157: Chapter 157 Challenge! A calculated scheme

When Hai Bodong was thrown into the dungeon of the Soul Realm, he happened to become neighbors with Xiao Zhan. The two former acquaintances from the Jia Ma Empire looked at each other through the cell door, both seeing an indescribable complexity in the other's eyes. Xiao Zhan leaned against the cell wall and smiled bitterly, "Brother Hai, how did you end up here too?"

Hai Bodong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and replied irritably, "To be roared into this state by a little girl… this old man's reputation is completely ruined."

Meanwhile, the Hall of Hun Tiandi was brightly lit. Void Swallowing Flame sat at the lower right seat, the black flames on his fingertips dancing slowly. In those eyes burning with black flames surged a calculation that only he understood.

He had lived for thousands of years, had seen countless wars and conspiracies, and understood the principle that attacking the heart is superior to attacking the city. Xiao Zhan was captured, and the Flame Emperor Alliance endured it; Hai Bodong was captured, and they still endured it. But patience has its limits—when a person's face is repeatedly trampled underfoot, they will either completely collapse or fight back desperately.

This desperate counterattack was exactly what he wanted. It was not that Yao Chen did not want to save them, but that he dared not, because the overall strength of the Flame Emperor Alliance was far inferior to the Soul Clan Alliance. But what if they were given a seemingly fair battlefield? What if it was agreed that the peak experts from both sides would not intervene, and only the core fighting forces would compete? Yao Chen would be tempted—because this was the only way he could possibly win. And as long as the main force of the Flame Emperor Alliance was pinned down on the front line, the rear would become an undefended empty city.

Void Swallowing Flame flicked the black flames off his fingertips and extinguished them, his low voice slowly echoing in the hall, "Issue a challenge. Arrange a decisive battle with the Flame Emperor Alliance at Duanhun Cliff in one month. State clearly in the challenge—Hun Tiandi, Gu Yuan, and this seat, the three Nine-Star Dou Sheng, will not participate. Yao Chen is a smart man; he will accept."

He paused slightly, a cold sharpness flashing in his eyes burning with black flames, "But the decisive battle is only a move on the surface. Once the main force of the Flame Emperor Alliance is pinned down at Duanhun Cliff, the rear strongholds like the Jia Ma Empire, the Black-Corner Region, and Jia Nan Academy will be defenseless. At that time, divide our troops into four routes—the first route will engage in the front, holding back the main force of the Flame Emperor Alliance; the second route will go straight to the Jia Ma Empire, controlling the imperial capital's royal family and various clans, and execute anyone who refuses to submit; the third route will sweep through the Black-Corner Region, clearing out all factions that have attached themselves to the Flame Emperor Alliance; the fourth route will head to Jia Nan Academy, controlling the Inner Academy, while simultaneously sending people to Wutan City to invite all the remaining members of the Xiao Family to the Soul Realm as guests."

He paused, his tone as indifferent as if he were discussing the weather, yet it sent an invisible chill through everyone in the hall, "This battle is not just about winning; it is about completely uprooting the foundation of the Flame Emperor Alliance. Even if Yao Chen manages to save his life at Duanhun Cliff, when he looks back—the Jia Ma Empire is gone, the Black-Corner Region is gone, Jia Nan Academy is gone, and the Xiao Family is gone too. By then, what will the Flame Emperor Alliance have left to fight the Hun Clan?"

Hun Tiandi leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping slowly on the armrest, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He did not say much more, only instructing Soul Mie Sheng below the hall, "Go and do it."

A few days later, a challenge from the Hun Clan was publicly posted at the gates of every major city in the Central Plains. The wording of the challenge was extremely concise, but the few lines of text burned into the hearts of every member of the Flame Emperor Alliance like a red-hot branding iron—"The Hun Clan invites the Flame Emperor Alliance to a decisive battle at Duanhun Cliff in one month. Hun Tiandi, Gu Yuan, and Void Swallowing Flame, the three Nine-Star Dou Sheng, will not participate. If you dare not accept the challenge, in one month, the head of Hai Bodong will be hung at the main gate of the Soul Realm as a warning to others."

