Shen Bixia's words resonated deeply, winning the approval of many of her disciples once again.
Under the threat of extermination, sacrificing the minority to save the majority seems to be the only "correct" choice.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu chuckled softly.
The laughter was soft, yet it carried a worldly-wise indifference and a hint of barely perceptible mockery.
"You're saying the Xiao Family will bring ruin to the Medical Immortal Valley..."
Zhang Yu spoke slowly, his gaze calmly sweeping over Shen Bixia: "I admit, that's a possibility."
Upon hearing this, Shen Bixia's face just showed a hint of smugness, as if to say, "You knew that too."
But Zhang Yu's next words caused her expression to change drastically.
"But it's only a 'possibility'."
Zhang Yu said in a calm and unhurried tone:
"Moreover, it's a 'possibility' conjectured out of thin air under circumstances where it's impossible to confirm or verify it."
He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through the impasse, looking towards the unknown distance:
"Perhaps the news of their hiding in the Medical Immortal Valley will never be known to the Primal Origin Divine Dynasty."
"Perhaps the Primal Origin Divine Dynasty's rule in Yuhua Prefecture is far from stable and will soon change."
"Perhaps, before long, the Xiao Family will no longer be wanted criminals, and the Primal Origin Divine Dynasty will be too busy to even take care of itself."
"Perhaps... the future holds countless possibilities, ten thousand changes."
Zhang Yu's voice suddenly turned cold, his gaze sharp as he stared intently at Shen Bixia:
"And you, just for one of those countless possibilities, are willing to push these people onto an absolute, doomed path without hesitation."
Elder Shen, do you really think this is the right thing to do?
Is this what you call 'the greater good of the sect'?
"You... are just making excuses!"
Shen Bixia was momentarily speechless, stung by Zhang Yu's logically sound and incisive words, and angrily retorted:
"Even if there is only the slightest possibility, I will never allow that possibility to threaten the Medical Immortal Valley."
I must nip this danger in the bud.
I cannot gamble the fate of the entire sect on some Void and uncertain possibility.
"What a brilliant move to 'nip danger in the bud'!"
A sneer, undisguised, curled at the corner of Zhang Yu's lips.
"Elder Shen, you want to nip this bud in the bud simply because, in your eyes, this bud is much weaker than you and the Medical Immortal Valley."
"You can control their lives and deaths at will without paying any price, and you can even use this to curry favor with the Primal Origin Divine Dynasty and protect yourself, isn't that right?"
"If this 'sprout' weren't from the Xiao Family, but from a force ten or a hundred times stronger than your Medical Immortal Valley, would you still have such thoughts?"
Zhang Yu's voice wasn't loud, but it struck Shen Bixia and many disciples of the Medical Immortal Valley like a heavy hammer.
"I'll ask you again,"
Zhang Yu gave Shen Bixia no chance to breathe, pressing her relentlessly:
"How can you be so sure that handing over the Xiao Family will ensure that the Primal Origin Divine Dynasty and the Confucianism will let the Medical Immortal Valley go?"
How can you be sure that after obtaining the person, they won't turn around and use excuses like "harboring a wanted criminal, failing to report, or having malicious intentions" to wipe out the Medical Immortal Valley as well?
Your so-called "safe strategy" is nothing more than a gamble?
"A riskier gamble, placing the very survival of the sect on the mercy of the enemy?"
"I... I..."
Shen Bixia was speechless when asked the question, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She wasn't entirely sure; she simply instinctively chose what seemed like a "safer" path—sacrificing the weak to please the strong.
Enraged that Zhang Yu had so blatantly exposed her true nature, she was powerless to refute him and could only weakly argue:
"The Primal Origin Divine Dynasty is renowned throughout the world, and the Confucianism is the leader of the righteous path. They... they should be reasonable."
How could they possibly do something so dubious, like going back on their word and wiping out an entire family?
Hahahaha...
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu felt as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, his laughter filled with sarcasm:
Ultimately, you're just gambling—gambling on the mercy of the powerful, gambling on their 'reasonableness'.
But when you face the weak, you show no pity or reason whatsoever, choosing instead to crush and betray them without hesitation.
Shen Bixia, this isn't doing this for the sect, it's called bullying the weak and fearing the strong!
Zhang Yu spoke the last four words slowly and deliberately, like icicles piercing Shen Bixia's face, making her turn deathly pale and her body sway precariously.
"I'm bullying the weak and fearing the strong today, so what can you do about it?"
Shen Bixia was completely enraged, or rather, her last veil of pretense was ripped off, and her reason was consumed by anger and shame.
She let out a sharp shriek, and the powerful aura of the Heavenly Human Realm erupted without reservation. At the same time, she Hand Seals, and a stream of light shot into the ground beneath her feet!
"Buzz--!"
The entire Medical Immortal Valley trembled slightly, and countless profound Runes lit up from all parts of the valley, crisscrossing and outlining a huge and complex Formation pattern.
The vast Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was frantically extracted, transforming into invisible pressure that pressed down on Zhang Yu and Xiao Xuan and the others behind him like a mountain!
The Medical Immortal Valley Protective Sect Grand Formation has been activated!
This formation has a long history and extraordinary power. When activated at full strength, it is enough to suppress or even trap and kill ordinary Land Immortal!
"Junior sister, no!"
Zhang Ziyun's expression changed, and he tried to stop her.
But seeing Shen Bixia's seemingly frantic state and Zhang Yu's terrifyingly calm gaze, she knew that the matter could no longer be resolved peacefully.
Rather than being passive, it's better to strike first.
She gritted her teeth, also forming hand Method Formula to cooperate with Shen Bixia, channeling her own True Essence into the Grand Formation, while simultaneously shouting:
"Disciples, heed my command, form the battle formation!"
Several highly Cultivation elders and elite disciples of the Medical Immortal Valley also reacted, each taking their positions and injecting their True Essence into the Formation, instantly boosting its power to Grand Formation level.
The invisible pressure felt almost tangible, making the air thick and sticky. Xiao Xuan and the others felt as if they were being crushed by an immense weight.
She almost collapsed to her knees; even Hu Qingxuan felt her Qi and Blood churning and could hardly bear it.
"Not good!
Zhang Yu, run!
This is the 'Greenwood Spirit-Locking Grand Array' of the Medical Immortal Valley. When fully activated, it is powerful enough to suppress even Land Immortal.
Hu Qingxuan paled, knowing full well the power of this formation.
When Zhang Yu left ten years ago, Cultivation only Great Grandmaster. Even if he had some extraordinary encounters in the past ten years, how could he possibly withstand a sect's Grand Formation that was powerful enough to suppress Immortal?
Xiao Xuan's expression also turned solemn. Although he believed that Zhang Yu was extraordinary and might be the Great Being Reincarnation, he was still deeply moved.
However, how much strength can be restored through "reincarnation" is unknown.
Faced with this Protective Sect Grand Formation, which was clearly a technique of immortals, he was unsure of himself and could only clench his fists tightly.
Despite the sudden, terrifying pressure and the murderous gazes of Shen Bixia, Zhang Ziyun, and others, Zhang Yu remained standing still, without even the hem of his clothes fluttering.
He seemed completely oblivious to the Formation power, enough to crush mountains. He merely raised his head slightly, sighed softly, and spoke with a hint of pity, as if looking at a child who had overestimated his abilities.
"Looks like you've started gambling again."
This time, you bet that I'm weaker than you, that this Formation can suppress me, or even... kill me.
He slowly shook his head and said:
"Unfortunately, you made the wrong bet again this time."