Jin Mingdu was an exceptionally clever woman. Even among the nurous Dao Companions Wang Yulou had deliberately screened, her intelligence ranked among the very best.
She had previously made it clear to Yulou that her ambitions were modest. Wang Yulou's mind, however, was as formidably deep as an abyss.
Being Dao Companions with such a heavenly genius ant Jin Mingdu spent most of her ti treading on thin ice—much like Zhou Yingxi, whom Wang Yulou had dragged into high-stakes gas. Yet right now, she clung to Wang Yulou's arm, deliberately provoking Zhou Yingxi right to her face.
Such behavior was quite intriguing.
"Yingxi, what happened between Mingdu and was a bit sudden. I didn't have ti to notify you."
Wang Yulou did not shake off Jin Mingdu's hand. Instead, he chatted with Yingxi as calmly as if everything was perfectly normal.
'Yingxi, can you understand my helplessness?' Jin Mingdu understood Wang Yulou's act; otherwise, she wouldn't have taken the initiative to grab his arm and help him demonstrate his stance to the ancestor.
She only felt that Wang Yulou was still not ruthless enough. Had he completely ignored Zhou Yingxi when she ca to pick him up and simply flown away, that would have been a true declaration of loyalty.
Wang Yulou had been forced by the ancestor to cut ties with Shen Guang. Zhou Yingxi, as the last direct lineage descendant of Zhou Bojiao's line, served as Mang Xiang's leverage to assimilate Zhou Bojiao's forces.
At the sa ti, her biological father, Mu Chunze, was Shen Guang's man. Therefore, Wang Yulou had to carefully maintain the proper boundaries when interacting with her.
Fortunately, Jin Mingdu was there. Wang Yulou could pretend to be bewitched by Fairy Mingdu to brush off Little Zhou, thereby giving the ancestor a satisfactory explanation.
It ca back to that distant question that might never have an answer—just how much did love weigh? In Wang Yulou's eyes, love was very aningful, but there were many aningful things in the world.
Compared to his twenty years of arduous pursuit climbing the Great Dao, love didn't seem quite so important. In the end, love was nothing more than mating and an alliance.
An emotional connection was a type of alliance, and a connection of interests was also a type of alliance. As for mating and reproduction, if Wang Yulou so wished, countless female cultivators would weep and beg him to bestow his Yang energy upon them.
Therefore, the worries of Wang Xianzhou, Wang Xianmao, and even Jin Mingdu were correct; Wang Yulou was still not ruthless enough. He knew which choice was right in terms of interests, but his heart still wavered when the ti ca to make it.
He couldn't achieve a heart of absolute stone. Perhaps this was his greatest obstacle to achieving the Dao.
"Mm, it's fine."
Suppressing the dissatisfaction in her heart, Zhou Yingxi quickly reported another truly important matter. "You rashly brought nearly three thousand rogue cultivators back to the sect this ti.
"True Person Jinxian and Fu Yan Zhenren are both very dissatisfied. They pressured Sect Master Qiusheng, demanding that he deny those rogue cultivators the status of Red Lantern Illumination Sect disciples.
"Ancestor Jingyi has now been assigned to the Southern Leaf Kingdom-Great Solitary Ridge line, serving as the Assistant Town Guard of the Southern Front. Although True Person Xuanzhuan is still in the sect, the situation is not optimistic."
Faced with the beautiful woman's reminder, Wang Yulou was montarily speechless. In the end, it was Jin Mingdu who spoke up for him.
"There aren't three thousand anymore. Right now, there are only a little over two thousand left.
"Your Red Lantern Illumination Sect's Yi Zouri led people to attack us in Clear Stream Market. Is True Person Xuanzhuan not going to do anything about this matter?"
Zhou Yingxi asked back with a bitter smile, "Do what? Kill Yi Zouri?"
It was absolutely impossible to kill him. The Red Lantern Illumination Sect was not Mang Xiang's Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
Although Yi Zouri was arrogant, he truly wasn't wrong in what he said. The 'Illumination' of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect belonged to Zhuzhao.
No matter how powerful Mang Xiang was, he was only a quasi-immortal venerable. If he wanted to achieve the Dao, or take a step further after achieving it, he couldn't do without Zhuzhao's support.
But Zhuzhao's support was not infinite. Zhuzhao could not sit back and watch the Behemoth Lineage directly gain a foundation of several thousand Outer Gate Disciples.
Wang Yulou's previous judgnt was correct. A cultivation sect was fundantally a ruling tool serving Grand Cultivators, and Grand Cultivators naturally occupied an absolute ruling position within the sect based on their strength.
At the sa ti, due to the varying cultivation levels of its mbers, a sect also possessed an inherent, undeniable bottom-up operational logic.
With Wang Yulou bringing three thousand mid-to-high stage Qi Refining rogue cultivators into the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, the final result would inevitably be a massive expansion of the Behemoth Lineage's strength.
Even if this expansion process would only gradually reveal itself over the next hundred years, Zhuzhao didn't need to wait for the problem to appear to see it coming. That was why Yi Zouri had led people to intercept and kill the rogue cultivators in Clear Stream Market.
It was just that Guo Baichi hadn't thought the matter through at the ti and inadvertently played right into Wang Yulou's hands.
