Chapter 996
Warning Myself?
Before breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, he only had one more chance to attack the demon race.
He would either not act at all, or he would cripple these demon kingdoms; only then would they remain peaceful for a while.
To achieve this, his net needed to be large enough, and he also needed to put enough pressure on the demon race to make them feel that missing this opportunity was a loss.
Therefore, these evil forces' strongholds cannot be eliminated yet, lest we alert them. After dealing with the demon race, dealing with these small fry will be a piece of cake.
"A fortress is most easily breached from within, and the same is true for an alliance. If they are united in name only, they are just a mob."
"How many tests can your already fragile trust withstand?" Song Changsheng murmured softly, already having a general idea of what was going on in his mind.
The difference in bottom lines gives him the possibility of dividing the other party, and the party with the lower bottom line is the more powerful one, making it even easier to divide them.
Of course, the demon race isn't stupid; they won't just rush in as soon as he opens a door.
Those demon kings and demon lords are no less intelligent than humans.
The direction is clear, but how to implement it requires careful consideration.
The most memorable instance of luring the snake out of its hole was when Su Ding tried to lure the Black Dragon Demon King into making a move.
In that battle, all the forces in the Great Qi cultivation world were pawns, without exception.
The great battle between the Heavenly Vein Sect and the Golden Crow Sect nearly devastated the north, and Luoxia City was also used as bait to isolate itself, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties.
During that time, he was already thinking about the future of the Song family.
But what was the final result? The Great Qi cultivation world swallowed up more than half of the life force of the demon race in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. The Black Dragon Demon King was severely injured and fled. They took advantage of this to launch a grand expedition and expand their territory.
To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your own people; only in this way can you achieve the best results.
His previous successes undoubtedly pointed him in the right direction.
However, once bitten, twice shy. Using the same method a second time would undoubtedly be less effective. Moreover, this time his opponent was not the Black Dragon Demon King, and what he sought was not just the Ten Thousand Mountains, but several demon kingdoms along the Canglan River.
Each demon kingdom has a demon lord in charge, and it is extremely difficult to deceive them all at the same time. It is undoubtedly an impossible task for him to accomplish alone.
"I need to find time to go to Wanxiang Palace again," Song Changsheng murmured softly.
No matter how perfect his plan was, the only thing that could protect him in this battle was the Myriad Manifestations Palace, because he couldn't just consider the demon race; he also needed to take into account the remnants of the old era.
Take the Thunder King Palace for example. It has been confirmed that a Nascent Soul True Monarch is personally in charge there, and it also possesses the [Human King Sword] and the [Imperial Seal of the State].
Let alone a mere nascent soul, even if he truly broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, he might not be a match for that Thunder King.
Therefore, to implement this plan, we first need to obtain the consent of the Vientiane Palace so as not to disrupt their original arrangements.
Moreover, he desperately needs the wisdom and experience of several true masters.
"True Lord..."
Seeing that Song Changsheng did not respond for a long time, Zhang Chuqiu cautiously asked, "That's all I know. Is there anything else I need to add?"
"You performed well, and the intelligence was valuable, but precisely because of this, I cannot leave now, lest you ruin my plans."
I've found you a good place. Just stay there obediently, and when the time is right, you'll be granted your freedom.
As soon as he finished speaking, Song Changsheng dispersed his own domain of laws, completely sealing Zhang Chuqiu's physical body, leaving only his soul to continue to function.
Zhang Chuqiu could only sigh helplessly in his heart, but he didn't feel particularly frustrated.
From the day he fell into Song Changsheng's hands, he had given up hope of regaining his freedom; he considered it a mercy that he had survived.
"As long as you're alive, you have a chance."
Zhang Chuqiu thought to himself, his consciousness gradually fading...
Although he decided to keep these small fry for now, Song Changsheng still selectively chose a few strongholds to verify the authenticity of the intelligence. After a month, he basically confirmed the accuracy of the intelligence in his hands.
After going around in circles, we finally returned to Sifang City.
As he had said before, the downfall of Mao Dongxing, Peng Huaming, and others would definitely cause some chaos within the Wanlong Chamber of Commerce.
The extent and duration of the chaos depend entirely on the ability of Peng Siying and others to handle these matters.
In fact, if he had taken action personally, he could have minimized the impact of this incident. The reason he didn't do so was mainly to test Peng Siying.
