"Fine, then I'll make a fool of myself!"
Wang Wu put on a show of cupping his hands in salute before pondering aloud. "If I were the one devising countermeasures, my first priority would definitely be stability—a result where we can't lose, or where even losing comes at no cost. Then, on that foundation, we patiently wait for an opportunity, strike from the cold, trip them up, use underhanded tricks, pull off a lightning-fast monkey-steals-the-peach combo, then immediately flee far away. We absolutely must not give them a chance to fight a group battle."
"Then there are two core conditions we need to achieve."
"First, upgrade the Spirit Capturing Ship and improve its speed and evasion when the Vast Nether Cold Qi erupts."
"Second, improve the Spirit Capturing Ship's defenses. We should make it as hard as a Turtle Shell, leaving them no chance to sneak into our base."
"What about the special Spirit Tax? You need to understand that the most critical part of this private grudge duel is that both sides must ensure the annual special Spirit Tax is not delayed. Otherwise, staying indoors and refusing to come out may work, but failing to pay taxes for five years is enough to get you thrown into the Great Desolation Sin Prison Tower for five hundred years. Do you want to take another trip there?"
Qing Xue voiced her opinion at that moment, seemingly guiding Wang Wu's thoughts with the patient persuasion of a teacher.
Wang Wu blinked. Of course he had not overlooked that point, but he had a way to produce Screeching Birds himself. Should he reveal that secret?
Just as he hesitated, Qing Xue said, "Simply avoiding battle is not advisable. Not only will we fail to pay the special Spirit Tax, it will also damage