Chapter 697: The Storage Bags of Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun of Rangu and Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun of Yinjiu

"Such widespread dissemination of Nascent Soul Gong Fa, overturning tradition, does have the look of a true rebel army..."

Jiang Ding stared at the northern maidens, thinking rapidly.

In the Cultivation World, the importance of Gong Fa is more than ten times greater than land in mortal dynasties; imagine the frenzy this would cause among the northern Jin Dan cultivators.

"Dong Xue Dong Xue Liuyun will surely stir up great turmoil in the north."

Jiang Ding judged.

Whether it succeeds or not, his action will surely bring massive change to the north.

Besides these, through the northern maidens, Jiang Ding also learned the situation of the Zhengmo Alliance and the Liu Dao Sect.

Just like the Blood King Army's laxity and frantic flight, the Zhengmo Alliance too has severe internal conflicts—namely, the sharp struggle between the Gaige Sect and the conservative faction.

If it ends in a draw, partial reform is tacitly permitted, but the direct lineage must retain at least half of the family's internal share of benefits.

Thus, they neither support nor oppose reforms by other families, maintaining a cautious watchful stance—effectively neutral.

Immediately, numerous newly risen Jin Dan, Foundation Establishment, and Qi Condensation cultivators from the collateral branches of the Huanhuan Sect's Liu family were executed.

Among them, the Iron family, the leader of the orthodox path, was extremely conservative.

While firmly securing their own interests,

the Nascent Soul elders of the Liu Dao Sect also harbored concerns; their vision was not narrow or short-sighted—they too could see the future trend and the flaws of the direct lineage system.

Therefore, Lady Huanhuan had no choice but to recall the collateral-branch-born Huanhuan Holy Maiden and imprison her in the family dungeon.

The demonic leader, the Yin family of the Liu Dao Sect, was neutral.

——The descendants of Nascent Soul Ancestors are not necessarily direct lineage.

They currently have their own Holy Sons, temporarily lacking impetus for reform; external pressure is insufficient, and their internal Nascent Soul cultivators refuse to split their interests at this time to nurture collateral-branch youths with superior talent and insight, thereby strengthening the family while severely diminishing their own gains.

The current situation is that Bingxuedian, Huanhuan Sect, and other forces seek reform but are blocked by the Iron family allied with a group of families.

These were all carefully selected, exceptionally gifted youths destined to uphold the Liu family's future.

Only children born from marriage with a wife bearing the verified direct lineage of the Iron family are considered direct lineage, governed by a strict standard established ten thousand years ago.

They were wiped out completely.

The Gaige Sect consists of families like Bingxuedian and Huanhuan Sect, whose direct lineages have no successors, while collateral branches have risen—and coincidentally, these rising collateral branches carry the blood of the current family's Ancestor.

Other families attempting reform, whether orthodox or demonic, face the same: an Iron family Nascent Soul elder arrives to challenge them.

Several years ago, the Iron family's Gui Fu Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun personally visited and sparred multiple times with Bingxuedian's Bing Yu Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun, each encounter ending in a draw.

Only then did the current Bingxuedian Holy Maiden barely survive, still retaining command of the army.

If victorious, the Iron family tacitly permits reform.

If the reforming family's Ancestor loses the duel, as with Huanhuan Sect's Liu family, all cultivators who offended the direct lineage during the reform must be executed, ensuring the direct lineage retains all rights and interests within the family.

Out of their own Nascent Soul Ancestor's interests, they unhesitatingly abandoned the direct lineage and began supporting their collateral-branch descendants.

Huanhuan Master Dinghai Zhenjun suffered a crushing defeat against Gui Fu Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun, barely salvaging the situation by relying on the family's grand formation.

Huanhuan Sect was not so fortunate.

Do not think of violating the rules.

The Iron family of the orthodox path far surpasses any single family and is guarded by the strongest orthodox cultivator, the Tiangui Tiangui Laoguai, a Nascent Soul peak master.

The Iron family's willingness to abide by the rules and avoid openly tearing things apart is already rare—a legacy of ten thousand years of northern family tribute.

And the Iron family, the foremost power of the orthodox path.

Their Gong Fa, magical treasures, and techniques are profoundly mysterious; their same-level cultivators are far stronger than those of many family Ancestors.

