Chapter 105: The Alliance
Chapter 105: The Alliance
At the Yuhuang Mountain villa, Ji Pingtian stood alongside Hong Chuan, whom he had summoned back after his previous escape. They were joined by Kong Fang, Zong Yan, Ren Ziliu, and several other martial paragons. The group gathered at the entrance of the villa, waiting with bated breath.When a sedan appeared at the foot of the mountain, escorted by a full motorcade, the martial paragons and psychic-will martial paragons grew visibly excited.
"He’s here!"
"Speaker Yaoguang has arrived!"
"He actually returned unscathed. To charge into the Crimson Star Imperial Palace and retreat safely... Such a feat is truly incredible!"
These individuals were considered overlords in their respective regions, yet at this moment, they displayed none of the arrogance typical of those who wielded power. Their behavior was hardly different from that of ordinary men.
As the vehicle pulled to a stop, Zong Yan was the first to step forward and hold the door open. The others were only a few paces behind, surrounding the car the moment Yaoguang stepped out.
"Speaker Yaoguang..." they greeted him one after another.
Yaoguang nodded toward them. "You have returned."
His gaze then swept over Hong Chuan and the several new martial paragons who had accompanied him or been recruited by Ji Pingtian. "It seems we have some new friends."
"This is Zhou Changfeng, a psychic-will martial paragon from Hailang, and Ye Longxing, a psychic-will martial paragon from Baihua..."
Ji Pingtian quickly introduced them, continuing, "Hailang and Baihua have suffered greatly under the Crimson Star Empire's bullying over the years. They have already taken the lead in raising the banner of resistance. Upon hearing of your deeds, Speaker Yaoguang, they reached out to us immediately..."
Zhou Changfeng and Ye Longxing stepped forward at once, their expressions solemn. "From this day forward, Hailang will follow Speaker Yaoguang’s lead."
"If war breaks out with the Crimson Star Empire, Baihua is willing to fight to the last man for you, Speaker."
"There's no need to go that far," Yaoguang replied calmly.
He observed the two men. These were likely the only other two psychic-will martial paragons that the nations of the Eastern Continent could scrape together. Perhaps there were one or two others in hiding, but even including them, a total of six or seven psychic-will martial paragons was a pittance compared to the might of the Crimson Star Empire. Their numbers were not even thirty percent of the Crimson Star Empire's strength, and given that each psychic-will martial paragon had their own interests and agendas, it was no wonder they had never managed to impact the Crimson Star Empire's rule over the two continents.
"In just a few days, Speaker Yaoguang, your lightning-fast counterattack against the Crimson Star Empire has sparked a massive reaction across the Eastern and Central Continents. Everyone sees a glimmer of hope against the Crimson Star Empire’s tyranny. With one word from you, Lord Yaoguang, all the nations will unite to completely drive out the invaders of the Crimson Star Empire," Ji Pingtian and Hong Chuan said in low, serious tones.
"The timing is not yet ripe," Yaoguang said flatly. "As an ancient global hegemon, the Crimson Star Empire has ruled this land for centuries. Its foundation and strength are far beyond imagination. It is not wise to openly defy them just yet."
He wanted to create a relatively safe environment to ensure his own security, but he had no intention of entering a fight to the death with the Crimson Star Empire right now. After all...
"Lord Yaoguang, you speak with wisdom and caution," Kong Fang added from the side. "No one can stand against the Great Solar Fire."
His words acted as a cold splash of water, sobering the hopeful crowd.
Ji Pingtian spoke up again, "We know it is unrealistic to face the Crimson Star Empire while they possess the Great Solar Fire. However, we believe that under your leadership, Speaker Yaoguang, it won't be long before we possess the capability to face them head-on."
"What we have now is enough," Yaoguang said. "We can issue an ultimatum now, demanding that the Crimson Star Empire recognize the independence and autonomy of the various nations. The next step will be demanding their military withdrawal."
He looked at Ji Pingtian. "My actions have undoubtedly proven to the Crimson Star Empire's higher-ups that we can now aim for mutual destruction. Since that is the case, we naturally possess the qualifications to speak as equals."
Mutual destruction was the foundation of all peace talks and negotiations! Ji Pingtian, Hong Chuan, and the others nodded heavily, fully agreeing with this logic. Previously, whether it was the World-Saving Society or the various nations, they had no way to inflict any real damage on the rule of the Crimson Star Empire. If you could not hurt your opponent while they could easily topple your government, there was no equality to speak of.
But now, following Yaoguang's successful assassination of the Crimson Star Empire's emperor and his calm departure despite the interference of Lei Ting and others, the situation had changed.
"Regarding the unification of the two continents..." Yaoguang paused, glancing at Ji Pingtian and Hong Chuan. "I don't want to see a repeat of the World-Saving Society’s collapse. Therefore, we can't absolutely follow their old model. You all should go and draft a set of regulations. Once it reaches a satisfactory level, promote it to the various nations. If they agree, they can join and abide by the system. If they do not, we will not force them."
"We won't force them?" Ji Pingtian was stunned. "If we do that, many people will likely choose to sit on the fence, swaying back and forth between sides."
