klisemfg Chapter 256 Cleverly Overcoming Internal Differences
Chapter 256 Cleverly Overcoming Internal Differences
Zhuang Yu felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his heart, so heavy that he could hardly breathe.
The alarm bells for the demon invasion have not yet been lifted, but the alliance is already in turmoil.
He watched as representatives from various sects argued heatedly over the distribution of spoils in the main hall, their faces flushed and spittle flying. Their behavior was even more unbearable than that of a shrew in the marketplace.
The leader of the Money Gate, a fat man with a greasy belly and a face full of scars, was shouting in a shrill voice, "Our Money Gate suffered the greatest losses and the most casualties, so we should get a larger share! At least 70% of the spirit stones seized this time should be given to us!"
These words immediately drew rebuttals from representatives of other sects. A lean, gaunt elder of the Qingyun Sword Sect sneered, "Sect Leader Jin, you certainly know how to put it! Your Money Sect, relying on a few alchemists, usually plunders the people and is rolling in wealth! Now that you've defeated the Demon Clan, you want to monopolize the spoils of war? What kind of logic is that?"
"That's right, the Money Gate has always taken advantage of the Alliance, and now they want to make exorbitant demands. They're really greedy!" A burly man from the Thunder Pavilion roared, waving his thick arms. His beard was almost standing on end.
"What do you know! Without money, how can I support thousands of people under my command? Without money, how can I buy cultivation resources for my disciples? Without money, who would want to follow my Money Sect?" The Money Sect leader was not to be outdone, his neck stiff, and the fat on his face trembled with excitement.
Seeing this farce unfold before him, Zhuang Yu grew increasingly agitated. The oppressive atmosphere at the Alliance headquarters was like the calm before a storm, suffocating and oppressive.
He could sense the disappointment and helplessness on the faces of those passionate young people, like Xiao Wu, and even on the faces of some of the older elders.
He understood that if the current internal divisions could not be resolved quickly, the alliance would collapse on its own, and the Dark Lord's conspiracy would have an opportunity to unfold.
He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh, causing a sharp pain that made him even more alert.
This is not only for himself, but also for the alliance members who trust him and follow him.
The arguments between the various factions continued, each one more shrill and louder than the last, as if they were about to overturn the entire hall.
The fat face of the Money Sect leader turned a liverish color, and his eyes were bloodshot, making him look like an angry wild boar.
Just then, Zhuang Yu saw the leader of the Golden Money Sect slam his fist on the table with a loud bang. He pointed at the elders of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect and roared, "You...you...you're simply being unreasonable! Today, the Golden Money Sect is determined to have this spoils of war!"
The air seemed to freeze; everyone stopped arguing and looked at the leader of the Money Sect. But Zhuang Yu saw a hint of madness, a hint of… in the leader's eyes.
insidious?
"It seems I have to do something..." he muttered to himself, his eyes gradually hardening.
He stood up, looked around, and finally his gaze fell on the greedy face of the Money Sect leader. A meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
He said slowly, "Sect Leader Jin, you seem to really need these spoils of war?"
Zhuang Yu's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire hall, instantly suppressing all the noisy arguments.
All eyes were on him, curious about how he would handle this tricky situation.
"I have a suggestion that might solve the current predicament." Zhuang Yu looked around at everyone, his tone calm and powerful. "First, we should inventory and register all the spoils of war, make a list and make it public to ensure transparency and fairness." He paused, then continued, "Second, we should conduct a comprehensive assessment based on each sect's actual contribution to this battle, including casualties and resource consumption, and distribute the spoils proportionally."
He gestured for Xiao Wu to come forward and help, and Xiao Wu immediately understood, leading several disciples to begin sorting the spoils of war in an orderly manner.
Xiao Wu's eyes were full of trust and respect for Zhuang Yu, which warmed Zhuang Yu's heart.
He knew he was not fighting alone.
Zhuang Yu continued, "I know everyone has worked very hard and made great sacrifices. But we are an alliance, sharing both glory and shame. Only by uniting can we defeat the demons. I hope everyone can prioritize the overall situation, put aside past grievances, and advance and retreat together."
He clearly explained the new allocation plan, taking into full account the actual situation of each sect, and gave extra rewards to some sects that made special contributions.
This proposal balanced fairness with consideration for the feelings of all parties, and won the approval of the majority of those present.
The leader of the Money Sect originally wanted to continue arguing, but under Zhuang Yu's sharp gaze, he ultimately chose to remain silent.
He knew that Zhuang Yu's prestige was unmatched in the alliance, and he was simply no match for him.
"I agree with Young Master Zhuang's plan." The elder of the Qingyun Sword Sect was the first to express his opinion.
“I agree too,” the burly man from Thunder Pavilion echoed.
With them taking the lead, representatives from other sects also expressed their agreement.
The atmosphere inside the hall gradually eased, and the tense atmosphere that had been on the verge of conflict dissipated.
Zhuang Yu breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the scene before him.
He and Xiao Wu exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.
Suddenly, a disciple rushed into the main hall, his face pale and panting, and said, "Report...report! The demons...the demons are here again!"
Before the disciple could finish speaking, chaos erupted once again in the main hall.
Fear, anger, and anxiety intertwined, creating a tense atmosphere in the air.
The leader of the Money Sect's face turned liver-colored again, but this time, it wasn't because of greed, but because of fear.
