Fantasy World: I Can Travel To Cultivation World

Chapter 186 Are You Scared?

Zhou Minghao paused, his voice steady as he addressed the hall. "From the map, you can see that the Eastern Defense Zone directly borders Lotus Island and will serve as the front line in our coalition forces' battle against the zombie tide.

As such, the leader of this defense zone must possess extraordinary strength. I recommend Zhou Mubai, the genius of my Zhou family, to take on this role."

After speaking, Zhou Minghao's gaze swept across the room, gauging the reactions of those present.

The crowd nodded in agreement. A man's reputation casts a long shadow, and Zhou Mubai's name carried immense weight. No one voiced any objection to his appointment as commander of the Eastern Defense Zone.

In truth, even if Zhou Mubai had been nominated as the coalition's overall commander, there would likely have been no dissent. His inclusion on the prestigious Prodigy List before the age of a hundred was proof of his strength, and his accomplishments with the flying sword were renowned.

Seeing no signs of opposition, Zhou Minghao continued.

"The Central Defense Zone will be based on Lingbei Island and will be under my direct command. The Southern Defense Zone will be led by Zhou Mingyue, the third elder of the Zhou family.

The Northern Defense Zone will be commanded by Yang Linyuan. As for the Western Defense Zone..." Zhou Minghao paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

"...Fellow Daoist Luis will be the leader!"

"Boom!"

The hall erupted into uproar. The earlier announcements had been met with silent approval, but the mention of Luis as the commander of the Western Defense Zone sparked immediate controversy.

A monk stood abruptly, his voice tinged with protest. "Grandmaster Zhou, we have no objections to your choices for the first four defense zones, but the appointment of the Western Defense Zone's leader needs further discussion!"

"That's right!" another chimed in. "Elder Zhou, Fellow Daoist Luis is only at the Foundation Building stage. Why not appoint a Late Stage cultivator from the Zhou family to take on this responsibility?"

"Ancestor Zhou," another added, "Fellow Daoist Luis, forgive my bluntness, but this decision is preposterous, is it not?"

"Exactly!"

"Let's have a senior member of the Zhou family lead the Western Defense Zone instead!"

Luis frowned as he listened to the indignant scolding of the monks from Guang'an Prefecture.

He, too, was puzzled as to why he had been appointed as the commander of the Western Defense Zone.

While the Western Defense Zone was in the rear and unlikely to face any direct conflict, appointing an early Foundation Building cultivator as its commander made it difficult to earn the respect of the crowd.

Fortunately, Luis's strength far exceeded that of cultivators at his level. Otherwise, it was almost certain that someone in the Foundation Establishment stage would have challenged him on the spot. A single defeat, and not even Patriarch Zhou would be able to insist on his appointment.

Zhou Minghao, watching the growing opposition to Luis's role, could only sigh internally. The decision had not been made lightly.

Unlike the other four defense zones, the Western Defense Zone was the least likely to encounter combat. Moreover, the western region of Lingbei Island lacked prominent families or powerful monks.

If the Zhou family wanted to reinforce the Western Defense Zone, they would have to reassign their own cultivators.

But now was hardly the time for such a move.

It wasn't just the two Sun brothers among the zombies that the Zhou family had to worry about. The real threat loomed in the form of Shen Jue, the peerless and vicious cultivator whose actions could tip the scales of war.

If the Zhou family overextended their forces to protect the Western Defense Zone, they risked leaving Lingbei Island and its spiritual veins vulnerable. Should the battle escalate, there might not even be enough Foundation Building cultivators left to defend their core territory.

Given these circumstances, Zhou Minghao had chosen to concentrate their forces in the Eastern and Central Defense Zones, particularly the Eastern Defense Zone under Zhou Mubai's command.

The primary purpose of establishing the Western Defense Zone wasn't combat.

Its main objective was to prevent these sinister creatures from passing through the underwater world of the Ten Thousand Star Sea, launching sneak attacks on the islands behind Guang'an Prefecture, and disrupting the coalition forces' deployment.

Because of this, the strength requirements for the Western Defense Zone weren't particularly high.

With the Hartmann family's capabilities, Luis was fully qualified for the position.

