Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 510 Parting ways
"Since we've come this far, I'll be frank. After so many years of friendship, and with the sect in such a state, if you two senior brothers truly don't want to suffer the hardships of wandering and want a stable place to cultivate, I can understand."

"I hope that you two senior brothers can stay and overcome this difficulty together with our sect. However, if you are determined to join the Bright Moon Sect, I will not stop you."

"But the sect leader entrusted me with the affairs of the sect before his death, and I must take on this responsibility."

"You may leave if you wish, but you are not allowed to take any sect disciples or sect property with you." After everyone had left, Huo Youyi said this in a righteous tone, and then turned and left.

"He really thinks he's the sect leader." Feng Ziyi watched his departing figure, his eyes narrowing slightly, and let out a cold snort.

Tian Xuan's expression was complicated, and he remained silent.

"It seems he's determined to oppose us, all for the position of sect leader. How selfish! Even if we go to Xijiang County and join the Beast Taming Sect, we won't last long."

"The sect never had much surplus wealth to begin with. After leaving Yongning City, it lost its source of income and its cultivation rooms. How could the sect possibly continue?"

"Junior Brother Tian, ​​you haven't been swayed by him, have you?"

Tian Xuan gave a self-deprecating laugh, then shook his head: "Senior Brother Feng, there's no need to be suspicious. Of course I know that joining the Beast Taming Sect won't end well. Besides, I'm not an ambitious person; I just want a peaceful place to cultivate."

“Besides the cultivation room, you also need financial support to cultivate steadily. Didn’t he just say that he would take all the sect’s wealth with him? He’s not the sect leader, so why should he take all the wealth from the treasury?”

"Then what does Senior Brother Yifeng mean?"

"During the meeting later, everyone will vote. If the vast majority of people are on our side, then we should make the decision. He can go and join the Beast Taming Sect if he wants, but he cannot take the sect's property with him. If he is stubborn and refuses to listen, then don't blame me for being impolite."

Tian Xuan frowned: "How can we let our own people fight each other? This is absolutely unacceptable."

"Junior Brother Tian means well, but I'm afraid he won't appreciate it."

"Alright then! I'll go talk to Junior Brother Huo. Even if we can't stop the Bright Moon Sect, how can we kill each other?"

"That's fine, go talk to him. I don't want infighting among our own people, but I can't let him take all the treasury's valuables. Explain this to him."

.........

On the other side, in the brightly lit hall, Huo Youming and two men were having a private discussion when a disciple came to report that Yan Tianxuan had come to see him. Huo Youming then told the two men to go to the other courtyard first, and then had someone invite him over.

"Senior Brother Tian, ​​I know this wasn't your idea, it was Senior Brother Feng who suggested it. Although you're on his side, I understand you."

Tian Xuan smiled bitterly: "I hope you are right, Junior Brother Huo. I don't want our sect's centuries-old tradition to end like this."

"In that case, why not come with me to Xijiang County and seek refuge with the Beast Taming Sect?"

“I am not you, and I don’t have so many thoughts about the path of cultivation anymore. Moreover, I truly believe that joining the Beast Taming Sect is not a good choice. Senior Brother Feng has already explained the reasons, so I won’t repeat them.”

Seeing Huo Youming's face turn cold, probably because he misunderstood that he was there to persuade him, Tian Xuan immediately changed the subject: "Of course, Junior Brother Huo bears the important mission of inheriting the sect, so he certainly cannot side with the Bright Moon Sect. From this point of view, you are undoubtedly right."

Huo Youming said expressionlessly, "Senior Brother Tian didn't come here to persuade me to stay, did he? We don't have much time, so please speak frankly."

"Then I'll tell you the truth! Most people in the sect don't actually want to join the Beast Taming Sect. Senior Brother Feng has already talked to them about it. The reason they didn't say anything during the discussion just now was because they felt that surrendering would have a bad reputation. But if they had to choose between the two, they would definitely follow Senior Brother Feng."

“I know that Senior Brother Feng informed everyone in advance, but I also know that many people are still hesitant. Forgive my bluntness, but what Senior Brother Feng is doing is really too much. He wants to surrender to the Bright Moon Sect, and no one is stopping him, but he also wants to lead the sect's disciples to surrender with him. How can this be reasonable?”

Tian Xuan sighed helplessly: "Now that the sect has reached this point, arguing about who is right and who is wrong is meaningless. The problem we face now is how to resolve our differences."

"I really don't want to see the sect killing each other, and I believe Junior Brother Huo doesn't want that to happen either."

"But if you want to take away the sect's treasury, Senior Brother Feng will definitely not agree, and that will cause internal strife."

Huo Youming said coldly, "Is Senior Brother Tian trying to persuade me to give up?"

"You and Senior Brother Feng should each take a step back!"

Huo Youming replied firmly, "Impossible. The sect leader entrusted me with the affairs of the sect before his death. I have a responsibility to lead the sect's revival. Without the treasury's wealth, how can the sect sustain itself?"

"Now is not the time to reason. To be honest, Senior Brother Feng sent someone to contact the Bright Moon Sect last night. If you don't leave now, it will be too late."

