Chapter Eight Hundred and Nineteen – Struggle
Zuo Mo stared at the jie map in front of him with bloodshot eyes.
He had been staring motionlessly at the jie map for almost six hours.
Xi Xuan was a little over eight hundred jie and one third of that was two hundred and- almost three hundred jie. How big was Mo Cloud Sea? One hundred and thirteen jie! If they could take down all this, Mo Cloud Sea could expand to almost four hundred jie!
This number was about to almost two thirds of the Nine Great Dhyana Sects total territories.
But that long and tattered border would cause Mo Cloud Sea’s defense to become a big problem
Zhong De was slightly surprised. He had originally thought that when something so great and free was handed to him, Zuo Mo would excitedly agree without hesitation. He hadn’t thought that while Zuo Mo was excited, he did not immediately agree.
A territory of almost three hundred jie yet someone would hesitate for six hours!
Zhong De re-evaluated Zuo Mo. He had not underestimated Mo Cloud Sea, he actually had a high opinion of Mo Cloud Sea. Mo Cloud Sea was the ally that Zhong De chose for Gu Liang Dao. Putting aside Gu Liang Dao’s good friendship with Zuo Mo, Mo Cloud Sea’s strength was what he thought highly of.
He had other deeper considerations for giving almost one third of Xi Xuan to Mo Cloud Sea.
Mo Cloud Sea was stronger than Gu Liang Dao, much stronger. The two would be neighbours. If they were to be allies, they needed to be of similar strength. However, Mo Cloud Sea had a firmer foundation. Once they digested the three hundred jie, they would become even stronger.
A Mo Cloud Sea that was too strong was not beneficial for a developing Xi Xuan.
In Zhong De’s view, Gu Liang Dao was strong, but he clearly was not at the same level as Zuo Mo.
This could be seen from the comparison of the two’s forces. Of Gu Liang Dao’s force, other than himself, only Shuang Yu and Xiao were acceptable. They lacked talents. But Mo Cloud Sea, Wei Sheng, Gongsun Cha, Bie Han, Zong Ru, a list of names that could blind and awe people. Even someone with such a resolute mind as Zhong De was not willing to become enemies against them.
The long border would drag Mo Cloud Sea into a tedious and difficult struggle with Tian Huan and slow Mo Cloud Sea’s development.
Only when the two sides were in balance could a long-lasting alliance form.
Ten years. Zhong De estimated that Xi Xuan would need ten years under Gu Liang Dao in order to recover. If there was not a titan like Tian Huan, Zhong De thought that Mo Cloud Sea would only need five years to become a new titan of the same level as Kun Lun and Tian Huan.
Zhong De felt that he had not underestimated Zuo Mo but at this time, he found that he had still underestimated Zuo Mo’s foresight.
The guy who was said to be peerlessly greedly and only thought of profit was able to maintain his calm in the face of almost three hundred jie!
Such a terrifying person.
Zhong De suddenly suspected whether or not his decision was correct. Could Gu Liang Dao really fight against such a monster? Could he really fight against such a monstrous faction?
But then he grimaced. Other than Gu Liang Dao, he did not have a better choice. Gu Liang Dao was the most outstanding young person from Xi Xuan’s lineage. He understood the present sect leader. If he gave Xi Xuan to the sect leader, the end of the ten year agreement would be the time that Xi Xuan would die.
Zhong De’s heart was like rock. After wavering slightly, he recovered.
A pair of eyes that flashed with excitement and madness entered his field of view. His heart suddenly shuddered but his expression did not change. “What have you decided?”
Zuo Mo looked closely at Zhong De’s eyes and said in a deep voice, “I also want this piece!”
His finger flicked and a curving streak of light appeared on the jie map. A region about thirty jie was outlined at the lower right corner of the area that Zhong De had proposed.
Zhong De’s pupils suddenly contracted!
