Chapter 171: Wuwei

If Yu Xuan hasn't yet perfected his Foundation Establishment and is stuck at some bottleneck, then there's nothing to be done.

He Pingsheng looked at his master with eager anticipation.

Yu Ning said: "He long ago perfected his Foundation Establishment!"

"Unfortunately, he's stuck at this final bottleneck and can't break through!"

"If you calculate it, your Master Yu Xuan's lifespan has already passed one hundred and seventy or eighty years—he has only twenty or thirty years left before his life force runs out!"

"Sixty years ago, he was already at the peak of Foundation Establishment, and he's consumed no fewer than ten Chao Yuan Elixirs—but all of them were either middle or low grade, which is why he's never broken through!"

"Now, he's probably given up entirely and only focuses on teaching his disciples!"

"Why are you asking about this?" Yu Ning asked, puzzled.

He Pingsheng didn't hide anything from her—he spoke plainly: "The Supreme Elder is now in seclusion, and he won't emerge for another sixty years. Meanwhile, the sect is riddled with factions, and I fear I'll be controlled by Elder Wuwei and his allies, so I want to cultivate two Golden Core cultivators while I still can!"

"Once you've entered Golden Core, and Master Yu Xuan also achieves Golden Core, then with both of you supporting me, I'll have no worries ahead."

Yu Ning nodded: "That's true. If your Master Yu Xuan and I support you, then your Grandmaster Chongyang will naturally support you too—then within Grand Void Gate, you can overshadow Wuwei."

He Pingsheng said: "That's exactly my thinking."

"Come!" Yu Ning leapt to her feet with a rustle, grabbing He Pingsheng's hand: "I'll take you to your Master Yu Xuan. If he refuses this gift, I'll be the first to turn against him!"

The master and disciple arrived at Yu Xuan's cultivation ground.

The three sat down, taking their proper seats.

"Hehehe…" Yu Xuan looked at He Pingsheng and said: "You're now the Supreme Elder's disciple—technically, I should call you Senior Uncle!"

Before He Pingsheng could speak, Yu Ning stood up: "Big Brother, stop wasting words—I've come here for serious business!"

Seeing Yu Ning's tone, Yu Xuan's expression turned serious: "What's happened?"

Yu Ning said: "Don't pretend ignorance. You know the current state of Grand Void Gate—the Supreme Elder is in seclusion, two Golden Core Elders have fled, and the entire sect is in chaos. Wuwei and Jianzhu are making life unbearable for Ninth Young Master!"

"He's your own blood nephew—can you really ignore him?"

Yu Xuan's face darkened instantly; he looked pained: "Sister, you're putting me in a terrible position! I'm only at Foundation Establishment—how can I oppose Wuwei and the others? That's just asking for death!"

Pah…

Yu Ning slammed the jade vial in her hand onto the table before Yu Xuan: "Look inside!"

Yu Xuan opened the vial with a grimace—and his face instantly changed; he trembled with excitement: "This… this… is… a Supreme-grade Chao Yuan Elixir? Good heavens… Sister… you actually got a Supreme-grade Chao Yuan Elixir?"

Yu Ning smiled: "Not just one—I have two. Take this elixir, and I'll accompany you through the Tribulation to form your Golden Core!"

"Good!" Yu Xuan turned to He Pingsheng: "He kid, relax—I'll enter the Golden Core stage, and even against Wuwei, I'll have the strength to hold my own!"

He Pingsheng nodded.

Actually, a fight isn't necessary.

All are sect disciples; once one reaches Golden Core, influence and prestige naturally form.

At the critical moment, He Pingsheng only needs their voices to support him.

…

Several days later, two people in Grand Void Gate simultaneously underwent Tribulation to form Golden Core.

The commotion was immense, shocking the entire Cultivation Alliance.

At the Golden Core level, one can alter the entire sect's strength.

Naturally, He Pingsheng summoned all Golden Core Elders to the Internal Affairs Hall's grounds and, in the name of Grand Void Ancestor, appointed Yu Ning as Grand Elder of the Internal Affairs Hall, placing her in charge.

Yu Xuan became Interim Elder of the Enforcement Hall.

Wuwei and Jianzhu originally opposed this—but He Pingsheng calmly asked them to recommend Golden Core cultivators for the posts.

They had none to recommend.

The only Golden Core cultivators were Yu Ning and Yu Xuan.

So they were smoothly appointed.

Elder Wuwei returned to Tianyi Peak with Jianzhu and erupted in thunderous rage: "Damn it… that little bastard!"

"Whose Grand Void Gate is this?"

"It was built by my father!"

"Why should we listen to him?"

"This is my father's Grand Void Gate—this is our family's Grand Void Gate—this is my Wuwei's Grand Void Gate! Why should this Foundation Establishment Level One insect, He Pingsheng, be giving orders here?"

"Little bastard—I want to slap him dead!"

Jianzhu sneered coldly: "Brother, stop dreaming."

"Even if the Master didn't support him, right now he's backed by three Golden Core Elders—Chongyang, Yu Ning, and Yu Xuan—enough to stand equal to us!"

"You can't kill him."

Wuwei sat down, face dark, saying nothing.

Jianzhen said: "What are you planning to do?"

"Don't disturb me!" Wuwei's brow furrowed deeply: "Sister… let me think…"

He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

After a full half-incense stick passed, he suddenly opened his eyes: "Something's wrong… this doesn't add up!"

Jianzhu raised an eyebrow: "What's wrong?"

Wuwei said: "I suspect the old man is already dead."

Jianzhu was stunned: "What did you say?"

"No way!"

She opened her mouth wide, staring at Wuwei in disbelief.

Wuwei took a deep breath, gestured for her to sit, then said: "You don't understand the old man!"

"He's the type who notices even the tiniest detail!"

"I still remember when I was young—no, even before I formed my Golden Core—he kept me under house arrest, never letting me leave the range of his spiritual sense!"

"Do you know why?"

Before Jianzhu could answer, he answered himself: "Because he feared I'd meet with accident!"

"By the same logic, now that He Pingsheng has become his disciple, he's also under house arrest!"

"And He Pingsheng even ran away once before!"

"Logically, under these circumstances, the old man should have tightened his restrictions even more—don't you agree?"

He stared at Jianzhu.

Jianzhu thought for a moment, then nodded: "That's true—I was also under house arrest before I entered Golden Core; the Master forbade me from leaving without permission."

"But now?" Wuwei said: "This brat went to Mount Matou Market—and on his way back, your disciple Feng Dao Gu was sent to assassinate him. Yet the old man did nothing?"

"Doesn't that strike you as strange?"

Wuwei's eyes narrowed slightly.

Jianzhu said: "So… you suspect the Master has ascended?"

Wuwei said: "Eighty percent likely."

"Then let's test it!" Jianzhu said: "Tomorrow I'll kill He Pingsheng—if the old man's still alive, he won't just watch and do nothing, right?"