272: Chapter 270 Let's all go home

The land of Shuibo was enveloped on all sides by a thick, turbulent barrier of stellar mist. Since ancient times, this place had been an excellent hideout for outlaws, defeated Cultivators, and ambitious heroes of chaotic times.

In the past, Chieftain Song He led his followers to occupy this place, gathering stranded Cultivators, frustrated powerhouses, and defeated outlaws from all sides to establish the Shuibo assembly.

Relying on the Zhou Tian Great Array passed down for a thousand years, the brothers worked in unison, advancing and retreating together, and managed to carve out a foothold within the cracks of the heavens. For a time, they were powerful and held their own territory, vaguely becoming the most formidable grassroots faction among the surrounding fragmented Realms.

However, ever since they rashly offended the Daming Dynasty and faced the supreme imperial might of Yuan Chen, all their glory and Foundation had vanished like bubbles.

That battle was the most tragic and humiliating defeat since the establishment of the Shuibo stronghold—there was no other like it.

Yuan Chen wielded the Luck of the Imperial Dynasty, his cultivation reaching heaven and earth, looking down upon all living beings across the myriad Realms.

Facing such absolute strength that suppressed the plane, the elites of Shuibo were vulnerable. The Zhou Tian Great Array, which they took pride in, crumbled inch by inch, and the massive assembly collapsed into ruins.

The hundred or so core sworn brothers fled in all directions, retreating in a panic. Everyone feared for their own safety and ran for their lives. The fervent oaths of blood alliances and shared life and death from the past were as fragile as paper in the face of absolute power and life-and-death crises, shattering at a single touch.

As the Chieftain of Shuibo, Chieftain Song He had been a hero for half his life, possessing a resilient Heart-Nature and deep cunning. He understood better than anyone the thunderous methods and decisive killing intent of Yuan Chen. After the defeat and collapse, he dared not linger for even a moment, decisively abandoning the stronghold Foundation he had managed for years, leaving behind his brothers who were fleeing for their lives, and hiding alone in the deepest and most dangerous cracks of the Void Realm.

For months, he traveled by night and hid by day, constantly dodging and hiding. He was terrified every day and restless every night, constantly spying and inquiring about the situation of the Imperial Dynasty, vigilant against the potential arrival of Yuan Chen's reckoning.

It was only in the last month that the drastic changes intensified, with rifts from other worlds erupting everywhere, leaving the Daming Dynasty unable to attend to its own affairs.

Chieftain Song He verified the news from multiple sources and finally became completely certain: Yuan Chen had long been fully occupied by powerful enemies from outside the Realm and had no spare energy or troops to settle scores with them.

The sword of life and death that had hung over the heads of all the remaining members of Shuibo for months was finally quietly sheathed.

Taking advantage of this once-in-a-thousand-years gap in the chaotic times, Chieftain Song He quietly returned to this long-abandoned and dilapidated Shuibo stronghold. Afterward, he summoned his former brothers to come.

Inside the assembly hall, the main seat, which had been vacant for a long time, was now once again firmly occupied by Chieftain Song He.

He understood perfectly well that his and Mei Yong's cultivation Foundation were shallow and their Aptitude mediocre. In the current cruel landscape of the chaotic heavens where powerhouses stood everywhere, they had no foothold if they fought alone.

Only by re-gathering these few remaining old subordinates and binding them firmly to his side, relying on the combined strength of the Zhou Tian Great Array passed down in Shuibo, and huddling together for warmth to rise by borrowing momentum, could they have the capital to lie dormant and develop in these chaotic times.

As for the so-called brotherhood and the grace of the assembly, they were merely means to temporarily stabilize people's hearts. He only needed to endure and lie dormant, using the strength of the crowd to strengthen himself. When he later used the Opportunity of the chaotic times to achieve a Breakthrough in his Realm, reach the Peak of Mahayana, transcend this plane, and achieve Ascension to the Upper Realm, he would no longer need to care about anyone.

