Sensing Qiu Mile's arrival, Xuanzhuan sighed.
Trouble, trouble, trouble.
He looked at Yingxi, seemingly trying to deduce her thoughts, or perhaps just wanting a good look at the last remaining descendant of the Zhou Clan.
"It seems neither of you will be able to leave anyti soon. Immortal Venerable Qingrui likely wants to use Junior Brother Zhou's death to stir up trouble, and Qiu Mile won't be easy to deal with."
True Person Xuanzhuan's words carried multiple layers of aning. Wang Yulou caught several implications, and so did Wang Xianmao.
The old patriarch gritted his teeth, took a half-step forward, and asked respectfully,
"True Person intends for Yulou to head to the battlefield, but Yulou has only just reached the Foundation Establishnt realm. He hasn't mastered any cultivation thods or divine abilities. This..."
Xuanzhuan smiled. Picking up a treasure talisman to send a voice transmission to Mang Xiang, he said,
"Xianmao, no matter how powerful a Foundation Establishnt cultivator becos, it is useless.
"Since Yulou caught the eye of Immortal Venerable Shenguang, it proves he has so talent. Gaining experience early in the war between our two sects will prepare him to shoulder heavy responsibilities in the future.
"As for you, our lineage plans to raise ten more Purple Palace cultivators. Jingyi is one, Yingxi is another. You actually have a chance as well. Have you considered taking up an official post in the sect again?"
The hall fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
The Wang Clan had been a vassal of the Behemoth Lineage for a thousand years, but their direct superior was Xuanzhuan. The three Wang Clan Core Disciples within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, including Wang Jingyi, were all under the tutelage of Xuanzhuan.
Therefore, Xuanzhuan did not treat Wang Xianmao and Wang Yulou as outsiders in the slightest, speaking frankly about such sensitive matters.
First, cultivation thods and divine abilities were useless here. In a war between two sects, even a peak Foundation Establishnt cultivator was nothing more than cannon fodder.
Second, Wang Yulou catching Shen Guang's attention proved his worth and potential to shoulder heavy responsibilities—and what did that entail? Very likely a chance to reach the Purple Palace realm.
Third, the Ancestral Master was playing a massive ga this ti, planning to forcefully elevate ten new direct lineage Purple Palace cultivators. The promise of the Purple Palace realm for Ancestor Jingyi was completely real; even Zhou Yingxi could fill a spot, and Wang Xianmao himself had a chance.
Previously, during Ancestral Master Mangxiang's Great Favor Distribution, the Wang Clan had been squeezed dry, leaving them in misery and driving Wang Xianmao to secretly shed tears of sorrow.
Now, receiving Xuanzhuan's shocking revelation, Wang Xianmao felt his head spin.
Wang Yulou's guess was proven right once again—from start to finish, there had never been a quota limit, at least not for the Purple Palace realm.
Whether one could beco a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator depended solely on their determination, strength, and access to the relevant cultivation thods.
Becoming a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator wasn't the hard part; the true difficulty lay in carving out room to develop within the already overcrowded Immortal Alliance after reaching that stage.
As for breaking through to the Golden Core realm... Mang Xiang was the perfect example. After failing the Five Council Votes, he was forcing his way up through sheer willpower.
How could a cultivator who truly dared to challenge the supre heights of heaven and earth be bound by re rules?
Shen Guang didn't play by the rules, and neither did Mang Xiang. On this point, they were exactly the sa.
"This... True Person, what is the Ancestral Master planning? Why so suddenly..."
Though his head was spinning, Wang Xianmao wasn't a fool. This so-called golden opportunity was just as suspicious as the Purple Palace thods Shen Guang sold through the Myriad Dao Origin Hub.
Shen Guang's Purple Palace thods were handed out for free; they simply had to be repaid after the user reached the Purple Palace realm.
Mang Xiang wasn't running a charitable hall, nor was he desperately seeking juniors to inherit his legacy. The price for his promises would undoubtedly be steep.
Furthermore, if Wang Yulou's theory—that resources strictly dictated the number of grand cultivators—held true, the Behemoth Lineage suddenly raising so many Purple Palace cultivators ant the Ancestral Master was preparing for sothing massive.
Sothing like an Immortal Alliance civil war. Or establishing a new Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
This aligned perfectly with existing clues. Wasn't using the Sky Serpent Sect to train troops right now just a rehearsal for an Immortal Alliance civil war?
Wang Yulou had guessed this earlier. Shen Guang and Mang Xiang were both Immortal Venerables who had achieved their Dao relatively late within the Immortal Alliance. Their interests were inevitably suppressed by the older Immortal Venerables, providing them with a common goal that naturally brought them together.
With their combined strength, it was entirely possible for them to draw their swords and plunge the Immortal Alliance into chaos.
The treasure talisman activated, vanishing into a stretch of gray heaven and earth. The hall dimd slightly, then brightened again as the gray space dissipated.
"There are many things I cannot tell you. Just trust in Master's arrangents. Master has cultivated for over ten thousand years; his judgnt is rarely wrong."
