423 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 423: A Favorable Treaty [Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter] "Agreed." Half a month later, Shano relayed Jixinlong’s instructions from Haimen Island. Despite Chu and Qin's growing influence in the northwest of Baishan, they still had to tread carefully and consider the opinions of the Qi Yun Chu family, the Southern Chu family, and the Grand Zhou Academy's Archaic Sect. It's crucial to get Jixinlong's approval before forging an alliance with the Spirit Wood Alliance, as this would potentially push the Pill Alliance into a more precarious position. On the cliff-top grand hall, pointless disputes continued each day, with many subordinate family heads making their last-ditch efforts. "Bear Fourteen successfully formed a core last night." This news was delivered by the Qi Yun Chu family from Qi Yun City. Qi Xiu received it immediately, even faster than Xiong Tiebi, who was on the mountain reflecting. There was no room for hesitation now. "Establish the treaty with Chai Yi!" Qi Xiu sent a sound transmission to Gu Tan and entrusted him and Yao Qing with the task of negotiating the details with Chai Yi. The contract they draft would be impeccable, preventing the recurrence of past grievances where Qi Xiu had been naively exploited by Chai Yi for a large sum, only to receive a non-binding agreement in return. "Bring Old Man Xiong to me," Qi Xiu immediately transmitted to Mo Jianxin at the grand hall on the cliff. Before long, Mo Jianxin brought Xiong Tiebi into the quiet chamber. Aware of the critical moment, the elderly Xiong, despite being weary from constant disputes, mustered the strength to approach Qi Xiu with a proud stride reminiscent of his younger days, when he brazenly challenged people on Chu Qin Mountain. Alas, a century had passed, power dynamics had shifted, and his hair was now laced with the strands of time. "What do you want!?" Frustrated from not securing satisfactory terms and not wanting to show weakness, Xiong Tiebi blurted out his question without bothering with formalities. Qi Xiu, who sat calmly, exuding an aura as steady as a mountain, finally spoke after Xiong nearly buckled under the immense pressure of his presence, “Your fourteenth kin successfully formed a core yesterday.” “Oh!” Xiong Tiebi instantly relaxed, tears of relief streaming down his face, "Finally, our Xiong family has a Golden Core cultivator!" After Chai Yi publicly exposed them, the Northern Mountain Xiong family faced isolation from other subordinate families. The alliances they once had with the Chu Qin gates vanished. The remaining affiliated families were eager to push the Xiong family out, so as not to be the scapegoat. The pressure on Xiong Tiebi was immense; failure of Bear Fourteen to form a core would have left unhealable rifts with Chu Qin and the subordinate families, thrusting them to the bottom. Covering his face, Xiong Tiebi both cried tears of joy and released the accumulated stress. Behind him, Mo Jianxin, reminded of how the once-defeated Bear Fourteen had now achieved core formation, felt melancholic, and shared in Xiong Tiebi's sentiments. Unfortunately, there was no time for sentimentality. As Xiong Tiebi composed himself, Qi Xiu continued, “I’ve sent Chu Wuying to fetch him from Qi Yun City and bring him to Reflective Mountain…” While said with apparent concern, the words chilled Xiong Tiebi to the core, leaving him nearly unsteady on his feet. "No, don't… please…" he pleaded. Qi Xiu knew he understood, “You’re a smart man. You should know there’s an invisible line above you, crossing it means I’ll have to play another way. This is the best option; why resist and hold onto false hope?” “I-I agree…” Qi Xiu’s words cut like knives, utterly shattering Xiong Tiebi's resistance. As Mo Jianxin escorted Xiong back, Nangong Yanran reported, “The Pill Alliance insists on seeing you.” “I refuse!” With the treaty solidified, Qi Xiu didn’t want any further complications. “Tell them things remain unchanged, and our dealings with the Spirit Wood Alliance do not target others.” Though it was now one-on-one rather than two-on-one, leaving the Pill Alliance to fend for itself, unwelcome thoughts couldn’t be helped. Still, Qi Xiu could only apologize silently. ... This treaty, strictly speaking, was not between the Chu Qin gates and the Spirit Wood Alliance, but between individuals—a soul-binding contract akin to the one between Kuaitong of the Artifact Symbol Alliance and the Spirit Wood, Leaving Fire, and Water Chains Alliances. To ambush Gao Guangsheng, Chu Zhen had to first help the three alliances eliminate Kuaitong to break the soul contract. Both Qi Xiu and Chai Yi left their true names on the treaty, binding them in a death contract that would lead to their demise should they breach it. For the Spirit Wood Alliance, the treaty was a humiliating one, compelling Chai Yi to demand its contents be kept confidential. Under terms negotiated by Gu Tan and Yao Qing, not only would there be no further aggression between the parties, but the Spirit Wood Alliance also had to pay a substantial sum of spiritual stones—20,000 third-tier stones to the two Chus and 5,000 to the Chu Qin gates, coinciding with what Chai Yi had extorted back then. There were numerous other beneficial terms for Chu Qin, such as receiving shop space in the