Chapter 2836: A Page from the Textbook |
After Jiang Zongheng finished speaking, he left, leaving only Xing Huo and Xing Chen behind.
"Martial Uncle, what did Senior Jinwan mean by that?"
After his Nascent Soul Formation, Jiang Zongheng chose a Dao name for himself: Jinwan. It was another name for loquat, in memory of that childhood encounter that had changed his fate.
Xing Huo also felt that a heavenshaking opportunity had been placed before him, but he didn’t know how to grasp it.
"Martial Nephew, isn’t the meaning already quite obvious..."
Compared to Xing Huo, Xing Chen was an old hand. He had been running the Starry Sky Commerce Guild here in the Eastern Wilderness for many years and understood very well the way the Five Elements Sect conducted itself.
This was the most faceconscious sect in all of East Continent.
At the very least, there was no need to worry that the Five Elements Sect would go back on something it had promised.
And this time, although it was Jiang Zongheng who spoke and he hadn’t spelled it out, the underlying meaning was clear enough once you thought about it.
Hearing Xing Chen’s words, Xing Huo’s eyes lit up, the drunken haze dispersing.
"How can I become like the Great Elder?"
"First become Sect Master of the Star Heaven Dao Sect."
In the course of the conversation, Xing Huo had sobered up completely. He thought of another matter: "Previously, in order to attempt Divinity Transformation, the Great Elder already sold off even the Three Lights Divine Water. Even if I go back and take charge of the whole sect, I’ll have no leverage to exchange for Deity Transformation Pills, will I?"
"That’s indeed the case. But Martial Nephew, you have to understand, Senior Jinwan is Patriarch Chen’s disciple—he wouldn’t seek us out to drink for no reason. As things stand for you, if you just idle away under the banner of the Five Elements Sect, you’ll never attain Divinity Transformation in this lifetime. This is at least one chance." Xing Chen analyzed coolly. Their lineage was a victim of the factional struggle within the Star Heaven Dao Sect, driven out. If they could not join the Five Elements Sect, then their future achievements were already visible at a glance—they had a ceiling.
Xing Huo was still somewhat worried: "But the Five Elements Sect hasn’t given any explicit promise."
"Martial Nephew, things have to be done step by step." Xing Chen again reminded him that, as they were now, their status was insufficient.
Xing Huo nodded. By now his drunkenness had completely faded; fully awake, he walked to the window and looked toward the North Abyss Mountain Peak at the very center of the Immortal City not far away.
There the lights were dazzling, boundless Light.
It was where the Divinity Transformation Patriarch resided.
It was also the peak that countless cultivators on this land yearned for in their hearts.
[Next time, I will definitely make Patriarch Chen meet me.]
Having made up his mind, Xing Huo no longer hesitated.
The next day he began preparing for the trip back to East Yu. Before that, for peace of mind, he went to pay a visit to E Yun.
Although the Star Heaven Dao Sect had declined, the scale of its Commerce Association within the Five Elements Sect’s territory could still rank in the top ten. Many Spirit Plant and mineral specialties unique to East Yu, being cheap and of good quality, had been designated as suppliers by forces such as Danxia Pavilion.
Back when E Yun was still acting Sect Master, he had a good relationship with Xing Huo and Xing Chen.
However, this time the matter touched on the reputation of Patriarch Chen; even he did not dare give any concrete words.
But after Xing Huo quietly passed him a Storage Bag, E Yun set down the teacup in his hand and spoke of a power that had vanished more than two hundred years ago.
"Back to Sky Valley?"
On hearing this, Xing Huo was somewhat puzzled.
He naturally knew of it. After all, Back to Sky Valley had originally been a subordinate force supported by the Star Heaven Dao Sect to help them oversee the Coiling Dragon Spiritual Rice.
But he didn’t know why E Yun had suddenly brought up this power.
Was he saying that back when the seven Eastern Wilderness sects stood side by side, Back to Sky Valley had offended Patriarch Chen, so now Patriarch Chen disliked people of their Star Heaven Dao Sect?
"Senior Yan Shaoyin of Back to Sky Valley, though he was somewhat lacking in sense in the past, in the end ’turning his back on darkness and returning to Light’—that act, our sect greatly admires. Even now, the Patriarch still occasionally reminisces about Senior Yan Shaoyin a few times."
After saying this, E Yun said he had a sect meeting to attend and rose to leave the reception hall.
After Xing Huo returned, he told Xing Chen of this matter. The latter pondered for a moment; his expression first grew enlightened, then immediately turned to horror.
"Martial Uncle, what is it?"
Seeing Xing Chen’s expression, Xing Huo asked in some confusion.
"Among the various Scholarly Mansions under the Five Elements Sect, in the textbooks for ideological and political education, there is an article devoted specifically to Yan Shaoyin. Its main theme is to praise how he led his entire sect to submit, avoiding the devastation of war and allowing the Five Elements Sect to realize a peaceful unification of the southern Eastern Wilderness."
In recent years, talents had emerged in great numbers under the Five Elements Sect’s banner, thanks to a boom in educational achievements, so many powers had been studying it. Xing Chen had also purchased textbooks and teaching materials for all grade levels, and he recalled the section about Back to Sky Valley’s Yan Shaoyin in them. So when Xing Huo mentioned it, he immediately "completed the problem" and understood the meaning hidden in E Yun’s words.
"This..."
Once he understood what the Five Elements Sect wanted, Xing Huo also felt a bit of panic.
He had originally thought they only wanted him to become Sect Master; he hadn’t expected that what the Five Elements Sect wanted was the entirety of East Yu.
"Martial Uncle..."
Xing Huo was somewhat unable to make up his mind. Leaving aside whether he could even return to take charge of the whole sect— even if he did, he likely would not be able to persuade the other Nascent Soul Cultivators of the Star Heaven Dao Sect to commit such an act of selling out the sect for personal gain.
"Martial Nephew, you’ll have to judge this for yourself. Your Martial Uncle is old; I only wish to spend my remaining years in peace."
After saying this, Xing Chen immediately left.
Alone, Xing Huo sat in the chair, brows tightly furrowed, his thoughts in turmoil.
In the end, he decided to just take one step at a time.
After all, he wasn’t even sure he could accomplish the first step.