"Forget it, let's not dwell on this. It's nothing more than fifty lashes for each side. How is the specific situation on the front lines right now? What kind of position is this Assistant Town Guard of the Southern Front that Ancestor Jingyi has taken up?"
He had Guo Baichi to thank for even managing 'fifty lashes for each side.' Wang Yulou hadn't expected the Zhuzhao faction to have such a ruthless reaction to him bringing people back to the sect.
He had vastly overestimated the unity within the sect. However, right now Wang Yulou was more concerned about Ancestor Jingyi's post.
She had now gone to the front lines between the two sects. One had to know that the Sky Serpent Sect, as an Upper-Path Sect, had no shortage of powerful seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators.
Even with Ancestor Jingyi's strength, she might not necessarily be safe on the front lines.
"The situation on the front lines is that our Red Lantern Illumination Sect is on the defensive, while the Sky Serpent Sect maintains the offensive," Zhou Yingxi explained.
"It's said that this is because after the war started, the ancestor entered Heavenly Serpent Valley and killed a Purple Mansion True Man. Because of this, the Sky Serpent Sect is sparing no cost in their offensive."
The group traveled all the way to the Red Lantern Sect Main Mountain. Although it was nad the Main Mountain, there were no True Persons' Dao ashrams located there.
It was a place where many of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's low-level disciples cultivated. Various public halls, pavilions, and courtyards were all established here.
"On the battle lines, the Northern Front is the Hidden Dragon River to Fragrant Bamboo Market line; the Middle Front is the Knotty Mountain to Four Bright Sect line; the Southern Front is the Southern Leaf Kingdom to Great Solitary Ridge line.
"Along the four-thousand-li border we share with the Sky Serpent Sect, there is fighting everywhere. The most important Middle Front is overseen by Senior Martial Brother Yan Keyi as the general town guard; he is one of our people.
"The Northern Front is guarded by Senior Martial Brother Kong Gu of Wondrous Peak Mountain. The general area is similar to the battle lines of the war between the Valley Spirit Sect and Wondrous Peak Mountain.
"As for the Assistant Town Guard of the Southern Front, this appointnt is very complex. The town guard of the Southern Front is Fu Yan Zhenren's disciple, Pi Lingxiu. He is a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator over four hundred years old and has been a Core Disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect for three hundred years."
What was the concept of an all-out war? Four thousand li of borders, and every inch of it was engulfed in the flas of war.
Fortunately, the route Wang Yulou had chosen to escort his people back ran entirely through the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's hinterlands, and they had proceeded with the utmost caution the entire way. Otherwise, Yi Zouri wouldn't have been the only one trying to stop him.
"Hmm... Senior Martial Brother Kong Gu, Senior Martial Brother Keyi, and Senior Martial Brother Lingxiu—these three are indeed extraordinary.
"It's just... why isn't Yuan Daoshen there?
"Senior Martial Brother Yuan Daoshen is the number one Foundation Establishnt cultivator of Dripdrop Cave.
"Now that the two sects are in a great war, shouldn't Dripdrop Cave, as a vassal sect of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, send their number one Foundation Establishnt cultivator to help?"
Zhou Yingxi sneered. "That is wishful thinking.
"In this great war between the two sects, all the vassals of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, whether it's sects like Wondrous Peak Mountain or families like the Tea King Gu Clan, have sent people to join the fray.
"Only Dripdrop Cave hasn't sent a single person. It's not the first day that Dripdrop Cave listens to edicts but ignores summons. You ca from Dripdrop Cave, and you actually didn't know?"
Wang Yulou's expression grew uncharacteristically serious. He truly had only just found out!
"Where did you learn that Dripdrop Cave has long listened to edicts but ignored summons?"
Zhou Yingxi also noticed the change in her husband's deanor. She pondered for a mont, then replied firmly, though a look of lancholy crossed her face.
"The ancestor told when I was young."
Little Zhou was no fool. How could she not understand why she had been kept by Zhou Bojiao's side and nurtured since childhood?
It was precisely because she understood that she felt so lancholy. In Zhou Bojiao's eyes, she had been expendable right from the start.
That ancestor of the Zhou family didn't hold a single trace of familial affection for her.
"That's not right. The disciples and elders of Dripdrop Cave also take on missions for the sect and the Immortal Alliance. How do you explain that?"
Faced with Wang Yulou's question, Zhou Yingxi was unable to answer. The three of them, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, arrived at the Sect Master's Hall within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's Sect Master's Palace, where they t Sect Master Huang Qiusheng.
Old Huang seed to have taken on a new look recently. Even though he was a powerful seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator, he looked like an unlucky bastard whose Yang energy had been completely drained.
He looked as haggard as soone suffering from an incurable consumption. Seeing Wang Yulou approach, Huang Qiusheng waved away the crowd gathered around him.
As the people left, Wang Yulou realized that every single one of them was an Inner Gate Disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect at the Qi Refining stage, and they all looked incredibly young. Not only was Wang Yulou observing them, but they were also sizing up Wang Yulou and Zhou Yingxi.
Compared to the legendary status of those two, Jin Mingdu's fa within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was close to zero. Wang Yulou was a sudden rising star, an influential figure in the Behemoth Lineage who had sprouted out of nowhere like a green onion from dry ground.
