Shangyuque

Chapter 279 What's beyond the heavens? Heaven what heaven? What outer heaven?
Yu Lou suddenly looked up, his mouth agape in disbelief. He wanted to say something, but in his excitement, the projection of the Great Dao collapsed.

From the moment he began preparing to step down as vice leader, Wang Yulou had been losing every time.

Losing all the way, Xihai's base was wiped out, and Hongdengzhao's base was taken over by Qingrui.

On the Immortal Platform, he was suppressed by the Water Venerable and humiliated by others who said, "What qualifications does a 120-year-old nobody have to prove his Golden Core?" He was even subjected to a team-building exercise similar to the one he had been with before.

Now, in this vote that was destined to be a loss, Wang Yulou has actually won.

Actually won.

How is this possible?
He had hoped that one-third of the time would be enough to secure the certificate.

However, the Water Venerable's explicit opposition shattered Xiao Wang's dream of achieving the Golden Core.

When that old bastard Qingrui shifted the pressure onto Wang Yulou, Wang Yulou felt mostly bitter.

Entering the game again and again, participating in the game again and again, seeking victory again and again.

But when it came to the most crucial game, the complexity of the situation overwhelmed Wang Yulou like a tidal wave.

This is even inevitable; as Wang Yulou wins, his participation in the game and his risk threshold will be forced to rise.

No matter how well he stepped down from the position of vice leader, it was useless because he had won too much, pushing him to a level he could no longer handle.

In the past, it was always Wang Yulou who, with the overwhelming power of the Immortal Alliance, maneuvered and manipulated within the alliance.

This time, an even more irreversible trend of the times pressed down on Wang Yulou, rendering all his struggles meaningless.

Faced with the overwhelming situation, Qian Cuihua began preparing to fight to the death, and Wang Yulou was also truly prepared to 'fight to the death and then live'.

However, Wang Yulou was prepared to go to hell, but the immortals of Qunxiantai actually gave him a hand.

With a score of 721 to 720, his proposal on the Golden Elixir was approved on the first try.

Compared to Mang Xiang's seven-stage process of obtaining the Golden Elixir, Xiao Wang's success in just one attempt seemed almost like a cruel joke of fate.

Haha, I was just trying to scare you!
But Wang Yulou knew that it was definitely not a joke.

After the Great Dao projection collapsed due to shock, Wang Yulou returned to the Great World once again.

Almost instantly, Rakshasa realized what had happened and summoned a cloud of gray demonic mist, pulling Wang Yulou back onto the Immortal Platform.

Regardless of the many conspiracies and schemes behind the scenes, the Rakshasa is indeed quite well-positioned as the leader of the fourth faction.

Don't be afraid, Xiao Wang, I'm here for you.

Of course, this was also something Wang Yulou forced him to do.

The state of everyone cursing each other as scumbags while forming a reluctant alliance sounds crazy, but it is in line with their respective interests, so it happened naturally.

Upon re-entering Qunxiantai, Wang Yulou heard a dog barking.

"Fake votes! How could there be 721 votes supporting his Golden Core certification? Spirit, have you been deceived by supernatural powers?"

Jinglan from the Water Venerable Sect spoke up, confirming that Bifang had not guessed wrong; this Jinglan Immortal Venerable from Huzhou was indeed a disciple of the Water Venerable.

With the Golden Valley Garden now part of the Fourth Faction, the main offensive work of the Water Venerable's sect was taken over by Jinglan.

Given that their leader explicitly opposed Wang Yulou's attempt to attain the Golden Core stage, and considering the Water Venerable's status within the Immortal Alliance, no one should dare to cause trouble after his strong statement.

However, the vote count is the answer. It wasn't a vote for Wang Yulou, it was a slap in the face to Taihe Shuizun!

"I am a top-grade immortal artifact. I should not possess any supernatural powers that could deceive me without alerting you all, Immortal Venerable Jinglan."

Having accepted reality, the artifact spirit stopped trembling. Over the past five thousand years on the Immortal Platform, all sorts of bizarre, outrageous, and unorthodox things have happened, and it has weathered many storms.

If things are troublesome, we can just keep going. Does that mean we shouldn't live our lives just because there are big conflicts?
Wang Yulou's application for the Golden Elixir, whether proposed by Rakshasa or Qingrui, was in accordance with the decision-making process of the Assembly of Immortals.

As for the voting process, it involved all the Immortal Venerables of Qunsentai.

The procedure is legal, and there is a result. No matter how big the conflict is, it must be resolved within the dimensions of the Immortal Alliance and the Immortal Platform.

Even if the power struggles outside the Immortal Alliance are extremely complex, what does that have to do with the artifact spirit?
However, the artifact spirit still held the Jade Palace Immortal Venerable in awe.

This is a creative proposal, allowing us to define the responsible party as the celestial artifact.
"There couldn't possibly be 721 votes, and 720 is one more vote than 720, so the resolution passed."

That vote belonged to Wang Yulou. What right did Wang Yulou, a mere Purple Mansion cultivator, have to vote on such an important matter?
In my opinion, Venerable Shui, Wang Yulou's vote shouldn't have counted. The vote should have been 720 to 720, a tie!

It wasn't that Jinglan was quick-witted; it was that Shuizun had secretly scolded it.

'Useless! Qunxiantai belongs to the Immortal Alliance. If you say that the vote count at Qunxiantai is wrong, aren't you just going against everyone?'
That's not how you bite the hand; the issue should revolve around that extra vote!

Upon hearing Jinglan's words, the Water Venerable nodded slightly and said.

"The matter of Yu Lou's attainment of Dao was discussed by the Immortal Venerables of the Immortal Alliance. How can he, as a party involved, cast his own vote? What kind of nonsense is this?"

What is a strong exit?

This is what happens when you're too powerful!
By establishing organized rules, they can create a unified order that benefits them, thereby consolidating their advantageous position through the power of that order.

By leveraging the platform of the Immortal Alliance, Water Venerable can often achieve the effect of taking action without lifting a finger, making his cultivation efficiency and overall benefits far greater than if he were to act on his own at every turn.

However, when Shui Zun focused this pressure on Wang Yulou, it became akin to a horror story for Xiao Wang.

"Why can't Wang Yulou vote for himself? Isn't he a member of the Immortal Alliance?"

