The whole process went surprisingly smoothly, which caught even Jiang Chen off guard.
It had to be said that this Meng Qianqiu was remarkably good at reading the situation. Seeing that things were beyond saving and that the allied army's momentum was lost, he handled matters without the slightest hesitation or dithering.
Meng Qianqiu was also very tactful, making no mention whatsoever of the treasury robbery. After all, the Menglan Sect had participated in the rebellion, and being able to pay a small price to avoid prosecution was already an excellent deal.
After the reconciliation, Meng Qianqiu smiled an odd smile and looked at Jiang Chen, unable to suppress his curiosity: "Holy Sovereign Ningyan, this old man is truly convinced this time. But I still have one question I'm curious about—this outstanding young man, might I ask who he is?"
"The Jiang Chen who has recently risen to prominence in the Eternal Sacred Land—Ancestor Qianqiu hasn't heard of him?" Holy Sovereign Ningyan said with a faint smile.
"Him?" Meng Qianqiu broke out in a cold sweat. How could he not have heard of that name? In fact, he had heard far too much about it in recent days.
The Eternal Sacred Land's success in suppressing the rebellion—the single greatest factor in their victory had been this very Jiang Chen. And regarding the various rumors about Jiang Chen, an old ancestor of Meng Qianqiu's caliber had naturally heard some of them.
To think that this young man was none other than the Jiang Chen who had tipped the scales of the entire conflict for the Eternal Sacred Land—how could Meng Qianqiu not be shocked?
For a moment, Meng Qianqiu studied Jiang Chen with intense curiosity, his heart churning like a stormy sea. At the same time, he felt a twinge of relief. Thank heavens he had been sensible enough. Otherwise, if it had truly come to blows, his fate would surely have been no different from Ancestor Jinzhong's.
He had heard that this Jiang Chen had an ancient divine beast—a Vermilion Bird—as his companion, and that its combat power was comparable to that of a deity.
Though Meng Qianqiu was arrogant and defiant, he did not for a moment believe he had the strength to contend with the Vermilion Bird divine bird. And the falls of Ancestor Jinzhong and Ancestor Yuchi were most likely connected to this very young man.
Thinking of this, Meng Qianqiu shuddered inwardly.
"Ancestor Qianqiu, there is no time to waste. The situation in the True Martial Divine Kingdom must be stabilized as quickly as possible. The rebel army must be cleaned out. You need to make a nationwide announcement at the fastest possible speed."
"That's easy enough. This old man will issue the proclamation immediately."
"Mm. You were one of the key figures in the allied army yourself, so you should understand it very well. Do you have any good strategy that could cause the allied army to collapse without a fight?" Holy Sovereign Ningyan asked.
Meng Qianqiu pondered for a moment: "Ever since Ancestor Yuchi departed, the allied army's morale has been quite unstable. These past few days, the news of Ancestor Jinzhong and Ancestor Yuchi's deaths has already spread. On top of that, with my Menglan Sect withdrawing its forces, the allied army is now in a state of panic—this is their most chaotic period."
"Does that mean now is the opportune moment to strike?" Holy Sovereign Ningyan asked again.
"If we move against the allied army now, it still wouldn't be the ideal time. Although their morale is shaken, it hasn't completely disintegrated," Meng Qianqiu answered honestly.
"What would it take for their morale to completely fall apart?" Holy Sovereign Ningyan asked earnestly.
"The deaths of Ancestor Jinzhong and Ancestor Yuchi must be confirmed. If the last demigod ancestor could also be eliminated, the allied army would be left without leaders, and their morale would certainly collapse. And if my Menglan Sect were to push things along from within, we could surely sway another batch of people to defect. In that case, the allied army's resolve would absolutely crumble without a single battle."
Holy Sovereign Ningyan listened attentively, and Meng Qianqiu's words carried great sincerity. He was clearly offering advice from the bottom of his heart.
"Young Master Jiang Chen, what do you think?"
Jiang Chen chuckled: "Ancestor Qianqiu truly lives up to his reputation as a regional powerhouse—his assessment of the situation is both precise and hits right at the critical point. I think this plan is entirely feasible."
Seeing that Jiang Chen actually praised him and held him in regard, Meng Qianqiu found himself developing a certain goodwill toward the young man. After all, this youth had robbed his treasury and used his grandson as a hostage against him.