Chapter 879: Parting Ways

In Qianxue Province, Qiandao Sect.

Inside a grand hall of jade towers and jeweled pavilions.

Shen Changlao, born of the Shen family, an Immortal Transformation cultivator holding real power, was discussing matters with a group of elders and instructors.

Soon after, Zheng Changlao, clad in Qiandao Sect robes, with half-gray hair and stern features, pushed the door open, his face filled with rage.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Shen Changlao glanced around and waved his hand. "You may all leave. We'll resume this matter later."

"Yes."

The elders and instructors exited the hall.

The door closed, leaving only Shen Changlao and Zheng Changlao inside.

Zheng Changlao spoke directly: "What are you planning to do about the Crimson Boat?"

Shen Changlao frowned. "What do you mean, what to do about the Crimson Boat? What does it have to do with Qiandao Sect?"

Zheng Changlao sneered. "No need for pretense. Don't tell me you know nothing."

"That ship isn't merely operated by the Gui Shui Gate."

"Those disciples gather together seeking fame, power, and profit. And in Qianxue Province, who holds the greatest fame, power, and wealth? Which families?"

"How could your Shen family and Qiandao Sect have no involvement at all?"

Shen Changlao remained silent.

Seeing this, Zheng Changlao let out a cold laugh:

"Even if you won't speak, I've already investigated. There's the shadow of your Shen family behind that ship. And many Qiandao Sect disciples have boarded it…"

"Zheng Changlao…" Shen Changlao's face darkened. "Don't make baseless accusations. Don't speak irresponsibly."

Zheng Changlao sneered. "You know whether this is slander or not. I once thought you merely chased fame and profit, a selfish, greedy man—but I never imagined your Dao heart had decayed so far, hiding filth and corruption, doing things worse than beasts…"

Shen Changlao slammed his fist on the table, shouting sharply: "Enough!"

Zheng Changlao's expression remained unyielding.

Shen Changlao took a breath, suppressing his anger, and pointed at Zheng Changlao:

"Zheng, I've been lenient with you only out of respect for your Zheng family. Don't push your luck!"

"What do you mean, pushing my luck?" Zheng Changlao retorted. "Is it not pushing my luck to turn a blind eye to right and wrong, to wear the same pants as your Shen family, to be your dog and horse—that's now the duty of a Qiandao Sect elder?"

Shen Changlao spoke coldly: "Zheng Changlao, watch your words."

"What difference does it make whether I watch my words? I ask you plainly: what are you going to do about the Crimson Boat?" Zheng Changlao's face was icy.

Shen Changlao had no wish to discuss this, but seeing Zheng Changlao's determined, unyielding stance, and fearing the matter would escalate, he snapped irritably:

"The Ancestor has already devised a plan."

"What plan?" Zheng Changlao asked.

Shen Changlao's expression shifted, and he sighed faintly. "The Crimson Boat affair is due to our Shen family's negligence. We merely granted the Gui Shui Gate a small favor—but never imagined they would become so reckless, so brazen…"

"A small favor?" Zheng Changlao's gaze sharpened. "The profits your Shen family extracted must have been substantial. Isn't it because you've grown too fat that you've chosen to turn a blind eye?"

Shen Changlao did not answer, but countered: "Which family doesn't seek profit? Does your Zheng family not pursue profit?"

"At least our Zheng family does not seek profit of this kind."

"Fine, fine. Your Zheng family is so noble. And then?" Shen Changlao sneered. "What do you intend to do? Accuse my Shen family of crimes?"

Zheng Changlao: "I cannot accuse your Shen family of crimes. But as Qiandao Sect's Law Elder, I must deal with those disciples who boarded the Crimson Boat and violated sect rules."

Shen Changlao suppressed his anger. "And what do you plan to do?"

Zheng Changlao said: "Sever their cultivation, expel them from the sect!"

Shen Changlao slammed the table, furious: "Nonsense!"

His hands trembled with rage. "Who are these people? They are the prodigies of the great families, each with the finest spiritual roots, the truest 'pearls' among all cultivators in the world—how can you simply sever their cultivation? Who gave you the right?"