Xiaoyu took the initiative to help Wang Yulou withstand the pressure and once again stepped up to the front.

Having reached this stage of his Golden Elixir attainment, Wang Yulou was not in a life-or-death situation, but he was in a dilemma.

Retreating might seem to align with the Water Venerable's wishes, avoiding conflict with the Immortal Alliance's number one figure, but Wang Yulou would lose a significant amount of his potential.

To advance, one must overcome the opposition of the Water Venerable to attain enlightenment; the difficulties involved are so great that many people would probably give up just thinking about it.

"Qunxiantai, Qunxiantai, the name Qunxiantai contains the word 'immortal,' it is the place where the Golden Core Immortal Venerables hold their meetings."

Wang Yulou is merely a Purple Mansion cultivator, yet he dares to falsely claim to be the Jade Palace Immortal Venerable. The fact that the Immortal Alliance doesn't punish his transgressions is already an act of leniency.

He actually had the audacity to vote in his own name and participate in the debate about his attainment of the Golden Core stage—it's utterly shameless!

Like a damned old hag, Yuehua joined the ranks of those relentlessly pursuing Wang Yulou.

You ask why Yuehua did this?

Vote secretly, don't let the Water God know!
Wang Yulou received 721 votes. Subtracting his vote, there were still 720 votes left, which represented half of the support from the Immortal Alliance.

Of these, the fourth faction had 230 votes, Yuehua got 70 votes, and Xiaoyu got 40 votes, for a total of 340.

In other words, there were a full 380 votes from the 'shy Wang Yulou supporters'.

They might verbally disagree, but when it comes to casting their votes of support, they're faster than anyone else.

The representative of this kind of person is Yuehua, who is now loudly echoing the Water Venerable Party's attack on Wang Yulou.

She shouted with such fervor and loyalty, seemingly joining the group, but Yuehua was actually Wang Yulou's teammate.

"Enough. What I'm worried about is that, just as I suspected, Luosha and Qingrui are two key participants in Bifang's series of conspiracies."

Wang Yulou's 720 votes were cast by you, Qian Cuihua, who instigated your lackeys to openly oppose the separation while secretly casting their votes!

Taihe Shuizun then offered his own conjecture, which was met with fierce opposition from Qian Cuihua.

"Water Lord, you're just trying to mess with me."

I see it now. You have no sense of the big picture; you just want Rakshasa and me to trade pieces.

After the exchange, you and Cangshan will share the new land of the Immortal Extinction Domain.

Within the Immortal Alliance, that old bastard Cangshan doesn't dare to confront you head-on, which allows you to further control the Immortal Alliance.

Fellow Daoists, do not be deceived by the Water Venerable's words.

Think about it, how cunning and greedy am I, Qingrui? How could I possibly be truly bound to Bifang?

On the contrary, it was Taihe Water, that old dog, who had calculated everything perfectly.

Its ambitions could not be concealed from the moment it began to interfere with reforms.

He's the real bastard who wants to destroy the Immortal Alliance's decision-making system, dominate the Immortal Alliance, and control all fellow cultivators!

Qian Cuihua was truly cornered by the situation. She had cultivated for tens of thousands of years and had done almost everything she could to climb up the ladder.

For top-tier immortals at their level, continuing to ascend and reaching even higher levels is a desire and aspiration accumulated over tens of thousands of years.

Shui Zun wanted Qian Cuihua dead, so Qian Cuihua dared to fight back without any scruples.

Moreover, although Qingrui was like a mad dog, biting both Shui Zun and Cangshan, what she said was actually the situation of the Immortal Alliance.

Rakshasa and Qingrui exchanged pieces, while Shuizun and Cangshan won. Because of Cangshan's cowardice and weakness, the situation will eventually become one where Taihe Shui reigns supreme over the Immortal Alliance.

Furthermore, this is indeed the case. From the chaotic spraying in Jin Gu Garden that provoked Qing Rui to take action, to the current situation where Shui Zun wants to force Luo Sha and Qing Rui to exchange sons, it all corresponds to Shui Zun's conspiracy, which is also a fact.

All I can say is that there are no useless top-tier Golden Core cultivators. Qian Cuihua, who begged everyone to support Wang Yulou in proving his Golden Core status, looked disheveled, but she was just disheveled, not suddenly stupid.

"What a joke! Everyone, listen up! Qian Cuihua is going to jump out and oppose us along with Luocha."

How ridiculous that Bifang, sitting in its own grotto, manipulates the situation of our Immortal Alliance.

You must put on a show, otherwise I won't feel at ease, and neither will my fellow cultivators in the Immortal Alliance!
"Spirit of the artifact, let's discuss Wang Yulou's golden elixir matter again. Recount the votes, and this time, do not count Wang Yulou's votes!"

The situation has once again reached the brink of collapse; however, the Water God is not truly the sole ruler.

"I think we should let Wang Yulou prove his Golden Elixir."

Although Qingrui is bad, she is not stupid. She most likely will not be truly connected with Bifang.

And you, Taihe Shui, if you really suspect that Luosha or Qingrui have a problem, what you should do is not force them to fight, but to step in directly.

"You won't participate, yet you force us to act—how ridiculous!"

Cangshan spoke calmly, and immediately, everyone in the Qunxiantai Hall was astonished.

Even the Water Venerable's eyes became clear at this moment.

It turned out to be the case.

You, Cangshan with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, actually secretly supported Wang Yulou with your men!
"Senior brother, so it's the Lesser Immortal Alliance and our Fourth Sect, both supporting Wang Yulou in achieving the Golden Core stage?"

Donglai felt like he had grasped the key, but there were still things he couldn't understand.

Of course, the Water Venerable caused trouble and disrupted the Immortal Alliance.

Its intentions were good, but using the Immortal Alliance to confront Bi Fang was not a good idea for the Cangshan Immortal Venerable, who wanted to maintain stability.

Luosha and Qingrui are independent in front of Bifang. When the situation changes, even if they had a private alliance with Bifang before, they will switch sides for their own interests.

Shui Zun insisted on suppressing them, which was actually a way of hoping that Qian Cuihua would die. When Qian Cuihua was on the verge of death, he was plotting against Bi Fang.

