Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master - Chapter 1351 - 532: Sect Calamity (2)
The guard sat paralyzed on the ground, his face full of despair. This was an extremely serious dereliction of duty!
Hundred Herbs Peak.
Vermilion Fruit Medicine Garden.
A Ten Thousand Year Vermilion Fruit Tree was undergoing its tribulation.
Crack!
Lightning struck the fruit tree, causing the trunk to tremble heavily, then it was split in two, and fierce thunder fire burned on the branches of the tree.
The three cultivators watching sighed in unison.
Helping others during a thunder tribulation would cause serious taboos. Unless there’s an extraordinary technique, the help would lead to mutual calamity.
The Ten Thousand Year Vermilion Fruit Tree wanted to transform into a human form, reaching further heights, but failed, unable to withstand the last strike of lightning.
When the tribulation fire dissipated, only the root part of the entire fruit tree remained intact. Most of the branches and trunk had been burnt dry. Furthermore, not a single fruit was left.
…
Inside the Wanxiang Sect’s Main Mountain Gate, at almost the same moment, all kinds of terrible events occurred. Various bad news poured in, finally gathered in Dong Chen’s hands.
Dong Chen felt heartache seeing these losses, but wasn’t surprised.
In the recent Qi Fortune battle, although the Wanxiang Sect won, it was a tragic victory.
In this battle, the Wanxiang Sect not only used three Luck-stabilizing Treasures to assist the Heavenly Cloud Cover. Dong Chen also heavily summoned high-level cultivators from the Wanxiang Sect.
Now, all these people were basically recuperating.
The injuries on the physical body and soul could be quickly healed, but the decline in individual Qi Fortune still required a long time to compensate.
The bad news Dong Chen received was clearly concentrated in the Eight Peaks and Sixteen Halls.
“Among the sixteen halls, the Evil Slaying Hall suffered the least loss in Qi Fortune.”
“Out of the Eight Peaks, Flowing Cloud Peak had the least Qi Fortune loss, followed by Purple Thunder Peak.”
Flowing Cloud Peak has never had a true Peak Master, more like a scattered group. Purple Thunder Peak has been weak for a long time, leaving only the outer skin of the old Four Peaks. And this time, the high-level they sent was just Deputy Peak Master Meng Wuyan, who was a demon cultivator.
Wanxiang Sect is not without demon cultivators or soul cultivators, these special kinds of cultivators, but basically they are of the human clan.
Human clan is the mainstream in today’s cultivation world, without exception.
Dong Chen couldn’t help but ponder.
Having used three Luck Suppressing Treasures consecutively, Dong Chen saw that things were amiss and decisively changed strategies in secret. He originally thought that relying solely on himself and Tuoba Huang and others, they could guard the array line.
In the end, the war situation became more and more severe.
Dong Chen didn’t continue to use the Luck Suppressing Treasures, but summoned more and more high-levels.
As the Peak Master of Heavy Array Peak, and the current Sect Leader of Wanxiang Sect, he couldn’t just let the Qi Fortune of a few peaks decline. If a big war was to be fought, then all must be treated equally!
When the intensity of the Qi Fortune struggle exceeded Dong Chen’s original expectations, he decisively adjusted his strategy.
It’s not easy to be a good Sect Leader!
The current strong-weak balance was established by Dong Chen after much effort over many years.
He didn’t want this balance to be easily disrupted.
Once disrupted, it would inevitably cause chaos, inevitably lose his authority, and lead to a loss of control over the entire sect.
Wanxiang Sect is too large.
The night before Dong Chen took over, he received a summons from the previous Sect Master.
Previous Sect Master: “Do you know why I ultimately chose you?”
Dong Chen: “I do not know.”
Previous Sect Master: “Because you can stay calm, be patient, and control the overall situation. You must remember, one of Wanxiang Sect’s true opponents is ourselves.”
Indeed, Dong Chen deeply agreed after leading the sect.
Because Wanxiang Sect is too large.
Once control is lost, this giant would tear itself apart, bite and consume each other, trying to reunify under the name of righteousness. During this process, numerous ambitious people dream of satisfying their own desires.
At this moment, Dong Chen was contemplating.
“The path of Qi Fortunes possesses mysterious divine power.”
