322: Destroy the statues

The benefits offered by Xiang Zizhen moved everyone present.

As long as they supported Xiang Zizhen, they would receive at least three treasures equivalent to their own cultivation realm!

And once their realm broke through, the treasures they received would also be upgraded accordingly.

Such a welfare package was unprecedented!

It made each of their hearts pound.

No one could resist such immense benefits!

Immediately, several of them expressed their willingness to support Xiang Zizhen on the spot.

Of course.

This support wasn't just lip service to gain benefits from Xiang Zizhen.

Instead, it required Xiang Zizhen to feel the boost in luck provided by them.

Typically, this shift in popular sentiment also had limitations.

Within half a year, these martial artists could only support one person.

They would have to wait until after half a year to change their stance.

It was impossible to support Xiang Zizhen today and then Rong Sufei tomorrow.

If they changed their stance before half a year, the person they supported would not be able to receive the luck boost from them.

They would have to wait until after half a year to receive the luck boost from them.

Fortunately, it had been nearly a year since they first supported Rong Sufei, so they could now completely change their stance.

Immediately, as these individuals changed their stance, Xiang Zizhen, upon feeling the luck boost they provided, immediately gave each of these Martial Soul Realm martial artists an extra Martial Soul Grade treasure in front of everyone.

His actions made others who witnessed it even more tempted.

However, they maintained their rationality and all turned their gaze to Zou Xiang. After seeing that Zou Xiang had not expressed his stance on this matter, they also suppressed the restlessness in their hearts.

In fact, Zou Xiang, like everyone else, was struggling intensely internally.

He was equally tempted by the benefits offered by Xiang Zizhen.

The appeal of this benefit to him was far greater than it was to his subordinates.

After all, his subordinates were only in the Martial Soul Realm.

They could only receive Martial Soul Realm treasures.

As a Martial Demon Realm Expert, if he supported Xiang Zizhen, he could directly obtain Martial Demon Realm treasures!

The value difference between Martial Demon Realm treasures and Martial Soul Realm treasures was enormous.

The Martial Demon Realm treasure that Xiang Zizhen had just given out alone had already made him incredibly excited.

Although he had an impulse to immediately change his stance, his rationality suppressed it.

This made him ponder whether he could truly partake in the 'pie' that Xiang Zizhen had drawn.

Although Xiang Zizhen had indeed fulfilled his promise from five days ago, if all the martial artists on East Island supported him with the welfare package he offered, the number of treasures he would need to invest would be terrifying!

This made Zou Xiang wonder if Xiang Zizhen could really produce so many treasures.

In addition, Zou Xiang also knew that once he changed his stance, most of the benefits he had previously received from Rong Sufei would have to be returned.

This was a common practice among Martial Demon Realm Experts in many refinement regions.

They were well aware that martial artists in each region would have the opportunity to change their stance, even if most regions did not have competition and were often refined by a single Martial Demon Realm Expert.

But to prevent the martial artists in the region from changing their stance, they would also devise methods to prevent such changes when giving benefits to these martial artists.

The situation where Xiang Zizhen immediately gave out a huge welcoming gift without any demands was unprecedented on the entire Tianwu Continent.

Zou Xiang knew very well that although the benefits Xiang Zizhen currently offered could provide three more treasures equivalent to one's own realm, these three treasures could not be obtained immediately.

Two of these treasures would only be received after Xiang Zizhen took control of East Island and refined the entire Nan Dou Region.

This would take a considerable amount of time.

But if he changed his stance now, most of the benefits he had received from Rong Sufei would be immediately lost.

After some thought and deliberation, Zou Xiang decided to wait and see.

If Xiang Zizhen could truly deliver on the benefits he promised, then shifting his allegiance to Xiang Zizhen would naturally be the best choice.

After all, in terms of benefits, what Xiang Zizhen offered was far superior to Rong Sufei's.

His only fear was that Xiang Zizhen was merely making empty promises and would not be able to produce so many treasures.

Regarding Zou Xiang's wait-and-see approach, Xiao Shi and Xiang Zizhen did not try to persuade him.

