The road is vague

Chapter 487 Political Resources
After the meeting in the main tent, Shenjizi summoned Xieying Laomo and Tianqi Laoguai.

"Go ahead."

Shenjizi looked at the two of them, his face grim.

"You should understand that the imperial court sent these three people not just because of the Miao war. The backgrounds and forces behind these three are extraordinary. If you choose the wrong side, the consequences for the Shenji Sect will be enormous!"

Upon hearing this, Evil Shadow Old Demon and Heavenly Weeping Old Monster exchanged a glance, their expressions equally grim.

The Evil Shadow Old Monster had an ugly and ferocious face with a blue "evil" character on his right forehead. He let out a low sigh.

“Over a hundred years ago, when the Lingmu Sect was in decline, my junior brother and I received intelligence confirming that True Person Qingling had passed away in seclusion, and that there was no longer a Nascent Soul cultivator on Qingming Mountain to oversee the grand plan. According to the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty, a sect that loses the protection of a Nascent Soul cultivator will no longer be protected by the imperial court. So my junior brother and I…”

He recounted in detail how he had sent a large army to surround Lingmumen back then.

At the time, Shenjizi was in seclusion, and the war had not yet truly begun, so he had not heard of this matter. Now, upon hearing that such a thing had actually happened within the sect, his expression grew even more gloomy.

No wonder the Shadow Demon signaled to him not to make a public statement during the meeting just now.

"You guys have some nerve!"

Today, the Lingmu Sect has seen the continuous emergence of new Nascent Soul cultivators over the past hundred years, and its power has been constantly expanding. It has long since changed its image of being poor and weak, and is now showing signs of revival.

But things have already developed to this point, and as the leader of the Shenji Sect, she really needs to seriously consider her position. If this Lu Yin Si Ming from the Lingmu Sect were to gain the Emperor's favor and rise through the ranks, it would be no good for the Shenji Sect.

If so.

She really needs to think it over carefully before supporting the other two.

However, the conflict of interests between the Divine Mechanism Sect and the Sacred Cauldron Sect has a long history, and choosing to support the Nine Cauldrons True Man is also a rather foolish thing to do. Therefore, she had to consider contacting the Sun Chasing True Man of the Twin Saints Palace of Yu Kingdom.

the other side.

Having spent many years in officialdom, Li Mo had gained some understanding of the political landscape.

The reason these three were sent here seems to be to complete a mission and demonstrate their abilities, but based on Li Mo's years of experience, the so-called mission is just a formality; political alignment is the most important aspect.

“The Sun-Chasing Immortal is from the Yu Kingdom. Logically speaking, he has no base here, so it is most difficult for him to win the Emperor's favor. However, nothing is absolute. If he can use the Yin-Si Ghost Clan here to mobilize the political resources of the Yu Kingdom behind him, and become a steadfast external ally of the Qian Kingdom at this critical moment when the Qian Kingdom and the Lu Kingdom are vying for hegemony, it is not impossible for him to win the Emperor's favor.”

Li Mo narrowed his eyes slightly.

"As for myself, in the eyes of the Holy Monarch, my political base is undoubtedly the First Seven Organization and the Spirit Eye Sect. The most important thing is that I can demonstrate my ability to control the First Seven Organization through this mission... Well, perhaps there is also the factor of the Heavenly Sword Saint. After all, in the eyes of a powerhouse at the Holy Monarch's level, contact with those hidden powerhouses is also a kind of resource!"

Finally, there is the Nine Cauldrons Immortal.

On the surface, this person's political resources seem to be Tian Ding Zhenren, a Nascent Soul cultivator, but Li Mo always felt that this matter was not so simple.

As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." He immediately coughed lightly.

"Unexpected mine".

Upon hearing this, An Lei, who was comfortably sipping tea in a grand chair, immediately flashed behind Li Mo and knelt down humbly with a smile on his face.

“Master, your loyal servant Dark Thunder obeys your call.”

"The main task of Zhu Xian has been completed. Zhu Xian will be transferred back to Qian Kingdom to secretly investigate the life and background of Jiu Ding Zhenren."

"Yes."

