Elder Ruyan did as Chu Kuangren asked and gave the disciples their rights to choose. This move concerned many of the sect’s higher-ups.
If all of them chose to run away, then what would be left of the sect?
After all, this crisis was not like any crisis from the past.
Their enemy this time was so much stronger than the Black Heaven Sect that almost no one believed the Black Heaven Sect would win.
People are always selfish in the face of death.
No matter how much affection they had for the Black Heaven Sect, they would still be shaken in face of death.
After Elder Ruyan announced the news, the Black Heaven Sect fell into a state of chaos. There were many discussions among the disciples. Some wanted to leave, while some wanted to stay.
“The Black Heaven Sect has always treated us well. How can we abandon the Black Heaven Sect during these tough times? I can’t bring myself to do this.”
“Don’t leave? You’re saying that we should wait for our deaths here instead?”
“Exactly. If we leave, there will be someone to mourn for the Black Heaven Sect’s death. No one will do that if we all die here, and that will be so sad. Besides, it’s not my wish to die here.”
“I’ve lost my parents since I was young. It was one of the elders who brought me to the Black Heaven Sect. This is my home, and I will not go anywhere else.”
“You guys are a bunch of heartless people. If you want to leave, you can leave on your own.”
“Is it wrong to be scared of death? Besides, the Sect Leader gave us an opportunity to choose. On what basis are you calling us heartless…?”
The entire Black Heaven Sect was almost in a state of pandemonium.
Those who wanted to leave and those who wanted to stay were close to getting into a fistfight. Alas, it was not until Elder Ruyan and the others came out to establish order, that they all calmed down.
“The Black Heaven Sect won’t blame those who want to leave. If you want to fight alongside the Black Heaven Sect until the end, gather in front of Longevity Hall tomorrow morning.”
Elder Ruyan said to the disciples.
The next day.
In front of Longevity Hall.
Elder Ruyan and the others had gathered. Today was the day they found out how many would remain in the Black Heaven Sect.
Truth be told, they were rather perturbed.
After all, the enemies that the Black Heaven Sect would face this time far outnumbered them and were too strong. The chances of them winning are close to zero.
It was not entirely impossible that all the disciples had chosen to leave.
Not many would be willing to stay back and take part in a war that would certainly get them killed.
The front of Longevity Hall looked empty and deserted.
Elder Ruyan sighed softly. “Is there really no one?”
“Sigh, the disparity between the two sides of this battle is too great. These disciples are all still young, with bright futures ahead of them. I think it’s a good thing too if they had chosen to leave.”
An elder sighed.
At this moment, the sun rose, and the light of dawn filled the Longevity Hall.
In the near distance, a few silhouettes could be seen walking towards them.
It was Nangong Huang, Murong Xuan, Jun Yi, and a few other Daoists.
Behind them was a crowd of Black Heaven Sect’s disciples. Basked in the morning sunlight, they strode towards the Longevity Wall in succession, with faces full of determination.
A smile of relief etched on Elder Ruyan’s and the few other elders’ faces.
“This is great!”
“These little brats have got guts!”
Nangong Huang and the other Daoists brought along all the disciples, who were willing to stay back and fight with the Black Heaven Sect, to the Longevity Hall.
“Elders, we are willing to live and die for the Black Heaven Sect!”
Nangong Huang looked at Elder Ruyan and said resolutely.
“We’ll live and die with the Black Heaven Sect!”
“We’ll live and die with the Black Heaven Sect!”
All of the disciples said with the same resoluteness.
They had already forsaken life and death when they chose to stay behind.
At that moment, a creaking sound was heard.
The door of the Longevity Hall opened.
Everyone looked in that direction.
All they saw was Chu Kuangren slowly walking out. Seeing all the disciples in front of him, his face broke into a smile. “I guarantee everyone here that as long you’re here and I’m here, the Black Heaven Sect will never perish!”
Upon hearing his words, a sense of security arose inside the crowd’s hearts.
“The Black Heaven Sect will never perish.”
“That’s right. As long as the Sect Leader is here, there is no obstacle that we cannot pull through.”
“Haha, come on. Just look at the Sect Leader’s face. I’ll be willing to die for that any day. I’ll never want to leave the Sect Leader alone and abandon this place.”
“Sister, you’re absolutely right!”
After that, Elder Ruyan did a headcount.
There were quite a lot who came, but there were also many who left. A total of ten thousand people stayed, which did not even make up ten percent of the Black Heaven Sect’s original headcount.
Nonetheless, Chu Kuangren was very satisfied with this.
