Chapter 1316: Routed Before The First Sword Drawn (1/2)
A fight to the bitter end, that was the hed up blood If they weren’t in dire straits, he ht well have put this old servant to death
“Your Majesty, please have faith in your old servant’s loyalty If Your Majesty fears for the people, then pick the first choice If your Majesty itches for a fight, then pick the second If survival is theissue, then pick the third If your Majesty wants to show his unyielding character, then a fight to the bitter end is the only path left”
Old Guo knocked his forehead repeatedly on the floor, crying in sorrow “I’ve served Your Majesty foryour Majesty to heedChen handled the Eternal Celestial Capital is enough to shohat kind of uided to think he’d drop this matter It’s only a matter of sooner or later”
The emperor knew that Old Guo was loyal and honest, unlike flatterers who only said what he wanted to hear He couldn’t hide froical words
“Your Majesty, the Scarlet Parting Sect, Myriad Buddha Sect, and Sky Eagle Sect request an audience,” an i for a joint audience?
The ereat sects were pillars of the ehtly knit around the imperial house, they could at least steady the shi+p even if they couldn’t beat back Veluriya lord Zhen couldn’t control the other great emperors, if Sacred Peafowl Mountain was the only force he could gather against Great Scarlet? Then who knew, they limpsed a ray of hope
“Send them in, send them in already! Wait, this steadfast expression of loyalty in dire ti theh spirits
Old Guo urged hi them in person would breach every rule of propriety! Why not invite them in and see what they have to say?”
It’d been a momentary impulse Now that he’d calmed down, the emperor nodded “Old Guo, welcome them in my stead”
A moment later, Old Guo careat sects in tow
“Greetings to Your Majesty” The ones who came this time were impressively the leaders of all three sects Given their status, they ht bow instead of koing
It was a si premonition constricted the erave expressions, and their greetings had been perfunctory at best
“Dearest subjects, you ether today because you’ve heard of the ru times?” the e sect head spoke first “Your Majesty, ers of our troubled tireat losses at Cloudshatter Mountain, our fortunes and very existence totters on the edge of collapse Hence we plan to seal our gates and stay secluded from the world for a hundred years I came by to notify Your Majesty of this”
“What? Seal the gates for a hundred years?” The eiant hammer had s sect head reerous stare
“Your Majesty, reat harates for a hundred years to recover and won’t meddle in worldly affairs”
“My Myriad Buddha Sect has always shunned secular matters A measly sect like ours is powerless in the face of the winds of the world noing to and fro Hence we plan on sealing our gates for two hundred years and ask nothing of the world” Not to be outdone, the Myriad Budday Sect upped the ante to two hundred years
The Great Scarlet Eht the three sects were here to offer aid, not to quit There were clear lines being drawn in the sand In other words, they saw the writing on the wall and planned to abandon the iether, didn’t you? You didn’t have the courage to coether to intimidate me?” The emperor’s words were coated with thick rancor
“We wouldn’t dare We are Your Majesty’s loyal subjects, how could we ever i sect head’s tone was neither servile nor arrogant
“Indeed Your Majesty, please don’t misunderstand”
“Hmph! Loyal subjects?! Would loyal subjects abandon me in these dire straits? Is the bond between the imperial family and your three sects so weak it can’t withstand a few ruer “Your sects consuoods in Great Scarlet, use the reatest status and treation when it needs you most? How can you even face the people of Great Scarlet? How can you face all those orshi+p you as pillars of our region? How can you face the iard?”
Old Guo secretly shook his head Why was the e about the common people at a ti Sect offered a faint s all this now There’s only ever been just one that enjoyed the best resources of the region, and that would be Great Scarlet herself Our three sects are thrown some leftovers at best Moreover, we are mere sects The worries of the common people are best left to Your Majesty to bear”
“Indeed Your Majesty, you speak of your high regard for our sects Last time on Cloudshatter Mountain, our sects lost considerable manpower, but we heard all of it was an elaborate trap from the imperial family meant to huiven us a clarification to this day”