Shangyuque

Chapter 216 The torrent of the times overwhelmed Wang Yuque, but wasn't this itself an inevitable part of the path?

Xi Zhu is a very good at disguising himself; this was Wang Yulou's clearest judgment at this moment.

This bastard looks respectable, but he's actually a cunning beast.

First, get close to Wang Yulou, and then wait until Wang Yulou needs something before presenting all kinds of interests in an attempt to shake Wang Yulou's resolve. He may be trying to build a cooperative model where "one is willing to give and the other is willing to receive".

In reality, for Dongluoche Immortal Venerable, as long as Xiaohu suffers a setback, the benefits that Wang Yulou ceded are trivial matters.

The Six Provinces Transport Offices, which the Immortal Alliance uses to extract resources from the six provinces, have been infiltrated by local sects. The vast majority of the extracted resources are being used to pay for the supplies of the Immortal Alliance's great cultivators.

Compared to the local people who came to his door, Wang Yulou actually had far fewer material resources at his disposal.

The conditions for Xizhu are indeed very tempting.

How do you plan to start the war?

After much deliberation, Wang Yulou finally crossed the line.

This was not a minor act of arbitrariness with power, but rather his first loss of control over his own cultivation path. He witnessed firsthand the possibility of losing control and made the choice.

Approaching the center of a vortex means bearing the pressure from that center.

No matter how skilled Wang Yulou is, when he secures his position as vice leader by taking advantage of the prevailing trends of the times, the backlash from those trends will inevitably follow.

Wang Yu'an is right. It seems like there is a choice, but in reality there is no choice. Or rather, Wang Yulou foresaw this day from the beginning.

Confront those beings who are called immortals but are actually more demonic than demons, gain their protection, and bear their erosion.

He chose this path himself.

In the decision-making process where Wang Yulou crossed the line, Wang Xianmao's influence on the outcome was even secondary; the core issue was the need to push forward with the reforms.

If cutting redundant staff is difficult, then find results in another area.

This is essentially a gamble, a gamble that Dongluoche will play the long game and catch a big fish, a gamble that what is owed to Immortal Venerable Dongluoche will not need to be repaid for a long time to come.

Upon hearing Wang Yulou's words, Xizhu was even stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

"Fellow Daoist Yuque, you have great courage. There's nothing to be afraid of. You are a driving force behind the reforms."

That old bastard Xiaohu is clueless, but my master and I both approve of his reform resolution.

As for how to fight, let's start from Mingcheng Taoist Academy!
You don't need to get involved in these matters; I and Mingcheng Taoist Temple can handle the rest.

"If the Immortal Alliance simply ignores the situation when war breaks out, then you'll have done me a huge favor."

Xi Zhu's offer was strangely good; she offered all sorts of benefits, only asking that the Immortal Alliance ignore her.

Wang Yulou couldn't understand it. He pondered for a long time before finally making up his mind.

The tide is engulfing him. He knows he's gambling, but by taking advantage of this trend, he has to accept the backlash of being swept along.

Mangxiang relied on the power of so many top-tier immortals to achieve enlightenment. Was Mangxiang afraid?
Fear is useless; we must still charge forward. If the matter in Huzhou cannot be resolved properly, Wang Yulou must create opportunities for himself to make contributions elsewhere.

Listening to Mang Xiang's suggestion, figuring out the situation within the Immortal Alliance, and then just waiting for Mang Xiang to take office would be a true slow death.

The status of a prodigy and a new generation leader is not something that can be taken for granted or permanently held. Wang Yulou must keep pushing forward and keep winning.

Dongluo Chexianzun may also be playing chess, but Xizhu's words are true—now is not the time for Wang Yulou to be afraid of owing debts.

Jinshan's fear of Wang Yulou was genuine—Xiao Deng, who hadn't even opened his Purple Mansion yet, was truly daring to charge forward.

The core idea boils down to three words—serve it first!

No matter how prestigious the titles 'Jade Palace Immortal' or 'Jade Palace Alliance Leader' may sound, they cannot compare to the composure of the True Purple Palace.

There's no need to hesitate; derailment is inevitable. Since the decision has already been made, let's maximize efficiency!
Wang Yulou will never forget the day Mang Xiang attained enlightenment, when he saw in the endless fog what belonged to the true nature of a seeker of the Dao—determination, determination, and more determination!
How can one stand firm when one is hesitant, indecisive, and prone to making plans without making decisions?
Thinking of this, Wang Yulou immediately increased the stakes.

"When will the war begin? Can it be done as soon as possible?"

I don't know if you've heard about the civil war within the Immortal Alliance, but in reality, a civil war will absolutely not break out.

"If you had acted against Mingcheng Daoist Academy sooner, I, Wang Yulou, would have repaid this favor in the future."

This was the first time in Wang Yulou's eighty-eight years of cultivation that he had proactively made empty promises to his opponent, unlike Yu Hongdou, whom Wang Yulou did not consider a worthy opponent.