"Impossible! We clearly already..." he muttered to himself, his voice trembling.
Zhuang Yu remained unusually calm, a cold smile playing on his lips, as if everything was within his expectations.
“Mr. Zhuge,” he said, looking at the alliance strategist, his tone steady, “activate the ‘Heavenly Net’ formation according to the original plan.”
Mr. Zhuge smiled slightly, "Understood." He waved his sleeve, and complex runes appeared out of thin air, quickly weaving into a huge golden net of light above the hall.
At the same time, the entire alliance headquarters was enveloped by a powerful surge of spiritual energy.
It turned out that Zhuang Yu had long anticipated that the Dark Night Demon Lord would take advantage of the situation, so he secretly set up the "Heavenly Net" formation, waiting for the demons to walk right into the trap.
"Xiao Wu, lead the disciples of Qingyun Sword Sect and Thunder Pavilion to the resource point with me!" Zhuang Yu gave the order and rushed out of the main hall first.
The alliance members followed closely behind. Although they were shocked by the demons' sudden attack, Zhuang Yu's calmness and decisiveness gave them great confidence.
The battle has already begun near the resource point.
The Night Demon Lord's elite troops, each clad in black armor and wielding sharp demonic blades, resembled demons from hell, relentlessly attacking the alliance disciples guarding the resource point.
Although the alliance disciples fought valiantly, they were outnumbered and suffered repeated defeats.
Just then, Zhuang Yu arrived with reinforcements.
"Heavenly Net, activate!" Zhuang Yu commanded, and the golden net instantly contracted, trapping the elite demon troops within.
"Kill!" Zhuang Yu, sword in hand, charged into the enemy ranks, leading the charge.
Swords flashed, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.
Zhuang Yu was like a war god, his sword energy surging forth, invincible in all directions.
Under his leadership, the alliance members were in high spirits and fought bravely against the enemy.
Although the elite demon forces were powerful, their strength was greatly reduced under the suppression of the "Heavenly Net" formation.
They charged left and right, but could not break through the encirclement.
The battle lasted less than half an hour before the elite demon forces were completely annihilated.
The surrounding environment was ravaged by the spiritual energy fluctuations of the battle; trees were snapped in half, the ground was riddled with craters, and the air was thick with the stench of blood.
On a distant mountain peak, the Dark Night Demon Lord watched his elite troops being completely annihilated, and he trembled with rage.
"Zhuang Yu! How dare you ruin my plans!" he gritted his teeth.
At the Alliance headquarters, Zhuang Yu looked at the captured demon soldiers and said to Mr. Zhuge, "Interrogate them. I need to know the Dark Night Demon Lord's next plan."
He paused, his gaze deep, "It seems this war is far from over..."
As the smoke cleared, a strong stench of blood filled the air. Broken fragments of the demonic blade lay scattered on the ground, reflecting a cold light in the afterglow of the setting sun.
The captured demon soldiers hung their heads in dejection, cowering in fear as they stared at the man before them—Zhuang Yu—who seemed like a god descended from heaven.
In this battle, the Dark Night Demon Lord's elite troops were completely annihilated, suffering heavy losses.
The alliance not only preserved important resource points, but also seized a large number of demon weapons and equipment, greatly enhancing its own strength.
The alliance members cheered and looked at Zhuang Yu with admiration and respect.
"Young Master Zhuang, we were able to escape danger thanks to you this time!" The Qingyun Sword Sect elder excitedly grasped Zhuang Yu's hand, his voice filled with gratitude.
"Indeed, Young Master Zhuang is truly a visionary; he foresaw the demons' scheme long ago!" The burly man from Thunder Pavilion echoed, a simple, honest smile spreading across his rugged face.
Even the notoriously greedy leader of the Money Sect was now completely convinced by Zhuang Yu. He walked up to Zhuang Yu with his protruding belly and said with a fawning smile, "Young Master Zhuang, you are truly wise and powerful. I admire you to the point of prostration!"
Zhuang Yu smiled faintly and waved his hand modestly, "Everyone, there's no need to be so polite. This is the result of our joint efforts." He looked around, his eyes deep, "This war is far from over. The Dark Night Demon Lord will not give up easily. We must be fully prepared."
Upon hearing this, the alliance members all nodded in agreement.
They knew that Zhuang Yu's judgment was always accurate, and that the upcoming battle would be even more brutal.
As night fell, the Alliance headquarters was brightly lit.
Zhuang Yu stood alone by the window, gazing at the distant, undulating mountain range, lost in thought.
He knew that the Dark Night Demon Lord's stronghold was hidden in those mountains, and that to completely defeat the demons, he had to find and destroy their lair.
Just then, a pure white carrier pigeon flew in and landed on Zhuang Yu's shoulder.
He removed the small bamboo tube tied to the carrier pigeon's leg, opened it, and found only a thin piece of paper inside with a few words written on it:
"At midnight, in the Valley of Broken Souls."
Zhuang Yu frowned slightly. Broken Soul Valley was a dangerous place rarely visited by humans. Who could have sent him this message?
Why did he ask me to meet him there?
Zhuang Yu clutched the note tightly in his hand, a vague sense of unease creeping into his heart.
He looked up at the dark night sky outside the window and muttered to himself, "It seems tonight is destined to be anything but peaceful..." He turned around, picked up the longsword on the table, and strode out.