Chapter 912 – Temple in Apparent Decline

Translated by: Berrrybunz

“It is time to lay our cards on the table.” Huo Liu Shang looked at the distant Snow City, his face revealing a look of seriousness: “If Mace Field Tradings choose to join Temple, what measures should we take?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Sadra, he was the true leader of the alliance.

“Then we destroy them.” Sadra said without hesitation, he spoke calmly: “We give it our all to destroy them.”

Everyone nodded their heads, if Mace Field Tradings chose Temple, the threat they posed to the Four Aristocrats would be too huge, and regardless of the price they had to pay, they had to destroy Mace Field Tradings Family.

Thus, they brought their armies, the strongest armies of the four families, to control Snow City.

Snow City was placed in an indescribable and imposing oppression, the power of the Four Aristocrats loomed over the skies of Saint Continent.

Compared to the Aristocrat Alliance’s forceful behavior, Temple’s actions looked much weaker. Sophie’s actions on wiping out the Qiu Family’s camp with her Banner of Knights was not just a matter of venting her anger. Almost all of the Clan Elders of Temple were mobilized, they were sent to various places of Saint Continent, to establish a connection with the various armies and prepare for their final efforts.

But what everyone else saw was a beast at its last struggle. All of the new Prestigious Families who were sought all complied in word, but in truth, lacked the actions.

Temple truly had too few bargaining chips, aside from the Banner of Knights, they had nothing. Jia Ya was stationed at Wei Ye Guan Continent, it was unclear if Mu Zhi Xia was dead or alive, and the loyal forces of Temple were all at the Southern Region. As for the Honorable Martial Continent’s Lieutenant General, they were all linked to the various Prestigious Families in many ways, and at that moment their attitude was ambiguous.

The powerful Temple could only rely on the new Prestigious Families. But the rising and new Prestigious Families that were loose and complex also harbored their own thoughts. Their armies were weak and they lacked trust. What was even more deadly was that they were extremely worried about Temple’s predicament.

Many of the rising and new Prestigious Families had secretly formed an alliance with the Four Aristocrats.

Despite knowing the fact that it might not be a good thing for them if the Aristocrats won. But they knew that they could only survive by standing by

the victor’s side.

The conflicts between the rising Prestigious Families and their outward devotion and inner opposition towards Temple was no longer a secret.

Temple was in a dangerous situation, as they declined further and further.

How could Temple alone, which was declining, hold an advantage against the Allied Aristocrats to win over the Mace Field Tradings Family?

This decline reached its peak when Clan Elder Seuss appeared alone at Snow City.

On the empty street, Clan Elder Seuss’ lone figure looked extremely bleak, there were no tight security around him, no grand ceremonies in place, no figures bowing to him or even the sun that shone its light down on him.

Everyone who witnessed the scene all harbored a feeling of distress.

It was Temple, the ones who created the Honorable Martial Continent, the Temple that held the ruling position and was unbreakable for so many years, seemed to have collapsed like a building overnight.

In the sky, Howl could not help but reveal a happy smile: “Temple knows that they can’t snatch from us, and sent Seuss alone.”

Huo Liu Shang and Mo Yi Gu smiled. Mace Field Tradings Family’s strength was unfathomable, and unless they were forced, they would never wage a war against them. And if Mace Field Tradings Family were to join their alliance, Temple’s fall would only be a matter of when.

Sadra’s eyes flashed with a look of seriousness: “Don’t be careless.”

Mo Yi Gu became arrogant: “You still think that Temple can play anymore tricks?”

“Ha!” Huo Liu Shang had a look of disdain on his face: “Temple is finished, their time has come. Look how secretive Seuss is acting, I am extremely joyful in my heart right now. He is usually extremely arrogant, he and Temple are exactly the same.”

Sadra shook his head: “All of you forgot one person.”

Howl was startled for a second, then asked: “Great Clan Elder?”

Huo Liu Shang’s smile turned sluggish, he forced an unnatural smile: “You guys are overthinking it. Great Clan Elder is powerful, I can admit to that. But I do not believe that just by himself, the Great Clan Elder can turn the entire situation around.”

Mo Yi Gu nodded his head: “That’s right, the cleverest housewife can’t cook without rice, he has no more cards to play, how can he fight?”

Sadra replied indifferently: “I wish that I am overthinking it.”

His worry not only lessened, but increased, he was different from the rest, as he had interacted with the Great Clan Elder

Elder before, and had a deeper understanding towards the Great Clan Elder. He knew how powerful the Great Clan Elder was, despite him not appearing often.

Right from the start, Sadra was most worried about the Great Clan Elder, the person who never had a sense of existence, and not Sophie, or the Banner of Knights.

But he knew that it was futile to speak too much, and he could only be careful. Analyzing the situation before him, despite being astute with deep foresight, he was unable to think of how Temple would make a comeback. But he knew that the Great Clan Elder was not one to surrender or one to admit defeat.

Howl removed the happiness in his mind and said: “I will go and test him.”

None of them were ordinary men, and they knew that they could not be careless until everything was over. The battle would determine whether their family would live or die. If they won, they would become the true masters of Honorable Martial Continent, and if they lost, their families would accompany them into the abyss of eternal damnation.

Seuss walked along the street, he was afraid, Snow City had been occupied by the enemies, and he felt that he was a lamb that had entered the tiger’s den. But he had to comply, for it was the Great Clan Elder’s order.