Hong Chuan nodded in agreement. "We truly cannot allow the tragedy of the World-Saving Society’s disintegration to happen again. Why not make the nations choose between the Crimson Star Empire and us?"
"It does not matter," Yaoguang said, waving a hand dismissively.
He did not have the time or energy to manage the fickle hearts of various nations. Moreover, social tiers in the world were inevitable. For some to enjoy life, others had to work themselves to the bone in their stead. The nations of the Eastern Continent were no different. They were unwilling to take risks but still wanted to enjoy the benefits, but there was no such thing as a free lunch.
Hearing Yaoguang’s words, Ji Pingtian and Hong Chuan gradually began to grasp his reasoning. Only through contrast could they better maintain the unity of their alliance. Realizing this, the two men did not pursue the topic further.
They had their own goals and convictions, but they were not pure idealists. Idealists were the first to die; they would have never grown enough to reach this level of power.
"Speaker Yaoguang, it is no longer appropriate for our newly formed alliance to use the name of the World-Saving Society. This alliance will inevitably have you at its core, so please grant it a name..." Hong Chuan said.
"Why don't we do it in one single step? Wouldn't establishing a unified nation be more efficient? There are thirty-nine countries of some significance in the Eastern and Central Continents combined. If they were all to unite, they would become a titan spanning over 40 million square kilometers with a population of 3.6 billion. Only then would we be powerful enough to contend with the Crimson Star and Snowdragon Empires," Yaoguang said.
As soon as these words were spoken, Hong Chuan, Ji Pingtian, and the two psychic-will martial paragons, Ye Longxing and Zhou Changfeng, were all stunned. A long moment passed before they began to ponder the suggestion.
"Establishing a unified nation..." Hong Chuan asked tentatively, "If we follow the path of a unified nation, what kind of political system do you intend to use, Speaker Yaoguang? A federal parliament, a constitutional monarchy, or perhaps a centralized government?"
He did not mention absolute monarchy. Clearly, they wouldn't be willing to accept such a system. As for Yaoguang, personally, he leaned toward a centralized government. Such a system was highly efficient in executing decrees. However, if that were the system they implemented, he would undoubtedly be the first centralized monarch. He would not hand over such power to anyone else, but he did not have the time to deal with various trivial matters.
Under these circumstances, a constitutional monarchy was the best choice. In a world where all power was concentrated in a single individual, as long as he remained strong enough, there was no practical difference between a constitutional monarchy, a centralized government, or an absolute monarchy.
"A constitutional monarchy with the formation of a cabinet. The monarch will supervise the government's work and organize the parliament for legislation." Yaoguang paused briefly before continuing, "The general framework will use Dayu as a reference, and the details will be further refined."
After speaking, he stated directly, "This is my personal idea. If the other nations of the Eastern Continent cannot accept it... Dayu has a population of 300 million. Relying solely on Dayu's potential, there is still hope to develop into the world's third superpower."
Yaoguang’s words caused the people in the room to look at one another. Each of them pondered, quickly digesting the news and the possibilities behind it.
After a while, Hong Chuan spoke hesitantly, "Perhaps we should take things step by step? Should we start by creating an alliance first?"
After all, once they joined this newly formed empire, many high-and-mighty royal and imperial families would be reduced to aristocratic families living at the mercy of others. Not every nation would necessarily accept such terms.
"The World-Saving Society can move this matter forward. You can use my membership in the World-Saving Society as a gimmick for promotion, but on my end, I will proceed with the reforms in Dayu," Yaoguang said bluntly.
Hong Chuan nodded heavily upon hearing this. "I will contact the heads of various nations to inquire about their attitudes."
Ji Pingtian made a quick decision. "I will persuade the White Tower Federation to merge into Dayu."
He hailed from the White Tower Federation and represented the interests of that nation within the World-Saving Society. His decisiveness slightly startled Hong Chuan, Ye Longxing, and Zhou Changfeng.
At the same time, they felt a sense of urgency. "We will set out immediately to rally the alliance of the Eastern and Central Continents to resist the Crimson Star Empire."
"Go then," Yaoguang said. "Furthermore, I'll need a few things. These items will serve to increase their sunk costs, preventing them from scattering like they did last time once the Crimson Star Empire exerts pressure."
Hong Chuan immediately promised, "Any resources Speaker Yaoguang requires, we will do our utmost to procure them as long as they are obtainable."
Since the experience gained from money was no longer significant, and the amount required to break the limits of his Martial Dao tier was astronomical, Yaoguang said plainly, "Divine weapons and cultivation resources will suffice."
Then, he added ambiguously, "As for the specific amount, the nations can decide for themselves. It is time for them to show us their attitude."
"Attitude?" Hong Chuan felt a slight headache. What does attitude mean? Such vague requirements are often the most troublesome...
However, considering that joining the alliance led by the World-Saving Society essentially meant escaping the bullying of the Crimson Star Empire, showing a bit of sincerity was only reasonable. He nodded and said, "I understand. They should indeed do their best to show a satisfying attitude."
He then added, "The World-Saving Society will do the same."
Yaoguang nodded and said nothing more.