While his inner calculations were clicking and ice-cold, Chieftain Song He did not reveal a single flaw on his face.

Chieftain Song He was silent for a long time, suppressing all the schemes in his heart. His voice was low and hoarse, carrying the vicissitudes and exhaustion of surviving life-and-death escapes. He spoke slowly, completely breaking the silence in the hall:

"It has been several months since the defeat in the battle against Daming. I have been terrified and restless every day, thinking of you brothers every night. Today, I return to the stronghold, and I only ask one thing—this time, how many leaders and how many brothers have returned to the Shuibo ranks?"

A burly and agile figure immediately stepped out, knees slightly bent, bowing with cupped hands. His posture was upright, his expression indignant, and his eyes were full of uncontrollable hostility and bitterness. It was none other than Li Gui, Chieftain Song He's most loyal and devoted core confidant.

Li Gui was strong-willed, hated evil, was straightforward, and blindly protected his master. In this life, he believed most in the words "loyalty and righteousness," respected Chieftain Song He the most, and hated those who were treacherous, deserters, and ungrateful the most.

He raised his head and slowly scanned the sparse figures in the hall, his gaze sweeping over the empty hall and the mottled pillars. His heart was filled with irrepressible grief and indignation. His tone was full of resentment and unwillingness, every word clanging with bone-chilling anger:

"Brother! It's chilling! It is truly too chilling!"

"Think back to the beginning, when our hundred core Shuibo brothers gathered here to swear blood oaths, vowing to share weal and woe, never to part in life or death, to share blessings and endure hardships together! How passionate, how righteous, how glorious that was!"

"But ever since the defeat in the battle against the Daming Dynasty and the collapse of the stronghold, all oaths have been rendered void! When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; when disaster strikes, everyone flies their own way! In these past few months, I have been inquiring everywhere and contacting all sides. The people who finally dared to return, were willing to return, and still cherished even a shred of the old Shuibo affection, including the various small leaders and low-level veterans, number less than five hundred, and there are less than fifty leaders!"

"As for the others, some have changed their names and hidden in remote small Realms to survive, never daring to show their faces again; some have changed their allegiance and joined other factions; and even worse, some have directly betrayed their master and the stronghold, selling out their friends for glory!"

Speaking of this, Li Gui clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his arms bulging. His eyes were wide with anger, his chest heaving violently, and his voice rose sharply, full of condemnation and disdain, with hostility overflowing:

"Especially Shi Jin! This person is the most shameless, despicable, and ungrateful! In the beginning, Chieftain, you treated him so generously, entrusting him with heavy military power, giving him top-tier cultivation resources, teaching him unique killing Cultivation Techniques, and being completely open-hearted and trusting toward him! As a result, he turned his back on the alliance, betrayed the stronghold, and abandoned all of us comrades! Such a treacherous person, if I run into him again one day, I will definitely kill him with my own hands to clean up the Sect and comfort the brothers who died in Shuibo!"

The expressions of the others in the hall varied: Can you even beat him? If you really run into him, the one who dies will certainly not be Shi Jin.

Everyone present was a survivor who had experienced the great defeat and collapse, seen through the warmth and coldness of human nature, and tasted the bitterness of chaotic times. The passionate oaths of assembly and the brotherhood of sharing life and death from the past had long since become hollow, ridiculous, and vulnerable in the face of repeated life-and-death disasters and betrayals.

After a long silence, a noble and arrogant voice spoke first, completely breaking the deathly silence in the hall.

The person speaking was dressed in snow-white, scale-patterned brocade, with a tall and slender posture, and an innate, arrogant air of a Prodigy who looked down on all living beings. Pure, auspicious Spiritual Qi, like jade, flowed faintly around him. It was none other than the current Prodigy of the Jade Qilin clan—Qilin.

He was originally a Genius disciple of the Jade Qilin clan, with outstanding talent, peerless bones, and boundless prospects. He should have been cultivating with focus in the clan and wielding the clan's power. However, being young, romantic, and stubborn, he fell in love with a male of the Spirit Swallow clan, defied the clan Elders, and eventually left the clan to wander with his beloved man.

