At the Myriad Willow Convention, both the literary and martial champions were cultivators from the Great Liang Dynasty. This had never happened before, marking the first time, especially during this reformed Myriad Willow Convention.
It was a disgrace for the foreign cultivators but an unparalleled glory for the Great Liang Dynasty.
The Warden was implying something by saying such a thing at this time.
The daoist in green robes glanced over at Chen Chao and said calmly, "Congratulations to the Great Liang Dynasty for having two genius cultivators. But it's unfortunate there are only two."
They continued their verbal exchange.
The Warden was silent for a while and said, "Two are enough. But, there are indeed more than just two."
Before the daoist in green robes could speak, the Warden continued, "Just like the current situation, without that little fellow, would you and I be sitting here?"
Recalling Chen Chao's earlier words, the daoist in green robes said, "It's indeed quite impressive to walk out of here when he was still powerless."
Prominent figures like them would naturally feel that such matters were straightforward. However, it was rare to see them experience the events from Chen Chao's perspective at that time. Nevertheless, it was clear that the daoist in green robes thought so.
The two were clearly having an ordinary conversation, but for some unknown reason, neither Chen Chao nor the surrounding cultivators could understand their conversation anymore.
This was a tactic used by high-level cultivators that ordinary people could not understand.
After a brief silence, the daoist in green robes said, "Even if the Sublime Bright Sect is to move from this place, some things still need to be discussed properly. Where will the new sect's location be? Who will be its new sect master? Will it all be decided by the Great Liang Dynasty?"
The Warden sneered and said, "Since there are no outsiders here, you may say whatever you wish, Fellow Daoist."
The daoist in green robes said calmly, "The new location for the Sublime Bright Sect must be chosen by the Infatuation Daoist Temple."
The Warden asked, "Have you considered what the other fellow daoists might think?"
With a faint smile, the daoist in green robes responded, "Why would the Infatuation Daoist Temple need to explain to others how they handle matters?"
This statement might be very unreasonable, but as the leader of Daoism, they naturally had the qualifications to speak like this.
The Warden kept quiet.
After an unknown length of time and it seemed certain that the daoist in green robes would not lay everything out clearly, the Warden got straight to the point, "The Sublime Bright Sect is already an abandoned chess piece; it doesn't matter where it's placed. What's important is how to handle the ancient ruin and who will oversee it in the future."
The daoist in green robes smiled but remained silent. Although he had this idea all along, he would not openly admit it.
The Infatuation Daoist Temple was different from other sects, they naturally would not make foolish decisions.
The Warden continued, "Take ten thousand steps back, if we were to hand this mountain over to you foreign cultivators, how would you divide it among yourselves?"
The daoist in green robes was still very calm as he said, "There are certain principles in the world that must be followed. I believe this won't be an issue."
The Warden snorted, "Ultimately, it's a troublesome matter. It might be better to leave it in our hands."
The daoist in green robes looked at the Warden and was silent for a long time before asking, "The North is still fighting a war, are you people really scared of nothing?"
When he spoke those words, the Warden fell silent. Currently, the Great Liang Dynasty was in a precarious situation. The demon army of the Demon King's Court was engaged in conflict with the Great Liang Dynasty in the North. Even if they wanted to do something to these foreign cultivators in the South, they would inevitably feel a lack of confidence.
Choosing to antagonize both internal and external enemies was not a good thing.
"That Emperor of yours is a man of great talent and bold vision, but is he really so brainless?"
The daoist in green smiled slightly and said, "I don't necessarily think so, so if there's something to discuss, just say it. You can state the conditions you want, or is there something that can't be discussed?"
At this point, their conversation had finally gone on the right track. Although it appeared that the daoist in green robes had spoken first, in reality, it was the Warden who had made the first concession.
"In that case, determining the ownership of the ancient ruin might take a long time. It won't be resolved in a day or two. In that case, let's discuss other matters first. Since we're all gathered here now, there needs to be an explanation."
The Warden spoke up. The daoist in green just nodded, "Agreed"
This was something he would not deny.