Xuanzhuan offered a brief explanation, then turned his gaze back to Yingxi and Yulou.
"Yingxi, Junior Brother Zhou's matter is different from what you think. Master and I truly didn't expect Shen Guang to do this.
"But since Shen Guang has acted, we must endure for now. Therefore, I will support your advancent to the Purple Palace realm to fill the Zhou Clan's lack of a Purple Palace cultivator."
Xuanzhuan's words sounded a bit hollow. At least to Wang Yulou, they felt distinctly disingenuous.
Judging by how Xuanzhuan had just asked if he wanted to take up the position of the Luminous Sect's sect master, it seed he had no objections to Yulou working under Shen Guang. If Yulou agreed, Xuanzhuan would let him go without hesitation.
Given how closely they were cooperating, no matter how much he claid that Immortal Venerable Shenguang and Ancestral Master Mangxiang hadn't conspired to set up Old Zhou, Zhou Yingxi would never believe it.
"Yingxi wouldn't dare harbor any disrespectful thoughts toward the Ancestral Master. It's just... Master, does Yulou still count as a Core Disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect?"
Smiling in satisfaction, True Person Xuanzhuan replied with absolute certainty,
"Of course he counts. Although Junior Brother Zhou is dead, Yulou's status as a Core Disciple won't be revoked.
"Qiu Mile ca bearing Immortal Venerable Qingrui's orders and will most likely cause a huge fuss. It's precisely because Master was screwed over by Shen Guang that you cannot leave while Qingrui's people are here—we can't hand them a vulnerability to exploit.
"However, since I am here, you no longer need to hide at Li Haikuo's place. Go back and rest."
How to put it... even though Wang Yulou had long since branded Mang Xiang a 'complete animal' in his heart, facing True Person Xuanzhuan's current attitude still brought him a modicum of security.
The grand stage of the cultivation world was far too complex. Intertwining interests, the inheritance and expansion of factions, the mutual trust built from years of loyalty, the reality of being used as a pawn by Mang Xiang... everything was tangled together in an inextricable knot.
As the three departed, Li Haikuo appeared beside Xuanzhuan. He bowed cautiously and said,
"Senior Brother Xuanzhuan, Haikuo pays his respects."
True Person Haikuo, the heavenly genius and forr sect master of Wondrous Peak Mountain, was once an illustrious figure in Wunan, much like An Ning of Hidden Dragon Abbey.
However, An Ning had fallen short on the verge of success, ending up in a miserable state.
Li Haikuo, on the other hand, had managed to leap through the dragon gate and successfully advance to the Purple Palace realm.
It was just that this True Person Haikuo lived up to his na; the 'sea' on top of his head was quite 'wide' indeed—he was one of the rare grand cultivators sporting a balding pate.
Normally, a grand cultivator at the Purple Palace stage could completely alter their appearance at will. It was a minor trick easily learned with a little effort, ensuring everyone looked decent, or at the very least, not ugly.
But Li Haikuo kept this style—a balding pate paired with his cowering, short, chubby physique and an endearingly naive flat face. It was an incredibly amusing combination.
This guy, much like Wang Yulou, was an absolute genius at playing the fool!
Wang Yulou had never been ugly, but he always presented himself as completely unremarkable. The underlying purpose was exactly the sa.
"Don't, I can't accept this. Li Haikuo, Haikuo... ha, you've played the Pass-Guarding True Human very well. Taking a share from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, a share from the Immortal Alliance, and another share from Shen Guang.
"Speaking of which, I'm actually a bit envious of you. Why don't we swap positions? Let be the Pass-Guarding True Human of the West Sea, and you can go handle the tasks Master assigned to . How about that?"
It ca down to the sa logic: if you were going to play the fool, you'd better actually have the strength to back it up.
When Jin Shan faced Qingrui, he was able to refuse her coercion by acting miserable and pitiful purely because he was strong enough.
But when Li Haiping played the idiot in front of Xuanzhuan, Xuanzhuan could treat him like an actual stupid pig and scold him directly!
Facing Xuanzhuan's accusations and mockery, Li Haiping was as obedient as a four-hundred-year-old child, standing straight and stiff.
Only after Xuanzhuan finished his tirade did he cautiously explain.
"Senior Brother Xuanzhuan, you don't understand. The grand formation of Western Sea Immortal City suddenly collapsed and disappeared, which is why the situation looks so ugly.
"Besides that, Shen Guang also bribed Jin Shan. At the ti, three Demon Kings and True Person Longhu all stood on Shen Guang's side. I had only just reached the Purple Palace realm and didn't even possess a magic treasure. What could I do?
"Haiping was afraid, but Haiping knew that the responsibilities of this position were heavy. So I had no choice but to compromise, endure the humiliation, swallow the hardships, and drag out an ignoble existence—all just to wait for your arrival so I could report the news of Western Sea Immortal City to you imdiately!"
His waiting was all for the big picture; his endurance was all for the big picture.
After Li Haiping finished spewing his nonsense, Xuanzhuan wasn't angry. Simply getting mad at Old Li was useless. He hadn't been truly furious just now; it had all been intimidation.
