Lu Mingye finished speaking, and the Hundred Sacred Land had essentially gained no psychological support whatsoever. This left the entire Hundred Sacred Land in a state of deep frustration.
Next, it was the turn of the Hundred Sacred Land's Divine Path Patriarch to speak. This was the critical round in the contest for the position of Alliance Leader.
If even the Divine Path Patriarch failed to persuade everyone, then the Hundred Sacred Land would effectively be out of the running entirely.
For that reason, the Hundred Patriarch was exceedingly careful.
The old ginger was the spiciest, as the saying went. The moment the Hundred Patriarch took the stage, he immediately projected an aura of steady composure and gravitas. He outlined the Hundred Sacred Land's various contributions, its accumulated heritage, and its advantages in meticulous detail, his words laced with subtle implication throughout.
In short, if they allowed the Hundred Sacred Land to serve as Alliance Leader, the Hundred Sacred Land would not only lead Myriad Abyss Island in resisting external enemies but would also bring greater benefits to everyone.
The Hundred Patriarch spoke with earnest sincerity, possessing a natural magnetism that made people feel the depth of the Hundred Sacred Land's heritage and the strength of their commitment. They could sense his sincerity and ambition.
The Hundred Sacred Land truly deserved its reputation as one of Myriad Abyss Island's established Sacred Lands — its strength and heritage had always been at the very top. The Hundred Patriarch's speech earned a round of applause from many in attendance.
After listening to the speech, Jiang Chen found himself looking at the Hundred Patriarch in a new light.
It had to be admitted that the Eternal Sacred Land, in terms of heritage and raw strength, still had a measurable gap compared to the Hundred Sacred Land — at least, it had before his own arrival.
However, Jiang Chen had not lost his confidence.
He was perfectly certain that as long as Myriad Abyss Island's primary focus remained on resisting external enemies, the position of Alliance Leader would absolutely not slip away to anyone else.
No matter how these people schemed and jockeyed, in the end they would still have to choose the Eternal Sacred Land.
Jiang Chen was not selfless to that extreme degree. If the position of Alliance Leader did not fall into the Eternal Sacred Land's hands, and the initiative and voice of authority over the entire matter did not belong to him, he certainly would not put in anywhere near the same effort.
After the Hundred Patriarch's speech, only the Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor remained to deliver his address.
The Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor did not deliver a lengthy oration. He was brief and to the point, reiterating the Eternal Sacred Land's principal advantages in a concise manner.
The Eternal Sacred Land's greatest advantage was, of course, Jiang Chen.
Naturally, the Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor would highlight this advantage. When Jiang Chen had delivered his own speech earlier, there were many things he could not very well boast about himself.
But when it came out of the Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor's mouth, there was no need for excessive subtlety. And so the Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor gave Jiang Chen a thorough and enthusiastic endorsement.
He particularly emphasized what Jiang Chen had mentioned earlier — altering the trajectory of the heavenly orbits, and concealing planar coordinates.
These were the matters everyone cared about most. They were directly tied to the future survival of the Divine Abyss Continent.
Survival was the paramount concern.
The Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor had clearly seized upon what everyone was thinking. His words were few, but they carried tremendous force.
This posture also conveyed an air of absolute certainty.
When the Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor finished his address, the presentations from both sides came to an end.
Next came the crucial moment — the decision on who would sit in the Alliance Leader's chair.
"Fellow Daoists, the position of Alliance Leader bears directly upon the interests of Myriad Abyss Island and upon the future and destiny of the Divine Abyss Continent. Each of you surely has your own choice in mind. I only hope that no matter which side ultimately secures the seat, the victor must maintain a broad perspective and prioritize the greater good, leading Myriad Abyss Island and the Divine Abyss Continent toward glory. And the side that does not prevail must not harbor resentment or create obstructions at every turn. If the contest for Alliance Leader damages goodwill or even fractures into hostile factions, the cost would far outweigh any benefit."
"Indeed, this point must be made absolutely clear. Fellow Daoists from the Hundred Sacred Land and the Eternal Sacred Land — you must both make your positions unequivocally known."
The Eternal Sacred Land's Ancestor chuckled and replied: "Regardless of whether or not we hold the position of Alliance Leader, the Eternal Sacred Land will always align with the greater good and fight for the future of Myriad Abyss Island. As long as the process is fair and all are treated equally, the Eternal Sacred Land will firmly support whoever serves as Alliance Leader. We will absolutely not engage in factionalism or sow division."
"The Hundred Sacred Land likewise pledges its unwavering obedience to the greater good. Whether we succeed or fail, we will fight for the future of Myriad Abyss Island and for survival."
Both sides made their pledges on this point with refreshing candor.