A heavenly genius of the Behemoth Lineage was a heavenly genius of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Although the core disciples of the sect were all Core Disciples, there were differences even among them.
Many cultivation families with deep roots in the sect clearly understood the true faces of the grand cultivators. Under normal circumstances, even a direct lineage descendant of a Purple Mansion True Man would find it extrely difficult to obtain an opportunity to open the Purple Palace.
Although Wang Yulou was not Mang Xiang's biological son, once Mang Xiang achieved the Golden Core, the Behemoth Lineage would inevitably seize the montum to expand.
From this perspective, even though Wang Yulou's cultivation base appeared shabby, he possessed far more potential than many seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators in the sect. Because of this, he was the center of attention in recent discussions.
It was just as the saying went: though he was not in the sect, the sect was full of his legends. Zhou Yingxi's situation was even more interesting.
Most people silently agreed that the ancestor of this girl's family, Zhou Bojiao, had been played to death by Mang Xiang. Once Old Zhou died, all his vassal families were absorbed into Mang Xiang's forces.
Yet, if one were to say Zhou Yingxi was unlucky, she had now beco a Core Disciple of the Behemoth Lineage, taking Mang Xiang directly as her master. In short, whether it was Wang Yulou or Zhou Yingxi, the gossip and attention surrounding them remained incredibly high.
Many who had never even seen Wang Yulou before only recognized him after being introduced by their Fellow Daoists. Wang Yulou smiled and nodded to these fellow sect mbers.
They only completely dispersed when his face grew stiff from smiling. Huang Qiusheng sat down resentfully and pointed at the chairs in front of him.
"Yulou, thank goodness you're here. Otherwise, they would have annoyed to death!"
Sitting down with his two Dao Companions, Wang Yulou asked with a smile, "Who would dare make things difficult for you, sect master? Your position was appointed by the ancestor. Aside from him, you don't need to give face to anyone else."
Old Huang felt like complaining to him was a waste of breath. He had suffered so much from being caught in the middle, yet in Wang Yulou's eyes, it seed completely trivial.
What 'don't need to give face to anyone else'? Wasn't this pure nonsense?
Yes, I was appointed by the ancestor, but Yulou, you don't understand. I cannot authorize the Outer Gate Disciple status for those three thousand people.
"The affairs of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect are managed by Candlelight Immortal Venerable and the ancestor. If Candlelight Immortal Venerable does not permit it, I dare not act on my own."
Knowing why Wang Yulou had co, Huang Qiusheng didn't beat around the bush, making it clear he was washing his hands of the matter. He truly didn't dare to issue random appointnts.
He was afraid that the day the Outer Gate Disciple status of those three thousand rogue cultivators was finalized would be the very day his head fell to the ground.
"There aren't three thousand anymore," Wang Yulou said. "They were slaughtered by Yi Zouri until only a little over two thousand remain. If I hadn't dodged quickly—no, if it weren't for the ancestor's protection, sect master, you wouldn't even be seeing right now."
"Now you're saying it's difficult to arrange the Outer Gate Disciple status for those rogue cultivators. Then how is the sect going to handle the matter of Yi Zouri bringing people to Clear Stream Market to intercept and kill ?"
Wang Yulou was no innocent white lotus either, and he imdiately threw down his chips. "Fine, let's not talk about the rogue cultivators."
"Let's talk about Yi Zouri trying to intercept and kill ."
Huang Qiusheng wanted to die.
When it ca to Zhuzhao's matters, even if the Huang Clan's Purple Mansion ancestor ca, he wouldn't dare interfere! Seeing Old Huang remain silent, Wang Yulou pointed in the direction of Mang Xiang Mountain and continued.
"Senior Martial Brother Qiusheng, I have known you for many years. There are no outsiders present, so I'll speak from the heart."
‘Who the f*ck has known you for many years! We've only known each other for three!’
‘Sure, there are no outsiders present, but who knows how many ears our conversation is reaching? You little bastard returned to the sect and didn't seek out Xuanzhuan, but ca straight to the Sect Master's Palace.’
‘Do I not understand what you're aiming for? F*ck!’
"Speak, go ahead and speak."
Huang Qiusheng even thoughtfully served tea to the three guests.
"The ancestor's Golden Core is bound to succeed," Wang Yulou continued. "This isn't just the expectation of the ancestor alone; it's also the expectation of the millions of cultivators up and down the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Once the ancestor's Golden Core is complete, the sect will be able to pay fewer taxes to the Immortal Alliance."
"This way, everyone benefits. Bringing three thousand Qi Refining cultivators into the sect was to let them go to the front lines and contribute their strength to the sect."
"But now, three thousand Qi Refining cultivators have beco two thousand, and that dog Yi Zouri is still blocking them from doing anything."
"We are all disciples of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, loyal to our duties. We should not fear harsh criticism. Only by doing our utmost can we live up to the sect's nurturing from above, and be worthy of our love for the sect from below."
Once a pawn crossed the river, it could only advance and never retreat. Wang Yulou was currently standing by that river.
Retreat? Retreat to where?
The West Sea? Dripdrop Cave?
Clear Stream Market? Wang Family Mountain?