If he were to choose Yu Hongdou as his opponent, he would never be able to cross that mountain called Mangxiang, even in ten lifetimes.

Only a disciple of the Immortal Venerable like Xi Zhu, backed by the powerful reformist Dong Luo Che, is worthy of being Wang Yu Lou's opponent.

Hongdou Zhenren is far inferior.

"A civil war will never break out. What makes you so confident in that?"

Xi Zhu was stunned, because Wang Yulou's judgment was something even his master couldn't understand.

The mystery surrounding Mang Xiang's attainment of enlightenment with the help of numerous top-tier cultivators, the sudden reforms by the conservative faction, and Bi Fang's appointment of Mu Chunze as prime minister, perplexes those involved.

"Firstly, Bi Fang cannot become the dealer; no one will help it advance further."

Secondly, the conservative immortals were also afraid of being sold out, and the Water Lord tightly controlled the scope of their reforms.

Thirdly, only by killing countless cultivators can new resources be found. This reform can indeed prolong the period of pressure outbreak within the Immortal Alliance.

The Fierce Tiger Immortal Venerable said that any top power that changes its laws first at this time is courting death.

Actually, he was wrong.

"Our master has just attained enlightenment, and the Heavenly Serpent has just survived its tribulation. They can intervene at any time to control the pace of the reforms."

Was Kingsoft's judgment wrong?
Was Qiong Hai's judgment wrong?
Was Shui Zun's judgment wrong?
Was Yulou's judgment correct?
There is no right or wrong; it is a dynamic and complex fact that presents different appearances from different people's perspectives.

Their cultivation levels, identities, factions, and interests differ, so their concerns and priorities in making judgments also differ.

As for Wang Yulou, he had to open his Purple Palace before the arrival of a new era of turmoil and establish his own base, so that he would be qualified to climb the ladder in the midst of the upheaval.

Therefore, even if he was just making things up, he still had to paint a rosy picture for Xizhu, give her more confidence, and help her implement the "reform" between Datiantai Mountain and Mingcheng Taoist Temple as soon as possible.

By now, no one doubts that the Mangxiang Reform was the turning point in the development of the Immortal Alliance.

That old codger Mang Xiang has great ambition. If Wang Yulou does a good job in promoting the reform, he will surely be able to open a legitimate Purple Mansion.

The rumors about the quota are a mix of truth and falsehood, involving too many factors, but Wang Yulou has now moved past the stage of 'begging for a quota'.

What he seeks is a bigger stage, more opportunities to make contributions, and a more dazzling and prominent presence within the Immortal Alliance.

Become a prodigy, a leader of the new generation, and a renowned king of jade within the Immortal Alliance, winning all the way.

Fighting against others on the stage of reform is also a process of self-cultivation, the most luxurious form of self-cultivation in the vast universe.

No matter how powerful the fighting is, when the great wave crashes down, the one in thirty million will still be one in thirty million.

“Yu Lou, my master is worried that this is a conspiracy by your conservative faction.”

Did the Red Lantern Sect and the Heavenly Serpent Sect train their troops, and did the Taihe Water Palace and the Golden Valley Garden in Huzhou train their troops? Did the Bear King really blow up his cave at the border of the two sects himself?

It's nothing more than a calculated scheme by you conservatives to push through reforms, or a prelude to civil war.

But we can't care about that anymore. You don't know, Datiantai Mountain is about to collapse.

To be honest, while the four immortals sound impressive, living together makes Mount Tiantai seem a bit cramped.

This reform may split our Great Tiantai Mountain in two.

Therefore, Master is serious about suppressing those who act arrogantly at the beginning of the reform.

Xi Zhu was putting on an act again, and Wang Yulou dismissed his honesty as utter nonsense.

"Fellow Daoist Xizhu, there is no need to worry. The reform will benefit the immortals on the Shangliqun Immortal Platform and stabilize the Xiali Immortal Alliance. This is a good thing for both the reformists and the conservatives."

"A civil war is impossible. Maintaining order within the Immortal Alliance is in everyone's common interest."

First, he addressed the Immortal Venerable Lizhong, then the Immortal Alliance Lizhong, and finally, he pointed out that this represented a relatively small number of people.

Xi Zhu pondered Wang Yuque's words and realized that the boy genuinely did not believe that a civil war would break out, and the reasons he gave were also appropriate.

If Bi Fang had a conspiracy, then Shui Zun's interference in Wang Yulou's reform efforts would actually be a good thing—it's complicated, but if it was Shui Zun, it's perfectly reasonable.

"Yu Lou, let's do it this way. Qi Taiyu will arrive in the Immortal City within ten days. You can handle Li Haikuo yourself. If there are any problems, just have Qi Taiyu come in my name."

“Fellow Daoist Xizhu, I am very sincere in this collaboration with you.”

The Immortal Alliance, as one of the top forces in the world, belongs to great cultivators, but its future also belongs to us.

