Chapter 248

Nobody likes being forced into a corner.

Because being forced into a corner means making a decision you don't want to make.

Power elites dislike it even more.

A common man might, in a fit of rage, spill blood within ten paces.

But power elites? They weigh their options.

They often compromise for the sake of interest.

If Marshal Wei Xu's proposal today had been discussed behind closed doors with just a few power elites, it would truly have been a proposal.

But he summoned so many Domain Lords—even the heavyweight sixth-rank and the sole seventh-rank Domain Lords.

If you don't think this is coercion, no one would believe it.

But Budebushuo, these Domain Lords still wield considerable influence.

None of today's power elites want to offend these Domain Lords.

Because these Domain Lords not only sacrificed and contributed to the current human world, but also represent immense risk and profit.

The profit is direct: the resources within their controlled star domains, no matter which nation they flow to, bring that nation enormous gains.

The risk? The star domains they control themselves represent immense danger.

The star gates under their suppression might also manifest in the current world during a Star Tide.

How great the resulting risk becomes depends entirely on these Domain Lords' actions.

So for these power elites, dissatisfaction aside, compromise is normal.

Soon, as the first starlight rose above Tianyang Xingjun's head, starlight also rose above the heads of Da Hong Di Jun, Cangming Xingjun, Zhen'e Xingjun, and the Grand National Teacher of Chen Guo.

Unanimously approved.

It wasn't really forced upon them.

Fundamentally, Marshal Wei Xu's proposal was actually excellent.

Previously, when launching offensives, everyone just went through the motions; now, by tying it to the Lou Gong War, everyone must fight desperately.

Under this arrangement, no side suffers a loss.

As for star gates manifesting on your own territory during the Nine Stars Tide, that's purely a matter of luck.

"Good!

With your cooperation, losses during this Nine Stars Tide will be greatly reduced," said Wei Xu.

He then proposed, "But to ensure fairness, I've drafted a ranking system—please review whether you wish to revise or add anything. After revisions, we will submit this Lou Gong War rule directly to the Star Spirit for enforcement.

It's the fairest way and avoids any concerns you might have."

The specific details are numerous—over a dozen.

Mainly concerning point acquisition and combat requirements.

For example, slaying a third-rank alien race, regardless of strength, grants one point per five kills.

Slaying a fourth-rank alien race grants different points: two points for early-stage, three for mid-stage, four for late-stage, five for peak-stage.

The point increase is modest.

But points for slaying fifth-rank alien races rise sharply.

Slaying an early-stage fifth-rank alien grants ten points, mid-stage fifteen, increasing incrementally.

Points for slaying sixth-rank alien races jump tenfold.

Slaying an early-stage sixth-rank alien grants one hundred points; slaying a late-stage sixth-rank alien grants two hundred.

Though slaying a seventh-rank alien is extremely unlikely, it's still listed.

Slaying an early-stage seventh-rank alien grants two thousand points.

Beyond these quantity-based requirements, there are other point rules.

Slaying a Domain Lord of an alien star domain—even a third-rank one—grants five hundred points directly.

Seizing a fragment of the star domain's stellar will grants at least five hundred points.

For fourth-rank star domains, both rewards double to one thousand points.

For fifth-rank star domains, they surge to ten thousand.

For sixth-rank star domains, they reach a staggering two hundred thousand.

Whoever slays a single sixth-rank Domain Lord will instantly win first place.

But the probability is less than one in a hundred thousand.

Sixth-rank Domain Lords typically possess seventh-rank late-stage or even peak cultivation.

To slay a sixth-rank Domain Lord, you need at least two or three seventh-rank late-stage experts attacking together—or even an eighth-rank expert.

But seventh-rank experts cannot directly enter a sixth-rank star domain; entry requires only a peak sixth-rank expert on the verge of breakthrough.

Even if they break through to seventh-rank inside, slaying the Domain Lord remains impossible.

Moreover, once inside, they cannot escape.

Sixth- and seventh-rank experts are the core combat forces of all sides—even of the Star River Battlefield. No faction dares to casually sacrifice such elite strength.

So this is merely a rule setting.

