More Men To Use . . .
In all honesty, they felt a degree of discomfort upon hearing Long Tianyun's words. ["You just surrendered your control and handed over our fate to him? Allowing him to determine our future? What in the world are you thinking!"]
However, upon deeper contemplation, they recognized the brilliance of the scheme.
It was an audacious and ingenious strategy.
It amounted to willingly facing death in the hopes of securing a chance at survival.
Furthermore, if they were truly going to meet their end, and Cha Eun Xiao upheld his promise, their sacrifice would be worthwhile. Under such life-threatening circumstances, what other path to survival remained available to them?
In fact, the best approach to dealing with Feng Monarch was to be straightforward and candid. He was a man who abhorred duplicity. He had an unyielding temperament and could turn hostile in the blink of an eye if provoked.
Cha Eun Xiao found himself grappling with complex emotions. When he had first laid eyes on these ten individuals, he had perceived their distinctive personalities. They possessed a range of qualities, from maturity and experience to intelligence and astuteness, craftiness and cunning, and even timidity and cowardice.
However, in this critical moment, they all displayed unwavering sincerity on behalf of their respective clans.
"It's no wonder the eight noble clans have endured for thousands of years, avoiding catastrophe in history," Cha Eun Xiao reflected. "There's a reason for that. They might be ruthless towards others, evade responsibility, vie for undeserved credit, engage in cowardice, or be utterly unscrupulous to achieve their objectives, but when it comes to their clans, they are unwaveringly loyal."
"For the sake of their clans, they are prepared to endure anything and make any sacrifice. This is why their clans have thrived."
Cha Eun Xiao fell into a contemplative silence.
Long Tianyun was eager to learn Cha Eun Xiao's thoughts and inquired, "Feng Monarch, have you reached a decision?"
Cha Eun Xiao pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "What I desire is honesty, strict adherence to the law, and unwavering compliance."
He underscored, "I mean unwavering compliance."
He fixed his gaze on each of them in turn.
"Given our present circumstances, we must stand firmly united, as it is the only way to secure a slim chance of survival."
Long Tianyun offered a resolute nod. "Rest assured, Feng Monarch. There is no need to worry. Should any of us harbor dishonest intentions, I will personally handle the matter."
Cha Eun Xiao nodded in response. "Since you say so, I will not decline your offer. However, I must be forthright. If any of you make misleading statements or entertain ulterior motives, I will not assume responsibility for the safety of your supreme dan beads, and you will be treated as expendable assets."
The individuals were rendered speechless once again. ["You are the authority now. Isn't it your prerogative to decide if someone is being duplicitous? You can always hold us responsible for errors, even if we all perish."]
While the group was deep in thought, Long Tianyun decisively responded, "No problem."
"Good! I can guarantee one thing to all of you: as long as you keep your promise, we will uphold ours," Cha Eun Xiao stated matter-of-factly. "Even if the supreme dan beads in your possession are lost, I can compensate you for them."
"Supreme dan beads are not particularly valuable to me," he continued. "The only thing I require is your unwavering obedience. If you fulfill your end of the bargain, I will never break my word, even in life or death. But if you don't, don't be surprised by how ruthlessly I can treat you."
Long Tianyun finally exhaled with relief and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much, Feng Monarch."
The other nine individuals shared his relief, feeling a newfound sense of security upon Cha Eun Xiao's promise.
As Cha Eun Xiao had stated, supreme dan beads held paramount importance to them, even more so than their lives. For him, however, they were a minor concern, hardly worthy of mention.
Despite this, these men now found themselves in a precarious situation. No matter the outcome, they would be on the front lines and would be responsible for confronting the danger. Otherwise, they would be branded as deceitful cowards and meet a grim fate, ultimately losing their supreme dan beads. They had prepared themselves for what lay ahead, accepting that they would become slaves to Feng Zhiling in the future.
The cooperation was established under Cha Eun Xiao's dominion.
After instructing Wan Zhenghao to attend to the guests, Cha Eun Xiao secretly exited Ling-Bao Hall, citing a need for meditation.
He was headed to the bamboo forest.
Cha Eun Xiao now had a more substantial force at his disposal, a product of the mayhem he had orchestrated. While these men might not drastically change the course of the main battle, having additional manpower was unquestionably beneficial. A locust might not be meat, but it was superior to vegetables.
"It seems I should engage in such endeavors more frequently, perhaps even up to eight times a day!" Cha Eun Xiao mused.
After disguising himself, he strolled into the streets and detected a marked shift in the spiritual energies lingering in the air. The atmosphere had evolved from one of curiosity to one of hostility.
It was suffused with murderous intent.
These developments were not solely due to the events between the three factions that Cha Eun Xiao and his comrades had manipulated. In reality, there had been a massacre at Infinitude Sect's headquarters.
Over forty individuals from the sect had perished in the bloodshed, with no survivors.
Their six supreme dan beads had been pilfered.
As for the smaller martial factions that had stumbled upon one supreme dan bead by luck, they had also met a dire fate, with all of them being eradicated. For them, the so-called supreme dan beads appeared more akin to death warrants.
Chen-Xing City was akin to a primordial behemoth, maintaining its silence by day and unleashing its thunderous roars at night. It seemed to be swallowing every outsider in the martial world one by one.
Cha Eun Xiao received this information and sensed that he held the key to all these developments. However, it remained an indistinct notion in his mind, like gazing at flowers through a mist. He was unable to fathom it completely.
He understood that it was a task that would require ample time to resolve fully and was therefore content to leave it in the back of his mind for now. More pressing matters required his attention.
Now, he had to confront an individual.
This was the one person he had hoped never to face again, but circumstances demanded it..