Within the Immortal Alliance, there are not many cultivators I admire, and you happen to be one of them.

All factional struggles are superficial; ultimately, we are all fellow practitioners on the same side.

I only hope the reform goes smoothly, and that when it is successful and I truly ascend to the Purple Palace realm, we can still enjoy wine and conversation together on our journey to immortality.

Personal interests, sect interests, your master Dongluoche's interests, Fellow Daoist Xizhu, these are different.

Can we be friends?
"Fellow Daoist Yuque, there's no need to worry. Every family has its own troubles. We just hope that when the Great Tiantai Mountain is divided in two, we can take more bottles and jars."

"After all this trouble, here, take this third Heaven-Stealing Spoon, and this rare sixth-grade spiritual artifact, the Chenhuang Rising Cloud Flame. Haha, my master personally nurtured it."

With a dry laugh, Xi Zhu pulled out two more nice items from her bosom and stuffed them into Wang Yulou's hands.

Clearly, this was Dongluoche Immortal Venerable's true 'sincerity,' but Xiao Wang's decision was too decisive, and he didn't properly negotiate the price, so Xi Zhu didn't reveal it at the time.

For Immortal Venerable Dongluoche, taking down those beasts on the Immortal Platform was far too difficult; taking down the minor king was simple—just some treasures, what did they amount to?
Three special production-type magical artifacts, the Heaven-Stealing Spoon, and a rare sixth-grade spiritual item, the Chenhuang Rising Cloud Fire.
The Heaven-Stealing Spoon can condense the essence of the sun and moon. It is a sixth-grade spiritual material, with a pure nature that encompasses both yin and yang. It is an excellent auxiliary material for refining magical treasures and spiritual treasures, and can harmonize all natures.

A single "Heaven-Stealing Spoon" yields an annual output equivalent to more than half of a fifth-grade Purple Mansion's annual resources.

Three pieces, which is a little more than two portions.

The Chenhuang Shengxia Fire is an extremely special spiritual object; Wang Yulou had no idea that such a treasure existed before.

It was sealed inside a special block of ice, and its shape was that of a Chenhuangling Grass, except that there was a faint glow of dawn-colored fire on this Chenhuangling Grass.

Using the spiritual essence of aged Huangling grass as a guide, and the radiance of the morning sun as the material.

This rare Chenhuang Shengxia Fire is a special spiritual object cultivated by the Eastern Luoche Immortal Venerable. It is a spiritual object, a spiritual fire, and a spiritual herb. It can be said that it fully demonstrates the Immortal Venerable's great power to change the world.

It can be used to gather medicinal herbs and to refine elixirs. Furthermore, due to the characteristics of spiritual objects, they can be cultivated for a long time to continuously obtain aged yellow spiritual herbs and accumulated aged yellow rising fire.

Even the ice that sealed it was the sixth-grade spiritual material, the Life-Severing Ice Marrow.
In the quiet room, Wang Yulou reached out, as if wanting to touch the ice marrow floating in mid-air, and the Chenhuang Shengxia Fire sealed by the ice marrow.

The radiant glow emanating from the rising sun left a simple red halo on Wang Yulou's fingers.

Seeing the red halo, Wang Yulou stopped reaching out.

This seemed to be a warning from fate to Wang Yulou.

Red line, red line, this is the feedback for touching the red line.

This spiritual object alone is worth fifty strands of the essence of the grotto heaven, which is equivalent to two hundred and fifty ninth-grade spiritual objects.

The economic system within the Immortal Alliance is very unique. Lower-level cultivators trade spirit stones, while mid-level cultivators trade rare resources through a quota system based on favors. Whether you can participate and how much you can participate depends on your background and connections.

This special quota system corresponds to the absolute monopoly of rare resources by great cultivators, and the fact that the equivalent of transactions between great cultivators, the essence of the cave heaven, is difficult to obtain.

If the desire for more is insufficient, and demands are made from those below, the lower-level cattle and horses may still be able to breathe, but those closer to the table are subject to the most severe restrictions.

As the latest achievement in the long development of the cultivation world, the new method has many advantages, and the essence of the cave heaven, which is the equivalent of the great cultivator's transaction, can be easily converted into cultivation by the great cultivator of the new method.

Using such a thing as currency would inevitably create scarcity.

Therefore, spirit items of grades seven, eight, and nine are just so-so; what's truly valuable are spirit items of grade six and above.

Xi Zhu, who lived under the Dongluo carriage gate, didn't ask for any difficult conditions and gave Wang Yulou such a generous gift.

But this has nothing to do with Xi Zhu's approval of Wang Yulou; it's a debt, a high-stakes gamble that could backfire.

There is no such thing as goodwill without a reason. The fact that no conditions are being set now simply means that the time is not yet right.

However, a resolute glint flashed in Wang Yulou's eyes. He finally reached out, grasped the bone-chillingly cold Life-Severing Ice Marrow, peeled it open, and took out the special sixth-grade spiritual object personally cultivated by the Immortal Venerable.

