Longevity starts with dual cultivation

Chapter 321 The Ambition of the Primordial Temple

The higher-ups of the Primordial Holy Temple were fully aware of the chaos instigated by the Primordial Demon Palace in Shunzhou, as well as the causes and consequences that ignited the great war.

In their attempt to seize control of the Azure Radiance Continent, this demonic force colluded with the terrifying alien races of the Outer Heavens, inviting trouble into their home. As a result, countless lives were lost, arousing the wrath of both heaven and man, and their sins were grave.

Behind the scenes, the high-ranking officials of the Primordial Temple also secretly intervened and fueled the flames, but they did so in a very discreet manner.

Now that the calamity has already begun, from the perspective of the Primordial Holy Temple, it is naturally something to be happy about. Let this demonic force attract hatred from all sides and do all the dirty work, so that when the time is right in the future, the Primordial Holy Temple can then step in to clean up the mess.

At that time, the Primordial Demon Palace, the extraterrestrial races, and the forces of the surrounding continents, whose strength has been greatly diminished, will no longer be able to resist the army of the Primordial Holy Temple. They will either surrender or be wiped out.

As a result, the Primordial Temple naturally unified the Azure Radiance Continent, and the Primordial Demon Palace, as a tool, could no longer be kept and had to be completely eradicated.

"...The Primordial Demon Palace still has some resources, and the forces around Shunzhou are not pushovers either, so this war will continue!"

From a throne, a melodious and pleasant voice softly rang out:

"We can't just sit here and wait; we have to secretly take action and bring back those important opportunities. We can't let other forces benefit from them!"

"Holy Maiden Yuqin, you mean..."

An aged and dignified voice spoke up, asking the question.

"What I mean is that those who were born on the Azure Continent and reincarnated with the profound mysteries of the ancient stars, as well as those exceptionally talented immortal seedlings with great destiny and fortune, should be found and brought back to the sect as soon as possible, and should not be allowed to be obtained by other forces!"

The Holy Maiden Yuqin said in a deep voice. She looked like a girl of only seventeen or eighteen years old. Her eyes were like morning stars, and her face was stunningly beautiful. Her long, jet-black hair was simply tied up and adorned with a bright, shining, and imposing white jade hairpin.

Even a loose-fitting Taoist robe couldn't conceal her fiery and alluring figure, which was so domineering that it was almost overwhelming. Her shapely legs were incredibly long, and her deep, smooth, jade-like cleavage was visible amidst the majestic snow-capped mountains.

This saintess is the chief disciple of the current sect leader. Although she is young, she is exceptionally outstanding in all aspects and is already a hot candidate to compete for the next sect leader position.

"Hmm, that makes sense. Once these immortal seedlings enter our sect, they can greatly increase the sect's fortune and help with the great cause of unification!"

A firm and steady voice spoke slowly.

More than a hundred years ago, the Supreme Elders of the sect, who were skilled in the secret methods of divination, foresaw the signs of the great calamity of the immortal path and calculated that many ancient powerful beings and the spirits of precious artifacts would be reincarnated during this calamity.

Each of these special entities signifies immense destiny and opportunity, representing a chance for any force to change its fate and rapidly rise to power.

A childish voice slowly said, "Senior Sister Yuqin, the sect has sent out many people to travel and investigate in recent years."

Although there were some gains, they fell far short of the sect's expectations, especially since the most important chosen one was still nowhere to be found. If he had been acquired by another force, it would be extremely detrimental to the sect..."

The Primordial Holy Temple was well aware of the various rumors surrounding Ling Changqing, the chosen one of destiny, and understood his irreplaceable strategic value, which was unmatched by any other opportunity.

Therefore, like the Great Brahma Vajra Temple in Hexi Prefecture, the Pure Land of Brahma in Fan Prefecture, and the Great Xia Divine Dynasty in Yu Prefecture, the Primordial Holy Temple also dispatched a considerable force to secretly infiltrate Yu Prefecture to investigate and try to find Ling Changqing.

Unfortunately, so far these foreign powers have gained nothing, no matter how many resources and manpower they have invested.

The leaders of all parties were very frustrated and annoyed by this, but they had no good solutions and could only keep searching.

"...I believe that Ling Changqing's whereabouts are of paramount importance, even more so than the battle situation in Shunzhou!"