"What?" Huo Youming's expression changed, and he suddenly stood up: "He actually colluded with the Bright Moon Sect in secret?"

"He's doing this just in case. Once the Bright Moon Sect gets the news, they'll definitely march straight in. I estimate that the majority of the Bright Moon Sect's forces will arrive at the sect's gate by dawn or midday. It's even possible that Xu Zhuoxuan has already sent elite troops to lie in ambush around the gate."

Huo Youming's face turned ashen instantly; he never expected Feng Ziyi to be so decisive.

"You only have two choices now: either fight Senior Brother Feng, kill him, and then leave with the sect disciples and the treasury's wealth. But Senior Brother Feng is also prepared for this; he has already won over a group of people in the sect. If a real fight breaks out, it's hard to say who will emerge victorious."

"If you don't want to fight to the death, then you only have one choice: leave immediately before the Bright Moon Sect arrives." "I will persuade Senior Brother Feng. I'll give you one hour to gather the sect's disciples. Anyone who is willing to leave with you can go. I'll also give you half of the treasury's wealth to take with you."

"This is all I can do."

Huo Youming's eyes flickered, hesitant.

Tian Xuan did not urge him, and the room fell into a deathly silence.

"Junior Brother Huo, please reconsider. Senior Brother Feng hasn't agreed yet. I'll go talk to him first." Seeing that he still hadn't made up his mind, Tian Xuan got up and left.

Just as he was about to step out the door, Huo Youming's deep voice came from behind him: "Let's do as Senior Brother Tian said!"

Tian Xuan turned around and looked at him with a complicated expression: "Junior Brother Huo, to be honest, I sincerely hope that you can revitalize the sect. Finally, I would like to give you a sincere suggestion: instead of joining the Beast Taming Sect, why not find a small force with a second-tier spiritual vein and take its place, and wait for the situation to change?"

…………

Late at night, two second-tier spirit ships sailed out of the Huayuan Sect's mountain gate and sped eastward.

At the bow of the ship, Huo Youming stood solemnly, followed by three Foundation Establishment cultivators and over five hundred Qi Refining disciples.

"From today onwards, we will start afresh. All of you brothers are loyal and capable disciples of the sect. Although we have left Yongning City, as long as we can unite as one and get through this difficult time, we will one day be able to reclaim the sect. And I assure you all that I will not treat you unfairly."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately chimed in: "Senior Brother Huo is right. Back in the day, didn't the Hunyuan Sect and the Mingyue Sect both experience a period of leaving their homes and living under the roof of others? If they could do it, so can we."

"From now on, we will all follow Brother Huo's lead, sharing both good times and bad."

"We share blessings and share hardships."

"We'll share the good times and the bad." Several Foundation Establishment cultivators responded in succession.

The disciples of Huayuan Sect also shouted slogans, their voices shaking the heavens.

The crowd's morale soared, and they looked forward to the future with even greater anticipation.

After the noise subsided, a Foundation Establishment cultivator spoke up: "I believe the most urgent task is to determine the successor of the sect. As everyone knows, the sect leader passed the position to Senior Brother Huo before his death. If it weren't for the attack by the Bright Moon Sect, he would have been the sect leader according to sect rules. Now that we are away from the sect, we should appoint Senior Brother Huo as the sect leader as soon as possible. Does anyone have any objections?"

No one objected, and they immediately recognized Huo Youming as the new leader of the Huayuan Sect.

"Thank you all for your kindness, brothers. I will certainly live up to your expectations." Huo Youming did not refuse politely. He turned his head and looked towards the direction of Huayuan Sect's mountain gate, his expression solemn and dignified.

"One day, we will definitely return to the mountain gate."

Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed.

The next moment, a dazzling golden light rose up from below, shooting towards the spirit ship like a rain of swords covering the sky.

"They are from the Bright Moon Sect. All disciples, heed my command and prepare to fight!"

As soon as he finished speaking, those huge, dazzling beams of light struck the spirit ship with a loud bang.

After a moment of distortion, the defensive light barrier of the spirit ship shattered like a curtain of water.

Huo Youming and the other three Foundation Establishment cultivators acted almost simultaneously, blocking the remaining power of the golden light.

However, the spirit ship was already damaged and was plummeting downwards. In a panic, the people of Huayuan Sect jumped off the spirit ship.

“Zhang Qidong.” Huo Youming’s face was ashen as he looked at the man with slightly graying temples in the distance. The man was the newly promoted late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple of the Bright Moon Sect, and there was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator beside him.

The other party simply smiled and fled.

Huo Youming gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do.

The enemy was there specifically to destroy their spirit ship, so they retreated after a single attack.

Although he had hundreds of Qi Refining disciples assisting him, they were useless since the other side wouldn't fight him. He also dared not pursue them too far, fearing an ambush. Besides, even if he killed the two, it wouldn't change anything.

"Sect Leader, what do we do now? Without the spirit ship to transport them, we can't carry all these things to Xijiang County, especially since most of our disciples don't have flying magic weapons."

Huo Youming pondered for a moment: "Have the disciples with storage bags put all their valuables into their own storage bags, as much as they can fit in, and don't worry about the rest."

(End of this chapter)