He shouldn't be afraid of being in debt; the more debt he incurs, the more people will support him.

Owe ten spirit stones, you're a scoundrel; owe a thousand spirit stones, you're a swindler; owe a hundred thousand spirit stones, you'll pay with your life.

But if he owes hundreds of strands of the essence of the grotto heaven, and Wang Yuque is not allowed to open his purple mansion, how can he, Xiao Wang, repay it?
What? You want to collect a debt from his master, Mang Xiang?

Go ahead, Mang Xiang is a great man, he will definitely help Wang Yulou pay it back.
-
Above the celestial palace, Yu Hongdou controlled the flying magic weapon of the Celestial Alliance to reduce its speed.

We've arrived in Huzhou.

Jingu Garden is located in the central-eastern part of Huzhou, while Taihe Water Palace is located in the southeast of Huzhou—a demon's lair facing directly south.

Their special mediation team from Huzhou will first arrive at Jingu Garden, and then go to Taihe Water Palace.

Wang Yu'an had already explained his suspicions to Yu Hongdou. As they entered Huzhou, Yu Hongdou needed to give some warnings to the various undercover agents with unclear intentions.

Of course, she also informed Wang Yulou of the problem.

However, in addition to reporting to Wang Yulou immediately, she also needed to make some efforts as the team leader.

"Some of you were specifically invited by Fellow Daoist Yuque, while others came voluntarily."

The matter in Huzhou is of great importance.

With me, it doesn't matter who's behind you.

Anyone who secretly sabotages mediation will be executed without mercy!

Although Hongdou Zhenren appeared weak when attacked by Wang Yulou's fierce fire, she still had the authority to deal with these burly leaders of the Immortal Alliance.

Even if it means offending people, with most of the Immortals in the Immortal Alliance either happy to see the reforms or remaining on the sidelines, the Red Bean Immortal, who has gained the upper hand, is not afraid of offending people.

Although Danri died, her reminder was correct: fear was useless, fear would only keep them stuck at the bottom forever.

If you don't take risks, why should you expect to reap excessive profits?

In addition, Yu Hongdou is indeed facing a rather embarrassing situation.

She had anticipated that either Fang Xinqian or Chen Yangshi might have problems, but she didn't expect that both of the people Wang Yulou had chosen would have issues.

But there was no other way; she had gotten the opportunity to participate in a turning point in history from Wang Yulou, so naturally she had to do her best to clean up Wang Yulou's mess.

Even a small amount of chips that the Vice Alliance Leader might slip through his fingers would be something Yu Hongdou could only dream of.

The swift and powerful carriage of the elephant was so arrogant that it didn't involve any troublesome steps; instead, it directly sent Wang Yulou to the top!
"I will obey the Master's decree."

Fang Xinqian and Chen Yangshi were very well-behaved, showing no signs of any problem. Yu Hongdou frowned and gave them some instructions.

"We will obey the Alliance Leader's decree and strive to mediate for the sake of the Immortal Alliance and the millions of lives in Huzhou. Do you understand?"

"remember"
-
In Huzhou, the dishes prepared by Taihe Shuizun and others are almost ready to be cooked.

Gu Qilang was also summoned to the Qunqing Pavilion by his good nephew.

"Fellow Daoist Chu Ran, it's been a long time. Your cultivation has improved again. Here, take this bottle of Stone Core Soul-Forging Pills. It's just right to make up for the deficiencies in your Dao body."

The lineage of Master Qiyuan is all in the intelligence business and is very good at understanding people. Gu Qilang certainly knows Qin Churan's difficulties.

Therefore, he tried the most to win over Qin Churan, and every time he had contact with Qin Churan, he would give her a gift.

Qin Churan was the weakest among Wang Yuque's many Daoist partners, making him the easiest to win over and offering the highest return.

Without hesitation, Xiao Qin accepted the Stone Core Soul Forging Pill, which even Foundation Establishment cultivators were reluctant to buy, and then quietly reminded him via telepathy.

'Good news. The people around you have either gone to count the number of cultivators in each department of the Immortal Alliance or been sent to Huzhou.'

Now we need someone to help deliver a message to the Red Lantern Police Station, but there aren't many suitable people, which is why my husband summoned you.

Gu Qilang's eyes lit up immediately.

When the deputy leader of the alliance issued a decree, it would arrive in the middle of the day within the six states. However, Wang Yulou did not use the Immortal Alliance's route to deliver the message; instead, he went to find him.

This indicates that Wang Yulou was delivering a personal letter.

The trust of the Vice Leader of the Immortal Alliance.
"Uncle, thank you for your trouble. The information transmission speed of your Gu Family Teahouse is just right for this kind of thing."

I can't just use my position as the alliance leader to arbitrarily allocate the Immortal Alliance's resources, hahaha.

After giving a brief explanation, Old Gu happily took Wang Yulou's private letter and flew back to Wunan himself.

