When the Song Clan received news that Liuyun Market had fallen, three days had already passed. Song Luhuai and the others, who had just returned home, broke out in a cold sweat.
Even Song Changsheng and those who had made the evacuation decision were shocked. Back then, they had only acted out of caution, never expecting that it would end up saving dozens of clan members and all their resources.
In stark contrast, the other five families suffered devastating losses. The Li and Qiu Clans each lost a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and all their resources were looted. It was a blow like no other.
"How could this happen? Weren't they just entering the region? How did they suddenly show up at Liuyun Market?" Song Xianyun's aged face was filled with lingering fear just a bit closer… and it would've been a disaster!
Song Luyao's expression remained calm as she said solemnly, "If our scouts could detect them, naturally, they could detect us too.
They deliberately exposed their main force to us, then pulled a bait-and-switch. While our attention was diverted, they sent a team of Foundation Establishment cultivators to ambush the market. We fell for their trick."
"Thank goodness we got out in time. Truly a blessing in disguise," said Song Luhuai, still shaken. If he had hesitated for even a moment when the clan gave the evacuation order, he wouldn't have been able to atone for his failure even with death.
"What are those people doing now?"
"According to the scouts, they've taken Liuyun Market as their base and are trying to seize control of the entire Liuyun Mountain Range. The Earthfire Sect, led by Du Huating, has teamed up with the Li and Qiu Clans to engage them."
Song Changsheng frowned slightly. "Do we know their exact strength?"
"Twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators, and over three hundred Qi Refining cultivators. There may also be hidden Foundation Establishment experts."
Twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators.
In terms of numbers, the six major powers of Lingzhou had twice as many Foundation Establishment cultivators as the enemy.
But taken individually, only the Song Clan could barely stand toe-to-toe with them. The other five clans couldn't hold up.
There were three Foundation Establishment forces in the Liuyun Mountains. Earthfire Sect had five cultivators, while the Li Clan had lost one, leaving only their patriarch, Li Siyang, to hold the fort. The Qiu Clan also lost one and had three remaining, making a total of nine.
At a glance, the difference didn't seem huge. After all, they had the home-ground advantage and the protection of their defensive formations on paper; it wasn't an unwinnable fight.
But the reality was far from it. If they were on the offensive, the three-family alliance could combine their forces, moving and attacking together.
The problem was that they were on the defense. And they could only defend one location. Otherwise, they'd be picked off one by one.
So, at least two families would have to abandon their territory and bring all their forces together. Only then would they stand a chance of resisting the enemy's advance.
But who would willingly give up their land?
That was their foundation. Giving it up was easy; getting it back would be a nightmare. Even if they did reclaim it, it would already be ravaged beyond repair.
That's why Song Changsheng could say with certainty: within half a month, the entire Liuyun Mountain Range could fall.
At that moment, a clan elder walked in and reported, "Young Patriarch, Elder Grandmaster, Clan Chief Wang just sent word that the Yu Clan has dispatched two Foundation Establishment cultivators to support the Liuyun Mountains. He's asking what our next move will be."
"Sheng'er, what do you think?" Song Xianyun looked toward Song Changsheng.
Song Changsheng knew this was a test. Instead of answering directly, he turned to the elder and asked, "Any word from the Earthfire Sect?"
"Nothing so far."
"I see. Looks like they still haven't realized the reality of the situation. I recommend we stay put. Wait until they can't hold out anymore." Song Changsheng sneered.
"If it doesn't concern you, stay out of it." When the Lieyang Sect attacked the Song Clan, they had paid a steep price for the Earthfire Sect's reluctant support.
Now that the tables had turned, it was their turn to pay the price.
Song Xianyun nodded approvingly. "Exactly. They should be the ones panicking right now. With the strength of our clan, we can defend Purple Mansion Mountain Range just fine."
"Even if they stubbornly hang on, we can just sit and watch from the sidelines. When both sides are exhausted, we'll step in and clean up the mess."
"They won't be that foolish. I say within a week, the Earthfire Sect will come to their senses."
....
Liuyun Mountains – Duanya Peak
Duanya Peak had originally belonged to a Qi Refining family. It had a second-grade spiritual vein. Now, it had become the front line of the confrontation between the four-clan alliance and the enemy.
Here, the alliance had gathered eight Foundation Establishment cultivators and nearly four hundred Qi Refining cultivators, their elite forces.
Their opponents, meanwhile, had twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators and three hundred Qi Refining cultivators.
Since the fall of Liuyun Market, the two sides had clashed several times in probing skirmishes. The four-clan alliance, led by the Earthfire Sect, had lost more than they won, suffering heavy casualties.