By chance, he joined Shuibo, became sworn brothers with Chieftain Song He and the others, and settled down here for several years.

However, the clan had repeatedly sent secret messages across Realms, promising rich rewards. As long as he was willing to return to the clan, the clan was willing to let bygones be bygones and exhaust the entire clan's resources to focus on cultivating him.

Whether he returned or not was just a matter of a single word from him.

Qilin raised his eyes, his gaze indifferently sweeping over the dilapidated stronghold hall, his tone flat but extremely resolute:

"Chieftain, Brother Li Gui, no matter how much you curse or how deep your hatred, it is of no use."

"The current Shuibo has already lost its momentum and is just an empty shell. The team of over a hundred brothers now only has a few left. People's hearts have completely scattered; this game of chess can never be put back together."

He sighed slightly, expressing his true thoughts, each word sincere and without concealment:

"I specifically rushed back this time purely out of the brotherhood we shared for hundreds of days, living together and sharing hardships. I came back to see everyone one last time, to say goodbye, and to settle the ties of the past."

"My Jade Qilin clan has sent messages several times asking me to go back. With a top-tier clan to back me up, it is a hundred times better than staying in this helpless and precarious Shuibo. Rather than following everyone to survive and gamble with our lives in the cracks, it is better to return to the clan, cultivate with focus, reach the Peak steadily, and achieve Ascension to the Upper Realm."

As Qilin's voice fell, the flower demon Rong Ge'er, with an enchanting figure and gentle eyes, gently shook her head. She moved forward with lotus steps, her voice

Following closely behind, the three fish monster brothers looked at each other, then stepped forward together and cupped their hands, their tone sincere but extremely firm.

Yu Er spoke first, his tone filled with vicissitudes: "Brother, we three brothers also intend to leave. We will remember the past grace of Shuibo and the care of all the brothers for a lifetime; we will never forget it in this life. But the chaotic times are dangerous, and our combat power is shallow. We just want to steadily improve our strength and achieve Ascension."

Yu Qi, having the most impatient nature, couldn't help but interrupt, straightforwardly stating his concerns: "That's right, Brother! We plan to return to the deep-sea rifts, hide in the ten-thousand-meter deep sea, and rely on our water-type Aptitude to live in seclusion, cultivate steadily, and not get involved in any disputes of the heavens. We only seek to preserve our lives and live steadily."

The fifth brother, Yu Wu, sighed softly and added: "Let's part on good terms and go our own ways. At least with this parting today, we can still leave a thought and a bit of face for each other."

For a moment, everyone in the hall expressed their stance. Everyone had the intention to retreat, and everyone was determined to break up; not a single person was willing to stay.

Watching everyone's determined attitude and the hearts completely scattered, Mei Yong, who had been silently watching and standing low-key on the side, finally stepped forward slowly.

His face was ordinary, his appearance plain. He seemed honest, gentle, and uncontentious, but in reality, his mind was extremely deep, he was very cunning, and he was skilled at psychological manipulation.

He had the closest personal relationship with Chieftain Song He. The two had long reached a tacit understanding in private, both knowing clearly: their cultivation was low and their Aptitude mediocre. Once they lost the protection of this group of top-tier combatants and the blessing of the Zhou Tian Great Array, they would be unable to move an inch in the chaotic times and would surely die. No matter what, they had to firmly hold onto this group of people.

Mei Yong's tone was sincere and earnest, carrying the calmness and patience to soothe people's hearts. He spoke slowly to persuade them:

"Brothers, listen to a heartfelt word from me. Do not be impulsive, do not be disheartened, and do not speak lightly of breaking up."

"I know that everyone is tired, terrified, and cold-hearted. Having experienced the great defeat and collapse, and having survived a near-death experience, everyone is afraid. But everyone, think carefully: now that rifts are appearing everywhere, in such a large world, where is a true pure land? Where can one truly live in seclusion steadily?"