Retreating was simple, but which piece of spiritually rich land in Wunan wasn't the territory of the Immortal Alliance? Outside the Immortal Alliance, other top-tier factions guarded their own little plots of land, and they might skin a person even harder than the Immortal Alliance did.
Were those places ant for human habitation? Since he couldn't retreat, he could only move forward with indomitable will.
Having already made so many difficult choices, did Wang Yulou still lack the resolve to force True Person Jinxian, and even Candlelight Immortal Venerable, to yield? He had absolutely no fear.
Mang's little general, charge!
Huang Qiusheng stopped speaking; he was waiting for orders.
Wang Yulou was no longer in a hurry; he was waiting for the result. Why hadn't he greeted Xuanzhuan after returning to the sect, but instead directly sought out the sect master to go through the final formal process?
It was very simple: to skip the tedious tug-of-war and rapidly turn the fierce conflict into a foregone conclusion. Wang Yulou was still gambling, but his odds of winning were very high.
Gambling was obviously dangerous, especially this kind of gamble that forced True Person Jinxian, Candlelight Immortal Venerable, and Fu Yan Zhenren's hands. If he lost, he would likely be finished.
But in the cultivation world, where could one find absolutely safe avenues for profit? Absolute safety ant that many others would also rush in, and the final returns would inevitably be extrely low.
High-risk decisions carried danger, but such dangers often harbored hidden positive factors. When these positive factors were nurous enough, the risks wouldn't be so terrifying.
So, what positive factors were hidden in Wang Yulou forcing the Illuminating Faction and the Fuyan Faction to declare their stance this ti? First, Yi Zouri had rashly started a massacre in Clear Stream Market targeting Wang Yulou, nearly escalating into a civil war within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
Wang Yulou bringing three thousand Qi Refining cultivators back to the sect was against the rules, but putting his faults aside, was Yi Zouri faultless? Second was the common interest of everyone.
After so many years, the ancestor's Golden Core had to be completed one way or another. By stirring up trouble now, if an accident occurred in the future, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect would beco a laughingstock, and everyone would suffer the consequences.
Third, once these Qi Refining rogue cultivators joined the sect, they were ultimately going to risk their lives for it, becoming frontline cannon fodder on the battlefield. Even if they could produce Foundation Establishnt cultivators, how many could they possibly produce?
Two hundred was the absolute ceiling. Hoping for more was extrely difficult.
Fourth, internal strife ultimately had to maintain a situation of fighting without breaking ties. If the conflict shattered those ties, the delicate balance of internal struggle would be lost.
Everyone would eventually revert to a bloody, life-and-death battle royale over interests, and in that scenario, everyone would lose together. Fifth, grand cultivators were truly extraordinary, and the 'Illumination' of Candlelight Immortal Venerable was indeed the 'Illumination' of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
But ultimately, many practical matters were handled by specific individuals. Wang Yulou chose to firmly advance his pawn.
He might appear weak, but taking the initiative to toss out chips and lower his posture was also a move on the chessboard. In a normal intra-sect power struggle, Wang Yulou didn't believe those grand cultivators would suddenly go crazy and slaughter him—it really wouldn't escalate that far.
That was sothing only a grand cultivator whose eyes were red from losing would do, and Zhuzhao and Fuyan were far from losing. This even aligned with a lingering doubt in Wang Yulou's heart: why did the ancestor take the initiative to drag the Red Lantern Illumination Sect into a war with the Sky Serpent Sect?
The Sacred Decree from Danri, the ancestor entering Heavenly Serpent Valley, and the start of the war—this chain of logic seed solid, but it was only the surface. Speaking purely on the principle of interests, if one could reap benefits while lying down, there was no need to seek them through fierce life-and-death struggles.
The great war between the two sects seed limited to the Foundation Establishnt tier, but warfare was fraught with peril. What if it went out of control and escalated into Purple Palace cultivators fighting each other, or even Golden Cores battling for their lives?
Instead, the continuous years of fighting between Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect represented the normal logic. The major sects wouldn't make a move themselves; they let their vassals bite each other.
This was exactly the purpose of vassals. Wondrous Peak Mountain's sect gate was located on the frontier of Wunan, which also served as the border between the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and the Sky Serpent Sect.
It had been a buffer zone right from the start. In comparison, Dripdrop Cave was far too bizarre.
The entrance to Dripdrop Cave's grotto-heaven was located in the hinterlands of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, and Zhou Bojiao had even told Zhou Yingxi that Dripdrop Cave obeyed orders but ignored summons. Pondering these mysteries, Wang Yulou ultimately did not receive the good news he wanted.
‘That bastard Jinxian still doesn't agree. Just wait.’
Xuanzhuan's voice transmission rang out. Wang Yulou sighed and looked at the sect master.
Huang Qiusheng's complexion, however, was exceptionally calm as he said, "Alright, Yulou. Go back and wait."
"I reckon it will take a long ti to brew. It's just that once you leave, I'm going to be pestered by people again. Sigh."
Thinking of those young Inner Gate Disciples, Yulou asked, "Why did they co?"
Hearing Yulou bring up those people, Old Huang slumped back in his chair, looking as though he had nothing left to live for, and spoke weakly.
