A Name Shakes the Region — Temptation

Chapter 768: A Name Shakes the Region — Temptation

"We three are naturally aware of the suspicious circumstances. But the Moulan have captured a number of cultivators during their advance. Most are from the Nine Nations Alliance, but quite a few of our supporting disciples have also fallen into their hands. According to the envoy, there are roughly a thousand in total," Supreme Zenith Yang said, his expression gloomy.

"What does that mean? If we refuse the gambit, would they dare to kill the prisoners? If so, are the Moulan not afraid we would retaliate by other means?" Elder Kuang blurted out in surprise.

"The envoy did not threaten massacre, but he repeatedly stated that this is an opportunity for us to save these cultivators. For each of the ten bouts, they wager not only the materials but also over a hundred prisoners. If we win, those people will be released," Supreme Zenith Yang continued.

Upon hearing this, the assembled old monsters exchanged glances.

At first glance, a thousand cultivators seemed an insignificant number, and most were low-level cultivators not worth being blackmailed over. But anyone who openly proposed abandoning them would instantly become a target for all.

These cultivators themselves were not important, but the families and sects they represented were numerous. Many had been captured while delaying the Dharma Warriors' advance. If they were not rescued, morale would plummet before the battle even began, and low-level cultivators would grow disheartened. Many would no longer fight with full force.

"Unexpectedly, these grassland barbarians can come up with such schemes. In previous invasions, they rarely employed strategy, but this time, their first move is already vicious. We all know it's a trap, but we must walk into it anyway," Long Han sighed in agreement.

Everyone present understood Long Han's meaning. They felt equally helpless, silently cursing the Moulan's cunning.

"It seems you all understand. We have no choice but to accept this gambit. Regardless of their intent, we must decisively defeat their Dharma Warriors. Otherwise, the blow to morale would be severe. Based on the proposed format, it does not appear they plan to cheat during the battles themselves. They are likely scheming elsewhere. Thus, the participating Daoists need not fear any hidden tricks. Should anything seem amiss, we will intervene directly. Naturally, since this is a deathmatch, participation is entirely voluntary. We three will not force anyone," Supreme Zenith Yang said solemnly, his gaze sweeping across the hall.

"Voluntary?" The old monsters' hearts all sneered at the word. Their gazes flickered as they fell silent.

No one was foolish enough. Even without the strange circumstances, no one willingly signed up for a deathmatch. Having cultivated for centuries to reach their current realm, they were not about to risk their lives lightly.

Han Li's expression remained calm, and he had no intention of stepping forward. He did not mind contributing to the war effort, but only if his life was not in danger. The Battle of Yellow Dragon Mountain had nearly cost him his life, and he had no desire to repeat the experience.

Seeing the room's atmosphere, Harmonious Union Old Demon's face darkened, and he let out a cold snort. The sound was bitingly cold, causing the seated cultivators' expressions to flicker. Yet still, no one rose to accept.

Supreme Zenith Yang shook his head with a helpless look. Wei Wuyai narrowed his eyes, remaining silent, lost in thought.

Supreme Zenith Yang did not let the awkward silence drag on. He spoke again:

"Before arriving, my two fellow Daoists and I discussed this matter. The battle is indeed too dangerous. Therefore, any cultivator who emerges victorious will keep all the rare materials won in their bouts as personal compensation for the risk. What say you all? Furthermore, I am aware that several of you are currently lacking certain rare materials for your cultivation, which you have been unable to find anywhere. We three happen to have some in our collections that may satisfy these fellow Daoists."

As he finished, Supreme Zenith Yang's gaze swept across a few specific faces. Among them was Han Li.

Han Li's heart tightened. He was puzzled.

The others, none of whom were ordinary cultivators, also showed flickers of surprise on their faces.

Despite the tempting conditions, which moved most present, no one immediately stepped forward to volunteer.

Just then, Wei Wuyai, who had remained silent all along, suddenly raised his head to look at Soul-Fragment True Man. His lips moved slightly as he transmitted his voice.

Soul-Fragment True Man, who had been sitting with his head lowered, changed expression. Surprise crossed his face, followed by a look of mingled shock and delight.

After listening for a few more exchanges, Soul-Fragment True Man's lips moved silently, and he seemed to be negotiating with Wei Wuyai.

A moment later, Soul-Fragment True Man looked deeply conflicted, his face shifting between light and shadow.

At the same time, the black-robed man transmitted his voice to Harmonious Union Old Demon.

This old demon had worn a nonchalant expression since arriving at the hall, but upon hearing the transmission from his own sect's Great Elder, his brow immediately furrowed, and his face darkened. No one knew what the man had said to him.