Bi Fang, you didn't suffer any losses by allying with Qing Rui, but Qing Rui's mistake was that she underestimated Wang Yulou's ruthlessness.

"This kid is too ruthless to himself, he threw himself into the game and gambled his way to this point." Bull Demon replied with considerable emotion.

He attributed Cangshan's entry to the event because Cangshan had just joined the Boluo Society and was eager to seek stability and advancement—which matched the image Cangshan had maintained for five thousand years.

Is it even useful to install it?
it works!

Really useful!

It can be said that Cangshan's move not only fooled the Bull Demon, but even the Water Venerable did not suspect that its choice was problematic.

Hasn't Cangshan always been like this?

But this doesn't mean that Wang Yulou is irrelevant; the support he brought from Tianwaitian was the key to getting 720 votes.

The conflict on the Immortal Terrace originated from the Water Venerable's ingenious scheme—using the Golden Valley Garden to instigate a conflict between the Fourth Faction and Qingrui.

But what truly brought this confrontation to its climax was Wang Yuque, who grasped the changes in Qiu Mile's privately verified golden elixir!

In other words, Wang Yulou only got 721 votes because of the support of the Little Immortal Alliance and the Fourth Faction.
But senior brother, even combined, our Fourth Faction and the Little Immortal Alliance don't have 720 votes!

As the opposite of the ninety percent of his fellow cultivators who came from humble backgrounds, Donglai was one of the few high-ranking immortals. Although he faced considerable pressure at times, he still possessed basic arithmetic skills.

It was perfectly clear that even if the Little Immortal Alliance and the Fourth Faction fully supported Wang Yulou, it would be impossible for them to cast 720 votes!
The Bull Demon didn't answer; it was also pondering the same question: where did the extra tickets come from?
Of course, they didn't know about the Heavenly Realm, let alone that Yuehua, who was cursing Yuque along with Shuizun, was actually Yuque's good older sister.

Seeing that Niu Mo did not answer, Dong Lai gave his guess: after the fall of the Ziji Sword Sect, the two brothers supported each other to get to where they are now.

"Senior brother, I have an idea. Perhaps many celestial beings are unwilling to accept the result of the alteration of the rules of heaven and earth."

Therefore, they supported Wang Yulou's attainment of the Golden Elixir in order to prevent Rakshasa and Qingrui from fighting, and to prevent the Winnowing Basket Society from fighting Bifang?

The water buffalo twitched its nose and cursed.

'Fool, have you forgotten? Bifang's condition was that as long as Rakshasa led the Fourth Faction to retreat, he would change the rules of the Great Heaven and Earth together with the Boluo Society.'

When Wang Yulou obtains the Golden Elixir, the Rakshasa will retreat and the rules of the universe will change!
Shui Zun stirred up trouble, and his target was either the one Qian Cuihua guessed, or he wanted to force Bi Fang to give up his home-field advantage and leave the game by messing with Qian Cuihua.

None of this has anything to do with the changes in the rules of the universe!
More likely, it was the Celestial Immortals whose strength had not reached the average level of 30,000 years who were afraid that the world would suddenly fall into chaos, and the Immortal Alliance would suddenly fall into chaos.

I think you still need more experience. Why don't you seal your memories, send a wisp of your soul to my cave to reincarnate a few times?

If you make such a basic mistake, how can you expect to move forward in the future?

The Bull Demon King spouted a lot of nonsense, but the core points were just three.

Firstly, if the celestial beings are unwilling to see the rules of the universe changed, they will oppose Wang Yulou's attainment of the Golden Core and vote against it.

Secondly, Shui Zun's opposition meant that Qing Rui had to pay a price, rather than simply making amends to Wang Yulou and letting the matter drop.

Thirdly, the only possible reason why the Celestial Immortals of the Immortal Alliance openly oppose but secretly support Wang Yulou is that they do not want the world to suddenly descend into chaos.

Water deities are water deities; they don't have the same level of understanding as water deities, so why would they care about the pressure water deities have to bear?

The Great Heaven and Earth's number one person outside of Bifang, the Old Man of the Basket, should take the lead in resisting pressure for the top Golden Core cultivators, and the Immortal Alliance's number one person, Taihe Water Venerable, should also resist pressure for the Immortal Alliance!
After being scolded by his senior brother for pointing at his big head, Donglai, knowing his own low level, didn't dare to argue and continued to ask obediently.

"So what do we do now? According to Qingrui, Cangshan, and Luosha, should Yulou directly attain the Golden Core stage?"

'How would I know? If you contact more fellow Daoists at the Celestial Immortal level, you should support Yulou more in a second vote.'

After all, if the Immortal Alliance becomes the price for the Water Lord to realize his ambitions in the chaotic era, we will suffer! 'The Bull Demon King sees through everything.'

Little Fish's advice was indeed correct: Water Venerable is Water Venerable, Immortal Alliance is Immortal Alliance, Bifang is Bifang, and you are yourself.

At this moment, the situation seemed to have returned to the point where Mang Xiang replaced Wang Yulou and took control of the reforms.

The Water Venerable's strength and his fate once again drew opposition from the Immortal Venerables of the Immortal Alliance.

This very order that was most advantageous to him, at times, ironically became a shackle that hindered his will.

From this perspective, the Immortal Alliance's implementation of a democratic system at the Immortal Platform does indeed have an advantage in limiting the excessive expansion of interests by powerful individuals.

This de facto and objective advantage can take into account the interests of the newer immortals in the Immortal Alliance, thereby enhancing the unity at the level of the Immortal Assembly Platform.

Perhaps this is the underlying reason why the Immortal Alliance was able to stand tall in the world, expand step by step, and successfully seize the first-mover advantage in the chaotic era.

Wang Yulou, as the leader of the governance phase, is the real embodiment of this endogenous institutional advantage.

On the Immortal Platform today, the clash surrounding Wang Yulou's attainment of the Golden Core corresponds to the confrontation between the institutional order and the powerful individual strength of the Water Venerable, and the confrontation between the collective interests within the Immortal Alliance and the individual interests of Qingrui.

Clearly, in the conflict between the collective interests within the Immortal Alliance and Qingrui's individual interests, Qunxiantai emerged victorious, as did the Immortal Venerables, forcing Qian Cuihua, who was on the verge of becoming a traitor to the Immortal Alliance, to the point of crawling on the ground and exposing her own shortcomings—Qian Cuihua was also trying her best to survive.