"They want to be assigned to the various properties and major markets of the mansions. They just don't want to go to the front lines. They don't even think about it—Pi Lingxiu, Yan Keyi, and Senior Martial Sister Wang Jingyi have all gone to the front lines. On what grounds should they be exempt?"
Wang Yulou nodded. Without another word, he left.
After all, with the way Old Huang was acting, he was walking further down the path of disloyalty. Wang Yulou had no need to involve himself with him any longer.
How could a powerful, seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator look so haggard and inhuman rely from exhaustion or psychological pressure? It was simply that he no longer wanted to be a loyal guard for Mang Xiang.
When Mang Xiang achieved the Dao, even his chickens and dogs would ascend to heaven. This grand illusion had been painted for so many years that Huang Qiusheng was perhaps simply tired of feeding on it. Deep down, Old Huang had likely already given up his pursuit of the Purple Mansion opportunity.
*
"I recognize so of those people. They are all mbers of Foundation Establishnt families within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. But Yulou, you also know that many of the Foundation Establishnt families in the sect are not under the tutelage of the True Persons."
Having left the Sect Master's Palace, Zhou Yingxi explained this to Yulou.
As the sect's pace of developnt stabilized, there would inevitably be so Foundation Establishnt families born within it that didn't rely on Purple Mansion or Golden Core cultivators. Instead, they relied on their own foundation to steadily produce Foundation Establishnt cultivators over the long term.
This was similar to petty officials under a bureaucratic governance model, but not entirely the sa. The Foundation Establishnt families within the sect neither possessed many spiritual items nor held key distribution rights; they were rely cogs in the sect's machine.
The Purple Mansion cultivators didn't need that many vassals either. Having too many ant they couldn't protect all of them; furthermore, there wasn't much point in taking in vassals who couldn't provide any value.
The close relationship between the Wang Clan and Mang Xiang was partly because the Wang Clan had long avoided causing trouble, thus passing down its legacy for generations.
On the other hand, the Wang Clan did not entirely rely on the sect. They had their own independent developntal model, acting like 'franchisees' among the many vassals under Mang Xiang's tutelage. The Yan Family of the Behemoth Lineage was different.
They chose the path of thoroughly taking root within the sect. This path was good, but the Wang Clan simply hadn't possessed the caliber to choose it in the past.
Ultimately, the Wang Clan was far too cautious. Because of that caution, they had missed too many opportunities.
"Yingxi, how does the ancestor plan to arrange things for you?" Wang Yulou asked.
Zhou Yingxi had now entered under the tutelage of the ancestor, which carried a hint of her inheriting Zhou Bojiao's position. This move was likely partly the ancestor's intention to put on a show for the others in the sect.
Although sect gossip wouldn't affect Mang Xiang's interests, the ancestor wasn't entirely shaless. If basic dignity could be maintained, he still wished to maintain it.
"I'm staying in the sect to cultivate. I am now holding a post in the Comrce Hall of Elders and have taken over the operational duties of the sect's Goods Contract Workshop, though I'm not too busy."
"The only trouble is that the Deacons below are skimming way too much. Their cultivation bases are higher than mine, and they all have strong backing. Even if I wanted to deal with them, I wouldn't be able to."
The Goods Contract Workshop was an industry that the Red Lantern Illumination Sect had developed based on the Great Goods Store they confiscated from Wang Yulou. There were branches of it in all of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's various markets.
It could be considered a systematized establishnt of futures contract trading for cultivation resources. However, sect industries were usually monopolistic.
Only in this way could they endure the disciples skimming off the top and bottom while still maintaining substantial profits. The Goods Contract Workshop was different.
This operation had no overhead costs, but other people could easily replicate it. Coupled with the fact that the related personnel skimd off plenty, Zhou Yingxi's position was not an easy one to maintain.
"I'll help you sort it out later. By the way, are there any reception areas in the sect? I want to host a banquet to treat the Fellow Daoists who escorted the rogue cultivators all the way here."
When interacting with Zhou Yingxi, he had to carefully maintain boundaries to express his loyalty to the ancestor. Therefore, even if Wang Yulou wanted to be closer to Little Zhou, he could only maintain a strictly businesslike attitude.
"Yulou, the most important thing right now is letting those rogue cultivators enter the Red Lantern Illumination Sect first!"
Jin Mingdu reminded him. Wang Yulou paused his steps.
Jin Mingdu's reminder was spot on. Although things were currently developing in a positive direction and the three factions had established a frawork of moving toward a compromise, when it would actually be implented was another matter.
Allowing those rogue cultivators to enter the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's mountain gate might draw a counterattack and massacre from the Illuminating Faction. But if the Illuminating Faction didn't make a move, it would quickly beco a foregone conclusion, thereby accelerating the compromise.
Whether Zhuzhao and Fuyan would strike at those rogue cultivators was never influenced by whether those cultivators were inside or outside the sect; it entirely depended on their own intentions. Ultimately, Wang Yulou had to cut the Gordian knot and push for the matter to be settled as quickly as possible.
Delays bring complications. If this dragged on for too long, and Zhuzhao and Fuyan realized that Mang Xiang would have no choice but to tolerate it even if these two thousand people didn't join the sect, the situation would beco even more passive.
