"Joining forces with the Hundred Schools of Thought and the Confucian Sect, and using their hands to fight Chen Shanhe and Guo Wushuang, could work!"
"The Hundred Schools of Thought and the Confucian Sect have a tangled web of factions, yet they hold only three provinces, plus part of Dragon Province."
"They desperately need territory. We can promise to split Chen Shanhe's and Guo Wushuang's lands with them once those two are defeated."
"We can also exchange some territory with them, connecting their lands to North Province and Yang Province."
"That way, they'll have every reason to work with us."
"After all, they wouldn't want to face the other two powers alone if we were defeated."
"If we can be surrounded and destroyed, the same could happen to them."
"This will be a long war. What matters is strategy, and an alliance with us offers them far more than one with Chen Shanhe or Guo Wushuang."
"Likewise, we can benefit by drawing on outside strength to reverse our current disadvantage."
Everyone in the hall was shaken by White Cloud Daoist's confident argument.
It was indeed a sound plan.
The workings of Heaven were now obscured, and the many Children of Destiny could no longer be divined.
Without Heaven's guidance, the use of wisdom became crucial.
On the battlefield especially, strategy and the forging of alliances had become matters of the utmost importance.
Tang Wanshan considered this in silence. "Then we'll send someone to negotiate with the Hundred Schools of Thought."
"But what do we do about Chen Shanhe and Guo Wushuang?"
A faint smile appeared on White Cloud Daoist's face. "That's simple!"
"We'll also deploy some troops to guard the borders facing Chen Shanhe and Guo Wushuang."
"We'll put on a show of strength and make them think we've mobilized