Chapter 189 : Chapter 189

Chapter 189. Widely Praised

It ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was easy to tell from the expressions in the eyes of these great leaders that they were extremely satisfied with Shi Ritian’s proposals at this moment.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍other leaders at the side nodded repeatedly as well.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Fire Phoenix leader smiled. “Who would have thought that a little fellow like you could be so clear-headed and methodical? It seems the Dragon King truly did not choose the wrong person. But you just mentioned the battlefield, so tell us—where should it be?”

With ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a single sentence, the Fire Phoenix leader struck straight at the heart of the matter and asked the key question.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍leaders around them all nodded in agreement and began voicing their thoughts at once, a noisy chorus of overlapping questions rising one after another.

“The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Fire Phoenix leader is absolutely right. Since you have already considered this issue, have you thought about where exactly our battlefield should be?”

“Indeed. We also think your reasoning makes perfect sense. The battlefield is an extremely important choice. It must work to our advantage.”

“Exactly. And the location of the battlefield must also avoid causing harm to our Ancient Royal Clan. Once the Ancient Killing Array is activated, the destruction around it will definitely be heaven-shattering. It would be best if it did not affect our Ancient Royal Clan encampment.”

“The leaders speak wisely. It should indeed be so.”

“That is only natural. Once that world-destroying devastation begins, the first priority must be ensuring the safety of the Ancient Royal Clan encampment.”

“Exactly. The Ancient Royal Clan is not made up only of leaders like us. There are also so many juniors cultivating in the encampment. If something happens to us, so be it—at least those youngsters could still avenge us. But if the encampment itself is dragged down with us, then would there not be no hope left at all?”

Voices rose one after another, each person carrying his own concerns. That was only natural.

This time, however, Shi Ritian showed not the slightest impatience. Instead, he stood there and listened patiently.

The reason was simple: Shi Ritian had already come prepared this time. Eager to take revenge on Chu Feng as soon as possible, he had long since devised countermeasures based on his understanding of these leaders.

He knew that each of these leaders tended to look forward and backward before acting, weighed down by many worries. Some even had particularly strange tempers and might stir up trouble for no reason at all. So he had already prepared responses suited to their various personalities.

He took a map made of beast hide from his robes and spread it out before them.

The Ancient Royal Clan no longer cared about such petty details. In their world, the weak were prey to the strong, the victor became king, and the loser became a criminal. Nothing could be more normal.

Thus, those beast races with weaker cultivation were very likely weeded out amid every sort of contempt, and their hides naturally became ornaments and tools for those with superior strength.

“Please, everyone, look here...” Shi Ritian immediately dropped to both knees and began gesturing across the beast-hide map right in front of the assembled leaders.

He pointed to a location marked in red on the map. “This place is called Duanhun Valley. It lies at the border between the Great Chu Dynasty and the territory of our Ancient Royal Clan.”

“The terrain of this valley is treacherous. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and there is not a single proper route in or out. At its center lies a ten-thousand-zhang abyss. It is this abyss that completely separates our Ancient Royal Clan from the human Great Chu Dynasty. And to be safe, I already went to investigate Duanhun Valley a few days ago. The valley is shrouded in mist all year round, and its yin energy is extremely heavy. It is practically a natural battleground created specifically for us to set up the Ancient Killing Array.”

“After much thought, I have concluded that if we set up the Ancient Killing Array there and lie in ambush ahead of time, then once that human steps into the valley, we can activate the grand array directly. At that point, little Chu Feng will be utterly trapped, with no answer from heaven above and no answer from earth below. Even if he grows wings, he will not be able to escape.”

The leaders studied the map carefully and nodded again and again, then began discussing the matters Shi Ritian had raised.

“Duanhun Valley... I have heard of this place. It is indeed some distance from our Ancient Royal Clan, so it truly is not a bad choice.” The leader of the Heaven-Splitting Armor Clan slapped the hard armor covering his body and said seriously,

“Back before our Heaven-Splitting Armor Clan took human form, we once lived among those rocky cliffs for a period of time.

At that time, there were rumors that in ancient days, an immortal had died there. Later, no one was able to gather even the immortal’s scattered soul, and that is how the valley got its name. In any case, from then on, the yin energy there became exceptionally dense, so it is indeed well suited for laying down a formation.

If even an immortal could fall there, then tell me—what is there to fear from a mere human? Once he enters that place, he will not even be able to find his bearings.”

The Heaven-Splitting Armor leader feared neither heaven nor earth, and the moment his bold declaration rang out, it instantly stirred the morale of everyone present.

“Only...” the Kunpeng leader said with a frown. This was surprising, since the usually arrogant and domineering Kunpeng Clan actually showed concern at such a time.

Everyone immediately turned to look at him.

Among the ten great royal clans, the Kunpeng Clan had always acted with decisive force, and they were fond of taking the lead in everything. Seeing him raise an objection now, the others could not help feeling puzzled.

“What do you mean? Isn’t this plan quite suitable? Could it be that the Kunpeng leader has some other view or suggestion?”

“Exactly. Although Shi Ritian belongs to the younger generation, I must admit that his plan this time is quite thorough, and he has considered things very carefully. I think placing the Ancient Killing Array at that location is extremely appropriate.”

But the Kunpeng leader was just as described before—he had long been used to acting freely and carelessly. Within the Ancient Royal Clan, he relied on the nobility of his bloodline and had always behaved in an arrogant and overbearing manner.

So although so many people agreed with Shi Ritian, the more they tried to persuade him, the less inclined he was to agree.

“Leaders, I know all of you are knowledgeable and experienced, but do you not think this location is too close to the Great Chu Dynasty? What if that human does not come? Or what if that place is so close to the humans that the brat from the Human Race knows it better than we do? What if he understands the terrain there more thoroughly, or has already set traps inside? Wouldn’t that put us in a very passive position?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the people around him were indeed somewhat moved.

It was not because they feared the humans’ crafty tricks. Rather, they were worried that once the Ancient Killing Array was activated, it already carried the danger of backlash. If outside factors affected them at such a time, then the danger would become even greater, to the point of being impossible to escape.

Shi Ritian smiled. “Senior Kunpeng, rest assured. I have already considered these concerns of yours very carefully, and I have investigated them in advance as well. I have already searched the entire area around Duanhun Valley, including the bottom of the cliffs beneath it. There are no traps, nor are there any signs that the place has been tampered with. It is even less likely that the humans could have set any traps beneath such an abyss. The problems you are worried about should not exist.”