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"The position of the Southern Barbarians is excellent..."

At this moment, the Buddha Light in Yundu shone brilliantly, and Old Liu had almost completely seized control of this once-Eight Dynasties Ancient Capital!

It holds the densest destiny and has nurtured numerous influential figures in past storms and clouds. Although the Buddhist Temples in Jiangnan and the Capital City were lost, the Buddha’s resurgence in Yundu has proceeded smoothly.

Especially after eliminating the resource budgets from the Past Buddha Faction and the Future Buddha Faction, focusing these resources instead allowed for the faster establishment of his own core army.

At this moment, Old Liu’s grandson, who appeared childlike, felt an immense inner peace.

Grandpa indeed had long laid his plans. Though the Buddha Kingdom seemed heavily diminished, with two Buddha Lords fallen and nearly half the Buddhas across its territories lost, the concentrated resources had secured a paramount position in destiny ahead of time.

The reason Yundu’s location has repeatedly served as the center of mortal dynasties lies in its being the heart of the Central Plains. Once spiritual energy fully revives, the expanding spirit lands will primarily emerge surrounding Yundu, making the resources there relatively abundant.

In previous eras, the Buddha Kingdom struggled to occupy the entirety of Yundu due to dispersed resources. It was always the domination of three powers, each taking control of a section of Yundu.

But this time, before Heaven’s Court and the Demon Realm could exert their forces, the Buddha Kingdom had already occupied the area first. The main reasons, aside from the sudden emergence of the Ancient Demon Clan, include the compression of the Northern Celestial Python, the fragmentation of the Dragon Palace, and the rise of the Human Race’s Emperor—all of which nearly abolished the ancient secondary forces of these factions.

The Four Seas Dragon Kings, once absolutely loyal to the four major powers, now find no faction capable of invading the Central Plains.

Without armies, it became impossible to secure Yundu ahead of time.

Coincidentally, amidst the divisions within the Ancient Demon Clan in Yundu, the Buddha Kingdom seized the opportunity to claim the city.

At this moment, the Buddha of Old Liu’s faction had already awakened. Inside the Imperial Palace of Yundu, they meticulously deployed world maps and analyzed the upcoming dynamics.

Old Liu’s grandson respectfully stood in the rear. At present, the Buddhas prioritized for revival were the old generals who had once followed Old Liu—those he trusted most deeply as his core aides.

"This is nearly the optimal choice for Heaven’s Court in its current state," a small-statured Buddha said while pointing to the map.

Despite the unimpressive appearance of this diminutive Buddha, his position surpassed even the Victorious Fighting Buddha, who seemed to harbor no dissent, signifying his extraordinarily high status.

"The Southern Barbarian region spans ten thousand mountains, filled with forbidden arrays and formations crafted with Heaven’s Court expertise.

A rugged terrain such as the Southern Barbarians lends itself perfectly to the deployment of formations.

Once they secure the Southern Barbarians, other factions will find it almost impossible to break through, rendering it an impenetrable stronghold! "

Old Liu nodded. The Southern Barbarians’ position is often overlooked.

Heaven’s Court had only occupied it once before, but the effects were tremendous.

Old Liu vividly recalled how the ten thousand mountains paired with Heaven’s Court formations presented an unassailable fortress, a challenge he still could not resolve.

Once the Southern Barbarians are claimed by Heaven’s Court, their foundation will be firmly rooted, no questions asked.

"However, while the Southern Barbarians are an advantageous defensive position, they lack offensive potential..." Old Liu remarked while gazing at the map, his eyes darkened. "The place itself is a trap. Once you enter, there’s little chance of coming back out, akin to the old predicament Central Federation had in Shu Capital. Particularly now, with Southeast County occupied by Chen Qing—the strongest military force among mortals, excelling at array deployment—having a bottleneck at the Southern Barbarians’ gateway where Chen Qing reigns doesn’t bode well for any other faction. "

The rest of the group nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

"That old turtle loves to hunker down and maintain balance, doesn’t he?

