Chapter 503: The Open Conspiracy
The Grand Showdown
Hearing Luke's words, Zhang Ruochen's sense of caution intensified.
"What are you planning?"
"Don't worry, it's just a suggestion."
Luke sipped his juice as he spoke. "Fighting one temple at a time is too time-consuming. I want to solve the problem all at once."
"Daoist Priest Zhang, let's have a magnificent Grand Showdown!"
"A Grand Showdown?"
"Yes."
Luke leaned forward, holding up three fingers. "Your Daoist sect sends out three of your strongest disciples, all under the age of thirty-five, to duel with Jiu. A relay match is fine, or all three together—no problem.
If we lose, all the name plaques will be returned immediately, Jiu will cease all challenges, and furthermore, the Tiger Fiend Scripture will belong to the Daoist sect."
Zhang Ruochen was startled. He was putting the Tiger Fiend Scripture up as a bet! He couldn't help but ask, "What if we lose?"
Luke smiled, countering with a question,
"A bet requires fairness. I'm putting up such a huge chip, what do you think the Daoist sect should contribute?"
Zhang Ruochen's pupils contracted. He was instantly speechless.
With Jiu's rise, the Tiger Fiend Scripture had become the goal of every martial artist. Its ability to make a fifteen-year-old boy so powerful in just a few months demonstrated its might. Some enthusiasts even compared it to the Heavenly Master's Strategy, claiming the two divine books were equal.
Now that Luke was betting the Tiger Fiend Scripture, it meant...
"You want the Heavenly Master's Strategy!"
"I've admired that marvelous book for a long time and am very eager to see it."
Luke didn't deny it, speaking with extreme seriousness. "If Jiu wins, the Heavenly Master's Strategy is to be lent to me for ten minutes of viewing. In addition, you must honor him as the Martial God."
Zhang Ruochen was furious.
"Luke Shaw, you've gone too far! That is absolutely impossible!"
"Don't rush to a conclusion. Go discuss it with the abbots of the other temples and then come back to me."
"Of course, if you still don't agree, Jiu will simply have to continue fighting one temple at a time."
Zhang Ruochen narrowed his eyes, filled with killing intent.
"Do you truly think we have no way to deal with that Zhang Jiu?"
"Verbal threats are useless. If you choose to break the rules first, I warmly welcome it. Honestly, I'm already getting bored with this game."
Zhang Ruochen took a deep breath. "Luke Shaw, do you realize? What you are doing is picking a fight with the whole of China."
"No, you are wrong."
Luke raised his hand and pointed upwards, his expression extremely strange. "They won't side with you, nor will they side with me. They will merely watch quietly, waiting for the matter to conclude before emerging as the terminators."
Zhang Ruochen was immediately speechless. He had underestimated Luke Shaw's methods. The net was already cast, waiting for the fish to bite.
Tragically, the Daoist sect was the fish swimming in that river.
The Daoist Deliberation
Qingyun Mountain, Baiyun Temple.
After the conversation, Zhang Ruochen rushed back to meet the new Abbot and representatives from the other temples.
After relating Luke's proposal, a fierce-looking old Daoist priest slammed the table and stood up.
"What audacity! To dare covet the Heavenly Master's Strategy!"
"Does that Luke Shaw truly think there's no one left in the Daoist sect?"
"So, his goal was the Heavenly Master's Strategy all along. No wonder he created such a spectacle."
"He's using reputation, public opinion, spectacle, and dignity to pressure us into submission. Haha, he thinks too simply!"
"He thinks he can oppose us all alone? He overestimates himself."
The Daoist priests spoke one after another, their words filled with rage.
The Heavenly Master's Strategy was the supreme treasure of the Daoist sect and could absolutely not be handed over to an outsider.
Li Mo, the new Abbot of Baiyun Temple, seemed quite calm. He was the successor personally groomed by Zhang Ruosu and was known for his versatility among his fellow disciples.
"Martial Uncle, what is your assessment of Luke Shaw's strength?"
Zhang Ruochen was taken aback. His eyes swept over Li Mo. Sensing the strange look in the young Abbot's eyes, his heart lurched.
"You are the Abbot of Baiyun Temple. You must shoulder the responsibility of the sect leader. Don't think about other things."
"Is he really that formidable?"
"Your Martial Grand Uncle once said that he couldn't stop that man."
Li Mo hid the killing intent in his eyes and returned to his composed self. Zhang Ruochen smiled wryly and could only say,
"What are your thoughts on his proposal?"
Li Mo bowed his head, seemingly deep in thought. After a while, he spoke.
"From all the information, the opponent is not one to give up easily. Since he has set his sights on the Heavenly Master's Strategy, he will try every means to acquire it. We cannot avoid him."
An old Daoist priest chimed in, "Abbot Li is right. Luke Shaw has a wolf's ambition. If we don't crush his arrogance, he will continue to cause trouble."
Another person frowned. "Should we agree to his proposal then?"
Li Mo said solemnly, "This is an opportunity. If we win, we can not only showcase the power of the Daoist sect but also cut off Luke Shaw's hands, preventing him from having any other ideas."
"But the Heavenly Master's Strategy..."
"The Heavenly Master's Strategy is in the forbidden area. It hasn't appeared for a hundred years. No one knows what it looks like."
Everyone was stunned, then immediately understood. They secretly praised him while looking at Li Mo with strange eyes. They hadn't expected the new Abbot of Baiyun Temple to have such a cunning side.
However, this kind of action went against the principles of the Daoist sect, making it awkward to openly discuss.
Zhang Ruochen cleared his throat. "Do any of you have other ideas?"
After a brief pause, seeing no response, he continued,
"Then it's settled. This match concerns the reputation of the Daoist sect. If we lose, we won't be able to lift our heads for decades. Please return and consult with the other temples, selecting the three strongest disciples under the age of thirty-five."
"Luke Shaw's deadline is five days. Everyone, please prepare quickly!"
After the discussion, everyone left, leaving only two people in the large room.
Li Mo's gaze was distant as he said,
"When the sky full of birds surrounded Baiyun Temple, I was traveling and didn't witness it firsthand. Later, I heard that the birds contained bombs, and if they detonated, the entire Qingyun Mountain would be reduced to ash." He narrowed his eyes, a hint of confusion in his expression.
"I've searched through all the Daoist scriptures and couldn't find a single technique with that kind of power."
"Sometimes I wonder if it's time for the Daoist sect to change."
Zhang Ruochen didn't understand what he meant and couldn't help but say,
"What are you talking about? The Daoist sect has been passed down for thousands of years, and it has always been this way."
Li Mo sighed softly. "Martial Uncle, don't you feel it? Public opinion has never been on our side. The masses overwhelmingly support Zhang Jiu's actions, with few speaking up for us. And the authorities—they have remained silent from beginning to end."
"Silence is tacit approval."
"In a way, we are the ones fighting against the world."
Zhang Ruochen snapped, "How can you have such thoughts?"
Li Mo gave a wry smile.
"It's not that I have such thoughts, but the era is changing too fast, so fast that we can't keep up.
In the cold weapon era, the power we wielded could easily kill enemy leaders and determine the balance of the supernatural world. No dynasty, no monarch, could do without us. Now, it's different."
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