three cultivation cities of the Spirit Wood Alliance, with free passage for Chu Qin merchants and travelers, while similar terms for the Spirit Wood merchants seemed heavier for their vast lands. “If we don’t sign this now, we’re bound to regret it later,” Gu Tan said. The mediator this time was Gan Buping of the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion, which had good relations with both Chu Qin and Spirit Wood, important sources of spiritual herbs. “With this treaty, peace in northern Baishan is ensured forever.” He solemnly signed his name, handing the pen to Gu Tan with a smile. As a rival, the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion would gladly see their competitor, the Pill Alliance, falter, and Chu Qin and Spirit Wood making peace was favorable to them. The contract was duplicated three times, and he kept his copy first. Chai Yi rarely took losses, but Gu Tan identified his eagerness to make peace as a weakness, resulting in a loss of assets and face. He remarked, “Given the lifespan of the leaders, ‘forever’ isn’t really feasible.” With that, Chai Yi swiped up his copy and left. “What do you mean our lifespans? You may be stuck, but I’ll certainly succeed!” While everlasting peace wasn’t expected, Chai Yi’s words were unwelcome. Qi Xiu dismissed them, hurriedly handing his copy to Gu Tan, "Take it to the cliff-top hall." ... In the winter of the 145th year of Chu and Qin's southern relocation, the Reflective Mountain cliff-top hall was bustling. Though Bear Tiebi had been settled, family heads continued their heated debates. The revered Chu Qin hall turned into a mundane market haggling scene. "Silence!" Gu Tan, dressed in a scholarly blue robe, stood at the door, holding up the treaty high to silence the clamor, “The Chu Qin gates have just signed a death contract with the Spirit Wood Alliance. Henceforth, hostilities will cease, ushering in an era of lasting peace!” Fireworks of applause erupted but soon faded to silence as most heads grasped their loss of leverage against Chu Qin. Join, or leave—change leadership, and there would be no external aid… ... Outer Sea, Ming Family Island. A small port was crowded with a thousand people, mostly women, children, and the elderly, waving colorful scarves towards the sea. It was the day the fishing boats returned, and their catch was vital to the resource-poor island. Soon, masts appeared on the horizon. As the fishermen’s joyous chanting grew audible, the port turned vibrant, with women and children singing and dancing in celebration. Watching from the boat, Ming Xinyuan felt contented at the sight. “Uncle…” Ming Xinyuan was already in the Foundation Establishment stage, with others in Qi Refining addressing him as such. “We are esteemed immortals. Why involve ourselves with mundane tasks like fishing?” “Why must you cling to Daoist ideals from the Chu Qin gates?” With a hint of disapproval, Ming Xinyuan replied, “In our Confucian sect, we must engage with the world, benefit the people, and cultivate great righteousness rather than live in isolation!” Two members of the Qi Refining clan complained about the hard work and boredom, feeling it hindered their cultivation. This angered Ming Xinyuan, who sternly reprimanded them, "Every boatload of fish is precious sustenance for our common relatives. To bring them benefits, what’s so exhausting or obstructive to cultivation about this?" "Quickly erase those selfish heresies of Baishan Chu Qin from your minds! In the future, not only will we protect the fishing boats, but we must also aid the island when fields face disasters like storms or famines, healing the sick and aiding the hungry, benefiting the world and saving the people! Now, shout with me…” “Benefit the world, save the people!” Their voices echoed, growing louder and spreading widely across the boundless sea, uniting fishermen and families at the port. … "How long was I asleep? Where am I?" Huo Guan slowly opened his eyes, "In another world?" Hastily sensing his surroundings, he realized his body no longer existed, only a pure soul remained, floating amidst a vast expanse of dense, spiritual energy mixed with some sort of mental force. "No, it's not right. My soul hasn't died!? Is this the so-called place of transcendence? A soul's resting domain?" He mused, noticing his soul could drift according to his will, searching around only to find nothing but himself in this endless space devoid of time and body, yet his mental strength was more vigorous than ever. "Is anyone here? Where am I?" He sent out a frantic mental call for help, quickly picking up a faint tremor from all directions. "Be quiet…" A mental message gently unfolded, impossible to resist, as if its sender was the ruler of this place, the sole deity, commanding every aspect. "Who are you…?" Huo Guan, possessing a cultivated Nascent Soul, soon recognized a familiarity in the message, "Are you the lion that killed me!? The master of the Lion Awakening Valley?" "Hush…" The response withheld answers, urging silence. "Where is this? Why have you drawn and detained my soul? What are your intentions?" Huo Guan worked to calm his fiercely stirred soul. "Understand… Learn…" The lion's echoes remained simple, seemingly struggling to communicate with humans. "Learn?" Huo Guan inquired. "Yes… Learn… About you humans…" "Learn what?" "Everything…" (To be continued)