Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Chapter 788 - 788: Showdown, Provocation Fails and Ends up Being Manipulated_1

"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Kong Huai sat in the main seat, with thirty-four Human Martial Gods gathered. The sole object of their attention was a volume of the "Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill" placed in the center of the table. The way to thwart the Wind Thunder King's scheme was simple: bring the issue out into the open."He underestimated you," a Martial God stated calmly.

Everyone knew they had accepted the technique, but they all feigned ignorance. If someone were to step forward, announce it, and suggest they all cultivate it together and share the benefits, then all underlying conflicts would transform into overt disputes over interests. Open disputes weren't frightening; they could be resolved gradually. Hidden ones, however, were unpredictable. One never knew what insidious plots might emerge.

Moreover, Kong Huai's action had effectively transformed internal conflicts into external ones. Everyone would assume that since the Wind Thunder King had given Kong Huai this Cultivation Technique, it implied the King himself had also mastered it. The Wind Thunder King had singularly harnessed the power of the Alien Race. Even if each member of the Alien Race contributed only a speck of dust, enough specks could still form a mountain. Once the Wind Thunder King fully consolidated the Alien Race, the power he would command would be irresistible. This was especially true since the complete power of the Human Clan, which they should have possessed, was now divided into thirty-four parts, with each Martial God holding only a fraction. How could they possibly contend with such a foe?

So, the next strategy was simple: kill the Wind Thunder King before he fully mastered the "Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill," and wipe out the entire Alien Race in the process. With this "Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill," the Alien Race could generate power to resist them at any time, even without a king. Previously, the Human Clan had dared to 'farm' them because they were certain the Alien Race couldn't fight back. But if you can resist, then we'll just exterminate you, they thought. It'll just take a little more effort.

"That's not the main point," Kong Huai said, his expression grave. "You should also be aware of who created this 'Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill.'"

"Exactly. It was the person who abducted the nobles from the Palace of Heaven. I suspect he used those nobles to create this Cultivation Technique that even the Alien Race can cultivate."

Martial Arts should not be a path that the Alien Race and nobles could tread. Some nobles had even tried to use their Word Becomes Law ability to forge a path into Martial Arts cultivation, but the result, naturally, was inevitable failure. Otherwise, why would the nobles have willingly been confined within the Palace of Heaven?

"He has already seized a share of the Human Clan's power before us," another Martial God articulated what Kong Huai meant to express.

"Yes. If we move against the Alien Race and this traitor sets an ambush, what are our chances of escaping?" Kong Huai asked again.

"None whatsoever," another Martial God responded.

They had all witnessed the Wind Thunder King's strength; his current power was largely an augmentation from the Boulder King. Wang Linchi, on the other hand, likely wielded a power comparable to the collective strength of all thirty-four of them. How could they possibly win against such odds?

"I know what you're thinking," a Martial God said. "You propose that we all cultivate the 'Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill' together. This would not only reduce his share of its power but also strengthen us."

"But is there enough time?" another Martial God asked.

Everyone wanted to cultivate it. However, now that it had been made public, they needed a good pretext, one that ideally wouldn't interfere with their larger objectives.

"I'm not sure, but the Wind Thunder King has already begun his migration," Kong Huai replied.

This meant the Wind Thunder King was likely at the final stage, on the verge of achieving Master of Divine Skills.

"No matter which choice we make, the risk is extremely high. We need to consider it carefully," a Martial God chimed in, indicating he would follow the consensus.

"Ten days. The Wind Thunder King will likely need about ten more days to complete his preparations," the Martial God who spoke quickly provided the data analyzed by their strategists. "However, we can continue to delay him."

"We can certainly dispatch Martial Artists into the caves to intercept and kill the migrating members of the Alien Race."

"The cost might be somewhat high, and unforeseen complications could arise," Kong Huai suggested. "For instance, the Wind Thunder King might disseminate the 'Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill' within the Human Clan."

Under normal circumstances, the Wind Thunder King would definitely not intentionally spread it among the Human Clan. After all, if he did, the Human Clan could retaliate by giving it to the Alien Race, leading to mutually assured destruction. However, if they pushed him into a corner, he certainly wouldn't care about the consequences. He would risk mutual destruction just to ensure these Martial Gods suffered too. If that happened, everyone would practice the "Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill." With so many people cultivating it, the individual shares of power would become so diluted that the resulting enhancements for the Martial Gods would be negligible.

