Demon Sword Sect's Undercover-Chapter 754 - 753: Shan Sect Annual Meeting 04

The crowd watching the ceremony was thoroughly enjoying themselves; this was much more exhilarating than the tedious preaching and expounding.

The majority of the observers came from the Daoist Sect, so listening to Sword Cultivators expound on their philosophy failed to pique their interest, as it was all Daoist dogma. Who would attend a Sword Sect to learn about Daoism?

They couldn’t understand the nuances of swordsmanship tests, so what they looked forward to most was a spectacle like this. Fortunately, Quanzhen did not disappoint their expectations.

Among the crowd, a master and disciple duo blended in inconspicuously, yet their identities were anything but ordinary. Both were from the Qi Sect, the leading faction of the Daoist Sects, the master being a high-ranking Golden Core Upper Cultivator with considerable influence, and the disciple, one of the Nine True Inheritors of the Qi Sect. They had come specifically to see what manner of phenomenon the leader of the Demon Sect would present before the changes in heaven and earth.

For an event like this, Nascent Transformation Masters would not attend, as it would seem like trying to upstage the host. Their Realm Level was perfectly appropriate for the occasion.

"Master, the Demon Sect is just the Demon Sect. Even having achieved Nascent Transformation, they still can’t keep their composure. Rather than resolving things privately, which was wholly possible, they insist on making a display of themselves in public, rushing in headlong without thought."

The True Disciple found it very amusing. In the Daoist Sects, such incidents were normally resolved privately, and when standing in the public eye they would always remain polite, with younger and older brothers showing deference to one another and keeping the facade of a unified Daoist tradition—even if they would never contact each other in private.

The master shook his head with a smile, "It’s not quite right to say that. This is just the way of Quanzhen, the Demon Sect. Although they make a fierce show, they have a good grasp of restraint; it’s merely their way of expressing themselves.

We are used to dealing in private, brokering deals, while they prefer to stand face to face and argue their points. In the end, the results are the same, and such an occasion will not become the start of a schism within the Daoist tradition. Don’t underestimate them.

Especially, do not put pressure on them. The more pressure they face, the more power they can unleash; this has been proven by history."

The True Disciple took the lesson to heart, though still with some doubts, "Master, it appears that the divide within Quanzhen Sect is becoming quite clear—with the conservative forces led by Sima Mansion and Prince Manor on one side and the faction of the four Ancient Cultivators on the other. Is there any possibility that Sikong Mansion and Situ Mansion could form a separate power bloc? The most stable situation would be the three-way power balance you have mentioned."

The master chuckled, "It depends on the situation. If we are talking long-term, then three powers in balance is indeed the most stable, as with their tripartite governance. But when it comes to a specific, one-off event, like the change of heaven and earth which happens only once, there’s no possibility for sitting on the fence; one has to take a side, with no room for compromise."

"But they...."

"What about them? What do you think their shouting means? Are they really trying to stop something? No, they are simply saying—if you continue to act without consideration for the occasion, then these individuals will not take a stance during this annual meeting!

They want each with their own agenda to stop showing off.

Dragging something out like this is most taboo, as it leads to a loss of clarity in the sect’s ideology, leaving everyone unsure of what to do. Therefore, there must be a decision at this year’s Shan Sect annual meeting.

They are all Nascent Soul old masters, so they are very clear about what this implies. The chaos is just a façade; they know very well what really needs to be done.

You should not look down on these Sword Sect Masters, as they are the ones who have withstood the pressure from the Daoist Sects for a thousand years, and have become stronger and stronger. Have you never thought about the reason behind this?"

"Master, did you notice? It seems like the Master from Prince Manor is also standing with those calling for a halt. Does this indicate that..."

The master gave a cold laugh, "It doesn’t prove anything, which is why I always tell you not to just look at the surface, but to probe deeper.

Is there a possibility that Prince Manor is the real leader of the conservative side? The lower ranks can stand forward, but when have you ever seen those truly behind the scenes easily take center stage? Cheering along doesn’t mean they share the same heart as Sikong Mansion and Situ Mansion; it could also be an attempt at rallying support, or a gesture to safeguard the overall situation?"

An amateur may enjoy the spectacle, but an expert understands the strategy. This master from the Qi Sect, who specialized in studying the Quanzhen Sect, had keen insights after observing for many years.

After such a morale-boosting performance from the Quanzhen Masters, everyone was filled with anticipation for what would come next. At this point, it would be out of place for anyone to come up and demonstrate techniques or speak of Dao. The True Masters understood this and none were willing to confront an audience whose attention was clearly elsewhere.

The Golden Core female presenter, heeding the mood, initiated the third phase of the annual meeting, the phase for junior cultivators of the Tongtian Realm. She had no choice; the time allotted for Golden Cores and True Masters was over. Now only the most crucial topic of the annual meeting remained: the struggle for the True Inheritance.

At every Shan Sect annual meeting, three Tongtian Realm disciples would be selected to come forward, speak about their learning, express gratitude for their masters’ teachings, encourage each other to refine their sword skills and aim for lofty goals. While the process lacked novelty, it was indispensable, the ritual asserting the correct path of cultivation and reflecting the sect’s great hopes and expectations for the vast number of lower rank disciples.

The three represented the three mansions and also the three realms, which is why there was Yu Shangjiang from Sima Mansion, a Tongxuan Cultivator, Lan Kecheng from Situ Mansion of the God Sensing Realm, and Hou Niao from Sikong Mansion of the Natural Realm. All had been outstanding disciples in the past ten years. Hou Niao, with his special merits of taming the deserts in the northwest and restoring order to Pingliang State, gained this opportunity without any doubts, with no one challenging his achievements.

Yu Shangjiang from Sima Mansion was the first to ascend the platform, a young man with an immature face and a hint of shyness. One couldn’t fault him for not being world-wise; he had been in the Dao for less than two decades, his interactions mostly with the lower echelons of cultivators. Even disciples of the Natural Realm seemed almost unattainable to them, let alone standing before countless Natural Realm disciples, Golden Core Upper Cultivators, and Nascent Soul Great Cultivators whose mere presence exuded formidable power. Facing them directly took an immense mental fortitude.

What was Hou Niao doing at this stage in his life? He was scrambling to survive in the Lizhi Sea, reeking of fish and shrimp.

As he stood on the platform, the cold wind blew and the sword flags fluttered. Thousands of cultivators stood below in silent expectation, their combined aura hitting him like a wave.

Taking a deep breath and not daring to meet the gaze of the dozens of Nascent Soul elders at the front, worried that even a glance might shake his resolve.

He spoke out clearly, "The truth gives birth to heaven and earth, relying on the bonds of previous lives. High intelligence pierces the essence of reason, the common have less to contend with. How extraordinary the speech and silence, the sage and virtuous hidden deep within. Who can understand my thoughts, the Great Dao is deeply mysterious in my heart..."

As he spoke, the cultivators below immediately grasped his stance. It was not surprising that as a product of Sima Mansion, he would take a position opposite of it.

It was unrealistic to expect a junior cultivator, who had been in the Dao for only a decade or so, to exhibit any particularly unique behavior.

The conservative side won the first round of the Tongtian Realm confrontation.

.........

PS: Extra update tonight to give everyone the results!