Ch. 2301The Hesitant, Either Dead or Wounded
Sikong Jing took command of the Cosmic Vein and Demon Vein forces, using the opening clash to eliminate Cosmic Vein members who hesitated to obey. He left the battle under his control as Ying Sanmeng and Zhan Hu backed his authority.
- Sikong Jing ordered the Cosmic Vein to retreat in formation and remove their shackles while Ying Sanmeng and the elders joined him in the attack.
- Some Cosmic Vein elders hesitated, and the first clash killed or injured Cosmic Vein members who had failed to follow the defensive orders.
- Sikong Jing told the survivors that hesitation had scattered their true qi, then explained to Chai Ren that he had brought the conflict within the ranks to a head before the enemy could exploit it.
- Chai Jiu accused Sikong Jing of deliberately killing disobedient Cosmic Vein members, and Sikong Jing said he needed absolute control to protect the forces that remained.
- Zhan Hu called Sikong Jing the Demon Vein's master, while Ying Sanmeng ordered the Cosmic Vein to obey him; Teng Yue understood why the hesitant members had died and felt anger toward them.