Perfection: The Eastern Emperor Bell manifests, I am the Golden Crow Heavenly Emperor

Chapter 39 Revisiting the Otherworld
Qingwei Immortal King also solemnly replied.

"Leaving aside morality, from the perspective of self-interest alone, the Ancient Realm is the frontline barrier for our Immortal Domain to resist darkness. If the barrier breaks, darkness will advance unimpeded, and what price will our Immortal Domain have to pay to resist it? Now that the Ancient Realm is still resisting, it is a golden opportunity for us to fight alongside our allies and keep the darkness out!"

Although the Primordial Immortal King had a fiery temper, he was now on the side of the war, and his voice was as loud as a bell.

"Fight! We must fight! Are we going to wait until those monsters come crashing down on our doorstep before we make a move? We don't want to end up like the Ancient Realm, with our land ravaged! If we provide support now, we can keep the battlefield within the Ancient Realm!"

However, another faction, led by the veteran Immortal Kings such as the Green Wood Immortal King and the Black Tortoise Immortal King, held opposing views or reserved their opinions.

The Immortal King Qingmu stroked his beard and shook his head, his tone steady yet tinged with concern.

“What Fellow Daoist Panwang said makes sense. However, our Immortal Realm has just experienced a great war with the alien realm. Although we won, it was a Pyrrhic victory. All sides suffered huge losses and our foundation has not yet fully recovered. If we were to launch another expedition now, deep into dangerous territory, to fight against those unknown dark creatures, I fear we would not be able to handle it.”

The Xuan Turtle Immortal King went even further.

"The Boundary Sea is dark and mysterious, and we know very little about its strength. If we rashly get involved and suffer heavy losses that shake the foundation of our Immortal Realm, who will be responsible? Although the Ancient Realm is an ally, it is still an outer realm. In my opinion, the best course of action is to focus on protecting the Immortal Realm and strengthening our own defenses."

Some neutral or conservative Celestial Kings echoed this sentiment:
"Indeed, the Immortal Realm cannot withstand continuous battles."

"Since those dark creatures are heading towards the Ancient Realm, they may not immediately threaten my Immortal Realm. Why not sit back and observe?"

"Support? How to provide support? How many troops to send? Who will take the lead? Where will the resources come from? What are the benefits if there are losses?"

For a time, the Starry Sky Pavilion was filled with heated debate.

The pro-war faction emphasized the crisis of mutual dependence and the moral obligation of the alliance, while the anti-war faction worried about the depletion of the Immortal Realm itself and the unknown risks.

Both sides stuck to their own version of events and refused to yield, resulting in a stalemate.

The Golden Crow Clan's representative, clan leader Jin Qing, was also among them.

He listened to the argument, his brow furrowed.

He knew the deep friendship and alliance between Immortal King Lu Xuan and the ancient realm, and he understood that if Lu Xuan were here, he would definitely support the rescue without hesitation.

But since he was representing his clan at this moment, he could not easily express his opinion, and could only say in a deep voice.

"Our Immortal King is currently in seclusion at a critical juncture. However, the Golden Crow Clan has a prior alliance with the Ancient Realm. If the Immortal Realm decides to send troops, our Golden Crow Clan is willing to do our part."

This statement both revealed the underlying stance and pushed the final decision back to the kings of the Immortal Realm.

Pan Wang was extremely anxious as he watched the arguing crowd.

The distress calls from the ancient realm were becoming increasingly urgent, clearly indicating that the situation was extremely critical.

He slammed his hand on the jade table, raising his voice.

"Enough! You're still fussing over gains and losses! Do you know that countless lives are lost in the Ancient Realm every moment?! If darkness completely devours the Ancient Realm and grows stronger, even if we wanted to defend it, could we still hold on?! When the Immortal Realm is reduced to scorched earth, you will be sinners for all eternity!"

The Primordial Immortal King roared, "A bunch of short-sighted fools! Afraid of this and that, they might as well go home and take care of their children!"

The anti-war faction was also enraged and retaliated, almost causing the situation to spiral out of control.

Just as the stalemate reached its climax, an aged yet dignified voice rang out, silencing all the noise.

It was none other than the Enlightened Immortal King, who had remained silent for a long time.

"quiet."

The kings looked toward this oldest of the giants.

