I built the Jade Capital with the Netherworld

Chapter 193 Everyone has their own plans
"Oh, what can I do?"

All nine Dao Lords were startled and turned their gazes to Si Yebai.

Si Yebai sighed and said:
"The reason why our nine great sects have been able to stand firm in the nine realms for thousands of years is ultimately due to our orderly inheritance. Now that the Netherworld Sect has been added, in theory, it is just the tenth great sect. However, with the unification of the nine realms and the Netherworld Sect opening up many avenues with the power of the Celestial Court, we can hardly hide our decline."

He paused, then said earnestly:

"Since that's the case, why not offer up the inheritance, retaining only the core four and five inheritances, and take advantage of the Dao Academy's influence to recruit talents from all over the world to supplement the disciples of the nine major Xuanmen sects?"

Upon hearing this, the cultivators exchanged bewildered glances. Yi Wenyan retorted:
"No! Our nine great sects stand proudly in the Nine Paths precisely because of the superiority of our inheritances, and this is also the source of our disciples' pride. Rashly delegating our inheritances, even to those below the top three, will cause the world to lose its reverence. Moreover, the Dao Academy's ascension ceremony is for cultivating disciples of the Netherworld Path, so the Netherworld Path will inevitably take precedence. How can we compete for the Dao Academy's talents? I fear we will only end up as mere accessories to the Netherworld Path!"

The remaining people nodded in agreement:

“That makes sense! The current leaders of the nine Dao Academies are all remnant Dao cultivators, loyal to Celestial Master Lu. How could they sit idly by and watch us use the power of the Dao Academies?”

“Since the Taoist academy is going to open its doors wide, I think we should also open our doors wide.”

Where can we find cultivation resources?

"Opening up many doors to the Way does not mean treating everyone equally; naturally, it means selecting the best."

Faced with the opposition from his colleagues, Si Yebai remained silent, a sense of helplessness rising in his heart.

The discussion ultimately came to nothing.

The only solution that everyone could come up with was to follow the Taoist temple's policies.

Therefore, after the meeting, everyone went home, intending to recruit disciples before the Taoist temple opened its doors.

However, Si Yebai, upon returning to the Zhengyi Sect, immediately summoned his junior brother Kong Han to decide the future of the Zhengyi Sect.

When he laid out his thoughts, unsurprisingly, Senior Clerk Kong Han's expression changed drastically. His mind raced, and he cupped his hands in greeting, saying:
"Sect Leader, cultivators of the fourth and fifth tiers are extremely rare, appearing only once every thousand years. Those below the third tier are the mainstream of cultivation. If we rashly open up inheritances to those below the third tier, how will our disciples conduct themselves? Why would the most outstanding talents in the world want to join our Zhengyi Sect? Isn't this digging our own graves? I urge you to reconsider, Sect Leader!"

Si Yebai let out a soft sigh:

"Your thoughts are exactly the same as those of the leaders of the nine great sects. What you said is indeed reasonable. Have you ever thought about whose world these nine realms will ultimately belong to?"

Before Kong Han could answer, Si Yebai directly presented the options: "Is it the reign of the Jade Emperor, or will the Nine Great Mystic Sects take turns ruling?"

After a moment of contemplation, Kong Han said earnestly, "Although I do not know the cultivation level of the Jade Emperor, no matter what realm one is in, one cannot escape the upper limit of the Five Grades in the Nine Paths. If our Nine Great Mysterious Sects produce a Five Grade expert, it is not impossible for him to sit in the position of Celestial Master."

Si Yebai nodded: "Indeed, if a top-tier expert emerges, he might be able to take the position of Celestial Master. But does taking the position of Celestial Master guarantee that he can rule the Celestial Court and command the world?"

Kong Han frowned: "Why not?"

Si Yebai said meaningfully, "If nearly half of the celestial officials and clerks of the Celestial Court cultivate the Netherworld Path, how will you govern the Celestial Court and command the world?"

Kong Han instinctively opened his mouth to refute, with words like "rights," "interests," and "future" swirling in his mind. However, before he could speak, he suddenly found himself speechless.