Nor did they make any further moves.

They both knew very well that the welcoming gift alone was not enough to make everyone change their stance.

They were not in a hurry about this.

This action had already managed to change the perception of martial artists on the entire East Island, and even the entire Nan Dou Region, towards them.

They had successfully opened a crack.

Now, they just needed to gradually widen this crack.

As this crack grew larger and larger, they would naturally win the hearts of the people here!

Just like that, when Zou Xiang's side made the announcement on East Island, the entire East Island completely erupted that very day!

When many East Island martial artists heard that they could receive treasures from Xiang Zizhen, they were all shocked by the news.

Before this, most people did not believe that Xiang Zizhen could offer such a huge welcoming gift.

But they never expected that he would actually fulfill his promise five days later.

For a time, many East Island martial artists rushed to East Dipper City... Meanwhile, Rong Sufei, located on West Island, also received the news immediately.

"Impossible!!"

"This is absolutely impossible!!"

Rong Sufei's expression was distorted, and his entire mind was in disarray.

He never imagined that Xiang Zizhen could actually produce so many items.

"The Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect couldn't possibly give him so many treasures!!"

"Why can he still produce these treasures?"

"Where did all these treasures come from!?"

Rong Sufei clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and his heart was filled with confusion.

First, he was certain that these treasures were not obtained by Xiang Zizhen from some fortuitous place after he arrived in the Nan Dou Region.

After all, Xiang Zizhen had been under his surveillance since arriving in the Nan Dou Region and had never left East Dipper City.

Naturally, he couldn't have acquired these treasures from outside.

At this moment, he suddenly recalled Xiang Zizhen's feat of bringing the eye of imperial judgment back from the Demigod Land where it was sealed.

"Could these treasures..."

"Come from that Demigod Land where the eye of imperial judgment was sealed?"

Rong Sufei felt that this was the most likely possibility.

The Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect could not possibly give Xiang Zizhen so many treasures.

These treasures must be his own gains.

And the only place where one could acquire so many treasures at once... was a Demigod Land!

Thinking of this, Rong Sufei couldn't help but take a deep breath, feeling immense pressure.

In fact, from the moment he learned about Xiang Zizhen, he had already realized that this person was not simple!

It was just that in the struggle for this Nan Dou Region, he had always held a great advantage.

Coupled with the support of the Martial Pavilion and the Great Wu Crown Prince behind him, he felt fearless.

But now... he was starting to feel the threat posed by Xiang Zizhen!

He suddenly felt that the situation was not as stable as he had initially thought!

Especially after Xiang Zizhen presented this welcoming gift, the martial artists on West Island would inevitably use it as a reference and comparison.

If he did nothing, it would be difficult to win the hearts of the people on West Island.

After all, West Island was not like East Island.

He had managed East Island for a long time, so he had enough popular support there.

But he had just arrived on West Island.

Like Xiang Zizhen, he was still in the stage of winning popular support.

The difference was that the martial artists on West Island temporarily had no stance.

Therefore, winning the hearts of the people here was much easier than on East Island.

If Xiang Zizhen had come to West Island first when he arrived in the Nan Dou Region, the welcoming gift he offered this time alone would have been enough to win over more than eighty percent of the hearts here.

But on East Island, there would be people like Zou Xiang who remained on the sidelines.

However, Xiang Zizhen's current action directly affected West Island.

It made Rong Sufei clearly realize that if he wanted to win the hearts of West Island, he must also, like Xiang Zizhen, give a welcoming gift to every martial artist on West Island at this time.

Even if he couldn't produce a welcoming gift of Xiang Zizhen's caliber, he still had to make an effort.

This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to him and the Martial Pavilion behind him!

According to their usual operating style, they would never give out treasures for free.

But now that Xiang Zizhen had set the precedent, if he didn't follow suit, the martial artists on West Island would certainly not support him.

At the same time, he was also worried about the situation on East Island.

He didn't know how many people would change their stance under Xiang Zizhen's actions.

To this, Rong Sufei's subordinate beside him said, "My lord, you don't have to worry too much."