"Alone, weak, and without support—once you encounter a powerhouse from beyond the Realm, without the protection of brothers or the reinforcement of a Formation, you will ultimately be helpless and face certain death!"

Mei Yong guided them patiently, each word striking the vital point. He precisely grasped the deepest fears in everyone's hearts, bit by bit stabilizing their restless and wavering morale, preventing them from fully committing to disbanding.

Meanwhile, Chieftain Song He, sitting in the main seat, took up the thread at the perfect moment. He and Mei Yong sang in harmony, displaying perfect rapport. His tone was sincere and earnest, his eyes filled with heartache and regret, hiding all his black-bellied calculations beneath a veneer of brotherhood and the bigger picture, revealing not a single flaw:

"Brothers, every word Mei Yong has said is true; it is exactly what I am thinking."

"I know you are all afraid—afraid of Yuan Chen's thunderous methods, afraid of the Imperial Dynasty's liquidation and pursuit, and afraid of the endless dangers of these chaotic times. But the current situation has already turned upside down compared to a few months ago!"

"Rifts to other worlds are opening everywhere, and forces from beyond the heavens are invading Canglan Domain in turns. The flames of war are spreading across the entire Realm, and disasters are sweeping through the Nine Provinces. The Daming Dynasty is mired in internal strife and external threats, pressured on all sides. Yuan Chen himself is currently stretched too thin to even look after himself!"

"All his focus is currently locked on the great enemy from beyond the Realm; it is absolutely impossible for him to spare even a fraction of his energy to liquidate us!"

He slowly stood up, his posture upright and his gaze firm. His eyes swept across everyone present, his voice becoming increasingly resonant and powerful as he painted a grand pie of the chaotic times for them, precisely stirring the dormant ambition and wishful thinking in everyone's hearts:

"As the old saying goes, the bigger the waves, the more valuable the fish!"

"Now that chaotic times have descended, this is the supreme Opportunity for us to rise to the occasion and ascend to the heavens in one step!"

To completely stabilize their morale and firmly bind everyone together, Chieftain Song He began to recount past favors and reminisce about old bonds, playing the emotional card and using memories to lock off any path of retreat for them:

"Everyone, think back to those years! We all came from humble beginnings, with no background, no Foundation, and no backing. We started from nothing, supporting each other along the way, protecting one another, and entrusting our lives to each other! How many times were we trapped in Void Realm rifts, surrounded by Sects, hunted by alien races, or besieged by powerful enemies? It was our brothers by our side who fought to the death to protect us, never leaving or abandoning us! How many times did we turn the tables in desperate situations, surviving near-death experiences? It was our collective effort and unity in resisting danger that bought us a chance at life!"

"Half of you have received life-saving favors from me and have only survived to this day because you were protected by the stronghold. Can the brotherhood we shared through thick and thin really be completely invalidated and severed just because of one Yuan Chen?"

"Moreover, our Shuibo's unique Zhou Tian Great Array relies most on unity and a single purpose! Only when we, this group of old subordinates, are all gathered together with our hearts and minds connected, can we unleash the ultimate power of the Formation, resist enemies against the odds, kill across Realms, and defeat the strong with the weak! Relying on individual strength alone—even with you, Qilin, being a heaven-sent Genius; you, Brother Rong, with your exquisite arts; and you, Brother San, with your unparalleled water skills—it is still difficult to resist the torrent of chaotic times and hard to block the slaughter of ten thousand Realms! But if we huddle together for warmth, complement each other with the Formation, and rely on one another, we can roam the gaps, carve out a territory, and seize the Opportunity of these chaotic times!"

"Once we scatter today, when the day comes that you are down and out, ask yourselves: will you truly not regret the foolish choice you made today to break apart and sever your own limbs?"

Chieftain Song He's words were earnest and emotional, each sentence striking the softest part of their hearts. By employing both emotional appeals and logic, he completely dismantled their thoughts of disbanding.