"According to the information we've received, all the cultivators who enter that ancient ruin will lose their cultivation base, which is why they chose to use the lives of so many youths."
What cultivators feared most was naturally losing what they once possessed. The act of having their cultivation taken from their bodies naturally filled them with immense dread. However, the real issue should not be this but rather something else.
Cultivators could not last very long in that bizarre place filled with white fog. In fact, they could not even compare to ordinary people who had never practiced cultivation.
"We still have some time."
The Daoist in green robes glanced at the Warden and said calmly, "Azure Cloud Immortal Manor."
The Azure Cloud Immortal Manor was an ancient ruin discovered by foreign cultivators many years ago. Because that should be the location of a sect called the Azure Cloud sect, hence the name Azure Cloud Immortal Manor. Back then, it was a small third-rate sect that discovered that ancient ruin. Hence, the secret could not be kept and it quickly became known to other cultivation sects. There had been discussions and the cultivators from various places nearly came to blows right there. However, an agreement was ultimately reached. Several major sects jointly owned the ancient ruin, and every year, they decided on the opening times and established rules for cultivators from other sects to explore it. Many years had passed since then, and almost all areas of the Azure Cloud Immortal Manor had been explored, gradually fading from the public's view.
Now that the daoist in green robes brought up the Azure Cloud Immortal Manor, he made it clear that this ancient ruin of the Sublime Bright Sect should be treated similarly.
The Warden could naturally discern the meaning and did not object to it.
They were aware of this particular ancient relic and these cultivators had come for it. However, they were prominent figures after all, they would not personally venture into danger. This did not align with their status.
"Okay."
The Warden looked at the daoist in green and said calmly, "There are still many things to discuss."
……
……
The conversation between the Warden and the daoist in green quickly concluded.
This was just an initial consensus, but it marked a step toward an agreement between the Great Liang Dynasty and the foreign cultivators. At least, there was now a preliminary solution to this matter.
The daoist in green robes said something to another daoist, then stood up rather wearily, and left the main hall.
Yun Jianyue was still outside the door.
The daoist in green robes smiled as he looked at him, said a few words, and then asked, "Want to call your Senior Sister Ye over as well?"
The Twin Pillars of Daoism, Yun Jianyue had already arrived here. Now, he was also asking if the other one wanted to come or not. One could say that the daoist in green was very cautious.
Yun Jianyue asked, "Is Martial Uncle very worried?"
The daoist in green robes shook his head and said, "Since cultivation cannot be used within that sea of white mist, naturally, martial artists have the advantage."
He did not explicitly state it, but the entire world knew that out of all cultivators, martial artists possessed the strongest physique. Among the cultivators in the foreign lands, there were fewer martial artists compared to the Great Liang Dynasty.
As for powerful martial artists, they were even worse than those from the Great Liang Dynasty.
Yun Jianyue shook her head and replied, "If he can defeat Song Changxi with the body of a martial artist, then why can't I, as an immortal cultivator, beat him?"
Yun Jianyue had always been a proud person. His pride was not displayed in his actions, but it was engraved in his bones. Moreover, as one of the most exceptional young talents of his generation, he had every reason to be proud.
He did not attend the Myriad Willow Convention because he felt that such competitions were meaningless. If he were to participate, he would undoubtedly win. But now, an opportunity was right before his eyes. He would not choose to retreat.
The daoist in green robes praised, "Indeed, as a disciple of Daoism, you should have such confidence."
Yun Jianyue paused for a moment and said with some regret, "It's a pity that Senior Sister is currently in seclusion. Otherwise, there would be no harm in meeting Senior Sister."
The daoist in green robes glanced at Yun Jianyue and could not resist warning him, "Great Dao is above all, all these entanglements of desire aren't beneficial to cultivation."
Quite a number of cultivators would choose a Dao companion to carry on their bloodline. However, whether it was a Dao companion or one's own descendants, it was not a particularly pressing matter for most cultivators. Very few people were deeply concerned about such things. But, Yun Jianyue was different. The entire Sublime Bright Sect knew that this daoist genius was deeply infatuated with Senior Sister Ye, unable to control his emotions.
