Chapter 2465: Different Paths

Regarding the historical origins of the Seven Towers, there is too much room for dispute and debate here. Badijiaer does not expect to persuade everyone to agree with his viewpoint, but it is also impossible for others to cause too much trouble for the current Seven Towers over this.

……

After Weide, the remaining Great Arcanists all spoke a few words to varying degrees, and the Seven Towers refuted or explained them one by one.

There is no final conclusion yet on whether to accept the return of the descendants of the Other Plane Pioneers, but the morning's debate also indicated a fact, which is—

It is completely reasonable for today's topic to be discussed at the Council of Great Arcanists.

After all, if it were not reasonable, there would be no need for the Seven Towers to participate in the discussion; they could have simply walked away. The fact that they did not leave shows that there is a necessity for discussion, which in turn shows the reasonableness of placing this topic here for discussion.

This is somewhat similar to circular verification, but this is reality, determined from the moment Badijiaer and the others arrived.

But just because the topic is reasonable to discuss here does not mean the Seven Towers will necessarily do as Xia Duo wishes; the real contest has only just begun!

……

During the noon recess, Xia Duo had just sent off Weide, who had come to exchange views in the Xiu Xi Shi, when he waited for an unexpected guest.

As soon as Huo En entered, without waiting for Xia Duo to speak, he accused him with dissatisfaction: "If Lord Xia Duo really wants to promote Sustainable Development, you could have discussed it with us. Why make the situation so rigid!"

Huo En still thought this matter was caused by Xia Duo resenting the Seven Towers for refusing to hand over the Xin Saiwendun pedestal, but Xia Duo did not explain much. Judging from Huo En's attitude, the Seven Towers did not think they had done anything wrong.

This is entirely a matter of stance; no matter how much one explains, it is useless if the stances are different.

If Xia Duo were the Controller of the Seven Towers, he would not easily let go of the potential strength of at least 26 Great Arcanists, not to mention several Habitable Planes.

Private property that was originally one's own suddenly becomes public property; who could accept that in a short period of time?

As for the status of Executive, although Xia Duo does not mind handing it over to someone more capable after the civilization matures, that is for the future. Before he truly sees the civilization develop to a level he considers qualified, he will not give up any controlling power!

Since he is like this, the Seven Towers will certainly not easily give up their current status as Executive of Netheril, but isn't politics just compromise? The Seven Towers itself is a product of compromise; under the general trend, it is not impossible to compromise and give up the status of Executive.

Thinking of this, Xia Duo swallowed the words he originally wanted to use to refute Huo En's accusation. Since the stances of both sides were set, there was really no need to explain too much. He directly changed the subject and said with feigned ease:

"Huo En, you know me. I have always treated my people with great generosity. Not only my own people in my Territory, but I also hold deep care for all the people of Netheril."

"Puman came to find me, saying that the Seven Towers has imprisoned the Tianshui Plane and does not allow them to return to the Main Plane. This has absolutely touched my bottom line."

"I have no objection to the ownership of those few Planes, but for the people of Netheril within those Planes, I hope the Seven Towers can give them a chance to choose freely."

After Xia Duo finished speaking, he waited for Huo En's reaction. Just as he expected, Huo En's face turned gloomy in an instant, and he said coldly: "So it really is you!"

"No, it is not just me. Any Netheril Lord who still upholds the duties of a lord would not sit idly by and watch such a thing happen; it just happens that I was the first to know."

Xia Duo said this with sincerity, without a hint of hypocrisy. Even Huo En, who had come with anger, could not help but be moved. Thinking back to Xia Duo's past style of conduct, the anger in Huo En's heart gradually subsided.

But just as Xia Duo had already realized, Huo En also understood at this moment that the key to the conflict between the two sides was not how the Planes were distributed or how the descendants of the Pioneers were settled, but that once this was done, the Seven Towers' strength would be greatly reduced and their prestige would be lost.

This is not a matter of interest; this is a matter of stance!

But at the same time, Huo En also realized that the Seven Towers succeeded because of the Seville Covenant and failed because of the Seville Covenant. The Seville Covenant gave the Seven Towers a special status, but it also put the Seven Towers on a pedestal; violating the Seville Covenant is equivalent to denying the Seven Towers' status as Executive.

And regarding this current problem, no matter how the Seven Towers sophistically argues, everyone has a scale in their heart and knows who is right and who is wrong. Even if they gain an advantage for a moment, it will inevitably bury hidden dangers.

Thinking this through, Huo En fell silent. Thinking back to what Xia Duo just said about treating his people with great generosity, he suddenly felt that perhaps only such a person could lead the future of Netheril.

As for the current Seven Towers, Huo En no longer knew how to judge them. The only thing he knew was that even if he knew what was being done now was wrong, he still had to persist, because even if he himself was unwilling, the people behind him would push him forward.

"Sigh—"

Huo En let out a long sigh. The look in his eyes when he looked at Xia Duo was no longer as angry as before, but it was even more complicated. Envy, disgust, approval, opposition—many emotions were intertwined, making him unable to say even a single word for a moment.

"Lord Huo En, please return. I don't know how long the afternoon meeting will last. Rest for a while and gather your energy, so as not to be too exhausted and unable to hold on this afternoon."

"Heh, does Lord Xia Duo think you have already won? Then you underestimate the foundation of the Seven Towers!"

After saying this, Huo En left Xia Duo's Xiu Xi Shi without looking back, leaving Xia Duo alone in deep thought.

……

"Teacher, that is what Huo En said. I feel that there may still be variables in this matter."

"Variables?"

Yinaole shook his head. Looking at this excessively young student before him, he always wanted to hand everything over to the other party, but the accumulation of time cannot be taught just by words.

"Once Badijiaer and the others have arrived, there are no more variables. Do not forget our original intention; it is not to do anything to the Seven Towers, but to let the descendants of the Pioneers return smoothly."

"As for what happens after, we do not have an absolute conflict with the Seven Towers. Such is the general trend; we have no choice but to follow it."

Once Yinaole said this, Xia Duo immediately understood. Seeing that success was within reach, he could not help but be a little impatient after being provoked by Huo En.

However, he did not think his worries were unnecessary. Those few Planes were still in the hands of the Seven Towers, and there was too much that could be done there.

Even if those Planes were eventually connected to the Main Plane, the subsequent development might not go as he thought, so taking precautions now was not necessarily a bad thing.

Of course, Xia Duo did not immediately refute Yinaole, but agreed. After leaving Yinaole's Xiu Xi Shi, he did not go to rest or see others, but went to the Laboratory.

He prepared to conduct another Prophecy Ritual during the recess to see if there would be any variables. He had already thought about where problems might arise; even if he could not find the variables, he could find ways to patch them in advance.

It was equivalent to extinguishing some variables in advance.

"The general trend is with me!"