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The power balance among the three factions, which had barely settled after the flood, was once again disrupted by an individual. No one had expected that Tang Luo, who had just come of age, would stir such a big fuss.

First, he took over Red Cloud Mountain, then demanded rent from the Xiao Family, and finally warned Xiao Ziyu to prepare for the worst.

His aggressive approach seemed like an effort by the Tang Clan to force the Xiao Family into compromising. With this perception, the parties involved interpreted Tang Luo’s actions in a new light.

In West Ridge,

Wu Lan was elated upon receiving the news and rushed to Wu Huan’s room.

“Look, big brother. I told you the Tang Clan is panicking! Seven of the nine major families have sided with the Mi Clan through marriage alliances, and so the odds of the Tang Clan winning become increasingly slim. That incompetent clan leader, Tang Zhi, has made such a foolish move. The Tang Clan is bound to be defeated this time.”

Wu Huan, unnerved by his brother’s excitement, asked, “Why do you say that?” “The Tang Clan dared to send a greenhorn to provoke the Xiao Family, and what’s more, he is attempting to kill the Xiao’s most prized member. Isn’t that a foolish move?” Wu Lan, visibly pleased, handed a letter to Wu Huan to read. “The Xiao Family has been retreating from Tang Luo’s provocations. As soon as Luo entered the Xiao Family’s camp, he chastised Xiao Zheng and Xiao Qi and took over ten million catties of grain from Xiao Jinlin, pressuring the Xiao Family to retreat. Xiao Ziyu, being young, took offense and challenged Luo to a death duel atop Red Cloud Peak in a month’s time.”

Wu Huan was taken aback, quickly opened the letter from Wu Lan, quickly scanning through few lines made his heart pound faster and his face turn pale.

Wu Lan, unaware of his brother’s reaction, continued with glee, “The head of the Xiao Family is a true hero and the strongest in Xiling. He didn’t gain that title by flattery but by winning numerous battles. His offspring has been insulted, and the lineage he has been nurturing is in danger. The Tang Clan’s act is actually pushing the Xiao Family to the Mi clan, aligning with them. If Xiao Jinlin were fearful of the Tang Clan’s tyranny, he wouldn’t be the head of the Xiao Family. This time, the Tang Clan is sure to lose!”

Noticing his brother’s excitement, Wu Huan asked, “How many of those boats you were tasked to build are finished?”

“I was tasked to construct five, but only three ‘specially designed’ large boats have been completed. Brother, why do you ask?”

“There’s no more time!” Wu Huan paced the room with furrowed brows. “If the upcoming duel between Tang Luo and Xiao Ziyu is going to influence the current situation in Xiling, we have to leave Xiling before that!”

“Why should we run?” Wu Lan couldn’t understand and protested, “We should side with the Mi Clan, and obliterate the Tang Clan completely. Tang Gaomin has bullied our Wu Family for many years. Now we finally have a chance for revenge, and we’re just going to run away?”

“Foolish!” retorted Wu Huan, “It’s because we have history with the Tang Clan that we’d be their first target if a war breaks out. Now, do you think the Mi Clan would rather see us fight to the death with the Tang Clan, or protect us?” Often, the start of great battles is a trivial incident, which might initially be a minor friction, but it quickly escalates into a full-blown battle group. The result of the battle between Tang Luo and Mi Chu was that the whole Jianglin was completely levelled, with a total of sixty strong men in the Fierce Realm reducing the area of twenty miles around Jianglin to ruins.

This time, the impact would be even greater than before. After several months of recovery, the currently serving martial ancestors of the Tang and Mi Clans should have recovered their health. Moreover, both clans’ flood control work is also nearing completion, hence, both clans urgently need a big battle to probe each other’s bottom line.

So, this month would be the last peaceful month in Xiling, because before the great war, the Tang and Mi Clans will start to clear the field!

The targets for this clearing operation, are those family forces entrenched in each mountain of Xiling. And considering the domineering strength of both clans, it won’t take half a month to wipe out all those forces.

Wu Huan had a hunch in his heart that the Wu Family had to get as far away as possible, because once the Tang and Mi families have a winner, no one could stop the victor in the western part of Longzhou!

South Ridge Beast Valley, Wind Media Department

If anyone were to claim the fastest flow of information across all of Xiling, it would be the Mi Clan’s Wind Media Department. Their method of using blood crows to record images and spirit birds to relay information was unaffected by the raging floods.

So, when Xiao Ziyu first provoked Tang Luo at the outpost, the Wind Media had locked their attention onto Nanping Peak.

While blood crows can record images, they can’t overhear conversations from up high. Fortunately, the talented Mi Clan was not without experts skilled in lip-reading. Based on the lip movements of Tang Luo and Xiao Ziyu, the department was able to decipher most of their conversation, and the news was presented in front of Mi Jin.

Upon seeing the report, the head of the Mi Clan, without a moment’s hesitation, immediately summoned Mi Shen.

“Tang Luo has taken Red Cloud Mountain and even collected ten million catties of grain as rent from the Xiao Family. You’ve interacted with him the most. What do you make of him?” Mi Jin handed over the exceptional report to a youth with sparkling star-like eyes and asked his opinion.

Taking the report but not rushing to answer, Mi Shen, after reading it in detail, relaxed his eyebrows, a faint smile in his eyes, responded, “Intelligent, audacious, and a capable warrior. It’s just that his patience is lacking somewhat.”

“Oh? Do explain.”

“Everyone knows that Red Cloud Mountain is crucial, but ever since the Xiao Family settled there, the matter of contesting for it has become quite subtle.” After returning the report to the table, Mi Shen looked at Mi Jin and continued, “Red Cloud Mountain is important, but the Xiao Family is even more so. Contesting for Red Cloud Mountain before the Xiao Family exhausts their supply is not an option. This is why we, as well as Tang Zhi, have delayed our actions.”

Everyone assumed that the flood would recede because throughout thousands of years, no matter how severe the flood was, it would eventually retreat. So, the clans brought enough food to survive in the mountains, quietly waiting for the floodwaters to withdraw.

Only those who truly understood hydrodynamics knew that the shift from the Long River to Ling River meant the flow of Ling River would increase by more than five times, inundating most of the western region with overflowing water.

The flood will surely recede, but the surging flow from the Long River was equivalent to a stable flood in the Ling River. While other cities might not know, the cities of Xiling, Shen Ping, and Clear Water County would be completely submerged, and a large lake would form in the mid-section of the Ling River.

Red Cloud Mountain is mostly made up of gold mines and since the soil is shallow, there are no large trees. Furthermore, the Xiao Family’s trade routes are mostly land-based and have very few ships, so they were bound to run out of food eventually. Both the Tang and Mi Clans had the patience to wait.

When it comes to war, the most powerful weapon is information disparity. If I know something, and you don’t, that’s your doom.

To Mi Shen, Tang Luo’s actions were merely accelerating the depletion of the Xiao Family’s food supply. Although the idea was brilliant, the risk that came with this action would be much greater than before..