Chapter 1467 - 877: It Couldn’t Possibly Be Zhang Yu, Right?

The entire voting process and results were meticulously recorded, with archives maintained by the Heavenly Court.

In the end, everyone uploaded the results, awaiting a response from the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor.

The old man thought to himself, "This time there shouldn’t be any issues, right?"

...

At the same time, deep within the Spirit Realm, Zhang Pianpian was stationed in the Taiqing Realm, her will traversing the vast Spirit Realm, observing some of the log data uploaded by the Wanfa Sect to the Heavenly Court.

Among them were the results of two votes from the Ascension Hall.

"The first time, Cang Juechen was rejected?"

Zhang Pianpian’s heart sank, "If the second vote for Yue Qinglan is also rejected..."

At this moment, Zhang Pianpian had a very bad feeling in her heart.

She focused intently, trying to confirm the results as soon as possible from the information flowing out of the Wanfa Sect.

"The results of the second approval, ultimately..."

...

Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor: Incorrect, vote again

With the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor’s response, the Ascension Hall instantly erupted in uproar.

Although none of the Ascension Cultivators spoke, their minds seemed to be in turmoil.

In that instant, the contemplations and data intel summoned by these Ascension Cultivators from the Law Realm could burn dozens of Small Realms’ Soul Cultivators to ashes.

"How is it possible? Rejected again?"

"Cang Juechen is unacceptable, Yue Qinglan is unacceptable too? Who is supposed to be chosen?"

"It couldn’t be..."

At that moment, Fa Liuyuan’s eyes flashed with insight and he stood up abruptly.

"Low-cost life extension? I see it as malicious life extension."

Fa Liuyuan spoke confidently, "The ultimate goal of medicine is to extend life, but low-cost life extension won’t work... It might uproot the entire industry."

"Exploited by outside forces, who knows how much it will affect the businesses of pharmaceutical companies within the sect, the consequences are unimaginable."

"If Yue Qinglan is granted the Miracle Merit under such circumstances, won’t it just escalate the situation, and tell every sect that we’re about to disrupt the market?"

Watching Fa Liuyuan speak with conviction, Ling Chenji understood that this was the Immortal Emperor’s two rejections, which had completely boosted the confidence of the other party.

"Cang Juechen is unacceptable, Yue Qinglan is unacceptable too, is it really Zhang Yu being eyed?"

Ling Chenji silently shook her head, knowing that the granting of such a Miracle Merit was definitely not just about looking at the individual, but at the background and Taoist Inheritance supporting them.

"Reform Faction..." Ling Chenji thought to herself, "Is the Immortal Emperor going to support the Reform Faction?"

Thinking this, she began frowning continuously. In Ling Chenji’s view... the current scene in the Wanfa Sect was thriving and burgeoning with vitality, where was the need for reform?

The old man stared at the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor’s verdict, thinking continuously, "Did I misunderstand? Does the Immortal Emperor not want to invest in life extension technology, or is he wanting to hold back and avoid a current conflict with the Dan Ding Sect? Avoiding multi-front battles?"

Insight gradually flashed in the old man’s heart: "Is it because Cang Juechen and Yue Qinglan are not suitable candidates for the current Miracle Merit, and therefore it fell on the Reform Faction’s Zhang Yu, landing him a great boon?"

As Fa Liuyuan continued passionately recommending Zhang Yu, the old man couldn’t help but say, "Fa Liuyuan, say less if you haven’t been paid."

Fa Liuyuan: "Who says I haven’t been paid?"

Being rejected twice in succession had greatly boosted Fa Liuyuan’s confidence, making him calm and composed, "I’m not one to speak carelessly without being paid."

Fa Liuyuan understood that in today’s view from many Upper Cultivators, those who haven’t received payment have no stake in the interest; isn’t it just opening their mouths? What basis do they have for speaking? Who knows whether it’s true or false?

Fa Liuyuan continued, "Zhang Yu holds Immortal Inheritance and was later granted unlimited salary increase rights by the Immortal Emperor, raising salaries for countless Soul Cultivators, changing the industry landscape, securing 20% market share, yet not raising his own salary unwarrantedly. Doesn’t such Immortal merit deserve the Miracle Merit?"

Seeing the silent agreement in the Ascension Hall, Fa Liuyuan suddenly felt a sense of pride rising, realizing how long it had been since he spoke loudly in the Ascension Hall without being contradicted?

"I propose awarding the Miracle Merit to the Minister of Netherworld Properties Zhang Yu!"

The third voting commenced as many Ascension Cultivators began casting their votes silently.

However, this time the voting process was silent, lacking the overt support displayed in the previous two instances.