The figure seated on the central throne spoke slowly and deliberately:

"If we have a 20% or 30% chance of unifying the Azure Continent in the future, then after obtaining the chosen one Ling Changqing, the odds of victory will... increase to at least 60% or 70%?"
Of course, if other powerful forces were to acquire him, they would also have the opportunity to seize control of the Azure Radiance Continent in the future, so this situation must not be allowed to happen!

The hall was silent; no one raised any objection to the Supreme Leader's viewpoint.

The legend of the Chosen One has been mentioned in the sect's oldest and most secret texts. His fate is in the hands of the heavens and the destiny of this world, and it is something that no opportunity can compare to.

"So we must find him as soon as possible, no matter the cost?"

Another old, hoarse voice spoke slowly.

"That's for sure. He's an indispensable key asset in the sect's grand future endeavors!"

The Holy Maiden Yuqin flicked the lotus-shaped whisk in her hand, frowning as she spoke:

"Junior Sister Biyuan and the others have been out searching for quite some time, but so far there has been no good news. It seems we will have to send more people!"

The sect leader pondered for a moment, then spoke gently:

"That's fine. Just make the arrangements. If necessary, you can go yourself. Once you find him, you must bring him back. We can fulfill any request he may have."

"Yes, Master."

The Holy Maiden Yuqin nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, a gloomy voice rang out: "If Ling Changqing is brought back to the sect by our people, what will we do with him? Could it be... that he really will be given the position of the next sect leader?"

The entire room fell silent.

"Elder Lin, is there a problem with this?"

Saintess Yuqin frowned and asked a question.

This old fellow has always been domineering and forceful, and with several elders backing him up, even the sect leader sometimes has to give him some leeway.

Core Elder Lin Jinghong sneered: "I do not deny that Ling Changqing is of great value, but he is still an outsider to the sect. This supreme authority is about the future and destiny of hundreds of millions of disciples. How can we easily entrust him with it?"

"Elder Lin, what do you intend to do?"

A voice in the room asked a question.

"I'm wondering if we could directly seize the destiny and foundation of the chosen one to benefit our own people? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Lin Jinghong spoke in a deep voice.

Although he understood Ling Changqing's value, he was unwilling to trust him at all. How could a newcomer become the highest-ranking person in the sect?

"is it possible?"

A voice sneered, "The destiny of the chosen one is extremely special, blessed by Heaven. Anyone who dares to harm him will surely suffer the backlash of Heaven in the future. Do you want the sect to fall apart?"

“That’s not necessarily true!” Lin Jinghong explained, “If Ling Changqing has already grown up and now possesses the cultivation of the Nascent Soul or even the Void Refinement realm, then we really have no choice but to befriend him.”

If he were only at the Nascent Soul stage or the Golden Core stage, he should be able to do this using the forbidden secret techniques treasured by his sect!

"This risk is too great. We can't try it. If it triggers a backlash from the heavens, no one can afford to bear it."

A beautiful woman in a feathered cloak, with striking features, spoke with a frown.

The other important figures spoke up, some in favor and some against, while some elders remained silent.

As members of the Primordial Temple's decision-making body, they naturally act solely in accordance with the interests of their sect and cannot consider matters from the perspective of the chosen ones.

The reason for opposing Lin Jinghong's proposal was the concern that if the situation got out of control, the sect would pay an unimaginable price, so it was not worth taking such a big risk.

After a long silence, the sect leader slowly spoke: "The sect's secret archives contain a wealth of books and documents, and there are indeed such secret techniques to choose from, but there are too many harsh and restrictive conditions."

If he were only at the Golden Core stage or below, our chances of success would be much higher. But if he were already a Nascent Soul True Monarch, the difficulty would be quite exaggerated.

Moreover, we don't know what hidden cards Ling Changqing has up his sleeve. If we're not careful, we might fail at the last minute..."

He didn't continue, but the important figures present all understood his meaning. If this matter failed and Ling Changqing was given a chance to escape afterward, it would mean that the sect had provoked an incredibly terrifying enemy, one that would fight to the death.

Because of a moment of greed, the sect was brought to ruin, and its foundation of two hundred thousand years vanished into thin air. No one can bear such a consequence.

There are unconfirmed rumors that a few years ago, the ruins of the ancient Daoist sect, the Hongmeng Holy Temple, on the Qinghao Giant Continent were accidentally opened, and the opportunity inside was obtained by an unknown cultivator, who was very likely Ling Changqing.

