A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 112 - 103: Disposing of Two Factions (Bonus - for Alliance Leader "Tanshui")

"This matter is of utmost importance, and it should not be delayed. Senior Brother Tan, Senior Sister Zhang, I am entrusting this task to you. Later, you should find Zheng Duan and others, then select two Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation and ten Early-Stage Qi Cultivation, and according to the atlas of Chaosheng Sect’s territory, conduct a thorough patrol within seven days."

The Spirit Seed is critical to the foundation of the sect and must not be handled carelessly. The couple Tan Hong and Zhang Lemei have complementary personalities, and their cooperation is seamless with formidable combat power, making them well-suited for this task.

Tan Hong and Zhang Lemei felt honored to be assigned such an important responsibility, and they immediately stood up, bowed, and accepted the task.

Lu Qian reminded them, "Chaosheng Sect must have stationed outer disciples in some key counties previously. We destroyed Chaosheng Sect with thunderous force, so these disciples are likely still unaware and remain in the region. You must act swiftly and capture them all before they react, ensuring they don’t escape and cause trouble in the territory."

These outer disciples would typically be stationed in mortal territories, usually those of low aptitude, elderly, and with no hope of reaching enlightenment. The sect simply sent them out to live among mortals, reducing the consumption of resources. For them, being among mortals, where they could maintain a semblance of power and privilege, was better than being looked down upon in the sect. It was a win-win situation.

Lu Qian had no intention of bringing such cultivators into the sect and decided to eliminate them efficiently.

Sects generally treat mortal territories as nurseries for Spirit Seeds and sources of servants, implementing various measures to ensure the prosperity and stability of the region, allowing mortals to thrive and reproduce. Along with stationing disciples in major counties, regular patrols were conducted to kill bandits and beasts, earning the adoration of the mortals and the name of immortals as saviors.

Moreover, to prevent rebellion among mortals, except for some exceptionally unique sects, general sect territories would not allow mortals to form a unified government. For instance, in the territories governed by Chaosheng Sect, the one and a half million mortals lived independently without a unified rule. Any wars among mortals would be directly stopped by the sects to prevent a drastic reduction in population.

In understanding this deeply, Lu Qian felt that in this world, mortals were merely high-intelligence livestock.

The couple Tan Hong agreed again, eager to depart immediately and cleanse the territory of the remnants of Chaosheng Sect.

"Fourth, to visit the administrator of Chongming County, the Golden Core Sect Xuanguang Sect, for registration and documentation, officially becoming a subordinate sect of Xuanguang Sect."

At this point, Lu Qian felt a heavy heart, but looking up, he saw that everyone appeared normal, indicating that this seemed perfectly natural to them.

Though Lu Qian was displeased, this was the rule of this world and had to be followed. Every Golden Core Sect ruled a county, dominated an area, and Foundation Establishment Sects, once they emerged, automatically became subordinates to the Golden Core. If a new Golden Core Sect emerged locally, either they would compete to determine a winner, or join forces, seeking broader horizons.

But the Xuanguang Sect was aggressively combative, always treating subordinate sects like fuel, turning the entire Chongming County into a Gu Refining Field. It was exceedingly dangerous to follow such a sect. No one knew whether any accidents would occur during the registration process this time.

No matter the reluctance, there was no alternative. Lu Qian continued, "This matter will be handled by Elder Guh and me."

Guh Niqiang had no objections. She was from the mighty Danxia Sect, accustomed to formidable enemies, and was not afraid of the Xuanguang Sect’s one county domain.

Seeing her demeanor, Lu Qian decided to caution her, lest she rashly provoked any Golden Core Masters.

"Fifth, to negotiate an alliance among Yunshan Sect, Yuqing Zhou Family, Spirit Snake Peak, and the other three sects, a matter which I will also handle."

Currently, Yunshan’s strength is weak, and the Five Families Alliance can provide mutual support and meet respective needs. Within the five, the Yunshan Sect naturally leads, and the position of Alliance Leader is one that Lu Qian can rightfully assume.

Hmm, the previous Five Sects Alliance seemed ill-fated? Was there something about a Five-something Merge...

Shaking his head, Lu Qian dismissed further thoughts. Suddenly, Tan Hong stood up, clasping his hands and asked, "Sect Leader, why not directly make the other four families our Yunshan Sect vassals?"

Lu Qian smiled, "The matter of vassalage must not be rushed. Although we currently have Elder Guh, in terms of conventional combat power, we can’t even compare to the three sects. They can still muster dozens of middle and late-stage Qi cultivators, but us? Besides, our Yunshan has always fought alongside the Zhou Family and the three sects. This Bichao Mountain was taken with their assistance. Forcibly establishing vassalage would lead to rumors, damaging our reputation and hindering future diplomacy, and would strain relationships. Though it might yield some annual tribute, using their power in the future would be less streamlined compared to now."

What Lu Qian said was reasonable and convincing, and Tan Hong naturally felt satisfied, realizing that Lu Qian wasn’t entirely averse to vassalage, just that the time wasn’t right. He then offered a salute and returned to his seat.

"Sixth, to visit neighboring regions. Our Bichao Mountain borders two Foundation Establishment Sects. I will soon find time to visit, proclaiming Yunshan Sect’s presence, and inviting them to participate in our Yunshan Sect founding ceremony. Elder Guh and I will handle this."

Guh Niqiang raised her elegant brows, feeling somewhat impatient, wondering why she was being involved in so many trivial matters.