Without the slightest hesitation, An Lei immediately turned and left.

During the ensuing standoff between the two armies, the Qian Kingdom's army did not attack the Chansi Palace. Instead, it continuously conscripted laborers, artisans, doctors, and martial artists from various prefectures to integrate with the local Miao people, promote the culture of the Great Qian Kingdom, stabilize the rear, and annex the Miao territory that had already been conquered.

After visiting several high-ranking cultivators in the military camp, Li Mo ultimately chose this bloodline-bound, vampire-drinking old demon from the Aolai Continent as his target for recruitment.

"Fellow Vampire, it's been a long time."

Back then, the Blood-Sucking Old Demon used a piece of the Heart of the Star as payment to send Li Mo away, and did not pursue these bloodline cultivators any further.

Although the beginning of their relationship was not pleasant, after much thought, Li Mo still felt that the Extreme Cultivation Society behind this person was the most likely person he could win over.

"Lord Li, it's been a long time."

The old vampire was instinctively wary of the arrival of this Road Guide, fearing that the other party had once again set his sights on something from the Extreme Cultivation Society and was greedily demanding it.

Sensing that the other party's attitude wasn't very good, Li Mo smiled lightly and didn't take it to heart.

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Vampire has submitted an application to the Cabinet, preparing to establish the Blood Cultivation Sect in this southern border region, making it the sixteenth sect of the Great Qian Kingdom?"

"Indeed."

The vampire demon asked warily, "What suggestions do you have, sir?"

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Vampire, although you have been here for several decades, the Central Plains is not like the Aolai Continent. There are some hidden things that you may not have come into deep contact with. On the surface, the life and death of Miao territory depends on those Gu Insect Masters, but in reality, they are just superficial. The true master behind all this is someone or something that can only be understood through the heart and cannot be explained. If you cannot understand these things, even if you are lucky enough to establish a sect here, it will probably not last long."

Li Mo's words caused the old vampire's expression to change slightly.

"You mean..."

"The biggest difference between this place and the Thousand Insect Sect of the Four Gobi Kingdoms and the Holy Nest Sect of the Seven Kingdoms lies in the relationship between humans and Gu. Fellow Daoist, you have been in Miao territory for so many years and have cultivated bloodline demonic arts, so you should have come into contact with the Gu Immortals here, right? On the surface, Miao territory is ruled by many Gu Insect Masters, but in reality, these Gu Insect Masters are just forces cultivated on the surface by the Nine Caves Gu Immortals. And behind these Gu Immortals, there is something that even His Majesty fears!"

Upon hearing this, the vampire demon's heart pounded wildly.

As Li Mo said.

After arriving in Miao territory, the Extreme Cultivation Society quickly came into contact with the so-called Gu Immortals.

This is a special type of Gu worm deep within the Nine Caves. It can partially transform into a human and possesses extraordinary strength, making it rare for cultivators of the same level to rival it.

The reason why the Extreme Cultivation Society noticed these Gu Immortals is that bloodline Extreme Cultivators can also quickly improve their magical power by refining and absorbing these Gu Immortals. Therefore, in the eyes of the Blood-Sucking Old Demon, the Nine Caves in Miao Territory are an inexhaustible treasure for the Extreme Cultivation Society in the future, so he prepared to establish a sect here.

Now, according to Li Mo, these nine caves are not only not an inexhaustible treasure, but also a volcano that may erupt at any time.

"You mean to say that even if we conquer the Silk-Entwining Palace and unify the Miao region, the war is far from over?"

Seeing that the other party had taken the bait, Li Mo's smile widened.

"War has always served politics, and this applies to those unspeakable high-level beings as well. From the perspective of the cabinet and even the emperor, unifying the Miao region is a preparation for advancing into the Tianyuan Highlands. That is the center of the continent, the most prosperous and also the most chaotic place, the legendary source of all ancient wars. Controlling that place is equivalent to controlling the inheritance of the ancient cultivators. So, theoretically speaking, the cabinet and the local authorities are not very interested in what lies beneath the Nine Caves."

Li Mo paused for a moment at this point.

