Chapter 134: The Accord

After a moment of silence, the elder of the Li clan spoke first: “I believe that who will command is secondary. Let’s discuss it later. What I’m more concerned about is why we need to launch such a hasty offensive. Please, Young Master Seven, enlighten us.”

The elder from the Imperial Clan also nodded. The risks of attacking Chaochao City were obvious; even if they won, it would likely be a costly victory. If the reinforcements from Eternaria arrived, they might even reap the benefits.

Song Zining nodded and said, “That’s reasonable.”

He rose and hung up a large map. The map depicted the entire world of Eternaria, including all twenty-seven continents, with the Neutral Grounds at the corner. Song Zining explained, “This struggle for the Maelstrom Passage is significant but not so crucial that we need to throw everything into it. Therefore, we are the vanguard, tasked with leading the charge. Once we determine the true state of the Maelstrom Passage, the Four Clans will join forces to form the main army as support. The Imperial Clan will be involved throughout the entire process.”

Everyone nodded. This was the Empire’s overall plan for the operation. Although Song Zining was far away in the Neutral Grounds, his unique status and key role made him privy to this information.

“The problem is, do you think the joint forces of the Four Clans have a good chance of defeating the Eternaria reinforcements?” Song Zining asked.

There was another silence. Even Yan Ding did not speak. Finally, the elder from the Imperial Clan responded, “We don’t know how many reinforcements Eternaria has, nor do we know who they are. How can we guess?”

“Actually, we can still make an educated guess,” Song Zining said.

Another silence fell. Those present were no fools; they all had their ideas, but no one was willing to voice them. Song Zining, however, had no such qualms. He said bluntly, “In my view, our chances of winning this battle are not high.”

“Why? Have you already divined it?” It was Yan Ding who asked, his face serious. Though he was at odds with Qian Ye, he understood the principle that when the nest falls, there are no eggs left intact.

Song Zining shook his head. “Such a matter is beyond my ability to divine.”

It was common knowledge that divining the actions of powerful beings was exceedingly difficult. The Demon Kin had sent Lin Jiar, and the main fleet would surely be stronger. Divination on this scale would require someone like the Li Clan Patriarch or Lin Xitan.

Song Zining pointed to the Twilight Continent on the map. “According to the latest intelligence, the Twilight Blood Race has recently shown unusual activity. The King of No Light is assembling an unprecedentedly large fleet, gathering countless Blood Race experts. Even many of the old ones who have been slumbering in the blood pools have been awakened. I believe this is the Eternaria reinforcement, or at least part of it.”

“The Blood Race is assembling a fleet?” Yan Ding interjected. After asking, he realized that neither the Li Clan elder nor the Imperial Clan elder seemed surprised. Clearly, they already knew about it. The military must have also received the news, but Yan Ding was left in the dark. This was indeed intriguing.

It implied that, from the perspective of access to confidential information, Yan Ding did not qualify to sit on equal terms with those present.

In an instant, his face turned red with rage.

The elder from the Imperial Clan pondered, “Young Master Seven, how can you be sure this fleet will come to the Neutral Grounds? The King of No Light’s identity is special; he might not be able to enter the Neutral Grounds.”

Song Zining replied, “He may not, but his subordinates can. The one on the Crimson Throne is formidable, but he is not yet a Great Lord. Outside the Neutral Grounds, he may not be a match for the King of No Light. If the King of No Light holds back, the Crimson Throne will be hard-pressed to make any major moves. Moreover, whether the Crimson Throne will act is uncertain.”

The Li Clan elder frowned, “How confident are you, Young Master Seven?”

“If it’s not the King of No Light, I’d say fifty-fifty. But since it’s him, I’d say eighty percent.”

The elder from the Imperial Clan said, “Even a fifty percent chance requires a response. Eighty percent goes without saying. But how can you be so certain, Young Master Seven?”

Song Zining smiled but did not answer, clearly not intending to explain.

The elder from the Imperial Clan did not press further, “If that’s the case, even if the joint forces of the Four Clans arrive, we have no chance of winning. We can only act according to the situation.”

Song Zining opened his folding fan and waved it gently, remaining silent. His meaning was clear: facing the Eternaria reinforcements, the outcome was not just uncertain—it was grim.

They were all shrewd people, and they understood the implications. Attacking Chaochao City now might still give them a fighting chance, but if the Eternaria reinforcements arrived, they would stand no chance. They could only wait for Eternaria and Chaochao City to clash first and see the result.

After a brief contemplation, the Li Clan elder asked, “What are our chances of taking Chaochao City now? And what will the casualties be?”

“If I command, we have a forty percent chance of success, but we’ll suffer half our forces. Everyone must fight to the death. If someone else commands, well, ha-ha!”

The Li Clan elder’s eyelids twitched. “So many casualties?”

“Is Chaochao City an easy target?”