Qilin was silent for a long time. The arrogance and determination between his jade-colored brows slowly faded. He sighed softly and was the first to relent: "Fine. Since Brother and Brother Mei Yong insist, I will stay for now. I'll just consider it accompanying you all for another stretch of the journey, staying with everyone for a while longer. If there really is no chance to rise, it won't be too late to leave then."

Flower Demon Brother Rong also nodded slightly and said softly: "Since everyone has decided to stick together, I will stay to accompany you. Although the Ten Thousand Flower Sea Region is safe, it is also lonely. Being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with old friends is worth living up to the brotherhood of those years."

...

Seeing that everyone had been completely persuaded and their morale firmly stabilized, a flash of imperceptible shrewdness and calculation darted across Chieftain Song He's eyes, vanishing in an instant. On his face, he maintained a sincere expression of gratification, being moved and full of emotion.

Li Gui, who was standing to the side, saw that everyone had completely abandoned the idea of disbanding and the stronghold had been preserved. He felt his blood surge and his spirits rise. The ferocity in his heart welled up again, and he couldn't help but start cursing angrily, pointing his spear directly at those old subordinates who had been defeated, fled, and had yet to return. His tone was sharp, mean, and full of disdain:

"You brothers are the ones who are truly insightful and magnanimous! Compared to Shi Jin, who betrayed his master and is a wolf-hearted dog, and those two cowards Wu Yang and Yang Chi who fear death, it is like the difference between clouds and mud!"

"Even now, they still haven't returned. They must be fearing death and harboring ulterior motives, having long since defected to other forces! Such cowards, villains, and unrighteous people are simply not worthy of being my sworn brothers of Shuibo!"

As Li Gui's voice fell, several people in the hall echoed him in low voices, and whispers arose.

"Chaotic times reveal one's true heart. It is in times of danger that one can best see a person's character. These two are unreliable after all."

"I'm afraid they have long forgotten the favors of Shuibo, only thinking about living on in hiding outside."

The sounds of angry cursing and discussion rang through the entire hall, filled with disdain and contempt.

But just as everyone was complaining and sternly criticizing, two steady and heavy footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall door, accompanied by a cold, mocking voice filled with intense anger that suddenly rang out, instantly drowning out all the discussion in the hall:

"Oh? I wonder, in what way are we two fearing death, unrighteous, and unworthy of being Shuibo brothers?"

Two figures stepped inside, covered in the dust of travel, their breathing chaotic. Their clothes were tattered in many places, their bodies covered in dried blood scabs, and their hair was messy and dry. It was clear they had experienced endless dangers along the way, fighting through blood and surviving near-death experiences to barely make it back.

It was none other than Wu Yang and Yang Chi, who had been cursed and criticized by everyone for not returning.

The two walked into the hall with their heads held high, their gazes as cold as frost, locking directly onto Li Gui, who had been cursing. Their eyes were filled with anger, unwillingness, and grievance, their auras tense, faintly carrying a sense of confrontation.

Everyone in the hall was stunned for a moment, all discussion stopped abruptly, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward and stiff to the extreme, as if the air had instantly frozen.

Li Gui was also taken aback on the spot, his face turning bright red. Unconvinced and still stubborn, he clenched his fists, ready to argue and rebuke again.

Just at this critical moment when infighting was about to erupt and the situation was about to spiral out of control, Chieftain Song He, from the main seat, suddenly shouted in a deep, stern voice: "Li Gui! Stop!"

His expression instantly became solemn and his face cold. Pretending to be fair and impartial, distinguishing between public and private matters, he coldly reprimanded: "Brothers Wu Yang and Yang Chi were late to return. The journey is long and chaotic times are dangerous; there must be unavoidable reasons and desperate situations! You didn't know the slightest bit of the truth, yet you wantonly cursed your comrades, slandered your brothers, and rashly discussed your companions in public. You are breaking our Shuibo rules and disrupting our unity—what is the meaning of this!"

"Apologize sincerely to the two brothers immediately!"

