"If it weren't for the old emperor constantly suppressing it, those hawks within the Sun Moon Empire would indeed be thinking of starting a war."
"After all, possessing powerful weapons and harboring murderous intent, they truly saw the hope of unifying the continent and establishing their own achievements."
Kong Xuan's two sentences and this realization made Ning Yuanshan feel a suffocating pressure.
He had no doubt about the truth of Kong Xuan's words; there was no need for the other party to intimidate him in such a clumsy way.
War seems truly inevitable.
If war breaks out, given the current strength of the Dou Ling Empire, what good can come of it in this catastrophe that could sweep across the entire continent?
At that time, if the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, as the guardian sect of the Dou Ling, firmly stands on the side of the royal family, its fate is predictable.
A legacy passed down for thousands of years could very well be reduced to ashes, leading to the destruction of the clan and the death of its inhabitants!
The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has assisted the Xue Clan and protected them for ten thousand years; this friendship has lasted long enough!
Moreover, the relationship between the two sides has now developed cracks and is no longer as close as it once was.
The existence and continuation of a sect are the paramount priority, above all else!
He couldn't let the entire sect be sacrificed for a doomed empire!
According to Kong Xuan, once war breaks out, the original Douluo Three Kingdoms would be no match for the Sun Moon Soul Engineer Legion.
Not only is the Dou Ling Empire in danger, but Star Luo Empire and Heavenly Soul are also in jeopardy.
What will become of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect then?
Should they directly pledge allegiance to the Sun Moon Empire?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Ning Yuanshan instinctively resisted it.
The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect boasts a long and illustrious reputation, standing as a prestigious and upright sect originally belonging to the Douluo Three Kingdoms and a cornerstone of national defense.
If they openly change their allegiance and join the Sun Moon Empire, which is regarded as a "heretic" and "enemy," they will be disgraced throughout the entire Soul Master World and be cursed by millions!
This would be tantamount to squandering a thousand years of good reputation, and a betrayal of all his ancestors! Ning Yuanshan could not do it!
On one hand, there is the visible impending catastrophe; on the other, the unbearable moral stigma.
Ning Yuanshan was caught in an unprecedented struggle and silence, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.
His fingers unconsciously rubbed against the warm teacup, but his fingertips were ice-cold.
Just as Ning Yuanshan's face was solemn, his heart was in turmoil, and he felt a sense of gloom and heaviness for the future of his sect and even the continent.
Sitting upright in the main seat, Kong Deming instantly dispelled the gloom in his heart with a single, light-hearted remark.
"Our Worship Hall has always refrained from supporting wars."
What?!
Ning Yuanshan suddenly raised his head and looked at Kong Deming in disbelief, almost thinking he had misheard!
Meeting his surprised and uncertain gaze, Kong Deming continued slowly, "It is precisely for this reason that my Worship Hall has chosen to cooperate with your sect and even the Star Luo Empire."
These words were like Yangguang piercing through dark clouds, instantly illuminating Ning Yuanshan's heart, which had almost sunk to the bottom!
He Taiqing the immense influence Kong Deming and the Worship Hall wielded within the Sun Moon Empire!
If the Worship Hall, a force that gathers the strongest Soul Master and Soul Engineer of the Sun Moon Empire, firmly opposes launching a war, then no matter how much the hawks within the empire clamor, it will be extremely difficult to start a real all-out war!
After all, without the support of top-tier experts, the war simply cannot proceed!
Ning Yuanshan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Kong Deming, his tone filled with heartfelt admiration and gratitude. " Silver Moon Majesty, if your actions can quell the war and save the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the four continents, it will truly be an immeasurable act of merit!"
Kong Deming simply smiled faintly at the praise.
He gently shook his head and said something that made Ning Yuanshan pause again, "Sect Master Ning, you flatter me. I am not a saint with the world in my heart. I simply feel that for my Sun Moon Empire at present, relying on waging war and causing corpses to litter the fields to achieve our goals... seems a bit low-level."
"Low-level?"
Ning Yuanshan was taken aback upon hearing this, somewhat not understanding the meaning behind Kong Deming's words.