His expression froze for a moment, then gradually turned pale, and finally he shut his mouth and remained silent.

In the Netherworld Path, one ascends the ranks based on merit, and this merit is the basis of one's authority.

By then, in the vast Celestial Court, everyone will have their own duties. Even if one sits on the throne of Celestial Master, how many people can one command? How much benefit can one seize?

I'm afraid that the moment they've lined their own pockets, it will become the "merit" of the Listening Bureau!
Of course, everyone has selfish desires, and even in positions of authority, there are loopholes that can be exploited.

However, when most people are focused on "merit" and maintaining the Celestial Court system, the so-called loopholes will become irrelevant.

Most importantly, as time goes on, the probability of the Netherworld Path producing a top-tier cultivator will only increase.

Just like why there are always top-tier masters in the Nine Great Mysterious Sects.

Rather than saying that the Nine Great Mysterious Sects are exceptionally superior, it would be more accurate to say that they gather resources and talents from all over the world.

Now, the Celestial Court is about to surpass the Nine Great Mysterious Gates and become the largest lineage among the nine paths.

Thoughts flashed through his mind, and Kong Han sighed, "When Master was alive, he often praised you for your great wisdom in a seemingly foolish way. I was quite unconvinced, but now I realize that Master had a discerning eye."

Si Yebai shook his head: "It's simply a matter of choosing the greater of two benefits and the lesser of two harms!"

Kong Handao said, "But Junior Brother is still a little worried. If this continues, will the Zhengyi Sect be able to exist?"

Si Yebai said, "The three thousand Great Daos each have their own brilliance. No matter how strong the Netherworld Dao is, it cannot obscure the light of the three thousand Great Daos. My Righteous Dao comprehends the mysteries of heaven and earth. It can shield us from the invasion of wind and rain on a small scale, and control the changes of wind and clouds on a large scale. It is truly the Dao that understands all transformations."

Now, while our prestige still remains, opening our lineage to the Dao Academy will surely attract many cultivators, even those offering dual cultivation options. By accumulating talent in the early stages, we can attract newcomers later. With experienced practitioners mentoring newcomers, we can definitely become the second great Dao after the Netherworld Dao. At that time, I don't even need to ascend to the position of Celestial Master; simply securing a place in the Celestial Court and ensuring the perpetual continuation of our lineage will be enough to honor our ancestors.

He paused for a moment and said, "Furthermore, the Netherworld Path's merit rituals only require following the proper procedures. Anyone with ambition will inevitably emulate the Celestial Master and supplement their practice with heretical methods. So, looking across the Daoist academies, besides the Netherworld Path, only my Zhengyi lineage has an orderly tradition. If you, junior brother, were to practice independently, how would you choose?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Han's expression shifted, and he slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming in admiration, "I understand! This is using the wind to propel a boat!"

Si Yebai smiled and nodded, his expression clearly saying, "This child is teachable!"
"At that time, I will not ask them to join my Zhengyi sect. Just asking for a favor will be enough for my Zhengyi sect to continue its legacy!"

"Senior brother, your insight is truly profound!"

"So, junior brother agrees?"

"It is a blessing for our Zhengyi Sect to have a senior brother to take charge of the overall situation. How could a junior brother be so ungrateful?"

“Excellent! With my junior brother’s support, I can rest assured! In that case, I will return to the Immortal Palace to present the inheritance.”

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Right now, as the Daoist academy is about to open, this act can be considered a pledge of allegiance, and who knows, it might even earn me a position as a Nine-Rank Immortal."

Kong Han's eyes lit up, and he cupped his hands and said, "In that case, I wish you a smooth journey and great success, Senior Brother."

"Once this matter comes out, there will definitely be a lot of criticism within the sect. At that time, I will have to trouble you, junior brother, to appease them properly and prevent any chaos."

"Junior brother understands!"

After the Zhengyi Sect disciples finalized the sect's future development at meetings large and small, they went their separate ways to carry out their respective tasks.

(End of this chapter)