Chapter 698: Owing a Debt (Part 2)

No sane Cultivator would ever dream of trying to freeload off the Great Zhou Academy’s Spiritual Land.

Notably, the Great Zhou Academy had a rule regarding such criminals: if someone was willing to pay a sum of Spirit Stones, they could be leased out to perform high-risk tasks, such as mining or fighting in wars.

Of course, the choice was mutual. But in practice, hardly any selected Cultivator would refuse. After all, getting out of prison meant regaining a degree of freedom and the ability to cultivate—far better than idly wasting away in a cell.

Guo Yuan was one such criminal. He had committed a crime in his hometown, been apprehended by the Great Zhou Academy, and thrown into prison with a seventy-year sentence.

Seventy years. By the time he got out, his life would be essentially over. So, when the White Mountain Spirit Wood Alliance came recruiting, he had immediately and unhesitatingly chosen to become their hired thug, handling all sorts of dirty work for the Spirit Wood Alliance in the war.

Now that the war between the Spirit Wood Alliance and the Pill Alliance was ending, Guo Yuan and his men were like stray dogs. They could no longer count on the Spirit Wood Alliance to vouch for them, nor could they find a foothold and integrate into White Mountain society.

What made things worse was that they had committed far too many atrocities during the war. Any deed the Spirit Wood Alliance was unwilling or unable to do openly was passed on to Guo Yuan and his men.

Every action leaves a trace. No one had time to bother with them during the war, but now that the Pill Alliance was free to act, their days were numbered.

“Boss, what do we do next? We can’t just wait for the Pill Alliance’s experts to come and slaughter us all, can we?”

The speaker was an anxious-looking young Cultivator. He didn’t look old, but his methods were extremely vicious. If you were to rank the combat prowess of the Cultivators in this group, he would be in the top three.

Hearing the question, Guo Yuan didn’t answer immediately, so a portly Cultivator beside him tried to soothe the situation:

“Don’t be anxious. The boss will have a plan. If it really comes to it, we can just go back to prison. That’s still better than dying here.”

“Prison? I’m not going back! After tasting freedom, you want me to go back? You might as well just kill me.”

The anxious Male Cultivator grew even more agitated at the mention of returning to prison. Normally, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator wouldn’t lose control so easily, but since none of the Cultivators present were particularly stable, his outburst seemed almost normal.

“The Spirit Wood Alliance can’t just abandon us like this, can they? We did so much of their dirty work! Xiguang Sect, the Great Yu Sect… we handled all of it. They got their pristine Spiritual Lands, and we were left covered in blood.”

“We were just their chamber pot. They held their noses and used us when they needed to, and now that they’re done, the very sight of us is disgusting. And you’re still counting on the Spirit Wood Alliance? They’re probably negotiating with the Pill Alliance right now, planning to hand us over in exchange for a better deal.”

The words of the few men echoed in the cave, and the expressions on the surrounding Cultivators’ faces turned grim. Though they had long known this day would come, its actual arrival was still difficult to accept.

At that moment, Guo Yuan spoke, putting an end to his subordinates’ argument. He scanned the faces of the Cultivators around him and said directly:

“Therefore, there is only one power left that can save us.”

“Who? Who could possibly withstand the Pill Alliance’s pressure and demand us from the Spirit Wood Alliance?”

“The Qingyuan Sect!”

Guo Yuan’s words were a spark of light in the gloom. Upon hearing the name of this sect, many of them nodded involuntarily. In terms of sheer power, the Qingyuan Sect definitely had what it took.

But what would be their motive?

After providing the answer, Guo Yuan began his explanation. A good leader had to ensure his subordinates fully grasped his intentions; otherwise, they would be lost and ineffective when it was time to act.

“The Qingyuan Sect is a sect with very high moral standards. A sect like that is completely out of place among the other powers in White Mountain. Logically, they should never accept people like us.

“But there are two sides to every coin. To survive in White Mountain, you have to adapt. The Qingyuan Sect surely needs people to do its dirty work—tasks their own disciples can’t handle. But we can. That’s the first reason.

“Second, in my view, the Qingyuan Sect is too powerful for its small territory. Hampered by the pact of three generations, they can’t openly expand and annex land. But since that horde of Wilderness Bear Beasts joined them, their need for territory has become critical. If we offer to expand their domain for them now, why would Fang Qingyuan refuse?”

Having made only two points, Guo Yuan stopped. This was the second principle he lived by as a leader: never lay all your cards on the table. You had to keep the most crucial information to yourself.

As for the most critical third point, Guo Yuan felt no need to share it with the others.

But these two points were enough to persuade the desperate Cultivators. Like drowning men, they would grasp at any straw. As long as his subordinates had hope—something to look forward to—his position as their leader would remain secure.

Hearing Guo Yuan’s analysis, most of the men’s faces lit up with joy. But among them, the eyes of two men held a dark, subtle light. They were moles planted by the Spirit Wood Alliance. To keep this volatile group in check, various control measures had been necessary. Planting spies and placing restrictions on their souls were just standard procedure.

Guo Yuan’s gaze swept imperceptibly over the two men before he closed his eyes to wait. Fang Qingyuan of the Qingyuan Sect wasn’t someone you could meet just by asking. It would require the right opportunity.