313: Xiao Shi breaks the situation

Although, in terms of the underlying power of the forces behind both sides, the foundation of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect is far beyond what the Martial Pavilion can compare to.

After all, the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect was a powerful force that already existed when the Martial Emperor was still alive. Even if it suffered a near-devastating blow back then, its foundation remains strong.

The Martial Pavilion, however, is a force that was only established after the Great Wu Crown Prince came to power.

In terms of foundation, it naturally cannot compare to the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

But this time, Rong Sufei, as the Great Wu Crown Prince's designated candidate, not only has the Martial Pavilion behind him, but also the Great Wu Crown Prince!

This allowed him to offer many benefits when operating on East Island.

Especially when he learned that Xiang Zizhen would come to compete with him for this Nan Dou Region, before he left, he deliberately offered these East Island martial artists an extremely high condition.

Then he pretended to be unable to fulfill it because he was driven away.

This made the martial artists of East Island hate Xiang Zizhen even more, feeling that it was due to Xiang Zizhen's arrival that they lost the great benefits promised by Rong Sufei.

At the same time, this also limited Xiang Zizhen to the greatest extent.

If Xiang Zizhen wanted to win over the martial artists of East Island, he would have to offer even more benefits.

But now Rong Sufei had already offered an extremely high condition.

This meant that Xiang Zizhen was destined to be unable to offer greater benefits.

Although the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect is far stronger than the Martial Pavilion in terms of foundation, this foundation is more reflected at the high-end level.

For example, Chen Yuan, the newly appointed Cleric of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect, far surpasses Cheng Riyou, the head of the Martial Pavilion, in both strength and seniority.

Another example is the demigod-level sect-guarding treasure brought back by Xiao Shi this time.

These are all things the Martial Pavilion cannot compare to.

However, what they were competing for this time was not the high-end level, but the winning over of these mid-to-low-level martial artists.

This involved issues of resources.

To win over these mid-to-low-level martial artists, they had to offer some treasures and resources suitable for them.

In this regard, the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect itself was inferior to the Martial Pavilion.

Now, the Martial Pavilion, supported by the Great Wu Crown Prince, has no shortage of various treasures and resources.

What's more, this time Rong Sufei, in order not to give Xiang Zizhen a chance, even promised a huge benefit that even the Martial Pavilion could not provide.

Anyway, he didn't need to fulfill it. As long as these martial artists on East Island believed it, that was enough...

After these people, led by Zou Xiang, the City Lord of East Dipper City, offered Xiang Zizhen some insincere flattery and welcome, they took Xiang Zizhen to a restaurant in East Dipper City to hold a welcoming banquet for him.

This time, it wasn't just Xiao Shi who came with Xiang Zizhen.

There was also a group of elites from the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

However, these elites only needed to act according to Xiang Zizhen's instructions and did not need to offer him advice. Their status with Xiang Zizhen was definitely far inferior to Xiao Shi's.

Therefore, when they arrived at the restaurant, except for Xiao Shi who stayed by Xiang Zizhen's side, no one else accompanied them.

At the dinner table, after some superficially friendly small talk between the two sides, Zou Xiang smiled and got to the main point.

"I wonder, Instructor Xiang, what instructions do you have for your residence on East Island this time?"

As soon as he spoke, the other East Island martial artists at the table all perked up and looked at Xiang Zizhen in unison.

Whether it was Rong Sufei before, or Xiang Zizhen now, since they came to take charge of East Island, they would inevitably have to formulate their own management system, etc.

This included how to treat these East Island martial artists.

A large part of the reason why Rong Sufei was able to win people's hearts here was because the management system he implemented here could bring huge benefits to the martial artists, thus earning their support.

To put it bluntly, what Zou Xiang and the others wanted to know now was how Xiang Zizhen would treat them when he took charge of East Island.

Xiang Zizhen couldn't help but feel troubled by this.

During their previous small talk, Zou Xiang and the others had already deliberately mentioned the promises Rong Sufei made before he left, subtly implying that this debt would be put on Xiang Zizhen's head.

This also made Xiang Zizhen realize that if the benefits he offered were inferior to Rong Sufei's, it would be impossible for him to gain support and endorsement here.

But with his conditions, he simply didn't have the ability to offer so many benefits.

