Chapter 450: Uniting the Wuyue

Xu Jia set down the rules, and these disciples all nodded; among them were two side-door Earth Immortals, one named Tian Qiwen, and the other named Zou Yixun.

Although they appeared wretched and unkempt, being able to cultivate into Earth Immortals meant they had some ability; back when Huashan was still a group of side-door heterodox practitioners, the two of them were called the "Two Elders of Huashan," the pillars of the Huashan Sect.

These Two Elders of Huashan were not talented at management, yet they were single-mindedly devoted to revitalizing Huashan, and thus they had befriended many side-door heterodox practitioners, demons, and ghosts.

At first, they felt those side-door heterodox practitioners behaved too poorly, but later, after managing them a few times, they feared losing the hearts of the people, so they turned a blind eye; now that they had a backer, they hurriedly said: "Ancestor, those side-door heterodox practitioners should have been driven away long ago, but we lacked the strength, causing this place of spiritual beauty that is Huashan to become so foul and chaotic."

Xu Jia knew their situation and thought to himself: In a few years, you two will be despicable characters, just wait.

However, since the Sacred Fire Sect had already been co-opted by him, there was no need to mention these things.

Xu Jia nodded: "Furthermore, we are re-establishing our lineage, and since we are using the name of Ancestor Dutian Liehuo, we need to make it widely known; as for the Shushan Sect, although I do not fear Xu Zhangshou, we have, after all, formed a grudge."

"Fortunately, there is one point: he is in the land of Shu, and we are in the land of Qin, which can also be considered the Central Plains."

"He is uniting with Emei, uniting with Qingcheng, gathering Jian'ge... and now he is looking for allies everywhere; if we want to contend with him, we cannot always rely on me. To be honest, I will not stay in Huashan for long."

"Now I will give you a method: go to Hengshan, Hengshan, Mount Tai, and Songshan. These four famous mountains, together with Huashan, are known as the Wuyue, and they also have great cultivation sects and Cave Heaven Blessed Lands; they are natural allies. Moreover, they are spread across the north and south, which fits the strategy of befriending distant states while attacking neighbors."

"Duan Ziyu, you were recommended by the Hengshan Sect, so you can write a letter to first contact Hengshan and persuade them."

"Huang Yi, although Louguantai has already declined and Zhongnan Mountain has been occupied by the Quanzhen Dao, it is precisely because of this that they need allies to contend with Quanzhen, so as not to have their lineage completely extinguished. I have a sword art here called Heaven Escape, which is the heritage of the Louguan Dao; you can write a letter and take it to Louguan, saying that my Huashan is willing to form an alliance with them."

"As for Mount Tai, Hengshan, and Songshan, these three mountains can be discussed one by one after Hengshan and Zhongnan Mountain are settled; in this way, it is much easier for the majority to persuade the minority."

"As for Yuan Renjie and Zui Gaier, you write a letter to Shushan and have Xu Zhangshou come to redeem the people. I want to see if he is willing to come down the mountain himself or if he is willing to spend money to redeem them. He must have occupied many good things of the Huashan Sect, such as the heritage of Ancestor Chen Tuan; otherwise, it is impossible for Huashan to only have the side-door heritage of Ancestor Dutian Liehuo. How could the orthodox lineage of Ancestor Chen Tuan have disappeared completely?"

Yuan Renjie agreed with a bitter face.

"As for the others, write some invitations and invite all the prominent sects around the land of Huashan to come; we must also take Huashan as the leader and advance and retreat together."

"Yes!"

Xu Jia added: "Huo Can'er, your cultivation is the highest, so first switch to cultivating the lineage of Ancestor Dutian Liehuo, and then refine the Ancestor's Dutian Liehuo Sword. Although I am re-establishing the Huashan lineage, it is ultimately under the name of Ancestor Dutian Liehuo, so you must serve as this generation's Huashan Sect Leader. Once Duan Ziyu has achieved success, you will also be about ready to go into seclusion and ascend, and then you can pass the position of Sect Leader to Duan Ziyu. An orderly succession is the most important thing for a sect; do you understand?" Huo Can'er had previously been a wild demon in a volcano, but now he had gained the position of Sect Leader and the heritage of a Heavenly Immortal Great Method for nothing. Among the many disciples, he had the highest status and the highest cultivation. Although he was not Xu Jia's direct disciple, he had been accepted as a disciple by Xu Jia on behalf of Ancestor Dutian Liehuo, making him the most authentic member of the Huashan Sect.