"Yingxi, go contact our people. Bring over anyone who is currently within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect."
"Mingdu and I will go pick up the rogue cultivators and bring them to the grand array. They traveled thousands of li to join the Red Lantern Illumination Sect; we can't afford to give them the cold shoulder."
Watching the backs of the two as they left, Zhou Yingxi flew toward Mang Xiang Mountain without looking back. However, she could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes.
Like pearls from a broken string, they welled up drop by drop, only to be instantly evaporated by her magical power. Her family had perished, her ancestor's soul was severed, her biological father had fled far away, her Dao Companion was estranged, and she had taken her sworn enemy as her master...
In just two short years, too many things had happened, entirely destroying her past life. She had thought Wang Yulou would be her reliance, but now he had married a new Dao Companion.
Flying within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, Yingxi only felt that the sect's aura was so bitter that it made her shed uncontrollable tears.
*
In a wilderness outside the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's mountain gate grand array, the rogue cultivators touched down sparsely.
They no longer thought about running away. If they ran, they would be labeled as Shen Guang's lingering poison.
If they didn't run, they still might be considered Shen Guang's lingering poison. Shen Guang's lingering poison was, as the na suggested, a fluid toxin.
As long as there was a powerful force manipulating it, it could always flow to wherever it was needed. The cruelest aspect of the cultivation world lay exactly in this.
Achieving the Dao was a beautiful yearning for all cultivators, but as long as one hadn't earned a seat at the table, they were rely at on the chopping block for the grand cultivators already sitting there. Whether to eat them, how to eat them, and when to eat them, were all matters decided by a single word from a grand cultivator.
The Western Sea Demon Hunt could bring one to prominence, but essentially, it was a pressure relief valve for the Immortal Alliance to directionally vent its internal tension. For every person who rose to prominence, a dozen more would end up buried in the bellies of demons.
Their fate had never been in their own hands in the past, and it was still not in their hands now. In this regard, they were actually the sa as Zhou Yingxi and Wang Yulou.
Wang Yulou understood his own powerlessness, so he chose to offer up his only seemingly valuable asset: loyalty. Mang Xiang didn't care whether his subordinates were loyal or not, but if Wang Yulou proved loyal enough while successfully executing the tasks Mang Xiang needed him to perform, he would naturally receive more opportunities.
Personal struggle changed personal fate. A small struggle changed a small individual fate, and a great struggle changed the fate of many more.
Wang Yulou's ambition was too great, so he appeared utterly ruthless. The ancestor might not care about his attitude toward Zhou Yingxi, but Wang Yulou had to maintain that self-awareness.
Yingxi shed tears over Wang Yulou's heartlessness, but she still didn't understand that Wang Yulou truly wanted to reach the other shore. When that ti ca, let alone Zhou Yingxi, perhaps even Wang Xianzhou could be saved!
But for now, he had to act as Mang Xiang's most loyal guard.
"Old Yang, how long do you think we have to wait here?"
Chen Yongzhong and Yang Duilie were hiding in a courtyard ford by a spiritual artifact to slack off. Chen Yongzhong truly missed the West Sea.
For no other reason than the Core Disciples of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect being far too ruthless. The psychological shadow Wang Yulou had cast upon him was already imnse.
Then, a few days ago, Yi Zouri showed up, genuinely committing a brutal slaughter with absolutely no regard for the rules. Killing the rogue cultivators hadn't been enough.
After Guo Baichi's sche hard Wang Yulou and escalated the conflict, Yi Zouri seed fully intent on leading his people to slaughter the escorting Foundation Establishnt cultivators as well.
If the others hadn't harbored scruples about Yi Zouri's status, Chen Yongzhong and the rest might have died right there in Clear Stream Market that day.
Compared to the West Sea on the Immortal Alliance's frontier, the massive pressure placed on bottom-tier cultivators within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect made Chen Yongzhong extrely uncomfortable.
"It's hard to say. Fellow Daoist Yuque is in a difficult spot. He wants to pull these rogue cultivators in to elevate his status in the sect, but there is more than one Immortal Venerable in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Furthermore, the one behind him is not yet a true Immortal Venerable."
Yang Duilie and Chen Yongzhong had shared so minor conflicts in the past. But now, under the pressure of that massive bastard Wang Yulou, the two actually seed to be resolving their forr enmities.
In truth, this wasn't as simple as Wang Yulou placing pressure upon them. The main thing was that while participating in the great purge of Shen Guang's lingering poison, the two Dragon Tiger Guard Commanders had gradually co to understand what kind of person could achieve the Purple Mansion realm, and what the price of doing so truly was.
Even soone like Wang Yulou had to frantically slaughter to prove his worth, using it as a declaration of loyalty. And this declaration couldn't be made just once or twice; it had to be made countless tis.
The most terrifying thing was that even if you were loyal, capable, and appreciated by the True Persons and Immortal Venerables above you, you might not necessarily be able to reach the Purple Palace realm. Xihai Qingfeng, Xihai Longhu, and Xihai Zhongcheng—all three were loyal, capable, commanded factions, and were ruthless and black-hearted.
Yet, the mont Shen Guang fell from power, all three were completely finished, dead beyond dead. Seeing the terrifying consequences of the Shen Guang faction being completely purged from top to bottom, who wouldn't feel a chill?
