Chapter 410: Decision
Upon hearing Gu Yuan's inquiry, Wang Hong paused for a moment before responding, "Now that Azure Void City has fallen, the next target for the Demon Clan will undoubtedly be Qingxu Sect."
As per the opinion of our two senior masters, facing the full-scale siege of the Demon Clan, can Qingxu Sect successfully defend itself this time?"
Wang Hong's question cast a shadow over the faces of everyone present, including the two Golden Core Elders, who wore grave expressions.
In truth, everyone should have thought of this already, but they had subconsciously avoided thinking in that direction.
With the Demon Clan gathering their full might and the Human Clan divided into six major sects fighting independently, how could Qingxu Sect alone hope to withstand them?
When they breached Qingxu Sect, the Demon Clan unleashed three Fourth-Tier Demonic Beasts in a single assault, and that was only a part of their forces. Behind them, there were surely more Fourth-Tier Demonic Beasts guarding, but for regular battles, they didn't need to reveal themselves.
From this, it was evident that the Demon Clan's strength assembled here far surpassed Qingxu Sect.
Everyone had become accustomed to seeking refuge under the Qingxu Sect's umbrella. If this tree were to fall now, considering the current situation, they had no idea how they would survive without its protection.
Gu Yuan pondered for a moment, sighed, and said, "At present, we are outnumbered, and even with the Large Formation protecting Qingxu Sect, it may not hold up against the Demon Clan's constant attacks. However, we, as Qingxu Sect disciples, cannot escape our duty during this critical time. If Qingxu Sect were truly to be destroyed by the Demon Clan, I am willing to fight to the death at the Mountain Gate!"
As Gu Yuan spoke these words, his tone was resolute, his eyes bloodshot, and his hair standing on end without any breeze. His robes fluttered on their own.
For generations, his family had been born in Qingxu Sect, and he had grown up within its walls. Qingxu Sect was the ultimate sanctuary in his heart.
He had this mindset, and it was commendable, but others might not necessarily feel the same. Who would willingly choose death when given the chance to survive?
At this moment, more than ten leaders of minor factions seated below were secretly lamenting their choices. They regretted being too eager to curry favor, as going to Qingxu Sect now was like jumping into a fire pit, surrounded by millions of Demonic Beasts. How confident were they of surviving?
But they didn't have much power to begin with, and there were some things beyond their control.
Wang Hong understood Gu Yuan's emotions and admired his character, but he didn't want to perish with Qingxu Sect at this moment.
Even if he were willing, he had thousands of subordinates, and they were not Qingxu Sect disciples. He couldn't drag all of them into this. He needed to find a way for his subordinates to survive, considering their loyalty to him.
He had gained much from Qingxu Sect as well, but he was currently just a humble Foundation Building cultivator. Throwing himself into the Beast Tide would, at most, create a few small ripples, making no significant impact on the overall situation.
He could only wait for the future when he had the strength to repay this debt of gratitude.
But Gu Yuan's words were about the greater good, and he couldn't outright oppose them. After some thought, he said, "I believe that even though the Demon Clan is formidable, it should be impossible for them to completely annihilate our Qingxu Sect cultivators. When the time comes, we should be able to break through!"
"This is natural. Regardless of the circumstances, our Qingxu Sect still has tens of thousands of cultivators and two Nascent Soul ancestors. At the very least, we can protect a portion of our people and break out of the encirclement," Gu Yuan affirmed.
"In that case, I have a suggestion. Even if we return to the sect now, facing the siege of millions of Demon Clan members would not be of much help. Instead, we could temporarily station ourselves on the outskirts and, when the battle begins, launch attacks from the rear against the Demon Clan. Our impact would be greater than if we were to stay and defend. In case Qingxu Sect is defeated, when the cultivators attempt to break out, we can launch a pincer attack from inside and outside to assist them in escaping," Wang Hong analyzed, and in terms of interests, this approach would be most advantageous for Qingxu Sect.
"Excellent! Wang Junior, you truly possess the potential to stand out among the crowd. This plan is quite ingenious!" The injured Golden Core cultivator, who was not from Qingxu Sect, enthusiastically agreed. At this moment, he naturally didn't want to get involved further.
Taking refuge in the rear might be dangerous, but at least they had room to maneuver and didn't have to engage Demonic Beasts head-on most of the time.
The leaders of other minor factions seized this opportunity to nod in agreement, praising the effectiveness of this method.
Gu Yuan was not naive and could discern the mindset of those present. He turned to Sloppy Old Daoist and asked, "Senior Brother Chu, what's your opinion?"
Sloppy Old Daoist looked at Gu Yuan and said, "Junior Brother Gu, I understand your sentiments, but Wang Junior's proposed plan is indeed the most advantageous for Qingxu Sect. If we can help a portion of our elite cultivators break out, we can easily provide support from the outside. In the future, even if we have to reestablish Qingxu Sect's Mountain Gate elsewhere, we can ensure the sect's legacy continues."
"Very well! Let's proceed with this plan. However, for now, we need to find a suitable place to stay," Gu Yuan said. Their current location was clearly unsuitable, as they were at risk of discovery by the Demon Clan, and they lacked any defensive measures.
However, finding a suitable place on such short notice was proving to be a challenge, leaving everyone in a temporary state of calm.
"The junior has a Mountain Valley not too far from Azure Void City. It's relatively hidden, and I've made some simple preparations. Perhaps we could go there to see if it's suitable?" Seeing that no one had any immediate ideas, Wang Hong suggested. After all, his Mountain Valley would be difficult to maintain in the future, so it might as well serve as a hiding place now.
Sloppy Old Daoist had been to Wang Hong's Mountain Valley before and nodded in agreement.
After the decision was made, they quickly gathered everyone and changed their direction, heading towards Wang Hong's Hua Xue Valley.
On their way back, they encountered several instances of Human Clan members being pursued by Demonic Beasts. They rescued them, which further bolstered their group.
Soon, they safely arrived at Wang Hong's Mountain Valley. After their arduous journey, suddenly finding themselves in a secure area allowed them to relax a bit.
Especially for the two thousand Qi Cultivation cultivators under Wang Hong, they had been crammed inside the Flying Boat due to the possibility of emergencies during the journey. Now, they could finally step out of the Flying Boat, and for the first time, they realized how enjoyable it was to walk on their own legs.
"Wang Junior, I never knew you had such a hidden paradise. It makes me feel inadequate," remarked the Golden Core cultivator they had previously rescued, named Yi Huai. He was an elder from a medium-sized sect, but due to the Demon Clan's invasion, they had to relocate and had settled in a mountainous area with only a small Spirit Vein.
If he had known about this place earlier, he might have considered taking it for himself, but now, there was no need for such thoughts.
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