He rely stared straight at Old Li and asked,
"Shen Guang suddenly told that he wants to establish the Luminous Sect in the West Sea. You've been here for so long—have you heard any rumors about this?"
This was the first ti Li Haiping had heard of this. Shen Guang wanted to establish a sect in the West Sea?
"Luminous Sect, Luminous Sect... that Shen Guang is far too shaless, actually having the nerve to use such a na.
"I look up and the sky over the West Sea is completely black. Why is it black? It's all because Shen Guang is here!" Li Haiping cursed.
Xuanzhuan nodded and continued to ask,
"Keep talking. Do you know the crux of it?"
Seeing Li Haiping's troubled expression, Xuanzhuan's face finally darkened.
"Are you a pig? You've been operating in the West Sea for so long, and you didn't even know Shen Guang was establishing a sect?"
He could understand and accept Li Haiping's incompetence when facing Shen Guang's backstabbing, given that he had only just reached the Purple Palace realm. But Xuanzhuan absolutely refused to tolerate sheer stupidity!
"It's like this, Senior Brother. The affairs concerning Senior Brother Bojiao and myself in the West Sea were primarily managed by Jiuqu and that traitor, Mu Changze.
"As you know, Mu Changze has a higher cultivation base, so he was the one actually running things. I have to focus on my own cultivation as well, so I had no ti.
"Besides, no one expected Shen Guang to act on his own. I thought it was the Immortal Venerable's intention..."
In truth, everyone had assud that Zhou Bojiao's death was the joint intention of Shen Guang and Mang Xiang.
After all, Zhou Bojiao had indeed clashed with Mang Xiang over conflicting interests in the past.
Shen Guang's motive for killing Zhou Bojiao had also beco glaringly obvious to insiders after Mu Changze beca a Purple Palace cultivator.
"..."
If looks could kill, Xuanzhuan's glare would have already chopped Li Haiping to pieces.
"So, you're telling that Shen Guang is setting up the Luminous Sect, and we have absolutely zero intelligence on it. This is the grand result of your 'diligent work' in the West Sea all these years?"
Shen Guang establishing the Luminous Sect was a massive event, no less significant than Zhou Bojiao's slaughter. Given Shen Guang's cultivation base and influence, the Luminous Sect would beco the eleventh sect in Wunan, severely disrupting the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's strategic layout in northwestern Wunan.
Therefore, Xuanzhuan absolutely needed to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Li Haiping didn't dare confirm. He thought for a mont before saying,
"Actually, there is one other person who might know the situation."
"Who?"
"Wang Yulou. That kid is very close to Shen Guang's people, especially Shen Guang's second disciple, Xihai Longhu."
Nonsense, how could he not know the kid was close to Shen Guang?
Asking this idiot about the situation today had been completely redundant!
Xuanzhuan didn't say another word, simply waving his hand to gesture for Li Haiping to get lost.
Although the Pass-Guarding True Human's Residence belonged to Li Haiping, Xuanzhuan's strength wasn't far off from Jin Shan's.
Facing the oppressive aura of this seasoned Purple Palace cultivator, Old Li retreated like an obedient infant, feeling incredibly wronged.
What else could he do? Old Zhou was dead, and he certainly bore so responsibility. If he didn't cooperate with Xuanzhuan now, Mang Xiang would undoubtedly discipline him later.
Both were Purple Palace cultivators, but the gap between them was imnse. If one had to draw a comparison between the status of Mang Xiang and Li Haiping...
How should one put it... Mang Xiang could be considered a bona fide Golden Core. Aside from not actually having ford a Golden Core, there was little difference between him and the other Golden Core Immortal Venerables.
Old Li was the type who, if Mang Xiang sent a ssage in a work group, would scramble to be the first to reply, "Received."
Why scramble?
Because Immortal Venerable Mangxiang only rembered two kinds of people: the first to reply "Received," and those who did not reply at all.
——
"Ancestor! Lianpu was bullied so miserably in the West Sea!"
Having finally reunited with his elder, Qiu Lianpu imdiately began to complain.
He hugged Qiu Mile's thigh, weeping bitterly.
Kicking Qiu Lianpu away, the at-mountain of a man, True Person Mile, floated up and settled into a custom-made magic treasure chair.
The treasure chair was a full two stories tall, entirely gold and purple, and inlaid with countless precious stones and pearls. Placed in the courtyard of the Immortal Alliance Emissaries' West Sea field headquarters, its gaudy style looked exceptionally out of place.
The magic treasure's design matched the tastes of the mortal nouveau riche. It was undeniably tacky, far removed from anything remotely ethereal.
"All Immortal Alliance Emissaries, gather round!"
Qiu Mile did not open his mouth; his voice resonated directly from his belly.
The Immortal Alliance Emissaries serving in the West Sea filed into the courtyard. Facing True Person Mile, the envoy dispatched from Lotus Immortal City, these core direct lineage descendants of the Immortal Alliance were as obedient as a flock of mute chicks.