The elders from the Imperial Clan and the Li Clan exchanged glances, their words laden with meaning, “Such heavy losses are not just a matter of flesh wounds. The Blackfire mercenaries are local, and there are some strong individuals among them. Why not let them take the front line? They might also play a role in holding back Leng Bingfeng.”

Their words had hidden meanings, and Song Zining, hearing them, gave a cold laugh. “What you’re really talking about is not Blackfire, but Qian Ye, right?”

The elders, seasoned veterans, remained composed despite having their thoughts exposed. Seeing this, Song Zining said coldly, “Not to mention that Qian Ye’s identity has changed, even if it were the same as before, anyone who wants to use him as a sacrifice must first step over my body! I’ll put it this way, if you still hold this thought, I’ll walk away, and whoever wants to take the risk, go ahead! I want to see what kind of miracle you can achieve!”

No one expected Song Zining to be so resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. Each person knew this battle would be tough, and they wouldn’t be here if they could handle it. Like Yan Ding, if he had a chance, he would have jumped at the opportunity to take command. Everyone knew Song Zining was the best choice, but they also harbored hopes of letting others bear the brunt while they profited. Now, with Song Zining’s frankness, they were at an impasse.

The Li Clan elder changed the subject, “What changes have there been in Qian Ye’s identity?”

Song Zining bowed slightly, “Elder Li, go back and inquire. You will find out.”

Elder Li’s eyelids twitched. Song Zining had made it clear that there were people in the palace watching Qian Ye. If he inquired carelessly, it would be courting death. But each of them had brought their best, and losing even one person was heartbreaking. They were unwilling to make sacrifices unless absolutely necessary. So, the best option was still to use Blackfire as cannon fodder. As for Qian Ye, being a Blood Race and not of their kind, and with his formidable strength, he was the perfect choice to be sent to hold back Leng Bingfeng.

Of course, there were different levels of sending someone to their death, and it could be done very cleverly. There were a hundred ways to make the Blackfire mercenaries die in obscurity, but unfortunately, Song Zining was an expert in such matters, and nothing could be hidden from him.

Amidst the deadlock, Song Zining said, “Actually, this battle doesn’t necessarily have to aim for occupying the passage. There’s another way.”

Everyone perked up and urged, “Please tell us.”

Song Zining continued, “Occupying the passage is merely to send people into the Maelstrom. If we can send them in, why do we need to occupy the passage? My idea is to hold back Leng Bingfeng, repel the defenders of Chaochao City, confirm the state of the passage, and then send the selected individuals from each family into the Maelstrom and withdraw.”

At first, everyone was shocked, but after careful consideration, they found it feasible. Even Yan Ding agreed, “Makes sense. Entering the Maelstrom, we’ll be there for years anyway, so no rush.”

The elder from the Imperial Clan nodded, “This method is viable. The number of people entering the Maelstrom can be determined by the contributions of each family. To send more, they must contribute more. We are not yet blind and can see things clearly.”

The Li Clan elder also had no objections.

There was another issue, though. The joint forces of the Four Clans arriving later would also want to enter the Maelstrom, but whether they could do so by then was uncertain. This was something everyone tacitly avoided discussing.

Next, they discussed the details. The Imperial Clan would be the main force holding back Leng Bingfeng, naturally receiving the most slots. The elite warriors from each family would be mixed into one unit, commanded by Song Zining. After securing the passage, the slots would be reassessed based on actual damage and achievements. There was some back-and-forth regarding the military personnel, but after much deliberation, Yan Ding decided to enter the Maelstrom himself.

This plan was the most damaging to the Four Clans. However, in the last entry into the Maelstrom, the Four Clans collectively held over half the slots, reflecting their strength but also drawing suspicion.

With the plan set, everyone returned to their respective bases to prepare. As they left the meeting room, the distant roar of engines was heard, and several floating ships, disguised as cargo vessels, zipped past at incredible speed toward the landing field.

Yan Ding’s face darkened. These were originally his warships, camouflaged with old exteriors, but in a single night, they had all been taken by Zining. He couldn’t understand why his trusted subordinates had betrayed him.

Song Zining bade farewell to everyone and headed to the landing field. When he arrived, the warships had already landed, and the soldiers were busy transporting ammunition and supplies for the next round of replenishment.

Qian Ye and Ji Tianqing stood together, discussing something. Song Zining approached and asked, “Did everything go smoothly?”

Ji Tianqing said, “Guilan City should be cleared. They will form a unit tomorrow to follow us.”

Song Zining nodded, “Good. By the way, Qian Ye, how confident are you in injuring Leng Bingfeng if you face him?”

Qian Ye pondered and then shook his head, “It’s hard to say. I need more information.”

“Alright, the information will arrive tonight.”

Qian Ye was curious. Leng Bingfeng was exceptionally powerful and reclusive. Obtaining detailed information about him was no easy task. This wasn’t just any information; it involved cultivation techniques and secret skills. How could someone get such information unless they were extremely familiar with Leng Bingfeng?