Chapter 175: Just Decided

Wandao Xuan said, "How shall we compete? We can discuss it together and try to come up with a method that satisfies everyone. Look at how you'd like to compete, and feel free to propose any good ideas you have."

At his words, the ragtag group immediately huddled together, muttering and whispering. They even moved a little further away, as if afraid Wandao Xuan and his companions would overhear them. Someone among them chuckled with suppressed glee. "Brother Mai is still the cleverest," they whispered. "It's true what they say: the squeaky wheel gets the grease."

The implication was clear: without such a ruckus, the other side would never have yielded so much. Mai Zhanchang gave a slight, modest bow in response, as if to say it was nothing.

Wandao Xuan and his group paid little mind to those individuals. Their primary focus was on observing Shi Chun; as long as he didn't intervene, they would feel considerably relieved.

A scene that further eased their minds unfolded: Shi Chun seemed disinclined to participate. He let them bicker, appearing completely detached, and returned to his cave to rest.

Even Wu Jinliang seemed slightly surprised, then followed suit. Chu Jingting paused, then quickly caught up as well.

The four disciples from the allied sects did not join the commotion outside. They strictly guarded the cave entrance they had used, and inside, four disciples from the Bilan Sect were also on watch. Their primary objective was to protect the large quantity of Insect Extremity Crystals stored within.

On the mountain slope opposite, Mulan Qingqing remained hidden. Though she didn't reveal herself, she had been observing in secret. A look of surprise and doubt crossed her face when she saw Wang Sheng leave, seemingly unconcerned. Half an hour passed. Li Shanshan and the others, who had patiently waited there for a full thirty minutes, also felt a lingering sense of unpleasantness. Half an hour wasn't a short wait, and the wiser individuals had already gone into the cave for a nap.

Wandao Xuan seemed to muster his courage and replied, "What method? Let's hear it." Unconsciously, the leaders on their side had grown quite wary of Shi Chun. The less Shi Chun appeared to make the final decision for the other group, the more uneasy they felt, fearing a sudden move from the opponents that they wouldn't know how to counter. It was as if they were constantly facing a powerful, concealed weapon that hadn't yet been unleashed.

They worried about not being able to win a physical confrontation, but they also doubted their intellectual prowess against the other side. They reasoned that large sects had more cultivation resources and perhaps more free time for studying.

He walked out of the cave entrance unhurriedly. Wu Jinliang emerged with his large saber, while Hao Pengce and the others dutifully followed behind. Mai Zhanchang observed from the rear. Someone remarked, "He went back into the cave." The group outside, who had been chattering and debating, had been at it for almost half an hour, yet still couldn't reach a consensus.

Hao Pengce realized that their 'Big Boss' had truly seen through these ragtag individuals. He wholeheartedly agreed, chuckled, then flicked his sleeve. He leisurely strolled over and sat down among his fellow disciples, resting and gently patting a stack of white cloth bags, tapping out a comfortable rhythm.

Guan Yingjie said, "Senior Sister, you're overthinking this. We have our infiltrators stirring things up over there, so they won't be able to reach any effective resolution anytime soon. We gave them an opportunity, but they didn't value it. Ultimately, they'll have no choice but to accept the competition method we've prepared." With that, he turned and walked away, passing calmly through the stunned crowd, and returned to rest inside the cave.

The problem was that no one present dared to take the responsibility to agree.

Wandao Xuan found it even harder to make a decision. He glanced around nervously and stammered, "Where's the Big Boss?"

Wu Jinliang, who had retreated into the cave, saw Shi Chun truly sitting down to rest. He couldn't help but approach and ask, "Aren't you going to keep watch? Just let them discuss and decide among themselves?"

At this, Mai Zhanchang also caught a hint of understanding. Tugging at the beard on his cheek, he seemed to mutter to himself, "I was wondering why these fellows suddenly got so brave, daring to talk back to these major sects to their faces. So, it's an inside job!"

Li Shanshan spoke with a hint of anger, "From your side, those who are not injured can pick three individuals for a duel. And from our side, you can pick three uninjured individuals. That should be fair, shouldn't it?"

The tedious wait had become unbearable; the moment was ripe. After exchanging glances, Chu Jingting raised his voice, "If we wait any longer, it'll be dawn! How are we going to compete? Why don't you just say it? Are we expected to wait indefinitely? Even if we're willing to wait, the deadline for the Tianyu Meteorite Assembly won't!"

Shi Chun said nothing more. He stood up, pushed aside the obstructive individuals, and walked directly towards the cave entrance.

Hao Pengce immediately retorted, "How can that work? You're from major sects! If you casually send out three experts, we're certain to lose!"

What Wu Jinliang was concerned about was something else. "So, we just let the other side dictate terms?" After a round of discussions, they almost came to the realization of their own incompetence, discovering they were seemingly inferior in every way.

Shi Chun, sitting cross-legged, said indifferently, "How powerful they are! I can't stop them when they want to fight, and whether we negotiate is up to you. Just decide what you want to do. Is there any need to ask for my opinion? They call the shots, and you listen to them."

Li Shanshan laughed, "Brother Wang, do you have any better ideas?" Mai Zhanchang, who had just stood up, perked up his ears, also eager to hear how their 'Big Boss' would respond.

