vstars Chapter 101 A Plan to Turn the Tide
Chapter 101 A Plan to Turn the Tide
Meng He frowned: "The Zhou family has extended their reach into the spirit material warehouse?"
Han Mo put down his teacup and sighed, "The Spirit Materials Room is a crucial place in charge of distributing spiritual herbs to the outer sect. It's one thing to make mistakes on ordinary days, but to tamper with things during the minor competition is to openly humiliate our master-disciple lineage."
Su Qing snorted coldly: "I've met Steward Wang before. He's at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. He's arrogant and domineering because he's backed by the Zhou family. Peak Master, we must give Junior Brother Zhang an explanation for this matter."
Lu Yuanshan said unhurriedly, "Manager Wang has been detained by the Criminal Law Hall and confessed during interrogation that Zhou Mingyuan was the one who instructed him."
"According to the sect rules, he should have been expelled from the sect for cheating during the sect's assessment. However, the aristocratic family sent someone to plead for him, and in the end, he was sentenced to ten years of mining service."
Qian Tong sneered: "Ten years as a miner? Heh, that's still giving the powerful families face. If my people from the Criminal Law Hall fell into the hands of the powerful families, they would probably be sentenced to more than ten years."
Lu Yuanshan waved his hand: "Although this matter is not perfect, at least it has made the aristocratic families more restrained. Zhang Lin suffered such an injustice as soon as he entered the sect, and the sect will compensate him. From now on, the medicinal materials quota of the spiritual materials room will be given priority to the master and disciple lineage of Cuiping Peak."
At this point, he changed the subject: "Today, I'd like to take this opportunity to talk to you about the factional structure within the sect."
The hall fell silent.
Although the senior brothers and sisters already knew about it, since the peak master rarely spoke in person, none of them wanted to miss a single word.
Lu Yuanshan slowly said, "The Danxia Sect has been established for eight thousand years. The factional disputes can be summarized as having two ways of inheritance."
"One type is the inheritance of aristocratic families, with the five major surnames, twelve great families, and forty-six famous families as the backbone, and their descendants holding important positions throughout the Danxia Sect."
"The spiritual materials room, the market, and the outer gate shops are mostly owned by people from aristocratic families. Disciples of aristocratic families do favors for others, support each other, and have extensive networks, forming powerful groups."
"But the problem with aristocratic families is that their talents vary greatly, and there are many spoiled brats. As long as they have the same surname, even if they are good-for-nothings, they will be supported by people with spirit stones and pills. On the other hand, those offspring with talent are used as bargaining chips by their families for marriage and trading. Even if they have excellent cultivation and talent, they still have to marry someone to exchange for resources."
"The powerful families don't treat you like a human being; they only care about the value of your bloodline."
As he said this, Han Mo lowered his head slightly and tapped his fingertips on the armrest, as if he were recalling something from the past.
Lu Yuanshan continued, "The other type is the master-disciple inheritance. Without the bloodline of a noble family to rely on, the disciples are only judged by their aptitude and not by their background. As long as they can refine good pills or are diligent, hardworking and humble in their cultivation, they have the hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage or even the Core Formation stage."
"The things passed down from master to disciple have been refined and distilled. Resources are limited, but those with talent are never treated unfairly. The best cultivation techniques, alchemy furnaces, and spiritual herbs in the sect are not all private property of aristocratic families."
He paused, then looked at Zhang Lin: "Although the master-disciple lineage is at a disadvantage against aristocratic families, it is by no means a pushover."
"This generation's sect leader comes from the same lineage as his master and disciple, and four of the seven elders are also from the same lineage."
"Although Han Qianqiu of Zizhi Peak is a member of the Han family, he has always been neutral and never favors any aristocratic family."
"The peaks of Cuiping, Furong, Biyun, and Tianzhu are all headed by people from the same lineage, while the peaks of Qingluan, Luoxia, and Chenxu are mostly headed by scions of aristocratic families."
"As for the alchemy room and the collection hall, those are the focus of the struggle between the two factions. Whoever has more people gets more spirit stones and pill formulas."
These words reassured everyone.
Zhang Lin had been at Danxia Sect for over a month, and although he had vaguely sensed that the sect was divided into factions, he had never heard anyone analyze it so thoroughly.
Lu Yuanshan's words were both an enlightenment for the new disciples and a clarification of our position to everyone in the hall: we are of the same lineage as master and disciple, not from aristocratic families.
"So," Lu Yuanshan's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Zhang Lin, "Now that you've joined my sect, you're part of the master-disciple lineage. The aristocratic families can't do anything to you openly, but the minor competition has proven they won't let this go."