"Besides, what time is it now?"

"The Sword Debate Assembly is imminent. If you sever them, who will represent Qiandao Sect to compete for rankings, for profit, for a share of the Qianlong Spirit Mine?"

Shen Changlao frowned in reprimand. "You have such short-sighted vision. How can you ignore the bigger picture?"

"So what?" Zheng Changlao sneered. "You intend to shelter them?"

"This isn't sheltering…" Shen Changlao sighed. "They're still young. Who among us didn't make mistakes in youth? We must give them a chance to correct themselves."

"Moreover, you must know how crucial this Sword Debate Assembly is. Compared to the sect's interests, these minor matters mean nothing."

Zheng Changlao's eyes were sharp. "These are minor matters?"

"I said, compared to the sect's interests…"

"You speak of family interests, then sect interests—everything is about profit. Where do you place the cultivator's 'moral duty'?"

"Let's set aside 'moral duty' for now…"

"Why set it aside?" Zheng Changlao demanded, his voice turning icy. "Once you put down moral duty, can you ever pick it up again?"

Shen Changlao waved his hand impatiently. "I can't reason with someone like you."

Zheng Changlao wore an expression of speaking to a cow. "So this matter is settled?"

Shen Changlao said: "Great endeavors overlook trivial details. For the sake of the bigger picture, these matters will not be pursued. And…"

Shen Changlao had no wish to say more, but now he had no choice but to lower his voice and warn Zheng Changlao: "The Ancestor has already approved this. Don't stir up trouble."

The Ancestor…

Zheng Changlao's eyes revealed profound disappointment:

"You are… sacrificing the great for the small…"

Shen Changlao was impatient. "I told you—it's for the bigger picture. How could this be sacrificing the great for the small?"

Zheng Changlao shook his head slowly. "Chasing profit and forgetting righteousness—over time, all noble families and sects will become nothing but profit-seekers who abandon righteousness…"

"Feasting on benefits and growing fat, monopolizing and exploiting advantages, the great clans and major sects will eventually monopolize all benefits and lineages, becoming behemoths that split the cultivation world apart and leave the people destitute."

"This is a sign of the Dao's corruption—appearing prosperous, but the great hall is about to collapse; it is merely a matter of time."

"Here we go again, here we go again—what 'great hall about to collapse'? Alarmist nonsense..." Shen Changlao growled impatiently, flinging his arms open and boasting:

"Look at Qianxue Province, look at my Qiandao Sect—jade towers and cloud-wreathed pavilions, how could this not be a divine aura? How could it possibly rot?"

Zheng Changlao said coldly: "The jade towers are mere facade; the clouds and mist float hollowly in midair. External splendor cannot conceal the decay within men's hearts."

"You're still so..." Shen Changlao spat out four words, "incomprehensible!"

He waved his hand. "I have no time to waste on such nonsense. The Discourse Assembly still has important matters to decide. Zheng Changlao, if you have time, lend a hand. If not, don't dawdle here causing trouble—or else..."

Shen Changlao sneered, "Your position as Changlao may not last much longer..."

"No need." Zheng Changlao flung a jade slip before Shen Changlao. "I quit!"

Shen Changlao froze. "What did you say?"

Zheng Changlao spoke slowly, word by word: "I say—I am done being your Qiandao Sect's worthless Changlao!"

Shen Changlao's face turned ashen. He picked up the jade slip Zheng Changlao had thrown and saw the two large characters on it: "Resignation." His expression jolted; he burst out in disbelief and fury:

"Unthinkable! You—you know how many cultivators are fighting to death just to enter our Qiandao Sect and secure even a minor post? And yet you—you..."

Zheng Changlao sneered. "Your Qiandao Sect's temple is too grand. I'm too small a Buddha to fit."

With that, he swept his sleeve and turned to leave.

"Stop!"

Shen Changlao immediately called out, then calmed himself, fixing his gaze on Zheng Changlao and speaking slowly:

"Don't forget—my Qiandao Sect made a pact with your Zheng family's ancestral patriarch. You may leave, but your Zheng family's formation must be passed down."