But he also realized that Kong Deming might only be opposed to the form of "war," but his ambition to unify the continent probably had not disappeared.
Perhaps he had simply found a special path... one he was unaware of.
He couldn't help but ask tentatively, "In Your Silver Moon's opinion, which method is more advanced?"
Having laid enough groundwork, Kong Deming stopped beating around the bush, his expression solemn, and directly revealed his groundbreaking idea.
" Sect Master Ning, you should understand that given the deep-seated estrangement and hostility between the Sun Moon Empire and the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, even if our Sun Moon Empire exerts all its strength and forcibly unifies the continent through war, it will inevitably be engulfed in flames of war and constant resistance in the foreseeable future, making true stability difficult."
"This continent will be mired in a long cycle of turmoil and hatred. For hundreds of millions of ordinary people and for the vast number of low-level Soul Master, this will be a long and endless disaster. This is not the ending we wish to see."
He then changed the subject, his expression becoming solemn, and said, "Therefore, I believe that the future continental order may not necessarily follow the old path of unification by ancient empires."
"Perhaps... we can try a completely new system— Federation!"
" Federation?"
Ning Yuanshan murmured the completely unfamiliar word repeatedly, his brows furrowed, his face filled with bewilderment and confusion.
Completely baffled by the meaning of the term, he asked, "What exactly does this Federation mean? Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."
This time, Kong Deming turned his gaze to his grandson, Kong Xuan, indicating that he should explain.
This visionary idea, which was ahead of its time, originated from Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan understood and calmly began, " Sect Master Ning, the so-called Federation is different from the previous rule of a single clan or family in the empire. Instead, it is governed jointly by many councilors..."
Immediately, Kong Xuan explained the later Sun Moon Federation system to Ning Yuanshan.
Then, looking at the increasingly bright light in Ning Yuanshan's eyes, he concluded, "In this way, we can avoid the endless hatred and turmoil caused by forced annexation, and integrate the power of the entire continent in a relatively peaceful and mutually beneficial way, forming a stronger and more competitive whole."
"War is no longer the only option. We can achieve win-win results and development through parliamentary bargaining, economic cooperation, and technology sharing."
"This... is a more advanced technique."
Undoubtedly, the words " Federation " and the blueprint for joint consultation and governance described by Kong Xuan brought an unprecedented and enormous shock to Ning Yuanshan, almost shaking his established worldview as a regional hegemon.
He had to admit that if such a system could really be realized, then by comparison, achieving unification through bloody wars would indeed seem barbaric and "low-class," not only costly but also with endless consequences.
However, a huge question also arose in Ning Yuanshan's mind. Kong Deming was a descendant of the Sun Moon Imperial Family family and one of the most powerful and influential figures in the empire. He never expected that Kong Deming would come up with such a " Federation ".
Kong Deming was indeed a staunch royalist before, but all of that changed after Kong Xuan appeared.
He has a grandson who is capable of becoming a god, and he now completely obeys Kong Xuan's every word.
Since Federation is a trend for the future, it's not unreasonable for it to emerge now.
Moreover, Kong Deming possessed absolute self-confidence.
With the Sun Moon Empire's current leading Soul Guidance Technology, strong economic strength, and the combat power of the Worship Hall itself, they can achieve this.
Even in a Federation parliament where various forces are mixed, the Sun Moon faction will inevitably occupy an absolute dominant position and have the right to speak!
This is simply a more moderate and legitimate way to achieve the goal of leading or even unifying the mainland.
The essence remains the same; only the methods Gao Ming, the resistance is less, and the results are more stable.
Kong Deming looked at Ning Yuanshan and said, " Sect Master Ning, besides resolving some personal grievances, my deeper purpose in coming here is to sincerely invite your sect to join my Worship Hall in becoming a co-builder of this future Federation."
His tone was resolute, filled with absolute confidence in the future. "With the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's millennia-long accumulation of prestige and wealth, and its unique position in the continental commercial network, once the Federation is established, your school is absolutely qualified, and rightfully deserves, to occupy a pivotal position in the Supreme Council!"