CHAPTER 324: CHAPTER 143: BATTLE OF WITS: THE UNDERLYING CURRENTS BETWEEN LV YUAN AND SHI FEIYANG

He understood in his heart that a crisis as tumultuous as a raging tide had arrived relentlessly and was unavoidable.

Only by stepping forward and facing it head-on could he protect the territory he and his brothers had won through bloody battles in the Jianghu.

Shi Feiyang acted swiftly, quickly gathering the core members of the Heroic Sakura Association.

Everyone assembled, and the atmosphere inside the room was as heavy as the deadly silence before a storm.

Shi Feiyang sat at the head, his expression stern, eyes blazing like torches, slowly sweeping over everyone, speaking in a voice as resonant as a bell: "Brothers! The catastrophe is upon us. Zhong Renwang and the Imperial Court have conspired, intending to annihilate our Heroic Sakura Association root and branch. The Imperial forces are vast, and those Jianghu Sects with sinister motives are stirring. But since the founding of our Heroic Sakura Association, we’ve never feared trouble! Today, we cannot cower before these scoundrels!"

His words were powerful, each like a heavy hammer striking fiercely at the hearts of everyone present. Liao Pei gently stroked his beard, his expression grave, speaking calmly and deliberately: "Grand Squad Leader, in my view, we can’t afford to act so ostentatiously from now on. As they say, a tall tree catches the wind; we are too conspicuous, making us an easy target for the Imperial Court to watch." His tone was steady, displaying the wisdom and prudence of a seasoned Jianghu veteran.

Lie Quan nodded eagerly, echoing in a loud voice: "Elder Liao is absolutely right! Our Heroic Sakura Association might need to go underground, usually keeping a low profile, reducing our public appearances, and avoiding being wiped out by the Imperial army as best as possible!" His tone was tinged with worry, and his eyes full of concern for the future of the Heroic Sakura Association.

"Iron Palm" Wu Zhong, upon hearing this, slammed his fist heavily on the table with a "bang," scattering the teawares all over.

He shouted hoarsely, "Afraid of what! I’ve feared no one since the day I was born! So what about the Imperial Court? If they dare to come, I’ll fight them to the death! Kill one and count it, kill two and make a profit!" His face flushed, eyes wide open, burning with fierce anger, his rough and heroic demeanor fully showcasing a fearless heroic spirit.

"Water Dragon" Jin Liufu stood up abruptly, hands on his hips, looking up and laughing loudly, his voice like a mighty bell: "Afraid of what! When soldiers come, we block, when water floods, we cover. At worst, a death, which of our Heroic Sakura men doesn’t have iron-clad bones? Even in death, die a grand death, let those Imperial bastards know, we’re not pushovers!"

His voice was so loud it seemed it could break through the roof, exuding a fearless and heroic aura of sacrifice.

"Divine Archer" Miao Menlong, burning with excitement, slammed his fist heavily on the dining table, "boom!" a deep crack appeared on the tabletop.

He glared fiercely, roaring, "Heads off, just a bowl-sized scar! If the Jinyi Guard dares to come, I’ll chop their heads off first and play ball with them! Kill one and it’s fair, kill two and it’s a profit, who am I afraid of!"

His eyes were wide open, showing a ruthless and resolute determination, the fierceness chilling to the bone.

Gong Simeng stood aside, quietly observing everyone, her eyes full of worry. She quickly walked to Shi Feiyang’s side, furrowing her brows, softly saying, "Feiyang, I’m really worried about you...the Imperial Court’s attack this time is exceptionally fierce, you must be very careful."

Her voice was soft, yet carried deep concern and unease, her slender fingers unconsciously clutching the corner of her clothes, revealing her inner tension.

Shi Feiyang turned his head, looking gently at Gong Simeng, lightly holding her hand, comforting, "Si Meng, don’t worry. With the brothers here, with me here, we will definitely weather this crisis."

His gaze was firm, conveying a power that reassured people.

After an intense discussion, everyone expressed their views, the sparks of thought fiercely collided.

In the end, they decided to adopt a strategy of dividing forces and converging attacks.

Shi Feiyang stood up, once again looking around at everyone, speaking with determination: "Brothers! On one hand, we will send some brothers to stay and defend the original place, preparing vigilantly to guard against the Imperial army’s surprise attacks, ensuring we hold our ground; on the other hand, select elites to infiltrate the Capital, gather intelligence and find ways to sabotage the Imperial Court’s extermination plan. Meanwhile, we should also actively reach out to other Jianghu Sects, build alliances, and gain more support and assistance. This fierce battle is not only about the survival of our Heroic Sakura Association, but also concerns the justice and freedom of the entire Jianghu! We must not retreat, we must give our all until victory!" His words, like inspiring battle songs, ignited the fighting spirit in everyone’s hearts.

Everyone stood up one after another, raising their arms and shouting: "Swear to follow the Grand Squad Leader to the death! Live and die with the Heroic Sakura Association!"

The sound was earth-shattering, the momentum like a rainbow, filled with fearless courage and unwavering belief.

Pushed by Zhong Renwang’s despicable scheming, with continuous financial support from Xie Zhichuan like a force in the dark, Huashan Sect Leader Zhou Zihan was also actively running around, striving to establish connections.

Capital, Kang Mansion.

The Imperial Forbidden Army Commander, Kang Fusheng, a high-ranking official who has long stayed in the court and knows little about Jianghu affairs, was full of disdain.

In his view, those Jianghu Gangs were nothing but a rabble with no organization, hardly worth mobilizing the massive Imperial army to march to the Suzhou Prefecture for a siege.

Kang Fusheng leisurely sat in the Master’s Chair, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips, saying to the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Xiang Yushan, "In my view, those Jianghu riffraff have no real skills, they just rely on numbers and make a mess in the Jianghu. We only need to send a small group of Jinyi Guard to bring them under control."