Zheng Changlao's face turned solemn. "The patriarch only agreed to consider it. Whether to pass it on is still my decision."

"Moreover, my Zheng family's Eight Trigrams Thunder Formation is utterly fierce and unyielding, its nature incorruptible. Your Qiandao Sect's disciples lack the temperament to learn it!"

"Nonsense!" Shen Changlao pointed at Zheng Changlao. "Don't overrate your Zheng family! My Qiandao Sect is a titan of Qianxue, gathering heavenly prodigies from across the Nine Provinces. Who else but my Qiandao Sect's disciples deserves to learn it?"

Zheng Changlao sneered. "Your heavenly prodigies have narrow minds, forget righteousness for profit, indulge their selfish desires. Even a Heaven-grade spiritual root? Merely a more powerful toxin."

"One day, this poison will spread across the world, unbalance the Dao, and summon great calamity. Your Qiandao Sect will be the nest that breeds the enemy! Such a sect—I, Zheng, respectfully decline!"

"Fine, fine!" Shen Changlao roared. "My Qiandao Sect is one of the Four Major Sects, mighty and flourishing. Losing one man is like plucking a single hair from a nine-ox team. But you—your decision today, don't you dare regret it!"

Zheng Changlao cast a contemptuous glance at Shen Changlao, turned without hesitation, and swept out.

Left alone in the hall, Shen Changlao overturned tables and slammed his fists, raging impotently.

Since becoming a True Disciple Changlao of the Qiandao Sect, no one had ever dared show him such disrespect—no one had ever cast aside the revered position of Qiandao Sect Changlao as if it were trash.

Shen Changlao was furious.

After a while, he suppressed his rage, smoothed his expression, and summoned the Changlao and instructors outside the hall back in for the meeting.

The group of Changlao and instructors, seeing the chaos inside and Shen Changlao's still-smoldering face, dared not speak.

The meeting proceeded as usual.

After concluding the matters, Shen Changlao compiled all details into a jade slip, tucked it into his sleeve, and went alone to the highest pavilion of the Qiandao Sect.

This pavilion was built of Bai Yu bricks and glazed tiles, more magnificent and noble than the jade towers and crystal palaces outside.

In the center of the pavilion sat an old man.

The old man's hair and beard were white; he wore a golden-embroidered celestial robe, exuding immortal grace.

Shen Changlao stepped forward respectfully, handed over the jade slip, and whispered:

"Ancestral Patriarch, all matters are settled. All factions have been arranged. This Discourse Assembly will proceed as we intend—no surprises."

The old man closed his eyes, resting, saying nothing.

Silence settled within the lofty jade pavilion.

Shen Changlao bowed his head, paused, then whispered again: "That man surnamed Zheng—he's ungrateful. He's resigning and leaving..."

The golden-robed old man suddenly opened his eyes, fixing his gaze on Shen Changlao, his eyes narrowing.

Shen Changlao felt the Patriarch's gaze heavy, solemn, and displeased; he lowered his head further and explained:

"This man is arrogant with talent, unmanageable. So I've occasionally used words to intimidate and suppress him—but I never expected..."

Never expected he'd truly walk away. A position as Changlao of the Four Major Sects—discarded as if it meant nothing.

The golden-robed old man frowned slightly, then spoke coldly: "Enough. Those who can stay will stay. Those who wish to leave cannot be held."

"Ancestral Patriarch," Shen Changlao whispered, "whether this Zheng man stays or goes is irrelevant—but his formation..."

The golden-robed old man stared silently at Shen Changlao.

Shen Changlao continued: "The Zheng family's Eight Trigrams Thunder Formation is rare in the cultivation world. Even our Qiandao Sect, with its long history and deep formation heritage, has never possessed a thunder formation lineage."

"If this thunder formation could be added to the Formation Archive, it would greatly enrich our sect's formation canon."

"Ancestral Patriarch, would you consider... finding a way to keep this Zheng man?"

After speaking, Shen Changlao lowered his eyes obediently, awaiting the Patriarch's decision.

