Li Qingshan glanced at the others and understood what they ant. But...
"The reason the Xuanming Sect is slaughtering the survivors of the Artifact Sect is precisely that it suffered defeat on the East Sea battlefield. Killing them is, in essence, a roundabout way of taking revenge on our Nine Cauldrons Sect. If we turn a blind eye to this... It would be a slap in the face for us," he said in a deep voice. "Moreover... At a mont like this, the sect should also set an example! Back then, many people did not return to the Nine Cauldrons Sect not because they were unwilling to return ho, but because we were weak and unstable. In truth, over the years, we have repeatedly received external support. It is precisely because of that support that we were able to develop so rapidly."
After saying this, he looked toward Wu Qingying. "The reason we were able to break through second-generation treasured pill refining technology was that Grandmaster Yan Yan traveled thousands of kiloters from the Immortal Alliance back to the sect. In addition, the Artifact Refinent Hall and the Profound Array Hall have also, to varying degrees, benefited from similar support. Therefore, we cannot reject everyone outright just because of a small number of people who cannot tell right from wrong."
Huang Tianhao also spoke up. "The sect master is right. If we want to attract enough talent, our Nine Cauldrons Sect must first possess sufficient strength. Without strength, relying only on shared lineage and sentint, why would others stake everything to join us? What’s more, the sect is still in the midst of rebuilding and urgently needs assistance from all sides. If we can unite everyone, it will greatly accelerate the sect’s developnt."
He paused briefly. "Of course, throughout this process, we must screen new recruits carefully to prevent bad people from slipping in and deceiving us. It was not easy to build the sect to its current state. If they want to co, they must demonstrate sufficient sincerity to ensure both sides are committed. After all, our Nine Cauldrons Sect is not a charity."
Hearing both Sect Master Li Qingshan and Grand Elder Huang Tianhao speak this way, the hall masters, domain lords, and branch sect masters exchanged looks. They had more or less understood the two leaders' stances. And undeniably, their argunts were not without reason.
If the Nine Cauldrons Sect wanted to grow strong, it truly could not do without more support. Compared to them, even those Artifact Sect survivors scattered across the world possessed deeper foundations. It was entirely possible that one family might offer a spirit treasure to the sect.
"If we want to develop our sect further, we must show sufficient breadth of mind and firm resolve, and connect with the wider world," Murong Hui also said. "Right now, the Nine Cauldrons Sect can truly be said to be united from top to bottom. We all understand that when we stand together, nothing is insurmountable. But in the present world, the Golden Core cultivators have already reached a consensus that Cangwu will eventually be unified. The ti we have left is limited. We should unite as many people as possible, and grow stronger to be able to deal with an increasingly difficult situation, rather than shutting ourselves out and developing in isolation."
The successive statents caused several hall masters who opposed the idea to fall silent. After a long while, He Xifeng finally said, "It’s not that I don’t understand how beneficial it would be for the sect’s developnt if they returned to the Nine Cauldrons Sect. I’m just worried we might end up raising a pack of ungrateful dogs. A leopard can’t change its spots. If they stir up trouble inside the sect again, fighting for power and influence, and turning the sect into a ss, wouldn’t that hold back our developnt?"
Huang Tianhao chuckled. "Since we plan to let them co, we have naturally considered this possibility. We will establish a complete supervision system. We welco talent with open arms, but as for those schers with ulterior motives... These old hands of mine are still strong enough to wield a blade."
A trace of coldness surfaced in his calm expression. "The current Nine Cauldrons Sect is the rightful authority on this land. The treasures and techniques they carry should belong to our Nine Cauldrons Sect. Even if they must be killed, only the Nine Cauldrons Sect has the right to do it. The resources and techniques they bring would likewise remain with the Nine Cauldrons Sect. The Xuanming Sect dares to overstep its bounds? What do they think they are?"
Hearing the grand elder’s words, Liang Qiu and the others felt their hearts stir. That's right. Everything these people carried away when they fled the Artifact Sect had originally belonged to the Artifact Sect. Sooner or later, it has to return to the Nine Cauldrons Sect. What right does the Xuanming Sect have?
"The grand elder has said enough, so I’ll state my true thoughts," Li Qingshan said. "Since we established the Nine Cauldrons Sect on the land of the Artifact Sect, we naturally bear part of the responsibility. For any cultivator, survival cos first. We cannot expect everyone to be like you all, willing to sacrifice everything for the sect’s developnt. But at the very least, we can give them a choice. Let them know that they are not people without a ho."
He said slowly, "When they truly face danger, soone will still stand up to protect their safety and defend their right to survive."
These words plunged the room into silence. In the face of survival, many other things naturally had to be set aside.
"Then let's deploy troops," Lou Yuyu said. "Regardless of anything else, this is to show the world that our Nine Cauldrons Sect already possesses the ability to protect its people. Anyone who dares to bully those of our Nine Cauldrons Sect outside the sect, even if they are only vaguely affiliated with us, will face the retaliation of the Nine Cauldrons Sect!"
Everyone nodded. Even if so did not agree with the argunt of responsibility, the fact remained that the Xuanming Sect had allowed its disciples to massacre the survivors of the Artifact Sect, and in doing so had slapped the Nine Cauldrons Sect in the face.
