Star Vault Immortal Emperor did not argue with Thunder Punishment Immortal Emperor. Instead, he said slowly, "Daoist Friend Thunder Punishment speaks of the proper path of breaking cleverness with sheer force. But caution is not cowardice. What we must weigh is the fundamental purpose of this operation. Is it merely to unravel a possible conspiracy, or to achieve a strategic objective we cannot abandon?"
His gaze swept over the others. "Do you all remember why we gathered here in the first place?"
The hall fell briefly silent.
"Because of the Time Bell."
Blood Devourer Immortal Emperor narrowed his blood-red eyes. "The Human Race and the Demon Race are making a great show of repairing the Time Bell. If that treasure is truly restored, it will pose an enormous threat to the Five Clans."
"Precisely."
Star Vault Immortal Emperor nodded. "That is the heart of it! Whether Fang Chen has a conspiracy, whether Lin Xiao has sincerely defected, even whether that Time Bell is real—so long as the Human Race and Demon Race are repairing it, pouring vast resources and their core forces into the effort, and the undertaking itself poses a grave potential threat to us, we must strike and strangle it in the cradle!"
He paused, then declared with absolute conviction, "This is no hidden conspiracy. It is an open gambit!"
"Fang Chen has laid out an open gambit we have no choice but to accept!"
"He is betting that we would never dare stand by and watch the Time Bell be restored!"
"Lin Xiao's appearance only makes that gambit more enticing. It makes the timing seem better and our chances of victory greater. But even without Lin Xiao, could we simply leave them alone?"
The others fell silent.
Indeed, even without Lin Xiao's defection and secrets, the Five-Clan