Chapter 498: Chapter 225: Council at Long Mountain, the Decisive Li Xuanling
While Xia Hong was busy disguising himself as Hong Yu and prying information from Hou Hu, the atmosphere in the distant Longshan Camp was tense and foreboding to the extreme.
Having been the dominant force of Longyou for nearly fifty years, Longshan Camp not only boasted immense power but also substantial resources.
The grandeur of the council hall in Longshan Camp was a testament to its might.
The council hall, spanning a full twenty meters square, was filled with various iron furniture wrapped in Beast Fur; the hall’s splendor with painted beams and sculpted columns was dazzling; the floor was completely covered with Beast Skin rugs; in the center stood an iron furnace over five meters in diameter, its coal fire burning brightly, making the entire hall warm as spring.
However, the blazing furnace was at odds with the sullen faces of the twenty or so people seated in the hall.
Sitting at the head was Li Xuanyan, the eldest son of Longshan;
Beside him sat the gray-haired Li Tiancheng, a maid tending to his bloodied left shoulder, gingerly applying medicine;
Further down were Li Xuantiang, Li Xuandu, and Li Xuanling, the three siblings, along with four from the Cold Resistance Level who had previously teamed up with Li Xuantiang to surround and kill Yu Bin; and then the Longshan Eight Great Vajra, as well as seven others who had not appeared before.
Clearly, external speculations about the number of Cold Resistance Level in Longshan were inaccurate.
"Why are Yu Bin and his three companions not dead? If I remember correctly, Xuantiang, you were in charge of the eastern side. Explain why?"
It was not Li Xuanyan who spoke first, but Li Tiancheng.
Seeing that his left shoulder wound was nearly tended to, he waved the maid away and turned to Li Xuantiang below, his expression severe yet puzzled.
The fact that Yu Bin and his companions remained alive posed major issues for the three camps, which was extremely disadvantageous for Longshan’s future situation. He had previously clarified the stakes; he understood Li Xuantiang’s capabilities well. To mess up such an important task even with four Cold Resistance Level members was both exasperating and bewildering to him.
It truly should not have happened!
Li Xuantiang shrugged slightly, signaling to Li Xuanyan above.
Seeing his gesture, Li Tiancheng glanced at Li Xuanyan, his brows instantly furrowing as he said, "In a council discussion, there is nothing that cannot be said."
"Yu Bin and the others pleaded for mercy, and brother had a soft heart and told me to stop. I couldn’t disobey the leader’s order, could I? Later, when the fourth one spoke, I forcibly tried to kill the three, but unfortunately at the crucial moment, Hou Hua arrived with the Blood Guard Army, so I couldn’t succeed."
Li Xuantiang’s remark, "I couldn’t disobey the leader’s order," carried an obvious mocking tone as he even glanced up at Li Xuanyan on the raised platform, his face full of sarcasm, with no attempt to hide it.
Li Tiancheng instinctively looked back at Li Xuanyan, finding that despite his somber expression, there was no retort, and his face momentarily froze.
"Second Uncle, Yu Bin and his companions not dying is a reality. It’s useless to pursue whose fault it was. The current priority is to handle Yucheng, Changning, and Song Yuan, and also to stabilize Beehive and Yang Lu. We can’t let them join forces with Zhaoyang; otherwise, the pressure on us later could be immense."
The only woman present, Li Xuanling, spoke up.
Her words, direct and pragmatic, struck at the heart of the matter, earning nods of agreement from everyone present, including Li Tiancheng, who looked at her and asked in a deep voice, "Ling’er, what do you think should be done?"
Li Xuanling stood up directly, walking to the center of the hall. She transformed from her previously gentle demeanor to exude a sharpness, her whole aura becoming full of vigor and spirit.
"Second Uncle, I won’t mince words. Hou Hu has already infiltrated Longshan, and the news of our father’s absence will soon spread throughout Longyou. This preemptive plan has not achieved the best effect; the most urgent need now is to remedy and consolidate the five already secured..."
Li Xuanling, with her incisive analysis, instantly drew everyone’s attention.
Unfazed, she continued:
"Second Uncle will oversee Longshan while we split our forces into three routes.
One route heads southeast of Longshan, taking Chen Yingyuan and Peng Bo to first subdue Yucheng, then control Yang Lu and Beehive, at least ensuring they don’t ally with Zhaoyang;
Another route moves to the east of Longshan; the leaders of Changning and Song Yuan have already been killed by us, but the news hasn’t spread, and few know. If our people get there first, controlling these two is a piece of cake.
The final route goes to the northeast of Longshan, attempting to block the communication channels between Zhaoyang and the other five camps as much as possible. We must prevent large-scale personnel exchanges between them at the very least!
With these three measures, even with the five camps supporting him, Hou Hu’s Zhaoyang Camp wouldn’t be able to make much of a splash, and since they rebelled, the Longyou Alliance naturally no longer counts. We can directly blockade Longshan, and soon those five camps will realize who they should really align with!"
With Li Xuanling’s coherent and well-reasoned suggestions, nearly everyone nodded repeatedly, including Li Tiancheng at the head.
The only one with the worst expression in the room was Li Xuanyan, the eldest son of Longshan.
"The fourth is right, Wushuang, Hanqiong, Xiling, White Abyss, and Dongkang are definitely going to side with Zhaoyang. If we don’t control the other five immediately, we’ll face considerable trouble."
"I agree too, let’s proceed as the fourth suggested."
"The young lady’s points are valid; we also agree."
......
For a while, the entire hall was in agreement.
Everyone was almost unanimously satisfied with Li Xuanling’s arrangements, even Li Xuanyan on the high platform, who forced a smile as he spoke: