Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Purpose of the Gathering

"Long time no see, kid!" Elder Wu said, turning his gaze to Wang Ping after landing.

"Elder Wu!" Wang Ping replied, cupping his hands in salute.

"Recruiting a new member at such a critical time?" The speaker was the scholar-like man who had entered after Monk Le Yuan. He clearly had no intention of showing deference to anyone else present.

Gu Heng explained, "Friend Wen Yang, this is Changqing, a Direct Disciple of Yu Cheng Taoist. He’s not an outsider..."

Wen Yang raised an eyebrow. He looked at Yu Cheng Taoist and said gravely, "The Xiao Shan Lord’s avatars are everywhere. Don’t fall into one of his traps!"

Yu Cheng Taoist assured him, "Don’t worry. I’ve already checked with the Borrowing Fortune Technique."

"You... Fine. I suppose."

Wen Yang stopped short of saying more. Though his words were harsh, his concern for Yu Cheng Taoist was genuine. A flicker of worry crossed his face when he heard that Yu Cheng Taoist had expended his own life force to use the Borrowing Fortune Technique.

"Everyone who is coming has arrived. As for those who aren’t here, our pact states they will accept the outcome of this meeting by default and provide a certain amount of assistance when we make our move."

Gu Heng turned and gestured for the group to follow him into the pavilion behind them.

The pavilion’s main doors stood open, revealing a brightly lit hall. In the center of the hall was an enormous wooden table surrounded by sixteen Grandmaster’s Chairs.

"Now that we’ve gained a new member, we’ll need to add another chair."

As Gu Heng spoke, he gave a light wave of his sleeve, and a chair he had prepared beforehand in his storage bag appeared in an empty spot. The others silently took their respective seats.

"You can sit here."

Gu Heng Taoist pointed to the new chair and addressed Wang Ping. "When we have future gatherings, I’ll send you an invitation in code. You can learn how to decipher it from your master after this meeting. From now on, this will be your seat."

"Thank you, Senior."

Wang Ping cupped his hands in thanks.

Without another word, Gu Heng quickly took his own seat.

The moment Gu Heng was seated, Wen Yang spoke up. "The leadership of the True Yang Sect doesn’t want the situation on Mozhou Road to deteriorate, so they’ve tasked me with doing something. However, I’m in an awkward position. I have the Xiao Shan Lord watching me from above. He clearly intends to help the cultivators of Mozhou Road become independent, thereby monopolizing the north-south trade routes. At the same time, he can siphon away the Imperial Family’s fortune!"

After speaking, he looked to Yuan Zheng Taoist and asked, "Friend Yuan Zheng, can you send some people to make a few moves on your end?"

"No problem. Is the payment to be deducted from the trade caravans as usual?"

"Deal!"

Wen Yang knew how to pick his people. He and Yuan Zheng had absolutely no public association, so once the job was done, no one would ever trace it back to him.

His business with Wen Yang concluded, Yuan Zheng turned to Yu Cheng. "The Xiao Shan Lord has stopped at nothing these last few decades in his quest to reach the Fifth Realm. Yu Cheng, what exactly does the Taiyan Talisman require for one to break through to the Fifth Realm?"

"I don’t know, but it’s almost certainly related to fortune."

"So that’s why he’s sparing no effort to siphon the Xia Family’s fortune? Would the other sects allow that?" Elder Wu asked with a frown. "The world is in such chaos, it’s getting hard to even find good disciples."

"But isn’t it easier to dupe potential disciples when the world is in chaos?" Yuan Zheng Taoist immediately shot back.

Monk Le Yuan ignored Yuan Zheng Taoist’s jibe and answered Elder Wu’s question. "Some of the other sects have definitely agreed, and some are even backing him. I don’t know the specifics, but judging by the current situation in Zhongzhou, the forces are likely evenly matched. Still, whether the Xiao Shan Lord can ultimately succeed in his advancement remains to be seen. Everything he does now is a cause, and when the time comes for his formal advancement, the karmic consequences will ripen."

Wen Yang nodded in agreement. "That’s right. Even for a major figure like him, advancing to the Fifth Realm is a life-or-death gamble. It’s even possible that some old monster from an even higher level is using him as a pawn in their own scheme."

KNOCK KNOCK.

Yu Cheng Taoist knocked on the table. "Let’s discuss something more concrete. We’ve already put our people in place in the north, the Northwest, and the south. All that’s left is to wait quietly. If an opportunity presents itself... whoever gets the chance should take it. We will provide assistance according to our pact."

Yuan Zheng Taoist shook his head. "I don’t plan on getting involved in that. I just want to advance to the Third Realm in peace." He then looked at Yu Cheng and added, "But don’t worry, I’ll definitely lend a hand with your plan."

The others remained silent. Everyone involved in this group, whether present today or not, had their own agenda.

After a silence that lasted a dozen breaths, Monk Le Yuan spoke. "I have a mission this time. One of my martial uncles recently suffered a Heart Demon during his cultivation. He was bewitched by a Cultist from the First Heaven, sacrificed dozens of low-ranking disciples, and is now fleeing toward the southern islands. I’ve been tasked with capturing him."

"Capture him? A man like that should just be killed on sight!"

Yuan Zheng Taoist jumped in. "As it happens, I’m heading to the southern islands. What’s the pay this time? And don’t be stingy. Last time I fucking helped you catch someone, you didn’t even reimburse me for the elixirs I used."

"Our Jinshan Temple is a place of ascetic practice..."

Yuan Zheng Taoist immediately waved his hand dismissively. "Stop! If you were to say Lingshan Temple is a place of ascetic practice, I might believe you. But your Jinshan Temple? Half the land in Zhongshan Country belongs to you lot. Don’t you dare cry poor to me!"

"My martial uncle’s soul contains the first two tribulations of the ’Six Tribulations of the Golden Body’. I can act as if I saw nothing, but on one condition... you must send him on to his final rest during the fight!"

"Not bad, Monk," Elder Wu teased. "Not only are you selling out the Jinshan Temple, you’re also planning to break your precept against killing?"

Yuan Zheng Taoist was tempted. The ’Six Tribulations of the Golden Body’ was one of the five great orthodox techniques of the Mystic Sect, allowing one to cultivate the Supreme Golden Body. Even just the first two tribulations were a prize that many could only dream of obtaining.

Le Yuan responded to Elder Wu’s jibe, "Without the foundation of Buddhist Teachings, cultivating the Golden Body is just another form of suffering. Sooner or later, one will take refuge in the Buddha."

"That technique is useless to me..."

Before Yuan Zheng Taoist could finish, Wen Yang cut him off. "Friend Yuan Zheng, I know what you’re after. I’ll take the ’Six Tribulations of the Golden Body’, and I’ll give you what you need in exchange!"

"Done!"

Yuan Zheng was currently gathering the materials needed to advance to the Third Realm. He needed them to ignite the Celestial Fire within his body’s furnace, merge the three flames, and forge the Samadhi True Flame. As a Third Realm Cultivator from the True Yang Sect, Wen Yang was certain to have a way to acquire them.

As the three of them settled their deal, Elder Wu turned to Yuan Zheng Taoist. "I need an enhancement for my innate constitution. I have an Earth Spirit I can trade for it."

"An entry-level Earth Spirit for an innate constitution enhancement... that’s a very fair trade. I’m busy preparing for my own advancement right now, but I can ask around for you." Yuan Zheng Taoist nodded, accepting the task.

"My thanks!"

"No need to be so formal. We all just get what we need here."

Seeing that the two had come to an agreement, and after a glance at Gu Heng who seemed to have nothing to add, Yu Cheng Taoist spoke again. "I have one more thing. My disciple, Changqing, intends to vie for the fifth seat of the Daoist Scripture Hall during the next selection."

Wen Yang thought for a moment. "I don’t foresee any major issues. None of the other members submitted a candidate for promotion this time. According to our pact, as long as no unforeseen circumstances arise, we will all anonymously cast our vote for Changqing. However... the White Water Sect still hasn’t let go of what happened at Yongming Port. They’ll likely rally some people to make things difficult for him."