"Although Xiang Zizhen produced so many treasures this time, which exceeded our expectations, it is certainly impossible for him to make the martial artists on East Island change their stance with just these treasures!"

"Even if a small number of people change their stance, it won't be a big deal."

"As long as most of the people on East Island are on our side, then the statue you erected on East Island cannot be shaken!"

"As long as the statue remains, Xiang Zizhen cannot refine the Earth Vein of East Island!"

Rong Sufei nodded, and thinking of the statue he had erected on East Island, his heart immediately settled down quite a bit.

As long as the statue remained, he would always be in an unbeatable position!

However, he also needed to find a way to prevent the martial artists on East Island from changing their stance.

He couldn't just let Xiang Zizhen continuously incite these martial artists on East Island...

"The progress is quite good."

Xiao Shi watched the East Island martial artists who came to pay respects to Xiang Zizhen one by one.

As these East Island martial artists came to pay respects and receive their welcoming gifts, Xiang Zizhen also announced the benefits of supporting him.

Although many people still chose to wait and see after learning about the benefits, there were also some who, under such generous benefits, directly changed their stance.

All in all, the number of people who changed their stance was quite a bit more than Xiao Shi had initially expected.

"The next step..."

"Is to destroy this eyesore of a statue!"

Xiao Shi gazed at the distant giant statue.

On his first day in the Nan Dou Region, he had already wanted to destroy this statue.

Now, after learning that this statue suppressed the East Island Earth Vein and that he couldn't refine the Earth Vein here without destroying it, he found the existence of this statue even more intolerable.

Of course, he also knew that if he rashly destroyed this statue with the popular support Xiang Zizhen had currently gained, he would inevitably suffer a backlash.

One of the reasons why people like Zou Xiang, who remained on the sidelines, did not immediately change their stance was that once they changed their stance, they would no longer be able to enjoy the cultivation boost brought by this statue.

In response, Xiao Shi had already thought of a countermeasure.

After Xiang Zizhen finished distributing the treasures, he would immediately begin to implement this plan.

As long as they could overthrow this statue, East Island would basically be taken!

Just like that, as a large number of East Island martial artists arrived every day, after a continuous ten days, basically all the martial artists on East Island had received their welcoming gifts from Xiang Zizhen.

For a time, Xiang Zizhen successfully gained a lot of popular support on East Island.

Even those who remained on the sidelines felt a strong sense of goodwill towards Xiang Zizhen.

There was no longer any hint of resistance.

In addition, Xiao Shi also discovered that some West Island martial artists, after learning about this matter, disguised themselves as East Island martial artists and came to receive welcoming gifts.

Xiang Zizhen's approach was to subtly expose their identities while still generously giving them welcoming gifts.

He also told them that no matter where they came from, as long as they were from the Nan Dou Region, he welcomed them.

This action directly earned Xiang Zizhen a wave of popular support on West Island.

And after Rong Sufei learned about this, to prevent more West Island martial artists from going to East Island, he had to cut off communication between the two islands.

At the same time, when he learned about the benefits offered by Xiang Zizhen, he realized that the treasures on Xiang Zizhen were far more abundant than he had imagined!

He became even more anxious.

While assisting Xiang Zizhen, Xiao Shi also kept an eye on the situation on West Island.

His Demonic Body Clone was currently stationed on West Island, keeping him informed of the situation there at all times.

Now, after West Island learned about Xiang Zizhen giving out welcoming gifts, although Rong Sufei immediately emulated Xiang Zizhen and also gave out a welcoming gift, the quality of his welcoming gift was far inferior to the treasures given by Xiang Zizhen.

This only allowed him to avoid criticism on West Island, but he could not gain popular support from it.

And now that he had cut off communication between the two islands, many West Island martial artists were dissatisfied with him.

"I believe Rong Sufei should be taking action soon..."

Xiao Shi's eyes narrowed slightly.

With their actions, he didn't believe Rong Sufei would choose to sit back and do nothing.

However, before Rong Sufei acted, Xiao Shi decided to do something even bigger.

"It's time to clear away this eyesore of a statue!"

He gazed at the colossal statue in the distance, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.