Qi Yu responded with a "Yes" and turned to run out.
Less than an hour later, everyone had gathered.
Yan Hua looked at the assembled crowd and spoke with great seriousness about the Blood Demon Fiend, suggesting that the Dragon Clan send a few dragon artisans to the Thirteenth Heaven.
He explained their concerns and stated that the only viable candidates at the moment were Qi Yu and Si Qing.
Yue Zhi Yin's face showed a solemn expression: "So, the choice now is between Si Qing or Qi Yu going?"
"I wanted to go, but Si Qing wouldn't let me. He said he would go," Qi Yu sighed. "But as I said before, I can't be sure if the current laws are truly on our side. After all, everything he said was only to me and Lord Chen Xi. It was all verbal, with no evidence, no oaths. Even whether we need someone to relay messages for him to send dragon ancestors' artisans to the Thirteenth Heaven, we're not sure; it's all speculation."
"So, it's highly possible that Si Qing goes to the Thirteenth Heaven, and then for various reasons, he can't come back. He'll be held captive by them, or what returns might just be Si Qing's shell, not Si Qing himself."
"After all, the Blood Demon Fiend has done plenty of soul-snatching. If we can't be completely sure that the laws are on our side, I can't be certain if the laws will protect Si Qing on the Thirteenth Heaven. What if the laws, for various reasons, also switch sides? These are all issues that need to be considered."
Sui You looked at Qi Yu: "Actually, I think our tug-of-war with the Blood Demon Fiend has dragged on long enough. If you ask me, we should just rip the mask off."
"I also think it's better to just rip the mask off," Ming Lou said, resting his chin on his hand. "Since I awoke, I've been catching up on the war situation and the overall circumstances of these past years."
"I feel that if we continue to develop the situation as it is, without formally tearing the mask off with the Blood Demon Fiend, then trouble will never cease."
"Ripping the mask off also requires an opportune moment," Qi Yu mused. "Currently, the Thirteenth Heaven is controlled by the Blood Demon Fiend. Many ancient gods have withdrawn from worldly affairs. Some of the immortals in the Nine Heavens know about this, some pretend to be deaf and dumb, and some are genuinely unaware. The situation is unclear, and the conditions in various realms are also unstable."
"Unless the Blood Demon Fiend himself reveals his true face, causing everyone to know that the current Heavenly Dao is abnormal, then we can organize ourselves to confront the Blood Demon Fiend in the Thirteenth Heaven head-on."
"Isn't that simple? Just let everyone see the truth of the Thirteenth Heaven," Yu Yuan said unhurriedly. "There can't be only one artisan for repairing and crafting artifacts. So, sending only Si Qing, and Jing Xiu, is not enough, especially since Jing Xiu isn't one of us."
Yan Hua softly hummed, understanding Yu Yuan's meaning:
"The dragon clan's artisans don't necessarily have to be all dragons. We can select artisans from other races, for example, the Phoenix Clan, the Underworld Clan, the Demon Clan, the Monster Clan, the Divine Witch Clan, and the Winged Tiger Clan. Each of these races can select one person, and together with Si Qing, form a team of artisans to go to the Thirteenth Heaven."
Chi Ming pondered: "Before they go, we will definitely explain the stakes clearly to our clansmen. So, what do we do if our clansmen are unwilling to go?"
"I think this matter is very easy to solve," Qi Yu looked at Chi Ming. "Every race seems to have traitors, right? They betray their own race, are expelled, and can't even return home."
"Now, give these people an opportunity. As long as they are willing to act as artisans and go to the Thirteenth Heaven, if they survive afterwards, they will be allowed to return to their race and reunite with their families. Their past transgressions will be wiped clean. If they die, they will be declared innocent, and their families will be given a sum of gold. I will pay for this gold."
"This method is feasible. Every year, each race has traitors. Our Divine Witch Clan alone has dozens," Qi Yan said faintly. "We can then place curses on them or make them take oaths to prevent them from defecting to the Blood Demon Fiend during the mission."
Jin Yan rested his chin on his hand: "What if the Thirteenth Heaven only wants dragon clan artisans and not artisans from other races?"
