CHAPTER 402
The Family Banquet
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The long table was laden with fine wines and delicacies—a banquet hosted by the Human Emperor was bound to be extravagant.
"Immortal Su, could you tell me about this 'deadly place' Jue'er mentioned?"
Dongfang Jue saw no other way. He wouldn't make his master waste words, so he simply recounted what he knew to Dongfang Shuo.
After listening, Dongfang Shuo's face darkened. "If that is truly the case, Immortal Su, do you have a way to deal with it?"
Su Cheng smiled wryly. "None whatsoever. We can only trade lives for time, trade lives for territory—until we gather sufficient intelligence, until we devise a solution."
This was the truth. The 57:1 casualty ratio applied to well-trained soldiers. If it were militiamen or raw recruits, the losses would be even greater.
But even among the Great Fox's forces, truly well-trained soldiers were few and far between.
Place a soldier in the heart of the battlefield, and their average survival time was barely the length of a burning incense stick.
Defenses built from corpses were no joke—they were a grim reality.
Dongfang Jue had heard the Valkyries mention this before. The Valkyrie codenamed Catastrophe, Xiao Nuo, had discussed it with the three sisters, leaving a vivid impression on them.
【It takes a dozen corpses to scrape together a barely wearable suit of armor.】
【My armor is plastered with my comrade's flesh. His fingers are wedged in the crevices of my shoulder plates.】
【I needed to reach the target location, but the equipment I required—along with the comrade who had already been torn to shreds—was gone.】
【Yet I went. Had I stayed, more comrades would have been torn to shreds. Had I remained where I was, I too would have become a pile of flesh…】
This death ground, now shrouded in black mist, is only the beginning.
More death zones will emerge, and the types and numbers of Apostles will multiply, until the gods descend…
"If that is the case, what purpose does the Immortal Alliance serve?"
"To minimize casualties, preserve strength, and buy time until a solution is found—this is the only way."
This isn't the traditional trade-off of space for time. It's a slaughter that feels like a joke. To put it bluntly, the so-called common people can only pin all their hopes on Su Cheng.
And the vast majority of the Immortal Alliance remained unaware of this.
"Jue'er, do you think the same?"
Dongfang Shuo could scarcely believe it. His precious daughter was willing to stake the fate of the entire world on a man she had only recently met.
Especially after learning that this Su Cheng was not the same Su Cheng…
Dongfang Jue understood her father's meaning, but some things were beyond her ability to explain.
Dongfang Jue trusted Su Cheng just as Xiao Ai trusted him. She felt he was worthy of her trust.
But she didn't know how to explain this worth to others, so she simply nodded.
"Yes, my master can do it, and he has done it before."
To Dongfang Jue's surprise, Su Cheng shook his head this time, refuting her claim.
"Hm? Did you misunderstand something, Jue'er? What does this have to do with me?"
Su Cheng wore a mischievous grin, leaning sideways against Yu Lan, his expression clearly full of mischief.
"Um… Master?"
"What do the masses of the world have to do with me? Isn't that Jue'er's concern?"
"So… Master, is this for Jue'er's sake?"
Su Cheng clearly misunderstood Dongfang Jue's meaning, thinking she had grasped that this was meant to temper her.
"You could say that. After all, Jue'er cares deeply for the world's people, doesn't she?"
Dongfang Jue froze. So all this… was for her sake?
Yes! In Master's eyes, the so-called cycles of life and death, the revolutions of cause and effect—all were simply the natural order of survival of the fittest.
Master had done all this for her, for the three sisters!
"Jue'er thanks the Master. Jue'er truly cannot bear to see the common people suffer such torment. It is only that my strength is insufficient, causing the Master such trouble…"
"Hehe, Jue'er, there's no need to think that way. This is also part of cultivation. Jue'er, there's no need to be impatient. You can try doing it. I am here."
Jue'er was undoubtedly the most level-headed of the three disciples, adept at learning and reflection, possessing many noble qualities.
"More than advancing your cultivation, I wish for you to live joyfully and live with clarity."
What does it mean to live with clarity? How many people struggle their entire lives to understand their purpose, while some, even at a young age, already know what they wish to accomplish.
The path of cultivation is long, and in this lifetime, one can accomplish many things.
Yet what truly matters? No one can say for certain.
Each person defines life differently, and Su Cheng hoped his three direct disciples would find their own meaning.
"Um, Master, Jue'er…"
The instant Dongfang Jue met her father's gaze, she suddenly remembered her mother.
Su Cheng instantly understood her thoughts, though he felt a pang of regret…
Dongfang Jue's mother was different from Ye's mother. Su Cheng understood her desire to reunite with her family, but many things were beyond her current capabilities.
Unless, of course, he truly mastered the rules.
"Jue'er, do you miss your mother?"
Dongfang Jue felt a pang of guilt, but if there was a chance to revive her loved ones…
Dongfang Jue nodded. She knew about her senior sister's efforts to gather her mother's scattered soul fragments. If it were truly possible, she too would be willing to collect her mother's soul fragments!
"I'm sorry, Jue'er. Your mother's situation differs from Qinghan's mother's…"
Ye Qinghan's mother had been suppressed, her soul shattered beyond reincarnation.
But Dongfang Jue's mother had passed away from illness and had long since reincarnated. She was now a different person entirely. Even if one could restore her past life's memories, it was unlikely she could ever become Jue'er's mother again.
"Hey! Shiyu, I told you this is a formal occasion—don't embarrass our Master! Put that plate down!"
"Senior Sister! That chicken drumstick is huge! Shiyuo's been eyeing it for ages!"
"Hey! Shiyu, don't force me to spank you in front of everyone!"
"Senior Sister, keep your voice down! Or Master will hear us!"
"If you didn't sneak bites, you wouldn't get caught!"
The two seemed to snap out of it. One looked dazed, the other grinned sheepishly, both slowly turning their heads to look at Su Cheng.
Su Cheng wore an exasperated yet indulgent expression, chuckling, "Go ahead and eat, Shiyu. Your master can afford it~"
Whether it was perfect timing or a deliberate attempt to distract Jue'er from sad thoughts, their entrance was, as always, uniquely creative.
"Senior Sister, don't stop Shiyu! Master said she should just eat!"
"Mm, I know. But let Senior Sister try some too!"
"Senior Sister, Shiyu saw this first!"
"Oh? But didn't Master see Senior Sister first? Yet he didn't stop Jue'er from becoming his disciple either."
"Senior Sister, you're twisting logic!"
"Yeah, not only are you twisting logic, Senior Sister, you're also forcing others!"
Dongfang Shuo was completely dumbfounded! Who were these two beauties? Eating right after entering?
"Jue'er, who are these two?"
Dongfang Shuo had never encountered such bold…
…women…
"That blonde is my second senior sister, the leader of the Eastern Region, the top dog of the Sacred Mountain—the 'Pants-Pulling Immortal' Li Shiyao."
Dongfang Shuo looked slightly surprised: "Li Shiyao? You mean the Holy Maiden of the Sacred Mountain?"
"Yep, that's her!"
"Jue'er, you never mentioned the Holy Mountain's Holy Maiden was your junior sister!"
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