They were friends, but they were more than just friends; they were also very important allies.
Previously, when Peng Zhengxiong was in charge of the Bandung Chamber of Commerce, he didn't have to consider this issue. Now that the Chamber of Commerce has experienced changes and a new leader has taken over, he must conduct a comprehensive reassessment of his ally in order to make the most accurate judgment.
During his month-long absence, the situation at the Bandung Chamber of Commerce had largely stabilized.
Although she borrowed his power, given Peng Siying's reputation within the Chamber of Commerce, it's quite remarkable that she was able to achieve this much in such a short time.
However, although the situation has stabilized, the losses caused cannot be easily made up for.
During the period of internal strife within the Wanlong Chamber of Commerce, the number of cultivators in Sifang City and even the entire Suzhou cultivation world decreased significantly, and the long-term supply chain of cultivation communities in remote areas was also disrupted.
The most hidden and most difficult-to-repair loss is "trust," which is the lifeblood of the chamber of commerce.
Previously, the Bandung Chamber of Commerce was dominant and irreplaceable in Southwest China. Even if there were some problems, everyone would grit their teeth and tolerate them.
However, due to the East China Sea, the two emerging forces, Luoxia City and the Song Clan, are rising rapidly. Apart from needing to rely on the Wanlong Chamber of Commerce for some resource supplies, these two are sufficient to meet their needs, giving them more options.
If that were all, it wouldn't have caused such a significant impact; the main problem lies in the black market.
Since Song Changsheng obtained the pass to the Heavenly Black Market from that White Deacon, the last weakness of the Song family has been filled.
Using the black market as a channel would certainly be more costly than using the Wanlong Chamber of Commerce, but Song Changsheng's reputation makes him a very suitable alternative to the Wanlong Chamber of Commerce.
The lost cultivators went to the East Sea and joined the East Sea Alliance, and the lost clients were divided up by the Song family and Luoxia City. After looking around, the Song family turned out to be the biggest winner.
This result was indeed somewhat unexpected.
Once Song Changsheng had eaten the meat, he would never spit it out, and the Wanlong Chamber of Commerce would find it very difficult to make up for this loss.
Peng Siying, knowing the inside story, didn't react particularly. In her view, this loss was far from enough to cover Song Changsheng's expenses. The elders below, however, were less pleased. Wasn't this taking advantage of someone in distress?
With this mindset, as soon as Song Changsheng met Peng Siying, Quan Chong and the other elders rushed over to pay their respects.
"Elder, the Song family of Wangyue has disregarded the friendship between allies and encroached on the interests of the Chamber of Commerce. Do you think we should take action to warn them?"
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng's expression immediately turned strange. "I warned myself?"
Peng Siying suppressed her laughter and deliberately interrupted with a straight face: "Elder Quan also knows that the Song family is an ally. What's wrong with normal competition? What the elders should do is to use fair and square means to win back these customers and markets, instead of using their power to intimidate others."
The elder came specifically to help the Chamber of Commerce out of its predicament. He will not be a permanent resident of the Chamber, nor will he interfere in its specific affairs. You should all abandon any such inappropriate thoughts.”
With their thoughts exposed, everyone present couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
Song Changsheng's strength has indeed given them a lot of unrealistic ideas. Some time ago, some people even clamored to flatten the Xuanling Sect and the Ancient God Pavilion, completely forgetting that Wanlong is a neutral merchant guild.
A chamber of commerce can have fangs to protect itself, but if it goes too far, it will lose its foundation. No one wants to do business with a hungry wolf.
"Once this matter is settled, I will soon depart from this border region," Song Changsheng confirmed Peng Siying's statement.
Upon hearing that their backer was leaving, the group, who had just been feeling smug, suddenly panicked and hurriedly said, "Aren't you going to wait until the trial is over before you leave?"
Song Changsheng raised his eyes slightly: "Does judging a few cripples really require my personal intervention?"
Everyone waved their hands repeatedly: "Of course not, we can handle this small matter. It's just that the Ancient God Pavilion and the Profound Spirit Sect..."
"Let them send their own people to ransom them; if they refuse, kill them."
After saying that, Song Changsheng waved his sleeve and sent them out.
Peng Siying, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but chuckle and said happily, "I wonder what their expressions would be if they knew your true identity."
"I doubt I'll have to warn myself."