"That is precisely why the greatest achievement of this battle is actually how to avoid the subsequent war and reach a certain tacit understanding with those beings beneath the Nine Caves. The reason why the war in the Southern Barbarian Lands has continued to this day is partly due to the intervention of the State of Lu, and partly due to the teleportation array controlled by those demonic beasts. The imperial court naturally does not want to repeat the same mistake. Therefore, if you want to defeat those orthodox cultivation societies with your merits and gain the support of the imperial court to establish your own sect, you must first make contact with those things!"

"Those things..."

The old vampire took a deep breath, his face grim and uncertain.

To come into contact with those things means to go deep into the Nine Caves.

The danger involved made even the Vampire Demon hesitate, a fact that Li Mo noticed.

"You need not worry too much. I forcibly took the Star Heart from the Extreme Cultivation Association back then, and I owe you a favor. I happen to be able to help you with this matter. As far as I know, as long as one possesses the Golden Gu Token, one can enter the Nine Caves without hindrance. I think this is mostly some kind of tacit agreement reached between the Gu Immortals and the human race in ancient times. At that time, you only need to send one of your disciples..."

Li Mo's words stirred the old vampire's heart.

His initial wariness and hostility towards Li Mo dissipated considerably. "What price do we need to pay?"

Upon receiving the reply, Li Mo breathed a sigh of relief and revealed a proud expression.

"Support me in seizing the Emperor's favor!"

The old vampire's pupils suddenly contracted and then dilated. He stared intently at the road guide, pondering the other's many intelligence experiences, and finally smiled slowly.

Putting aside the unpleasantness between the two parties, this person is indeed the best cooperation target for the Extreme Cultivation Society!

Next.

Although the Silk-Entwining Palace and the Qian Kingdom's army never engaged in a large-scale conflict, battles between cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage broke out almost every few days, with both sides suffering losses.

It has a layout reminiscent of the narrow pass of Jianmen Mountain in the southern barbarian lands.

Conflicts between Nascent Soul cultivators occur every half month.

Because Li Mo was tasked with seizing the Golden Gu Token, he did not show himself to avoid attracting special attention and causing unnecessary trouble, leaving everything to be done by An Lei.

this day.

The two sides continued their fierce battle as Nascent Soul level cultivators.

On the ground, tens of thousands of mortals and Miao warriors were fighting, while in the sky, Nascent Soul cultivators were fighting like gods. Low-level and mid-level cultivators had all hidden themselves, fearing that they would be caught in the crossfire.

As always, Li Mo stood atop the mountain, gazing at the battlefield.

Sudden.

He sensed something and looked toward a certain place in the heavens, then his expression suddenly changed.

A gigantic jade bottle suddenly appeared in the sky, spewing out countless black lightning bolts, like countless black cracks blooming. In an instant, chaotic thunderclouds from all directions converged, and the terrifying spiritual pressure instantly affected the battlefields between several Nascent Soul cultivators nearby.

The countless mortals exploded in an instant, turning into minced meat and embedding themselves in the soil.

Under this terrifying spiritual pressure, every inch of the earth seemed to be repeatedly hammered, and a large valley suddenly formed, with mountains collapsing continuously amidst violent tremors.

"The Heaven-Rending Rift Bottle!"

Li Mo was naturally aware of the famous Tongtian Lingbao of the Shenji Sect. Back then, the Old Monster Tianqi almost caused Danqing Zhenren to fail in his Nascent Soul advancement by using a replica.

"What's wrong with Shenjizi? He actually brought out a Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure?"

Now, because of the Heavenly Demon Shadow Mask, Li Mo knows that when a Nascent Soul cultivator activates a Heavenly Treasure, it comes at the cost of depleting their own essence. If they rely on it frequently for a long time, they will inevitably die young.

Therefore, unless it is a critical moment, even if a Nascent Soul cultivator possesses a powerful treasure, he will not easily activate it.

influenced by.

The Entangling Silk Gu Saint, who was in the usual contest with him, also summoned his Heavenly Gu.

