourned and secretly kept Luo Ran behind for a private conversation.
"I've put you in an unfair position this time," Luo Zu said with an apologetic tone.
Luo Ran shook his head directly: "Pledging allegiance to the Central Continent was my genuine intention. But after today's sounding, it's clear the Luo Clan as a whole doesn't want to submit so easily—they feel it would be humiliation. Besides, that Information Path Immortal Gu only represents the Immortal Crane Sect's intentions. Even if our Luo Clan truly decides to switch sides to the Central Continent, shouldn't we at least establish contact with Heavenly Court first?"
Luo Zu sighed: "Our Luo Clan has always upheld an upright family tradition. I am talentless and shallow in virtue—I worry deeply for our clan's safety. But what you say is true. The timing is not yet right. We should continue maintaining covert contact with the Immortal Crane Sect."
Central Continent. Immortal Crane Sect.
Lush green trees, a gentle breeze caressing the face.
In a small pavilion halfway up the mountain, a young Gu Immortal played a jade flute.
The melody soared and drifted as a celestial crane danced gracefully through the air.
The young Gu Immortal wore a white robe pure as snow, his features warm and refined as jade. His emerald-green eyebrows were long and slender, drooping from between his brows all the way to his waist. This was He Feng Yang—a specialist in the Path of Servitude, known as the Crane Feather Flying Immortal.
"This time I successfully weathered my tribulation and advanced to the Seventh Transformation. I never expected that the moment I emerged from seclusion, I would hear the shocking news of three Venerables coexisting."
"Not only have Star Constellation Immortal Venerable and Giant Sun Immortal Venerable resurrected, but there is also a newly risen Refining Heaven Demon Venerable!"
"Fang Yuan..."
He Feng Yang's feelings were complicated.
Back then, it was he who had instructed Celestial Crane Immortal to travel to Guye Stockade in the Southern Border, to deal with Fang Yuan and seize the Fox Immortal's Blessed Land.
"If I had steeled my heart back then and acted personally, could I have killed Fang Yuan on the spot?"
The thought surfaced unbidden in He Feng Yang's mind.
But he immediately shook his head. The probability was high that he would have failed. Because behind Fang Yuan stood the entanglement of Heavenly Will and other Venerables. But even if there had been a possibility of eliminating Fang Yuan preemptively, what use was there in speaking of it now?
Fang Yuan was already a Demon Venerable.
And he, He Feng Yang, had only just stepped beyond the Sixth Transformation to reach the Seventh.
In He Feng Yang's heart, there was certainly no shortage of disappointment and envy.
He had toiled in cultivation for so many years, yet could only watch as Fang Yuan surged upward from the status of a mere mortal, climbing faster and faster, until ultimately becoming a Venerable! Leaving him so far behind that he couldn't even see Fang Yuan's shadow.
But amid the flute's melody, He Feng Yang's emotions gradually settled.
"Each person has their own fate."