Yun Jianyue smiled and replied, "Senior Sister is my Dao heart, completely and utterly."
The daoist in green robes gave him a peculiar look, unable to say anything. He understood that this kind of matter could not be resolved with a few words, and there was no way he could convince Yun Jianyue otherwise.
……
……
When the Warden walked out of the main hall, Chen Chao was sitting under a tree, idly watching ants relocating their nest.
The Warden sat down beside him, glanced at the ants for a moment, and then casually began to recount his conversation with the daoist in green robes in the hall.
Chen Chao's gaze remained fixed on the ants but took the initiative to say, "The imperial court won't be able to take back the Sublime Bright Mountain. The best outcome is for the imperial court and the foreign lands to jointly own it. However, obviously, there are many major sects among the foreign lands, and they also need to strike a balance, so nominally, this mountain will belong to us."
The Warden narrowed his eyes, his tone tinged with anger as he said, "If it weren't for the imperial court being engaged in a war in the North, we wouldn't have given in here."
As expected, it was due to this reason.
Chen Chao looked at the Warden and asked, "How's the war in the North? Does His Majesty... truly intend to go on an expedition?"
The Warden looked at Chen Chao, pondered for a moment, and shook his head. "Although His Majesty will really appear at the Northern Frontier one day, it's clear that it won't be for this battle."
Chen Chao said, "The princes still can't fully hold up the Great Liang Dynasty. The Divine Capital can't be without His Majesty."
The Warden nodded and said, "Without His Majesty present, the problem will be very big."
"But that Great General, he really is very old."
The Warden looked at Chen Chao, his expression turning somewhat solemn. Although both he and the Great General of the Northern Frontier were regarded as two of the most powerful martial artists in the Great Liang Dynasty, there was actually a significant age difference between them. The Warden was almost half a generation younger than the Grand Marshal.
"He won't be able to hold on for much longer."
At the Myriad Willow Convention, both the literary and martial champions were cultivators from the Great Liang Dynasty. This had never happened before, marking the first time, especially during this reformed Myriad Willow Convention.
It was a disgrace for the foreign cultivators but an unparalleled glory for the Great Liang Dynasty.
The Warden was implying something by saying such a thing at this time.
The daoist in green robes glanced over at Chen Chao and said calmly, "Congratulations to the Great Liang Dynasty for having two genius cultivators. But it's unfortunate there are only two."
They continued their verbal exchange.
The Warden was silent for a while and said, "Two are enough. But, there are indeed more than just two."
Before the daoist in green robes could speak, the Warden continued, "Just like the current situation, without that little fellow, would you and I be sitting here?"
Recalling Chen Chao's earlier words, the daoist in green robes said, "It's indeed quite impressive to walk out of here when he was still powerless."
Prominent figures like them would naturally feel that such matters were straightforward. However, it was rare to see them experience the events from Chen Chao's perspective at that time. Nevertheless, it was clear that the daoist in green robes thought so.
The two were clearly having an ordinary conversation, but for some unknown reason, neither Chen Chao nor the surrounding cultivators could understand their conversation anymore.
This was a tactic used by high-level cultivators that ordinary people could not understand.
After a brief silence, the daoist in green robes said, "Even if the Sublime Bright Sect is to move from this place, some things still need to be discussed properly. Where will the new sect's location be? Who will be its new sect master? Will it all be decided by the Great Liang Dynasty?"
The Warden sneered and said, "Since there are no outsiders here, you may say whatever you wish, Fellow Daoist."
The daoist in green robes said calmly, "The new location for the Sublime Bright Sect must be chosen by the Infatuation Daoist Temple."
The Warden asked, "Have you considered what the other fellow daoists might think?"
With a faint smile, the daoist in green robes responded, "Why would the Infatuation Daoist Temple need to explain to others how they handle matters?"
This statement might be very unreasonable, but as the leader of Daoism, they naturally had the qualifications to speak like this.
