Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1456 Willing to Go to War with the Haotian Sect (Part 2)

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Ximen Shaoping looked around at everyone and said clearly, "Our Chen family and Haotian Tang family are both among the 'Seven Heavenly Martial Armies'."

"For thousands of years, the 'Seven Soldiers' have not been allies. They have different positions and disputes, but they have maintained a tacit understanding—respect for each other's family affairs and non-interference."

"This is the cornerstone of maintaining a delicate balance."

Her gaze turned serious. "If we forcefully intervene in the dispute between the Haotian Sect and the Xuanhuang Tang Family (whether the Xuanhuang Tang Family likes it or not, in the eyes of outsiders they are both branches of the Haotian Sect) today... it would be tantamount to deliberately smashing this tacit understanding."

“Once this breach is opened, the balance will be broken, and it will be extremely difficult to repair.”

"How will the Haotian Sect react? Will it be a fierce confrontation or a chain of retaliations? I think the Haotian Sect's counterattack will definitely go beyond the scope of commercial or geopolitical conflicts."

"They may very well use this as a pretext to launch a full-scale, uncompromising crackdown or even hostility against us, characterizing it as a challenge to the dignity of the entire Haotian Sect!"

She paused, then looked around. "Furthermore, how will the other families among the 'Seven Armies' view us?"

"Do they understand our 'necessary move,' or do they think the Chen family is about to tear off the mask and start expanding and squeezing? They will be wary of whether we will treat them in the same way."

“There are differing opinions within the Wind Sword Sect, its branches and lineages, the Blacksmith Association… even within my maternal family, the Ximen family, and the Yang family.”

"Our Chen family may be seen as rule-breakers and invaders. Once we are labeled as such, we will be in a very passive position in our future interactions with other families and even other soul master forces on the continent. Our diplomatic space will be greatly compressed, and we will be on guard against at every turn."

Her concerns hit the nail on the head, striking at the sensitive points of the power structure and the most critical risks of aristocratic politics at present.

For a moment, you could hear a pin drop inside the hall.

Chen Wu spoke up after the silence: "I agree with Shao Ping's view. This is not just a strategic issue, but also a risk to morality and reputation. Moreover..."

Then, Chen Wu frowned and expressed his concerns: "For the Ministry of Education, which I am in charge of, the stability of the area surrounding Sunset Forest (including Sunset City) is crucial to ensuring the recruitment of graduates from various colleges in the Central District in the Midwest, as well as the subsequent establishment of the Warrior Academy."

"Sunset City and the core area of ​​Haotian Sect are quite close."

"If the situation deteriorates, many medicinal herbs in Sunset Forest, including many special low-aged herbal materials used in Spirit Awakening Potions and Body Tempering Plasters, rely on a stable supply from Sunset City. If this supply is cut off, it will severely impact the physical development and early cultivation progress of low-level Soul Masters and professional warriors. (These herbs are not suitable for the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, and are difficult to cultivate in the Vine Sea Secret Realm due to its environment, and their seeds are prone to extinction. Research is underway in this area.)"

"This is not just an economic loss, but it is shaking the growth cycle of our low-level Soul Masters and professional warriors. Once the source is cut off, the negative impact will be continuous and far-reaching, and it will affect the reserve of the family's backbone force for the next few decades."

"Before Sunset City is completely stable and has formed its own ability to protect itself, I think it is very unwise to challenge the Xuanhuang Tang family, which is the western lifeline of the Haotian Sect."

Mu Lingyun's voice carried the calmness and solemnity characteristic of an economic decision-maker: "Sunset City is a key rendezvous point carefully arranged by our family, providing transit, protection and buffer for the resources of the secret realm deep in the forest."

“We have invested a lot of manpower and resources here to build a medicinal herb market and operating system.”

"Both, especially the latter, represent a huge sunk cost for the family."

"More importantly, the current operation and activity of the Sunset Herbs Market, as well as the smooth flow of that secret lifeline, largely depend on the good cooperation mechanism and stable logistics channels established with the Haotian Sect." "Once relations sour, the Haotian Sect will inevitably block trade routes, and even trade routes in Tianshui Province."

"This will mean several major changes."

"First, the open market will collapse: the medicinal herb market and mineral exchange built with huge investments may lose their flow of goods and customers, and their value will be wiped out, and the gold coins invested in the early stage will be lost."

"Second, the cost of logistics disruption will skyrocket: the cost of all goods transported and stored through Sunset City will increase several times or even come to a standstill."

"Third, future cooperation faces termination: the original plan for the central and western regions centered on Tiandou City, including the cooperation with the Haotian Sect itself, will be suspended indefinitely, which will affect our grand strategy in the Tiandou Empire."

"Fourth, the secret passage is in danger: the 'lubricant' that ensures the passage's safety—the covert trade in the open market—will fail, which will seriously disrupt the family's core interests within the forest."

"Whether it's supplying medicinal herbs to the family or meeting 'specific needs' from deep within the forest, things could potentially reach a stalemate."

Although she did not explicitly state that the core interest was the Yin-Yang symbol of ice and fire, the meaning behind her words was very clear.

Minister Yu Jinghan, who had been sitting upright, gradually became more solemn.

The Department of Culture and Discipline oversees culture, heritage, and discipline; both of the family's two secret realms fall under the scope of heritage management.

As one of the few core members who fully grasped the secrets of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye, she understood its importance a hundred times more clearly than others.

"Clan leader, the threat Lingyun mentioned hits the nail on the head. The turmoil in the direction of Sunset City will seriously affect the foundation of the clan, and it will not be limited to the economic level."

"The layout of the Sunset Forest's perimeter... is a crucial hub connecting us to the depths of the forest."

"Any decision that could trigger the Haotian Sect to escalate its actions around the Sunset Mountains would directly impact the stability and security of this hub."

"If the actions in the west lead the Haotian Sect to decide to eliminate our forces or create a high-pressure situation in this direction... the safety of the 'hub' will face enormous systemic risks."

“This would shake the foundation of our family, and we cannot afford such a price.”

Her words caused many of those present to turn solemn, as this was a real threat to the very foundation of their families.

The room fell into a deeper silence.

The pressure from the previous speeches piled up, making it hard to breathe.

Chen Xun looked at the few people who hadn't spoken yet: "Third sister, this matter is of great importance, why don't you say something?"

Xue Shiqiong straightened her back slightly, placed her hands on her knees, sat upright, and carefully considered her words, appearing both serious and somewhat cautious as a newcomer.

"Elder brother, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters-in-law, I have only recently returned to the clan and am still learning about the overall strategic layout of the family. I am afraid my views may be limited."

(End of this chapter)