In the current Immortal Alliance, the difficulty of becoming a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator couldn't just be called 'high'; it was simply an impossibility for the vast majority of people.
It reached the point where even peak Foundation Establishnt cultivators like Chen Yongzhong and Yang Duilie didn't dare dream of reaching the Purple Palace realm. Because of this, the two naturally no longer had any conflicts of interest.
"Listen to yourself, hahaha. Are you saying that even though Yi Zouri attacked his fellow sect mbers, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect won't punish him?"
Chen Yongzhong didn't quite believe Yang Duilie's judgnt.
"What do you know?" Yang Duilie countered. "The Ten Sects of Wunan are one darker than the next. I used to be a disciple of Nine Apertures Valley."
"Oh, how dark Nine Apertures Valley was! If an Outer Gate Disciple wanted to enter the Inner Gate, not only did they need a strong cultivation base and a recognized master, but they also had to pay spirit stones."
"I couldn't endure it back then, which is why I ca to the West Sea. Looking at it now, it was the right choice."
"Out of all the fellow disciples who cultivated with in the Talisman-Making Courtyard back then, not a single one reached the Foundation Establishnt realm. Everything in Nine Apertures Valley belonged to the people at the top."
"Even if a lucky few managed to enter the Inner Gate, they were still at the very bottom. They could only do the dirty and exhausting work, ultimately dying of old age when their lifespans were exhausted."
"The Red Lantern Illumination Sect is no less dark than Nine Apertures Valley," Yang Duilie concluded. "For Yi Zouri to dare attack Wang Yuque ans he has soone backing him. I reckon it will definitely end with a slap on the wrist."
Hearing Old Yang say he originated from Nine Apertures Valley, Chen Yongzhong was a bit stunned.
"Well, Old Yang, you certainly hid that well—hm?"
The two rapidly flew into the air, only to see that the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's mountain gate grand array had opened. Wang Yulou was standing inside the array on his Black Dragon Steed.
"Everyone, co inside!" he called out.
Old Yang smacked his lips, feeling a bit like he had been slapped in the face, but he still organized everyone to move inside the array. Inside the grand array, Wang Yulou and Yan Kexin stood side by side, with Zhou Yingxi beside them.
The three of them wore the Ten Thousand Nights Everbright Robes, representing the Core Disciples of the Behemoth Lineage who still remained in the sect today. Of course, there were far more than three Core Disciples in the Behemoth Lineage; there were over thirty.
It was just that most of them had been sent to the front lines. The ancestor's matters were the matters of Mang Xiang's junior generals.
Everyone was very loyal. Behind Wang Yulou's trio stood the other Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the Behemoth Lineage.
A full thirty-plus had co, and these were just the ones remaining in the sect.
"The foot of the spirit mountain should be able to squeeze them in. It's just that, Yulou, doing this, I'm afraid it will provoke dissatisfaction within the sect."
Yan Kexin was the younger brother of Yan Keren and Yan Keyi. The Yan Family was the largest vassal of the Behemoth Lineage, so Wang Yulou had to respect his opinion.
"It's perfectly normal for Senior Martial Brother Zouri to have a misunderstanding about my arrangents. But we are, after all, handling matters for the ancestor. As long as we are loyal and capable, we needn't fear outsiders questioning us."
Yan Kexin's chin trembled slightly, and ultimately, he didn't speak again. Wang Yulou suppressing Guo Baichi in Clear Stream Market had already revealed his unwillingness to submit and act subservient.
Everyone was a Core Disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect; Wang Yulou didn't believe he was a head lower than the other core figures of the Behemoth Lineage. Age wasn't a problem; it was Wang Yulou's advantage.
He couldn't trap himself in the logic of having to play the subservient junior, thereby discarding his own advantage. Making an example out of Guo Baichi, who was under Danri's tutelage, was his way of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys—with the other core figures of the Behemoth Lineage serving as the intended audience.
Under the escort of the Behemoth Lineage's nurous Foundation Establishnt cultivators, the rogue cultivators successively found places to settle down on Mang Xiang's spirit mountain. From beginning to end, no one ca out to stop them.
With things proceeding to this point, they were actually more or less set in stone. It was rely that the final compromise conditions hadn't been fully negotiated yet.
On the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's main spirit mountain, a crowd of immortals sat in rows inside the Garden of Myriad Flowers.
Wang Yulou, flanked by Zhou Yingxi and Jin Mingdu, sat at the head of the gathering. Raising his wine cup, he sighed.
"The journey of several thousand li from Western Sea Immortal City to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was arduous. All of your hard work has been seen in my eyes. To have beco acquainted with all of you Fellow Daoists in the West Sea is truly my great fortune."
"I've prepared this ager wine simply to entertain and thank you Fellow Daoists for your assistance!"
After a few rounds, slightly drunk with a chest full of bravado, Yang Duilie stopped pretending. He stood up and spoke impassionedly.
"Fellow Daoist Yuque, when you left the West Sea, we cried and begged for you to stay, hoping only that you would remain in the West Sea and continue to radiate your light and heat for its prosperity."
"Now you've ultimately returned to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. But at this ti of parting, I, Old Yang, still want to ask again..."