However, can Qunxiantai defeat Qingrui and Shuizun?
Moreover, the Water Venerable's worries were not unfounded. He attained enlightenment through a drop of water in the Immortal Kingdom, secretly sheltered Qingrui, destroyed the Immortal Extinction Domain, and now he stands with Wang Yulou.

In fact, this is close to what the Water Venerable said: "The Immortal King sits in his cave and manipulates the situation of the Immortal Alliance thousands of miles away."

Everything depends on Cangshan Mountain again.

Faced with Cangshan's accusation that he should directly intervene instead of risking the overall interests of the Immortal Alliance, Water Venerable responded very calmly.

"Of course I can go straight to the field, but not to deal with them, but to deal with you first."

Separated from the Azure Plains, I have no say in the affairs of Wunan Prefecture, Chongxian Prefecture, or the new lands of the Extinction Immortal Domain.

However, Cangshan, you need to think carefully. The Immortal Alliance may have already split into two camps.

One is the camp of people like you and me who care about the Immortal Alliance.

You are the founder of the Immortal Alliance, and I am its first member. We hope the Immortal Alliance will prosper.

The other camp outwardly respects the Immortal Alliance and the Immortal Platform, but secretly works in concert with Bi Fang to deceive people into attending the banquet.

If we don't address Qingrui now, and fail to distinguish between Rakshasa and Qingrui, we might plant a time bomb in the future that could shatter the Immortal Alliance!

The battle has reached its final stage, and Shui Zun has revealed his hand.

Wang Yulou knew how to seize the opportunity, so how could Shui Zun not?

Amidst the interplay of truth and falsehood, and with differing motives, the 'legitimacy' of Shui Zun's actions was constructed, giving him a seemingly justifiable reason to place his hand on the button of destruction.

Choose one of the two!

Either compromise and take the risks, or seize the opportunity to push Luocha and kill Qingrui!

Since Wang Yulou entered the world of cultivation, the terror of this world has been gradually revealed as his cultivation level has increased.

At first, what he saw in Qingxifang was that the cultivation world was a breeding ground for immortals.

As it turns out, he was right; the cultivation world was indeed a breeding ground for immortals.

But the rules within are complex, dark, and ever-changing, and are far more than just cruel.

As his cultivation level gradually improved, Wang Yulou's understanding of the cultivation world also underwent a series of transformative changes.

But now, even with a shocking conspiracy right in front of him, Wang Yulou is completely unable to detect it.

Not only could he not detect it, but even Shui Zun, Qing Rui, and Luo Sha also failed to detect it.

The true commander of Bifang, Cangshan, actually obtained the initiative to decide the fate of the world from the invitation of the Water Venerable to seek support, seemingly without any problems.

Individual interests, group interests, the inertia of order, the complexity of the changing situation, the power of the Celestial King, and the disguise of Cangshan Mountain.
Millennia of preparation, layer upon layer of calculations into human nature, a high-stakes gamble at a turning point in history, and decisive actions amidst the ups and downs of fate.
All the variables were tangled together and thrown into a game called the Pursuit of the Dao, which resulted in the Immortal King's deadly move.

A deadly technique that even Rakshasa, Qingrui, and Shuizun couldn't see the problem with!

Nothing is taken for granted; the current situation is a combination of inevitability and chance.

Even if it weren't Cangshan Mountain, even if it weren't this time.

With the level of the Celestial King, there will be Green Mountain, Red Mountain, and Yellow Mountain in the future!
Shui Zun's words, "You and I are so devoted to the Immortal Alliance," were like the funniest joke. After hearing them, Cang Shan felt an overwhelming joy.

At this moment, Shui Zun was as stupid as a donkey, incredibly brainless—using the most intelligent of all to make the most brainless choice.

Cangshan really, really, really wants to laugh.

The Water Venerable calculated and calculated, the Water Venerable did not use his full strength for 20,000 years, and the Water Venerable held the position of the number one person in the Immortal Alliance for 5,000 years.

But it was still fooled!
However, Cangshan is still Cangshan. Even after being deprived of its dominant position in the forces it founded, Cangshan has been able to endure for thousands of years.

It managed to hold back and not burst out laughing out of joy.

"Your Majesty, what should we do?"

Xiao Cang understands!

After communicating with the Celestial King, Cangshan cleared his throat.

Wang Yulou quickly stopped his secret efforts to rally support and looked at the founder of the Immortal Alliance.

"Taihe Water, you have your principles, and your principles are reasonable."

As a fellow Daoist, I support you, but the other Daoists on the Immortal Platform are also fellow Daoists of my Cangshan.

Alright, Water Lord, let's cast one more time. Whatever the result, it will be the final result.

However, this time, Wang Yulou was not allowed to vote.

"Water Lord, what do you say?"

In fact, Cangshan did not expect that, with the support of the Little Immortal Alliance, Wang Yulou would be able to gather enough votes to prove his Golden Core status.

Its disruption was initially just a habitual attempt to maintain the balance within the Immortal Alliance, preventing the Water Venerable from becoming too powerful.

There are four factions within the Immortal Alliance, and outside of these four factions, there are many Golden Core cultivators who have not joined any specific faction.

With Cangshan not joining Luosha and Qingrui in the battle, the Water Venerable's will could easily influence this group—the title of the strongest in the Immortal Alliance is not just an empty one; the Water Venerable Taihe has a huge influence on decisions within the Immortal Alliance.

But Wang Yulou garnered support from Tianwaitian.

With the support of the Heavenly Outer Heaven's Dark Agent, the Fourth Faction, the Little Immortal Alliance, and some scattered votes, Wang Yulou's Golden Core resolution was finally passed.

This change was quickly detected by Cangshan, who helped him seize control of the destiny of the world from the hands of the 'foolish Water Venerable'.

To put it simply, because of its own strength, Cangshan won again effortlessly, benefiting from the changes and victories brought about by Wang Yulou.

It seems a bit unreasonable, but it's just like how Wang Yulou, at the age of 120, could start discussing his golden elixir on the Immortals' Platform.

The rules of the cultivation world truly exist, and one of them is that the strong have special privileges.