The best solution, of course, would be to kill the Wind Thunder King directly, ensuring the "Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill" didn't leak out. The problem was their fear that Wang Linchi was deliberately using the Wind Thunder King as bait, luring them into a decapitation strike only to annihilate them all. That's why they dared not act rashly. The Wind Thunder King was only cooperating with them due to pressure from Wang Linchi. Otherwise, why would he commit an act tantamount to aiding his enemy?

"The Wind Thunder King might be poisoned bait, but the Boulder King can be killed." Suddenly, a Martial God who had been sitting quietly in a corner spoke up.

This suggestion made everyone's eyes light up. It was indeed a viable idea. The enhancement a single Boulder King provided to the Wind Thunder King was likely equivalent to what a significant portion of the entire Alien Race could offer. The Alien Race had already been decimated by the Human Clan, so the power their dwindling numbers could offer was limited. In contrast, the half-dead Boulder King was a truly significant source of power for him.

"Who will go?" Kong Huai asked again.

The suggestion was a good one, but who would implement it remained a question. Setting aside the threat posed by the traitor Wang Linchi, the Wind Thunder King's strength alone was beyond what any single Martial God could handle. A minimum of four Martial Gods acting in concert would be needed just to gain an advantage. Therefore, to execute this plan, at least four Martial Gods would be needed to engage the Wind Thunder King, while a fifth targeted the Boulder King.

"I proposed it, so count me in." The Martial God who had made the suggestion declared without hesitation. With someone taking the lead, four more Martial Gods stepped forward.

This was just the beginning; the next step was to divide the spoils. Why else would they risk their lives if not for a larger share? However, when it came to splitting the shares of the "Twelve-Style Heavenly Pulse Skill," everyone was firm on an equal division, insisting on fairness. Hence, compensation had to be made in other areas, for example, in the distribution of resources.

The five volunteering Martial Gods were clearly angling for a larger share of resources. They knew that if they had initially asked for merely more resources, they wouldn't have received as much. It was a classic negotiation tactic: to get permission to open a window, one first proposes tearing off the roof. By making an outrageous initial demand and then "compromising," they made their actual request seem reasonable, and the others agreed. Everyone understood their intentions but refrained from voicing any objections.

"We will depart in three days. If there's no word from us within seven days of departure, you'll need to start discussing contingency plans," one of the Martial Gods participating in the mission stated.

If no news arrived within seven days of their departure, it would mean they had all been wiped out.

Having received their benefits, it was now time to fulfill their duties. They weren't worried that the promised "compensation payment" would vanish after their deaths. The Martial Gods policed each other in such matters. These "compensation payments" would be given to their heirs, disciples, or other designated successors, or converted into sufficient resources. These resources would be enough for their successors to live a life of luxury and, if things went exceptionally well, perhaps even provide a path for one to become a Martial God.

"Understood," Kong Huai acknowledged. The five Martial Gods then excused themselves from the meeting.

They needed to make preparations. They couldn't just march into the heartland of the Alien Race empty-handed, not when the Wind Thunder King's strength was far greater than before. A single misstep could mean death, so they couldn't afford to be careless.

After the five departed, the meeting continued. The remaining Martial Gods discussed various contingency plans: how to divert the enemy's attention, how to salvage the situation if the mission failed, what to do if the five were ambushed by the traitor and killed. They needed robust plans for every eventuality.

This was no small matter; it was a high-stakes gamble. If they won, the Human Clan would gain sole dominion over the entire world and acquire vast new territories. If they lost, their future would be bleak.

The meeting lasted for a full day and night. After finalizing numerous comprehensive plans, the Martial Gods finally dispersed. They didn't disperse to rest, however, but to begin executing their respective parts of the plan. After all, only two days remained before the "assassination squad" was due to depart, and many arrangements had to be completed beforehand.

"This time, let's see how you escape," Kong Huai sneered. He had never imagined that the chance to exterminate the Alien Race would be so close, just a single step away. Even if this step could also plunge the Human Clan into the Abyss... But if he didn't dare to take this gamble, how could he claim to embody the 'extreme' in Extremists?