Senior Elder Teng had already begun to recruit people, starting in Xiangrong City. Most of the three great palaces’ army lay in the western side of the city. Although the situation had dropped into a pit, probably none of the members in the three great palaces would agree to the demise of the three great palaces.
Right now, Senior Elder Teng could only gather forces at Xiangrong City in the name of saving the captured. This would exert some pressure on Wanxiang City.
Of course, everyone knew that the three great palaces, having lost all of their high ranking members would only be giving away their lives if they tried to fight against Soul Alliance with their meager strength.
……
After the war in Xiangrong City had ended, everything quickly returned to its normal peace.
In the morning, sunlight would shower over the evergreen plants. Dew drops would flicker with a beautiful lustre at dawn. The entire city was still as beautiful as ever.
The three great palace’s army was mostly stationed outside the city. After the war, they were unwilling to destroy the serenity of the city, especially since this city already belonged to them.
The city gates opened and paths with verdant forests on either side, a team of holy guards came charging through.
When the holy guards reached the city, they saw Senior Elder Teng on the city tower. Hastily, they kneeled down and said: “Senior Elder, Soul Alliance’s Poison Desolation is 50 kilometers away.”
Senior Elder Teng creased his brows. Soul Alliance’s people appearing here wasn’t something good.
“He has with him Old Soul Teacher De and Young Master Teng Lang. They have a document of war to deliver.” said the holy guard.
Senior Elder Teng’s body trembled. He was most worried about his own son, Teng Lang. Obviously, this was Poison Desolation Nie Yunbin using Soul Alliance’s name to negotiate with them!
“Bring them in!” Senior Elder Teng took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down as much as possible.
“Yes!” the holy guards bowed before turning around and rushing eastward.
Senior Elder Teng stood on the city tower, quietly waiting. His heart was incomparably complex as he tried to guess what intentions the other side had.
However, time seemed to fly extremely quickly. By the time he came back to his senses, on the verdant path outside the city, the holy guards were surrounding a team of people as they made their way.
Teng Lang quickly noticed the leader of this group and saw Teng Lang’s beast type soul pet.
Senior Elder Teng’s emotions slightly rippled. But as he watched Poison Desolation Nie Yunbin grow increasingly close, his face was expressionless.
“Elder, Old Soul Teacher De is still 50 kilometers away. If we are to attack this group of people, Old Soul Teacher De will be killed on the spot.” Elder Kuang quietly spoke to Senior Elder Teng.
Senior Elder Teng nodded his head. This was a common method used to exchange hostages. He didn’t say anything and continued looking down.
“Senior Elder Teng, I trust you’ve been well since we’ve last met.” Nie Yunbin raised his head and looked at Senior Elder Teng and the other elders on the city tower.
“If you have something to say, then speak.” Senior Elder Teng didn’t have the energy to keep up false pretenses with this man.
“Haha, you can also see that I have traveled thousands of kilometers to deliver your son here just in order for a reunion between family members. Senior Elder Teng, what’s the need to be so vicious?” Nie Yunbin spoke neither quickly nor slowly.
Senior Elder Teng coldly looked at Nie Yunbin.
“Our Flower Master Xia is in your hands. We’ve come this time purely to exchange hostages. If Senior Elder Teng lets us take away Flower Master Xia, we will immediately release your son and Old De, who is fifty kilometers away.” said Nie Yunbin.
He then added: “I’ll also warn you that in a month, we will get rid of anyone not willing to surrender. Both your son and Old Soul Teacher De are unwilling to surrender. Therefore, Senior Elder Teng just has to nod his head and your son will be able to stand safely and unharmed by your side. If you shake your head, we will just politely send you an intact corpse in one month.”
Nie Yunbin’s words made everyone stare at Senior Elder Teng.
Xia Zhixian was the three great palaces’ only hostage chip. If they lost her, they really didn’t know what they could use to exchange for Diagram Supreme and Dawn Supreme who could have already fallen in the hands of Soul Alliance.
“Senior Elder Teng, this is Soul Alliance’s death document. On top is a long list of names of those who have surrendered and those who have not. A blood red name means that this person will be executed on stage in one month. The other Senior Elders, elders, palace lords and guests can see if there is someone they care about on there. If there is someone, then what you can do next is very simple. Just return a document with a list of names they all care about and our Senior Hero chief will pardon them for the time being.” said Nie Yunbin.
Threatening them to surrender!
Everyone had expected Soul Alliance would use this. Only, when the execution document and pardon document arrived at the same time, it still exerted a huge amount of pressure on the hearts of the three great palaces members!
The lives and beliefs of colleagues, friends, elders, and family all lay in their hands. This undoubtedly had the capacity to break their mental fortitude.
