The forefathers looked askance at each other. They didn’t understand exactly why Jiang Chen was insisting on swimming. G.o.ds could be certain of their survival, but anyone below could not.
More importantly, swimming wasn’t going to do them any good. Their enemy wouldn’t predict it, true, but it would take a very long time at a very slow speed. It was easy to notice a crowd of swimmers, and easier still to organize an impromptu ambush.
Given enough time to react, swimming would become exponentially more dangerous. Because of this, no one understood what there was to gain by swimming.
Where did Jiang Chen’s confidence come from?
The young man didn’t seem like a blindly confident person – or a thoughtlessly ignorant one, for that matter. Would he make such a trivial mistake?
That didn’t seem to be the case either!
Everyone looked at Jiang Chen and waited.
He cut straight to the chase.
“I don’t mean physically swimming across with our own bodies. There’s a better way than that. However, we must carefully maintain control over the other cultivators during the process. Aside from the best of the sacred lands, the others must be sealed away tightly in airboats to prevent them from communicating with the outside world.
“If any wind of what we’re doing is let out, the risk of our maneuver will be significantly increased. My objective is to swim to the exit before the enemy has time to react. Even if there’s an ambush there, we can be the ones to launch a preemptive strike.”
“A better way?” His captive audience was totally lost. What better way was there to swim? They’d never heard of such a thing.
“Tell us, Jiang Chen, what better way do you have than to swim?”
Jiang Chen shook his head. “I can’t divulge it at present. I merely ask whether you seniors have the ability to make the others all go into airboats and cut off their communications. As long as you can do that, I am confident I’ll be able to bring us all safely to the exit. As for how far we get after that, that will depend on your fighting abilities.”
He didn’t easily make promises he couldn’t keep. Obviously, he wasn’t strong enough to decide whether they could ultimately escape.
Actually taking on the ambushers would be up to the ten forefathers.
The forefathers looked somewhat doubtful and began to consider whether the idea was actually feasible. It certainly sounded rather attractive, but…
What ‘better way’ did he have up his sleeve?
“Don’t worry about the method I’m going to employ, seniors. I can only say that it will involve no physical effort on your part,” Jiang Chen reminded once more.
“Young Jiang Chen has never let anyone down in the past,” ventured the Martial forefather. “I trust him this time too.”
“Heh, I feel much the same way about any of his proposals.” The Radiance forefather smiled.
“Sunrise has always staunchly supported young Jiang Chen.”
“We don’t exactly have much choice, do we? Why not put our faith in the little miracle-worker we have here?”
“Quite so. If Jiang Chen can get us out of this bind, he’ll undoubtedly be one of the future leaders of Myriad Abyss!”
The forefathers said their pieces one by one. They were decisive enough to instantly take the only avenue available to them.
The way Jiang Chen had broken through the Prismatic Convergence Formation had been visible to all. Even the ten forefathers had been helpless before it, yet the youth had prevailed.
There was no reason he shouldn’t put up a repeat showing of that.
The Eternal forefather’s eyes became steely. He looked all around his circle of peers. “Gentlemen, since we’ve decided to commit our success to Jiang Chen, I hope we all do our utmost to prevent any missteps due to oversights. The details will decide our victory and survival; there is no room for leniency. The second and third rate factions that refuse to cooperate must be put down.”
As Eternal was the leader of the alliance, he was unafraid of speaking harsh truths. This was one of his responsibilities.
Everyone else nodded apprehensively. “Yes. The ten sacred lands lead Myriad Abyss. In this crucial time, we must use our clout to ensure our collective survival. Either they cooperate, or they stay on Sandplain.”
“Don’t worry, they’ll do everything they can to cooperate. They should know as well as we that they’re only a detriment otherwise.”
“Let’s organize immediately. We’ll have them all packed into airboats in no time with zero exceptions. Anyone who causes chaos must be crushed instantly!”
The forefathers were all ambitious men of action. They weren’t wont to exhibit unwarranted tenderness. The discussions complete, they reappeared in front of the others.
The Eternal forefather, expression somber, led the dialogue. “My friends, I regret to inform you that these mists are toxic. After extended consideration, we have found a way to get us all to safety – but the method to do so will need your cooperation.
“In particular, we will need you all to get into airboats. We will then seal the vessels away, not to trap you, but to prevent any of you from contacting the outside world. Our attempt at escaping is a matter of life and death. We must ensure no traitors have the opportunity to pa.s.s information to the enemy!”
The old man got straight to the point. Nothing he said was unclear about his intent.
Some second and third rate faction members began to clamor immediately.
They hadn’t minded the part about getting into the airboats, but sealing them away? Wasn’t that caging them in?
What if they were being used as cannon fodder to attract attention while the sacred lands fled? That would be supremely wrong!
Many became indignant in their protests.
The Eternal forefather snickered, then called out, “All of you, shut up!”
His divine aura stifled the noisy din.
“I am not forcing you to do anything. Anyone who doesn’t want to get into the airboat is free to stay here on Sandplain.”
“What right do you have to say that?! The ten sacred lands are leaders. If you can’t protect us in times of trouble, why should we support you?”