Most families attempting reform see their Ancestors defeated in same-level duels; few achieve draws like Bingxuedian's Bing Yu Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun.

Vast numbers of northern family collateral branches were slaughtered.

Not fully purged—only the top-tier were killed; the family still needs them to govern the regions.

One could say that the reform versus conservatism struggle within the northern families, though without large-scale war, has seen bloodshed no less than actual war.

Under the neutrality of the Liu Dao Sect's Yin family and the suppression of the orthodox path's foremost power, the Iron family of Guishan, most northern family reformers have failed; only a few succeeded, and vast numbers of collateral-branch youths—the very lifeblood of the families—perished.

This naturally sparked intense discontent.

Though powerful, the Iron family has not reached the point of monopolizing the north; the Darifa Sect and Darifa Jianzong loom nearby, and no one dares ignite a Nascent Soul civil war—they can only endure each other.

Under this situation, the Yin family of the Liu Dao Sect issued orders calling for all factions to mobilize troops to purge the chaotic Blood King Army of the Black Snow Steppe—orders that were openly obeyed but secretly ignored.

The armies of Huanhuan Sect and Bingxuedian claimed to be mobilizing, but advanced slowly; the Liu Dao Sect's army had already arrived, while theirs had not even covered one-fifth of the distance.

They had expected that the Liu Dao Sect, outnumbered five or six to one, would be defeated and forced to concede, thereby restraining the Iron family's abuses.

But the outcome stunned everyone.

The Blood King Army collapsed at the first touch, as fragile as paper.

Now, the Liu Dao Sect's army has fully reclaimed the Black Snow Steppe and no longer wishes for Huanhuan Sect or Bingxuedian to arrive—merely to split the spoils.

"So even with countless opportunities and enemies as paper tigers, without a competent, battle-ready army, nothing can be overturned."

Jiang Ding shook his head and set these thoughts aside.

War. Brutal war.

This is beneficial overall to the Master Tushan maiden corps.

As long as they survive the crucible of war, their cultivation will advance, and their chances of reaching Nascent Soul will greatly increase.

Bing Gong Fa is inherently rapid to cultivate—requiring only death and blood to nourish it.

Jiang Ding waved his hand, and two heavy-aura storage bags appeared before him, both faintly radiating the sharpness of sword intent.

"Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun of Yinjiu, Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun of Rangu."

Jiang Ding muttered: "You two are at least mid-Nascent Soul cultivators—don't disappoint me."

Previously, he had been focused solely on the legacy of Lieyang Yangyang Lingtie and had not yet inventoried his spoils.

Jiang Ding glanced at his current wealth.

"Five point seven billion low-grade spiritual stones."

After refining the flying sword, refining the super warship Dayanghao, and constructing multiple ultra-long-range teleportation arrays — each costing a billion low-grade spiritual stones — only this much remains.

It could allow the Taiqing Flying Sword to be refined for five years eighteen years from now.

Jiang Ding's spiritual sense and the Annihilation Sword Intent surged into both storage bags; without much effort, layer upon layer of spiritual seals and traps melted away like snow, leaving the bags ownerless.

"First, Ran Gu Master Dinghai Zhenjun's…"

Jiang Ding picked up the first storage bag, planning to examine it from smallest to largest.

It wasn't that Ran Gu Master Dinghai Zhenjun was poorer than Yinjiu Master Dinghai Zhenjun; rather, Ran Gu Master Dinghai Zhenjun belonged to a sect and wouldn't carry all his wealth on his person.

As for Yinjiu Master Dinghai Zhenjun, the Liu Dao Sect would never consider him one of their own.

Jiang Ding's spiritual sense surged into Ran Gu Master Dinghai Zhenjun's storage bag.

"We've hit the jackpot…"

"Two infant treasures — one dagger, one sword — both low-grade infant treasures. The rest are fourth-grade spiritual minerals, spiritual herbs, sword-refining materials, talismans, etc. The remainder are all third-grade heavenly treasures; second- and first-grade items are extremely rare, likely placed there by accident."

"Total value… roughly six point one billion low-grade spiritual stones, of which fourth-grade spiritual stones account for four point seven billion low-grade spiritual stones."

(End of Chapter)