The real battlefield remains in third- and fourth-rank star domains.

Active offensives against fifth-rank star domains are exceedingly rare.

Besides these, there are other regulations.

For instance, in a fifth-rank star domain, you must launch at least one offensive.

Failure to do so deducts one thousand points directly.

These are all details.

After minor discussion and revision, all power elites approved.

Disagreements arose over several major rules, especially the final one.

"The last-place team—the fourth-ranked—must bear an additional half percent of the Star-Picking Tower's upkeep resources if their score is more than double that of the first-place team. The first-place team's own upkeep percentage is reduced by half a percent."

"Isn't this rule too harsh?"

Grand National Teacher Cheng Yuexiao pointed to the punitive final rule and raised objections.

Marshal Wei Xu explained, "Grand National Teacher Cheng, this rule exists to prevent any side from outright slacking. Normally, the four factions' strength is nearly equal; even with score differences, they rarely exceed ten to twenty percent—never a doubling."

Cheng Yuexiao frowned.

He saw this rule as extremely unfavorable to Chen Guo.

Because in the past six Lou Gong Wars, Chen Guo always finished last—fourth place.

Due to the locking of Lingji Star Palace and years of Chen Guo being consistently outmatched, its reserves are far inferior to those of Tianyang Star Palace and Cangming Star Palace.

Even compared to Zhen'e Star Palace, it falls short.

In previous contests of Dizi strength, Chen Guo always came fourth.

Now, in this grand battle measuring overall strength, Chen Guo's disadvantage will be even more obvious.

If this were like past Lou Gong Wars, Cheng Yuexiao thought Xu Jin might secure third or even second place—no longer fourth.

But in this battle of comprehensive strength and reserves, Chen Guo will inevitably finish last.

So on this point, Cheng Yuexiao was resolute.

Already, finishing fourth means bearing three percent of the upkeep—twice that of first place.

Add another half percent, and the burden grows heavier.

And it's for the next three years.

Cheng Yuexiao had to be cautious.

"I think this fourth rule should be revised! Chen Guo will give its all in this war, but if we finish fourth and our score is doubled by the first-place team, our upkeep burden becomes three and a half percent.

Chen Guo may face widespread famine." Cheng Yuexiao insisted.

Our great Chen may soon be reduced to widespread suffering, Cheng Yuexiao insisted.

Da Hong Di Jun laughed first, "Grand National Teacher Cheng, I don't doubt your sincerity—but if this rule didn't exist, what if Chen Guo just slacked off outright? Since you're always fourth anyway, why not slack and conserve strength? That would be smarter.

Then during the Nine Stars Tide, Chen Guo suffers fewer losses.

This saving and reduction gives Chen Guo a huge advantage."

Cheng Yuexiao frowned, about to speak—but Tianyang Xingjun also laughed, "This fourth rule is good. I insist it be added."

"I also think it must be added."

"Adding it is best—it imposes some restraint."

「Adding it is best—it imposes some limit.

Soon, all current power elites voiced approval—only Cheng Yuexiao opposed.

Under these circumstances, Cheng Yuexiao's opposition was invalid.

Cheng Yuexiao had no choice.

He wanted to remove the rule, partly because he thought "close enough" would suffice—after all, no matter how hard they fought, Chen Guo would still be fourth; preserving strength was enough. But now, they had to fight to the death.

Otherwise, Chen Guo might have to pay an extra half percent of the massive resources required to maintain the main tower of the Star-Picking Tower over the next three years.

Don't underestimate this half percent.

This extra half percent must be extracted from the mouths of countless Chen Guo civilians.

In a famine year, corpses might litter a thousand li.

But now, clearly, the rule cannot be changed—they must fight to the death in the coming offensives.

But now, there was no way to change this rule—they could only fight to the death in the coming offensive moves.

But if Da Chen can't thrive, Cheng Yuexiao also doesn't want the other factions to thrive either.

"If that's the case, then this rule applying only to the last place is unfair. I propose amending it: whenever any rank is surpassed by the one ahead of it by double its score, or by two ranks ahead by triple its score, that rank must bear an additional half percent of supply obligations."

