Everyone knew his lifespan was nearing its end. Every word came from the bottom of his heart, spoken entirely for the sect's long-term future.
"True Lord Xuan's words are indeed the counsel of a seasoned statesman."
Ming Lingchuan, who oversaw the sect's external affairs, took up the discussion. Ever meticulous, he said, "The Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens have deep foundations, and their alliance has already taken shape."
"If our sect confronts them head-on now, even if we hold our own, we will kill a thousand enemies only to lose eight hundred of our own. We would merely exhaust our strength and squander the golden period for our sect leader and sect to grow."
As the Grand Elder overseeing internal affairs, Xiao Anran approached the matter more directly. "We cannot abandon faith and honor."
"Our covenant with the Huangze Dynasty is a cornerstone of our sect."
"If we betray it because we are weaker, what other power would ever dare enter a genuine alliance with us?"
"Once that precedent is set, the troubles will be endless."
True Lord Jiuxiao's brows knitted tightly. Though upright and unyielding by nature, he was not incapable of adapting to circumstances. "Must our sect clash head-on with the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens for the sake of honor and ruin everything we have achieved?"
"Our sect leader possesses heaven-gifted talent. His breakthrough to spirit transformation is just around the corner!"
"Once he reaches spirit transformation, or even a higher realm, why would our sect need to dance to anyone else's tune?"
"For now-perhaps we could play along and avoid their sharpest edge?"
True Lord Wuxing stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps-we can show a degree of flexibility while holding firm to the fundamental terms of our covenant."
"For instance, on matters that do not concern the Huangze Dynasty's core interests, we could