Speaking up to here, Old Yang started wiping away tears. Watching him, Chen Yongzhong felt a wave of disgust. 'You really know how to put on an act!'
'You didn't even notify in advance about flattering him; you only know how to hoard the favor for yourself!'
"Oh? What does Fellow Daoist Duilie want to ask?"
Wang Yulou was in very high spirits. Those rogue cultivators entering the sect with no one stopping them throughout the entire process—Wang Yulou couldn't be clearer about what this ant.
"Is Fellow Daoist Yuque truly leaving the West Sea to stay in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect?"
Yang Duilie's eyes were completely red. For this several-hundred-year-old geezer to be able to act to such a degree, Wang Yulou truly admired him in his heart.
He pondered for a mont before solemnly replying.
"I had originally wanted to stay in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, but since everyone is so passionate, I'll go back to the West Sea. I'll continue to serve as the seal-holder of the Punishnt Court."
Old Yang's expression changed instantly. 'You animal, you're not leaving?!'
'If you're not leaving, didn't we throw this farewell party for nothing?!' The bustling Garden of Myriad Flowers suddenly fell dead silent because of Wang Yulou's single sentence.
"Hahahaha! Alright, let's eat. I won't joke around. Old Yang, stop crying. Your old face doesn't look good when you cry."
So it turned out Wang Yulou was just playing a small joke on them. However, simply in terms of his ability to cause tornt, they were truly fed up with Wang Yulou.
Facing Wang Yulou, who was backed by Jin Shan, these people from the West Sea felt like they were in prison.
"Husband, why are they so afraid of you?" On the way to Mang Xiang's Dao ashram, Zhou Yingxi pulled Yulou's arm and asked in a low voice.
She had nothing left to rely on. Even if Wang Yulou was unreliable, she still had to grab onto him.
Under the logic of romanticism, Zhou Yingxi should have abandoned Wang Yulou; she should have been an independent, strong woman. But under the logic of realism, Zhou Yingxi, who had lost her family and her ancestor's backing, had to grasp any assistance she could.
Otherwise, her future path would be very difficult to walk. Mu Changze had abruptly left for the West Sea, only for Shen Guang to be completely crushed shortly after by Mang Xiang and Qingrui.
Yingxi believed that only she herself understood her hardships.
"The main reason is that I hired dozens of Foundation Establishnt cultivators from Wondrous Peak Mountain to hold the line," Wang Yulou explained. "Old Yang is smart. He understood my plan from beginning to end, which is why he fears ."
"He fears , and the others follow suit after seeing his attitude. But in reality, I've just reached Foundation Establishnt, and my strength is incredibly weak."
"If I had a choice, I'd rather be like you, staying in the sect and cultivating properly."
Wang Yulou explained his arrangents along the journey. It could be said that using fifteen thousand spirit stones to pull in a bunch of Foundation Establishnt cultivators from Wondrous Peak Mountain to hold the line was his greatest masterstroke.
Had he not made this move, it would have been impossible for those West Sea Foundation Establishnt cultivators to block Yi Zouri. Ultimately, the West Sea Foundation Establishnt cultivators belonged to the Western Sea Immortal City; they weren't in the sa system as the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
When Yi Zouri started killing, he naturally had no scruples about them. Those West Sea Foundation Establishnt cultivators didn't dare fight back recklessly either.
The more powerful they were, the more they wanted to hide. At the ti of Yi Zouri's attack, Wang Yulou hadn't issued any orders at all, but everyone tacitly chose to only defend and not counterattack.
Their ntality was evident from this.
"It is ti to cultivate properly, Yulou."
True Person Xuanzhuan's voice carried over. The two exchanged a glance and didn't dare delay, imdiately entering the main hall at the center of Mang Xiang's Dao ashram.
The True Person sat in the lowest seat below the high dais in the hall, keeping a very low profile, much like when Danri had chosen the lowest seat back then. From this, Wang Yulou felt a chill.
When Danri had chosen the lowest seat at Zhou Bojiao's apprenticeship ceremony, it could be explained by her achieving the Dao late, with too many guests present who had achieved the Dao earlier than her, and her belief that her cultivation was lacking.
But today, Xuanzhuan was presiding over the overall situation of the Behemoth Lineage, yet in the main hall where Mang Xiang used to cultivate, he only dared to sit in the very last seat. How could the implications behind this not make one's heart turn cold?
During the Qi Drawing realm, Wang Yulou had thirsted for the Purple Palace realm, boldly believing that he could reach the Purple Palace purely through hard cultivation, without relying on marriage alliances.
But looking at Xuanzhuan's behavior now, it seed that the Purple Palace—which ordinary cultivators could only gaze at from afar but never reach, unattainable even in an entire lifeti—was rely just changing postures to continue shouting, 'Mang Xiang, loyalty!' Cultivating immortality, cultivating immortality—what is an immortal?
Wang Yulou did not know the answer, but from Xuanzhuan's seat choice alone, he could see that a Purple Palace cultivator was not a true immortal. Xuanzhuan still had to obey the ancestor.
A Purple Palace cultivator was not a true immortal. Then once the ancestor reached the Golden Core realm, would he be considered an immortal?
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