Chapter 42

Zihong Gate ranks third among the Three Gates, but its strength is several times greater than Wanxiang Sect's. Although its Gate Master is not the strongest cultivator in the Gate, he is a famous Sword Cultivator even among Golden Core Late Stage cultivators.

How did he die in Qingzhou?

While the Golden Core Elders were shocked and full of doubt, one of them spoke up.

"Peak Master Li, what exactly is going on?"

Li Jiran said with a gloomy gaze: "I went with the Sect Master to the Three Gates' station to discuss this year's harvest, but unexpectedly received a message from a disciple hiding in Qingzhou. The letter said that Cang State Emperor Cang Hongxuan is about to break through to the Divine Transformation Realm during closed-door cultivation, and they have located his closed-door cultivation spot."

"You also know that there are only a handful of Divine Transformation Venerables in our Wuzhou and Qingzhou. If Cang Hongxuan breaks through, it will inevitably break the current balance, and even launch a great war lasting hundreds of years to annex us."

"One more Divine Transformation Venerable has too great an impact on the war situation, so after discussing it, we took the initiative to strike and invaded the capital of Cang State."

"At first, under the leadership of the Divine Transformation Venerable of Qixing Gate, everything went smoothly. We broke through the Hu Du Da Zhen, but Cang State's preparations were also very solid. They stubbornly held out until their Divine Transformation Venerable arrived as reinforcements, and finally a bloody battle was fought."

"It was in this bloody battle that the Qixing Gate Divine Transformation Venerable was injured, and the Zihong Gate Master fell."

Li Jiran sighed and continued: "But we also gained a great harvest. We interrupted the key to Cang State Emperor Cang Hongxuan's breakthrough. Now Cang State will probably be in chaos for a while and won't have time to harass Wuzhou in the short term."

"But this is only a temporary measure. When Cang Hongxuan prepares for a second breakthrough, we probably won't be able to stop him. Changes in the two states are imminent, so I hurried back to the sect to discuss something with everyone."

Many Elders found it hard to digest this massive amount of information for a moment, all with their mouths agape, discussing among themselves.

"Three Gates, Three Venerables. One Venerable being injured is a major matter."

"Interrupting Cang Hongxuan's breakthrough this time has also aroused the anger of Cang State's cultivators. The peace of hundreds of years is probably coming to an end."

"I, Wanxiang Sect, where do we go from here?"

Only the four Peak Masters furrowed their brows and formed a judgment about the subsequent situation.

Yu Ding Peak's Xiang Fu sat composedly in the main seat, stroked his beard, and said: "Dao Friend Li, you must have a plan, right?"

As his words fell, everyone fell silent at once and looked at Li Jiran.

Li Jiran looked around and said: "It's not really a plan. I just feel that the sect needs to change."

"My Wanxiang Sect also had a Divine Transformation Venerable presiding over it a thousand years ago, but it has declined for hundreds of years. None of the later generations could break through. Apart from the limitation of talent, there are also resources!"

"I want to change the sect's rules. Using the method of raising gu to screen out excellent cultivators, and within the next hundred years, let the middle-level strength of the sect improve. Besides, those immortal cultivation families within our territory should also be moved. They should gather resources for us and pay spirit stones every year. Those who don't listen should be exterminated, rather than letting them become pests growing on Wanxiang Sect!"

"This is my plan. Everyone, take a look."

Li Jiran threw out a slip of paper. Everyone read it with a sweep of their Divine Sense, and their complexions changed drastically. Among them, Yushou Peak Master Mo Pengcheng stood up directly and shouted: "No!"

"So cruel, so ruthless. How is Wanxiang Sect any different from the Demonic Sect?!"

Li Jiran coldly hummed. Among the Peak Masters present, he disliked Yushou Peak the most—a kind-hearted but ungrateful personality.

"Demonic Sect? Ten thousand years ago, after the battle between the Righteous and Demonic paths, what distinction is there between righteousness and demonic? Which one of you present did not climb up from a road piled with white bones? And who is truly clean and pure, only killing those who deserve to die?"

"Mo Pengcheng, if we don't do this, where does Wanxiang Sect stand? How will we survive the coming great war? If we don't take these resources, should we just hand them over to others?"

"Or do you want us to follow those small families and perish together!"

Mo Pengcheng's complexion turned deathly pale, and he was powerless to refute.

Especially since his realm was weaker than Li Jiran's. The sharp aura on the other person's body was like a sword stabbing at him, making him unable to speak. Beside him, Yu Ding Peak's Xiang Fu tapped the table and said: "Alright. With a great enemy before us, how can we fall into internal chaos?"

"Did the Sect Master and the others agree to this?"

Xiang Fu turned to Li Jiran, his gaze deep, and spoke calmly.

Li Jiran was completely unafraid and said: "Not only did the Sect Master agree, but my Ancestor also agreed. I believe Ba Dao Peak won't object either, right?"

The Ancestor he spoke of was naturally the Sub-Talisman True Lord of Yujian Peak. Among Wanxiang Sect's three Sub-Talisman True Lords, he had the highest cultivation base, already at Sub-Talisman Peak, and his Sword Intent was so powerful that even Divine Transformation Venerables would fear him.

The only complicated part was that this Sub-Talisman Ancestor was too old. A Sub-Talisman's lifespan is three thousand years. He watched Wanxiang Sect go from glory to decline but was powerless to change it. Now his lifespan is also coming to an end, and he has always been in a state of closed-door cultivation and breath-holding to preserve his life.

As for the other two Sub-Talisman Ancestors, the one from Ba Dao Peak was younger, but his realm was lower than that of Yu Ding Peak's. He was only at the second level of Sub-Talisman, with shallow strength, and could not compare to the old True Lords of other sects.

Ba Dao Peak's Golden Core Peak Master closed his eyes and said: "Since the Sword Peak Ancestor has already agreed, our Ancestor will naturally agree too. What about you all? State your positions."

"Both Sub-Talisman True Lords have agreed. How could we Elders object? And this is also beneficial for our Wanxiang Sect!"

"Exactly, exactly. Those mortals and cultivation families—if they die, they die. Anyway, they can't all die. How could we possibly die with them!"

"What does Elder Xiang say?"

Mu Chengping followed everyone's gaze and saw Xiang Fu sitting in the main seat pondering for a moment before saying: "Agreed."

Everyone's expressions brightened, and then they heard him continue.

"However, I feel this step shouldn't be taken too large, otherwise it will cause trouble. The matter of the immortal cultivation families should be handed over to Shu Fa Peak and Yushou Peak, mainly with conciliation."

"As for the sect's internal affairs, we can start from the Selection. I remember this year's Outer Disciple Selection is about to begin, right? Why not start from here?"

Li Jiran furrowed his brows.

According to his idea, he wanted to cut the knot quickly and do it all at once.

But considering the Sub-Talisman True Lord of Yu Ding Peak and the attitudes of the other Peak Masters, he finally compromised.

"Let's do it this way. Outer Disciples don't really count as disciples of our Wanxiang Sect anyway. Let's start the gu-raising with them. If they die, it's no heartache."

"If a ruthless and vicious person can emerge, even if their Spirit Root talent is poor, they are worth cultivating."

Spirit Roots are extremely important for ordinary people, determining whether they can step onto the path of immortality.

But for Golden Core and Sub-Talisman cultivators, they value the Dao Heart even more.

No matter how strong or good the Spirit Root is, if the Dao Heart is not good, the future is still limited.

"Good."

"Then let's start from the Outer Disciple Selection."

Many Golden Core Elders laughed out loud.

(Chapter End)