Chapter 879: A Sudden Change of Fate
The story of how the destinies of Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi took such a dramatic turn...
...could be traced directly back to Li Fan.
The two were originally proud and haughty, unwilling to become mere workhorses for the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance in exchange for cultivation techniques. They would rather risk life and limb exploring the ruins of ancient sects, searching for lost arts, than join either the Alliance or the Five Elders Council and sell their lives for others.
But in this lifetime, their attitude had undergone a complete reversal.
The cause lay in Li Fan’s order for Tianyang to detonate the void in Qiling Prefecture after he had achieved Dao Integration.
Consequently, the Immortal-Mortal Miasma sealed within was unleashed once more, plaguing the world.
No cultivator could escape the fate of being infected by the miasma.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi were, of course, no exception.
At the time, they were mere Foundation Establishment cultivators. Lacking any special constitution, their symptoms worsened rapidly after infection.
Just as the two sworn brothers prepared to face death together...
they unexpectedly received an antidote, distributed for free by the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance!
The two, who had once held a deep-seated prejudice against the Alliance, cast aside their reservations in the face of death.
They gulped down the medicine without a second thought.
The effects were immediate. Within a few days, their conditions had already begun to improve.
When the Alliance distributed a second dose of the antidote, it was enough for the pair to completely overcome the crisis.
Having survived, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi felt an immense debt of gratitude to the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance for saving their lives.
They deeply reflected on their previous prejudices against the organization.
Afterward, both of them joined the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
Perhaps it was true that great fortune follows those who survive a great disaster.
After joining the Alliance, the two brothers sold all the miscellaneous items they had gathered from their adventures to the Tianxuan Mirror and, to their surprise, received a massive sum in return.
They were able to exchange it for two Golden Core cultivation techniques, with money to spare.
And with their solid foundation, they experienced a breakthrough in a short time, advancing beyond the Foundation Establishment stage to become Golden Core cultivators.
"Fate works in such mysterious ways."
Upon encountering this unexpected pair on Haixuan Island, Ji Shaoli spent a few contribution points to find out what had happened to them.
And after they got into a dispute with some members of the Mutual Aid Association, he stepped in to stop them.
"These two might be a bit blunt," Ji Shaoli thought, "but their kind of personality—once they commit to something, they never turn back—could certainly be an advantage in some respects."
Faced with Dao Xuanzi's insistence on leaving, Ji Shaoli remained calm and posed a probing question.
"My friends, what is it that has angered you so? Were the things those members said just now truly wrong?"
Dao Xuanzi froze for a moment.
Ji Shaoli said gravely, "If what they said was incorrect, I will have them apologize to you both immediately."
"However, I have heard other cultivators voice similar opinions. As much as I would rather not believe it, rumors like these don't just appear from nowhere. The Alliance has always been vague about how exactly it intends to win, which goes against common sense..."
"Can you truly blame us for that?"
"Or perhaps, have you two personally witnessed the battles on the front lines and are certain that our claims are false?"
Ji Shaoli's words left Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi utterly speechless.
They opened their mouths, but could not find a single word in rebuttal.
Ji Shaoli smiled faintly. "Please, sit down. Our Mutual Aid Association has grown quite large, and with more people, it's inevitable that different views will clash."
"That is why 'seeking common ground while respecting differences' is our fundamental principle."
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you believe someone is wrong, then present facts and use reason to refute their argument."
"Resorting to insults at the first sign of disagreement—is that the way of a gentleman?" Ji Shaoli reached out and pressed the two, who were still struggling slightly, back into their seats.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi exchanged a glance, a flicker of shock in their eyes. At the same time, they couldn't help but feel that what Ji Shaoli said made a great deal of sense.
They were not ones to hold a grudge. After a moment of contemplation, they first apologized to the small group from earlier.
Then they sat back down and studied Ji Shaoli intently.
They had long heard of this leader of the Congyun Sea Mutual Aid Association.
Rumor had it that he was exceptionally mysterious and likely had a significant background.
They had never imagined, however, that his strength was also unfathomable.
"Brother, I can see he's only at the Golden Core stage. How could he overpower us so easily, leaving us unable to resist at all?" Dao Xuanzi asked via voice transmission.
Kou Hong's eyes narrowed. "He must be concealing his cultivation level. Individually, we might not be a match for those peerless prodigies, but together, we should be second to none among cultivators at our stage!"
Dao Xuanzi nodded slightly, murmuring with a look of understanding, "That must be it. In that case, he must be a Nascent Soul cultivator? It seems this Mutual Aid Association is truly more than it appears."
The two focused their attention, listening to Ji Shaoli's presentation.
He spoke of many things, including the achievements of the Congyun Mutual Aid Association in its few short years of existence, the stories of its outstanding members, and the future plans for the association.
Although the content was not particularly substantial, consisting mostly of broad and lofty words of encouragement, Ji Shaoli delivered it with such passion and a masterfully cadenced voice that it was incredibly rousing.
The faces of all the cultivators present flushed with excitement, as if they could already envision the bright future that awaited them after joining the association.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi were also captivated by the various benefits he described, instantly forgetting the unpleasant little spat from earlier.
"It seems we've truly come to the right place."
They exchanged a look, both thinking the same thing.
After the presentation, under the witness of the Red Dust Compassionate Immortal, they officially joined the Mutual Aid Association.
Another round of fervent celebration followed.
Only when the crowd dispersed did they feel as if they were waking from a dream.
"Wasn't that... a bit rash?"
Before they had time to think it over, the two were quietly led by Ji Shaoli into a secret room on the island.
"Ji, what is the meaning of this..." Kou Hong asked, his guard rising.
But Ji Shaoli's expression was sincere as he explained, "Actually, what you two said earlier resonated deeply with me. I only resorted to that bit of sophistry to placate the others."
"In this day and age, it's rare to find cultivators as passionate and sincere as you two."
Ji Shaoli bowed to the two of them, expressing his apology.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi were caught off guard by this gesture and hurriedly returned the bow.
"However, your passion is pledged to the wrong cause!" Just then, Ji Shaoli's expression shifted, and his voice turned cold.
The two were completely bewildered by Ji Shaoli's abrupt change in demeanor.
"Ji, what on earth..."
Ji Shaoli chuckled. "Heh, I know you joined the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance out of gratitude for the life-saving antidote."
"But... as for what that so-called antidote really is..."
"Please, see for yourselves!"
With that, Ji Shaoli tossed them a jade slip.
Engraved within it was detailed information about the Heart Ascension Pill!
"The... Ten... Thousand... Immortals... Alliance..."
After reading its contents, Kou Hong's face turned crimson, his eyes burning with a rage so intense it felt as if they would split.
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