The response from Cangshan to "discuss again" at this time, and the use of the dominant power over the destiny of the Great Heaven and Earth, also correspond to taking care of the interests of the Water Venerable, and starting a new round of discussions on the Golden Elixir that Wang Yulou is not allowed to invest.

Cangshan is taking care of Shui Zun, and protecting the privileges that Shui Zun deserves because of his own strength.

Of course, this was also Bi Fang's intention.

However, such privileges were not unacceptable to the immortals on the Immortal Platform.

Because they are all strivers and seekers of truth in reality.

They knew that maintaining the privileges of the strong was one of the reasons why the strong stood at the top.

So-called equality and justice are merely things shaped and defined by the power of discourse; they are means, not ends, nothing more. (This is not a personal opinion; creation itself is highly subjective, and in this world of cultivation where power resides in the individual, too many things possess incomparable characteristics.)

The logic remains the same: if all Golden Core Immortals are radiant with divine light, then what's the point of Wang Yulou proving himself to the Golden Core stage?
It would have been better to raise donkeys properly in Wangjiashan from the beginning.

Anyway, becoming a Golden Core is just another kind of divine light, so there's no need to become a Golden Core like that.

It can be said that Cangshan disguised itself very well. Its respect for the water deity is just right for it as an individual, it is just right for it.

However.
"I disagree. The Immortal Alliance doesn't belong to just the two of you."

"Fellow Daoist Qingrui, things have come to this point, I think there's no need to continue voting. What do you think?"

Among all the immortals in the Immortal Alliance, who is the closest to us? It has to be our Rakshasa Lord.

Rakshasa is truly a great older brother; at least his level of reason far surpasses that of the foolish donkey. He completely rejects Cangshan's suggestion and shows no respect for the Water Venerable.

You, Water Venerable, are the number one Venerable of the Immortal Alliance, while I, Rakshasa, am the leader of the fourth faction of the Immortal Alliance!
Seeing this, Qian Cuihua immediately spoke up.

"Yes, there's no need to vote anymore."

The decision just made was made in accordance with regulations and the result was reasonable.

The fact that Wang Yulou's Golden Elixir received so much support from fellow cultivators in the Immortal Alliance shows that his reform efforts were indeed very popular.

Taihe Shui, when he implemented the reforms, it was all based on your suggestions.

But what kind of nonsense is it for you to jump out and oppose the reform's greatest contributor, Zheng Jindan?

Qian Cuihua knew exactly what she was doing: avoid fighting if possible.

Rakshasa could not possibly be Bifang's person. Shui Zun is forcing this unlucky guy with shallow foundations to confront him head-on.

Therefore, following the Rakshasa's wishes, as long as the Water Venerable doesn't step in to force her head down, it's meaningless no matter how the Water Venerable tries to label or accuse her.

Moreover, does Cangshan really intend to hold another vote?

Not necessarily; it's very likely that they're just giving Shui Zun some face on the surface.

"I don't think we should renegotiate either. If we renegotiate because a Golden Core cultivator is not satisfied with the result, then all the rules of the Immortal Alliance will be broken."

Dong Luoche spoke, and his words seemed to sound a clarion call, prompting many of the Fourth Faction's Immortal Venerables to follow suit. It was nothing more than a repetition of the Immortal Alliance's rules, Yu Lou's contributions, and the voting results.

'Yu Lou, I am not Bi Fang's person, and you are not a pawn.'

Xiaoyu is communicating with Wang Yulou. Originally, she didn't want to explain this matter—not proving herself is a kind of wisdom.

But after Shui Zun and Jing Lan emphasized it several times, she actually became a little worried.

Leaving aside those intangible emotions, just look at the effort she put in before and after Wang Yulou attained the Golden Elixir, and the promised benefits and compensation.

These things weren't reimbursed by any powerful figure behind the scenes; she had to pay for them herself with True Spirit Stones and True Cave Essence.

"Don't worry, I believe in you, my wife," Wang Yulou comforted her.

It's not that Xiao Wang is idle, but that he's clear-headed.

The situation is out of control. The current situation is a confrontation between the interests of the Boluo Society and the interests of the Immortal Alliance. How could a small Purple Mansion like him decide or influence it?
How to do?
Leave it to fate!

If you win, you win; if you lose, you prepare to win again. That's the only way.

In this vast world, to attain the Golden Core, one must break through the barrier that is blocked by the Golden Core.

It's absolutely impossible to get through this on your own—there's no way you can.

Jinshan is right, the path to the Golden Elixir is the path of calculating future changes.

To have a chance, you have to compete with those old-timers for change and win.

Moreover, even if Wang Yulou wins the competition for this kind of change that even Golden Core Immortals crave, it will inevitably be accompanied by an escalation of the power struggle.

This escalation of the game can be peaceful or brutal; unfortunately, Wang Yulou drew the most brutal outcome.

Therefore, after doing everything he could, Wang Yulou could only leave the outcome to Luosha, Yuehua, Dongluoche, and his allies.

It's not that Xiao Wang is incompetent, but that those old Deng are very capable.

If Wang Yulou were incompetent, he could not have reached the Golden Core stage.

He certainly has the ability, but unfortunately, he is only 120 years old and ultimately lacks sufficient experience.

"Do you really believe me?" Little Fish asked, somewhat helplessly.

This is where the trouble lies.

In today's dirty, absurd, and cruel world, mutual trust in relationships is so difficult to achieve.

Although the two had known each other for nearly a century, become Daoist partners, and even had a two-month-long, exhilarating discussion on Dao, they still lacked mutual trust.
Note that Wang Yulou stayed at Drip Cave for two months, mainly to discuss philosophy with Xiaoyu and strengthen his foundation; the excavation was merely a diversion during their discussions.

Of course, let's not even talk about whether Qingrui really wanted to kill you when you were in trouble.

With your strength, you're not even qualified to be a pawn of the Celestial King.

Having witnessed Qian Cuihua's various self-deprecating scenes, Wang Yulou gradually relaxed his tense nerves.

Cultivation involves so many whirlpools, the pressure is already immense, so it's okay to relax a bit when facing small fish.

After all, he truly regarded Xiaoyu as his Daoist partner.