The Warden kept quiet.
After an unknown length of time and it seemed certain that the daoist in green robes would not lay everything out clearly, the Warden got straight to the point, "The Sublime Bright Sect is already an abandoned chess piece; it doesn't matter where it's placed. What's important is how to handle the ancient ruin and who will oversee it in the future."
The daoist in green robes smiled but remained silent. Although he had this idea all along, he would not openly admit it.
The Infatuation Daoist Temple was different from other sects, they naturally would not make foolish decisions.
The Warden continued, "Take ten thousand steps back, if we were to hand this mountain over to you foreign cultivators, how would you divide it among yourselves?"
The daoist in green robes was still very calm as he said, "There are certain principles in the world that must be followed. I believe this won't be an issue."
The Warden snorted, "Ultimately, it's a troublesome matter. It might be better to leave it in our hands."
The daoist in green robes looked at the Warden and was silent for a long time before asking, "The North is still fighting a war, are you people really scared of nothing?"
When he spoke those words, the Warden fell silent. Currently, the Great Liang Dynasty was in a precarious situation. The demon army of the Demon King's Court was engaged in conflict with the Great Liang Dynasty in the North. Even if they wanted to do something to these foreign cultivators in the South, they would inevitably feel a lack of confidence.
Choosing to antagonize both internal and external enemies was not a good thing.
"That Emperor of yours is a man of great talent and bold vision, but is he really so brainless?"
The daoist in green smiled slightly and said, "I don't necessarily think so, so if there's something to discuss, just say it. You can state the conditions you want, or is there something that can't be discussed?"
At this point, their conversation had finally gone on the right track. Although it appeared that the daoist in green robes had spoken first, in reality, it was the Warden who had made the first concession.
"In that case, determining the ownership of the ancient ruin might take a long time. It won't be resolved in a day or two. In that case, let's discuss other matters first. Since we're all gathered here now, there needs to be an explanation."
The Warden spoke up. The daoist in green just nodded, "Agreed"
This was something he would not deny.
"According to the information we've received, all the cultivators who enter that ancient ruin will lose their cultivation base, which is why they chose to use the lives of so many youths."
What cultivators feared most was naturally losing what they once possessed. The act of having their cultivation taken from their bodies naturally filled them with immense dread. However, the real issue should not be this but rather something else.
Cultivators could not last very long in that bizarre place filled with white fog. In fact, they could not even compare to ordinary people who had never practiced cultivation.
"We still have some time."
The Daoist in green robes glanced at the Warden and said calmly, "Azure Cloud Immortal Manor."
The Azure Cloud Immortal Manor was an ancient ruin discovered by foreign cultivators many years ago. Because that should be the location of a sect called the Azure Cloud sect, hence the name Azure Cloud Immortal Manor. Back then, it was a small third-rate sect that discovered that ancient ruin. Hence, the secret could not be kept and it quickly became known to other cultivation sects. There had been discussions and the cultivators from various places nearly came to blows right there. However, an agreement was ultimately reached. Several major sects jointly owned the ancient ruin, and every year, they decided on the opening times and established rules for cultivators from other sects to explore it. Many years had passed since then, and almost all areas of the Azure Cloud Immortal Manor had been explored, gradually fading from the public's view.
Now that the daoist in green robes brought up the Azure Cloud Immortal Manor, he made it clear that this ancient ruin of the Sublime Bright Sect should be treated similarly.
The Warden could naturally discern the meaning and did not object to it.
They were aware of this particular ancient relic and these cultivators had come for it. However, they were prominent figures after all, they would not personally venture into danger. This did not align with their status.
"Okay."
The Warden looked at the daoist in green and said calmly, "There are still many things to discuss."
……
……
The conversation between the Warden and the daoist in green quickly concluded.
This was just an initial consensus, but it marked a step toward an agreement between the Great Liang Dynasty and the foreign cultivators. At least, there was now a preliminary solution to this matter.
The daoist in green robes said something to another daoist, then stood up rather wearily, and left the main hall.