Since we can't change it, let's expand it.

The first to look visibly uneasy at these words was Zhen'e Xingjun.

Zhen'e Star Hall has consistently ranked third, occasionally second, but still lags significantly behind Tianyang Star Hall, which has held first place for years.

Although it's unlikely anyone's score will be doubled, what if it happens?

This rule still carries some pressure!

But in the end, Cheng Yuexiao's expanded version of the rule passed smoothly.

Because there's no reason to target only fourth place.

But for Cheng Yuexiao, this was merely a momentary satisfaction.

Under this overall rule, Da Chen truly must fight to the death.

The detailed regulations took half an hour of discussion before the final plan was settled, gaining universal agreement from all present factions.

"If that's settled, then submit it to the Star Spirit for enforcement."

After confirmation, Wei Xu suddenly called out, "Star Spirit, Star Spirit."

"I'm sick of it! Wei, you're the most annoying one, always yelling at me! Fine, what is it this time?"

The Star Spirit's opening line was always like this.

Everyone who publicly summoned the Star Spirit had been cut off and complained at by it before; Wei Xu was long used to it.

Wei Xu submitted the rules for the Tower Tribute War; the Star Spirit glanced at them once and laughed.

"Hah! You finally figured out how to change the rules!"

"Interesting."

"For once, we can have some new twists. I'll be in charge, right?" asked the Star Spirit.

"Of course. You're the fairest. Everyone has no objections."

"Good! Then I'll directly write this into the Tower Tribute rules for the next three years. If anyone fails to deliver and gets their Star-Picking Tower suspended, don't blame me."

A few breaths later, the Star Spirit departed. The matter of launching preemptive strikes before the Nine Stars' Tide, merging it with the Tower Tribute War, was now definitively settled.

For the next three years, no one could alter it.

"Now, the second matter: support for the Da Huang Region. Cai Lao is suppressing Da Huang Region under extremely difficult conditions, and it's precisely during the Nine Stars' Tide, so we need several Gao Jie experts to enter Da Huang Region to reinforce."

But once the Nine Stars' Tide ends, the Gao Jie experts who enter can still return."

So my suggestion is: each of the four regions of the present world sends one Gao Jie expert to support Da Huang Region. What do you think?" Wei Xu proposed.

As soon as Wei Xu finished speaking, Cheng Yuexiao strongly opposed, "Da Chen cannot support Da Huang Region. We have no spare Gao Jie experts."

"Oh? I heard that Kou Jing of Da Chen's Dao Academy just broke through to Gao Jie. Isn't that a spare hand?"

"Spare?"

Cheng Yuexiao sneered. "None of Da Chen's Gao Jie are spare."

"Grand National Master Cheng, if each house sends one, it would be fairer," Wei Xu suggested.

"Then I demand Cai Lao explain in detail the disturbances at Xinghe Pass twenty-one years ago. Is that too much to ask?"

"Why, during the Xinghe Pass disturbances, did seven out of ten fallen experts come from Da Chen and Lingji Star Hall?"

"Fine, it's a coincidence!"

"To ensure peace on the Xinghe battlefield, Da Chen and the then Lingji Star Hall disregarded our own safety and dispatched numerous experts to reinforce Xinghe!"

"Within half a year, you all know what happened."

"Lingji Star Hall was wiped out and locked down."

"Our former Grand National Master of Da Chen perished because of it."

"Since then, Da Chen has sunk to the bottom among all factions!"

"I want a clear explanation. Right now, I only want the truth!" Cheng Yuexiao retorted bluntly.

Instantly, the entire Star River Marshal's Mansion realm fell silent.

This matter had always been a taboo.

No one dared mention it.

Especially not in front of Tianyang and Cangming, the two Star Juniors.

Except for the aggrieved party: Da Chen.

As soon as this topic arose, everyone else fell silent.

Tianyang Star Jun said, "Yuexiao, our two Star Halls attacking Lingji Star Hall was not because of this, but because Lingji Star Jun violated a taboo and incurred universal wrath!"

"It has nothing to do with Cai Lao."