"This won't work," someone said. "Duanya Peak only has one second-grade spiritual vein. It has to supply the defensive formation and support the cultivation of so many people; the spiritual energy simply isn't enough. I still recommend we retreat to Baiyun Peak."
After another test skirmish ended, Du Huating looked at the disciples of the Earthfire Sect lying in a pool of blood and once again voiced his opinion that he simply didn't believe Duanya Peak could hold out.
Before anyone else could respond, Li Siyang couldn't hold back any longer. Just under a thousand miles behind Duanya Peak was the Li Clan's heartland, cultivated and defended for generations over hundreds of years. If they abandoned Duanya Peak, wouldn't that be the same as giving up their ancestral domain?
He stood up immediately and declared firmly, "No way."
Qiu Tianyang, the head of the Qiu Clan, also shook his head. "I don't think it's a wise move either."
What a joke his Qiu Clan was, less than three thousand miles away from the Li Clan. If the Li Clan gave up their land, the next target would undoubtedly be the Qiu Clan.
Abandon their territories just to defend the Earthfire Sect's land? If he dared to do that, even his ancestors in their coffins wouldn't rest in peace.
Either they all defend together, or they all fall together. No one gets to walk away untouched.
Du Huating almost laughed in disbelief. He asked himself honestly, he had no selfish motives in proposing this plan. The Earthfire Sect's defense formation was made up of three top-tier second-grade arrays in a chain formation, combining offense and defense. Its power rivaled that of a third-grade formation.
If they concentrated their forces at Baiyun Peak, they could rely on the formation to fight back, practically guaranteeing a solid defense, and perhaps even seizing the initiative.
But if they stayed holed up at Duanya Peak, it was only a matter of time before they lost.
"If both Clan Heads disagree, then please tell me, do either of you have a better plan?" Du Huating said coldly, fixing them with a sharp gaze.
Li Siyang and Qiu Tianyang were at a loss for words. If they had a better plan, it'd be a miracle.
At that moment, Yu Chengshan, the head of the Yu Clan, stood up and said, "Have you all forgotten something? Lingzhou doesn't belong solely to our four clans. If we fight to the death here, someone else might just pick up the spoils afterward."
"Hmph. You think the Song or Wang Clans will lend a hand? We'll be lucky if they don't kick us while we're down," Du Huating snorted.
Yu Chengshan shook his head. "True, we and the Song and Wang Clans have deep-seated grudges, but if we fall, they're next in line.
Wang Qingquan and Song Xianyun are both smart men; they won't fail to see that. Right now, they're just waiting for us to break down.
As long as we're willing to pay the price, they will act."
"Even if we don't destroy the enemy, we can at least drive them out of Lingzhou."
Upon hearing this, the clan heads exchanged looks and fell silent.
Deep down, they understood this better than anyone.
Twenty years ago, when the Song Clan asked for their help, the four clans carved up a third of the Song Clan's holdings.
That was a staggering fortune. Asking them to return it now was more painful than death.
"…Let's put this matter aside for now," Du Huating said flatly after a long silence.
"Agreed. We're not at the end of the rope just yet," Qiu Tianyang added immediately.
Seeing this, Yu Chengshan let out a deep sigh. "People die for wealth just as birds die for food." Even with disaster looming over their heads, these men were still clinging to their dead assets.
That alone made it clear why the Song Clan was so different from them; the two sides weren't even on the same level when it came to long-term vision.
Realizing this, Yu Chengshan gave up trying to persuade them further. After all, the Yu Clan's true foundations weren't rooted here anyway.
Sure enough, things unfolded just as Yu Chengshan had expected. After the probing attack, the enemy launched a full-scale assault.
In just five days, Duanya Peak's defensive formation was broken by a [Formation-Breaking Talisman]. Although Du Huating used a third-grade talisman to force the enemy back, the cost was devastating.
Li Siyang was seriously injured, and Li Guangzong, a newly promoted elder of the Earthfire Sect, was killed in action. Qu Jinsheng was gravely wounded, and Qiu Tianxing, an elder of the Qiu Clan, also perished.
Nearly a hundred elite disciples from the four clans died in the battle, a tremendous loss in vitality and strength.
After such a crushing defeat, neither Du Huating nor Li Siyang could endure any longer. They had no choice but to send Li Tiancheng as a representative of the four-clan alliance to seek help from the Song Clan...