Therefore, it's really hard to say what level of cultivation this chosen one of destiny has reached. If he is already a Nascent Soul cultivator, or even a higher level of power, then the Primordial Holy Temple really doesn't have any good solutions.

Lin Jinghong's face showed anger, but he couldn't say anything more at this moment, so he took a step back:
"Even if the only option is to befriend Ling Changqing, we can't let him become the supreme leader. Giving him the position of a core elder is enough!"

Appointing an outsider as the highest leader of the sect is unprecedented in the history of the Yuan Chu Temple, which is why some conservative and hardline elders find it difficult to accept.

In the eyes of Lin Jinghong and his faction, even if Ling Changqing's identity was indeed special and his value to the sect irreplaceable, this was not a reason to make an exception.

Saintess Yuqin smiled and said, "Elder Lin's words may have some merit, but it's still hard to say whether they are willing to come or not!"

I believe that the other major powers on the Azure Continent will not hesitate to offer better conditions to recruit him.

Even forces on other continents have probably received the news and have sent people to search for his whereabouts.

She didn't believe Ling Changqing was unaware of his own value. There were far too many suitable options in front of him, and the conditions offered by the Primordial Holy Temple were simply not very attractive.

Lin Jinghong said coldly, "As long as we can find Ling Changqing first, the development of events will no longer be up to him. He can only be a member of our Primordial Holy Temple."

Saintess Yuqin glared at him, too lazy to say anything more.

Any power with a long and established history will have a group of rigid, conservative old men within it, and the Primordial Temple is no exception.

This saintess is already considering whether she should conduct an internal purge after she ascends to the throne, driving out all these troublesome old guys without leaving a single one alive.

"Alright, let Yuqin take full responsibility for this important matter. You can mobilize all the resources of the sect!"

The sect leader concluded, "As long as you can accomplish this task and bring Ling Changqing back, this position will be yours, and he will be your Daoist partner!"

"As long as you can conceive his child in the future, the Supreme Elder can personally take you as a disciple and groom you as the future leader of the sect!"

"Yes, disciple will obey Master's instructions!"

The goddess Yuqin was slightly pleased and immediately agreed.

However, the female elders present exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat subtle and complex.

"Is this appropriate?"

The childish voice was the first to question, "Senior Sister Yuqin got all the benefits by herself? Isn't that detrimental to the stability of the sect?"

The sect leader asked, "Elder Tianhe, what do you intend to do?"

"Among my descendants, there are two girls with rather good qualities. In the future, why don't we let them serve Ling Changqing together? I believe you, Yuqin, will not have any objections?"

"It was the core elder, Su Tianhe, who said calmly."

The opportunities bestowed upon the chosen one must never be monopolized by any one person or faction.

This was Su Tianhe's true thought; such things were destined to be shared equally.

"Well, since that's the case, my good-for-nothing grand-disciple still doesn't have a Daoist partner, so perhaps... we should reserve a spot for her too?"

"Another elder said."

Immediately, the important figures present all spoke up, and even Lin Jinghong, who had the most unyielding attitude, was somewhat tempted.

This old fellow, though consistently arrogant, conceited, and stubborn, isn't a fool. If placing a few successors around Ling Changqing could better guarantee the interests of his own faction, then why wouldn't he do it?
Saintess Yuqin's face darkened. So many shameless vixens were crowding in, desperately trying to seduce Ling Changqing. How was she supposed to live like this?
However, with everyone watching, she couldn't voice her objections, as this was a matter of great importance concerning the sect's future ambitions and dominance.

Ultimately, the elders' proposal was unanimously approved, and even the sect leader expressed his approval.

After the meeting of the high-level elders ended, Saintess Yuqin left the hall with a livid face, intending to return to her cave dwelling and gather her confidants to continue discussing countermeasures.

"Junior sister, please wait."

An elegant and gentle voice came through.

When the Holy Maiden Yuqin looked up, she saw that a stunningly beautiful woman with gorgeous features was blocking her way, and more than a dozen female elders had also gathered around her.

"Senior Sister Mengyan, what's wrong...?"

The Holy Maiden Yuqin frowned and asked.

Elder Mengyan smiled slightly and replied with her divine sense: "Since we are destined to serve the same husband in the future, we are sisters in the same camp. It is better to discuss some things now. What do you think?"

"..."

(End of this chapter)