Demons, Devils, Ghosts, and Monsters Bound by One Bow

"This was then; this is now!" Niu Youdao shot back. With a flick of his hand, he lifted his sword and paced back and forth before them. "I'm not like you people who make your living at sea. I hold Southern Prefecture in my hand and command armies of a thousand men and ten thousand horses. My generals are valiant in battle, my civil officials govern with skill; both my civil administration and military might are first-rate. Within, I crushed rebels and stood toe-to-toe with the Yan Kingdom Imperial Court; eastward, I defeated the Song Kingdom; westward, I pressured the Zhao Kingdom; northward, I held back the Han Kingdom."

Though he spoke in an unhurried manner, his words carried a majestic force that made the others inwardly shudder.

None of this was any secret. They had heard of the wars among the various kingdoms, and after giving it a little thought, they knew he was not boasting. He was speaking the truth.

Niu Youdao suddenly stopped, turned, and faced them again. "To the powers of the various kingdoms, compared with the fighting and killing in the Tiandu Secret Realm, the struggle among the kingdoms outside concerns interests tied to the life and death of their sects. Grudges can be temporarily set aside, even ignored altogether. I imagine you've heard about the situation among the kingdoms outside as well. Today they fight to the death; the next day they are as close as brothers. That is perfectly normal."

"Only profit exists; there are no such things as grudges! If there is profit to be had, people scramble to do it. If there is none, no one goes looking for trouble."

"As long as I return, I can influence the Yan-Zhao War. Unless Yan Kingdom's three great sects have absolute confidence, they