"Go investigate. If any of the running dogs under Shen Guang's tutelage violate the Immortal Alliance's laws, handle them strictly.
"You don't need to fear uncovering anything extraordinary. I ca here with the Immortal Venerable's Sacred Decree to deal with Shen Guang's running dogs!
"With here, the sky in the West Sea won't fall!"
Facing Qiu Mile's command, the emissaries did not dare refuse, even knowing the danger. They imdiately bowed and accepted the order—resolving to agree first and slack off later.
Qiu Mile sneered. How could he not understand what these little lackeys were thinking?
He had lived for tens of thousands of years. What hadn't he seen? The mont those brats' eyes shifted, True Person Mile already knew exactly what kind of bullshit they were holding in.
"Seventeen West Sea Immortal Alliance Emissaries is a bit too many.
"Cutting redundant personnel has long been a major strategy of the Immortal Alliance.
"Immortal Venerable Qingrui has emphasized that we must make deep cuts every year.
"In this investigation against Shen Guang's running dogs, I will report anyone who produces effective results to the Immortal Alliance and request rits for them.
"The seven worst perforrs will be stripped of their positions. The Immortal Alliance does not lack Qi Refining stage emissaries!"
If they wouldn't do it, there were plenty of others who would!
The Immortal Alliance truly had no shortage of Qi Refining stage emissaries. Ultimately, from the perspective of the higher-ups, regular law enforcent forces like the Immortal Alliance Emissaries rely served as internal tripwires during the Alliance's stable periods.
The only reason Qi Refining cultivators were chosen for the role was that they were very easy to kill.
A tripwire's destiny was to be snapped. When these Qi Refining stage tripwires broke, their true value was realized—the Immortal Alliance could pinpoint problems and gauge shifting situations based on the locations and number of casualties.
It was like a ga of Minesweeper. In True Person Mile's eyes, these Qi Refining stage emissaries were no different from expendable pawns used to clear the board.
If they died, they died. If they all died, he could simply transfer more in. If they were useless, they would be replaced!
Facing the True Person's absolute command, the Immortal Alliance Emissaries dared not slack off. They quickly took their leave, one after another.
"Qiu Lianpu, where do you think you're going? Get back here!" the at-mountain cursed.
Under the envious gazes of his many colleagues, Qiu Lianpu imdiately scrambled back to his ancestor's side.
In his heart, he was already plotting. Wang Yulou absolutely counted as one of Shen Guang's running dogs.
Wang Yulou had ruthlessly bullied him for two years. But now Zhou Bojiao was dead, and his own ancestor had arrived.
Heh heh...
Just as Qiu Lianpu was happily imagining the clear skies ahead, True Person Mile began to curse at him.
"You're a useless piece of trash! With backing you and the title of an Immortal Alliance Emissary to your na, you still let yourself get bullied!
"Moreover, after staying in the West Sea for so many years, you haven't even reached the Foundation Establishnt stage. What exactly do you do all day?"
Qiu Lianpu didn't feel humiliated. He only felt that his ancestor was indeed his ancestor—scolding him without rcy, treating him as true family.
"Ancestor, you don't understand. Two years ago, there was a special case...
"Just like that, I was constantly targeted by Wang Yulou, Guo Yaoyue, and Chen Yanghe for two years. During that ti, I genuinely had no ti to cultivate.
"Otherwise, I would have reached the Foundation Establishnt stage long ago. Those bastards still want to investigate the case..."
True Person Mile couldn't bear to listen to another word.
Was this kid not pure trash?
He couldn't win an internal struggle and only knew how to run back and complain. How could a piece of garbage like this shoulder the responsibilities of the Qiu clan?
How did a direct bloodline descendant of Qiu Mile turn out to be such a failure?
Suppressing his anger, he pointed a aty finger at the trembling Foundation Establishnt stage Immortal Alliance Stewards in the courtyard.
"Stop making excuses for your own incompetence! Take these n right now and arrest Guo Yaoyue!
"You lot, go with him. Drag Guo Yaoyue over here and beat him half to death, then go deal with Zhang Heng!"
Facing Qiu Mile, a True Person from Lotus Immortal City, the West Sea Immortal Alliance Stewards felt extrely awkward—they didn't take orders from Lotus Immortal City.
If Qiu Mile ordered the Immortal Alliance Emissaries to act as cannon fodder, the emissaries had no power to resist.
But these cultivators, who had already risen to the rank of Immortal Alliance Stewards, naturally had room to push back.
"True Person, Zhang Heng belongs to the Annex City Enforcent Team..."
One Immortal Alliance Steward mustered his courage, trying to dodge a miserable chore that was clearly tantamount to jumping into a fire pit.
"Bang!"
Qiu Mile didn't even move, but the Immortal Alliance Steward—a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator—exploded into a cloud of blood mist.
A synchronized sound of heavy swallowing echoed throughout the courtyard.
True Person Mile sniffed the air lightly. The exploding blood mist, along with the deceased's Storage Bracelet, several spiritual artifacts, and magical robe, were all sucked directly into his massive, house-sized stomach.
