Chapter 17: The power Of rumors

Yeshua walked into the council chamber, carrying a grave expression on his face. The elders turned to him, expecting the usual report on the state of the light barrier. "Elders, I have some troubling news to share with you," Yeshua began, his voice filled with urgency.

The elders raised their eyebrows in surprise, as Yeshua was usually quite stoic in his reports. "What news do you bring, Yeshua?" asked Elder Raelene.

"I have reason to believe that the light barrier may collapse soon," Yeshua replied. The elders exchanged skeptical glances, dismissing Yeshua's warning as fear-mongering.

However, their conversation was cut short as the room shook with violent tremors. The crystal projection at the center of the room flickered to life, displaying the devastating effects of the ongoing war at the border. The elders gasped in horror as they watched their worst fears come to life before their very eyes.

Yeshua stepped forward, his voice shaking with emotion. "This is no time for complacency, elders. We must act fast to prevent the collapse of the barrier and protect our people. We cannot afford to wait any longer."

The discussion among the elders was heated as they debated the potential collapse of the wall. Suddenly, Eli strode into the hall, interrupting their conversation. "Foolishness!" he exclaimed. "To cling to the wall when our enemies are at our gates. Do you wish to walk the path of suicide or ally with Sovereign Rayden?"

The Sect Master furrowed his brow. "What proposal do you have, Eli?" he asked.

"I suggest we let the wall collapse and form a coalition with the rival hegemon to defend against the upcoming dark being waves," Eli replied confidently.

The four elders immediately opposed the idea, calling it bringing the wolf into their den. They argued that such an alliance would be detrimental to the sect and their values.

Yeshua stepped forward, backing Eli's proposal. "We cannot ignore the realities of our situation. The sect has a duty to survive before serving the kingdom, as we are a sovereign house," he reminded the elders. "We must adapt to the changing world and take action to defend ourselves."

The Sect Master rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What guarantee do we have that this alliance will work?" he asked, turning to Eli.

Eli stood up straighter. "The rival hegemon has the same interest in protecting their people from the dark beings as we do. They have a bigger interest in defending because of what comes after the dark beings" he explained.

The four elders still seemed skeptical, but the Sect Master immediately understood the urgency. "I will take this under advisement and call for a vote in three days' time," he declared.

Eli nodded, his eyes shining with conviction. "In three days, the northern peninsula will be in ruins" he said firmly.

Yeshua smiled, glad to have found an ally in Eli. "We need to deploy the army, send messages to the other sects as soon as possible " he said optimistically.

The four elders were in a state of shock as they watched the crystal projection, revealing the devastation caused by the dark beings at the border. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the projection, and they could tell it was Ezreal by the way he was fighting with his spear. The sect master's eyes widened in shock as he saw the crystal projection of the battlefield. "Is that... Ezreal?" he asked in disbelief.

The sect master rubbed his chin, contemplating the dire situation. "We need to act fast. How long do we have before the total collapse?" he asked Eli.

"Six months at best," Eli replied gravely. "But breaches like this will happen sporadically until the final collapse."

"So, we don't have much time," the sect master sighed. "How do we make this coalition happen?"

Eli leaned forward and smirked. "We use greed to attract them."

The four elders exchanged dubious glances. "What do you mean?" one of them asked.

Eli chuckled. "Rumors of the Heritage of the Light bringing sovereignty lie in the heathen's forest. If we offer them the chance to find it, they will come to us willingly."

The sect master nodded, impressed. "That's a bold move, Eli. But it just might work."

The rumors of the Heritage of the Light bringing sovereign had spread like wildfire, causing a frenzy among the cultivators of the sect and vagrants alike. The whole island was in a state of eruption as everyone scrambled to prepare for the worst. They knew that they had to move quickly if they were to survive the impending dark waves that would soon hit the island.

The sect and vagrant cultivators migrated to the northern side of the Yeon Island, where they set up camp on both sides of the border, waiting for a breach to cross over to the Heathens Forest. The atmosphere was tense, as everyone knew that the collapse of the Light Barrier was inevitable, and they had to be ready for it.

The tension in the air was palpable as the leaders of the five major factions on Yeon Island gathered for a secret meeting. After weeks of negotiations and discussions, they had finally reached an agreement: a paper straw alliance to protect the northern regions of the island from the impending invasion until the collapse of the light barrier.

Despite their underlying motives for the alliance, the leaders put on a show of unity and solidarity as they signed the agreement. The Khan clan, the Hun clan, the Mushin sect, the Soul sect, and the Miao sect all pledged to contribute their resources and soldiers to the cause.

As they left the meeting, the leaders knew that they could not fully trust each other, but they also knew that they had no choice but to work together. The stakes were too high, and the threat of the dark beings was too great.

Over the next few days, troops were deployed to the northern regions of the island, and fortifications were built to strengthen the defenses. Patrols were increased, and scouts were sent out to gather information on the dark beings' movements.