Peng Siying rolled up her sleeves and poured him a cup of spiritual tea, then asked with a puzzled look, "Speaking of which, why are you hiding your identity? Right now, the only ones who can threaten you in the borderlands are the few True Lords of the Myriad Manifestations Palace, but aren't you all very close?"
"I came all the way from the Myriad Manifestations Palace. The reason I concealed my cultivation level is naturally because of the demon race. This matter is rather complicated."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"After returning to my family, I will begin to integrate the forces of the major cultivation worlds in the southwest. At that time, I will need Wanlong's support."
"Since you don't want to reveal your cultivation level, how will you unite the major forces in the southwest? Are you trying to negotiate with them with words? I'm afraid it won't be that easy."
Song Changsheng couldn't help but grin, revealing two rows of white teeth, and said, "Talking isn't enough; we still need to use our fists."
My plan is to first use diplomacy, then force them to realize the severity of the future situation, and then subdue them one by one. Subduing them will be enough for me to reach the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage.
If someone else had said that, Peng Siying would definitely have rolled her eyes at him.
However, she had personally witnessed Song Changsheng's strength; unless he fought against a Nascent Soul True Monarch, he was completely flawless.
Even without condensing a false infant, he would still be the number one person below the Nascent Soul stage in the border regions. Although not overwhelmingly so, he already possesses the qualifications to become the leader of the alliance.
In a sense, he is even more suitable to be the leader of the alliance than a Nascent Soul True Monarch in dealing with the demon race.
"What are you planning to do? You can't just kick down the doors one by one, can you?"
"That would be too much trouble, and it would be very undignified and easy to offend people."
I plan to hold an alliance meeting and invite all the major powers in the southwest to participate. At this meeting, the leader of the alliance will be chosen in a dignified manner.
This approach offers slightly less control, but as long as everyone's overall direction is correct, it's sufficient.
In fact, Song Changsheng only said half of what he meant. He maintained the correct general direction in the early stages, and once the war started, he would naturally gain more control after demonstrating his true strength.
Because everyone knows what a fake baby represents.
Back then, anyone who dared to outwardly comply but inwardly defy the rules could be directly labeled a traitor and eliminated with a flick of the wrist.
"Yes, just let me know when you need it." Peng Siying wisely refrained from asking further questions and simply gave an affirmative answer.
"Quan Chong is a trustworthy person. With his assistance, you will soon be able to take control of the Chamber of Commerce. There are still some matters within the clan that I need to attend to, so I will not stay at the Chamber of Commerce any longer. I will leave after finishing this cup of hot tea."
At this point, Song Changsheng seemed to remember something and took out a jade slip, saying, "This is the formula for neutralizing Li Qinghe's secret medicine, which I found by searching my soul."
Finally, still not entirely convinced, he added, "You know how to use it, right?"
"Naturally, we should wait until the toxins in their bodies take effect before using it, so as to take the opportunity to enhance our prestige and win people's hearts. I know this principle."
"Smart." Song Changsheng nodded in relief, then drank the spiritual tea in front of him in one gulp, his figure turning into a wisp of green smoke and slowly dissipating from his seat.
By the time Peng Siying realized what was happening, he had already appeared outside Sifang City.
He originally planned to personally visit the Xuanling Sect and the Ancient God Pavilion to subdue these two established Golden Core forces, which would be equivalent to taking control of the entire Suzhou cultivation world and would greatly help the alliance meeting he was about to convene.
However, time constraints make it somewhat difficult.
According to his calculations, Song Qingxing should have already returned to his clan by now.
After all, he had watched him grow up. He had gone alone to participate in a trial with an extremely high mortality rate, and a full sixty years had passed since then. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't worried or missed him.
He often played the role of "father" in Song Qingxing's life, and naturally he could not be absent from this important moment of returning home in glory.
In addition, Bai Zhengchun's body has returned to Luoxia City and should be buried in a coffin around this time. As a junior, he also needs to go and see him off. If he delays any longer, he won't even be able to see him one last time.
He returned to Wangyue Market via the spatial teleportation array. Before even reaching Cangmang Peak, he vaguely saw a powerful sword intent, as if it had the potential to soar into the sky.
A smile crept onto Song Changsheng's lips: "We've arrived, just wondering if it's the fifty-three days."
Beneath the smile lay a sense of unease.
……
P.S.: The extra chapter might be posted late, so I suggest you go to bed early. (End of Chapter)