"When you leave the sect for training and carry out missions in the future, be extra careful."
Zhang Lin stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master."
Lu Yuanshan waved for him to sit down, then changed the subject: "You won first place in the outer sect competition with your Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivation. Your techniques and alchemy are impeccable. But the outer sect competition is just the beginning. What's really important is the overall ranking competition in September and the Foundation Establishment stage."
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.
Han Mo took a deep breath, and Su Qing sat up straight.
Lu Yuanshan looked at Zhang Lin: "Have you considered what you'll use to build your foundation?"
Zhang Lin replied frankly, "Master, I wish to pursue the path of Foundation Establishment in the Heavenly Dao."
Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent.
Meng He spoke first, his tone filled with disbelief: "Junior brother, the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment is not something that can be achieved with spirit stones. The outer sect of Danxia Sect has only produced one Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment cultivator in decades, and that was achieved by pooling the full strength of all the peaks."
Su Qing frowned and said, "Junior brother, don't be too ambitious. The Earthly Foundation Establishment is not bad. Although the Five Elements spiritual items are not cheap, there is always a way to collect them. With a solid foundation, you will have a chance to form your core in the future."
"There are many cultivators in the cultivation world today, and the resources of spiritual objects are not as plentiful as before. To establish a foundation in the Heavenly Dao, one needs nine spiritual objects that are over three hundred years old, each of which is priceless. Nowadays, a rogue cultivator may not even see one in his entire life."
Zhang Lin did not refute, but listened calmly. Nowadays, there are indeed too many people and not enough resources in the cultivation world. Many wild spiritual herbs and materials are often picked before they can mature.
Lu Yuanshan waved his hand and said, "No need to persuade him. Since he dares to make this ambition, let him try."
"Although the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment is difficult, it is not impossible. If we can enter the top ten in the September Grand Ranking Competition, the sect will reward us with spiritual items. This is the first path."
"You senior brothers and sisters each have several channels to acquire them. If you are willing to help, that's a number of things. This is the second way."
"I have some connections with Biluo Palace and Taixu Palace in Yunmeng Continent. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will find a few items for him. This is the third way."
He then changed the subject: "However, you have to walk these paths yourself. Although the champion of the Little Competition has given you plenty of face, seeking spiritual objects is not like setting up a stage. You have to compete with others, exchange with others, and fight with others. You have to risk your life for everything."
Zhang Lin sensed the hidden meaning in Lu Yuanshan's words and immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "If Master has any mission, this disciple is willing to go."
Seeing that Zhang Lin understood immediately, Lu Yuanshan calmly took out a jade slip from his sleeve and handed it over.
Zhang Lin took it with both hands and placed it on his forehead.
My spiritual sense probed in, and a flood of information poured into my mind.
At the border between Yunmeng Continent and Xiji Continent, there is a small border town called Baishi Town. This town is located at a key point on the trade route, and ordinary caravans come and go in an endless stream. Although it is not prosperous, it is peaceful.
However, half a month ago, overnight, the entire town vanished without a trace. All three thousand people in the town were wiped out, not even a chicken or a dog. What's more, the houses in the town were intact, there was still hot porridge in the stoves, and all the goods in the shops were still there, as if everyone had simply disappeared suddenly.
The Yunmeng Continent Patrol Division dispatched two groups of cultivators to investigate.
The first group of three lost contact after entering the town.
The second group of five people, three of whom were trapped in a strange fog in the town and nearly lost their lives, claimed to have seen white bones reaching out from the ground.
Mission Requirements: Dispatch a disciple from Cuiping Peak to Baishi Town to investigate the truth and assist the Yunmengzhou Patrol Office in handling this matter.
Task Rewards: Based on the progress of completion, sect contribution points will be awarded, and a one-time privilege to exchange for a 100-year-old Five Elements Spiritual Item will be granted.
But it didn't end there; Zhang Lin continued reading.
At the end of the jade slip, there was a hidden spiritual message, Lu Yuanshan's voice, which only he could hear.
"This mission was issued by the aristocratic families. Ostensibly it is an investigation, but in reality it is to lure you out of your sect. You have a deep grudge against the Zhou family. Once you accept this mission, the aristocratic families will definitely take this opportunity to attack you."
"I have decided to turn the tables on you and bestow this magical artifact upon you so that you may use this opportunity to fight back and make a scene. At that time, I will have my own words to say and may take this opportunity to put pressure on the aristocratic families and secure more resources for you."
(Thanks to Baozi and Yijian V Xuanfeng for their generous donations, this chapter is an extra one.)