Regarding Xu Jia, who had supported him, he was naturally extremely grateful and ten thousand times obedient. He said repeatedly: "Thank you, Ancestor, for your support, but what virtue or ability do I have to be the Huashan Sect Leader? Moreover, I did not attain the Dao in a human body; I am just a fire silkworm. Although I am a unique species, I am still just a bug. Not to mention others, even a powerful bird demon could restrain me."

"That is why I want you to switch to the Heavenly Immortal Fire Method, and I have given you the Qiantian Yang Fire Pearl to serve as a Dragon Pearl. The Huashan Sect is lacking in successors; with your thousand years of Daoist Practice, you can barely count as a Yang Spirit expert, which naturally allows you to suppress the others. Otherwise, if I directly named Duan Ziyu as Sect Leader, who would be convinced?"

Xu Jia said in front of everyone: "Whichever of you is not convinced by him being the Sect Leader, you can raise your objections now."

The crowd, even if they had opinions in their hearts, all said at this moment: "No objections."

"Since there are no objections now, then if there are objections in the future, that means you have objections to me, and we will have to have a talk about it."

After saying this, Xu Jia gave each person individual guidance on their cultivation and passed on a few of the Earthly Fiend Seventy-two Minor Arts to each of them, then let them go out to cultivate or do their work. Within half a month, they had to make the Huashan Sect clean and clear, killing those side-door heterodox practitioners who deserved to be killed and driving away those who should be driven away.

At this time, this was mainly left to Huo Can'er, the Sect Leader, and the two side-door Earth Immortals to carry out.

With the three of them taking action, they soon integrated all the Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries up and down Huashan. Those that were foul and chaotic were all driven away; for example, there was a nunnery at the foot of Huashan that claimed to be a Buddhist monastery, but in reality, it was a brothel set up to house tourists climbing the mountain. A group of side-door heterodox practitioners acted as their backers, and the abbess was also an evil nun who practiced the side-door heterodox art of Cha Nu Peach Blossom.

For another example, there were a few who practiced the Fire Crow Method; relying on the fact that they were from the Huashan Sect—although it was not a major sect before—they could still bully people in the Jianghu. They had refined many Innate Martial Artists to death; they would invest in people practicing martial arts, and once they broke through to Innate True Qi, they would refine them into Fire Crows to increase their own cultivation. By now, they had harmed over ten lives, and the Fire Crows they had refined were all at the Innate True Qi level.

For a time, those who were killed were killed, those who were expelled from the sect were expelled, and those whose cultivation was abolished had it abolished. Although it caused a great commotion, it was like cutting through a tangled mess with a sharp knife.

Not to mention half a month, on just the third day, Huo Can'er came to report: "Master, those side-door heterodox practitioners, demons, and ghosts have all been cleared out. Now the Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries up and down Huashan are all registered. There are 327 people remaining... among them are literary Daoists and literary monks who do not know how to cultivate and only perform rituals and chant scriptures. Only 83 people have practiced cultivation."

"327 people, that is somewhat sparse. For those who do not know how to cultivate, let them all cultivate; it does not matter if their aptitude is poor. Let them all come to receive the Daoist Citizen Register, and at the same time, make vows to strictly observe the precepts."

"Furthermore, among you people, those who know how to refine pills, take these Spirit Grass and spirit medicines and refine a batch for them to use for their initiation!"

Xu Jia took out some spirit medicines, all picked in Kunlun, enough to refine a batch of pills to wash the marrow and cleanse the meridians for those disciples who had not cultivated or had average aptitude for starting cultivation.

(End of chapter)