Yun Jianyue was still outside the door.
The daoist in green robes smiled as he looked at him, said a few words, and then asked, "Want to call your Senior Sister Ye over as well?"
The Twin Pillars of Daoism, Yun Jianyue had already arrived here. Now, he was also asking if the other one wanted to come or not. One could say that the daoist in green was very cautious.
Yun Jianyue asked, "Is Martial Uncle very worried?"
The daoist in green robes shook his head and said, "Since cultivation cannot be used within that sea of white mist, naturally, martial artists have the advantage."
He did not explicitly state it, but the entire world knew that out of all cultivators, martial artists possessed the strongest physique. Among the cultivators in the foreign lands, there were fewer martial artists compared to the Great Liang Dynasty.
As for powerful martial artists, they were even worse than those from the Great Liang Dynasty.
Yun Jianyue shook her head and replied, "If he can defeat Song Changxi with the body of a martial artist, then why can't I, as an immortal cultivator, beat him?"
Yun Jianyue had always been a proud person. His pride was not displayed in his actions, but it was engraved in his bones. Moreover, as one of the most exceptional young talents of his generation, he had every reason to be proud.
He did not attend the Myriad Willow Convention because he felt that such competitions were meaningless. If he were to participate, he would undoubtedly win. But now, an opportunity was right before his eyes. He would not choose to retreat.
The daoist in green robes praised, "Indeed, as a disciple of Daoism, you should have such confidence."
Yun Jianyue paused for a moment and said with some regret, "It's a pity that Senior Sister is currently in seclusion. Otherwise, there would be no harm in meeting Senior Sister."
The daoist in green robes glanced at Yun Jianyue and could not resist warning him, "Great Dao is above all, all these entanglements of desire aren't beneficial to cultivation."
Quite a number of cultivators would choose a Dao companion to carry on their bloodline. However, whether it was a Dao companion or one's own descendants, it was not a particularly pressing matter for most cultivators. Very few people were deeply concerned about such things. But, Yun Jianyue was different. The entire Sublime Bright Sect knew that this daoist genius was deeply infatuated with Senior Sister Ye, unable to control his emotions.
Yun Jianyue smiled and replied, "Senior Sister is my Dao heart, completely and utterly."
The daoist in green robes gave him a peculiar look, unable to say anything. He understood that this kind of matter could not be resolved with a few words, and there was no way he could convince Yun Jianyue otherwise.
……
……
When the Warden walked out of the main hall, Chen Chao was sitting under a tree, idly watching ants relocating their nest.
The Warden sat down beside him, glanced at the ants for a moment, and then casually began to recount his conversation with the daoist in green robes in the hall.
Chen Chao's gaze remained fixed on the ants but took the initiative to say, "The imperial court won't be able to take back the Sublime Bright Mountain. The best outcome is for the imperial court and the foreign lands to jointly own it. However, obviously, there are many major sects among the foreign lands, and they also need to strike a balance, so nominally, this mountain will belong to us."
The Warden narrowed his eyes, his tone tinged with anger as he said, "If it weren't for the imperial court being engaged in a war in the North, we wouldn't have given in here."
As expected, it was due to this reason.
Chen Chao looked at the Warden and asked, "How's the war in the North? Does His Majesty... truly intend to go on an expedition?"
The Warden looked at Chen Chao, pondered for a moment, and shook his head. "Although His Majesty will really appear at the Northern Frontier one day, it's clear that it won't be for this battle."
Chen Chao said, "The princes still can't fully hold up the Great Liang Dynasty. The Divine Capital can't be without His Majesty."
The Warden nodded and said, "Without His Majesty present, the problem will be very big."
"But that Great General, he really is very old."
The Warden looked at Chen Chao, his expression turning somewhat solemn. Although both he and the Great General of the Northern Frontier were regarded as two of the most powerful martial artists in the Great Liang Dynasty, there was actually a significant age difference between them. The Warden was almost half a generation younger than the Grand Marshal.
"He won't be able to hold on for much longer."