Chu Ran immediately revealed that Gu Qilang had given her a bottle of precious pills, just as she had done long ago when she accepted Zhang Xuewu's gift and immediately told Wang Yulou about it.

In terms of loyalty to Wang Yulou, Qin Churan was no less than anyone else.

As for what he was thinking, Wang Yulou didn't care.

"Ha, Old Gu, you should keep this precious pill. Receiving small gifts from the Gu family can actually help maintain good relations."

Looking north, Wang Yulou said calmly.

Qin Churan couldn't understand Wang Yulou's words, but she didn't dare to ask and simply obeyed the order to leave.
-
Gu Qilang is not a good person in the strict sense, otherwise he would not have reached the level of the Gu family's eldest elder.

Wang Yulou trusted him greatly and entrusted him with delivering private letters, which in itself was a great opportunity for Gu Qilang to curry favor with Gu Qiyuan.

He was initially sent to assist Wang Yulou in taking office so that he could get close to Wang Yulou and obtain information about the Immortal Alliance's reforms, preferably some kind of secret. Therefore, having a reason to claim credit, Old Gu fled at top speed, returning directly to the Gu Family Manor.

"Wang Yulou asked you to send a private message to Li Haikuo?"

Wang Yulou's inexplicable behavior left Gu Qiyuan somewhat bewildered.

“I suspect he intended for us to see the contents of this letter.”

As you can see, this letter is written with ninth-grade spirit silkworm silk, and it is placed in a low-grade magic artifact box. The spirit seal is the most basic kind.

It should be noted that Wang Yulou liked to use water jade to transmit decrees. He would usually refine water jade into jade slips or jade tablets on a whim, and then write down the specific content.

"This is still a letter for Li Haikuo, made with ninth-grade spirit silkworm silk, presented in such a magnificent manner, and even specially delivered by an outsider like me."

Gu Qiyuan nodded slightly and unleashed his supernatural powers—the Five Spiritual Powers: Heavenly Eye, Protruding Ears, Heavenly Dog Nose, Divine Sense, and Subtle Sensing.

Upon close inspection, the letter was indeed unremarkable, with nothing special about it.

"Wang Yuque, Wang Yuque, he has given me a difficult problem."

Holding Wang Yulou's rather simple letter, Gu Qiyuan felt numb.

These days, even sending a letter is full of scheming; they're difficult to deal with.

"Can't you open it?"

Gu Qiyuan shook his head, handed the letter back to Gu Qilang, and gave him some instructions.

“There are no hidden tricks; I’ve already checked with my divine sense.”

Wang Yulou is a smart man. When you interact with him in the Immortal City, be sure to show him respect, understand?

"That's natural, that's just how it should be."

Gu Qilang left, unaware of what was going on, heading straight for Miaofeng Mountain.

On the way, he also used his divine sense to scan the contents of the letter for the first time.

"Fellow Daoist Haikuo, Arhat Qi Taiyu, and the hermit are proficient in bone and wood cultivation techniques and will protect me."

If it is inconvenient, please inform Master on my behalf. I truly do not understand the profound meaning of Xizhu's words. Please be careful!
Respectfully submitted by Yulou.

Those who work in intelligence are all smart people. If Gu Qilang still can't understand this, then he's an idiot.

Wang Yulou first sent a message through Gu Qilang—clearly indicating that he was flirting with Gu Qiyuan, who was actually a spy for the evil monk, and who had long been working under the guise of the Purple Mansion under the rule of the Red Lantern.

Old Gu and Wang Yulou have a foundation for cooperation. Ruoxi Zhu's suggestion is unreliable. Out of consideration for maintaining Wang Yulou's connection, Old Gu will directly intercept this letter.

In this way, Wang Yulou could first ensure that the matter was feasible.

As for the contents of the letter, Wang Yulou was practically telling Lao Gu openly that he absolutely had to read it.

Then Wang Yulou posed another difficult problem for Li Haikuo, and in the end, he even informed the patriarch—given Li's arrogant nature, he would definitely report it, so this letter was also written to the patriarch.

One letter was sent to three people, and those who needed to know already knew.

First, he determined whether it was feasible, then he used Li Haikuo's words to inform the patriarch. After going through all this, Wang Yulou was incredibly loyal.

With his skill and cunning, Xiao Wang deserves to be the vice leader.

As for what Wang Yulou wanted to refine from Qi Taiyu, Gu Qilang didn't know, but judging from Qiyuan Zhenren's attitude, it was clear that Qiyuan Zhenren thought highly of Wang Yulou.
-
Golden waves rippled within the Golden Valley Garden, and the celestial palace slowly descended upon the mountain gate of the Golden Valley Garden.

The mountain gate of Jingu Garden is located on a giant island in the middle of a lake. It is decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, and celestial birds and mythical beasts come and go. Cultivators dressed in golden robes rise and fall, making it a place of great prosperity.

Before Yu Hongdou even set off from Immortal City, Sun Xiao, the head of Golden Valley Garden, had already received the news.