"Does anyone else wish to resist the Immortal Venerable's Sacred Decree?"
Qiu Mile licked his lips, revealing a cruel smile. This was the first ti he had opened his mouth to speak.
When True Person Mile spoke from his belly, he sounded relatively normal. But when he opened his mouth, his deep, resonant, and majestic voice was utterly terrifying.
An invisible might carried through the reverberations of his voice. Aside from Qiu Lianpu, whom Qiu Mile deliberately shielded, the remaining four Immortal Alliance Stewards felt as though their heads were about to split open.
They were genuinely on the verge of exploding. The terrifying sensation of surging vitality and violently vibrating brains chilled everyone to the bone.
"We will strictly obey the Immortal Venerable's Sacred Decree!" The stewards dropped to their knees one after another, stripping away any trace of resistance.
"Hmph. You've all grown too used to running wild in the West Sea. Go!"
As he left the Immortal Alliance Emissaries' field headquarters, flanked by four Foundation Establishnt stage Immortal Alliance Stewards, Qiu Lianpu's footsteps felt light and airy.
No matter how powerful Shen Guang was, could he possibly withstand the combined might of the two Immortal Venerables, Lianpeng and Qingrui?
With his ancestor here, his own status in the West Sea had skyrocketed—second only to the region's Purple Palace cultivators.
As for those seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators... heh, they should be thanking him for not dealing with them!
'And Wang Yulou... I'll handle Guo Yaoyue first, then I'll deal with you!'
However, his ancestor didn't seem to have any imdiate intention of targeting Wang Yulou. He needed to be careful about that. When investigating Shen Guang's running dogs, he would have to naturally steer the evidence toward Wang Yulou.
The man had established so many properties in South Annex City. There was no way he wouldn't be implicated alongside Shen Guang's running dogs!
'Just you wait, Wang Yulou. You bastard bullied for two years; I absolutely won't let you off!'
——
Inside the dilapidated Jade Palace Estate, a heartbroken and aggrieved Wang Rongwen led the clan mbers to dig through broken bricks and shattered tiles, searching for anything still usable or valuable.
"Two clansn died. Another was caught in the crossfire and injured, but his condition isn't serious and has already been stabilized."
Standing beside Wang Xianmao and Wang Yulou, Zheng Yan reported the Wang Clan's casualties from the disaster.
"The most troubleso matter isn't the personnel, but our two properties located within the immortal city. They were completely destroyed. Rebuilding them will be another massive expense."
Wang Xianmao shook his head.
"There's no need to rebuild them. Western Sea Immortal City will cease to exist in the future."
Judging by Xuanzhuan's attitude, there was a high probability that the Behemoth Lineage would continue to stand alongside Shen Guang.
Since Shen Guang had slaughtered Zhou Bojiao this ti around, he would likely offer the Behemoth Lineage so form of compensation.
But there shouldn't be any surprises regarding the final outco.
Western Sea Immortal City had already rotted beyond repair. South Annex City and East Annex City would be rged to form the new Western Sea Immortal City, and its true city lord would be Shen Guang.
"Cease to exist? Are you saying..." Zheng Yan couldn't quite believe his ears.
A perfectly good immortal city was going to be abandoned just like that?
"Yes. We have quite a bit of land in South Annex City. We can simply rebuild our destroyed properties over there.
"Right, you should consult with Yulou regarding this matter and implent the plans early," Wang Xianmao urged.
Xuanzhuan had revealed that Ancestral Master Mangxiang was preparing a massive move—one that would provide the faction with ten new Purple Palace cultivators. That was why he had instructed Wang Yulou to go temper himself on the battlefield between the two sects.
Although this deploynt might be delayed by True Person Mile's interference, Wang Yulou would inevitably have to leave, so many clan matters needed to be settled as quickly as possible.
——
By evening, inside a newly built temporary courtyard next to the combat arena in South Annex City.
'Patriarch, if the Ancestral Master wants to cultivate ten Purple Palace cultivators, why did he snatch away Ancestor Jingyi's grotto-heaven?'
Wang Yulou asked via voice transmission.
Just as Wang Xianmao was about to answer, Xuanzhuan suddenly appeared beside them.
Ancestor Jingyi's Formless World divine ability was already quite extraordinary, but Xuanzhuan, as her master, possessed an even more terrifying mastery of the Formless World. When he appeared, he didn't disturb a single speck of dust.
The True Person who had materialized out of thin air explained with a calm expression:
"Because the path of achieving a new-thod Purple Palace directly from Foundation Establishnt is not easy to walk. If Jingyi wants to beco a Purple Palace cultivator as quickly as possible, she cannot take that route. It burns through spirit stones and wastes ti."
Xuanzhuan had intercepted Wang Yulou's voice transmission!
Wang Xianmao's heart rate instantly doubled. His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, and he imdiately flopped to his knees with a heavy thud.
"True Person, this child Yulou is still young and ignorant, please..."
Wang Yulou's fingers dug into the ground until his knuckles turned white. He understood that this was a life-and-death crisis.