“The attack on Evil Slaying Hall’s Cloud Prison appears to be a major disaster, but in reality, its Qi Fortune loss is minimal. Compared to its surroundings, it actually enjoys good luck and becomes stronger!”
“Moreover, since other Seven Peaks and Sixteen Halls have terrible situations appearing, this on the surface also offsets the negative impact of Cloud Prison being attacked and demon cultivators escaping.”
“Evil Slaying Hall, still needs more suppression.”
Regarding Zhong Dao, who holds the belief of eradicating evil thoroughly, Dong Chen keeps a respectful distance, with both love and hate.
Without any doubt, Zhong Dao is the sharpest blade amongst Wanxiang Sect’s high-levels. But because it is too sharp, it easily wounds one’s own people.
Wanxiang Sect’s foundational philosophy is inclusivity.
Look at every Flying Conference, how many evil cultivators and demon cultivators voluntarily join. Even if these people don’t contribute, less enemies will arise through balance.
If suppressed by Zhong Dao’s ways, how will the evil cultivators and demon cultivators outside see it? How will they view the righteous major sect Wanxiang Sect?
Solely absorbing righteous cultivators, Wanxiang Sect wouldn’t reach today’s scale at all.
Dong Chen knows this well.
Most high-levels also agree with this.
So, they unanimously cooperate to suppress Evil Slaying Hall.
This is a strategic difference leading to high-level struggles.
Because Zhong Dao and Duanmu Zhang are close, with aligned philosophies.
So, Qin De was ultimately imprisoned in Cloud Prison. This not only suppresses the Confucian Cultivator group’s development but also incites discord between the two. It’s a double-edged tactic.
Additionally, Dong Chen would carefully distribute the activity funds to Evil Slaying Hall.
Isn’t Cloud Prison managed by Evil Slaying Hall?
Then Dong Chen and others would refrain from killing demon cultivators, only imprisoning them in Cloud Prison under the guise of reformation. On one hand, it burdens Evil Slaying Hall’s finances; on the other, it continues to uphold Wanxiang Sect’s reputation externally.
Other evil cultivators and demon cultivators see the high-levels being lenient, sparing lives, imprisoning in the sect’s prison, never with an immediate execution attitude, and during opportunities like the Flying Conference, they tend to join Wanxiang Sect.
“But this time, Song Taosheng’s assassination attempt on Qin De changed the situation.”
“Although the demon cultivators in Cloud Prison are only on the 9th Floor, there are many losses, and this has always been crucial. The usual costs to imprison and prohibit them are also at the highest.”
Evil Slaying Hall is greatly relieved.
“Because of Zhong Dao’s intervention, Wu An will certainly be treated leniently. He’s Zhong Dao’s subordinate, with open achievements, making it hard for us to act.”
“Zhong Dao, Zhong Dao, are you aware of Song Taosheng’s assassination attempt?”
Dong Chen’s eyes constantly flashed with deep light.
On the mountainside, a young cultivator in Foundation Establishment Stage was hurriedly journeying alone, his steps quick. He wore the standard Daoist robe of Wanxiang Sect’s Outer Disciple, with an identity token hanging from his waist, proving he was on a mission following the sect’s command.
“It’s you.”
Qin De’s Nascent Soul silently descended, landing above the young cultivator’s head. It trembled gently, transforming into a white light, and entered the young cultivator’s upper dantian at his brow.
The young cultivator only felt a slight itch on his brow and didn’t think much, focused on the task at hand, rushing toward the mountain top’s transmission array.
The transmission array at the summit wasn’t large, transmitting only twenty people outside the sect at a time.
A long queue had already formed before the transmission array.
The young cultivator arrived here, taking his place at the end of the line.
Qin De’s Nascent Soul resided in his Divine Sea, observing everything around through the young cultivator’s eyes.
The young cultivator was completely unaware.
The line advanced slowly, and finally, it was the young cultivator’s turn.
He handed over his token.
The guarding cultivator accepted it, after strict verification, nodded for passage.
The next dozen steps the young cultivator took were under strict examination by the array, magic treasures, and other means.
During this period, Qin De’s Nascent Soul shrank into a ball, doing its utmost to conceal itself.
It wasn’t exposed.
The young cultivator stood in the transmission array, together with other cultivators and a horse-drawn carriage tied with mounts.
The transmission was about to begin.