These disciples were people whom he would put a lot of effort into training in the future.
…
Meanwhile, aside from the changes in the Black Heaven Sect.
Following the news of the unknown lands preparing to annihilate the Black Heaven Sect, some of the forces who would be affected by the welfare of the Black Heaven Sect also began to take action.
These were, for example, some of the Black Heaven Sect’s affiliated forces.
Many of the affiliated forces did not think that the Black Heaven Sect would be unable to turn the tide this time. Hence, one by one, they expressed wishes to cut ties with the Black Heaven Sect.
The Black Heaven Sect could not be bothered to respond to them.
Nevertheless, there were also some loyal affiliated forces like the Horizon Wing Sect and Snowstorm Sect. Since they both were once rescued by Chu Kuangren, they expressed their sentiments to tough through these times with the Black Heaven Sect. They even sent quite a number of their people to the Black Heaven Sect.
It was not just them.
Black Heaven Sect’s two close allies, the School of White Lotus and the Royal Azure Dynasty had also taken action. Among which the White Lotus School’s Sage personally hurried to the Black Heaven Sect.
However, she did not bring anyone with her.
She knew that in the current situation the Black Heaven Sect was in, anyone below Sage’s combat strength would be no help. Even if she brought the entire School of White Lotus, it would all be for naught.
Hence, she personally came over to provide assistance instead.
Royal Azure Dynasty.
In the palace, Queen Linglong was sitting on the throne.
All of her ministers were in the main hall with her.
“Your Majesty, the Black Heaven Sect is our ally. Now that they’re in danger, we cannot just sit here and do nothing. I’m willing to lead an army there to offer assistance,” a military commander said while he stepped forward.
The military commander was a straightforward person. In his opinion, Chu Kuangren had helped the Royal Azure Dynasty a lot, with the Royal Azure Dynasty King’s ascension and bringing back the Nine-Headed Snakelet Pearl. Adding onto the fact that they were already allies in the first place, they should be offering assistance.
“Nonsense.”
At this moment, an elder cried out, “The Black Heaven Sect’s current situation has long passed the stage where we can intervene. Not to mention the unknown lands, but just the Thirty-Six Oceanic Islands alone have so many Sages.”
“With that small number of soldiers you have, what can you do?”
“Even if you go, you will be seeking death. And if the unknown lands find out that the Royal Azure Dynasty is helping the Black Heaven Sect, do you know how many citizens will lose their lives because of their wrath? With the unknown lands’ strength, annihilating the Royal Azure Dynasty would be a piece of cake for them!!”
The elder had already seen through the situation clearly.
The Black Heaven Sect was already doomed, and none could help them now.
“We can’t just watch and do nothing!”
The military commander said, unreconciled to the elder’s words.
“No one in the world can save the Black Heaven Sect now.”
The elder sighed.
“Your Majesty, you may have the final decision. Just say the word, and I will lead a few million soldiers to accompany you to the Black Heaven Sect!”
The military commander said as he looked toward Queen Linglong.
“Your Majesty, do not make rash decisions!”
“The Black Heaven Sect cannot be saved anymore. There would be no use even if the Royal Azure Dynasty mobilizes our entire military. Your Majesty, please think on behalf of the civilians!”
An elder knelt onto the ground with a thump.
Queen Linglong looked at the elder and said, “As a ruler, of course, I would prioritize my civilians. I understand this point fully. The Royal Azure Dynasty will not send any of our armies there. My beloved Minister Liu, you may rise.”
“Wise choice, Your Majesty.” The elder sighed in relief. He had already braced himself for the death penalty by Queen Linglong when he made that comment earlier.
He understood that Queen Linglong and Chu Kuangren had a close relationship. Hence, him stopping her assistance to the other party earlier was undoubtedly an act of defying his ruler.
However, for the sake of the civilians, he could only risk his own death to counsel the queen.
Fortunately, the Queen was much more rational than he imagined.
“Your Majesty, what are you doing?!”
“Your Majesty…”
At this moment, outcries resounded through the main hall.
Queen Linglong removed the crown from her head and placed it on the throne, shocking many of the ministers.
“As a ruler, I shall of course prioritize my people. Therefore, your Queen will not mobilize any of our militaries and not implicate the civilians. However, as a wife, I have to go through every hardship with my husband! From today onwards, I am not the ruler of the Royal Azure Dynasty anymore. Anything I do will not be related to the Royal Azure Dynasty.”
“Your Queen will… I mean I will hurry back to the Black Heaven Sect. I trust that you all will take good care of our dynasty.” Queen Linglong smiled gently at all the ministers.