Looking at the two n kneeling on the ground, Xuanzhuan felt sowhat helpless. He asked with a hint of dissatisfaction,
"There are many terrifying things in the cultivation world. Why are you two so terrified of Master and ?
"Xianmao, there's no need for this. Really, there's no need.
"There is nothing that cannot be spoken of. Your Wang Clan has done its utmost these past few years, and we have seen it all.
"The truth is that Master needs the Essence of Grotto-heaven to strengthen the foundation of his own grotto-heaven. Both Danri and I have already surrendered more than half of our grotto-heavens to him.
"It is only because the situation is extraordinary that we took a semi-ford minor grotto-heaven from your Wang Clan.
"You use the word 'snatch.' Yes, Master did snatch it, but didn't he also grant Yulou a guaranteed chance to achieve the Purple Palace realm in return?
"And Jingyi will be given a chance as well. You're making us out to be greedy Pixiu beasts; we really aren't that tyrannical."
In Xuanzhuan's—and even Mang Xiang's—eyes, giving Wang Yulou a chance to achieve half a Purple Palace in the future was a genuine blessing.
In fact, if such an offer were broadcast to the rest of the cultivation world, the vast majority of cultivators would view it as an imnse blessing.
Only then did Wang Xianmao's heart rate return to normal. He forced a smile and said,
"It's not that I'm afraid, it's just that Yulou is not yet mature. He..."
Xuanzhuan grew a bit impatient. He raised his voice slightly and hauled the two frightened, trembling n up from the ground.
"Alright. Whether he's mature or not isn't up to you; it's up to Shen Guang. Shen Guang even planned to make him the sect master of the Luminous Sect!"
Looking at Wang Yulou, Xuanzhuan actually felt quite gratified.
Yes, since he was favored by Shen Guang to be a sect master, it proved that the Behemoth Lineage did not lack useful younger generations.
When their Master eventually reached the Golden Core realm, the faction would still need newcors to step up and manage affairs, allowing him and Danri to cultivate in peace.
"Yulou, take to see the properties you run in the West Sea. The position of sect master... Shen Guang is truly generous."
"True Person..." Wang Xianmao instinctively wanted to protect Yulou.
His relationship with Yulou had always been excellent. Back when Wang Yulou discovered An Ning's grotto-heaven, he had asked eight questions regarding the matter, yet the only thing he never asked was whether they should inform Wang Jingyi.
From that mont on, Yulou's standing in the patriarch's heart had risen another level.
"Xianmao, you could have beco my disciple back then. In my eyes, you are half a disciple of mine, and Wang Yulou is half a grand-disciple. Yet you're acting like I'm going to eat him. What is the aning of this?"
Xuanzhuan seed genuinely displeased. An expression finally rippled across his usually placid face.
"I would never dare," Wang Xianmao replied respectfully, lowering his head.
"Because of our cultivation thods, Danri, Master, and I have remained within our grotto-heavens for long periods. We have communicated less with you disciples, but we haven't forgotten your loyalty. Do you understand?"
Since Xuanzhuan put it this way, Wang Xianmao had no reason to stop him.
"Understood, understood."
——
"The combat arena, huh... it's a good idea. The only problem is that Shen Guang takes too large a share. Since he killed your master this ti, I think he should cough up his entire forty percent!"
Profits were always the top priority. Even for a grand cultivator like Xuanzhuan, accounts still needed to be settled.
"True Person, forcing him to give up everything might be inappropriate. After all, the combat arena operates in the West Sea."
Wang Yulou remained impeccably respectful.
If he believed a single word of Xuanzhuan's bullshit, his surna wouldn't be Wang.
Setting everything else aside, just the fact that Zhou Bojiao knew the great war was inevitable and precisely tid his pill concoction proved that the so-called guaranteed chance to reach the Purple Palace realm was complete horseshit.
Pulling Zhou Bojiao into the ga was a decision finalized a long ti ago. The gift prepared for Zhou Bojiao to usurp Zhou Yingxi's body—Wang Yulou himself—had also been readied long ago. It had absolutely nothing to do with compensating him for the snatched grotto-heaven.
If what Xuanzhuan said about Shen Guang acting on his own was true, then the Ancestral Master's arrangents for Wang Yulou were no blessing at all. Back then, it was Danri who singled him out and guided him to cultivate the Source Vein Gui Water Qi; the entire process had been nothing but calculated manipulation.
Therefore, Xuanzhuan's warm and affectionate deanor was pure acting.
Of course, let him act. Being sched against and favored by a grand cultivator ant Wang Yulou still held value.
The logic remained the sa: to enter the ga itself held infinite aning. Countless people desperately wanted to enter the ga but couldn't find a way in!
Moreover, too many things could only be understood implicitly. If everything were laid bare, surviving in this world would be impossible.
No one would tolerate another endlessly. Everyone sought a balanced way to coexist through gas of compromise—Xuanzhuan included.
"That is true as well. He can keep thirty percent, Master will take fifty percent, and we'll leave your Wang Clan twenty percent. We can't let you work for nothing.