"The Enlightened Immortal King spoke slowly."

"Arguing is pointless. Whether or not we provide support will determine the future of the Immortal Realm; we must be cautious and not delay."

He glanced at everyone: "The concerns of Fellow Daoists Qingmu and Xuangui are reasonable. The Immortal Realm's vitality has not yet recovered, so we cannot devote all our efforts to it." Then, he looked at Panwang and Qingwei: "However, what Fellow Daoists Panwang and Qingwei said is also correct. The threat of darkness is indeed related to the survival of the Immortal Realm, and we cannot sit idly by."

After a moment's thought, he proposed a compromise.

"Therefore, we can dispatch an elite vanguard, led by several Immortal Kings, to immediately reinforce the Ancient Realm. Firstly, to fulfill the alliance and investigate the true nature of the darkness; secondly, to help the Ancient Realm stabilize its battle line and buy time. At the same time, the Immortal Domain should immediately enter a state of highest combat readiness, integrate resources, and strengthen defenses in preparation for any eventuality."

"In this way, we can avoid the main force of the Immortal Realm from being deeply involved in an unknown battle, demonstrate the attitude of our Immortal Realm to the outside world, and buy time and intelligence for subsequent decisions."

The Enlightened Immortal King looked at everyone and asked, "What do you all think?"

This plan addresses some of the demands of the pro-war faction while also taking into account the concerns of the anti-war faction.

Although it cannot immediately solve the urgent crisis in the ancient realm, it is the most likely consensus that can be reached in the current deadlocked situation.

Pan Wang and Qing Wei exchanged a glance. Although they felt it wasn't enough, they knew it was the best outcome they could achieve at the moment. They said in a deep voice, "Agreed."

After a moment of contemplation, the Celestial Kings, including Qingmu and Xuangui, slowly nodded.

"Then I followed the advice of my fellow Daoist who had attained enlightenment."

"Good!" the Immortal King of Enlightenment declared.

"Assemble reinforcements immediately! With Pan Wang and Hunyuan Immortal King leading the team, and Qingwei Immortal King coordinating the rear, we will also recruit several elite True Immortals from various races. Set off at top speed!"

Although the resolution was passed, the internal rifts and conflicts within the Immortal Realm were laid bare during this crisis.

Just as the Immortal Realm reinforcements were hastily assembling and preparing to depart, the flames of war in the Primordial Ancient Realm were intensifying.

As the Immortal King Wuzhong sensed the lingering presence of the main force of the Immortal Realm from beyond the boundary, he couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh.

He knew that some trials he would ultimately have to face on his own.

However, some costs may become even more severe due to hesitation from afar.

Far away in the darkness-shrouded alien realm, the five giants also obtained information almost simultaneously through secret channels that the Primordial Ancient Realm was being invaded by a large-scale invasion of dark creatures from the Boundary Sea.

Inside the Dark Temple, the eternally burning Dark Flame flickered with extraordinary activity, reflecting five faces that were either gloomy, ferocious, or eerie.

"The news has been confirmed."

The Red King's voice carried a suppressed excitement.

"Those monsters deep within the Boundary Sea have indeed launched an attack on the Primordial Ancient Realm! The scale is vast, and the offensive is fierce!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Despite his still severe injuries and weak condition, Kundi exclaimed "Good!" three times, his eyes flashing with a mixture of resentment and pleasure.

"Endless! Ancestral Sacrifice Spirit! And that damned Golden Crow Immortal King! You've finally met your match! How does it feel to be targeted by darkness? Hahaha!"

He coughed violently from excitement, but the sneer on his face did not disappear.

"Two dogs fight, play off."

The Soul Master's cold voice came from the shadows, carrying a hint of calculation.

"The Darkness of the Boundary Sea and the Ancient Realm are locked in a fierce battle, which is precisely our opportunity."

Blood Fiend King's body was surrounded by surging rivers of blood, exuding a chilling killing intent.

"If we don't act now, when will we? With the ancient realm's defenses tied up by darkness and its main forces pinned down on various battlefields, we can strike deep into their heartland! Even if we can't reclaim the Origin Artifact, we must utterly destroy that shattered world to vent our hatred! We must also avenge the fall of the Demon King Pu and the defeat of his army!"

(End of this chapter)