Evan Chu suddenly stood up, startling Lord Jun Yang. "Evan? What the hell are you doing—don’t mess around!"
"I’m not messing around. Fine, if you think I am, let me ask you something first. Did you bring me here just to go through the motions? Is this all just to give me, your new Blazing-Flame Legion Vanguard Commander, a bit of face? Or am I actually allowed to participate in this meeting, like you said before, and freely speak my mind?"
Nightdream Ye glanced at Evan Chu and said, "Of course it’s the latter. You absolutely have the right to voice your opinion. We all know that the chance to swallow up another dynasty’s territory came about because of you. So you’re qualified to speak your mind—but that’s all it is, just your opinion. As for the final decision..."
"I get it, you all still need to vote, then report to the Holy Emperor, right? Doesn’t matter. I just want to say what I think."
"Then go ahead."
At this moment, everyone in the grand hall had their attention fixed on Evan Chu. The oppressive aura was definitely being released, but it was the natural presence of the strong—impossible to restrain. An ordinary person would have collapsed from weakness or dizziness, but Evan not only stood up, he even strode to the center of the hall as if nothing was wrong. He looked around and declared loudly,
"Here’s what I want to say: this is a one-time opportunity. Once the Rivengrace Dynasty reacts, once you finish taking the star-region that Monroe Legion used to control, we’ll have lost our chance forever to grab the fat prize that the Sky Tiger Legion used to own."
So my opinion is: we strike both at once. We have to take Monroe Legion’s star-region, and we absolutely cannot give up on Sky Tiger Legion’s star-region either!"
Hearing Evan Chu say this, Lord Trenton Zhan let out a heavy sigh. "Sigh… Evan, you’ve got monstrous talent, but you still lack experience."
We understand Frostbane Dynasty’s real strength better than you do. And after all these years, Phantom-Star Dynasty, Rivengrace Dynasty, and us—we know each other’s foundations and tricks inside out.
So being able to swallow up Monroe Legion’s territory is already a huge achievement for us. Trying to take both at once? That’s way too hard—unless we had an eighth legion!"
Yeah, we’re just too short on manpower. We need much more time to develop. If we miss this chance, we’ll just have to wait for the next one. Evan, what you’re saying—it’s what we all want too, but we just don’t have the strength.
Kade Xing stepped forward and patted Evan Chu on the shoulder,
"Go back and sit down. What you need to do now is give it everything you’ve got in the coming campaign to conquer Monroe Legion’s star-region, and help the Blazing Flame Legion win as fast as possible."
But Evan Chu just shook his head, turned to face the Seven Thrones, and said, "You all think the same? You want it but can’t reach it? Lord Jun Yang, Lord Mystic-Ice, Mad-Blade Li—what about you guys?"
"No way. Trying to swallow both prizes at once—it’s just not realistic. We have to give up."
"That’s right."
"Evan, don’t be stubborn. I know this isn’t easy for you either. You finally got this chance and don’t want to let it go, but you need to think about reality."
Mad-Blade Li, Lord Mystic-Ice, and Lord Jun Yang all shook their heads as they spoke.
Evan Chu’s eyes flashed with a sharp light. He curled his lip and said, full of swagger, "Give up? No way. I, Evan Chu, don’t even know what giving up means!"
All I know is, if you want riches and glory, you’ve got to risk everything! The higher the sky, the bigger your heart, the stronger your power! Chasing true strength means charging forward, no matter what! Sure, I know it’s tough—but if you never try, how can you say you’ll fail?
Big rewards always mean putting your life on the line! If you’ve got nothing to stake, you’ll just keep losing forever. But as long as you’ve got the guts to bet, you’ve got a shot at winning.
If you’ve got the guts to fight, you might win. But if you give up, that’s when you really end up with nothing.
Evan Chu turned in place, looking at the four Temple Masters, the Seven Thrones, and all the highest-ranking deputy commanders. He said,
"We don’t need an eighth legion. I, Evan Chu, am enough on my own! If you’re scared, fine. If you can’t do it, fine. Then let me go by myself!
I’m willing to make a military oath right here: if I fail to conquer the Sky Tiger Legion’s star-region, I’ll bring my severed head to meet you all!
"No! Evan, you mustn’t!"
Lord Jun Yang tried to stop him, but it was already too late. Evan Chu smiled faintly, Stellar Power radiating from his body, then raised his voice toward the heavens:
"Heavenly-Dao Witnessing Oath!"
Boom!
A clap of thunder exploded in the clear sky, and a strange rune mark appeared at Evan Chu’s brow.
The four Temple Masters were stunned, the Seven Thrones were shocked—Heavenly-Dao Witnessing Oath? It worked!
What is Heavenly-Dao Witnessing? In the Star-River Dominion, it means a powerhouse swears on their cultivation future and Dao attainment, using Stellar Power to invoke the Heavenly Dao’s rules. If the Heavenly Dao affirms the oath, then once it’s fulfilled, their future cultivation path is bright; but if they fail, their Dao will crack, and every breakthrough will carry a qi-deviation risk a thousand times worse than normal.
But there’s a catch—even Heavenly-Dao Witnessing doesn’t just happen automatically. First, you personally have to have the ability to accomplish the vow you swear.
And now, everyone had heard Evan Chu’s military oath loud and clear. For Evan to trigger Heavenly-Dao Witnessing Oath was already incredible; for it to actually succeed was downright terrifying.
What does this mean? It means Evan Chu really might conquer the Sky Tiger Legion’s former star-region all by himself—a vow even the Heavenly Dao itself has acknowledged!
"Evan, you’re way too impulsive. Now that Heavenly-Dao Witnessing has succeeded, you can’t change it anymore, you..."
"Don’t worry, Lord Jun Yang. Everything I, Evan Chu, truly set my mind to—so far, I’ve never failed."
On this point, Evan Chu was absolutely confident in his heart.
The four Temple Masters had no choice. Now that Heavenly-Dao Witnessing had succeeded, they had no grounds to oppose it. Matters of Dao law are so mysterious that even at their level, trying to glimpse its workings is no simple thing.
Because these aren’t the Dao laws of some small world—this is the power of the Star-River Dominion itself!
With that, the meeting ended. The final decision was to stick to the original plan: the Blazing Flame Legion and Mad-Blade Legion would join forces and march on the territory Monroe Legion once controlled, swallowing up that prize for good.
But Evan Chu would go alone to the star-region where Sky Tiger Legion used to be stationed, and claim that prize for himself. The whole process had to be completed solo—any outside help would be defying the Heavenly Dao.
Still, Evan Chu was a bit pleased: Nightdream Ye ordered that Evan would serve as Vanguard Commander, and for the campaign to conquer the former Sky Tiger Legion star-region, he’d have authority equal to the Seven Thrones—absolute command and control.
"Hmm… If I want to reach the very top, it’s about time I let loose and shake things up!"
Evan Chu didn’t know that as he left, a figure appeared behind the supreme throne in the main hall—it was Holden Hong’s Holy Emperor law-body. He murmured to himself…
"What a terrifying kid! If he really grows up, he’ll threaten me for sure. Looks like I’ll have to speed up my own plans…"