The golden-robed old man remained silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Enough. The Eight Trigrams Thunder Formation is not lightly transmitted, nor easily learned. If he refuses to teach, we must not force him."

Shen Changlao frowned, puzzled. "Ancestral Patriarch, this formation truly demands a heart that is utterly firm and upright."

Seeing the old man say nothing, he added:

"In my view, this talk of temperament is pure nonsense. If one has a good spiritual root and excellent physique, what can't they learn? Why invoke 'temperament' and 'Dao heart'?"

"I believe the Zheng family's thunder formation is just pretense. They hoard it jealously and refuse to pass it on—so they use 'temperament and Dao heart' as an excuse."

The golden-robed old man glanced at Shen Changlao, shook his head, and said no more—only ordered:

"Let this matter end here. If the Zheng family wishes to stay, let them stay. Treat the past as if it never happened."

"If he wishes to leave, do not hinder him."

"Though the Zheng family dwells in Zhenzhou, they are among the few families who have preserved their thunder formation lineage. Never underestimate them."

"Moreover..."

The robed elder paused, "The current Dao Discourse Assembly is the main matter—do not stir up unnecessary trouble."

"Yes, Ancestor." Elder Shen said.

Only then did the robed elder take the jade slip offered by Elder Shen, glance over it briefly, and nod slightly.

"Well done. Issue these instructions..."

"Remember this: either don't do it at all, or do it thoroughly—don't let time breed complications."

Elder Shen immediately bowed low:

"I humbly follow your Ancestor's command."

Several days later, in Qianxue Prefecture, Qianxue Pavilion.

Inside the grand, towering hall, leaders and powerful elders from the Sida Sect, the Eight Gates, the Twelve Streams, and dozens of Qianxue sects gathered to deliberate on this sect reorganization and the specific regulations of the Dao Discourse Assembly.

Most matters had already been discussed previously.

This meeting at Qianxue Pavilion was to finalize the decisions.

But before the meeting, the Sida Sect, led by Qiandao Sect, issued a proposal.

Upon seeing the jade slip, a senior elder of Tai'o Gate immediately rose and slammed his fist on the table: "Absolutely not!"

A senior elder from Duanjin Gate sneered: "Why not?"

The Tai'o Gate elder flipped through the jade slip and said: "These changes are too drastic."

"They're merely adjustments to the schedule and minor revisions to the rules—nothing significant..."

"Nonsense!"

Several sects chimed in agreement.

"Indeed, things that have been followed for centuries are being changed on a whim."

"They show utter disregard for ancestral law."

But those who disagreed were ultimately few.

Most sects remained silent; some clearly supported the proposal.

"Ancestral law was always adapted to changing times and continuously revised."

"I think Qiandao Sect's proposal is excellent."

Inside Qianxue Pavilion, voices buzzed with debate.

Elder Shen, seated high above, cleared his throat. When the room quieted somewhat, he spoke: "All of you have seen the jade slip. This meeting will focus on several key points—please take note:"

"First, the Sword Discourse Assembly will be moved earlier—hold the Sword Discourse before the Dao Discourse;"

"As everyone knows, the Sword Discourse Assembly is one of the greatest events in Qianxue Prefecture. Not only do disciples from all sects gather, but noble families converge, and cultivators from every prefecture come to witness it—this has always been the case."

"But following the old order—Dao Discourse first, then Sword Discourse—is unnecessarily drawn out."

"The Dao Discourse Assembly involves competitions in talismans, arrays, pills, and artifacts—its proceedings are already complex. If delayed, the Sword Discourse Assembly must be postponed, inevitably blurring priorities."

"Therefore, to ensure the Sword Discourse Assembly is held on schedule and to avoid wasting the time of cultivators from all nine prefectures, the timing of the Sword Discourse Assembly must be moved forward!"

"All human and material resources will be concentrated on the Sword Discourse Assembly, ensuring that every future Sword Discourse Assembly is held on time, striving to elevate it into the foremost grand event in Qian Prefecture—and even the entire Nine Prefectures."

"That is the first point. Second: the number of participants in the Sword Discourse Assembly will be expanded."