" The Victorious Fighting Buddha sneered casually. "Isn’t that the way Heaven’s Court has always operated?

Grabbing a stable base first, then waiting for opportunities to strike from behind—a perpetual troublemaker.

When the Demon Realm was strong, Heaven’s Court backed us.

When we gained strength, Heaven’s Court backed the Demon Realm.

Occasionally, they’d suppress the Taoist Sect.

It’s always been the same old game, hasn’t it? "

"That was in the past..." The small-statured Buddha shook his head with a bitter smile. "Previously, the one pulling strings to ensure no side became too dominant was Elder Long. Heaven’s Court sustaining balance would strengthen them over time—that’s their calculation. He has always been a profoundly conservative individual. If given the chance, he’d continue advancing step by step in this manner endlessly. "

"But the issue now is that the circumstances have shifted. The Demon Statue is nearing descent. Resources across the world must now be consolidated. Should he remain as conservative as before, Heaven’s Court might become everyone’s first target this time."

Behind them, Old Liu’s grandson silently agreed. Previously, factions tolerated Heaven’s Court as a troublemaker simply because no one wanted full-scale conflict, allowing Heaven’s meddling to artificially maintain balance. But things have changed now...

"So your point is, Heaven’s Court won’t rely on the Southern Barbarians as their base?" The Victorious Fighting Buddha frowned. "Then where would they choose? Surely not the Northern Wasteland?"

"The Northern Wasteland is quite a viable option," Old Liu pondered the map, squinting.

"The frozen wasteland hosts numerous Great Demons that can be directly turned into Blood Essence Stones. Compared to the later-developed territories, the Northern Wasteland offers the fastest resource acquisition if they take the aggressive route. But it’s also the riskiest."

"Chen Qing has always coveted the area. His Warrior Army in the North has remained unmoving," Old Liu pointed to the map.

"That Xuu Hu has likely ascended to King Level already. Pair that with the resources Chen Qing channels toward him, and attempting to seize the Northern Wasteland under Chen Qing’s nose would be quite the challenge. "

"Chen Qing wants both the South and the North?" The Victorious Fighting Buddha chuckled. "That man’s ambitions sure are vast."

The group laughed lightly. Jiangnan, anchored by the West Sea, makes advancing toward the North via land routes impossible. Even maritime routes involve prolonged naval journeys. A faction expanding both South and North simultaneously sounds like sheer ambition beyond reckoning.

"Which means Heaven’s Court’s decision regarding the North depends entirely on Chen Qing’s stratagem."

"Huh?" The others paused in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"If I’m not mistaken," Old Liu narrowed his eyes, "Elder Long is far more interested in Jiangnan."

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"Two simultaneous engagements?" Shen San frowned deeply after hearing Chen Qing’s strategy. "Master, our forces could be stretched thin. After all... the opponents are..."

"The least likely target for Elder Long would be the Southern Barbarians.

" Chen Qing explained patiently. "He’s not one to sit idly awaiting misfortune. If he wants the initiative, the best territories to occupy remain the Northern Wasteland and Jiangnan. Incidentally, both are critical targets for us. Direct confrontation with Heaven’s Court is inevitable. "

"Heaven’s Court’s strength lies in observing Western developments and reacting accordingly.

In other words, they prefer to bide their time and strike last. It may appear as though we’re on the defensive, but the reality is quite different.

" Chen Qing’s eyes narrowed. "If their judgment falters, that’s the opportunity we’re waiting for! "

"Master’s intent is..." Tian Heng immediately grasped Chen Qing’s thinking.

"While they’re analyzing us, we’re speculating on them. Northern Wolf City stands isolated. To control it requires ample military power. Meanwhile controlling it would leave Jiangnan internally vulnerable, giving Heaven’s Court a chance to seize Jiangnan."

"In this scenario, victory depends entirely on whose calculations prove more precise!"