"Fine. As long as the Supreme Zenith keeps his promise, this True Man does not mind taking a risk!" Soul-Fragment True Man finally said, after some thought.

The other old monsters were stunned.

Just then, Clouddew Old Demon also spoke:

"Since Fellow Daoist Soul-Fragment is participating, I might as well go too. It would be a pity to let so many rare materials go to waste." The old demon laughed coldly, but a trace of barely concealed anger flickered in his brow, as if he was deeply displeased.

The other cultivators exchanged glances. Though they said nothing, they were secretly alarmed.

Regardless of how the two had been persuaded, it made the rest uneasy.

As expected, the three Great Cultivators then transmitted their voices to several others, one by one. After listening, most of them agreed to participate, some with delight, others with reluctance. Only two shook their heads coldly, flatly refusing.

Watching this, countless thoughts raced through Han Li's mind. Just then, Supreme Zenith Yang's voice reached his ears.

"Fellow Daoist Han, I have heard that you are gathering a large quantity of Geng Essence. Is this true?"

Han Li had half-expected this, but his heart still pounded. His request for the Heavenly Dao Alliance to collect Geng Essence was hardly a secret, so there was nothing strange about the other party knowing.

"Correct. I do require some Geng Essence to refine my treasures. Does Supreme Zenith happen to have a significant amount on hand?" Han Li asked calmly, steadying his mind.

"Hehe! Your guess is correct. Fellow Daoist Wei and I each possess a sizable piece of Geng Essence, enough to meet your needs. Would Fellow Daoist be interested in taking a look?" Supreme Zenith Yang said with a smile.

"I will consider participating only after I have seen the Geng Essence and confirmed it is satisfactory," Han Li replied after a brief pause, leaving the door open.

Supreme Zenith Yang chuckled lightly, readily agreeing.

Thus, within a short time, five people had agreed to participate. A few others, like Han Li, stated they needed to consider it before giving a definite answer. Still, this was already a great satisfaction to Supreme Zenith Yang and the others.

They ceased their transmissions and began to discuss the specific arrangements for dealing with the Dharma Warrior army.

Sitting in the hall, listening to the old monsters argue over the Dharma Warriors' strengths and weaknesses, as well as the details of deploying formation flags to counter the troublesome Spirit Art formations, Han Li's mind had already drifted far away, dwelling on the matter of the Geng Essence.

To be honest, Han Li was not entirely satisfied with the power of his intrinsic magic treasure, the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords.

This was not to say the flying swords were weaker than other cultivators' intrinsic treasures. Rather, his enemies were either too weak or too strong. For the weak, he did not need to deploy the swords at all; a flick of his Azure Origin Sword Qi would suffice. For the strong, whose cultivation levels were generally higher than his, the flying swords felt somewhat like a chicken rib.

But when he remembered the final technique of the Azure Origin Sword Art recorded in the pages, the "Great Geng Sword Formation," he understood the true terror of the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords when paired with the technique. Even if he could only execute a small portion of the formation's power, it would be enough to contend with a late-Nascent Soul cultivator.

As for the Void Heaven Cauldron, despite Silvermoon's grand claims, he still harbored doubts about its actual power without seeing it himself.

Thus, the Great Geng Sword Formation was definitely his future path in the cultivation world.

For that reason, he absolutely had to obtain a large quantity of Geng Essence. Without it, he could not forge the sword formation.

But whether he would actually risk his life in the gambit for it was a decision he still could not make. After thinking it over, he decided to first examine the amount the other party could provide. If it was enough to give him a real hope of forging the formation, then participating might be worth it.

As long as his opponents were not those Moulan Divine Masters, he feared no one. And if the Moulan tried any tricks in the gambit, with the Wind Lightning Wings and the Violet Luo Extreme Flame, could a mere barrier really trap him?

Having made his internal calculation, Han Li's mind settled. He began to listen attentively to the discussions once more.

The meeting lasted nearly an hour. Among the three Great Cultivators, Supreme Zenith Yang was clearly the primary speaker, with Harmonious Union Old Demon occasionally adding comments. Wei Wuyai remained taciturn, speaking only a few times throughout.

During the discussions, both Supreme Zenith Yang and Harmonious Union Old Demon clearly held Long Han in high regard, frequently asking for his opinion on matters related to the Heavenly Dao Alliance. The rumors that Long Han and his wife could together contend with one of the three Great Cultivators seemed to be well-founded.

Finally, after all matters had been largely settled and various responsibilities assigned to those who had not volunteered for the gambit, Supreme Zenith Yang dismissed them with a word: "Return and prepare, fellow Daoists." The crowd took their leave. However, three cultivators were asked to remain. Han Li was among them.

The other two were Clouddew Old Demon and a pale, attractive woman who had remained as silent as Han Li during the discussion.