"You're right, but I'm not that weak, am I?" Little Fish complained somewhat discontentedly.

On the Immortal Platform, the immortals were busy forming a group to discuss Wang Yulou's golden elixir.

But secretly, the conflicted protagonist, Wang Yulou, has started a relationship with Xiaoyu.

This talented young couple truly possessed the aura of immortals; even under pressure, they retained the composure befitting great cultivators.

So what if we fail?

Just keep going, until you die, or until you win!

Haha, of course you're not weak, I am.

I've made up my mind. If I can attain the Golden Core stage, my first goal will be to kill the Black Dragon of the Immortal Kingdom, my second goal will be to kill the Mangxiang, and my third goal will be to kill Qingrui.

"At that time, I'll need your help, my wife."

Seeing Wang Yulou's triumphant expression, Xiaoyu asked worriedly.

"Are you sure you can successfully attain the Golden Core stage? Judging from what Water Venerable said, he has the support of the Old Man of the Winnowing Basket behind him."

Of course, the Water Venerable has the support of the Winnowing Basket Elder. Its true form is in front of the Winnowing Basket Mountain Divine Tree in the Great Heaven and Earth, supporting the Rakshasa while communicating with the Winnowing Basket Elder.

Regarding Wang Yulou's proposal for the Golden Elixir, the Water Venerable offered a series of reasons, but the core demand was to first remove Bifang's wings and green buds.

This corresponds to the benefits of the top-tier Golden Core cultivators of the Winnowing Basket Society.

In theory, it seems that Rakshasa and Cangshan, who are also members of the Boluo Society, should also support it, but the Immortal Alliance is the Immortal Alliance, the Boluo Society is the Boluo Society, and Cangshan, the horn-bearer of the opening ceremony, is Cangshan.

It's troublesome, but that's the essence of spiritual practice—to respect these facts, even for the Water Venerable and the Old Man with the Winnowing Basket.

Of course, this respect does not mean that the strong will never step in; it is simply a matter of weighing the timing and the benefits.

'I think there shouldn't be any major problems. The current situation is a conflict between the Immortal Alliance order and the interests of the top Immortal Venerables of the Great Heaven and Earth, and between the will of the Winnowing Basket Society.'

Bi Fang is difficult to deal with, but are the immortals of the Immortal Alliance easy to persuade?
Water Lord wanted the Immortal Alliance to be the vanguard, but the problem was that Bi Fang was already showing signs of backing down.

Otherwise, the condition of Rakshasa retreating, that is, joining forces with Boluo to change the rules of the universe, would not have been given.

Under these circumstances, it would be difficult for Shui Zun to achieve his goal.

The support that Immortal Venerable Cangshan gave me reflects this trend; the Immortal Alliance belongs to everyone, not just to Water Venerable!

Wang Yulou's analysis was insightful, and in fact, that's exactly how it is.

Given the complex web of contradictions, Wang Yulou's understanding is actually correct in fact.

There are many paths to supremacy, and combat is by no means the only option. On the chessboard of the vast world, countless geniuses wield their pieces, and every crucial move involves far too many implications.

Water Venerable is now holding a chess piece and insisting on dropping it, but all the celestial venerables of the Immortal Alliance are working together to stop him.

Cangshan's words were also quite interesting—'You have to take the stage yourself.'

If you want to play chess, then enter the game yourself. Don't expect me and the other fellow Daoists of Qunxiantai to bear the consequences of your moves.

What's terrifying is that in this high-level game, Bi Fang also had a hidden trick up his sleeve, Cangshan, which fooled Shui Zun like a fool.

It is clear that the Celestial King possessed more than just a large stomach; its intelligence, or rather its mind, was also terrifyingly powerful.

'But my love, if the rules of heaven and earth change, we will both be defined as 'celestial beings'.

It sounds like going from a Golden Core cultivator to an immortal in one step, which seems pretty good, but it corresponds to the differentiation among Golden Core cultivators.

The Golden Immortal is above, and the Celestial Immortal is below.

The voting rules for the Immortal Alliance's Immortal Platform will likely change as well.

The rules for distributing profits may also change.

Ugh, what a hassle.

Strength defines the rules. If the Bo Luo Society joins forces with the Bi Fang, the entire world will have to defer to them.
The so-called Celestial Immortals are those Golden Core cultivators who are relatively weak, and they will be reassigned to a different situation than before.

This is the price of stability; they want stability but are unwilling to make sacrifices.

Looking back at the changes in the cultivation world over the past tens of thousands of years, it was first plundered by minor sects, and then systematically plundered into the ashes of calamity.

The organizational structure of the cultivation world has gradually changed from large sects and factions in various regions to a power struggle between top-tier and second-tier forces.

Moreover, the number of second-tier powers is decreasing.

The development of a systematic system represents an improvement in organizational and support capabilities. In fact, even the Golden Core Immortals of the Great Heaven and Earth were able to break through the thousand ranks in this process.

Even after the Purple Mansion was destroyed, it still couldn't satisfy their needs.

Thus, the distinction between Celestial Immortals and Golden Immortals was established within the Golden Elixir system.

Ultimately, stability is good, and for us, stability is good.

Only when the overall situation is stable can we have a better environment for spiritual practice.

Try to think more positively; even a celestial being wouldn't be in a dangerous situation from the start.

Wang Yulou could see clearly that this was a process of continuous system iteration, constantly increasing the resources available to the core members of the system.

So-called reforms are merely a phase of change under the development of the times.

Reforms initiated from the top down inevitably serve the purpose of maintaining stable rule and making stability even more stable.

But this is by no means ordinary politics, because the system that distinguishes between Golden Immortals and Celestial Immortals will inevitably take care of the interests of Golden Immortals.

This system is a cage specifically designed for newcomers.

They keep raising the bar for getting on board and keep reinforcing the cage.

Gradually, no matter how talented you are, you will not be able to shake the interests of the Golden Immortals who are high above the layers of cultivators.

Instead of intervening in each other's actions, they work together to block the path for those who come after them, ensuring the long-term stability of the system that serves them.

Under this system, even if the Golden Immortals do not become the absolute supreme beings, they can at least be 'partially supreme'.

In that situation, how could the Golden Immortals not be transcendent?

Yes, definitely.

