NOVPUBHearing Shi Shaoshuo’s words, Shi Jian was momentarily stunned.
Surprised, he said, "Clan Leader, isn’t this a bit too much?"
"Too much?
If our Stone Race were to be annihilated, what use would holding the Supreme Hammer be?"
Shi Shaoshuo retorted, "How many of our people did Yu Shaoqing kill?
Slashing him is also to mourn for the deceased, not at all excessive."
"Alright, I will go and inform Junior Brother Xu right away," Shi Jian quickly nodded.
After parting with Shi Shaoshuo, Shi Jian hurriedly conveyed the message to Xu Zimei.
Xu Zimei naturally agreed to fight the next day.
So, he spent the whole day waiting quietly at the Stone Heart Pavilion for the next day to arrive.
... The night was thick as ink,
A deathly silence,
Only to see a figure sprinting through the Stone Race territory, swift as a thunderbolt, reaching a small courtyard in a few breaths.
The dark figure slightly raised his head and walked over the courtyard wall into the courtyard.
Inside the courtyard was a stone table, with an elder sitting in front of it.
In front of him was a pot of hot tea.
The elder was drinking tea, admiring a moonless night sky.
This elder was Elder Shiyang.
Because of the great war, most of the Core Elders in the Stone Race had died in battle.
To the extent that now, in the vast Stone Race, apart from the Clan Leader Shi Shaoshuo, he was the man of greatest prestige.
Seeing the dark figure arrive, Elder Shiyang was not surprised.
Instead, he asked calmly, "Young Master Lu visiting late at night, summoning this old man here, may I know the matter?"
The dark figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing his features under the faint night light.
It was Lu Ze.
"I’ve come to be a mediator," Lu Ze said with a smile.
He didn’t wait for an invitation, taking a seat at the stone table and pouring himself a cup of tea.
"What kind of mediator does Young Master Lu intend to be?" Elder Shiyang asked with a frown.
"That’s not important," Lu Ze said with a smile: "I just have one question, does Elder Shiyang aspire to be the Clan Leader?"
Hearing this, Elder Shiyang’s hand holding the tea paused for a moment.
He turned his head to look at Lu Ze and asked, "What do you mean, Young Master Lu?"
"How long does Elder Shiyang think the Stone Race can hold on?" Shiyang inquired.
Elder Shiyang fell silent for a short while.
How long they could hold on depended on the Feather Clan’s mood.
If they weren’t in a rush, then they could hold on a bit longer.
But if the Feather Clan decided to attack tomorrow, then tomorrow would be the end.
"I’ve always believed in the saying, ’The wise adapt themselves to the situation.
History won’t remember the defeated; they only exalt those who survive to the end.’"
Lu Ze said with a smile.
"What do you mean?" Elder Shiyang seemed to realize something, asking with a frown.
"Join the Feather Clan, and I guarantee you the position of Clan Leader of the Stone Race," Lu Ze said, taking a gentle sip from his cup of tea.
"In your dreams," Elder Shiyang stood up, slamming his hand on the table.
He scolded, "If the Clan Leader heard what you’re saying, do you believe he would immediately have you captured?"
"Elder Shiyang, you won’t tell Shi Shaoshuo," Lu Ze said with a light chuckle.
"You might not consider your own future, but what about your family?
Don’t you think about them at all?"
"You want me to be the one who betrays his own people?" Elder Shiyang snorted coldly.
"I see that you’ve come to the Stone Race under the pretense of helping Shi Yuyan but actually harbor ulterior motives."
"Elder Shiyang, don’t put it so unpleasantly.
What do you mean, ’the one who betrays his own people’? You’re saving the Stone Race; you should be considered a great hero."
```
Lu Ze said with a smile, "As for Shi Yuyan, I have been very kind to her, but it’s a pity she was not sensible enough to appreciate it. So you can’t blame me for taking what I wanted by force."
"Hero?" Elder Shiyang scoffed. "Turning one’s own race into a vassal Sect Gate to others,
to put it bluntly, is like becoming a dog; is that what you call a hero?"
"Elder Shiyang, don’t get too excited. Just hear me out.
First, the survival of a race, whether it’s becoming someone else’s dog or thriving prosperously,
can’t avoid one issue: living.
Only if the clan members are alive, can there be infinite possibilities.
If Shi Shaoshuo were to lead all of the Stone Race to a noble death, it might be tragic for a short while.
But time will eventually erode everything, and then no one will remember the Stone Race.
But if you could lead the Stone Race to align with the Feather Clan and keep your people alive,
even if it means living under someone else’s roof temporarily, it doesn’t mean it will always be so.
One day, maybe the Stone Race will become strong, even turning the Feather Clan into dogs for you.
All this is only possible if you are alive, only then is there a future."
Lu Ze continued unabated, "Secondly, I believe Elder Shiyang certainly wouldn’t want to die, nor would you want your family to die with you.
Wouldn’t being able to survive, and even becoming the Clan Leader, be the best of both worlds?
Thirdly, I think Elder Shiyang doesn’t need to worry about others accusing you of betraying your clan.
Because when you rule the Stone Race, history will be written by you.
I’ll also get the Feather Clan to cooperate with you, and everything will be satisfactory."
Hearing Lu Ze’s words, Elder Shiyang remained silent for a long time.
The night seemed like a silent giant beast, swallowing everything.
Unknown insects hidden in unseen corners chirped.
"Did the Feather Clan send you to be their envoy?" Elder Shiyang asked in a somewhat deep voice.
"The Feather Clan named me specifically to find you; they want to work with you, very sincerely," Lu Ze said earnestly.
In fact, here, he told a lie.
The Feather Clan had only asked him to recruit someone to turn coat, with no specific choice of Elder Shiyang.
However, after arriving at the Stone Holy Mountain, he chose Elder Shiyang himself.
First of all, apart from Shi Shaoshuo, the Clan Leader, Elder Shiyang had the highest seniority in the Stone Race.
Secondly, the Stone Race had no one else to turn to since all other Core Elders had died in battle.
Even when it came to Shi Shaoshuo having to fight on his own, Elder Shiyang had not offered to go to battle.
It showed he feared death.
All things considered, he was the most suitable candidate.
The reason he lied was also to make Elder Shiyang feel that the Feather Clan valued him highly.
In reality, they were just a bunch of jumping clowns; the Feather Clan didn’t care much about them at all.
"How will you deal with Shi Shaoshuo?" Elder Shiyang asked.
"If he doesn’t die, the clanspeople won’t listen to what I have to say."
"Of course, the initial plan was to have him face Young Master Yu in a duel tomorrow and then kill him.
Then support you as the new Clan Leader," Lu Ze frowned.
"But that boy from the Heavenly Dao Academy meddled.
But no matter, we will kill that boy tomorrow, and Shi Shaoshuo the day after."
"Is that possible?" Elder Shiyang asked.
"I know Yu Shaoqing is strong, but Shi Shaoshuo is no easy opponent either."
"You don’t need to worry about that; that’s the Feather Clan’s problem," Lu Ze said with a laugh.
Then he extended his right hand and said, "Pleased to cooperate."
Their hands touched in the air.
"Pleased to cooperate."
...
The sky gradually brightened,
Dawn broke with a pale light, but the sun did not arrive as expected, and the sky was terribly overcast.
It was a gloomy day.
Thick clouds piled above, oppressively annoying.
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