Chapter 182: Side Story - My Name is Mang Xiang, I'm a Lonely Old Man, and I've Been a Bit Annoyed Lately |
My name is Mang Xiang. I am over ten thousand years old.
I am a lonely old man, and lately, I've been a bit annoyed.
I am on the verge of attaining Golden Core, but I've been stalled at the Gathering Immortals Platform. That bunch of old bastards...
Although their agreement doesn't affect my plan to attain Golden Core, the Immortal Alliance's Conservative Faction surprisingly no longer has the power to secure enough votes to cover my advancement.
Disgusting!
However, I have two good disciples. They are absolutely loyal to me, with zero possibility of betrayal.
With them around, plus that idiot Zhou Bojiao, and Li Haikuo, whom I fully supported in his ascension, my lineage possesses the aura of four and a half Purple Palace cultivators.
You ask why four and a half?
Given the pathetic states of Zhou Bojiao and Li Haikuo, do they look like they can shoulder major responsibilities?
So, overall, if I forcefully attain Golden Core, I actually have a chance of succeeding.
But I don't want to do that. Once certain things are set in motion, I won't necessarily be able to control how they end.
None of those old geezers are easy to deal with.
Having lived for over ten thousand years, I've seen too many such examples. That's exactly how Chi Ming died back then.
We are all old monsters. Who knows how many trump cards our opponents are hiding?
If a fight can be avoided, then avoid it. Therefore, back when Qingrui pulled the Red Lantern Illumination Sect into establishing the Immortal Alliance, I was very supportive.
Everyone sitting down together to divide the benefits, resolving conflicts through discussion rather than fighting—that's quite nice.
But when it came to discussing my Golden Core, they couldn't reach a result that satisfied me.
This poses a bit of a problem.
The Immortal Alliance is an organization meant to bring me benefits. If it becomes a stumbling block to my fundamental interests, then what meaning does it still have to me?
Three Golden Core Deliberations failed to pass. For the sake of getting the third one to pass, I even pushed Li Haikuo into the Purple Palace realm to secure an extra vote for me.
Of course, after he established his Purple Palace, my subordinates would also have more leeway to prepare for future matters.
However, the third time still didn't pass.
Before the fourth Golden Core Deliberations, I dispatched both Li Haikuo and Zhou Bojiao to the West Sea. At the same time, I also sent three thousand Qi Refining disciples there.
This was killing four birds with one stone.
First, it helped Shen Guang develop South Annex City, buying a vote from him—a vote for the fourth Golden Core Deliberations.
Second, attaining my Golden Core in the future will require a reshuffling of power, and the West Sea is a good place to prepare for that reshuffle. With a few more Foundation Establishment cultivators emerging from those three thousand Qi Refining disciples, my reserves of expendable materials will be much more abundant.
Third, if the Red Lantern Illumination Sect becomes an Upper-Path Sect in the future, those four thousand miles of the West Sea must be reclaimed no matter what. Shen Guang can die wherever he wants; this is my overt scheme.
He either fights me now, or he fights me later. His grotto-heaven is currently transforming; he has no choice!
Fourth, Zhou Bojiao needed to find a remote place to do his shady business.
He's just an idiot. I hope he dies in the West Sea, ideally killed by Shen Guang!
Shen Guang acts as a dog for the demon race, and Zhou Bojiao killed a descendant of a Demon God. There's a possibility that Shen Guang will kill Zhou Bojiao.
If he kills Zhou Bojiao, I will have a reason to directly intervene in the affairs of the West Sea, and I'll be able to easily swallow the Zhou family.
But the most critical fourth Golden Core Deliberations were ruined.
When the fourth Golden Core Deliberations fell short by two votes, I felt something was wrong. Weren't they fucking screwing me over?
At that time, I wanted nothing more than to kill Shen Guang.
You agreed to my terms, yet you broke the deal without even trying to hide it?
You really aren't afraid, are you, Shen Guang.
The incorrect voting results had a huge impact.
For example, Zhuzhao asked me if I was setting a trap for him—idiot!
I just wanted to get the Golden Core matter settled. I wanted to attain Golden Core first. As for the other debts, after reaching Golden Core, I will settle them one by one. I'll make a list, calculate the compounding interest, and settle them ruthlessly.
But why is attaining the Dao so difficult?
If I, Mang Xiang, cannot attain the Dao, then how many of the Purple Palace cultivators in the Immortal Alliance still have a chance?
But I could only tell Zhuzhao that I just wanted to attain Golden Core. I didn't have that many schemes; I wasn't the one who did this.
What else could I do?
I could only say that.
As for making a list to settle debts, I decided to wait until after I attained Golden Core. For now, I would hold off and play it safe.
On the Gathering Immortals Platform, Shen Guang and I cursed at each other for a long while. Shen Guang repeatedly hinted that he had already voted for me, and if I didn't believe him, we could vote again.