"My lord, do you remember my previous guess? If the Bo Luo Society and Bi Fang can reach an agreement on changing the rules of the Great World, it could actually point to a possibility."

In other words, those old guys aren't as strong as they pretend to be.

He's been holding back every day because he's afraid his true abilities will be exposed.

Their cultivation level is too high, and they attained enlightenment too early. Not only is it difficult for them to improve, but they also can't keep up with the changes.

When Rakshasa dragged the Bull Demon and his men to Nine Aperture Valley to force Qingrui to surrender, he analyzed Qingrui's situation.
And now, Qingrui's performance proves that Luosha's analysis was correct.

Even the most advanced Golden Core cultivators still find it difficult to discard the underlying behavioral patterns developed through long-term cultivation before achieving enlightenment.

They come from their past selves, similar to the 'past weakness' that Qingrui exhibited, which is also an important factor in shaping their current strength—like a foundation, but this foundation cannot keep up with the times or with the improvement of their own cultivation.

This inherent weakness will challenge their strength with each passing era of change.

Therefore, they want to lock down the rules, using order to ensure their interests are not impacted by the changes of the times.

The little fish's analytical skills were extremely high, reaching the level of Tao, and were also very reasonable and well-founded.
Wang Yulou actually believed that Bifang and the old man with the winnowing basket were tacitly protecting themselves from the outer heavens.

Furthermore, if we consider that Bifang and the old man with the winnowing basket guessed that there were spies within different forces in the outer heavens and the great world.

The current situation within the Immortal Alliance is that Bi Fang and the Old Man of the Basket are remotely controlling the Immortal Alliance from thousands of miles away, putting on a show for Yuehua and other spies from beyond the heavens.

The confrontation between the winnowing basket and the bamboo shoot will likely end in compromise, given the current trend.

Did they confront each other?

They confronted each other.

But in the end, they pulled back from the brink and stopped.

Before Rakshasa and Qingrui could begin their work, Bifang joined forces with the Old Man of the Basket and others to obtain the Golden Elixir and continue altering the rules of the Great Heaven and Earth.

The Immortal Venerables at the head of the Great Heaven and Earth had not suffered any damage to their strength. The potential Outer Heaven, which suppressed the small group of people at the forefront of the Great Heaven and Earth, reluctantly 'united' together.

As for how much of this small group there is, it's hard to say, because Wang Yulou doesn't believe Qingrui knows the key to it—of course, this is just Wang Yulou's guess.

Although it's just speculation, this is an observational perspective that Wang Yulou only had after being invited by Yuehua to join Tianwaitian, so he couldn't share it directly with Xiaoyu.

Because he wasn't sure if Xiaoyu was from Tianwaitian.
If he reveals anything carelessly, Xiao Wang might be forced to do something by Tianwaitian.

trouble
The Dark Forest in the cultivation version is like this: Wang Yulou can only trust himself and his own interests.

For example, he could even use profit to motivate top-tier Golden Core cultivators like Rakshasa.

It sounds ridiculous, but while Rakshasa was cursing Xiao Wang as an idiot, she actually supported Xiao Wang's golden core and kept him going until now.

Therefore, everything can be fake; only the key, real interests are worth believing in.

I understand that you want to comfort me and let me know that those mountains are not so difficult to climb.

But my wife, you underestimate me. I am a cultivator who rose step by step from a marginal cultivation family.

No matter how difficult the road ahead, getting this far is already a gain. Every step I take will bring me even more, hahaha.

Therefore, I am not afraid, whether they are tall or short, I am not afraid.

With various interests and possibilities intertwined, the conflict between the Immortal Alliance's order and the Winnowing Basket Society's will, as revealed on the Immortal Platform, will eventually come to a conclusion.

No matter how difficult it is, we must persevere and achieve a result. The immortals on the Immortal Platform have plenty of experience in fighting tough battles.

"Well then, the Water Venerable has led the Immortal Alliance for five thousand years, and even I need to respect his opinion."

The voting process was compliant, reasonable, and justified, and there was no rule in the Immortal Alliance that required a re-vote if anyone was dissatisfied.

However, the extra vote cast by Yulou, who is part of the Purple Mansion, is indeed debatable.

Therefore, I have a suggestion, though it may be premature: how about we hold a small vote on whether or not we should reconsider Wang Yulou's theory on the Golden Elixir?
"Of course, we can't let Wang Yulou come this time, hmm, what do you all think?" Cangshan's expression clearly showed his helplessness.

The conflict between the Immortal Alliance's order and interests and the Boluo Society's interests has finally come to a conclusion.

As expected, the Immortal Alliance won.

This suggestion, which was practically pointless, combined with Cangshan's support for Wang Yulou, effectively provided Wang Yulou with a new double guarantee for obtaining the Golden Elixir.

Stable, stable, and more stable.

If the vote results in agreement to renegotiate, the existence of the preliminary process of 'whether or not to renegotiate' gives the supporters of Wang Yulou room to adjust their strategies and campaign for votes.

If the voting result doesn't require a reconsideration, then there's no need to say more—Wang Yulou will directly run to obtain the Golden Elixir.

This wasn't because Cangshan was protecting Xiao Wang; it was simply that the celestial king with a huge appetite decided to stabilize the situation with Boluo and continue to maintain the overall stability of the world.

Just like how it took in the wild elephant, preparing to initiate another great transformation of heaven and earth after the rules of heaven and earth changed.

Everything is for the sake of maintaining stability for longer, so that one can continue to win steadily in a win-win distribution order that favors oneself.

"That's settled then, spirit, begin the statistics!" the Water Venerable said coldly.

Water Venerable was also helpless. The Immortal Alliance was strong, and so was it. But it couldn't use this strength indiscriminately.

The more it was used, the more the Immortal Alliance itself opposed it.

If the Immortal Alliance were a second-tier power, the Water Venerable wouldn't have to face this kind of trouble; he could simply make the decisions himself.

But the terror of the contradiction and its transformation lies in the fact that it is almost omnipresent.

If the Immortal Alliance is truly a second-tier power, then the Water Venerable might not be able to participate in the power struggle between the Old Man of the Basket and Bifang. Furthermore, the strength of a second-tier power, in terms of providing assistance, would be insufficient compared to the strength of the Immortal Alliance.
This vote proceeded quite quickly, and surprisingly, there was a profound silence on the assembly platform.

