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After Lu Chen proposed a strong attack on the capital, the first person to stand up in opposition was none other than Chen Shilong, the Common Illness Marshal of Qi Kingdom. He outright rejected Lu Chen's suggestion with a firm attitude, seemingly without any consideration.
Standing next to him, the Star-Collecting Youth remained silent, even when Chen Shilong expressed his opposition to Lu Chen's aggressive proposal. However, given his relationship with Chen Shilong, he was likely supportive of his stance.
The two were brothers in arms, sharing the same position and working for Qi Kingdom, with their mutual target being Lu Chen. Therefore, regardless of the circumstances or events that unfolded, they would undoubtedly stand on the same side.
For instance, now that Lu Chen had a new proposal, these two brothers were the first to oppose it, demonstrating their unity.
Currently, the Three Kingdoms Alliance had besieged the capital for many days without any progress. The million-strong army was wasting food and found themselves in a difficult position where advancing or retreating was equally challenging—a true dilemma. Advancing was impossible due to the presence of the Defender of the Realm, a War God. If they recklessly charged in without considering the consequences, it would likely result in mutual destruction with no benefits gained.
On the other hand, if they simply withdrew and returned to their respective kingdoms without achieving victory, it would also be a loss. Thus, they found themselves in a predicament where neither advancing nor retreating was viable; they could only waste away resources while facing this situation.
"General Chen Shilong, why do you oppose this? If you disagree, please present your reasons. If your reasoning is unfounded and merely stems from personal interests, then I urge you to reconsider. For if such is the case and this reaches the King of Qi, your intentions will surely be scrutinized by all," Lu Chen remarked with a glance at Chen Shilong. His tone was peculiar; he intended to exert some pressure on Chen Shilong. If Chen Shilong opposed Lu Chen's proposal solely out of selfishness, it would clearly hinder Qi Kingdom's significant matters due to his self-interest. In that case, it would be necessary to expose Chen Shilong's motives.
As a Marshal commanding an army for a nation, it was absolutely unacceptable for him to alter the army's course or decisions for personal gain. Even if Chen Shilong held the title of General, if national interests were at stake, his relationship with Huangfu Yi would not excuse him from accountability—no amount of leniency could absolve him of his transgressions.
Lu Chen referred to Chen Shilong as "General" as a form of respect. Moreover, since Lu Chen was an outsider and did not fully belong to the Taoist Sect, he could address Chen Shilong using secular titles. Of course, in essence, Lu Chen could also be considered part of the Taoist Sect as he had once been a disciple of the Five Element Sect; thus he could directly call Chen Shilong by name to signify equality between them.
However, Lu Chen clearly would not do so because he had already distanced himself from the Five Element Sect. If he were to directly address Chen Shilong by name again, it would imply that he had not changed his previous habits and still considered himself part of the Five Element Sect.
Chen Shilong smiled grimly and said, "I serve Qi Kingdom diligently and wholeheartedly; what my intentions are is understood by King of Qi himself. It is not for an outsider like you to meddle. Do you think I oppose your proposal without reason?" He glared at Lu Chen with disdain before continuing.
"I, General Chen Shilong of Qi Kingdom, have faced the main forces of the Defender of the Realm on the Northern Battlefield multiple times, suffering heavy losses and depleting countless resources. Meanwhile, you two sides are positioned one in the east and the other in the west, facing nothing more than the Loyalty Barons of the Great Zhou Court, which is not even on the same level as us. With such a foundation, do you still wish to compete fairly with us for the Imperial Jade Seal of the Great Zhou Dynasty? On what grounds? Should Qi Kingdom simply expend so much effort and lose so many soldiers for nothing? Is this how it should be?"
Chen Shilong's tone was righteous and assertive. Indeed, they were facing the main forces of the Great Zhou Dynasty on the Northern Battlefield, personally commanded by the Defender of the Realm. What Chen Shilong meant was that they had sacrificed far more than Korea and Daiwa Dynasty, thus he did not agree with Lu Chen's aggressive approach towards the capital. Lu Chen proposed that whoever entered the capital first after its breach would become king, and then they would have to rely on strength to compete fairly for the Imperial Jade Seal of the Great Zhou Dynasty. This was clearly unfair to them, providing Chen Shilong with a reason to oppose Lu Chen.
