"Now, it is your turn to speak!"
Finally, the Ancient Xia Clan spoke in a calm, unruffled tone, as though merely conveying a fact, without adding any personal feelings or opinions.
"..."
The gathering fell utterly silent. For a time, no one spoke.
This was the first solemn, full-scale conference held since the unrest in the Otherworld began, and the first operation on such a broad scale.
Yet the response was not nearly as shocked as expected. Instead, everyone remained as calm as still water, seemingly having prepared themselves for this!
On reflection, that made sense. Those who could represent their respective factions at a worldwide conference of liaisons like this were hardly lacking in intelligence. They might even compare favorably with the renowned ministers and generals of Forging the Sacred Court.
Ever since the Great Huan Celestial Dynasty had begun taking sweeping measures, deploying large numbers of Great Huan experts and even the Great Huan Immortal Guards to forcibly integrate the Otherworld Dimension, everyone present had anticipated this day. Now their suspicions had merely been formally confirmed, and their responsibilities had arrived!
Seeing the silence, the Ancient Xia Clan smiled and said matter-of-factly:
"Heh... it seems none of you are surprised, or have any thoughts to offer?"
Still, no one spoke, answered, objected, or protested. The silence was eerie!
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Ying Ying, the Demon Empress and head of the Palace Master's Estate, one of Ancient Xia's ten supreme factions, cleared her throat several times and interjected:
"Since no one is speaking, I will go first! What the Ancient Xia Clan means is this: first, times have changed. If we fail to handle our duties properly, there will be no lucky escape, and we alone will bear the consequences. Second, these are our true responsibilities. Third... the benevolent see