Chapter 388 - 207: The Situation is Reversed! The Annihilation of Luoyun

Chapter 388: Chapter 207: The Situation is Reversed! The Annihilation of Luoyun

As the Iron Sword Sect, the Danxia Sect, and the Ning’an Wang Clan declared their stances one after another, the very air seemed to freeze solid.

Countless gazes, sharp as arrows, shot toward the trio of Lu Qingsong, Bai Qing, and Wangqingshan.

Shock, confusion, anger, disbelief... all manner of emotions surged through the crowd.

But the one most shaken was none other than the Manor Master of Luoyun Manor, Lu Canghai.

His expression darkened visibly, and the last shred of composure in his eyes shattered completely.

Just moments ago, with the five major powers assembled and over ten Profound Mastery experts exerting their pressure, he had been brimming with confidence.

After all, faced with such a force, the Government Office had no choice but to back down.

If they chose to fight head-on, Ning’an would instantly descend into chaos, and the Government Office would be utterly incapable of suppressing the turmoil.

Lord Ning’an, Xie Jingze; Governor Nie Xuanfeng; and the commander of the Ning’an Military Preparation Army, Li Qianzhou, would never sit by and watch such unrest unfold.

A mere Chen Sheng could not bear that responsibility.

But who could have known that in the blink of an eye...

The Iron Sword Sect had turned.

The Danxia Sect had turned.

Even the Ning’an Wang Clan had turned!

The situation had been instantly turned on its head.

What was once an overwhelming fourteen-to-five advantage had become a perilous nine-to-ten predicament.

What was more terrifying was that, by this calculation, the government’s side now boasted a total of six mid-stage Profound Mastery experts. If a fight broke out, his own side stood no chance of victory.

And that was to say nothing of the dense military formations, the chilling crossbow ballistae, and the grim sheen of weaponry...

Lu Canghai’s throat bobbed, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

"Sect Leader Lu, Sect Leader Bai, Clan Leader Wang..."

Liang Jingxing of Qingfeng Temple, his face ashen, spoke with a grim voice:

"Do you people have any idea what you are saying?!"

This sudden turn of events had completely shattered the tacit understanding among the six major powers.

Qingfeng Temple had come to apply pressure, but who would have thought the alliance would crumble before the battle even began.

It threw all of Qingfeng Temple’s plans into disarray.

"Lu Qingsong! Bai Qing! Wangqingshan!"

Elder Wu Chengfeng of Qingfeng Temple, a mid-stage Profound Mastery expert, roared in fury, his hair and beard standing on end:

"Are you lot abandoning the century-old pact to side with the Government Office?! This old Daoist advises you to think clearly, lest you bring ruin upon yourselves and live to regret it!"

"Amitabha Buddha."

Monk Xuanbei of Golden Spring Temple stepped forward. His chanting of the Buddha’s name held not a shred of compassion, only a biting chill:

"The pact of the six sects was to advance and retreat as one, which brought a century of peace to Ning’an. Patrons, have you considered the consequences of your actions today?"

Among the six major powers, Golden Spring Temple and Qingfeng Temple had always been held in the highest esteem.

The other four sects were inferior in both foundation and influence. Although there had been minor friction over the years, no one had ever dared to betray the alliance so openly, especially at such a critical moment!

The sudden defection of the three sects immediately put Qingfeng Temple and Golden Spring Temple in an impossible position.

"Your threats are quite an eye-opener," Lu Qingsong said with a sneer, a sharp glint in his eyes. "We are simply standing on the side of justice. What is wrong with that? Besides, the pact of old only stipulated that we advance and retreat together. Did it ever state that we must obey the orders of Golden Spring Temple and Qingfeng Temple?

"Or is it that in your eyes, the Iron Sword Sect, the Danxia Sect, and the Wang Clan have always been nothing more than vassals?"

"Sect Leader Lu is right."

Bai Qing rested a slender hand on her sword’s hilt, her beautiful eyes frosted with coldness:

"Luoyun Manor has conspired to rebel. The evidence is irrefutable, and they deserve to be executed. I, too, would advise you all not to be obstinate—otherwise, once the battle begins, life and death will be uncertain."

Wangqingshan said nothing, but slowly raised his hand and made the simplest of gestures.

Behind him.

Three hundred disciples of the Wang Clan stepped forward as one. The clang of drawn swords and blades rang out like a dragon’s cry, its grim echo spreading across the silent, open field.

Having made their choice, there was no turning back.

At this moment, any hesitation or wavering would only condemn their side to a fate beyond redemption.

What’s more, the balance of power had already been reversed: nine experts against ten, six mid-stage Profound Mastery masters against four, and an imposing force of two thousand elite soldiers in formation.

The advantage was entirely on their side.

Why should they back down?!

Liang Jingxing and Xuanbei exchanged a glance, each seeing the surging fury in the other’s eyes, as well as a trace of... desperately concealed unease.

This unease stemmed not only from the current situation, but also from what it implied for the future of Ning’an.

If the Danxia Sect, the Iron Sword Sect, and the Ning’an Wang Clan chose to ally with the Government Office, then even Qingfeng Temple and Golden Spring Temple combined would be unable to stand against them.

Chaos. Utter chaos.

The entire political landscape of Ning’an had been thrown into turmoil in an instant!

"Well said."

Chen Sheng laughed heartily, his robes fluttering in the rising wind. His gaze swept over the crowd before finally settling on Lu Qingsong’s face:

"A century-old pact? Bound by a common cause? It’s nothing but a guise for Golden Spring Temple and Qingfeng Temple to monopolize power and suppress the other sects. Of the six top powers in the Ning’an Martial World, you two sects alone hoard forty percent of the resources. This ’balance’ you speak of—whose scales is it weighing?"

Chen Sheng sneered, paused for effect, then raised his voice so it carried clearly across the field:

"In my opinion, the Iron Sword Sect, the Danxia Sect, and the Ning’an Wang Clan should forge a new alliance right here and now, carve out your own path, and seize your own authority. As for the leader of this new alliance..."

Chen Sheng looked at Lu Qingsong, his smile widening:

"I think you, Brother, would be the most suitable."

Lu Qingsong’s eyes narrowed slightly as he fell into silent contemplation.

But deep within them, a flicker of flame could be seen dancing in the shadows.

Bai Qing and Wangqingshan exchanged a look and nodded at almost the exact same time:

"I second the motion."

"This old man also finds it feasible."

"What say you, Brother?" Chen Sheng asked with a smile.

Giving the position of Alliance Leader to Lu Qingsong was, in truth, no loss for Chen Sheng.

He already had a tacit understanding with Bai Qing, the Sect Leader of the Danxia Sect, and he had even more dealings with the Ning’an Wang Clan in secret.

If the new alliance were to be established, it was self-evident who the true helmsman would be.