The content of the challenge spread across the entire Central Plains as if it had grown wings. In teahouses, taverns, sect halls, and mercenary camps, everyone was discussing this upcoming decisive battle. Some said the Hun Clan was intentionally going easy and that the three Nine-Star experts not participating was just fishing for prey; others said that if the Flame Emperor Alliance did not dare to accept, they would never be able to hold their heads high again; still others counted the comparative strength of both sides on their fingers, only to find that even if the three Nine-Star experts did not participate, the core fighting force of the Soul Clan Alliance still crushed the Flame Emperor Alliance. But no one cared about these details—everyone's gaze was focused on the same question: Does the Flame Emperor Alliance dare to accept?

In the main hall of the Starfall Pavilion, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the silence before a storm. Yao Chen sat in the main seat, with the challenge that had been copied countless times spread out on the table before him, his aged fingers slowly stroking the surface of the paper. Wind Idle stood by his side and said in a deep voice, "The Hun Clan is indeed mobilizing troops; traces of the Hall of Souls Heavenly Venerables have already appeared on the outskirts of Duanhun Cliff. This challenge is not a bluff. Alliance Master, do we accept?"

Yao Chen read the challenge three times, remaining silent for a long time. The three Nine-Star Dou Sheng not participating—this was the bait provided by the Hun Clan, and also an overt plot. If they did not accept, the morale of the Flame Emperor Alliance would completely collapse, and Hai Bodong would lose his life because of it. If they accepted, perhaps there was a glimmer of hope. Xiao Yan was not here, so he would fight this battle for him. Even if they lost, he would let the Hun Clan know that there were no cowards in the Flame Emperor Alliance.

"Pass down the order. All fighting forces of the Flame Emperor Alliance above the Dou Zun level are to assemble within three days. In one month, at Duanhun Cliff, we shall fight the Hun Clan to the death."

Meanwhile, the Soul Clan Alliance was also mobilizing its forces in full swing. In the main hall, a huge sand table marked the terrain of Duanhun Cliff and the deployment of troops from both sides, with four-colored command flags filling the entire battlefield. Void Swallowing Flame personally sat in the center of the army, the Four Demon Saints were lined up on the left and right, and Soul Mie Sheng had sent out the last batch of spies from the Assassination Department.

"The front line is just a move on the surface." Void Swallowing Flame inserted a blood-colored command flag into the center of the sand table at Duanhun Cliff, "Once the decisive battle begins, the Flame Emperor Alliance will surely send out its entire force. At that time, the rear of the Jia Ma Empire, the Black-Corner Region, and Jia Nan Academy will be empty, which is the time to close the net. Soul Mie Sheng, you lead a team of elites straight to the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire and control the royal family and various clans. If they are willing to surrender, spare their lives for now; if they dare to resist, execute them without mercy. Soul You, the Black-Corner Region is left to you; clear out all the forces that have attached themselves to the Flame Emperor Alliance. Soul Yuan Tian, you are responsible for Jia Nan Academy—just control the Inner Academy, there is no need to slaughter those young students. Additionally, send a team to Wutan City and invite all the remaining members of the Xiao Family to the Soul Realm as guests. Xiao Zhan is too lonely in the dungeon; someone must accompany him to talk."

Soul Mie Sheng bowed to accept the order, and Soul You nodded slightly. A cold, sharp smile flashed across Soul Yuan Tian's withered old face, and he also cupped his fists in agreement.

Hun Muxiao rushed in from outside the hall in a flurry, her peach-blossom eyes shining with undisguised excitement, "Great-grandfather! I heard we are going to have a decisive battle with the Flame Emperor Alliance? I want to go too! I'm already at the peak of the Seven-Turn Dou Zun, and my Blood Soul Heavenly Wrath has reached great success. Last time I fought that old ice man, I didn't even break a sweat—let me be on the front line this time, I beg you!"

Hun Tiandi glanced at her without speaking, merely pulling out a small flag representing the vanguard of the Hun Clan from the sand table and inserting it at the very front position of Duanhun Cliff. "The vanguard can be given to you, but there are conditions—you must obey the command of Soul Mie Sheng on the battlefield, you are not allowed to leave the team without authorization, and you are not allowed to pursue the enemy deep into their territory. If you can do that, I will let you go." Hun Muxiao nodded desperately, then ran out of the hall joyfully to show off to Yao Yao.

Hun Tiandi watched the little girl's leaping back, a faint smile flashing in his eyes burning with black flames. In a few more years, this girl might really be able to take over Hun Feng's position. But before that, he had to completely pull out the thorn that was the Flame Emperor Alliance for Hun Feng. His gaze returned to the sand table, and he inserted the last command flag into the position of Wutan City. He had laid out this game of chess for so long; it was time to close the net.