Chapter 666: They are finally back (II)
Wang Yuanyuan smiled back, “It is right because this Temples’ Great Gathering is really extraordinary that we want to take part. Head Qiu, are you willing to support us?”
Qiu Yonghao declared, “Since you have all come to take part in the gathering, you should be aware of all the rules for the gathering. Even if you are a Titled Demon Hunt Squad, it is nearly impossible for your team to be strong enough to prove itself. Making it to the top three is all the more impossible. Long Haochen may have the Warrior Temple’s favor, but you are really making trouble on this one. I cannot support you by any means, and won’t give you any commitment. I am saying this on behalf of the Warrior Temple.”
Wang Yuanyuan’s eyes flashed radiantly, “Then, what if we can take the first place? If we place above all Six Great Temples, would you be willing to support us?”
Qiu Yonghao was greatly shocked by hearing these words come out from Wang Yuanyuan’s mouth with such an extreme confidence. He had just gotten to try out Wang Yuanyuan’s strength, and had been able to determine, with just a simple contact, that she should have already broken through the ninth step.
Thinking of that, he couldn’t help but show great alarm. Right, Wang Yuanyuan was just the Warrior of the Bright Glimmer of Hope Demon Hunt Squad. Her cultivation having already attained the ninth step, what level could Long Haochen’s cultivation have attained? And moreover, they had previously destroyed demon god pillars.
At this point, Qiu Yonghao’s look warmed up greatly, “Yuanyuan, just what are you guys trying to do? What are your goals?”
“Head, we have only one goal. That’s to lead humankind to defeat demonkind.”
Qiu Yonghao shook his head, “This is such an important topic and you broach it so suddenly. I am at a loss for how to even respond to you.”
Wang Yuanyuan nodded and replied, “Let it be then. I believe that Captain will have the ability to convince you, as well as the higher-ups of all the other Six Great Temples. At the present time, strength is the most important factor in the resistance against demonkind. I am going, please keep secret the matter of our return.”
Qiu Yonghao responded, “Yuanyuan, don’t look down on the Temples’ Great Gathering. Maybe you made huge progresses in strength, but the trump cards of the Temples aren’t something a Demon Hunt Squad such as yours can resist.”
Wang Yuanyuan only smiled in response, “I think that you will be very pleasantly surprised.”
Qiu Yonghao had a bitter smile, “Actually, I don’t want this pleasant surprise, because that would be even harder for me to accept. Although I don’t believe you can win, if you can really manage this feat, our Warrior Temple will at least promise to be neutral.”
Wang Yuanyuan had a look of surprise; she was originally planning only to greet Qiu Yonghao and leave him with a deep impression before the start of the Temples’ Great Gathering. But she did not expect him to express his neutrality. The Warrior Temple being a faithful supporter of the Mage Temple, their neutral standpoint was extremely important in Long Haochen’s plans.
As the head of the Warrior Temple, Yonghao was optimistic that Bright Glimmer of Hope wouldn’t insist on recalling the favor Long Haochen formerly did the Warrior Temple. Individual favor was one thing, but a Temple’s benefit was another. His expression of neutrality was already a token of his support regarding Bright Glimmer of Hope.
How old was Wang Yuanyuan this year? Below thirty! For how long had the Warrior Temple not gotten a powerhouse of the ninth step under thirty years old of age? And not only the Warrior Temple, the whole Alliance had not gotten such a young powerhouse for a really long time. Furthermore, he determined from Wang Yuanyuan’s speech that she was absolutely not the only one to have attained the ninth step in Bright Glimmer of Hope. Their confidence in participating in the Temples’ Great Gathering as a Demon Hunt Squad already resolved a lot of mysteries. Long Haochen being such an earth shattering genius, now that they were back after disappearing for over four years, their talents as well as their young ages’ foretold their future positions of cornerstones of the Six Great Temples with certainty. The initiative of the Warrior Temple was a head start for preparing future scenarios.
Yet Qiu Yonghao didn’t believe in the slightest that Bright Glimmer of Hope would make any showing in this Temples’ Great Gathering. Since things were like that, what’s the deal with a little promise?
A fierce argument was taking place in the meeting taking place in the Assassin Temple.
“Head Sheng Yue, I don’t believe that we should still wholeheartedly support the Knight Temple. Don’t tell me you cannot tell that the Knight Temple is already in decline?” The one speaking was an elder with a slim build, an aged face covered with wrinkles, and a bald head. No matter how one looked, he already looked like someone with one foot in the grave, who’d just fall over in front of a blowing gust. But his sharp look was as sharp and ice-cold as an eagle, visibly extremely resentful.