So, I decided to vote again. As for Tianshe, Whitebeard General, and those things barking over there... let them bark. They wouldn't dare actually mess with me.
A civil war in the Immortal Alliance was a good card to play. If I couldn't attain the Dao, the grand cultivators in the Immortal Alliance would go down with me!
If a real fight broke out, I definitely wouldn't spare those who stood in my way!
At worst, I would just take my disciples to the West Sea and become demons!
During the fifth vote, that bitch Shen Guang directly voted against me.
As expected, there was no issue. He hadn't messed with me the first time; he really had agreed to my terms.
Oh right, the lies I fed him didn't include a clause letting him consume Zhou Bojiao. I couldn't state that explicitly; saying it would be handing him leverage over me.
Shen Guang didn't break the deal. A new problem emerged.
So, why did the guaranteed-to-win third deliberation fail?
And what was going on with the two missing votes in the fourth deliberation?
In short, I've been a bit annoyed lately. I have a rough idea of where the problem lies, but I don't know how to solve it.
If all else fails, I'll just have to gamble it all.
Having cultivated for ten thousand years, I have never feared danger.
It just means entering the fray to slaughter. When I, Mang Xiang, enter the battlefield, I always aim for absolute victory!
Third, if the Red Lantern Illumination Sect becomes an Upper-Path Sect in the future, then the four thousand li of the West Sea must be reclaimed no matter what. Shen Guang can go die wherever he pleases. This is my overt scheme.
He either fights me now or fights me later. His grotto-heaven is currently undergoing transformation; he has no choice!
Fourth, Zhou Bojiao needed to find a remote place to do his dirty work.
He's an absolute idiot. I hope he dies in the West Sea, preferably killed by Shen Guang!
Shen Guang acts as a dog for the monster race, and Zhou Bojiao slew the offspring of a Demon God, so it is entirely possible that Shen Guang will kill him.
If he kills Zhou Bojiao, I will have a valid reason to directly intervene in the affairs of the West Sea, and I can comfortably devour the Zhou clan as well.
However, the most crucial fourth Golden Core Deliberations were sabotaged by someone.
When the fourth Golden Core Deliberations fell short by two votes, I sensed something was wrong. Wasn't this fucking screwing me over?
At the time, I wished for nothing more than to kill Shen Guang.
You agreed to the terms set by me, Mang Xiang, yet you blatantly broke our agreement without even keeping up appearances?
You truly have no fear, Shen Guang.
The skewed voting results have a massive impact.
For instance, Zhuzhao asked me if I was setting a trap to screw them over—what an idiot!
I just wanted to settle the Golden Core matter early on. I wanted to attain Golden Core first; as for the other debts, I'll settle them one by one afterward. I'll make a list and calculate them—calculate them with compounding interest, calculate them to the death.
But attaining the Dao—why is it so difficult?
If even I, Mang Xiang, cannot attain the Dao, then how many of the Purple Palace cultivators in the Immortal Alliance still have a chance?
Yet, I could only tell Zhuzhao that I simply wanted to attain Golden Core, that I harbored no ulterior motives, and that I wasn't the one behind this.
What else could I do?
I could only say that.
As for making a list of scores to settle, I decided to wait until after attaining Golden Core. I'll hold off for now and play it safe.
On the Gathering Immortals Platform, Shen Guang and I cursed at each other for quite a while. Shen Guang repeatedly hinted that he had already voted for me, suggesting that if I didn't believe him, we could cast the votes again.
Therefore, I decided to hold another vote. As for Tianshe, Whitebeard General, and those other things clamoring over there... let them clamor. They wouldn't dare to truly mess with me anyway.
An internal war within the Immortal Alliance is a good card to play. If I cannot attain the Dao, the grand cultivators in the Immortal Alliance will have to go down with me!
If a fight really breaks out, I definitely won't spare anyone who blocks my path!
If worst comes to worst, I'll take my disciples and go be demons in the West Sea!
During the fifth vote, that wretch Shen Guang directly voted against me.
Sure enough, there was no issue. He hadn't messed with me the first time; he had genuinely agreed to my conditions.
Oh, right. In the lies I promised him, there was no clause telling him to consume Zhou Bojiao. This kind of thing cannot be said openly; saying it would just be handing him leverage against me.
Shen Guang didn't break our agreement, but a new problem appeared.
So, why did the guaranteed third Deliberation fail?
And what's the deal with the two missing votes in the fourth Deliberation?
In short, I've been a bit annoyed lately. I roughly know where the problem lies, but I don't know how to solve it.
If all else fails, I'll just have to gamble everything.
Having cultivated for ten thousand years, I have never feared danger.
It just means thoroughly entering the fray to slaughter. When I, Mang Xiang, enter the fray, I always go for a guaranteed victory!
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