Chapter 777: The Myriad Realms Come to Submit
The entrance to the small world was in Qiongjing Province.
Returning with that squad of cultivators was a Dao Integration cultivator from the Tai Yan Sect.
Acting as the Tai Yan Sect's representative, this individual paid a visit to the heavenly city of Qiongjing and, in a public audience, posed a single question.
The Tai Yan Sect wishes to join the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance in its entirety. Is this acceptable?
Although Meng Shufu, the Lord of Qiongjing City, was also a Dao Integration cultivator, he didn't dare make a decision on such a matter on his own authority.
After temporarily placating the visitor, he hastily departed for the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance Headquarters to report the situation in person.
The Dao Integration cultivator from the Tai Yan Sect, however, maintained an air of calm self-assurance, showing not a shred of nervousness.
It was as if he had already foreseen the outcome of Meng Shufu's journey.
And just as expected, not long after, the Alliance issued an official announcement.
For any who willingly assimilated, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance would not expel them from their current residences.
They would only be required to cooperate with the completion of the Tianxuan Mirror's task of surveying the heavens and the earth.
Furthermore, the Alliance would even provide preferential treatment in terms of resources and cultivation techniques.
Additionally, cultivators who successfully persuaded a power from a grotto-heaven or small world to submit would still receive their corresponding merit rewards.
The moment the announcement was made, the minds of countless cultivators across the land began to race with new ideas.
They might not be skilled in combat, but persuading others to surrender while brandishing the banner of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and offering such generous terms? How could that not be simple?
And so, cultivators who had grown somewhat complacent were once again stirred into action.
Back in Qiongjing Province, Meng Shufu looked at the Tai Yan Sect's Dao Integration cultivator, and a wave of realization washed over him.
No wonder the man hadn't shown the slightest hint of worry from the very beginning.
In ancient times, the Tai Yan Sect was renowned throughout the world for its arts of divination.
Their decision to surrender now must have been based on a result they had calculated long ago!
"The cultivators of old truly cannot be underestimated," Meng Shufu thought, a shiver of respect running through him. With great courtesy, he escorted the Tai Yan Sect's representative into the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance Headquarters to discuss the specific details of their integration.
Three days later.
A piece of news spread like wildfire.
Not long ago, the Sect Master of the Tai Yan Sect had divined that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance was destined to unify the Xuanhuang Realm.
After much deliberation, the entire sect reached a consensus: they would align with the times and cease their futile resistance.
Thus, he had come personally to negotiate.
From this day forward, the Tai Yan Sect would formally be a part of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
This marked the first small-world power to voluntarily surrender and be accepted.
When the news got out, the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance were utterly electrified.
After all, even rogue cultivators had heard of the great name of the Tai Yan Sect.
For them to now surrender to the Alliance of their own accord surely meant that the day of the Xuanhuang Realm's unification was truly not far off.
A sense of urgency gripped the cultivators, who vowed to seize this final opportunity to earn as much merit as they possibly could.
Within Longevity Valley.
"I once had my disciples inquire about those ancient sects, and they all said the Tai Yan Sect was destroyed during the great calamity," Liu San scoffed.
"But I suppose it makes sense. Their divination arts are unmatched. How could they not have prepared for the calamity's arrival?"
"Still, for them to cast aside their old pride and voluntarily surrender to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance... that comes as a bit of a surprise. Given their temperament back in the day, I'd have thought they wouldn't yield until at least half their cultivators were dead."
Liu San's tone was sharp, clearly holding no fondness for the Tai Yan Sect.
"They are merely yielding to an overwhelming force. What is pride compared to one's own life? It's utterly worthless," Fang Zaiji remarked, unfazed.
"This actually presents us with a perfect opportunity. We can observe what their treatment is really like after joining the Alliance. If it's truly as the announcement claims—that they can keep their own territory and maintain a degree of independence—then surrendering directly might not be a bad option after all," Xu Bai suddenly interjected.
At his words, Liu San, Fang Zaiji, and Jiang Yushan all stared intently at Xu Bai.
They seemed completely taken aback that he would say such a thing.
Xu Bai, however, remained unconcerned. "Elder Liu, haven't you always wanted to release the other elders and disciples from the Medicine King Cauldron? If the Alliance can provide support with cultivation techniques, then we won't have to worry about them killing each other due to the law of incompatible cultivation."
"We've been awake for so long; it's not right to keep them in the Great Dream Spring and Autumn Array indefinitely," Xu Bai said in a relaxed tone.
Liu San opened his mouth slightly, then paused.
Finally, he asked with some hesitation, "Isn't this a bit... rash?"
Xu Bai waved his hand dismissively. "Elder Liu, you worry too much. The Tai Yan Sect excels at divination. If submitting was truly harmful to them, they would never have done it."
"The fact that they chose to surrender now means there's no major risk."
"In fact, the earlier we choose to join the Alliance, the greater the benefits are likely to be. After all, the Alliance needs to set a good example for the remaining small worlds. If they say one thing but do another, it will only backfire and provoke a frenzied counterattack from the small worlds."
"For the current Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, unifying the Xuanhuang Realm and completing the ascension of the Tianxuan Mirror is the top priority. A few techniques and resources are nothing to them."
Xu Bai's explanation was detailed and his reasoning sound. For a moment, Liu San couldn't find a single point to refute.
"Good! Surrendering is good! Actually, I've been wanting to say this for a while, but I was afraid you'd be angry, Sect Master, so I never brought it up," Fang Zaiji said with a cheerful laugh, fully supporting Xu Bai's suggestion.
"I've been dying to wander around the Alliance's territory. I hear their artifact refining methods have advanced far beyond our time. I really want to see it with my own eyes."
"And Yushan, didn't you want to challenge that woman again? In the future, you'll be able to issue a formal challenge."
Jiang Yushan remained silent.
She had never been a disciple of the Medicine King Sect to begin with; she only stayed to suppress the baleful energy of the Indeterminate Prison. She felt little sense of belonging to the sect, so she had no objections to Xu Bai's decision.
Seeing this, Liu San sighed softly.
At the same time, a flicker of doubt rose in his heart as he looked at Xu Bai.
"Alright. For now, let's settle on this. Once the Tai Yan Sect is fully integrated, we'll pay them a visit ourselves to see if the Alliance's claims are true."
"I imagine that day is not far off," Xu Bai said with a faint smile.
"By the way, Mister Fang, how is your research on the Terminal Stone Disk coming along?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject.
The smile on Fang Zaiji's face froze instantly.
He immediately turned to Liu San. "Old Liu, how are those young ones doing? Has anyone successfully established their foundation through me?"
"If you don't have any results on your end, my research can't proceed either," Fang Zaiji declared, his tone perfectly justified.
(End of Chapter)
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