After Zhong De came out of his seclusion, he had studied repeatedly. As the second-ranking battle general of the ten top battle generals, Zhong De was bloodthirsty and savage, but he was unusually wary in his attitude towards war.
No one knew how many times he had studied this jie map. Every detail of this jie map had been imprinted into his mind long ago. Without any effort, it could be redrawn completely in his mind.
This area where Tian Huan and Xi Xuan borders were shared was a long and flat wedge between Xi Xuan and the Nine Great Dhyana Sects.
It was a complex place where three factions intersected. Back in the time when Xuan Kong Temple existed, the three factions had been restrained by the balance between the three forces. That area had become an area that none of the three factions could dominate. Due to this, large numbers of small but complex factions existed there.
The fall of Xuan Kong Temple and the rise of the Nine Great Dhyana Sect caused them to quickly consume these little factions to form this strange area.
On the thirty jie that Zuo Mo drew included the area where Xi Xuan and the Nine Great Dhyana Sects shared borders.
If Zhong De still did not know Zuo Mo’s intentions now, then his reputation as the second-best battle general was false.
Nine Great Dhyana Sects! Mo Cloud Sea had a close relationship with the Nine Great Dhyana Sects, closer than expected!
Zhong De sighed inside. He knew that his intentions of using Tian Huan to restrain Mo Cloud Sea had failed.
Zuo Mo’s intentions in demanding these thirty jie were clear. The territory connected to the Nine Great Dhyana sects and he would open a passage between Cloud Mo Sea and the Nine Great Dhyana sects. This way, Tian Huan’s wedge territory would be facing enemies on two fronts. Mo Cloud Sea’s battalions could attack by travelling through the territory of the Nine Great Sects and easily detour behind Tian Huan to attack.
Mo Cloud Sea that possessed Gongsun Cha and Bie Han could easily cleave this wedge-shaped territory from Tian Huan’s flesh and bring it under Mo Cloud Sea’s control!
The border between Mo Cloud Sea and Tian Huan would drastically shorten.
Zhong De was now in a dilemma. With Mo Cloud Sea’s strength, the possibility they would succeed was a high. That way, rather than restraining Mo Cloud Sea, it was giving Mo Cloud Sea a great opportunity.
But without Mo Cloud Sea, Gu Liang Dao who took over Xi Xuan would not be able to survive. He only had two years left. After two years, Xi Xuan would only have one top battle general left, Gu Liang Dao.
In Zhong De’s view, Gu Liang Dao had good skill but he was too honest, and was not intimidating enough. Zhong De was able to protect Xi Xuan by himself. No one dared to invade. Even Kun Lun and Tian Huan did not dare to easily start a war.
This was because he was ruthless and bloodthirsty!
There was only one result of fighting against him, blood flowing in rivers! In this time where multiple factions were facing off, no one dared to be damaged so much.
“What is your decision?” Zuo Mo’s tone was just like Zhong De’s had been previously.
Zhong De knew that the other saw through his intentions. However, he did not care. Power struggles would always exist between factions and had nothing to do with friendships. He was a decisive person and said, “Then I’ll give you this region as well.”
His finger swiped, and he drew out another twenty jie at the border of the thirty jie that Zuo Mo had just circled. Allying with Mo Cloud Sea was an essential condition to the survival of Xi Xuan. Zhong De did not have a choice, his hand was forced in the matter.
Zuo Mo looked for a while and saw some things.
Zhong De seemed to have casually picked out twenty jie. He seemed to have lost a big part of territory for nothing, but in truth, he had drastically decreased the border between Xi Xuan and Mo Cloud Sea.
Zuo Mo was full of admiration towards Zhong De. As expected of the second-best battle general! Zhong De was so calm to the point of cruelty. He did not linger or hesitate over territory. He did not care for reputation or tradition. For his strategic aims, he could give up everything else. Such a terrifying person!
But these twenty jie were free for Mo Cloud Sea.