“Senior Elder Teng, let me know what you think.” Nie Yunbin glanced at Teng Lang behind him and laughed as he spoke to Senior Elder Teng.
On the city tower, Elder Kuang and the other NIghtmare Palace elders all had unsightly expressions. The people that they cared about hadn’t fallen into the hands of Soul Alliance, but Senior Elder Teng’s son, Teng Lang, was in Nie Yunbin’s hands. As a father, could he really just watch as his son was sent to the execution stage in one month?
As a Senior Elder, the person with the highest position in the three great palaces, the moment he surrendered, how would the people under him be able to remain unflinching?
“Senior Elder…” Elder Kuang looked at Senior Elder Teng.
Everyone’s eyes fell on the Senior Elder. They looked at him, but didn’t dare say anything because none of them would be able to make the decision if they were in his shoes.
“Senior Elder Teng, would you like me to make the decision for you?” a playful smile rose on Nie Yunbin’s face.
Senior Elder Teng took in a deep breath before slowly spitting out: “Take your men and scram!”
The words were spoken in a very deep voice, but everyone could hear his words.
“Senior Elder Teng, what did you say?” Nie Yunbin’s expression turned grim.
“I said, scram!” Senior Elder Teng’s voice was like a clap of thunder that resounded in the ears of Nie Yunbin and his subordinates. It also entered the ears of all the three great palaces members stationed here!
Nie Yunbin’s expression immediately turned unsightly as he said: “Senior Elder Teng truly is a good father. Wait to receive his corpse!”
Nie Yunbin turned around and retreated with the bounded Teng Lang. He also threw the death document and pardon document on the ground, leaving with a swagger.
Teng Lang, who was bounded to the beast type soul pet, couldn’t move or speak. His eyes were complex as he stared at the man on the city tower. He looked at this old man forcefully turn around and his heart felt like a knife had been twisted in it.
In truth, when he chose not to surrender, Teng Lang didn’t have any hope that he would be able to survive. He was afraid just now that his father’s heart would go soft and would choose to surrender.
Yet, when the choice was actually made, the emotions felt were genuinely hard to describe.
To Teng Lang, he wasn’t afraid of death, but he was afraid of cruelty like this…
……
The city tower was silent. Everyone was looking at Senior Elder Teng’s determined and unwavering expression. However, everyone could imagine that the moment this middle aged man turned around, there were tears on his face.
An unknown period of time passed before Senior Elder Teng ordered someone to collect the death document and pardon document. He then brought it to the city lord’s residence and ordered that without an order, those who chose to surrender would be killed!
……
“Young master, things are not good!” Old Li hastily ran in and spoke to Chu Mu.
“I know.” said Chu Mu.
Just now, Chu Mu had personally seen Senior Elder Teng’s decision.
“Young master, look first at the death document.” Old Li handed the death document over.
This death document was black and the words written on it were red; it conspicuously read:
“In one month, we shall commence wartime execution and execute all those who did not surrender!”
Wartime execution!
This was something the victorious side commenced towards those unwilling to surrender. In other words, Soul Alliance had given the remaining forces of the three great palaces one month to hand over a surrender; otherwise, they would kill all the captives in Wanxiang City who did not surrender!
This document definitely made the western side of the three great palaces’ forces uneasy because most of their family or loyal subordinates were in Wanxiang City. In order to guarantee their lives, they would have to surrender all of these cities and wait to be captured with their hands tied.
A large group of defectors could emerge because of the decision today. After all, not everyone in the three great palaces was courageous and emotionless. Between caring about the lives of family and tenaciously resisting the temptation, many would choose the former.
“Young master, in about a month, the underground holy palace will probably also be broken through. This execution list probably includes those trapped in the underground holy palace.” softly said Old Li.
Chu Mu nodded his head. He had already guessed Soul Alliance would use this method because this was the easiest and fastest way to obtain a complete victory.
Perhaps the three great palaces shouldn’t have tried to hold onto Wanxiang City. However, there were too many “perhaps” in reality. What happened had already happened…
"I know.” Chu Mu nodded his head. Recently, Chu Mu had been very quiet.
“Young master…” Old Li wanted to say that perhaps Chu Mu would be able to make the same decision as Senior Elder Teng when that day arrived.
“I don’t like making these kinds of decisions.” Chu Mu knew what Old Li wanted to say and coolly spoke.
Old Li did actually know what Chu Mu’s decision was. In his heart, there were only the people he cared about. Yet, to him, choosing and not choosing was of no difference because he had already made an even grander choice in his heart.
He hadn’t said anything because he was helpless. Instead, he was waiting. Waiting for something to return!