Upon hearing this, both Four-Browed Daoist and Six-Browed Daoist nodded in agreement, finding his argument quite reasonable. Indeed, this was true; however, at this point, Qi Kingdom's insistence on such details led to a deadlock in negotiations.
Lu Chen snorted coldly, feeling that he had reached an indefensible position. It was well known that Qi Kingdom had clashed with the Defender of the Realm; although there had been no clear victories or significant casualties on either side during their encounters, this was a fact Lu Chen could not bring up because doing so would be tantamount to shirking responsibility.
Given Lu Chen's nature, he truly did not want to clash with Chen Shilong because maintaining a larger perspective was crucial. If they continued to nitpick over details, it would serve no purpose. Of course, this was merely Lu Chen's one-sided view and did not represent Chen Shilong's thoughts. The reality was that Chen Shilong was clearly intent on making things difficult for him.
"What does General Chen Shilong intend then?" Lu Chen asked after a moment of silence.
At this point, there was no other option; Lu Chen had to make some concessions because regardless of anything else, they needed to prioritize the overall situation. Breaching the capital was paramount; they could not allow this major endeavor to fall through. Otherwise, who knew how long it would take for another siege on the capital? Destroying the Great Zhou Dynasty had been Lu Chen's long-held wish and that of his subordinates; it was a matter of great importance.
Hearing Lu Chen's response, Chen Shilong realized that Lu Chen had made a slight concession. Securing this opportunity was not easy; thus, he could now put forth a request to Lu Chen. Chen Shilong exchanged glances with his disciple Star Picker behind him. Star Picker immediately stepped forward and said, "It's simple; I want you to promise me one condition: after breaching the capital, you will duel me."
At these words, everyone present gasped in shock. The request from Chen Shilong and Star Picker was that after Lu Chen breached the Great Zhou Dynasty, regardless of the outcome, he must engage in a duel with Star Picker. This was clearly their ultimate goal—a decisive battle.
Indeed, it was a decisive battle. It turned out that these two brothers had been circling around just to set up a duel between Star Picker and Lu Chen.
The Four-Browed Daoist, Six-Browed Daoist, Lian Dashuang, and Yue Shaoting were all astonished; they could hardly believe that their intention was simply for a duel. Moreover, this request seemed somewhat absurd—it felt like they were joking with national fate and major affairs.
At this moment, even Lu Chen himself found it hard to believe; this was an utterly ridiculous demand and seemed too childish. If word got out about this request from Chen Shilong and Star Picker, they would surely become laughingstocks—of course, this depended on whether the Three Kingdoms Alliance did not besiege the capital again. It appeared that these two brothers were well-prepared; they were confident that Lu Chen would agree to such an unreasonable request without hesitation. Clearly, they had come ready for this confrontation.
"General Chen Shilong, this request is a bit too frivolous. After all, this is making a joke out of national affairs. Don't you fear that if this gets out, you'll become the laughingstock of everyone?" Lian Dashuang sarcastically remarked from the side, subtly supporting Lu Chen.
If this matter were to leak, then both Chen Shilong and Star Picker would not only become a joke; even the Emperor of the Great Qi Dynasty would hold them accountable. To act so frivolously in the face of the enemy on the battlefield shows a complete disregard for the bigger picture.
Chen Shilong snorted coldly and said, "If this were to get out, it would only mean that the fate of the Great Zhou Dynasty would be extended for a few more years. It is impossible to easily break through. If you are willing to see such an outcome, then let it spread. But if you agree, then it naturally won't get out. At that time, my disciple Star Picker and Lu Chen's duel will merely be a resolution of personal grievances—nothing worth making a fuss over."
Chen Shilong was not worried at all because the one who most wanted to see the downfall of the Great Zhou Dynasty was Lu Chen. They seized upon this point, using threats and inducements to force Lu Chen and Star Picker into a duel, after which they would agree to launch a joint assault on the capital—that was the condition.
As for Lian Dashuang's mockery, Chen Shilong did not take it to heart because those who could sit here were certainly not ordinary people.
At first glance, Chen Shilong could almost confirm that Lian Dashuang was none other than the renowned rising star from the Daiwa Dynasty, General Lian Chengbi. If General Lian Chengbi were standing here speaking with him, whether it was praise or criticism, he would have the qualifications to do so because only those with merit have the right to converse with Chen Shilong.
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