Chapter 734 -68: A Man’s Conscience and Bottom Line
Qiu Changtian suddenly found that the number of people speaking ill of him had begun to grow.
The incident started when a Kunlun True Person visited Jian Qingnan’s cave abode as a guest and casually mentioned that Changgeng True Person was too soft on the Demon Cult. As a result, Jian Qingnan turned her face and showed the guest out on the spot.
After learning about it, Qiu Changtian investigated the background of the other party and discovered that they weren’t from the Zhao or Luo families, nor from the Xu or Ge families, but rather from a neutral third party faction.
Clearly, someone had started to spread rumors among the neutral cultivators, aiming to destroy Qiu Changtian’s reputation in Kunlun.
On how to fight the Demon Cult, a thousand Kunlun cultivators probably have a thousand ideas. Decision-makers can’t possibly satisfy everyone, but it’s outrageous for dissatisfaction to turn into slander.
It must be Zhao Jinghong up to no good!
...
Qiu Changtian then went to find Xu Yinglian to inquire about the recent arrangements of the Xu Family.
“Your plan shouldn’t encounter any problems,” Xu Yinglian replied. “The family will provide some manpower, and the Sect Leader will help coordinate.”
“I’m not asking about that,” Qiu Changtian said with a sigh. “No one’s planning a surprise attack, right?”
It wouldn’t matter much if others died, but a man’s conscience and bottom line forbid his wife’s family and his master’s kin from dying because of it!
“No,” Xu Yinglian shook her head, curious, she asked, “Brother, do you really disapprove of the surprise attack plan?”
Qiu Changtian was silent for a moment before saying:
“If such a simple surprise attack plan were to succeed, it would prove that Wei Dongliu is nothing but a waste.”
Is Wei Dongliu a waste? Even with the support of the Blood Sea Ancestor, not just anyone can reunite the fragmented Mortal Life Path in their hands and sit on an equal footing with the Nether Ghost Path and the Heavenly Demon Path.
In other words, according to Qiu Changtian’s prediction, the surprise attack plan is very likely to be anticipated by the opposition in advance.
Why is that?
Xu Yinglian didn’t ponder too much, knowing this was merely an analysis—just as when Guo Jia said Cao Cao had ten victories while Yuan Shao had ten defeats, Cao Cao wouldn’t insist on asking “Why ten victories, ten defeats?”
She just thought it over for a long time before saying with difficulty:
“If Zhao Family cultivators suffer losses at Mount Beimang, it would probably be more misfortune than a blessing for us.”
Qiu Changtian sighed continuously.
How could he not understand what Xu Yinglian was saying?
If the elite cultivators of the Zhao Family’s camp were all to perish at Mount Beimang, it would be a great weakening of Kunlun’s strength and prestige.
Similarly, to the uninformed Kunlun cultivators, Qiu Changtian is the chief commander in charge of the war.
With a large number of people perishing at Mount Beimang, most Kunlun cultivators, unaware of the high-level infighting, would undoubtedly blame Qiu Changtian.
“Yes,” Qiu Changtian said with a wry smile, “even so, if I tell them not to go, would they listen?”
They certainly would not.
The Guyuan Zhao Family had already issued an order, giving top priority to “the command of True Person Yun Hong.” What else could Qiu Changtian do?
All he could probably do was “hope for the best.”
He and Xu Yinglian headed to the main hall to make the final preparations before the battle.
Including Zhao Jinghong, many elders gathered again, starting to finalize the remaining miscellaneous matters.
Once the decisions were made and consensus was reached, everyone gradually filed out of the main hall one after the other.
Zhao Jinghong lingered behind until the elders had almost all departed, then suddenly turned back to speak to Qiu Changtian,
“Actually, I think there’s nothing wrong with your strategy, Changgeng.”
“The Demon Cult is like a centipede—dead but not stiff. As long as we can’t eradicate it completely, no matter how hard we try to kill their people, more will emerge in a few years, rendering our efforts futile and pointless.”
Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised—this guy actually understood everything!
For example, if the resources needed to nurture one Kunlun Cultivator could cultivate ten Demon Path Cultivators. Yet in a direct battle, one Kunlun Cultivator might only be able to fight to the death against three to five Demon Path Cultivators. The result would be that the more Kunlun wins battles, the more its manpower dwindles, while the Demon Cult’s Six Paths just dust themselves off and quickly replenish their lost members.
Otherwise, why would the Kunlun Taiqing Sect have been primarily on the defensive for thousands of years, rarely taking the initiative to attack the Demon Cult?
“If that’s the case, why propose such an aggressive strategy?” Qiu Changtian asked with a smile.
“Because Kunlun needs to change,” replied Zhao Jinghong. “After so many years of defense, everyone has grown weary.”
“Just because of that?” Xu Yinglian asked with a frown and disdain, “You appeal to the masses with a dangerous strategy, but if it leads to all sorts of negative consequences, they will all be blamed on you!”
Well said! Qiu Changtian felt invigorated.
If Zhao Jinghong chose an aggressive strategy, and people supported him in taking the risk, only to tragically fall into an ambush and die, whose fault would it be?
Of course, it would be Zhao Jinghong’s. You see, aren’t all the Kunlun Cultivators who listened to my advice free from any trouble?
“Hehe,” Zhao Jinghong just laughed, “A risky strategy may not be dangerous, and a conservative one may not be safe. The Kunlun people long for change, and I bring them that transformation. Is there really any fault in that?”
“Changgeng, you see what the Kunlun Taiqing Sect needs, but you haven’t seen what the Kunlun Cultivators need. You consider the overall situation but overlook the will of the people; that’s why, despite having the support of the Sect Leader, you’re still pressured to this extent by me.”
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Having said that, he soared into the air, stepping on his sword, and turned into a beam of light that flew away.
Xu Yinglian’s face turned sour as she turned back and said,
“Senior brother, it may be inappropriate to say this, but if the surprise attack succeeds and we achieve a great victory, I can’t imagine how despicable he will look when he returns.”
“I don’t mind either way,” Qiu Changtian said with an easy laugh, “As long as Kunlun wins, that’s what matters.”
Xu Yinglian remained silent, secretly thinking that if True Person Yun Hong truly won, while her senior brother wouldn’t mind with his broad-mindedness, she would be utterly speechless!
No, wait… Was her senior brother really that magnanimous?
Song He, who had once opposed her senior brother, was still in prison!
Upon this realization, Xu Yinglian suddenly came to her senses.
Her senior brother had already firmly believed that Zhao Jinghong was bound to fail, so he simply didn’t take him seriously!
Heh, Zhao Jinghong thought he had everything figured out, but he hadn’t anticipated that my senior brother had already seen right through him.
Thus, Xu Yinglian felt a renewed sense of confidence.
Qiu Changtian watched his junior sister’s expressions change from disgust to contemplation to serene composure, not understanding the thoughts and processes she underwent, and he was secretly baffled.
There was no need to elaborate on what happened next. Since the two had diverged in their strategical approaches, and with the Xu Family and Zhao Family openly opposing each other, they could only go their separate ways.
Zhao Jinghong organized his troops, preparing to launch a surprise attack on Mount Beimang. Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, focused on arranging defenses in Guanzhong, deploying various kinds of manpower and materials.
Both acted as if they were water from different wells, not interfering with each other, yet they were each more attentive to the other’s situation than anyone else—of course, this was the kind of attention that wished for the other’s immediate failure.
The more Qiu Changtian looked at Zhao Jinghong’s plan, the more he felt it was full of flaws… He couldn’t really believe that such a crude strategy would succeed, could he? Surely not?
Ah Jing, load Wei Dongliu’s file!