Chapter 522: Seeking Counsel

"Old Duan, if you won't come out, do I have to invite you out?" Qihai called out loudly.

A lean old man appeared before the crowd, naturally the Old Duan they spoke of.

Qihai smiled at Ye Yuan and said, "Don't underestimate Old Duan; his strength is considerable, likely surpassing the other three. But he's naturally lazy and unwilling to meddle in worldly affairs, so he found a secluded place in the Southern Domain to live in reclusion."

Ye Yuan nodded slightly. For a rogue cultivator to reach such a realm was no easy feat.

Old Duan seemed somewhat reluctant, but he sat down beside Qihai without saying a word.

Qihai didn't seem to mind and said to the crowd, "Alright, everyone, continue your discussion as before. Don't mind this old man."

Hearing this, the crowd didn't know how to proceed with the discussion.

Wu Rong, unwilling to give up, asked Qihai, "Elder Hai, when you went to the Southern Domain, did they really send five peak Divine Travel cultivators?"

Qihai nodded. "Indeed. Before returning this time, I took a trip to the Heavenly Qian Sect and nearly came to blows with one of those five."

"Then... what happened afterward?"

This time, no one doubted the truth of the news anymore.

"Heh, afterward, each of us was wary of the other, so the fight didn't happen."

Qihai spoke calmly, but the others felt a different sentiment.

Hearing this, Ning Yixian couldn't sit still and asked, "Among the opponent's peak Divine Travel cultivators, there was someone who could threaten even you, Elder Hai?"

Everyone present was well aware of Qihai's strength. In their eyes, Qihai was their greatest reliance.

Now, if an ordinary peak Divine Travel cultivator from the other side could match Elder Hai, were the martial artists of the Hurricane Realm truly that powerful?

"Threaten is too strong a word, but that person's strength is not far behind mine. If a great battle erupts and alarms others, escaping might not be so easy for me," Qihai said.

The sect leaders present exchanged glances, feeling a pressure as heavy as Mount Tai.

It seemed the Hurricane Realm's strength far exceeded their imagination!

Qihai glanced at the crowd and said indifferently, "You youngsters, you're not still clinging to wishful thinking, are you? If the Hurricane Realm weren't this powerful, why would a mighty sect like the Great Yan True Sect have paid such a heavy price to seal the passage between the two realms? That battle cost more than just the Great Yan True Sect. After that war, our Boundless Realm was severely weakened, leading to its current state of decline."

Hearing Qihai's words, the crowd's gazes involuntarily turned to Ye Yuan.

It seemed the youth's earlier words were not false at all!

Ning Yixian and the other two hadn't expected the situation to be so dire. He spoke up, "Elder Hai, you are highly respected. You should take charge of the overall situation!"

Clearly, no one present was more suited to lead the crowd than Qihai.

Unexpectedly, Qihai smiled and shook his head. "This old man is too lazy and used to being carefree. How could I be the leader? Ning Yixian, you are prudent and steady, fit for the role. However, let me state clearly first: I usually don't meddle much, but at a time like this, if anyone dares to cause trouble, I will be the first to eliminate them!"

Qihai's words were not fierce; they sounded more like casual chat, but the listeners felt a chill rise within them.

Ning Yixian hesitated, "Elder Hai, I..."

Qihai interrupted him. "Don't refuse at a time like this. You must take on this burden; no one is more suitable. This old man has other things to do. Qin Hongtao and Jingxuan, you two must fully assist Ning Yixian. At this moment, set aside sectarian views. If the Boundless Realm is lost, your legacies will be gone as well."

The three of them looked solemn and acknowledged respectfully.

Qihai nodded, then turned to Ye Yuan and asked, "Young Brother Ye, what are your thoughts on the current situation?"

Hearing this, everyone looked at Ye Yuan in surprise.

Ning Yixian was the one Qihai himself had pushed forward to lead, yet he asked a junior for his opinion instead!

Moreover, the observant noticed that Qihai addressed Ye Yuan as 'Young Brother Ye,' which carried some significance.

Could it be that Qihai already regarded Ye Yuan as an equal?

Ye Yuan was also taken aback. "Elder Hai, this... is it appropriate?"

Ye Yuan had come today only to make these people aware of the Hurricane Realm's might and not to underestimate the enemy.

As for offering strategies, he hadn't planned to speak out of turn.

With so many Divine Travel cultivators present, where did he fit in?

He hadn't expected Qihai to ask for his opinion first.

"There's nothing inappropriate! They know nothing about the Hurricane Realm; letting them speak would be useless. Speak your mind, and I'd like to see who dares to interrupt!" Qihai said calmly.

In truth, many were dissatisfied and had planned to find fault when Ye Yuan spoke. But with Qihai's words, they swallowed their objections.

Ye Yuan nodded. He was not one to be overly modest. Since Qihai thought highly of him, he would not decline.

"Very well, since Elder Hai honors me, I'll offer a few words. Whether you heed them or not is up to you," Ye Yuan said.

Ye Yuan stood up and began speaking on his own. "In my view, the Hurricane Realm has several advantages we cannot match. First, they share a common faith: the Wind Emperor. The Zichen Sect remained loyal to the Wind Emperor for generations, which shows this. Because of this, they can unify commands. In contrast, we are scattered like loose sand. Second, the overall combat strength of Hurricane Realm martial artists surpasses ours; if we engage in close combat, we will suffer greatly. Third, although the Southern Domain's resources are inferior to the Northern Domain's, they are far better than the Hurricane Realm's. With these resources, the Hurricane Realm's overall strength may rise another level. Fourth, the Hurricane Realm has far more high-end战力 than we do. As far as I know, the Hurricane Realm has no fewer than five peak Divine Travel cultivators!"

"What! You mean these five are just the vanguard?" Ning Yixian exclaimed in surprise.

Ye Yuan nodded. "To my knowledge, the Hurricane Realm has as many as seven peak Divine Travel cultivators! Including some rogue cultivators and reclusive old monsters, I estimate there may be no fewer than ten! As for how many of these ten match Elder Hai's strength, I cannot be sure."

As their understanding of the Hurricane Realm deepened, they increasingly realized how slim the Boundless Realm's hope of victory was.