To be honest, Guan Yingjie's composure was only superficial. Wandao Xuan chuckled awkwardly, bowing and nodding. He turned back to look at everyone, hoping for some strong supportive opinions, but received no response. Wandao Xuan then hurriedly limped away, and the remaining leaders from the various directions followed suit.

The individuals on the opposite side instantly felt an inexplicable pressure. They clearly sensed that the moment the true leader appeared and formally addressed the situation, the aura of the ragtag group opposite them transformed.

"Big Boss," someone pleaded, "after all, everyone hasn't dispersed yet, and you are still the leader we all jointly nominated. This matter ultimately requires your final decision. As long as you agree, we'll accept their terms. If you don't, then persuade the other party to negotiate again."

Seeing no response, Chu Jingting immediately pressed on, giving no room to breathe. "Haha, then you can't blame us. It's not that we didn't give them a chance. Since they're taking so long to come up with a good solution, then we'll proceed with our method!"

Wu Jinliang considered it and conceded, then also moved aside to meditate and rest.

After a long journey, he was still somewhat tired. Shi Chun closed his eyes and stretched his neck. "There's nothing worth watching," he said. "With infiltrators stirring trouble among them, they won't reach any conclusion even if they talk until morning. Ultimately, the other side will still dictate the terms. Aren't you tired of foolishly standing guard for half a day, watching them put on a show?"

It was truly hitting a raw nerve. Hadn't the disastrous losses already passed? Why bring them up again, causing extreme embarrassment for the group?

Hao Pengce said, "We have retreated again and again. If they continue to be unreasonable, it's just too much!" He waved a hand impatiently and declared, "Enough talk. This time, I decide. It's settled!"

Hao Pengce spoke up, "No more dawdling! We'll give them one last chance. Each side will choose three individuals. They will compete in three duels, best two out of three. Whichever side wins will claim all the Insect Extremity Crystals, and the other party shall not raise any further objections!"

They hadn't realized it until they started discussing, and only then did the ragtag group understand their own situation compared to the elite forces. They couldn't even propose a single advantageous suggestion. How could they possibly compete? "Those outside the cave are just a ragtag bunch," one thought. "I'm different from them."

Shi Chun said, "Why worry? Just rest easy. Those fellows outside only dare to take on big responsibilities if they can gain an advantage. If there's no benefit to be had, do you think they can bypass us and agree? They'll still have to come to you to take the blame."

The one who claimed he would lead the ragtag group to a showdown with your side, Shi Chun, why isn't he participating now that it's time for the showdown?

The group wracked their brains, coming up with every conceivable competition method: civil debates, martial arts duels, even riddles. The suggestion to compete on who could sing best was met with a torrent of abuse.

Guan Yingjie, standing nearby, witnessed this and remarked with a hint of sarcasm, "The outcome is already decided. Perhaps they just don't want to lose face."

A group of people ran into the mountain cave, woke up the meditating Shi Chun, reported the situation in a jumble, and then asked what to do.

"Heh heh." Wu Jinliang, standing nearby, couldn't help but chuckle. At this point, those fellows actually wanted to find a scapegoat.

Though it was only a few words from Shi Chun, the aura he exuded instantly made the ragtag group shed their previous awkwardness. They felt their backs straighten, sensing that their guiding spirit, the one they had followed through countless ventures, had returned.

Even if they weren't in complete control themselves, the feeling of following someone who was felt quite good.

The moment their 'Big Boss' emerged, the ragtag group blocking the entrance quickly moved aside, creating a clear path. A chorus of careful, somewhat embarrassed voices rose: "Big Boss!"

Mulan Qingqing and Guan Yingjie, hidden on the mountaintop and secretly observing, immediately took on grim, watchful expressions. There was also a suggestion to send people to the Moon Sea for one last search, to see who could find the most Insect Extremity Crystals within a limited time. Those who opposed argued there wasn't enough time to go to the Moon Sea again, while proponents claimed there was ample time if they left before evening. However, when someone asked who would volunteer to brave the Moon Sea on everyone's behalf, the suggestion immediately fizzled out.

After this ordeal, their self-confidence took a significant hit. They were all somewhat dejected, even questioning themselves: Did they truly deserve any of this credit?

The ragtag group was left in silent shame. The crucial point was that when directly challenged, no one could step forward with a viable solution. They certainly couldn't just stand up and babble nonsense.

This made Mulan Qingqing feel a little worried, and she couldn't help but murmur to herself, "I gave him a chance, why isn't he participating?"

Chu Jingting, who had previously boastfully made the decision, pursed his lips, unsure how to respond.

They sadly realized that even if they could choose their opponents for the duels, they still had no chance of winning.

In short, a multitude of suggestions emerged, but without exception, all were rejected after deliberation.

Mulan Qingqing hesitated, "Will there be any unexpected changes?" Bored from waiting, the elite forces, standing, sitting, or leaning, began to emit waves of mocking sounds.

"I hope so," Mulan Qingqing murmured slowly, her heart still somewhat unsettled. Shi Chun stopped in front of the elite forces, his gaze sweeping over everyone. With a faint smile, he said, "I hear they want to hold some martial arts competition, a best-of-three match. And someone even claimed it's settled based on my words. I dare ask, who decided that?" The group of people nodded repeatedly. The moment Shi Chun appeared, Li Shanshan and the others on the opposite side felt their nerves tighten. Shi Chun glanced up at the nearby crescent moon, then calmly lowered his gaze. "It's already past midnight," he stated.