CHAPTER 434: CHAPTER 434: THE PREDICAMENT OF SHAOLIN TEMPLE

Yang Xiao chuckled:

"You sought me out just to discuss the idea of relocation, and then possibly, the situation of initiating war, right?"

Du Tianxing smiled awkwardly and said:

"Brother Yang, our Magic City has a population of over 200,000. Just feeding everyone isn’t a big deal—hunting monsters nearby and growing some crops can sustain us. But, we need to evolve!

Without evolution, not to mention future threats from others, even the wild mutated creatures will pose a threat to us. We must continue to evolve to have the ability to combat these mutated creatures; otherwise, one day we will be wiped out."

Yang Xiao nodded; he understood Du Tianxing’s predicament.

The competition among each other, in fact, includes the greatest competition—the one between humans and mutated creatures.

Humans advance a step, and the mutated creatures retreat a step. Conversely, if the mutated creatures become stronger than humans, the humans will eventually be exterminated from this planet.

Du Tianxing, as the King of Magic City, had no choice but to consider this grave issue.

"Actually, it’s not just me thinking about this relocation issue, Gu Beifeng from Wentian City is also considering it. The resources around Wentian City are scarce too. If we don’t develop new resource spots, we’ll eventually fall behind."

This City Alliance was initially proposed by Yang Xiao to be established jointly by the three of them. Now, for survival and development, Du Tianxing and Gu Beifeng felt compelled to break this alliance, so they felt they must inform Yang Xiao.

In Du Tianxing’s mind, the special talents Yang Xiao showed in the beginning had always impressed him, and informing Yang Xiao was also a way of showing respect.

Yang Xiao knew that whether he agreed or not, Du Tianxing and Gu Beifeng would gradually complete their plans of developing new bases. Thus, he chuckled:

"Perhaps it’s not just the two of you thinking this way. Many city rulers, especially those from the southeastern coastal cities of Xuanming Country which turned from resource-rich to resource-poor overnight, would naturally think of seizing resource-rich areas for survival and development. Maybe soon, the entire Xuanming District will enter an era of competition among heroes, similar to the ancient Warring States period. It’s not just about relocation; there will also be mutual annexations and alliances among each other. Ah, it’s a massive trend, something not stipulatable by mere words of the City Alliance, given how swiftly circumstances change."

After finishing, Yang Xiao sighed. He didn’t want to see war among his fellow countrymen, but this war was indeed inevitable. As minor as the Shenming Mountain Sect fighting a deadly battle over an Ancient Martial Secret Book, let alone the struggle over genetic evolution resources essential for everyone’s future survival.

Du Tianxing chuckled and said:

"So, Brother Yang, you are not opposed?"

"Hehe, what use is my opposition? Won’t you do as you intend anyway? In fact,"

A spark crossed Yang Xiao’s mind as he said:

"If you and Brother Gu could unite the entire Xuanming District, allowing everyone within to share resources and freely hunt mutated creatures based on their abilities, perhaps that would be a viable way to reduce fratricide among our people."

Listening, Du Tianxing laughed and said:

"That’s just an ideal path. To achieve unity across the entire Xuanming District, who knows how many would die, how much blood would be shed? Didn’t Qin Shi Huang cause many deaths in his unification of the six states? Who would willingly submit and bow down under someone’s rule?"

Yang Xiao nodded,

"Brother Du is right. Two tigers can’t share one mountain, and the struggle between you and Brother Gu is a King’s struggle. Besides, the City King of Qingyun City has great ambitions. Perhaps, the best way forward is for everyone to grow their own strengths first, shaping a situation akin to feudal lords’ controlled territories; it would also reduce smaller scale conflicts."

"Brother Yang, your words are powerful. I also urge you to prepare early. You need to unify Kongming City as soon as possible, and when conditions are ripe, even unify the surrounding areas to become the region’s King."

Yang Xiao chuckled, grateful for Du Tian’s candid discussion on the topic; at least, Du Tian did not treat him as an outsider.

The two talked for a long time, and during dinner, they enjoyed two bottles of white liquor, having a jovial conversation.

Zhou Jian and Gong Yu accompanied them.

The next morning, Yang Xiao bid farewell and left, instructing Gong Yu to return to Nanmu City first through the Genetic Store’s Transmission Array, as he intended to visit Shaolin Temple to meet Monk Ben Yin and others alone. Before leaving, Yang Xiao specifically asked Du Tianxing for two bottles of white liquor, which Du Tianxing directly had someone deliver as a gift to Yang Xiao, which he gratefully accepted without hesitation.

Yang Xiao went to Shaolin Temple using the Transmission Array.

The Genetic Store and Transmission Array in Shaolin Temple were located in a small town at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain, not on Shaolin Mountain itself.

Yang Xiao rode out of the Transmission Array on his Flame Horse, and saw several Shaolin monks sitting together chatting near the Genetic Store.

Scanning the surroundings, Yang Xiao noticed, apart from a five-story building next to the Genetic Store, there was nothing but ruins, and there were hardly any people around, just those few monks.

The situation here was similar to what Yang Xiao encountered on Divine Mountain.

The monks were surprised to see Yang Xiao stepping out of the Transmission Array and looked at him.

"Greetings, masters. Are you from the Shaolin Temple?"

The monks nodded, and one of them asked:

"Amitabha, may I ask where you are from? What brings you to Shaolin Temple?"

"Ah, I am a friend of Master Ben Yin, from Nanmu City. I am here to visit Master Ben Yin. Could you tell me where he is?"

Upon hearing this, the monks said:

"So you are a friend of Brother Ben Yin. Master Ben Yin is currently moving houses up on Shaolin Temple in the mountain."

Yang Xiao was taken aback:

"Moving houses?"

"Yes."

The monk nodded.

"Why move houses? And where?"

Looking solemn, the monks explained:

"Why move? The weather is getting warmer, and the mutated creatures on the mountain are becoming more numerous and ferocious, launching constant attacks on us. Various bugs and mosquitoes are making our lives miserable, and we can’t even sleep peacefully at night. After much deliberation, Master Ben Yin decided to move to rooms near the Genetic Store."

The monk pointed at the five-story building nearby the Genetic Store and said:

"This building is within the protective orange glow of the Genetic Store, which can save us from the attacks of the mutated creatures."

"I see, shall we go up the mountain together now?"

The monks immediately waved their hands:

"No, today two high-level enhanced gene tigers appeared mid-mountain. We have a low level of genetic evolution and can’t go alone. We must wait for Brother Ben Hai and others to come, and then we’ll go up together."

(End of additional updates)