Chapter 680: All the Fourth Realm Cultivators

Ao Hong’s proposal was unexpected, yet it also made sense.

The surprise was that Wang Ping didn’t think Ao Hong was a radical. Despite his impulsive and seemingly reckless behavior, there was no reason for him to be so aggressive. The logic was simple: the Yuqing Sect was a good target.

When Ao Hong finished explaining his idea, Wang Ping took a sip of wine to conceal the shift in his gaze. He had witnessed too many schemes in the Cultivation Realm to readily believe that Ao Hong would lay out his inner thoughts so bluntly.

Take Zi Luan, for example. Even up to the moment he disappeared, Wang Ping had never understood his true thoughts. He still didn’t.

Then there was Wang Ping himself. He, too, secretly harbored plans for the Yuqing Sect.

This wasn’t arrogance, but a calculated assessment of the situation. He had the True Yang Sect as an ally and held the second seat in the Daoist Palace. Furthermore, with the True Monarchs’ decree as a pretext, using the Yuqing Sect as an entry point to complete their assigned task shouldn’t be difficult.

Moreover, he needed to mastermind this affair to integrate with the Heaven-Covering Talisman. He was confident that if he orchestrated this well, his integration progress with the talisman would surge forward.

But despite all this, Wang Ping would never voice his own thoughts aloud.

Seeing that Wang Ping remained noncommittal, Ao Hong picked up a black stone. He studied the game board as he said, “Of course, we would only be doing what’s expected of us. Even if the Yuqing Sect were to fracture in the future, it would have absolutely nothing to do with us.”

He finished speaking and decisively placed the stone on the board. Then he looked up to meet Wang Ping’s gaze. “You don’t need to worry so much. The state of the Yuqing Sect’s True Monarch is… delicate. And their Lords are not united.”

He extended his right hand, pointing first at Wang Ping, then at himself. “You are a Lord now, too. And I am a Fourth Realm Cultivator of Lishui Prefecture and the son of a Dragon Monarch. If we join forces, as long as we don’t touch the core interests of the Yuqing Sect’s True Monarch, who in this world is there for us to fear?”

That was true. Wang Ping was a Fourth Realm Cultivator of the Mystic Sect, a Lord appointed by the True Monarchs, and could currently be considered the Ancestral Master of the Taiyan Sect’s lineage.

With his current status, even in a direct confrontation with a Yuqing Sect Lord, as long as he didn’t do anything suicidal like infringing upon the True Monarch’s interests, his life would not be in any real danger. Besides, he had the man before him to lead the charge.

Of course, with his current cultivation, there would be few occasions for him to act personally. If he truly had to make a move, it would be earth-shattering.

“What do you get out of this?” Wang Ping asked, staring into Ao Hong’s eyes.

Ao Hong froze for a moment, then chuckled softly. “My third brother is an ally of Yuqing’s Zi Xuan Monarch,” he said. “My ultimate target is my brother. He’s in my way.”

“You seem very confident that I’ll work with you!”

Wang Ping placed the stone in his hand.

This time, Ao Hong’s laugh was genuine and joyous. After he was done, he said, “I know you must have incurred many debts with your recent promotion. The karmic ties you bear are heavier than any of ours, especially the one to True Monarch Yuan Wu. And him… well, we’ve already discussed him. Therefore, you have to be the one to get things done, not just go through the motions like the others.”

Wang Ping still didn’t reveal his stance, but he asked, “Do you have a specific plan?”

“What plan? All we need to do is fan the flames. I’ll contact people from the Taiyin Sect, you contact people from ‘First Heaven,’ or any orthodox successors within the Yuqing Sect you can trust.”

Ao Hong then added a warning, “In the early stages, it’s best we stay completely out of it. Not even a hint of involvement. You’re in a leading position now, so you can start by making an example of those missing Star Gods. That’s something True Monarch Yuan Wu would be happy to see.”

As he spoke, he picked up the nearby wine jug, stood up, and stared at Wang Ping. “Only you and I know about this,” he added. “If you breathe a word of it, I’ll deny everything.”

He didn’t wait for Wang Ping’s response. After saying his piece, he hugged the wine jug, transformed into a streak of light, and vanished over the horizon.

Wang Ping remained seated in silence, finishing the game by himself. By the time the board was clear, the sky had begun to dim. Down in the square below the mountain, the day’s sparring had ended. Disciples from the various sects walked in pairs and small groups, discussing their insights on cultivation.

“It is a good opportunity…”

He muttered to himself as he put the game pieces away.

‘But that young master, Ao Hong, only saw one side of the coin. True Monarch Yuan Wu didn’t just want him to press the older generation; he also wanted him to nurture new talent to maintain the stability of spiritual energy.’

‘In other words, if an elder passed away, a newcomer had to be promoted to the Fourth Realm within a set time. At the very least, when new slots opened up, the sects had to submit a list of contenders. Someone had to at least reach the True Spirit state, like Wen Yang.’

“It truly is an era of change!”

Wang Ping whispered again.

Time had marched on to the sixth millennium of the Human Dao’s rise. Most of the older generation of Fourth Realm Cultivators were nearing the end of their lives, while most of the younger generation of Cultivators had perfected the Third Realm and were eagerly awaiting the appearance of new slots.

“Woohoo~”

Just then, Yu Lian’s cheerful cry rang out. Wang Ping looked up and saw her tumbling and soaring beneath the clouds, and the stern expression on his face softened slightly.

“Meow~”

The Calico Cat awoke on a nearby branch. It stepped onto an auspicious cloud and landed on the pavilion roof, calling out to Yu Lian in the sky.

After having her fun, Yu Lian transformed into a streak of light and landed beside the pavilion. She immediately swung her tail at the Calico Cat, but it dodged with ease.