Ling Chenji gritted her teeth and cast her vote for Zhang Yu, contemplating the payments she had received and her vested interests with the Artifact Spirit Sect, along with her role as a proponent of the Innate Dao, she silently sighed to herself, "Immortal Emperor, do you really want to elevate a member of the Reform Faction this high?"

"Immortal Emperor, take a good look at this flourishing era, why is reform needed? This cannot be blindly altered."

The old man, similarly, felt a tinge of disgust upon voting for Zhang Yu: "This Zhang Yu doesn’t have the background of Cang Juechen or Yue Qinglan, his assets don’t compare to theirs, and his channel of interest sharing with sect leaders is far inferior to both."

"Just relying on merits and his identity with the Reform Faction... was he chosen by the Immortal Emperor? If so, it’s practically turning back the wheels of history and ruining Kunxu’s ethos!"

Finally, the results of the third vote were listed: Zhang Yu

And looking at this outcome, most cultivators remained indifferent.

Ling Chenji and the old man on the other side quietly awaited the Immortal Emperor’s decree, hoping the Immortal Emperor would reject this result as well, opting not to award the Miracle Merit to anyone this time.

But in the next moment...

Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor: Approved

Upon seeing this result, aside from Fa Liuyuan who laughed, neither Ling Chenji, the old man, nor any other Ascension Cultivators showed any expression or spoke a word.

Ling Chenji appeared calm, but her heart was shocked: "Was it truly Zhang Yu being eyed? Immortal Emperor... Does this mean the Immortal Emperor has acknowledged the Reform Faction’s agenda?"

"If Zhang Yu uses the Miracle Merit to establish the Third Generation Law Chain... is there an intention to push reforms within the sect?"

Thinking this, she became extremely vigilant, her gaze towards the name Zhang Yu sharpened with a subtle hostility.

At the same time, vast amounts of information spread out from Ling Chenji’s will, disseminating this result and her deduction to the Immortal behind her Taoist Inheritance.

The old man viewed this result with utmost seriousness.

As the pharmaceutical sector’s representative within the Ascension Hall, a bad premonition arose in his heart.

"The best outcome is that the Immortal Emperor chooses not to favor Cang Juechen and Yue Qinglan to avoid further Taoist conflicts and multi-front struggles, temporarily holding back these individuals, thus allowing Zhang Yu and the Reform Faction to benefit as unexpected winners."

"The worst outcome is that the Immortal Emperor does indeed intend to promote the Reform Faction."

While contemplating, the old man also transmitted the immediate information and intel to the Immortal behind his Taoist Inheritance.

Fa Liuyuan appeared to have sensed something, observing the mostly expressionless and absent-minded cultivators in the hall; he realized this vote within the Ascension Hall, although it seemed merely to decide the Miracle Merit recipient, actually indicated the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor’s perspective on the sect’s direction of development.

Evidently, the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor’s support for the Reform Faction was not endorsed by the majority of other factions.

However, all of this was within Fa Liuyuan’s anticipation. He thought to himself, "Transforming the existing system, altering longstanding structures, and deciding anew on the distribution of interests will inevitably face opposition from numerous Upper Cultivators with vested interests."

"The Reform Faction... therefore, encounters challenges everywhere within the sect."

Fa Liuyuan looked at Zhang Yu’s name, pondering silently, "Zhang Yu now sits at the center of the conflicts, and should he establish the Third Generation Law Chain, besides competitors like Cang Juechen and Yue Qinglan, there will be numerous factions obstructing his path secretly."

...

Meanwhile, in the Taiqing Realm observing the results, Zhang Pianpian’s heart sank.

"Is it really Zhang Yu?"

Zhang Pianpian sighed, as names and their related details echoed in her mind.

She murmured internally, "Little brother, little brother, in the sequence of candidates in the Immortal Emperor’s mind, you’re at least in the top five."

...

In the Old Graveyard, Zhang Yu had already received the information from Fa Liuyuan.

"Was I chosen?"

Upon learning the outcome, Zhang Yu did not plunge into ecstasy; instead he continued to ponder over his Blank Law Chain in deep thought.

"Number 11 Immortal Emperor’s candidate?"

Zhang Yu was aware that the investment, assistance from the Immortal Emperors... are entirely dependent on the controlled Number 11 Immortal Emperor.

The Immortal Emperors suppress and guard against... are not the uncontrolled, wildly growing new Immortal Emperors.

But whether becoming the Number 11 Immortal Emperor or growing as a new Immortal Emperor beyond control, the investment from the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor was a rare opportunity.

Even if this opportunity is a poison, he has no choice but to swallow it.