The spider silk of the Wind and Rain Spider actually stirred up the order of wind, rain, thunder and lightning, and with this, it drew upon the power of heaven and earth, attaching itself to its body and engaging in a collision of heaven-reaching power with the Heaven-Reaching Rift Bottle. The terrifying spiritual pressure, even from dozens of miles away, still shocked Li Mo and made many low- to mid-level cultivators who were not participating in the battle gasp in shock.

A few hours later.

As the great battle between the two sides ended, Master Zhu Ri surprisingly brought back a Ghost King's head, which was publicly displayed in the camp.

"Could it be..."

Li Mo immediately realized what was happening and recalled the scene earlier that day when Shenjizi had unusually used the Tongtian Lingbao.

"Have some kind of tacit understanding been reached between the two?"

Thinking of the conflict of interest between the Shenji Sect and the Tianding Sect, and the past incident of almost destroying the Lingmu Sect, Li Mo suddenly understood why the Shenji Sect chose to support Zhu Ri Zhenren.

After a brief moment of gloom, he looked at the triumphant Sun Chaser and let out a cold laugh.

"madness."

No wonder Li Mo was so sarcastic.

On the surface, it seems that the support of the Divine Mechanism Sect for the Sun Chaser has become a political resource for him, but for the Great Qian Dynasty, this is of no benefit whatsoever, since the Divine Mechanism Sect is a force that the Great Qian Dynasty can mobilize at any time.

Li Mo's political resources were originally a mess for the Daqian court due to the conflict of interest with the Road Pass Office.

If Li Mo can fully integrate and demonstrate his abilities, then he can be considered a political resource. The fact that Shenjimen did such a foolish thing shows that they were either blinded by hostility or lacked experience in officialdom.

What the imperial court truly wanted to see was the political resources of the Yu Kingdom behind him!

In this respect, Wei Tiangang, the Thunderclap Hermit, did a very good job.

When the Northern Wilderness was in turmoil and the Seven Kingdoms were in conflict, he gathered his friends who were not independent cultivators, as well as cultivators from the Yu Kingdom, to participate in the independent mission of the Seven Kingdoms.

Think of this.

Li Mo also came to the side of this Sun Chasing Master, and like the others, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, showing a smiling and congratulatory attitude.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu Ri was actually able to slay such a Ghost King. Your ferocity is truly awe-inspiring. Congratulations!"

Zhu Ri Zhenren was slightly surprised by Li Mo's congratulations, but returned the greeting with a fist and palm salute without saying anything more.

Only after Li Mo left and the people who had come to offer their congratulations dispersed did he reveal his confusion and go to Shenjizi's cave to express his doubts.

"this?"

Although Shenjizi, a female cultivator, was at the late Nascent Soul stage, she couldn't immediately grasp the key to the matter.

Master Zhu Ri was even more baffled, since for cultivators of the Yu Kingdom, there was no such power institution as the imperial court, and his political wisdom was basically blank.

At this time, An Lei also brought back information about Master Jiuding.

"Master, your guess was indeed correct. This Nine Cauldrons True Man actually has a close relationship with the Xia Kingdom, and seems to be a descendant of the former Northern King!"

"The Prince of the Northern Road?"

The warriors of the Xia Kingdom were divided into five regions. While all adhered to the principle of proving the Dao through force, they also developed the theories of Eastern Martial Arts, Western Suffering, Southern Hegemony, Northern Dao, and Central Destruction and Establishment.

Although the title of the Northern King has been passed down for many generations, people outside the Xia Kingdom will immediately think of the famous Northern King of the Sun who was established in the Central Plains more than two thousand years ago.

This was a legendary powerhouse who disappeared almost simultaneously with the second-generation Noon Sword Saint of the Sword Sect.

Many people speculate that this legendary powerhouse, who once had the power to influence the continent's landscape, perished after his conflict with the Sword Saint of Noon.

"It seems that this is the political resource that the cabinet, and even His Majesty, values."

Li Mo suddenly realized that perhaps the political resource His Majesty truly valued was not the seventh day after the integration, but the Tongtian Sword Saint.

Or rather, it is something that allows one to quickly improve and become stronger.

In other words, there may very well be such a person hiding behind the real person who chases the sun?
(End of this chapter)