Before the Heavenly Palace even landed, Sun Xiao had already led his men to greet it.

"Welcome to Master Hongdou at Jingu Garden!"

The sect leader who came to the sect was also at the Foundation Establishment stage; this was the same for all local forces within the Immortal Alliance.

Even the most powerful Purple Mansion can only remain at the level of 'on duty' in the Great Heaven and Earth, just like Li Haikuo, Xizhu, and Gua Zhenren.

From this perspective, the Purple Mansion does indeed receive certain preferential treatment, and it's not as if it's still just a waste of resources and ashes.

"Yes, I have come here on the orders of the Alliance Leader to mediate the conflict between the two sects. Sect Leader Sun, you..."

After a bit of a tug-of-war, Yu Hongdou was ushered to the banquet by Sun Xiao.

As for Fang Xinqian and Chen Yangshi, they each led their own teams to explore the newly expanded area of ​​the Xiongwang Cave Heaven, which was 1,500 li away, after the explosion.

Investigate the situation, understand the demands, find a balance, and stop the dispute.

The approach to getting things done is always simple, but of course, it's impossible to actually do it.

Just like the reforms that laid off employees, the proposal had already been approved on the platform of immortals, but Wang Yulou still couldn't push it through.

There are obstacles everywhere. The lower levels are trying to fool us, the bigwigs within the faction, Taihe Shuizun are interfering, and even with the arrival of Mangxiang, the only way forward may be to push things forward slowly.

Ultimately, the order that has evolved over thousands of years, taking into account the interests of all parties, is deeply entrenched and cannot be completely reversed in just one or two years.
"You mean, your Golden Valley Garden is already preparing to fight?"

Yu Hongdou was starting to lose her composure due to Sun Xiao's negotiation tactics.

Who comes up here shouting that they want to fight? Is that appropriate?

Inappropriate?

Sun Xiao, the head of Jingu Garden, answered calmly.

"If the Red Lantern Gang and the Heavenly Serpent Sect can fight, why can't our Golden Valley Garden fight the Taihe Water Palace?"
Everyone's here to offer their services, there's nothing to be afraid of. Let's settle this with our strength; whoever wins takes the extra piece of land.

Yu Hongdou sighed softly; she had many thoughts on her mind.

War is no child's play. The Red Lantern Sect and the Heavenly Serpent Sect have been fighting for so long that the news of their civil war has even reached the ears of the Foundation Establishment cultivators at the bottom level of the Immortal Platform.

The Golden Valley Garden God also needs to prepare for civil war. Wang Yulou's guess was correct. The two sects in Huzhou have already set the tone and general direction for the war.

He might only need to act like a coward to gain merit for nothing.

But what will happen if things continue to develop this way?

Yu Hongdou couldn't understand it.

"Of course, as long as Taihe Water Palace can agree to our conditions, we can choose not to fight."

Seeing that Yu Hongdou remained silent, Sun Xiao, fearing that the plot explained by the master inside the sect would not proceed, took the initiative to offer an option to avoid war, which seemed extremely sensible.

However, there aren't that many people who understand the bigger picture; they're just fodder for Wang Yuque's cooking.

Wang Yulou's judgment was correct; he enjoyed the benefits of standing on the stage, but he also had to bear the backlash from the vortex.

The better Xizhu treats him, the more greedy she will be when it comes time to collect the debt.

Taihe Shuizun was never kind to Wang Yulou from the beginning. Changshui interfered with the reform itself, and even took advantage of it for free.

Now, Taihe Shuizun has set a trap, and Wang Yulou's people are being put into the pot, but what they are actually stewing is Wang Yulou himself.

In other words, Shui Zun didn't pay any price and just put Wang Yulou in a pot to stew.
"Oh, not going to fight?"

Wang Yu'an noticed Yu Hongdou's hesitation and took the initiative to ask.

“Yes, Fellow Daoist Yu’an, that piece of land is located at the border between the two sects. Our Jingu Garden’s request is not excessive. We will come to their door, and a 50/50 split is just right.”

But the Water Palace disagrees, the Water Lord disagrees, so let's fight.

However, a major war would affect the stability of Huzhou, and the demon cave in the south has been sending demons to probe Huzhou for a long time.

Therefore, we will not engage in large-scale battles, but rather small-scale ones.

Each of the two sects sent ten Foundation Establishment cultivators to engage in ten battles on that land.

After ten matches, the winning teams will divide the area proportionally. How about that?

Yu Hongdou and Wang Yu'an looked at each other, wondering what this meant.
Aren't you going to fight?
But they did fight it.
A small fight doesn't count as a fight, right?

Does that mean that the two disputes in Huzhou could no longer serve as a catalyst for reform?
Good news, Yu Hongdou and Wang Yu'an no longer need to play the victim and play the victim.

Bad news: Wang Yulou's plan to force the major sect of the reform faction to follow suit and train troops by watching the two sects fight has failed.

