Chapter 175: Interlocking Teeth

Wang Yaozong was riddled with questions, his face etched with worry.

Wang Yaolong shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know the exact details, but the Four Sects of Great Song alone probably can’t withstand the Five Sects of Wei. Those damned Five Sects of Wei, why did they have to arrive now, of all times? Ye Li is already pregnant, and now it's 'entry allowed, exit forbidden.' If only I could send her back to Qinglian Mountain.”

“Uncle Twenty-five, why did Wei concentrate its forces to attack Xianyuan City? Why not disperse them? Wouldn't that allow them to occupy more territory?” Wang Changhui asked, puzzled.

“While dispersing forces could indeed seize more territory, it also makes them vulnerable to being divided and annihilated,” Wang Yaozong slowly explained, his eyes filled with concern. “As long as they break the resolve of Song's Four Sects, taking over the entire Song Kingdom will be easy. Xianyuan City is one of Song’s few major trading hubs, and the four great sects hold their disciple recruitment events here every time. Taking this place holds great significance. The Four Sects of Song are no match for the Five Sects of Wei; they will definitely seek outside help. This battle, we still don't know how long it will last.”

Wang Changsheng let out a soft sigh and solemnly stated, “As the saying goes, 'When soldiers come, generals block; when water comes, earth covers.' We should strive to strengthen ourselves as much as possible. The stronger we are, the greater our chances of survival.”

“Changsheng is right,” Wang Yaozong agreed, frowning. “Battles are now occurring every few days, so you will likely be heading to the battlefield soon. Second Brother, you must train. As far as I know, two immortal cultivation families have already been crippled, with barely one in ten surviving.”

“A battle every few days? Is there a specific schedule?” Wang Yaozong pressed.

“No, not really. Sometimes it’s three days, sometimes seven. A battle just finished today, so you’re safe for the next three days, but after that, it’s hard to say. I knew our Wang family would be conscripted, so before prices went up, I bought a batch of first-tier talismans and four second-tier talismans. There isn’t much spirit stone left in our account.” Wang Yaolong took out a green storage bag and solemnly handed it to Wang Yaozong.

They discussed for three hours before the gathering finally dispersed.

Inside a magnificent palace, five Core Formation stage cultivators, led by Chen Hongtian, were deep in discussion.

“Fellow Daoist Chen, how is it? What did Tang say? According to our agreement, they should have dispatched troops by now!” Wang Huashan asked nervously. He believed that the combined forces of the nine sects from Tang and Song held a high chance of victory, and the Four Sects of Great Song had given him substantial benefits, which is why he was willing to participate in the war and actively engage Sun Junyan.

If he were to withdraw now, even if the Four Sects of Song agreed, the Five Sects of Wei would surely settle scores later. The Wang family was truly tied to the Four Sects of Great Song.

“Fellow Daoist Chen, Tang had already reached an agreement with Wei long ago. They never intended to cooperate with us. When the Five Sects of Wei invaded our Song Kingdom, Tang also made a move against its neighbor, West Qi. Fortunately, we had a backup plan. I have already sent Junior Sister Liu to contact Chu. They are willing to help, but they are demanding an exorbitant price, asking for three provinces. Junior Sister Liu pleaded with them, bringing it down to two provinces. What are your thoughts?”

Tang bordered Wei, and two countries separated Song and Tang. Even for a Core Formation stage cultivator, traveling between Song and Tang would take several months. By the time Chen Hongtian received the news, the Five Sects of Wei had already seized two provinces, including two small spirit stone mines and one medium-sized metal mine that had been exploited for many years.

Li Shixian frowned tightly and said, “Great Song only has nine provinces. Wei has already occupied two. If we cede two more to Chu, how much territory will we have left? If Chu guarantees to drive the Five Sects of Wei out of Song, then perhaps we could agree. I suggest sending someone to negotiate with Shu. Shu borders Wei, and while the strength of Shu’s Three Sects cannot compare to Tang, if we ally with Shu, Wei might not be our opponent.”

“It’s too late,” Chen Hongtian responded. “According to the latest intelligence, Shu has already allied with Wei and is now marching towards our Song Kingdom. Distant water cannot quench a nearby thirst. The only one who can quickly send troops to help us now is Chu. Chu has not yet received this new information; if they do, their demands might exceed two provinces.”

Zhao Yunxiao frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, “In that case, let’s concede two provinces to Chu. When they dispatch troops, we give them one province. After they repel the combined Wei-Shu forces, we give them the second. However, before Chu’s reinforcements arrive, we must hold off the Five Sects of Wei’s offensive.”

“That’s not a problem,” Chen Hongtian affirmed. “The conscripted immortal cultivation families have been arriving continuously. Wei is far from its homeland, making both material transport and troop deployment very inconvenient. Let’s seize this opportunity to launch a proactive attack, achieve a splendid victory, and boost morale.”

“No problem,” Li Shixian agreed. “A splendid victory to boost morale before Wei’s reinforcements arrive. How about the day after tomorrow?”

No one else had any objections.

Wang Huashan’s face showed difficulty. He hesitated for a moment and then said, “Many of our Wang family disciples have suffered casualties. For the upcoming battles, we won't be able to send many people.”

“Fellow Daoist Wang,” Li Shixian retorted with a cold, mocking laugh, “before the battle, we gave you ten Foundation Establishment Pills. Are you trying to go back on your word now? How can you expect to benefit without putting in the effort? Or do you think we are fools?” Li Shixian had a good personal relationship with Li Yang, and Wang Huashan bore some responsibility for Li Yang’s misfortune. However, with the current intensity of the war, Wang Huashan’s efforts were still needed, so Li Shixian had not yet settled scores.

“Fellow Daoist Wang,” Chen Hongtian’s tone was exceptionally cold, a hint of killing intent rising in his heart. “If Wei takes over Song, do you think your Wang family will fare well? Or are you perhaps thinking of aligning with the Five Sects of Wei right now?”

Wang Huashan was a slippery character, wanting to offend no one and befriend everyone. It was precisely because of this that the four great sects ostracized the Wang family. Such individuals, who followed whoever benefited them, were not someone the four great sects were willing to support. Choosing the wrong side was troublesome, but not choosing a side at all was even more so.

Wang Huashan’s expression changed. He offered a dry laugh and quickly explained, “Fellow Daoist Chen has misunderstood. What this old man means is that the war is intense, and I need to transfer personnel from the rear. Not many of my clan members will be participating in the next few battles.”

Chen Hongtian’s expression softened. “That’s more like it. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Wang, once we repel the Five Sects of Wei, we will keep our word.”

Chen Hongtian had thoroughly seen Wang Huashan’s true colors today. He had already decided that after the war, he must find a way to eliminate the Wang family. Such a two-faced person was completely unreliable and would jeopardize important matters at critical moments.

Next, they discussed the battle planned for the day after tomorrow, including the number of troops each family would contribute, and the necessary supplies. They debated for most of the day before finally dispersing.

Two days passed quickly.

Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on his wooden bed, resting with closed eyes.

Suddenly, a hurried sound emanated from his robe. He pulled out a glowing, square token. He cast a spell upon it, and Wang Yaozong’s urgent voice abruptly sounded: “Changsheng, come out! It’s about to start.”

Wang Changsheng frowned, rose, and walked out.

“Second Great Uncle, didn't you say battles were every three days? Only two days have passed. Why is it starting so soon?”