"Regarding the matter of Zhou Bojiao, Yulou, what are your thoughts?"
Wang Yulou truly didn't care about the profit-sharing. To him, as long as the combat arena didn't operate at a loss, it was a win. Aside from spirit stones, there were far too many other important things in the world.
However, Xuanzhuan had first handed out sweet dates to close the distance, then dragged Wang Yulou out to inspect the property, and was now asking about Zhou Bojiao... it was incredibly strange.
With this in mind, Wang Yulou answered carefully.
"True Person, Immortal Venerable Shenguang acts without any regard for the rules. It was like this with East Annex City, like this with South Annex City, and it was the sa concerning my master."
Xuanzhuan nodded slightly.
"Those who follow the rules cannot reach the Golden Core realm. The rules of all top-tier factions are ant to restrict cultivators from climbing higher. Or rather, they only serve those at the very top.
"Shen Guang killed Zhou Bojiao first and now wants to establish the Luminous Sect. I am new to the West Sea and don't quite understand what he's aiming to achieve. Li Haikuo said you have a wide circle of friends among Shen Guang's disciples. Tell about it, give so reference."
Xuanzhuan's conclusion confird that Wang Yulou's long-term observations had been correct.
From the sects to the Immortal Alliance, the rules were never established to nurture junior cultivators; they were rely there to serve those who had already reached the top.
However, his request was sowhat difficult to answer.
"True Person, to what extent exactly are we united with Immortal Venerable Shenguang?"
Wang Yulou had to confirm this first.
Hearing Yulou's question, Xuanzhuan began to understand why Shen Guang had specifically asked him for this person.
The questions a person asked vividly revealed their caliber.
Through Wang Yulou's question, Xuanzhuan confird that he truly understood. He understood perfectly, grasping the unspoken subtleties and knowing what was genuinely critical.
"The day Master reaches the Golden Core realm is the exact mont we turn against Shen Guang. These words must not reach a third pair of ears, hahaha."
So that was how it was.
There was no new Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Or rather, as long as the Red Lantern Illumination Sect supported the Ancestral Master, he would never truly forge an alliance with Shen Guang.
Therefore, Shen Guang dealing with Zhou Bojiao was a textbook early cash-out—leveraging their alliance to snatch a massive profit upfront.
The alliance between the two late-advancing Immortal Venerables of the Immortal Alliance was extrely impactful.
Mang Xiang leveraged this impact to force the Red Lantern Illumination Sect to support his war against the Sky Serpent Sect, paving his way toward the Golden Core realm.
Shen Guang leveraged this impact to cash out early, locking in the profits from South Annex City while potentially reaping other gains that had gone unnoticed.
"Immortal Venerable Shenguang has probably intended to establish a sect for a long ti. The Myriad Dao Origin Hub and I... the Purple Palace thods...
"I have a guess—could my father-in-law be the only Purple Palace cultivator secretly hidden in the West Sea by Shen Guang?"
Xuanzhuan nodded slightly. Yes, Mu Changze was very likely not the first.
Besides offering great prospects, the vast West Sea could also hide people—a lot of people. Shen Guang establishing the Luminous Sect seed hasty on the surface, but what if he had already hidden a multitude of experts in the West Sea?
"Continue."
"Another unique point is the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. Immortal Venerable Shenguang controls quite a few rogue cultivators in the West Sea through Zhang Heng, the captain of the Annex City Enforcent Team.
"The rogue cultivators who joined the Rogue Cultivator Alliance can tap into the West Sea system built by Shen Guang in many places.
"For example, the Myriad Dao Origin Hub and the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda. These two can be seen as a scripture pavilion and a rit Hall prepared in advance for the Luminous Sect.
"Once the Luminous Sect is established, they won't lack personnel. From the bottom-tier Outer Gate Disciples to the slightly more central Inner Gate Disciples, all the way to Core Disciples and even True Persons like Mu Changze.
"Immortal Venerable Shenguang likely conceived this plan long ago; he was rely waiting for the right mont to launch it.
"The Ancestral Master pushing the sect into war against the Sky Serpent Sect presented Immortal Venerable Shenguang with an opportunity. That's why he cashed out early, locking down South Annex City to secure the starting resources for the sect's creation."
To put it bluntly, Mang Xiang and Shen Guang were mutually using each other.
In this covert struggle, there were no true winners. Though, of course, there was one glaring loser—Zhou Bojiao.
This perfectly illustrated the complexity of the gas played by grand cultivators. The higher their status, the easier it was for them to shift the price they needed to pay onto soone else.
Take Mang Xiang as an example. His system of cost-shifting was divided into four tiers.
The first tier was the Immortal Alliance. He was a grand cultivator within the Immortal Alliance, after all, and the alliance existed to serve him.
The second tier was the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, the third tier was his two Purple Palace disciples, and the fourth tier consisted of vassal families like the Wang Clan.
Having failed the Five Council Votes for the Golden Core, the pressure on Mang Xiang was actually gradually dissipating. His many Conservative Faction allies within the Immortal Alliance could no longer hold an absolute advantage in votes.