"I don't care that Lingji Star Hall was attacked. But my predecessor as Grand National Master of Da Chen died because of it, and Da Chen declined because of it, and we now pay three-tenths of the Star-Picking Tower's massive tribute—this is directly tied to it!"

"So I want an answer!" Cheng Yuexiao insisted.

"There is no answer. Your connection is merely coincidence. Cai Lao was merely present at the time," Cangming Star Jun spoke up.

With both Star Juniors speaking, it was as if their respective Emperor Lords had also declared their stance.

That meant this matter would be buried again.

But at this moment, Cheng Yuexiao revealed his true intent.

Cheng Yuexiao no longer pressed. He smiled. "Since both Star Juniors say it's coincidence, then it must be coincidence."

"But Da Chen is weak—we truly have no spare Gao Jie!"

"As for the newly promoted Gao Jie expert Kou Jing: first, I have other plans for him; second, I absolutely will not and dare not send any of Da Chen's Gao Jie into Da Huang Region to support it!"

"Because I fear the coincidence will repeat itself!!"

The last sentence, Cheng Yuexiao spoke slowly, staring fixedly at Cai Shu.

It was a clear, absolute lack of trust—not a shred of faith in Cai Shu.

"Hmph!"

"If you're not afraid of Da Huang Region descending onto Da Chen's territory, then go ahead," Cai Shu snapped.

"If you have that ability, I'll wait. I'll personally intervene," Cheng Yuexiao glared at Cai Shu, refusing to yield an inch.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the Star River Marshal's Mansion shattered completely.

The next instant, Cai Shu suddenly laughed. "Grand National Master Cheng, you're joking. I have no such ability. I merely wish to prevent crisis before it strikes, so this Gao Jie Star Domain doesn't bring calamity to the present world. I'm someone who can't return to the present world—what private motives could I possibly have?"

"I have no private motives either—I simply don't trust you, the former Star River Grand Marshal who failed catastrophically!"

Cheng Yuexiao clasped his hands behind his head and stared calmly at Cai Shu.

That cautious gaze slowly darkened the smile on Cai Shu's aged face.

Just as everyone thought the room would fall into awkward silence, Cheng Yuexiao smiled again.

"Your Majesties, Star Juniors, Domain Lords—allow Da Chen to plead its case. You all know our situation—we truly have no Gao Jie experts to spare for Da Huang Region. We simply cannot provide support this time."

This was Cheng Yuexiao offering everyone a face-saving exit.

After a long pause, Star River Grand Marshal Wei Xu sighed. "Da Chen indeed has its difficulties—this is evident to all. Then, for this support mission to Da Huang Region, Da Chen will not participate."

"What do you all think?" Wei Xu proposed.

With matters at this point, no one would object.

Tianyang Star Jun and Cangming Star Jun remained silent; no one else dared speak up. The matter was tacitly accepted.

Only the Gao Jie Domain Lord and former Grand Marshal Cai Shu accepted the outcome with a dark expression.

Today, he had lost face badly.

He hadn't expected Cheng Yuexiao to give him not a shred of dignity—but there was nothing he could do.

The matter was settled.

"Gentlemen, from my position on the Star River battlefield, I sense the celestial stars. The Nine Stars' Tide will arrive earliest in ten days, latest in twelve."

"Thus, all factions have only three days to prepare."

"Three days from now, all factions will simultaneously launch preemptive strikes, beginning the Tower Tribute War!"

"Everything will be decided by the Star Spirit," Wei Xu said.

Upon hearing this, the Da Chu Emperor Lord asked, "Marshal Wei, when will the Xumi Palace's representatives arrive?"

"Two days from now, the Xumi Palace's heir will Ruzhu your four factions' main Star-Picking Towers, and, using the star domain markers you provide and according to your requests, will open the Star Gates," Wei Xu replied.

"Excellent."

"If no one has further questions, today's meeting is adjourned."

A few breaths later, beams of starlight scattered and departed.

In the end, only Tianyang Star Jun and the Gao Jie Domain Lord Cai Shu remained.

But finally, they merely exchanged a glance, then each dissolved into starlight without a word.

(End of Chapter)