Aksai shook his head and addressed Jian with a calm but firm tone.
“That won’t work either. First of all, this isn’t just one rogue demonic faction acting in the Wild Devil Lands. It’s a coalition of all the demonic forces under the three major demonic sects. Aside from a few minor factions trying to stay off the radar, the rest of them—big or small—are in on this. They’re all taking coordinated action.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. The group’s expressions grew more serious.
“It means that it’s not just us who are targets. Every group of cultivators passing through these lands, even on legal routes, is in danger. Do you really think you’ll be safe trying to head back to Haan Di under these conditions?” Aksai asked, his eyes locking with Jian’s.
Jian opened his mouth as if to reply, but after a moment of hesitation, he closed it. Aksai’s gaze, unwavering and sharp, left little room for argument. The silence that followed was thick with unspoken fears and reluctant acceptance.
Aksai gave Jian a moment to reflect before continuing, his voice level but carrying an undertone of warning.
“Secondly, Haan Di might not be the all-powerful safe haven you’re hoping for right now. I don’t know the exact details, but I’m certain something’s off. Haan Di’s position is weaker than it seems.
The more vulnerable they are, the more desperate they’ll be to maintain their standing and reputation. You know how the righteous factions are when it comes to maintaining reputation. Although Haan Di is supposed to be a neutral faction, it has a certain tendency to maintain its reputation, if not for the reputation’s sake then for the sake of their businesses.”
The rest of the group listened intently, their anxiety deepening with each word. Lin Mei glanced at Bai nervously, while Rong Zhi stared at the ground, scratching his head in thought.
“Haan Di is facing some kind crisis we don’t know. The demonic forces want to take advantage of this situation. What would the direct disciples of the Haan Di’s Core Formation do?
It’s simple. They’ll send experts like Ren to the Wild Devil Lands to suppress the demonic forces. They’ll also hire and deploy various mercenary organizations to control the chaos.
But here’s the thing—if we return to Haan Di without completing our mission, they won’t just pat us on the back and say, ‘Good try.'” Aksai’s tone grew more pointed. “They’ll urge us—no, force us—to head back out and finish what we started. That’s how they keep up appearances.”
Bai’s face paled as he realized what Aksai was getting at. “So… you’re saying they’ll make us go back?”
Aksai nodded. “Probably. It all depends on how aggressive the demonic factions get. If they drop the pretense and declare war on Haan Di, it might actually work in our favor because Haan Di won’t be able to maintain appearances.”
“The game would then shift to its final phase—an all-out war. The Wild Devil Lands would become a battlefield between the demonic factions and Haan Di. While that would be extremely dangerous, it might also be the safest situation for us. Neither side would focus on us, and they’d let us go.”
The group looked at Aksai, confused but curious.
“We only used Haan Di to obtain legal routes through the Wild Devil Lands. As righteous faction members and drifting cultivators, we’re a neutral third party in this equation. Neither the demonic factions nor Haan Di would want to antagonize us and risk pushing us to support the other side.”
“But,” Aksai continued, “the truth is, neither Haan Di nor the demonic factions want an all-out war. They’re content with this cold war because it serves their interests.”
Aksai’s voice dropped as he added, “And this cold-war situation is more dangerous for us. We’ll be caught in a crossfire and be used as pawns by both sides.
Unless something drastic happens, this stalemate could drag on for months or years. Once it takes root, it could take decades to resolve.”
He paused before reiterating, “If enough cultivators start abandoning their missions, Haan Di’s reputation will take a hit. They’ll take drastic steps to prevent that from happening.”
The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air.
Lin Mei’s voice was a mix of frustration and fear. “But… they wouldn’t—”
“They would,” Jian interrupted, his expression grim. “Aksai’s right. They’ll do anything to protect their image, even if it means we’re caught in the crossfire.”
The group exchanged nervous glances, fully understanding the precariousness of their position.
Lian’s voice trembled as she asked.
“So… we’re really going to meet that madman again? His smile… it’s like the devil’s. Previously, I didn’t know who he was. But his name… I’ve heard all kinds of terrifying stories about him. Do we really have to face him?”