Nobody openly says "I agree" or "I disagree" anymore.

After all, the Immortal Alliance almost split into two camps just now because of the voting results—the one defined by the Water Venerable. The Water Venerable's threat is terrifying, and no one dares to take it lightly.

If you express agreement or disagreement, it will cause problems when dividing the camps later.

It's better to remain silent and cast your vote quietly. That way, if the Immortal Alliance really does split in two, you can make a calm and thoughtful decision.

Soon, the spirit began to read the result again, trembling.

Noticing the spirit's trembling, the Water Venerable let out a cold snort, but ultimately said nothing.

Startled by the Water Venerable's cold snort, the artifact spirit trembled even more violently.

However, everyone is eagerly awaiting the results, which will eventually be announced.

"310 to 113, regarding the proposal to reconsider Wang Yulou's attainment of the Golden Elixir, no."

Even the Rakshasa was dumbfounded.

Do you really support Wang Yulou that much?

This little scoundrel is so popular?
"Water Lord, you know I voted for a restart."

"Yes, Water Lord, I also voted for you. What should I do?"

A cacophony of barking dogs filled the air, creating quite a scene.

The result was overwhelming, but the vast majority of those who expressed support for Shui Zun were still the majority.

Interesting, quite interesting.

Despite overwhelming opposition, everyone claims they voted in favor of a reconsideration.

why?

It’s so hard to guess.

Shui Zun's usually imposing face darkened with visible dissatisfaction after the results were announced.

This voting result is tantamount to Wang Yulou directly giving Shui Zun a huge slap in the face.

No, not just one, but several.

They slap each other hard, like they're going to kill you.

On the Immortal Platform, those immortals who supported the Water Venerable and claimed they had definitely voted in favor of the reconsideration were essentially adding insult to injury.

What are you pretending for?
So you're the one trying to stop me, huh?
Stop them?

Keep blocking them, shall we?

"Hahahaha, cough! cough! cough!"

The joy of attaining enlightenment was indeed so intense that Wang Yulou couldn't help but laugh so hard he almost coughed.

Shui Zun didn't care about Wang Yulou's laughter, but as a leader of the Immortal Alliance, he still needed to salvage his reputation after such an outcome.

"Alright, Rakshasa, quickly bring the people back from the edge of Nine Aperture Valley."

As for you, Wang Yulou, it's not that I disagree with your attainment of the Golden Elixir.

As you know, I fully support you and acknowledge your achievements.

Well, there was a small misunderstanding, but since the other fellow cultivators support your current certification, I won't say anything more.

In short, go back and prepare well.

It would be best if he were struck dead by a heavenly tribulation!
Taihe Shuizun silently added a blessing in his heart, and then instantly disappeared from the Immortals Platform.

Lose your face!

Even for a Celestial Venerable, it's shameful to see internal strife escalate to this extent.

Old Deng, who wanted to lead the Immortal Alliance to a massacre, left, and everyone on the Immortal Platform immediately became lively.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Yuque!"

"Having attained the Great Dao, your future is boundless. The Altar of Immortals has gained another hero. Fellow Daoist Jade Palace, please come to my Yinshan Temple to discuss the Dao when you have some free time."

"At the age of 120, you have attained the Golden Elixir. Fellow Daoist Yuque is indeed extraordinary."

At this moment, Wang Yulou was filled with mixed feelings.

To attain the Golden Core stage in 120 years is considered extraordinary, almost a miracle, by the immortals.

But for Wang Yulou, 120 years have buried too much of his past.

It seems like things have gone so smoothly for us to get to where we are today.

Looking back, it was still incredibly difficult.

After the projections of the immortals' Great Dao faded and disappeared, Wang Yulou finished his pleasantries.

He looked at the profound and mysterious furnishings in the Altar of Immortals and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Husband, what's wrong?"

Wang Yulou's success is largely due to Xiaoyu's secret lobbying efforts; she practically talked herself hoarse. Their relationship is no longer a secret.

“I miss my master,” Wang Yulou replied with a smile.

Yes, he suddenly thought of the elephant.

Master, is seven to one really that big?
"Mang Xiang? That's laughable. I bet his expression will be quite interesting when he finds out that you passed the Golden Core discussion at the Immortal Platform in one go."

Thinking of that unlucky fellow Mang Xiang, Xiao Yu couldn't help but chuckle.

She and Mang Xiang were cultivators of the same era, but she seized the opportunity early on and achieved the Golden Core stage.

But Mangxiang failed to seize the opportunity and wasted it. This wasted time, which lasted for ten thousand years.

The opportunity to attain enlightenment is always fleeting.

Wang Yulou risked his life, personally entering the game, and amidst countless conflicts and confrontations, and even by chance, obtained the Golden Elixir Dao Fruit.

It must be said, this is indeed something to celebrate.

Because even coincidences require countless preconditions to be triggered by luck.

Every step Wang Yulou took toward achieving the Dao was under immense pressure, so even if he was lucky, it was something he deserved.

However, just as Wang Yulou and Xiaoyu were about to leave Qunxiantai, the moonlight, whose projection of the Great Dao had dimmed, quietly contacted Wang Yulou.

"Fellow Daoist Yuque, there will be a gathering in the Outer Heavens in five months, similar to the Gathering of Immortals. If you wish to attain the Golden Core stage, it is best to do so within five months."

Yuehua was thinking that Xiao Wang needed to have at least a Golden Core cultivation level to become an inner disciple of the Outer Heaven.

Otherwise, it won't be easy to win people's hearts.

That's why she gave this reminder.

However.
'Huh? What's beyond the sky?'

Wang Yulou asked.

'The outermost heavens?'

At this moment, Yuehua was still unaware of what had happened.

'What sky?'

Wang Yuque asked.

'The karma of the outer heavens is not something you can sever simply because you want to!'

Yuehua spoke with a dark expression; she never expected things to develop this way.

How dare you!

'What's beyond the heavens?'

"Immortal Venerable Jade Palace asked indifferently."

Yuehua did not answer, but instead immediately disconnected the telepathic communication.

They're denying everything now that they've pulled up their pants!
For so many years, for so many years, how dare you, you brat!

(End of this chapter)