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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 8: The Intentions of the Sima Family
Listening to Zhou Tong's casual chuckle, Sima Yi fell silent. He understood Zhou Tong's intentions well; however, to win over someone so talented and make them wholeheartedly devoted, as if giving everything without reservation, indicated that Lian Yun truly possessed an extraordinary demeanor.
Indeed, the so-called King is not defined by their abilities; what the ministers value is merely the King's presence. After all, if a King were unmatched in capability, what need would there be for those ministers?
Perhaps this could also be seen as one of Zhou Tong's skills—forcing Sima Yi to recognize that Lian Yun was exceptional. Yet Sima Yi knew that someone like Zhou Tong would never willingly submit to the authority of an incompetent.
In any case, Zhou Tong had successfully placed Lian Yun on equal footing with Sima Yi.
A foundation for cooperation had been established.
Inside the carriage, the elder also grasped this point and couldn't help but look at Zhou Tong's projection with astonishment. It seemed that in this first round, this younger generation had surpassed their own ancestor.
However, this did not necessarily mean that Zhou Tong was stronger than Sima Yi. After all, Sima Yi was a prominent figure in society; he was aware of many matters concerning the Sima Family, yet he knew nothing about Zhou Tong as a person.
As the saying goes, knowing oneself and knowing the enemy leads to victory in every battle.
From the outset, this contest was unfair. Even if Sima Yi was exceptionally intelligent, it would be difficult for him to overcome Zhou Tong, who had already plotted his moves in advance.
However, once they became familiar with each other in the future, it would likely not be so easy for Zhou Tong to gain an advantage over Sima Yi.
Sima Yi seemed to have pondered a great deal and calculated many things. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "What do you think of my family?"
"Hmm?" Zhou Tong was taken aback by the question but quickly realized Sima Yi's intention.
A sense of dread filled his heart.
This was due to the seemingly ordinary question posed by Sima Yi, which carried profound implications.
Once there was an opinion, there had to be a suggestion. However, if Zhou Tong understood the predicament of the Sima Family, it would mean he had grasped their weakness, something the Sima Family would never allow.
This meant that if Zhou Tong did not answer well, he could bring disaster upon himself and his Lord. Yet, if his response fell short, it would imply his own inadequacy, disqualifying him from negotiating with the Sima Family. At the very least, he could not solely rely on himself to complete any deal.
If his answer was flawless, it would only heighten Sima Yi's sense of 'threat.'
Thus, this seemingly ordinary inquiry from Sima Yi was not merely putting Zhou Tong in a difficult position; it left him with no way out, ensuring he would gain nothing regardless of how he responded.
Zhou Tong was well aware of Sima Yi's cunning. He had warned Chen Tao that when encountering Sima Yi, one should refrain from speaking. Yet Zhou Tong never anticipated that Sima Yi could be so formidable.
Now it was Zhou Tong's turn to fall silent.
After pondering for a long time and remaining quiet for even longer, Zhou Tong ultimately chose to compromise, simply because he had no qualifications to bargain with Sima Yi or the Sima Family.
Thus, Zhou Tong spoke truthfully: "As long as there are no significant upheavals in Huaxia Land, the Sima Family's status will only rise and never decline. To ensure that the Evil Spirits they cultivate do not encounter any mishaps, the best solution is undoubtedly to establish an Evil Spirit City."
"However, while Monarch's power is manageable, Emperor's power is much harder to control. If Evil Spirit City lacks Emperor's power, then it cannot truly be considered an Evil Spirit City. Even if the Sima Family were to become independent in the future, they could hardly guarantee that the Demon Clan or the human race would not dare to invade!"
At this point, Zhou Tong paused. The elder's eyes turned icy in an instant; even through mere projection, their gaze made Zhou Tong's body tremble slightly. Yet Sima Yi merely smiled calmly because Zhou Tong had already taken the bait—there was no escape for him now!
Like the Cloud Emperor City, which operates independently from the alliance while maintaining complete control over its territory, this is a closely guarded secret of the Sima Family.
Even if some can guess that the Sima Family harbors intentions to leave the alliance, few would think that they aim to establish a complete Evil Spirit City.
It is important to realize that once the Sima Family establishes a fully functional Evil Spirit City, it would possess power comparable to that of an emperor, making both the human race and the Demon Clan hesitant to invade.
This is likely one of the reasons why the Sima Family has persistently researched Evil Spirits.
After all, within the alliance, aside from the Three Great Imperial Paths, no one else can control Emperor's Power. If the Sima Family could achieve this, it would signify their emergence as a fourth Major Power alongside the Demon Clan, the human race, and Yin Yang City.
Perhaps others do not fail to recognize the Sima Family's intentions but are simply too afraid to consider such possibilities. It is known that the Peerless Demon Master is indeed a Demon Emperor; however, he merely joined the Demon Clan rather than establishing a fourth Major Power.
To think that one could create a fourth Major Power with merely near-Emperor strength? To outsiders, this would undoubtedly seem like a wild fantasy.
Yet Zhou Tong not only contemplated this but also voiced it. He was not just bold; he was somewhat audacious!
However, this was precisely the outcome that Sima Yi desired.
Zhou Tong could no longer dwell on this matter too much and sincerely said, "Junior has some foolish views; if there are shortcomings, I hope Ancestor Sima will be forgiving!"
"Mm!" Sima Yi responded calmly, leaving his true feelings inscrutable.
Nevertheless, Zhou Tong did not linger on his doubts and stated directly, "I believe that not everyone in the Alliance High Command is ignorant. The reason for their insistence on harming my master back then may be due to some research within the alliance already achieving certain results! Moreover, it is likely that for several years they have remained undetected by the Demon Clan. If this research succeeds, it could significantly enhance the alliance's strength!"
"Yes, it is a research that, once successful, will not be inferior to the power of an Emperor!"
At this moment, both Sima Yi in the projection and the old man in the car straightened their postures, their expressions serious.
The intelligence of Zhou Tong should never be underestimated.
"Even if the Sima Family establishes a complete Evil Spirit City, they should not be able to act with impunity! Moreover, if it is the human race controlling an Evil Spirit City, it would no longer be under the tacit agreement between humans and spirits. The Demon Clan might launch a full-scale attack on Evil Spirit City!"
Sima Yi and the old man exchanged cold glances; this was the real reason they had not established Evil Spirit City!
There was one more thing that both Sima Yi and the old man understood: Zhou Tong must have considered this as well, and that was to preserve the face of the Sima Family.
Even if the Sima Family became the fourth major power in the world, they would still lack the ability to establish a prosperous Yin Yang City where both humans and spirits coexist without fear of invasion, like the Eternal Emperor had done.
Indeed, even if the Sima Family became the fourth Major Power in the world, this fourth Major Power could be annihilated by the first Major Power at any time, without even a shred of resistance.
After becoming the fourth Major Power, finding a point of survival in this world was also one of the greatest challenges facing the Sima Family.
(End of Chapter)
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