Chapter 660 Fifteen Provinces

While Li An was engaged in fierce battle,friction raged across the fifteen provinces.The Celestial Army had already surrounded the Great Fortune Pillar.Immortal Realm experts had also gathered, along with many mortal prodigies, including the Ghost Lord, Zhao Shaolong, and Shuangxue.At this moment, a crucial question arose.Who led?Who made the decisions?The Ghost Lord wanted to speak but ultimately relinquished the authority to Shuangxue. After all, Shuangxue was the Immortal Ancestor's personal disciple, and besides, he himself wasn't from the Immortal Realm.Zhao Shaolong had already retreated to the background, sitting quietly.So, was the command of the two million-strong army behind him in Shuangxue's hands?Her eyes were somewhat cold at this moment, because she was arguing with someone."Indeed, you are the Immortal Ancestor's only disciple, but you are a human!"On Mount Sumeru, Duan Chi, the sect leader of one of the eight great Immortal Sects of the Immortal Realm, spoke with a flushed face.He felt that his dignity for this lifetime was ruined.The dignified Sect Master of Mount Sumeru was now arguing heatedly with a little girl, his face flushed. Everyone was watching, and he knew he had lost all face as Sect Master of Mount Sumeru.But he had to do it.“We have nearly 3 million troops!” Duan Chi gritted his teeth, staring at Shuang Xue, his face even showing a fierce glint. “Their numbers are fewer than ours, and as for their quality and equipment, those aren’t the point.”“The point is that many of our troops come from the Fourteenth and Thirteenth Provinces. There’s a pillar there that no one can control!”“Every second we delay, the situation in those two provinces will worsen!”“Xue Xian, if we don’t fight now, it will be too late!”Behind Duan Chi stood the sect masters of hundreds of sects, all willing to follow him.Behind Shuang Xue also stood nearly a hundred sect masters, all believers in the Immortal Ancestor.The three million troops were divided into two sides. With a formidable enemy before them, internal conflict had arisen.The Heavenly Crippled Army stood silently behind Shuang Xue, unable to get a word in edgewise, and the geniuses from the human realm could only remain silent. Ultimately, they were outsiders, and such decisive strategic decisions were not their business.Shuangxue grew increasingly furious looking at the group of people who completely disobeyed her orders.Why not fight?Because Li An had told her he was almost done with the battlefield there and would come to support them. A joint effort would easily tear apart the Lu clan soldiers here, saving many lives.She had already explained this to Duan Chi.Duan Chi's reply was: "Is there a difference?""Since they'll come to support us, doesn't that mean we're guaranteed to win?""The sooner we fight, the sooner it'll be over. Go support the fourteen prefectures, and everything will be fine, right?"Duan Chi's tone had become extremely agitated, making Shuangxue even more frustrated.She didn't want to get involved in these matters at all.She wanted to say, "What's it to me?" but then, the image of Li An from that time flashed through her mind again.On the third Great Wall, no one obeyed his orders. Although many died in the end, Li An never gave up or said "whatever."He was still trying to persuade the other strategists until the very last moment before the battle.At that time, Shuangxue pouted, thinking, "Why bother with these ungrateful people?"Only now did Shuangxue realize that things were far more painful than she had imagined.It was an emotion that could be described as helplessness, even despair, but even after it was over, few could truly understand the depth of his sorrow.She still remembered him standing alone on the Great Wall, gazing at the moon, after the battle; she later jokingly called him "Melancholy Guy."Now she understood how painful that state of powerlessness was.They could have won completely.Thirty million civilians wouldn't have died.Countless soldiers wouldn't have sacrificed their lives, and the border funerals wouldn't have been held.There wouldn't have been so many heart-wrenching separations, if only everyone had listened to his words sooner.Thinking this, Shuangxue's instinctive, vulgar restlessness gradually subsided.In a sense, Li An at that moment had imparted a profound lesson to Shuangxue, teaching her about grander emotions than her own petty ego.Everyone has flaws, and Shuangxue's only flaw was that she only had eyes for one person.But her greatest strength was also that she only had eyes for this one person.Because this person was special.Yu Shan saw this very clearly.What kind of person Li An was, Shuangxue would ultimately become.The Immortal Realm couldn't be entrusted to Li An, but it was absolutely no problem to entrust it to Shuangxue, who followed Li An and possessed the Heavenly Dao's wisdom root.In Yu Shan's eyes, Li An's ability to condense the Heavenly Dao Soul wasn't some underhanded manipulation, but rather that he was worthy.Immortals value wisdom root, and Li An happened to possess a wisdom root like the Heavenly Dao itself.Compassion.Compassion is wisdom.Without compassion and love, even the greatest power and knowledge are not wisdom; one is merely a utilitarian being, driven by the instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm.If cruelty is the instinctual foundation of animals, then compassion is a transcendent quality that completely defies instinct.Everyone can be cruel; there is nothing easier in the world than committing evil.Those who watch others commit evil and remain indifferent are ordinary people.Those who dare to step forward to fight against evil have great wisdom.Those who dare to punch the heavens when they see them committing evil, even if it's just reckless courage that actually has an effective impact, possess the wisdom of the Heavenly Way.Shuangxue is not such a person, but she has such people before her, and she will learn from them because of love.Love makes her afraid that her lover will be disappointed in her.To avoid disappointing him, she will change and become a pillar worthy of the title of Ancestor of a Realm.This is cause and effect.Yu Shan handed the Immortal Ancestor Token to Li An, granting Shuangxue immense command authority.These two actions are illogical, as both involve humans.But Yu Shan had already seen through the cause and effect; he knew that doing so would bring the best outcome.He wasn't a qualified strategist or schemer, because immortals didn't learn those things, but he could still manipulate things to a positive direction.In the midst of the bustling debate!"Say something!" Duan Chi impatiently demanded of Shuang Xue.Because Shuang Xue had remained silent, head down, seemingly lost in thought."A formidable enemy is at hand, little sister! You have hundreds of people behind you, say something!"Suddenly, the annoyance, impatience, and irritation on Shuang Xue's face vanished, replaced by an awkward yet polite smile."Thirty minutes.""Wait another thirty minutes.""Once the time is up, we'll attack."Upon hearing this, Duan Chi took a deep breath and said, "Okay, thirty minutes it is!""Don't say 'wait another ten minutes' later." Shuang Xue's face stiffened, wondering how he had been seen through.How can a little girl fight an old fox?Duan Chi also smirked and said, "Never mind, attack in thirty minutes. Everyone heard that. A gentleman's word is as good as his bond!"