After their duel with the White Tiger Clan Leader, the five returned to the Skyrite Mountains. Andrew had completely earned the respect of the Four Divine Beasts Clan, including Gaiseresen, and the four clan chiefs couldn't help but feel much awe towards him.
That's real strength.
However, due to Andrew's special status, Gaiseresen was in a bit of a dilemma and it was not easy to make arrangements. According to the rules of the Four Divine Beasts Clan, the participants were to gather in Blood War Valley, the core of the Skyrite Mountains. Blood War Valley had always been under the jurisdiction of the Great Elder of the Azure Dragon Clan. Gaiseresen couldn't very well let Andrew serve under the Great Elder.
Moreover, since the start of the war, neither side has deployed their trump cards. Given Andrew's strength, if he were to make a move, it would inevitably provoke a strong backlash from the Eight Great Clans... This is not what Gaiseresen wants. He is well aware that the Four Divine Beasts Clan are currently at a complete disadvantage, and their members are sacrificing their blood and lives to maintain their family's honor and dignity!
Even so, at the current rate of attrition, the Four Divine Beasts Clan won't last long!
As the leader of the Four Divine Beasts Clan, Gaiseresen not only had to uphold the clan's dignity but also had to preserve the lives of his clansmen as much as possible. Now, these two things were contradictory, and he was deeply conflicted.
Thinking about it this way, Gaiseresen realized that Andrew joining the Four Divine Beasts Clan didn't seem to be of any use.
Andrew, of course, was unaware of Gaiseresen's thoughts. After settling his family in, he too began to ponder the war.
"I'm not strong enough to end this war now."
Sitting leisurely on the grass, gazing at the majestic Dragon Path in the distance, Andrew sighed softly. For him, participating in the war against the Eight Great Clans was mainly to repay the legacy of the Azure Dragon. Another reason was that he hoped to break through through battle and integrate the three different Mysteries.
But now that I think about it, the Four Divine Beasts Clan doesn't seem to be suited for large-scale battles. Under Beirut's ban, the Eight Great Clans are holding the outer perimeter of the Skyrite Mountains, slowly wearing down the Four Divine Beasts Clan's strength. Although both sides have suffered considerable losses, the Eight Great Clans still have the upper hand... If it were a head-on clash, the Four Divine Beasts Clan would probably be no match.
" The Eight Great Clans have over two hundred Seven-Star Fiend- level powerhouses, while the Four Divine Beasts Clan only have a little over one hundred left. In a few thousand years, by Linley's time, there will only be a few dozen elders left. I don't know what Gaiseresen is thinking; if things continue like this, the Four Divine Beasts Clan will be wiped out sooner or later."
Andrew was somewhat troubled. This was an open conspiracy by the Eight Great Clans, a blatant display of their intentions, willing to suffer heavy losses themselves to inflict even greater damage on the enemy. Such actions were entirely driven by hatred. Who would do this without a deep-seated, unforgettable grudge?
Andrew thought to himself that for the Four Divine Beasts Clan, it was either a matter of not fighting and completely retreating, or a major battle; they were going to die sooner or later anyway. Of course, he was just thinking about it; the decision ultimately rested with Gaiseresen. Putting himself in Gaiseresen's shoes, he was in a difficult position as well; no one in his shoes could make such a decision easily.
Just then, Gaiseresen arrived.
"Lord of the Manor!"
" Clan Leader Redding!"
After sitting down, Gaiseresen said, "I have been busy with family affairs lately and have neglected the Lord of the Manor. Please forgive me."
Andrew smiled and said, " Clan Leader Redding, you're too kind. By the way, what are your plans regarding the current war, Clan Leader Redding?"
Gaiseresen's expression changed slightly, and he shook his head. "In fact, this war was not something the Four Divine Beasts Clan could decide. The Eight Great Clans were relentlessly pursuing us. If it weren't for Lord Indigo Prefecture, the Four Divine Beasts Clan would probably already be..."
Andrew certainly knew this history.
" Clan Leader Redding, if I may be so bold, but given the current situation, the Four Divine Beasts Clan won't last much longer."
Gaiseresen's face contorted with pain. "Yes, since the start of the war, dozens of elders from my Four Divine Beasts Clan have perished... Even in the nearly one hundred years without major battles, two elders have still fallen! If this continues, sooner or later..."
Andrew thought to himself that the Four Divine Beasts Clan was indeed in a very bad situation. According to the original plot, thousands of years later, they were almost completely suppressed by the Eight Great Clans, and even leaving the Skyrite Mountains was difficult. In the Indigo Prefecture, all forces related to the Four Divine Beasts Clan were wiped out by the Eight Great Clans.
"With so many elders lost, what are Clan Leader Redding's plans? Are they just going to let things continue like this?" Andrew asked.
Gaiseresen frowned, and after a long while, he said, " The Four Divine Beasts Clan are not afraid of war, nor will they ever compromise!"