Zuo Mo knew that Zhong De was near the end of his life and knew that Zhong De was also making a path for Gu Liang Dao. Zuo Mo did not worry about Gu Liang Dao’s Xi Xuan. This had nothing to do with friendship, it was a judgement of the situation. The reason that Zhong De was so generous was because he knew Gu Liang Dao would not be able to protect an enormous Xi Xuan alone.
Actually, Zuo Mo was slightly worried. Even the smaller Xi Xuan was more than five hundred jie. All of Nine Great Dhyana Sects was just a little more than six hundred jie.
Looking at the present situation Yang Yuan Hao was in would show just how hard it was to manage such a large territory.
Gu Liang Dao’s path was harder than his own.
“Agreed!” Zuo Mo said solemnly. He was full of spirit. Mo Cloud Sea’s era of being in its turtle shell was about to finally finish!
“Good!” Zhong De nodded expressionlessly. He then said, “Tian Huan’s people have arrived.”
Zuo Mo’s attention was immediately moved. Zhong De was the crux of everything. For Xi Xuan. For Mo Cloud Sea. His safety the most important.
“They came slightly earlier than you. Li Xian Er was escorted to the Abyss Fiend Jail.” A hint of coldness flashed through Zhong De’s eyes. “Let’s go see Tian Huan’s future!”
Finishing, he walked outside.
Zuo Mo was lightly shocked. He knew Li Xian Er’s status in Tian Huan. He asked in puzzlement. “Why would Tian Huan send Li Xian Er?”
“Hostage.” Zhong De said coldly. “Otherwise, the sect leader would not dare to act out this plan. The sect leader is too stupid. I’ve guarded the Abyss Fiend Jail for decades, how can I not have any safeguards? Tian Huan came carefully and my people did not detect them. The sect leader was in too much of a hurry to send Li Xian Er to the Abyss Fiend Jail.”
Zuo Mo heard that while Zhong De said “sect leader,” there was no respect in his tone.
“He is devious and has great patience,” Zhong De said coolly, “but is not decisive or confident enough. His desire for power is too great.”
Zuo Mo was filled with curiosity but he did not want to be dragged into Xi Xuan’s matters. He perceptively did not ask.
The group followed Zhong De towards the Abyss Fiend Jail. In order not to attract attention, they did not fly, but walked along the walls.
Suddenly, Wei Sheng stopped walking, and his gave focused. Zuo Mo motioned for everyone to stop.
Zuo Mo and the others were in sync and spread out, ready to fight. Shi Pei next to Zhong De stepped forward to protect him. The other guards were on their guard.
Wei Sheng’s expression was at ease and unaffected.
The God-Killing Blood Sword slowly rose. Everywhere Wei Sheng passed, there seemed to be a black and bottomless abyss. Wei Sheng’s eyes became like bloody glass, but his expression did not change.
“Kill!”
A thunderous shout and the rock wall in front of them suddenly shattered and rain down on them!
Wei Sheng’s sword drew out!
A blood red sword energy entered the shattered energies!
The sword energy that entered the shattered stone seemed to be hit by something incoming and suddenly gave off bright white light!
The blinding light immediately consumed the group. Everyone’s sight became filled with white. They could not see a thing, and the surrounding presences were in chaos.
Sharp murderousness filled the air.
Zuo Mo didn’t know what this white light was. Under the white light, he could not see a thing. What was strangest was the white light could disrupt the consciousness!
Zuo Mo’s consciousness that was spread out was crushed by the light.
The enemy did not seem to be affected. Eight different murderous presences locked onto him and caused his skin to tremble.
Yet Zuo Mo reacted quickly and his expression changed!
Fishing in muddy waters!
The other’s target was Zhong De!
Damn it!
At this time, a muffled grunt came from the white light.
Zuo Mo’s heart suddenly sank.
It was Shi Pei!
Translator Ramblings: Zuo Mo is starting to become a land tycoon.