“Since ten years ago, the Knight Temple has not produced any new Divine Knights. Of their three Divine Knights, Yang Wenzhao will be unable to participate in this one due to being the present Alliance’s head. Long Xingyu has not even come, and what can just Long Tianying alone do? This Temples’ Great Gathering is really special and will determine the future path of the Alliance. Standing on the wrong side will very possibly cause a decline of the Alliance and greatly lower our position in the future Alliance.
“Although we also cannot take the exact opposite stance by supporting the Mage Temple, we should at least stay neutral and stop keeping the same position as in the past.”
Don’t look down on this thin looking elder: his speech shook the whole conference room immediately.
Sheng Yue sat on the first seat, and had a really heavy look. This was far from the only one of the elders from the Assasin Temple to raise an objection. He may be the head of the Assassin Temple, but these elders from their Temple were far more influential than the ones from other Temples, especially this one who just made his speech.
That was the chief elder of the Assassin Temple, Xue Zichen, the most senior, and one generation older than Sheng Yue, as well as being the representative of the oldest generation of the Assassin Temple. In strength, he was in the top tier of the Assassin Temple, reaching the second rank of the ninth step, and was close to the third rank. Calling him the cornerstone of the Assassin Temple would be no exaggeration, and as the chief elder, plenty of people supported him. Right now, the expression of his point of view created a total plot shift in this conference.
The higher-ups and greatest elders from the Assassin Temple made up a total of forty-one people, and at least half of them were swayed.
Another elder continued, “Old Xue is right. Our damage was very great in this Holy War four years ago, and the same goes for the Knight Temple. After such a long time, the Mage Temple and Spiritual Temple having sustained the least damage, their rise in power has been the quickest. And in this Alliance’s Great Gathering, I don’t think they will be able to defend their crown. We must discard this Alliance, or else how will the other Temples view us after the birth of the new Alliance? We will not only lose a powerful ally, but moreover, we will become despised by all the other Temples.
“From another point of view, if the Knight Temple hadn’t assisted us so wholeheartedly, how long do you think we would have lasted in the Holy War? Do you know how many souls of the loyal knights have been left in our walls? Don’t tell me you want to abandon our benefactor like that? I have already decided that no matter whether the Knight Temple finally defends their crown or not, our Assassin Temple will keep supporting them with its all. Even if the Knight Temple finally loses, we will at least stand in solidarity. Demonkind is our target, not internal strife. I believe whoever rules over the new Alliance, they won’t excessively oppress the other Temples.”
This was not the first time Sheng Yue had spoken these words, but the Assassin Temple still had yet to come to a unanimous reply. The Temples’ Great Gathering was nearing, so the choice of the Assassin Temple couldn’t keep being delayed. They had to come to a final decision on this day, but the sound of opposition was still just as high.
Of the Six Great Temples, the one with the least control was, without a doubt, Sheng Yue. That was due to historical reasons: after all, his teacher who used to be the previous head of the Assassin Temple had already, before dying many years ago, been contesting against Xue Zhisheng. The competitiveness between these two elders was very intense, and their gap in strength, very little. Now that Sheng Yue had lost his teacher’s support, his standing in the Assassin Temple was naturally not that great any longer. This was also why he had to ruthlessly make Cai’er integrate with the Spiritual Stove of Samsara back in those years. He hoped for his granddaughter to not become like him at the time when she would control the Assassin Temple.
As the chief of the elders’ group, Xue Zisheng suggested, “Since you are so obstinate, let us decide by vote then. As the Temple Head, your vote can count thrice, while mine as the chief of the elders can count twice. The minority shall follow the majority, so we will come to a conclusion today.”
Hearing all this, Sheng Yue felt his heart tighten. He understood that since Xue Zhisheng was suggesting such a course of action, he was already fully confident in having the large majority here supporting him. In case this decision came through, even the head of the Assassin Temple wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, and this would also greatly damage his future authority as well.
Since things had come to this, Sheng Yue was already unable to stop the voting taking place in front of him. Out of rage, he clenched his hands tightly, looking grudglingly at Xue Zhisheng.
The gloomy and cold-eyed Zhisheng gave no leeway. Despite growing very old, his authority in the Assassin Temple was still really massive.