"Sect Leader Sun, have you discussed this matter with the Taihe Water Palace? What is their opinion?"

Yu Hongdou composed herself and asked.

She didn't realize anything was wrong. Accidents are normal; everyone here is a remarkable person, and naturally they all have their own skills and methods.

Moreover, the purpose of the battle between the ten people from each of the two sects was to compete for land, not for a path to advancement, so Yu Hongdou never thought about the 'recommendation first, then selection' aspect.

The Water God personally orchestrated the arrangement, using warm water to boil the Jade Palace of the King.

Wang Yulou liked to launch fierce attacks with fire because he was weak and needed to hit the sandbag thoroughly to make himself appear stronger.

The Water God doesn't need any demands other than the objective; he only cares about the result, so ensuring the result is the core objective.

They slowly boiled Wang Yuque in warm water, until he realized he had been tricked.
At the center of the stage, there is not only a vortex, but also a gaze that seems to come straight up from the heavens.

Taihe Shuizun, a renowned 60,000-year-old Golden Core cultivator, was gazing intently at Wang Yuque, the Vice Leader of the Immortal Alliance.

Xiao Wang, I support you, go for it!
Is this kind of support good?

"It requires a senior to negotiate. I can't reach an agreement with Tian Shuisheng, the Palace Master of Taihe Water Palace; we've already fallen out."

Put it in the pot!

Shui Zun's strategy was meticulous and deliberate; from this point on, Wang Yulou was already in trouble.

If he is unaware of the problem
However, after much deliberation, Yu Hongdou ultimately made no promises in the face of Sun Xiao's suggestion, the head of Jingu Garden.

"Okay, okay, I'll try my best."

This matter is far too complicated, and it is completely different from what Wang Yuque had predicted. It involves the relationship between two conservative immortals, and Yu Hongdou, a member of the reform faction, dares not act recklessly.

It's impossible for the Celestial Venerable Quanfa to support her stirring up trouble. The direction of Mangxiang's reforms is absolutely right, and it aligns with the interests of all the Celestial Venerables on the Immortal Platform.

The reason why many cultivators at the Purple Mansion and Golden Core levels are so worried about the civil war is because the price paid for Mang Xiang's attainment of the Dao is questionable, the appointment of Mu Chunze, the prime minister of the Immortal Kingdom, is questionable, and there is uncertainty about whether the massacre of a large number of lower-level cultivators can be stopped in time.

This can be considered an unexpected benefit of Wang Yulou sending Yu Hongdou to Huzhou to act like a coward. If a conservative Zifu had been assigned to lead the team, they might have simply followed the Water Venerable's wishes.

For example, Yan Kang of Mingcheng Dao Academy and Wang Yulou's ambitions and interests are not very similar. Under the pressure of the two conservative great cultivators, Water Venerable and Divine Venerable, Yan Kang, who is also a conservative and whose cultivation level is only Purple Mansion, would definitely not be able to withstand it.

Yu Hongdou was a member of the reform faction, so she had some reservations and also some things to rely on.

The coincidence gave Wang Yulou a glimmer of hope.

Why is it described as a glimmer of hope?
Shui Zun supports Wang Yulou's "recommendation first, selection later" approach. Isn't that a good thing for Wang Yulou?
no.

If Wang Yulou initiated this matter, then even though he had many things to consider, he could still control many of the details.

And now.
Before the Water Venerable attained enlightenment and reformed the laws, he sent someone to block the position of the Immortal Alliance's Selection Division Seal. This 60,000-year-old thing is not easy to deal with.
-
In fact, even a Golden Core cultivator is not easy to deal with.

Tempted by Xi Zhu, Wang Yulou chose to cross the line and willingly accepted the backlash from the vortex.

This involves an internal power struggle within the reformist faction at Datiantai Mountain in Wunan Prefecture, with the mastermind being the Eastern Luoche Immortal Venerable of Datiantai Mountain.

Having finished handling the matter, Xi Zhu naturally wanted to report to Dong Luo Che Xian Zun.

Inside the Dongluo Chefu Cave, Xizhu was kneeling beneath her master, reporting on her recent gains.

“Master, the only problem is that Wang Yuque might be too cautious after crossing the line and won’t tell Mangxiang or other conservative great cultivators about this matter.”

Then it will be difficult for us to design the Mingcheng Taoist Temple. It would be best if a force that doesn't seem to be one of us could pass on the key points and make the internal conflicts within our Tiantai Mountain public.”

Xi Zhu's suggestion is alright, but it might put Wang Yulou, who has been in contact with him and is constantly being watched, in a very difficult position.

The red line exists and is very sensitive; Wang Yulou's excessive contact with the reformist faction is taboo.

Even within the grotto-heaven, the Eastern Luoche Immortal Venerable does not manifest his Dharma body in the mortal world; instead, a puppet spirit treasure made of spirit wood sits on his throne.