Even if the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect was fully supporting him in the competition for the Saint's quota, it was impossible to invest all resources in him alone.

After all, the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect itself also needed to develop.

There were many Clerics within the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect who also needed resources.

He certainly couldn't get any more resources from the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

This gave Xiang Zizhen a headache, feeling that no matter what he did, he was destined to be unable to satisfy these East Island martial artists.

And that was indeed the case.

Before Xiang Zizhen arrived, Rong Sufei had already dug a pit for him in advance.

As soon as he arrived, he was bound to fall into this pit.

In his internal hesitation, Xiang Zizhen subconsciously looked at Xiao Shi, finding his expression calm and composed, without any panic.

At the same instant he looked at Xiao Shi, Xiao Shi had already raised his head, his gaze quickly sweeping over the crowd led by Zou Xiang.

He said indifferently, "Instructor Xiang heard before he came that the martial artists of your East Island lack treasures, so Instructor Xiang will give each martial artist of East Island a treasure equivalent to their own cultivation realm as a Meeting gift (meeting gift)."

As soon as Xiao Shi's words came out, the entire dinner table instantly fell silent.

Whether it was Zou Xiang and the others, or Xiang Zizhen, they all stared blankly at Xiao Shi.

To give each martial artist a treasure equivalent to their own cultivation realm as a meeting gift upon arrival... such a grand gesture!

One must know that there are millions of martial artists on the entire East Island!

If each person receives a treasure, that would mean taking out millions of treasures at once!

Especially since these treasures would correspond to each martial artist's realm.

Although treasures of the Lower Three Realms are not valuable to someone of Xiang Zizhen's level, he would not only be taking out treasures of the Lower Three Realms, but also treasures of the Middle Three Realms.

The value of treasures of the Middle Three Realms is completely incomparable to that of treasures of the Lower Three Realms.

Especially treasures of the Martial Demon Realm!

Each one possesses incredibly astonishing value!

This greatly shook the minds of Zou Xiang and the others.

Such a grand gesture from the other party completely overturned their previous impression of Xiang Zizhen.

After all, Rong Sufei had previously intentionally or unintentionally shaped Xiang Zizhen's image, thereby inciting the dislike and aversion of these East Island martial artists.

However, now that the other party had arrived, they immediately made such a grand gesture.

This greatly shocked them.

However, compared to the newly arrived Xiang Zizhen, they definitely trusted Rong Sufei more now, especially since the one who said these words was just an attendant by Xiang Zizhen's side.

This made them somewhat skeptical of the other party's words.

Zou Xiang let out a dry laugh.

"Is your Lord joking?"

He was ostensibly asking Xiao Shi, but his gaze was directed at Xiang Zizhen.

Xiang Zizhen was also staring blankly at Xiao Shi at this moment.

It wasn't until Xiao Shi turned to look at him, and the firmness in his eyes, that Xiang Zizhen, despite his inner confusion, decisively chose to trust him after receiving Xiao Shi's gaze.

His expression was calm, and he did not respond, but instead, with a profound look, he picked up the wine glass in front of him and took a small sip.

Although he didn't say anything, his actions clearly expressed his attitude.

This made Zou Xiang take a deep breath, and his expression suddenly became serious.

He asked in a deep voice, "What does Instructor Xiang need us to do?"

In his opinion, if the other party was willing to offer such great benefits, they must have some demands on them, and they must be very significant demands!

They might not even be capable of receiving such benefits.

In response, Xiao Shi said indifferently, "I think I've already made it very clear. This is just Instructor Xiang's meeting gift. I shouldn't need to specifically explain what a meeting gift means, should I?"

As soon as he spoke, Zou Xiang and the others' pupils instantly widened, their faces filled with disbelief.

Did the other party mean that they could each receive a treasure equivalent to their own cultivation realm without doing anything?

Such a benefit was simply unbelievable!

Even Rong Sufei, whom they were extremely satisfied with before, still had demands on them while giving them benefits.

Such a thing, giving such great benefits upon arrival without any demands, was not only unprecedented in the entire Nan Dou Region, but also unheard of in the entire Imperial Domain.

As a result, Zou Xiang and the others all looked dazed, feeling that all of this was extremely unreal.

In fact, it wasn't just Zou Xiang and the others whose hearts were stirred; the ripples in Xiang Zizhen's heart were no smaller than theirs, even more intense.