Faced with the growing opposition, Zhou Minghao transmitted a message to Luis and, after receiving his confirmation, responded firmly:

"Since you have agreed to join the coalition, you must abide by the rules set by the Zhou family. Otherwise, you are free to seek help elsewhere!"

The hall fell silent.

Everyone present had come to seek refuge with the Zhou family. At this moment, there was no other family in Guang'an Prefecture capable of providing them with a sense of security. Seeing Patriarch Zhou's anger, no one dared to openly challenge him.

But, as always, there was someone who didn't fear authority.

Lei Zhen, a bold and outspoken rogue cultivator, stepped forward from the crowd. He bowed respectfully before speaking:

"Ancestor Zhou, I am willing to join the coalition. However, I cannot accept being led by a cultivator in the early Foundation Building stage. It is said that sword cultivators are unmatched in attack power, but I, Lei Zhen, have yet to witness that for myself."

His gaze shifted to Luis, his eyes full of provocation.

"Lei Zhen, you insolent fool!"

Zhou Minghao's anger flared. However, considering Lei Zhen's influence among the independent cultivators, it wasn't wise to dismiss him outright.

For the coalition to succeed in eliminating the zombie tide, the support of all cultivators in Guang'an Prefecture was crucial—especially the independent ones. Lei Zhen was a prominent figure among the Foundation Building cultivators and had the ear of many casual cultivators.

At that moment, Luis realized he could no longer remain silent.

The division of Guang'an Prefecture's major defense zones wasn't just about strategy—it was also a redistribution of influence among the region's families.

Unknowingly, the Hartmann family had risen to a position where they could claim a share of power under the Zhou family.

It was a stark contrast to the days when Luis had carefully made his way to the Zhou family's main city, uncertain of their place in the region's hierarchy.

The transformation was undeniable.

Luis rose from the throne on the high platform. His voice was soft, yet it carried clearly to every corner of the hall.

"Daoist Lei Zhen, is it?"

Hearing this, Lei Zhen cupped his hands, a grin spreading across his face. "That's right!"

Luis's gaze remained steady as he asked, "And what level of strength do you believe is required to qualify as the commander of the Western Defense Zone?"

"This..."

Lei Zhen was momentarily at a loss for words.

He had only objected because Luis's cultivation level was lower than his own. Naturally, he felt reluctant to see someone with less cultivation leading him. But deep down, Lei Zhen knew that Luis was likely stronger than him.

This much was evident.

Zhou Mubai alone served as proof. At the first level of Foundation Building, Zhou Mubai had severely injured and killed someone in the late Foundation Building stage. By the third level, he had fought four cultivators simultaneously—two of whom were at the mid-Foundation Building stage—and not only held his ground but suppressed them outright.

Sword cultivators were undeniably terrifying.

In a one-on-one duel, Lei Zhen knew he couldn't match Luis. Still, he refused to concede easily. With a defiant smile, he said, "It doesn't matter. As long as your strength can convince me!"

His words were deliberate. He didn't say Luis had to defeat him—just convince him.

The difference was significant.

Even if Luis thoroughly thrashed him, Lei Zhen could still stubbornly refuse to yield. However, if it came to that, the other cultivators wouldn't tolerate Lei Zhen's antics any further.

After all, the other casual cultivators' dissatisfaction with Luis's appointment stemmed from their uncertainty about his strength.

If Luis's power proved undeniable, their objections would naturally fade.

In this world, the commander of a defense zone was determined by strength above all else. Family background mattered far less.

Even among the Wu family, no one had been appointed to lead a defense zone. Their strongest cultivator was merely at the peak of Foundation Building, which meant little in the presence of a Golden Core cultivator.

Luis gave a slight nod. "If that's the case, why don't we have a sparring match?"

"Great!" Lei Zhen shouted eagerly. "Let's go! This place is too cramped for us to use our full strength. Follow me!"

Luis, however, simply shook his head.

Seeing this, Lei Zhen sneered. "What's the matter? Are you afraid?"

"No!"

Luis said calmly, "I think it's nice here, there's no need to go out and make trouble."

"Is this place nice?"