The puppet's body was shaped like a huge wild boar, but it had no mouth, and its features were extremely blurry, lacking a nose, eyes, and so on.

However, these differences in appearance are minor matters. This puppet has extraordinary uses; Dongluoche can use this magical treasure to communicate directly with people using his divine sense.

'Whether it works or not, don't rush. Wang Yuque is still useful; his father-in-law is the prime minister of the Immortal Kingdom.'

In the future, he or his father-in-law might achieve something great, so we should wait and see.

You should trust the caution of a young man like Wang Yuque. He hasn't even opened his Purple Mansion yet, so of course he understands the importance of following the rules and loyalty. Therefore, he will definitely inform Mangxiang.

As for Mingcheng Taoist Temple, whether its design is successful or not is irrelevant. Relying on expansion to alleviate internal pressure is a dead end with no future.

If we win, we'll continue our cooperation with Xiaohu; if we lose, we'll simply split up in two. That's all.

This also shows that Wang Yulou's skill level has been visibly improving.

His handling of the Huzhou incident was quite consistent with Dongluoche Xianzun's handling of events inside and outside Datiantai Mountain.

This is not a coincidence, but rather a unity of the almost absolutely rational spirit of a great monk in concrete practice.

Both "yes" and "no" are possible; only in this way can action be taken.

Only by securing a victory before making a move, or at least locking in some winning opportunities, can one attempt to enter the game and further seek opportunities for victory.

If you're going to play a game to gamble and see if you can win and turn the tide, even with the best luck, you'll eventually lose.

Of course, this game theory principle only applies to the smartest and strongest cultivators; the other lower-level cultivators may not understand this rule.

They were also hoping that the Immortal Alliance would lift the restrictions on Foundation Establishment cultivators, so that they could engage in exhilarating battles, accumulate resources to break through to the Purple Mansion realm—and become food on the Immortal Venerables' tables in one fell swoop.

"Does the sect really have to split up, Master? Once this is done, there will be no turning back."

Xi Zhu confirmed her master's meaning and hoped to help him make a more firm decision, as it concerned his cultivation and future development.

If the situation that the four immortals of Mount Tiantai are barely maintaining continues, he is destined to have no chance of achieving the Golden Core!
So, while it seems that Xizhu is asking about Dongluoche's arrangements, she is actually helping Dongluoche make up his mind.

Wang Yulou's judgment was correct. Xi Zhu, that scoundrel, acted very human-like, but he was actually the epitome of Machiavellianism.

'I don't want to separate either. The reform is a minor matter, but Xiao Hu is an idiot. I've tolerated him for so many years, and I can't take it anymore.'

Dong Luoche rarely reveals a certain emotional quality.

Four Immortal Venerables in one sect is really too crowded. Being able to endure it for several thousand years is already the limit of Dongluoche.

If he continues to endure, his Dao heart may be affected, and his decisions may become irrational—in fact, he is already irrational.

There was absolutely no need to complain to your disciples, especially not to express your emotions so openly.
All I can say is that having four Immortal Venerables in one sect is like living in a shared apartment; it's incredibly cramped, enough to make even a Golden Core cultivator scream in pain.

Perhaps this is why major repair companies crave dominance?
For the four immortals, Mount Tiantai was too crowded.

For Bifang and Taihe Water, standing at the pinnacle, is the vast天地 (heaven and earth) not crowded?
Li Haikuo knelt tremblingly inside the main hall of the Taoist temple on Mangxiang Mountain.

The monstrous elephant transformed into a constantly writhing white mist, like a thick cloud plucked from the sky, floating above the throne in the center of the hall.

Mang Xiang completely ignored Li Haikuo's report.

And so, with his heart pounding in his chest, Old Li knelt for a full half-day, not daring to move.

I'm scared, really scared.

After a long while, Mang Xiang finally finished his work. The white mist fell and transformed into a handsome young man. He smiled and said...

"You bother me with such a small thing? Aren't you too free?"
Let Wang Yulou do whatever he wants. If he wants to make a name for himself, of course I, as his master, should give him the opportunity.

As for you, if you have some free time, you can go and help him in the Immortal Alliance.

Old Li never expected to receive such an appointment.

Under immense pressure, the great cultivator of the Purple Mansion was completely disoriented and could only ask blankly.

"Immortal Venerable, do you want Xiao Hai to help Junior Brother Yu Que advance the reforms?"

Remembering Bi Fang's urging, Mang Xiang shook his head, and Li Haikuo thought he had misread it.

However, Mangxiang simply spoke calmly.

"I have just achieved the Golden Core stage and cannot officially take office in a short period of time."

If he wants to go for it, let him go for it. You should support him.

The reforms are something that the Sendai government has approved; we must do them well no matter what.

"Boom!"

Old Li used his Zifu skull to smash a crater in the main hall at the top of the Mangxiang Dojo.

He answered in a loud, excited, trembling voice.

"Hai Ping, I humbly obey the Immortal Venerable's decree!"

(End of this chapter)