He continued to rack his brains, but could not understand the Great Clan Elder’s meaning. Even if he managed to convince Mace Field Tradings to join Temple, the enemy would not let them leave.

Furthermore, Seuss had no confidence in the conditions that they could offer. He could not understand the Great Clan Elder’s order at all, all of Temple had been mobilized to various places of the Saint Continent by the Great Clan Elder. Seuss saw it as a futile effort, which would only let others see how Temple was losing control of the situation. Especially by doing such a thing, that resembled casting a huge net. Seuss thought that they had might as well consolidate all of their forces to attack and destroy Mace Field Tradings Family.

~Mace Field Tradings is the last bargaining chip we can get.~

But the Great Clan Elder ignored his suggestion, and remained stubborn.

Seuss was filled with mourn, he felt that Temple was truly in danger. ~Maybe this time, I will die in Snow City~, he was filled with negative emotions.

Suddenly, his eyes dazzled, a figure had appeared and blocked his path.

He raised his head, and recognized Howl.

Howl

/>

Howl laughed: “Why is Clan Elder here alone, could it be that Temple isn’t worried about Clan Elder Seuss’ safety? Or do you think that the blades in our hands are not sharp enough? And we can’t cut through Clan Elder’s head?”

Seuss threw out all of the negative emotions in his mind, and spoke calmly: “Whether or not you can cut me down, wait till I’ve met Senior Xin, I believe Senior Xin will make the right decision.”

Howl sneered: “With the way you look, you have no need to meet Senior Xin.”

Seuss laughed: “Could it be that you are making the decision for Senior Xin? I wonder if Senior Xin has agreed to it.”

Howl choked, he was extremely fearful of the unfathomable Senior Xin. He did not dare to block Seuss and stop Seuss from meeting Senior Xin.

Senior Xin’s words were clear and his intent was obvious, he wanted them to set their price at the same time. In the situation where he held the upper hand, it was extremely illogical to provoke Senior Xin and Mace Field Tradings Family. Furthermore, there was no need for it, Howl did not believe that Temple could offer anything better than them.

Seuss’ lone visit was the best proof.

Howl opened the path, and did a polite gesture: “Let us go together.”

Seuss took a deep breath, then continued walking.

***************

Mace Field Tradings.

Ji Ze looked at Ah Xin with a look of disbelief: “Can you stop acting? You better not screw up at such a crucial moment, Young Miss Ran will never let you go.”

At the corner, Xiao Ran snorted, but she had obviously bought Ji Ze’s salutation for her as “Young Miss Ran”.

(TN: I think the author has mistakenly spelt Xiao Ran to Xiao Man in all the previous chapters, and came back to Xiao Ran again. Xiao Man and Xiao Ran are the same person, it is my mistake as well. My apologies.)

Ah Xin looked at Ji Ze with disdain: “Do you think I’m you? Come, come and call me Senior Xin obediently!”

Ji Ze sneered, then turned his head: “Young Miss Ran, he says that he is your senior.”

Xiao Ran stared at Ah Xin with an unkind expression.

Ah Xin was dumbstruck, he was stunned by Ji Ze’s shamelessness, to be able to turn his words…..

Tang Tian and Qian Hui sat at a corner, watching the trio and feeling happy. Qian Hui chuckled, but her smile quickly disappeared as she spoke with worry:

spoke with worry: “Big brother Tian, I feel that something is wrong.”

“Something’s wrong?” Tang Tian was instantly focused on her, he asked: “What’s wrong?”

Tang Tian had complete trust in Qian Hui’s judgement, he knew that Qian Hui was much more intellectual than him.

The rest stopped playing and looked at Qian Hui.

Qian Hui did not answer Tang Tian, but turned to ask Melissa: “Young Miss Melissa, the guests of the past few days, are they more towards temple or for those Aristocrats?”

Melissa was startled, she quickly reacted: “I will go and count the statistics now.”

There were many customers for the past few days, causing the business to become weary from coping with it.

After a few moments, Melissa returned, she had a confused expression: “Master, Young Miss Qian Hui, we have tallied it up, There are more customers that are siding with the Aristocrats, roughly 60% of them are leaning towards them.”

“Temple is at a disadvantage, it isn’t strange if it was due to many reasons. Thus Temple and the Aristocrats alliance needs us, and according to logic, Temple needs us more. But, why are there more guests from the Aristocrats Alliance, isn’t that strange?” Qian Hui addressed the issue instantly.

When Qian Hui put it out clearly for him, Tang Tian then realised it, and was confused: “That’s right, are they not anxious?”

“Temple has been strange recently, they only did one thing.” Qian Hui added: “They have dispatched all of their Clan Elders, all of the clan elders are meeting the various families, but they do not seem to care about the results. I noticed that the places that the Clan Elders were dispatched to did not have many armies there.”

“Are they trying to get anyone since they are in a crisis?” Fu Zheng Zhi asked.

“No. Something’s wrong.” Ah Xin became serious as he shook his head.

Out of all of them, aside from Qian Hui, the most astute person was Ah Xin, he had also sensed that something was amiss, and there was an unforeseen danger lurking in the air.

“Temple has held its rule over Honorable Martial Continent for so many years, but that’s their only counteraction, isn’t it a bit too weak?”

Qian Hui’s face seemed to release a light that could see through anything, her cold demeanour made others become respectful, at that moment, everyone then remembered her nickname, The Goddess of War.

“Seems like we need to unravel this mystery today.” Tang Tian muttered, the blaze in his eyes churned.