It seemed that Lian had connected the dots and finally knew who Haitin Blackblood was. By saying something like this, she also let Aksai know that her background might not be as shallow as she let on.
However, her backstory didn’t matter to Aksai. He was focused on reaching Duya Forest and finding his Aether Beast. He couldn’t care less about the cold war between Haan Di and the demonic faction. And he didn’t want to waste too much time hiding and changing his routes multiple times.
This was why he came up with such an arrangement with Haitin. Not only did it minimize the threat level of going through the Wild Devil Lands for his team it also made it easier and faster for him to get to the Eternal Beast Dynasty.
Aksai’s expression was resolute. “Yes, we’ll have to face Haitin if we follow my plan. But this time, we’ll be prepared. Three days is enough for us to gather our strength and plan. We need every bit of strategy to get through Jaishin Lake—and beyond. Stay focused, and we’ll make it.”
Jian, who had been silent, finally spoke up. “It’s a dangerous gamble, but I see now—you’re buying us time. Better to have a controlled meeting than be ambushed.”
Aksai gave him an approving nod. “Exactly. We face him on our terms, not his. But we need to be smart about it.”
Lin Mei crossed her arms, glaring at Aksai.
“You’re taking things for granted, Aksai. What is all this? All of this—the coalition of demonic sects, the cold war—it’s all speculation. You’re imagining the worst-case scenario without any solid evidence. I’m not risking my life based on your wild theories.”
What Lin Mei said wasn’t wrong. Aksai had indeed assumed a lot of things on his own after observing Ren and Haitin’s actions. As such, he didn’t completely refute her.
He remained calm, his expression unchanging. “You can believe what you want, Lin Mei. I’m not forcing you to follow me. But if something unfortunate happens, don’t blame anyone but yourself.”
Lin Mei’s face reddened with anger. “You’re nothing but a conspiracy theorist, Aksai! You’ve always been like this ever since we formed the group—overthinking, seeing shadows where there aren’t any. I won’t be dragged down by your paranoia.”
‘Well… I tend to get paranoid quite often. I can’t deny that. But I’ll also be the most happy man if my paranoia doesn’t turn into reality,’ Aksai thought to himself and sighed.
Lin turned to the others, her voice sharp. “Who’s coming with me back to Haan Di? Let’s be smart about this and avoid unnecessary risks.”
Jian stepped forward, his face set in stone. “I’m staying. Aksai’s plan makes sense. Going back to Haan Di is more dangerous than facing Haitin head-on. We’ll be running straight into a trap.”
Lin Mei scoffed. “Of course you’d agree with him. I have seen the way you two fight. You are as bloodthirsty as him. Fine, do what you want.”
Bai Yu hesitated for a moment, looking between Lin Mei and Aksai, before stepping to Lin Mei’s side. “I’m with Lin. I don’t want to be anywhere near Haitin in three days. He’s… unpredictable. Too dangerous. We’d have a better chance going back.”
Lian Hua, who had been quiet until now, cleared his throat.
“I don’t think following Aksai or heading back to Haan Di is the best option. There’s another way—an alternate route to Duya Forest. It’ll take longer, but I’d rather take my chances on a path less traveled than deal with either Haitin or Haan Di’s potential wrath.”
Rong Zhi, who had been scratching his head in confusion, perked up at Lian Hua’s suggestion. “Wait, there’s another way? I’m with you then. I don’t want to deal with either of those psychos. Let’s go the safer route.”
Aksai watched the group split before him, his expression neutral, though his eyes carried a trace of disappointment. Disappointment that his pawns were slipping off of his hands.
Lin Mei gave him one last glare before turning on her heel. “Good luck with your theories, Aksai. You’ll need it.”
As Lin Mei and Bai Yu began to walk away, Lian Hua and Rong Zhi started discussing their alternate route, preparing to make their own path. Jian stood beside Aksai, crossing his arms as he watched the others leave.
“Well,” Jian said with a dry chuckle, “that went about as well as expected.”
Aksai shook his head slowly. “I knew they’d splinter, but I didn’t think it’d be this bad.”
“You think they’ll be alright?” Jian asked, his eyes flicking to Lin Mei’s retreating form.