Under normal circumstances, if the Xuanming Sect wanted to deal with them, then so be it. But to pull sothing like this imdiately after being defeated by the Nine Cauldrons Sect, who was it ant for?
"Then we shall fight!" Liang Qiu said. "The Xuanming Sect is nothing but dry bones in a grave. Since we could wipe out their main forces in the East Sea, we can strike their holand as well and make them understand the consequences of running wild in front of our Nine Cauldrons Sect."
"Leave it to ." Lou Yuyu, nominally deputy hall master of the Warfare Hall but in practice the great cultivator who commanded it in full, spoke up. "Among the four elite battle institutes of our Nine Cauldrons Sect, two are currently stationed in the East Sea. The Azure Edge Institute, led by Shen Qinglian, and the Divine Might Institute, which I lead. I will take the Divine Might Institute to the Xuanming Sect and rescue our comrades who are suffering there."
"Although the Xuanming Sect suffered heavy losses in the East Sea, they still have seven or eight hundred sword cultivators, spell cultivators, and psyche cultivators worth ntioning. Besides, once we penetrate deep into the Xuanming Sect's territory, we will face massive numbers of body cultivators, as well as the arrays protecting each city," Sect Master Li Qingshan said. "The situation is different this ti. Let the Azure Edge Institute go with you to ensure absolute safety."
"If the Azure Edge Institute goes as well, how do we maintain the East Sea situation? The Great Sun Sword Sect is already watching us closely. Once the Azure Edge Institute leaves, the Great Sun Sword Sect will certainly make a move." Lou Yuyu frowned.
"Leaving one Azure Edge Institute behind may not deter the Great Sun Sword Sect anyway. We might end up failing on both fronts." Li Qingshan smiled. "I will personally take the Sword-Wielding Institute to guard the East Sea."
"The Sword-Wielding Institute..." Lou Yuyu pondered.
That was the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s strongest battle institute. Every cultivator within it was a great cultivator of the third tier or above. And it possessed the best equipnt. Although the Azure Edge Institute under Shen Qinglian had recently been equipped with large numbers of improved Purple Firmant Type 15 flying swords and its combat strength had caught up, that did not diminish the deterrent power of the Sword-Wielding Institute.
"The Sword-Wielding Institute bears responsibility for guarding the main sect and, when necessary, reinforcing the Nine-Dragon Institute in the Shiwan Mountains..." Lou Yuyu said.
"The Brahma Divine Kingdom has been relatively quiet in the Shiwan Mountains recently. Even if they make a move, we won’t be without room to respond," Li Qingshan explained. "The key point is that once the Divine Might Institute and the Azure Edge Institute leave, only the Sword-Wielding Institute can deter the Great Sun Sword Sect."
To deter the Great Sun Sword Sect, one elite battle institute was not enough.
"Besides, isn’t Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang’s Sea Guardian Institute still stationed in the Nine Heavens Domain? Although the Sea Guardian Institute can’t compare to the Sword-Wielding, Azure Edge, Divine Might, and Nine-Dragon Institutes in terms of elite strength, with Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang’s thods, the combat power it can unleash shouldn’t be much weaker than those four," Li Qingshan added with a smile.
Hearing this, Lou Yuyu finally snapped back to his senses. Right. There's still the Sea Guardian Institute in the Nine Heavens Domain.
Although it was not counted among the four elite battle institutes, it already stood between an elite battle institute and a main battle institute.
"Then I’ll leave this side to you, Sect Master, and to Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang." Lou Yuyu turned toward Yaoguang.
Yaoguang gave a slight nod. Compared with elite battle institutes, main battle institutes were clearly a level lower. It wasn’t that they lacked combat capability, but once a major battle broke out, casualties were inevitable.
And once these people matured, they could all enter the elite battle institutes. Losing them before they reached their peak would be a real waste. That was why, unless it was a truly critical mont, no sect would lightly deploy its main battle institutes or standard garrison battle institutes.
After everyone reached a consensus, Li Qingshan began instructing the Public Relations Hall to build movent within the sect. At the sa ti, he had Zhou Lijian prepare a public statent.
As for the rest, including Yaoguang, they all had to shift part of their focus from the Purple Firmant Institute to the Sea Guardian Institute, increasing training intensity to prepare for potential crises.
Although the Sword-Wielding Institute would definitely be holding the front line, the Great Sun Sword Sect was different from the Xuanming Sect. Its overall strength was far greater. Under these circumstances, Yaoguang did not dare to relax in the slightest.
***
As the Public Relations Hall exerted its influence, the Xuanming Sect’s brutal actions gradually began circulating within the Void Psychic World and even across the Great Cangwu World. The Xuanming Sect made a token announcent, claiming it was a civilian dispute, and had many law-enforcent cultivators arrest several people to get public opinion under control.
But these actions were rely ant to preserve the Xuanming Sect’s image within the Void Psychic World. What they needed to do, they continued to do.
Three days later, as the Sword-Wielding Institute arrived in the Nine Heavens Domain, the Public Relations Hall finally made a public declaration. In order to protect the personal safety and property of Nine Cauldrons Sect disciples within the Xuanming Sect territory, the Nine Cauldrons Sect would dispatch the Azure Edge Institute and the Divine Might Institute, accompanied by ten large flying vessels, to enter Xuanming Sect territory and evacuate its own disciples and assets.
User Comments
0 comments from readers