As Li Tiancheng gazed at the peaceful and serene Cangmang Peak, bitterness welled up in his heart. After this war, no matter the outcome, the Song Clan was destined to be the biggest winner.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"I am Li Tiancheng of the Earthfire Sect. I request an audience with your clan's Grand Elder!" Li Tiancheng lowered himself with utmost humility; he had no choice. Desperation left him no pride.
After being made to wait for an hour, Song Xianyun finally agreed to see him.
Once they met, Li Tiancheng didn't beat around the bush. He said plainly, "If you agree to help, we are willing to return all the resource points and shops that originally belonged to your Song Clan. Additionally, we'll pay the equivalent value in cultivation resources."
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng couldn't help but laugh mockingly. He sneered, "You've got some nerve saying that out loud. Those resource points have been mined for twenty years. Do you think they're worth what they were back then?
And as for the shops in Liuyun Market, they're already reduced to ruins. You're offering that as part of a deal? Shameless."
"It was inconsiderate of us. Then what would your clan suggest?" Although rage boiled inside Li Tiancheng, he showed none of it on the surface. His tone remained calm; no wonder he was called the "smiling tiger."
"It's not what we want, it's about how sincere you are." Song Changsheng wasn't about to show his hand while the other party's bottom line remained unknown.
Li Tiancheng paused in thought for a moment. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "We'll give you ten percent of our spirit stone mines, along with two large blacksteel mines, three glazed crystal mines, and one blue-mystic iron mine. And we'll still match the original value in cultivation resources."
This was no small amount, even for a powerful clan like the Song family; it would take considerable time to digest such a sum. It was a clear show of sincerity and also indirectly reflected just how dire the situation in the Liuyun Mountains had become.
Yet, Song Changsheng remained unsatisfied.
Seeing him shake his head, even Li Tiancheng, who was normally deeply composed, couldn't help but lose his temper. He snapped, "This still isn't enough? This is our final bottom line! I advise you not to push too far, or we'll go down together!"
But Song Changsheng remained completely unfazed by the threat. He gave Li Tiancheng a calm glance and said flatly, "In terms of value, yes, it's enough. And your sincerity is obvious. But these aren't what we want."
"What is it you want?" Li Tiancheng had regained his composure. As long as they were still talking, there was hope.
A faint smile appeared on Song Changsheng's lips.
"First, we want the spirit stone mine shares reallocated. The Song and Wang families will take sixty percent. The rest, you can divide among yourselves.
Second, we're short on manpower. Even if we get the mine shares, we can't develop them right away. So convert the difference into two hundred thousand spirit stones or equivalent resources.
Third, we'll drop our claim on the past debts, but we want the Li family's Dragonblood Ginseng.
Just these three things. When they're done, the Song and Wang families will join the war. If not, then forget it."
"What? Sixty percent? Two hundred thousand spirit stones' worth of resources?" Li Tiancheng nearly thought he'd misheard.
Two hundred thousand spirit stones' worth of goods, if split among the four families, would be barely manageable. But the mine share was unacceptable.
That spirit stone vein produced nearly 100,000 low-grade stones annually and could be mined for over a century.
The Earthfire Sect currently holds thirty percent and receives 30,000 stones per year. If Song Changsheng's proposal went through, they'd be left with at most fifteen percent. The long-term loss would far exceed 200,000 stones!
Song Changsheng sneered, "The Song and Wang families together only hold 46% right now. You think we'll be satisfied with just 50%?"
"We'll add another 50,000 spirit stones' worth of resources. How about fifty-five percent for your two families?" Li Tiancheng gritted his teeth.
A total of 250,000 spirit stones' worth of resources, even divided four ways, would force all parties to tighten their belts for years to come. They were making great sacrifices for reinforcements.
"There's no room for negotiation. If you agree, we'll fight. If not, you can leave right now." Song Changsheng flicked his sleeve with an icy tone.
Bloodshot veins appeared in Li Tiancheng's eyes as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. At last, he gritted his teeth and growled, "Fine. We'll do it your way. When will you join the battle?"
"I already told you once that the terms are fulfilled, we'll fight."
It was no joke. If they didn't secure the benefits now, they'd have a hard time claiming them after the war. After all, the debtor always has the upper hand.
With the conversation at this point, Li Tiancheng knew he could no longer sway Song Changsheng. He could only respond coldly, "I'll deliver everything as soon as possible. I hope you'll honor your word."
"Heh. Do you think the Song family is like your Earthfire Sect?" A look of disdain crossed Song Changsheng's face. The Song family's reputation was well established in the entire cultivation world of Great Qi. They wouldn't ruin it over a little profit.
"You'd better mean that." Li Tiancheng gave a cold snort and stormed off.
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