Chieftain Song He actually harbored old grudges and misgivings in his heart, but now was a critical period for gathering morale, stabilizing the team, and reorganizing their spirits. He absolutely could not allow infighting, self-sabotage, or division within the team.

Therefore, he forcibly suppressed all his personal grievances, publicly scolded his trusted aide Li Gui, and defended the brothers who had returned, thereby demonstrating his demeanor as a Chieftain who is impartial, values relationships, and treats everyone equally, thus stabilizing the overall morale.

Although Li Gui was full of grievances, completely unconvinced, and stifled with anger, he had always followed Chieftain Song He's lead, swearing to obey his orders to the death, and dared not disobey in the slightest. He could only grit his teeth, cup his hands, lower his head, and apologize in a muffled voice: "It was my reckless impulsiveness and loose tongue that made me wrong you two brothers. I hope you two will be magnanimous."

Seeing this, Wu Yang and Yang Chi knew that Chieftain Song He had given them plenty of face, and they did not want to cause complete infighting or chill everyone's hearts just after returning to the team. The two looked at each other, suppressed the anger in their hearts, and waved their hands to indicate it was fine.

The awkward atmosphere eased slightly. Seeing this, Chieftain Song He's expression instantly turned from cold to warm. He stood up and quickly stepped forward, reaching out to pat their shoulders, his face full of warmth and concern, pretending to be worried and distressed, and asked in a feigned soft voice:

"Two brothers, you have traveled far and experienced great dangers. You have worked hard. Why did it take until today to return to the stronghold? Along the way, did you encounter huge dangers, unexpected changes, or were your paths blocked by the wars of these chaotic times?"

Yang Chi sighed long and deep, his face showing exhaustion and vicissitudes of life, his eyes filled with the relief of having survived a disaster, and he slowly recounted the extreme dangers of their journey:

"Brother, you don't know. Wu Yang and I were traveling together, originally intending to rush back to the stronghold to reunite with everyone as soon as possible. But who would have thought that halfway there, we would encounter people from beyond the heavens..."

Upon hearing this, Chieftain Song He pretended to be deeply moved and emotional, laughing loudly:

"So that's how it is! It was I who wrongly blamed you two brothers. To have survived near-death experiences and returned through blood is truly not easy. It is admirable and worthy of respect!"

"With chaotic times upon us and the road ahead dangerous, for us, the remnants of Shuibo, to be able to survive this monstrous catastrophe and gather together again is a great Opportunity and a great fortune!"

"Past failures, grudges, and verbal disputes are all wiped away today! From this day on, we, the old subordinates, will reunite, reorganize our morale, and restart the stronghold. Relying on the trend of these chaotic times, we will rise against the current and forge the glory of Shuibo once again!"

"Come! Prepare the wine quickly! Today we will not talk about disputes, slaughter, calculations, or past grudges; we will only talk about brotherhood and future grand plans! Everyone drink to your heart's content, and do not return until you are drunk. Let us celebrate our reunion and look forward to rising in these chaotic times!"

As his voice fell, the attendants in the hall immediately stepped forward quickly, brought over aged strong liquor, and set up tables and cups. Mellow wine was poured into the cups, and the rich aroma of wine instantly filled the entire hall.

Everyone was in high spirits as they drank, talking freely about the Opportunities of these chaotic times and planning their future hegemony.

But just at the moment when everyone was immersed in the joy of reunion—

Crack—!

A crisp, ear-piercing, heart-shaking, and completely unexpected sound of breaking suddenly rang through the entire Gathering Hall!

The sound was abrupt and sharp, piercing through the aroma of wine and laughter, instantly drowning out all the conversation and clinking of glasses in the hall!

Everyone subconsciously looked up, their pupils suddenly contracting in unison, their faces filled with astonishment, their minds shaken!

They saw that in the very center of the Gathering Hall, the gilded plaque reading "Acting on Behalf of Heaven" that had been hanging for decades had actually snapped straight down the middle, splitting into two!

The crack was as straight as if cut by a knife, running from top to bottom.