Under these circumstances, Mang Xiang's Conservative Faction allies could help him shoulder the brunt of the pressure for forcefully bypassing the rules to wage war.
The Red Lantern Illumination Sect would bear a portion of what remained. Handled this way, starting a war was no longer so daunting.
Even now, Wang Yulou still hadn't figured out why Mang Xiang proactively started the war. But combined with Xuanzhuan's claim that the Ancestral Master wanted to cultivate ten new Purple Palace cultivators, it was clear the Ancestral Master had a grand plan.
"The Rogue Cultivator Alliance... Shen Guang, oh Shen Guang. He doesn't seem to know that the person backing Zhou Bojiao is Qingrui. That makes sense though; he achieved his Dao too late, after all.
"Let's go. I'll take you to see sothing interesting."
The relationships between grand cultivators were intricately woven, and information about those connections was priceless. It was entirely possible that Shen Guang didn't know Zhou Bojiao's true background.
Before Yulou could react, Xuanzhuan's divine ability transported him to the second floor of the Bright Moon Night Inn in East Annex City, directly into an elegant window seat facing the street.
Outside the window, Qiu Lianpu was leading four Immortal Alliance Stewards along with over a dozen Immortal Alliance Emissaries. They were locked in a tense standoff with the Annex City Enforcent Team, led by Zhang Heng.
Immortal Alliance Emissaries held a great deal of power, and Immortal Alliance Stewards held even more.
However, this was the West Sea. Zhang Heng and his Annex City Enforcent Team were Shen Guang's hounds. Why would they fear people from the Immortal Alliance?
"Refusing to hand over Guo Yaoyue ans obstructing Immortal Alliance Emissaries from exercising the alliance's investigatory powers. You cannot bear the consequences. Senior Zhang, step aside. Do not try to stop a chariot with a mantis's arm."
Qiu Lianpu knew that Ancestor Mile wanted to smash Zhang Heng to pieces as well. But wasn't the plan to catch Guo Yaoyue first and then manufacture a confession to arrest Zhang Heng? Everything had to be done step by step.
Zhang Heng smiled contemptuously and declared aloud,
"The moonlight is quite nice tonight. We're just standing here admiring the moon, wouldn't you say?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
The cultivators of the Annex City Enforcent Team acted like a highly disciplined army. Not only were their answers perfectly synchronized, but they also repeated them three tis in unison.
In truth, the Annex City Enforcent Team was one of Immortal Venerable Shenguang's private armies. He was using the Immortal Alliance's profits to raise his own forces, much like how Wang Yulou used the combat arena's profits to raise his own subordinates.
"Look at Shen Guang's ambition... he's never experienced a single setback. A human traitor's path of cultivation is always smoother than an ordinary person's."
Wang Yulou took out the sixth-grade Ei Peak to brew tea for the True Person, casually noting,
"I guess Guo Yaoyue will die. Zhang Heng would rather kill him than let him fall into Qiu Lianpu's hands.
"Kill Guo Yaoyue, fra the Immortal Alliance Emissaries, and then force True Person Mile to get involved. True Person, what do you think?"
Xuanzhuan's eyes lit up.
"What a brilliant idea."
Within his void-like eyes, endless starlight spun before quickly vanishing without a trace.
"I've already killed that little pawn, hahaha. Let Qiu Mile and Shen Guang bite each other a little harder."
Wang Yulou's tea-pouring motion paused for a split second before returning to normal.
After filling the cup, he pushed it toward the True Person and asked with a smile,
"Is True Person Mile very strong?"
Xuanzhuan picked up the spirit tea and sighed.
"He is more than just strong. He cultivates a demon monk's thod. It's extrely unique. Shen Guang can't make a move right now, so he actually has no good way to deal with Qiu Mile.
"Immortal Venerable Qingrui dispatching Qiu Mile over ans she has developed an opinion of our Master."
Qiu Mile. A demon monk's thod.
Immortal Venerable Qingrui had an opinion of the Ancestral Master.
Wang Yulou nodded thoughtfully. Yes, as a grand leader sitting in the front row of the Gathering Immortals Platform—monopolizing two Golden Core shares all to herself—Immortal Venerable Qingrui was obviously also a boss of the Conservative Faction.
She wouldn't directly warn Mang Xiang, but she could strike at his ally, Shen Guang, to issue a warning by proxy.
Ultimately, Shen Guang and Mang Xiang had grown too close.
For the veteran Golden Cores who faced a lightning tribulation once every seven years, their ti was incredibly precious.
Mang Xiang and Shen Guang were different; they had achieved their Dao late.
Those two might be sowhat lacking in strength individually, but if they ca together...
With this thought in mind, Yulou asked another question.
"True Person, approximately how many more years until the Ancestral Master reaches the Golden Core realm?"
Xuanzhuan set down his teacup and said,
"Zhang Heng's people have discovered that Guo Yaoyue is dead. Haha, there's a good show to watch now. Dogs biting dogs."
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