Looking at him, Andrew smiled bitterly to himself. It was clear that the current Gaiseresen could not let go of the former glory of the Four Divine Beasts Clan. Even if the Eight Great Clans came to attack, he would probably still look down on them. However, ten thousand years later, when the Eight Great Clans attacked without regard for losses, even someone as hardened as Gaiseresen would have no choice but to order the mountain to be sealed off.
Andrew certainly wouldn't allow things to repeat themselves ten thousand years later; if that happened, his arrival would be meaningless, and what would become of his promise to repay a debt of gratitude?
After a moment's thought, Andrew said, " Clan Leader Redding, I don't think this stalemate is good for the Four Divine Beasts Clan. The number of Seven-Star Fiend among the Eight Great Clans far exceeds ours; even if they suffer greater losses, they can still hold on. However, if it comes to fighting against Asura experts, their advantage isn't as significant."
Gaiseresen looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Originally, the Four Divine Beasts Clan, including their four patriarchs, had eight aces. All four patriarchs and the Grand Elder possessed Sovereign Artifact. Now, with the addition of myself and Pusluo, we have ten aces and six Sovereign Artifact... The Eight Great Clans, on the other hand, originally had fourteen aces, with eight patriarchs possessing Sovereign Artifact. Back then, Indigo Prefecture killed one, and I killed one, leaving them with twelve aces. Although we are outnumbered, in terms of strength, we are not far behind them."
Upon hearing this, Gaiseresen's eyes lit up, realizing it was indeed the case, and he gestured for Andrew to continue.
Andrew spoke, he felt a pang of shame, realizing he had been mistaken. In this war, both sides had certain pre-established rules, such as not readily deploying trump cards. And these trump cards were not equivalent to Asura powerhouses. For example, while Blu was comparable to Asura powerhouse, there was still a significant gap, albeit a relatively small one. Chabu, on the other hand, was also considered an trump card, but far from being Asura- level powerhouse; otherwise, Andrew wouldn't have been able to kill him so easily. The reason for this was that Andrew had overestimated his own strength.
The so-called "ace" refers to a powerful individual whose strength far surpasses that of an ordinary Seven-Star Fiend.
It can be said that among the true Asura masters on both sides of the conflict, there are five from the Four Divine Beasts Clan and eight from the Eight Great Clans. Now that Andrew has joined, there are seven from the Four Divine Beasts Clan.
" The Eight Great Clans, unable to penetrate the Skyrite Mountains, are resorting to a war of attrition with the Four Divine Beasts Clan. They know you won't compromise. If this continues, even if the Four Divine Beasts Clan aren't wiped out, they'll be in dire straits. It seems they have the advantage in strength. However, we are not without options."
To achieve victory against overwhelming odds, one must employ strategic methods, Andrew thought of the military strategies from his past life.
" The Eight Great Clans are not one family after all; they have their own territories. My idea is that we concentrate our superior forces, launch a surprise attack, and defeat one of them first. It's better to break one finger than to injure all ten. Let's mobilize all our forces and completely annihilate one family! This way, the gap in strength between the two sides will be greatly reduced, and even in the final battle, we won't have to be afraid!"
Andrew's method was simple: a sneak attack. With the power of ten aces from the Four Divine Beasts Clan, a sneak attack on one or two families would be a piece of cake. As long as one or two families could be wiped out, the strength of both sides would be basically even.
Gaiseresen understood perfectly, but his reaction surprised Andrew.
Gaiseresen slowly shook his head. "What the Lord says is indeed feasible, but the Four Divine Beasts Clan will never do such a thing." He stood up, his expression cold and stern, yet exceptionally arrogant. "If we did that, what difference would it make from hiding in the Skyrite Mountains? If word got out, wouldn't it make the Four Divine Beasts Clan a laughingstock?"
A sneak attack is an act of weakness, and the proud Four Divine Beasts Clan would never show weakness.
Seeing Gaiseresen's resolute expression, Andrew was taken aback. He truly couldn't understand why, even at this point, Gaiseresen was still acting arrogant and concerned with saving face. However, after pondering Gaiseresen's words, Andrew understood; it was indeed true. If the Four Divine Beasts Clan had truly abandoned their pride, they would have long since retreated to the Skyrite Mountains. Why would they need to send people to fight against the Eight Great Clans?
Andrew was not a member of the Four Divine Beasts Clan after all, had not experienced their glorious years, and could not understand their sense of honor.
After Gaiseresen left, Andrew chuckled self-deprecatingly; he had oversimplified the problem.
"Dignity... life... honor... family... the Eight Great Clans are determined to destroy the Four Divine Beasts Clan, but the Four Divine Beasts Clan is not only interested in victory or defeat. Without the help of external forces, the Four Divine Beasts Clan will undoubtedly lose this battle."
Andrew thought to himself that from the very beginning, the Four Divine Beasts Clan had to bear more burdens than the Eight Great Clans. If they hadn't possessed a considerable amount of Sovereign’s Might, they would have certainly suffered even greater losses.
"Forget it, let's think of other ways. It would take at least nine thousand years to change Gaiseresen's mind," Andrew sighed helplessly.