Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 528 - 294: Admitting Defeat

The ferocious energy and vital energy formed by the army surged toward Big Black Donkey like towering waves, but it didn't affect him in the slightest. After all, ever since the battle back then, the technique of military formations had been incomplete, and these Noble Families and Clans all cherished their own flawed methods, unwilling to contribute, resulting in each Noble Family possessing only fragments of these techniques.

Against ordinary Cultivators, the deficiencies might not show, but facing someone like Big Black Donkey, they posed no threat at all. Furthermore, in addition to an elite army, a military formation requires a famed general to preside over it. They are the ones who can truly bring out the full strength of the formation, but within this city, there wasn't a single commander with such capabilities.

Therefore, while the military formation seemed mighty, it was actually hollow within. As the formation approached, Big Black Donkey suddenly let out a giant roar. The powerful sound wave instantly swept the surroundings, dispersing the gathered momentum in an instant, and countless soldiers were blown into the sky.

The seemingly powerful military formation crumbled to an earth-shattering roar, unable to fight back in the slightest. The leading commander, a person from the Chen Family, had risen to his position with the help of his family. Thus, facing such a crisis, he seemed utterly at a loss, failing to rally the troops' spirits at the crucial moment and instead beginning to retreat himself.

As the saying goes, a general is the courage of his soldiers. Once the general retreats, the soldiers' courage freezes, instantly leading to a collapse as inevitable as a landslide. Although Chen Tao loudly tried to salvage the morale, faced with such an unbeatable opponent, no one was willing to lay down their life.

"Assholes, these damn nincompoops are truly unreliable," Chen Tao cursed under his breath. He thought he had invested quite a bit into this City Defense Army, but never expected them to be so useless, collapsing at the first encounter. His cousin, on whom he had great hopes, proved utterly inept, showing no courage or resolution befitting a commander when faced with battle.

All of this was witnessed by the middle-aged man and Lao Han upstairs. Lao Han couldn't help but reveal a slight smile, saying, "As expected, I overestimated them. These Noble Families are indeed paper tigers, just as you said."

The middle-aged man nodded with a smile, "I didn't expect the strength of the Chen Family to be so loose. Perhaps the peace has lasted too long, making these Noble Families lose their sense of crisis, becoming complacent. It seems we will surely break through the city today."

Seeing the self-assured middle-aged man, Lao Han also showed a joyful smile. He had been waiting for this day for a long time, and was finally about to get his wish. He felt somewhat nervous and tried to suppress the anxiety in his heart. Still worried, he said, "What about those Mysterious Figures? If I'm not wrong, they must be the Cultivators from the legends, possessing longevity beyond ordinary people and devastating powers. If we offend them, I'm afraid we might not be able to control this city."

The middle-aged man also nodded and said, "They are indeed the biggest variable this time. However, based on my observations, they don't seem to care too much about these matters. To them, gold is nothing more than a spice of life. Therefore, I dare to conclude that they will not stop us."

By this time, Chen Tao had already completely despaired. He knew that today, the image and authority of the Chen Family, cultivated over many years, were being trampled underfoot by this unknown person, and he, Chen Tao, would become the sinner of the Chen Family. But now, having regained his reason, he knew that if they could not win, the only choice was to bow his head and admit defeat to save himself.

A Noble Family has survived to this day by repeatedly bowing their heads to secure opportunities to live, then patiently waiting for the right moment to soar again.

After all, as the Clan Leader of the Noble Family, he could rise above and let go. Now that he had discerned the inevitable outcome, he naturally wouldn't be rash, and soon lowered his posture. He smiled at Big Black Donkey and said, "I was blind to not recognize Mt. Tai. I hope the revered one can forgive me. How much gold would be enough to settle this matter?"

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Big Black Donkey was astonished by the speed of Chen Tao's turnabout. Just a moment ago, his demeanor was fierce, as if he would not rest until Big Black Donkey was dead, but then he turned around with a smile, his attitude remarkably respectful.

Although he prided himself on his thick skin and lack of principles, he felt out of his depth after meeting Chen Tao, suddenly unsure how to respond.

Even the middle-aged man and Lao Han were somewhat speechless. They hadn't expected Chen Tao to admit defeat so decisively and with such a lowly demeanor, completely disregarding his own face.

"Truly worthy of being from one of the big Noble Families, they execute this act to perfection," the middle-aged man remarked in a low voice, his tone complex, it was unclear whether he was being ironic or praising.

"Would fifteen chests of gold be sufficient?" Chen Tao immediately followed up with a question.

Before Big Black Donkey could respond, Ruyi True Immortal's voice came from the sky, "That will do!" and Big Black Donkey, having no real concept of wealth, wisely closed his mouth upon hearing Ruyi True Immortal's agreement.

Chen Tao was overjoyed upon hearing this. Although fifteen chests of gold were substantial, it wasn't something that would break the Chen Family, considering its size. On the contrary, paying to eliminate disaster was the greatest gain from this situation. Perhaps they could even foster a relationship with these powerful Cultivators, whose avarice was evident. If the need arose, he would not hesitate to spend his entire fortune to enlist their help.

"Quickly send the gold up to the Immortal Masters," Chen Tao hastily ordered the servants beside him. At this point, it was best to resolve the hatred as soon as possible, so he could free himself to stabilize public sentiment. After all, compared to the formidable power of Big Black Donkey and the others, the city's populace was easier to deceive.