Chapter 845: Helplessness |
Originally, someone like True Monarch Grey Mountain, an experienced expert, together with an old fox, would not be easily deceived by Meng Zhang.
However, the two sides had an unequal exchange of information, and True Monarch Grey Mountain's knowledge was limited in many aspects.
Moreover, after True Monarch Grey Mountain sought refuge with the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan, he was already extremely uneasy and burdened with heavy psychological pressure.
He was already regretting his decision.
He shouldn't have obeyed the commands of the Dali Dynasty and betrayed the Jiuqu League, choosing to join the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan.
As a result, he and his sect were now carrying a huge burden and became the public enemy of Human Clan cultivators.
The reason the Dali Dynasty could control True Monarch Grey Mountain was not only because they held the handle of his initial surrender but also because he had been captured alive by powerful individuals from the Dali Dynasty, leaving a deep psychological trauma.
The overwhelmingly powerful and unbeatable image of the Dali Dynasty had deeply ingrained itself in his mind, making him unable to muster any thoughts of resistance, only knowing to passively obey all commands from the Dali Dynasty.
If the Dali Dynasty were to really reconcile with the Jiuqu League, then True Monarch Grey Mountain, as a traitor, would be caught in the middle and have no place to turn.
Being frightened by Meng Zhang, this veteran Primordial Spirit True Monarch was genuinely scared.
Meng Zhang's promises might not be reliable either.
Moreover, given Meng Zhang's status, even if he vouched for True Monarch Grey Mountain with all his might, it might not have much effect.
Meng Zhang was a prominent figure, and seeing True Monarch Grey Mountain's wavering heart, he naturally took advantage of the situation and exaggerated the situation.
Meng Zhang told True Monarch Grey Mountain that Taiyi Sect held a significant position within the Jiuqu League.
They had a wide network of contacts and many Primordial Spirit True Monarch friends.
These friends were reliable individuals who would support Taiyi Sect in critical moments.
The Dali Dynasty had long harbored intentions of winning them over.
True Monarch Grey Mountain was well aware that Meng Zhang's words were not entirely true and must have some exaggeration.
Whether it was due to confusion or desperation, apart from Meng Zhang, it seemed there was no one else who could help him.
Especially, when Meng Zhang mentioned Wen Dong True Monarch, it was the person who had originally persuaded True Monarch Grey Mountain to surrender and had been in contact with him ever since.
When facing utter despair, one would grasp at any straw available.
With no other options left, True Monarch Grey Mountain reluctantly chose to trust Meng Zhang.
Of course, he maintained a cautious attitude while also facing his difficulties.
He explicitly told Meng Zhang that he couldn't switch sides during a crucial moment and openly betray the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan.
Meng Zhang didn't expect True Monarch Grey Mountain to do so in the first place.
Even if Taiyi Sect and the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan went to war, Meng Zhang wouldn't pin all his hopes for victory on True Monarch Grey Mountain.
Meng Zhang advised True Monarch Grey Mountain that he didn't need to directly oppose the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan.
During the big battle, he could hold back a bit and reserve some strength, and that would be sufficient.
Meng Zhang's words relieved True Monarch Grey Mountain's anxiety, and he also presented his own request.
He hoped that Meng Zhang would make a Grand Dao vow, promising to do his best to help Grey Mountain School get out of trouble.
A Grand Dao vow was not something casually taken. Once violated, it would incur a Grand Dao backlash.
Meng Zhang had never genuinely intended to help Grey Mountain School.
For a Human Clan traitor like True Monarch Grey Mountain, death was not enough punishment.
In public, Meng Zhang would only distance himself from True Monarch Grey Mountain, never foolish enough to be associated with him.
Upon facing True Monarch Grey Mountain's request, Meng Zhang's expression changed."What True Monarch Grey Mountain still hasn't proven his sincerity and hasn't done anything yet, he's forcing me to swear to help him. This is really unfair."
For True Monarch Grey Mountain to receive Meng Zhang's help, he needs to prove with his actions in the future that he genuinely cares about the Human Clan and hasn't truly sided with the extraterritorial Barbarian Clan.
Meng Zhang used various tactics to deceive and scare True Monarch Grey Mountain before finally appeasing him.
It's not that True Monarch Grey Mountain is foolish, but he's in a position where he has to rely on Meng Zhang, and his options are limited.
After dealing with True Monarch Grey Mountain, Meng Zhang was in a good mood.
However, at this time, the recruitment order from Jade Sword Sect made him unhappy again.
The recruitment order from Jade Sword Sect was not excessive; they didn't demand the entire main force of Taiyi Sect.
According to the order, Taiyi Sect only needed to send about ten Gold Core Daoist Masters, along with a large group of Foundation Building and Refining Qi cultivators.
With Taiyi Sect's current strength, dispatching such a force would strain their manpower, but it wouldn't affect the overall situation.
Meng Zhang's displeasure stemmed from the fact that Jade Sword Sect's recruitment order confirmed the information Wen Dong True Monarch had previously told him.
Before the recruitment order officially arrived at Taiyi Sect, Wen Dong True Monarch had secretly sent a message to Meng Zhang.
The content revealed that Jade Sword Sect had concerns about the powerful cultivation forces within the Jiuqu League, especially disobedient sects like Taiyi Sect, which had raised their displeasure.
Jade Sword Sect's higher-ups devised a plan to gradually weaken these cultivation forces, and Taiyi Sect was one of the first to be targeted.
Combining the message from Wen Dong True Monarch, Meng Zhang was worried that the Taiyi Sect cultivators sent out would be used as cannon fodder by Jade Sword Sect.
Even if Wen Dong True Monarch intentionally incited the situation, Jade Sword Sect didn't have malicious intentions.
However, once a battle occurred, Jade Sword Sect's cultivators would naturally see Taiyi Sect's cultivators as expendable.
Meng Zhang had done such things many times himself.
Under Taiyi Sect's control, the Hanhai Alliance was nominally an organization that helped each other, but in reality, it was the main source of Taiyi Sect's cannon fodder.
Recruiting cultivators from affiliated forces to be used as cannon fodder and reduce their own casualties was a common practice in the Cultivation World and an open secret among major sects.
A more ruthless and cunning individual would have readily agreed to Jade Sword Sect's recruitment.
Even if all the dispatched cultivators were lost, the sect would only suffer some injuries and losses of vitality, but it wouldn't provoke Jade Sword Sect.
However, Meng Zhang was reluctant to adopt such an approach.
He couldn't bear to send his carefully nurtured disciples to be used as cannon fodder, leading them on a path of certain death.
Setting aside emotions, Meng Zhang simply didn't want to lose such a significant force.
Taiyi Sect had been forcibly recruited by the main sects before.
Starting from a Refining Qi minor sect, Taiyi Sect had been subordinate to others.
Even after becoming a Foundation Building sect, a Gold Core sect, they couldn't avoid being recruited and forced to participate in battles they didn't want to be involved in.
Now, as a Primordial Spirit sect, Taiyi Sect still couldn't escape the control and recruitment by stronger sects.
When will Taiyi Sect truly control its own destiny?
Meng Zhang felt helpless and filled with a profound sense of powerlessness.
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