However, under Xiao Shi's eye signal, he successfully hid his shock, maintaining a profound and calm demeanor on the surface, as if all of this was his arrangement.

Now, Xiao Shi was merely his mouthpiece.

He didn't even need to speak; he just needed to calmly drink his wine and maximize his aura.

Zou Xiang swallowed, his throat dry, his voice trembling intensely.

"Is... is that true?"

Xiao Shi glanced at him, playing the role of Xiang Zizhen's trusted aide, and said indifferently, "Do you think Instructor Xiang would come here just to play such a joke with you? In five days, Instructor Xiang will personally deliver this meeting gift into your hands."

He paused, and Xiao Shi's expression suddenly became serious, as he gazed at Zou Xiang and the others.

"Of course..."

"If you can support Instructor Xiang, we will naturally give you even more treasures."

"However, the support I'm talking about is sincere support, not one thing on the surface and another behind the scenes. I believe you all understand what I mean."

Xiao Shi's message at this moment was very simple: We are not short of treasures here!

The benefits Rong Sufei could give you, we can give too.

The benefits Rong Sufei couldn't give, we can still give!

First, break the image Rong Sufei had previously built for them, and let these East Island martial artists re-acquaint themselves with them.

Only in this way can Xiang Zizhen regain the support of these East Island martial artists.

As for a treasure for everyone?

Although it was something difficult for Xiang Zizhen, and even the entire Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect, to achieve, for Xiao Shi, it was not difficult to do so.

When he decided to implement this plan, he had already thought it through: he would just need to go on a large-scale hunt in this sea area later, and he would naturally acquire these treasures.

After all, in this vast and enormous sea area, there are countless huge sea beasts.

There are endless prey here! Enough for him to accumulate a sufficient number of treasures of various realms within five days.

After the banquet ended, Zou Xiang personally escorted Xiang Zizhen to his residence. His entire attitude had undergone a drastic change.

There was no longer any disdain or dislike for Xiang Zizhen in his heart.

Of course, his stance had not yet shifted to Xiang Zizhen, as the other party had only drawn them a picture of a pie.

Until it was actually delivered, they would not blindly support Xiang Zizhen just because of this pie.

However, this pie did indeed shatter the image Rong Sufei had previously built for Xiang Zizhen, giving them a new understanding of this newly appointed Cleric of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

"City Lord... do you think their words are credible?"

When Zou Xiang returned, his subordinates eagerly asked.

"It's hard to say..."

Zou Xiang was also a bit unsure at this moment.

"Such a grand gesture... is something that no ordinary person can easily produce, and it's an unconditional gift."

"But since he dared to say such words in front of so many of us, he shouldn't go back on his word..."

Zou Xiang knew very well that if the other party had just said it casually and didn't follow through, it would be impossible for him to gain the support of any East Island martial artist in the future.

Such a self-defeating act... should not happen to a big shot of this level.

"Everything depends on whether he can produce so many treasures in five days!" Zou Xiang said in a deep voice.

"Then..."

"Do we need to spread this news and inform all the martial artists on East Island?" Zou Xiang's subordinate asked.

"Of course!" Zou Xiang said directly.

"If he can really do it, he naturally deserves the support of the East Island martial artists. But if he can't, then he doesn't deserve to stay on East Island! To stay in the Nan Dou Region."

At the same time, after Zou Xiang left, and only Xiao Shi and Xiang Zizhen remained in the room, Xiang Zizhen finally dropped his previous profound disguise.

He looked at Xiao Shi with a shocked expression.

"You... can you really do it?"

Xiao Shi nodded.

"If we can win hearts and gain support here with treasures, then you don't need to worry about the hearts of the people; leave it to me."

"You just need to focus on refining the earth veins."

Xiang Zizhen took a deep breath, not asking how Xiao Shi could do it.

In fact, ever since Xiao Shi brought back the eye of imperial judgment, the other party had become unfathomable in his eyes.

So much so that on the surface, he seemed to be in charge, but in reality, he was relying on Xiao Shi.

Many things he couldn't handle, he would subconsciously turn to Xiao Shi for help.

It could be said that after arriving in the Imperial Domain, their positions had already reversed.

"I understand." Xiang Zizhen nodded.