Death... and me

Time continued to pass, and more and more cultivators of the six powers soon arrived. The first one was the ancestor of the Lagan Sect, Burin Falan, who also had a bloodline connection with Luina. It's just that they were separated for several generations due to Burin's age.

Zuan noticed when the guy appeared and immediately went to greet him.

"Brother Burin, it has been a long time."

Burin smiled as he replied.

"Indeed. The last time was at the Brittle Dragon Valley over 30 years ago, no?"

Zuan nodded.

"Indeed. Anyway, we are all waiting on what those guys will decide. Join us down there."

Burin nodded as he came down. He also asked his sect members through Spiritual Sense message about the whole situation. After confirming everything, he began to wait as well.

Not long after, the other sects' ancestors began to arrive—Umbral Sect, Rohe Sect, Raskil Sect, and finally, the Royal Family's expert. The Umbral Sect ancestor, a cultivator named Darnil Belue, noticed what had happened to his sect members before asking Furen what happened. Furen obviously told everything with a Spiritual Sense message.

"Zuan, are you not ashamed of raising your hands against a few kids?"

Zuan, not caring about Darnil's expression at all, snorted as he said.

"Do you really have the right to say that? A group with several Core and Soul Fusion Realm cultivators came to assassinate two kids at the Initial Stage of the Core Formation Realm. Am I really the one shameless here? Ridiculous!"

As always, the Umbral and Dalamu Sects didn't get along. The same went for their ancestors too.

"You can stop already. That's not the reason why we're here. Once this situation with the Laan City members is resolved, you two can do as you wish."

Obviously, the other powers wanted nothing more than have those two kill themselves. Darnil and Zuan knew that very well, so they simply stopped it there.

Finally, around a day later, the meeting between the Laan City experts was over.

Fuka and Ferene, the two Saint Realm experts of Laan, then came forward to announce their decision.

"Thank you for waiting, everyone. After considering all the information you gave us together with our own situation, we decided that we will be moving out of your Jialin Country. In the end, we don't want to be put under someone's power, but instead, make our own. Besides, we have two Saint Realm experts, which would make the command chain of your own sects or Royal Family afraid of having us rebelling one day to take over."

Zuan immediately intervened.

"Wait! In that case, come to our Dalamu Sect. I don't mind sharing the power of our sect with two other Saint Realm experts at all."

Everyone looked at Zuan, shocked! Who would simply give away the power they have fought so long to build? However, they immediately understood. Suppose Dalamu Sect became a power with three Saint Realm experts. Wouldn't they be more powerful than the Royal Family itself? As far as those ancestors knew, the Royal Family only had two Saint Realm Experts, after all. 

Still, they didn't think it would be good for the Dalamu Sect at all since they might even cease to exist and instead become a new Laan Sect. Their leadership would be replaced, and they even might have their experts killed or forced to give up the sect's power to join the other side. That was something that none of the other sect ancestors would bear to see within their own sects.

The initial plan of the ancestors of each power was to divide the Laan experts and redistribute them within their own sects or Royal Family. That way, they could control them while increasing their own powers. These Laan Experts might refuse to fight their own Laan members who joined other forces in the future. Still, just their presence alone, especially the Saint Realm ones, would be a massive boost against outside intervention. So they felt quite sad when these experts decided to leave Jialin for good instead.

Obviously, Fuka and Serene didn't expect Zuan to offer that either. They obviously thought about what all those sects wanted, to divide their forces. However, they would instead move into a more barren region that was still free to take to keep their people together.

However, there was a problem with that. Neither of the other sects could allow Dalamu Sect to take all these experts for themselves, even if it meant losing their sect. After all, their strength would be much higher than any of the others. The balance would be disrupted.

"Zuan, you can't do that. Do you think the rest of us would let that simply happen?"

Zuan didn't seem to care at all as he replied.

"Why would you care? You guys obviously want to separate their forces, but you forget that they have lived for a very, very long time together in the same place. I knew from the very start that they would instead decide to leave Jialin behind."

Zuan then turned in everyone's direction before saying.

"However, that would be a waste! Don't forget that although we live at the empire's borders, we are still surrounded by other countries that would love to invade and take our places. If our friend of Laan City decided to stay, the country as a whole would get stronger. Instead of thinking only about yourselves, why don't you think about the big picture?"

Darnil snorted in response.

"Do you think we're all kids? Who would believe this patriotic bullshit you're spouting out? It's obvious that you just want your Dalamu Sect to replace the Royal Family as the strongest power."

The Royal Family Saint Realm expert, Kocei Jialin, narrowed his eyes after hearing that. However, it wasn't because of what Darnil said, but because it was evident that Darnil was trying to stir discord between the Royal Family and Dalamu Sect. The only problem was that he was right. They couldn't just let Dalamu become more powerful than them. Counting himself, the Royal Family had two Saint Experts. They would be one below if Dalamu succeeded.

However, Zuan seemed to have expected that answer already.

All of a sudden, Roan's expression changed a bit.

'Oh, I see... This Zuan guy, he's quite smart.'

Rean couldn't help but ask.

'What are you talking about?'

Roan faintly smiled.

'Just wait and see. Finding opponents to fight will be quite easy for the next few years..'

Zuan then looked at everyone.

"Oh, so that's the problem? Then let me change the idea into something else. The issue is that there would be no space for Laan City members in Jialin if they decided to create a power their own, right?"

The Ancestors, Fuka, Serene, and the rest all nodded. None of the Jialin Country powers would be willing to give some of their own territories away. They fought very hard in the past to have what they do today.

Zuan shrugged his shoulders before saying.

"Then that's simple. The fastest way would be if they all joined a single sect, but you obviously don't want it. In that case, we just need to find a place for the Laan experts to create their home. That being said, let's increase our Jialin Country's territory. What about... we expand a little into the Cassen Country?"

*Boom!*

Everyone felt like they were struck by lightning! Zuan wants to conquer part of their neighboring country! Well, everyone except for one teenager. How many war reasons has Roan seen in his previous life? He just so happened to have seen a few similar plots in the past.