"The original intent of the Sword Discourse Assembly is not to let a few disciples monopolize glory and dominate the stage—it is to encourage more sect disciples to strive forward."

"Expanding the quota allows more disciples to participate, encouraging healthy competition and mutual progress—this is beneficial."

"Third—and most important—"

Elder Shen paused, his expression solemn: "Starting with this session, the rankings of the Sida Sect, the Eight Gates, and the Twelve Streams will be determined by each sect's performance in the Dao Discourse Assembly!"

At these words, the hall erupted in uproar.

Elder Shen waited a moment, then continued:

"For the next three sessions, this ranking will change each time."

"But after three sessions, the final ranking will be fixed and remain unchanged for a hundred years."

"Sect reorganization, three Dao Discourse Assemblies, ten years—this will determine the rankings for the next century. Every hundred years, such a 'reorganization' will occur again—let the capable rise..."

Elder Shen spoke with deep gravity:

"The positions of the Sida Sect stand at the pinnacle of Qianxue Prefecture's thousands of sects—this carries immense significance."

"The purpose of a sect is to transmit the Dao and teach disciples. Only those who can produce outstanding disciples and triumph in the Dao Discourse Assembly deserve to hold these positions."

"Otherwise, one merely occupies a post without merit, inviting ridicule."

"To prevent certain sects from relying on ancestral achievements and becoming complacent, we of the Sida Sect lead by example and initiate this reform."

"This is also a form of motivation for us of the Sida Sect."

"Whoever has the ability may ascend to the Sida Sect."

"If our disciples are outmatched, we will say nothing—we will willingly yield our place."

"Qiandao Sect, along with the current Sida Sects, will have no complaints!"

"What do you all think...?"

Inside Qianxue Pavilion, hearts stirred immediately.

The Sida Sect positions!

Within Qianxue Prefecture, not a single sect did not desire to rise to the top, to claim one of the Sida Sect positions, to claim the largest share of Qianlong Mountain Range, to swallow this rich prize.

Even the elders of Tai'o Gate and Chongxu Gate, upon hearing Elder Shen's words, felt their hearts stir.

Had it not been for the Yanzhi Zhou matter, they would have fought tooth and nail to seize this chance.

But now, they were like a mute eating bitter herb—suffering in silence.

Several sects of Tai'o Gate still tried to oppose it.

But Qiandao Sect, along with the Sida Sect, had long since secretly arranged everything.

These matters had long been destined.

In the final vote by all sects, approval of Qiandao Sect's proposal was nearly unanimous.

The long-contested "Sect Reform," with all its maneuvering and calculations, was officially set into motion…

…

Grand Void Gate.

The elders sat in the center, while Mo Hua continued studying array techniques under Mr. Xun.

More precisely, Mo Hua was taking an examination.

Mr. Xun had assigned him a massive array exam sheet, containing over a dozen second-grade nineteen-stroke arrays, even up to the peak of nineteen-stroke arrays, demanding Mo Hua complete them all in one continuous effort within a limited time.

He could rest briefly in between, but the allotted time was minimal.

Mo Hua began drawing at dawn and kept drawing until dusk.

When he handed the "exam sheet" to Mr. Xun, the incense stick before him still had one-third left.

"Finished."

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded.

Mr. Xun took Mo Hua's array exam sheet and examined each array, one by one, meticulously.

Despite the limited time, the overwhelming number of strokes, and the extreme difficulty of the arrays.

Yet every stroke on the exam sheet was precise, orderly, as if printed—not a single error!

Even the brushwork was flawless, perfected beyond reproach.

To complete such a top-tier array exam at this level was nearly impossible for a second-grade array master.

Even an ordinary third-grade array master could not have achieved this.

Solid foundation, broad knowledge, profound experience, deep mastery.

Shen Nian unfathomably deep, brushwork forged through countless trials.

Even an ancient spirit possessing a body would not do better when drawing second-grade arrays…

Mr. Xun drew in a sharp breath, then gave Mo Hua a long, deep look—and the heavy weight in his heart finally eased…

The turning point for Grand Void Gate had arrived!