"If they don't want them, then everyone leaves," Qi Yu raised her eyes. "In that case, I will decide to replace Si Qing and act as an artisan to go to the Thirteenth Heaven. If they only stop me from leaving, I will immediately send a signal to Si Qing through the Yan Zhen Mirror, and then we will directly overturn his lair."
"If they accept the entire artisan team, I will find an opportunity to let the entire artisan team see evidence of the Heavenly Dao being occupied by the Blood Demon Fiend, then open a mirror passage, and lead the entire artisan team away from the Thirteenth Heaven to publicize this matter."
"At that time, the truth that the Heavenly Dao has been occupied by demons will be known throughout the Three Realms. Would it then be difficult to overthrow the Blood Demon Fiend?"
In fact, Qi Yu did not want to go to this extent unless it was absolutely necessary.
But there was no other way.
The situation had been forced to this point.
Between ordinary artisans and Si Qing, a choice had to be made. Qi Yu, neither trusting the laws nor wanting Si Qing to bear the risk, and not intending to endanger her own kin, had to admit that the method of ripping the mask off, as Jin Yan suggested, was indeed effective.
"In this way, we will make preparations for both eventualities," Wang Lan Qing sighed. "Once the matter of the Blood Demon Fiend controlling the Heavenly Dao is exposed, the entire Three Realms will be in turmoil. At that time, there will be those who cooperate with you to attack the Blood Demon Fiend, and there will be those who try to exploit the situation and support the Blood Demon Fiend. The Three Realms will be divided into two by these two forces."
"Therefore, we must find sufficient masters of formations and cultivators of high cultivation from various races to form the front line. Subsequent energy resources, magical artifacts, immortal pills, and talismans must also be stored and well-guarded."
Everyone nodded in unison. After the meeting dispersed, they each returned to their respective territories to search for suitable traitor candidates to act as artisans and to prepare for war.
Si Qing, who had been hiding in his room reciting scriptures, was furious upon hearing from Yan Hua that Qi Yu had ultimately decided to personally go to the Thirteenth Heaven. He stormed out to confront Qi Yu, his first words being:
"Sister! Didn't we agree that I would be the artisan going to the Thirteenth Heaven? What's going on with you now? Why did you go back on your word? You're going yourself again!?"
"Si Qing, I'm not going back on my word. I just have many concerns," Qi Yu looked at Si Qing. "This is no longer simply about going to the Thirteenth Heaven as a spy. The laws' stance is unclear, and after the Blood Demon Fiend controlled the Heavenly Dao, he has repeatedly suppressed us. If you really go to the Thirteenth Heaven this time, I can't guarantee that you'll be able to return, or even if the person who returns will still be you, or if you'll be soul-snatched by them."
"Instead of always being so apprehensive, it's better to find an opportune moment to reveal the truth about the Blood Demon Fiend controlling the Heavenly Dao. Then, we can openly go to war with him."
"In this way, I think it's better for me to go myself than for you to go to the Thirteenth Heaven..."
She knew Si Qing wanted to protect her.
But she cared about them too much.
Because she cared too much, she wished she could protect everyone under her wings, as if that way she wouldn't lose anyone.
Did she not know that always placing herself in danger was also a form of selfishness?
But perhaps due to having lost too much, Qi Yu dared not gamble on anything that involved her family or friends.
Si Qing's gaze was filled with anger:
"Sister, how could you do this? You worry that something might happen to me on the Thirteenth Heaven, that I might be soul-snatched, that I might not return. Don't I worry when the same dangers happen to you?"
"The first time you were soul-snatched by Ling Ruo, I searched for you for years. I can never forget those days, even if I died."
"Later, we died together, reincarnated together, and finally, we could grow up together again. And now you want to leave me!"
"...I'm not leaving you," Qi Yu said urgently, grabbing his arm. "Si Qing, I just..."
Si Qing was enraged and didn't want to listen to her. He flung her hand away and turned to leave.
Thus, the first cold war between the siblings officially began, with Si Qing's first outburst of anger towards Qi Yu as its catalyst.