The old patriarch of the Ge Clan was also hesitating. It was not that he feared death. At his age, with his cultivation long stagnant, he had long since made peace with life and death.
What he hesitated over was whether to adopt this plan.
The Ge Clan's momentum was already spent, but that did not mean annihilation.
If all the mortals perished, they could simply go seize more — in a Gu Master's eyes, mortals were merely a number. As long as the Gu Masters survived and the Elders remained standing, the skeleton of the clan would endure.
Yet retreating now, abandoning everyone else and keeping only the Ge Clan's upper echelon, likely meant they would have to throw themselves at the mercy of the Man Clan for the time being.
And the Man Clan had long harbored designs to swallow the Ge Clan whole. The arrival of this Night Wolf pack — could it have been their plot all along?
But if he adopted Fang Yuan's plan, the risk was simply too great. If it failed, the Ge Clan's leadership would be finished, and no number of remaining mortals would be more than a flock of sheep for outsiders to devour.
"Father, uncles, I think Uncle Chang is right — only by doing this can we save the entire clan!" Ge Guang spoke up. Looking at the hesitating crowd, he felt a chill in his heart.
He was still young, still burning with hot blood. At this critical moment, having witnessed everyone's true colors, he had never imagined the Ge Clan could be so fragile.
Fang Yuan sneered inwardly.
When he first learned the wolf pack had broken through, he was startled — and then overjoyed.
If he could seize this chance to subdue this Myriad Beast King, his strength would double on top of its current foundation!
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and of course he wanted to seize it. But to enslave the Myriad Beast King under these circumstances required the help of the Ge Clan.
Charging into the formation did carry risks, but for Fang Yuan, the danger was minimal.
He was a Fourth Transformation Gu Master, and he also possessed the Third Transformation Eagle Wing Gu. If things turned against him, he could simply take flight and escape.
Letting the Ge Clan decline like this — what a waste. If he was going to use them, he would use them to the fullest.
"Everyone!" Fang Yuan called out sharply, drawing all eyes to himself.
His voice rolled like thunder as he roared: "What are you waiting for? What are you still hesitating over? Are the men of the Ge Clan really this cowardly?!"
"Listen to what's happening outside — those are Ge Clan members screaming in agony. Those wretched Night Wolves are slaughtering our parents, our friends, our wives, our children! If the Ge Clan perishes tonight, every last one of you will be homeless dogs!"
"How can you bear to watch our kin die right before our eyes? I cannot! Though I, Chang Shan Yin, am but an outsider, in the time I have spent with you, I have felt your warmth. I have felt the deep love that runs through the veins of the Ge Clan. For the sake of friendship, for the sake of justice in this world, I will charge forward and fight for a chance at survival for all of you!"
"Men of the Ge Clan, are your sabers still in your hands? Your ancestors watch over you from beyond — is it cowardice and fear that flows through your blood?!"
Fang Yuan's righteous fury blazed as he roared again and again, his presence overwhelming.
His voice was so loud that even the Gu Masters outside the main tent were drawn in. The Elders stared at him with looks of astonishment.
What was a hero?
To turn the tide of a collapsing battle — that was a hero's power.
But to stand up at every critical moment, at every turning point in a crisis, to face the danger head-on and fill others with confidence and courage — that was the bearing of a true hero!
Ge Guang listened to Fang Yuan's thundering words, his entire body trembling slightly.
In this moment, Fang Yuan's image was so towering, so magnificent, that it was carved deep into his heart.
His eyes blazed bright, his rims flushed red, his heart pounding wildly — he could only feel hot blood boiling in his chest.
With a swift motion, Ge Guang activated his Saber Gu, gripping it tightly in his right hand and raising the blade high overhead.
Then the young young patriarch of the Ge Clan bellowed: "No! The bravery of the Ge Clan still lives! The sabers of the Ge Clan still gleam! Ancestors above, look upon us, your descendants! Wolf King — others may fear death, but I, Ge Guang, am willing to die alongside you!!"
These words instantly ignited the fury of several hot-tempered Elders in the tent, shaming them into roaring replies.
"Worst that can happen is death — what's there to be afraid of?!"
"Damn the Night Wolves — I'll slaughter every last one of you!"
"Wolf King, Young Patriarch — count me, Ge De, in for the charge!"
These few not only answered the call, but swept those around them with looks of disdain and contempt.
More and more people were stoked to killing intent. The people of the Northern Plains had always been fierce.
"Kill! Prove the bravery of the Ge Clan with our blood!"
"Death battle! Death battle!"
"Count me in — I'm joining the fight too!!"
A fevered atmosphere gradually filled the main tent.
Even those Elders who had no desire to participate declared they would join. They refused to earn the reputation of cowards in the martial Northern Plains — once that label stuck, they would be shunned by all.
The speed of this development caught the long-hesitating old patriarch completely off guard.
He was old and cautious, unwilling to gamble.
In his heart, he had already been leaning toward retreat. As long as the upper-level Gu Masters survived, the Ge Clan had a foundation to rebuild from.
But charging into the formation? The risk was far too great. The dark night was vast, and who knew how many Night Wolves lurked within? Besides that, there might well be hidden schemes from the Man Clan, and Chang Shan Yin might not be able to subdue the Myriad Beast King. Even if everyone fought their way out — what if the Night Wolf King refused to engage head-on and simply retreated into the distance?
Fang Yuan's plan had far too many holes. It was unreliable no matter how you looked at it.
"This is bad." The old patriarch saw the red-rimmed eyes of the surrounding Elders and realized his earlier hesitation was now useless. There was only one path left.
"Death battle! Death battle!"