Cutting Back on Resources

"It's not that we can't make a move. It's that we mustn't!" Tang Yuehua took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and spoke faster.

"Ge Duo isn't alone. The pills she makes have caught the attention of nearly every major power in Heaven Dou City! The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, even the upper ranks of the Star Luo Empire—they're all watching her, and they all have ties to her, open or otherwise!"

"If we act rashly, we won't just be seizing Ge Duo. We'll be offending nearly every major power on the continent at once! This won't end with a simple abduction. Can the Clear Sky Sect withstand the chain reaction that follows?"

Tang Yuehua looked around. Several elders seemed moved, but they remained unconvinced. She went on, "More importantly, there's Spirit Hall! They've been looking for any opportunity, any excuse at all, to move against the Clear Sky Sect! If we seize her by force now, won't we be handing Spirit Hall the perfect pretext? They could join forces with the sects whose interests we've harmed and come after us in the name of preserving order on the continent! Then the Clear Sky Sect truly would have everyone against it!"

Her words rang through the hall.

Silence fell for a moment. The elders exchanged glances. Some of the anger left their faces, but they still looked stubborn and perplexed.

As they saw it, once they had something in hand, it was theirs. If anyone objected and came looking for a fight, they would fight back. It would give the world another chance to see the might of the Clear Sky Hammer. What was there to fear?

Tang Xiao, who had listened in silence, saw the anxious resolve in Tang Yuehua's