Chapter 393: Interests

Listening to Chi Yun's account, Yaoguang finally understood the relationships at the very top of the Heavenly Dao Sect. It was no wonder Zong Wenxian had sat securely on the sect master's throne for thousands of years, remaining the most important figure in the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Jing Yuntian and Gu Li shared interests with him, and Perfected Lord Bu Zhou owed him his life. That accounted for the support of three supreme elders.

More critically, Perfected Lord Bu Zhou was Perfected Lord Jinghong's junior brother, giving Zong Wenxian influence over the strongest man in the Heavenly Dao Sect other than the Dao Lord.

And that expert in the Dao Lord Candidate Rankings could in turn sway the other supreme elders, including Yuan Xing and Dong Xi, the two supreme elders who, despite their grievances with Zong Wenxian, could only opt for neutrality.

This latest incident was a case in point. When Zong Wenxian provoked the wrath of the divine race beyond the star region and called for aid, it was Perfected Lord Bu Zhou who led Yuan Xing, Dong Xi, and a rather reluctant Perfected Lord Liao Chen to his rescue.

"Supreme Elders Jing Yuntian and Gu Li are bound to Zong Wenxian by interests. The moment he can no longer deliver enough benefits, they'll abandon him, so they can still be won over. The real trouble is Perfected Lord Bu Zhou." Chi Yun's voice was grave. "That perfected lord is the greatest pillar propping up Zong Wenxian's throne..."

"A Dao Lord's direct disciple would naturally enjoy many privileges," Yaoguang said.

"Actually, no." Chi Yun smiled. "The Central Heaven Dao Lord only has three disciples who are still living. The ones he places his hopes in are Perfected Lord Jinghong and the later-accepted Perfected Lord Ni Chang. When he set out to roam the starry sky, he originally meant to bring Perfected Lord Jinghong along, but Jinghong couldn't rest easy entrusting anyone else with monitoring the Gate of the Immortal Realm, a task which would play a part on the Dao Lord's future, so he requested to be assigned to monitor it. In the end, the Central Heaven Dao Lord left with only Perfected Lord Ni Chang. As for Perfected Lord Bu Zhou... He was given up on long ago."

A note of disdain crept in. "After all, that perfected lord has cultivated for over eight thousand years and still hasn't brought his life-bound Dao Technique to perfection. He has probably no hope of becoming a Dao Lord in this lifetime."

"Eight thousand years, and his life-bound Dao Technique isn't even at perfection?" Yaoguang was somewhat taken aback. What has he been doing with his life?

"Perfected Lord Bu Zhou only managed to cultivate under the Central Heaven Dao Lord because his father was the Dao Lord's disciple. When his father died of Dao transformation, his dying request was that the Dao Lord look after his son, and only then was he taken into the fold." Supreme Elder Chi Yun sounded increasingly weary of the subject. "They say Perfected Lord Bu Zhou was fairly humble and low-key two or three thousand years ago, but his temperament shifted as he aged. And he seems to regard Zong Wenxian as his successor of sorts. In anything related to him, he's especially fond of throwing his seniority around."

He continued bluntly, "It was precisely their disgust at Perfected Lord Bu Zhou's bullheaded unreasonableness in backing Zong Wenxian that drove Supreme Elders Yuan Xing and Dong Xi to draw a line with the man. Only their wariness of Perfected Lord Jinghong keeps them from openly opposing him. Once Perfected Lord Bu Zhou dies, give it another millennium or two, and Zong Wenxian's seat may not be so secure."

Something occurred to Yaoguang as he listened. "So that's why Zong Wenxian's oppression of deputy sect masters these past two thousand years has been so blatantly heavy-handed?"

Supreme Elder Chi Yun nodded. "If no outstanding deputy sect master were to emerge for another thousand years or two, then even after Perfected Lord Bu Zhou passes away, Zong Wenxian's seat as sect master stays safe. Meanwhile, he's been aggressively grooming young Void-Piercing cultivators like Lang Ya. Once they have matured, and if everything goes smoothly, one of them will inherit his seat."

"Heh. Sect Master Zong has it all worked out," Yaoguang said with a smile.

"Which is why plenty of people can't stand him," Supreme Elder Chi Yun replied. He glanced at Yaoguang. "Compared to Deputy Sect Master Song eight hundred years ago, you have a far better chance of contesting Zong Wenxian's position and shaking the Heavenly Dao Sect out of its stagnation."

Yaoguang did harbor thoughts of becoming the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, but his real concern was for the people of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

With the insight into realms granted by his high-dimensional cognition, becoming a Dao Lord was no idle dream, and once he achieved Dao integration, he would inevitably enter the Gate of the Immortal Realm someday, attain the Immortal Dao, and achieve immortality. That being so, he wanted to leave the Nine Cauldrons Sect a path to fall back on.

In that respect, he was actually somewhat like the Penglai Dao Lord.

"I never wanted a conflict with Sect Master Zong. But with him and his faction pressing me at every turn, I had no choice but to strike back," Yaoguang spoke from the heart.

Supreme Elder Chi Yun plainly did not believe a word of it. To become the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, to have that many Void-Shattering, Void-Refining, and Void-Piercing cultivators leap to obey a single command, who would turn such power away? Yaoguang was just being modest for appearance's sake.

"Hehe, well said, Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang. If Sect Master Zong really were selfless and set on steering the Heavenly Dao Sect toward better days, we too would spare nothing to assist him in making the sect bigger and stronger. Unfortunately, the heavens rarely grant such wishes. The desire in people's hearts is never satisfied." Supreme Elder Chi Yun sighed along.

Yaoguang looked at him, quietly lost for words. But there was nothing he could explain. He would let them think what they liked while proceeding at his own pace.

"Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang..." Supreme Elder Chi Yun continued speaking.

"Deputy Sect Master Shen and Deputy Sect Master Jiang have come as well. They're here to discuss closer cooperation among the three domains. Specialty goods unique to the southern domain would fetch far greater returns sold in the eastern and northern domains, and the same holds in reverse. Mutual trade would benefit the development of all three domains substantially." Supreme Elder Chi Yun made the introduction.

Yaoguang nodded, raising no objection. Exchange would also help the Nine Cauldrons Sect integrate into the North Sea Star and the broader environment of a top immortal sect like the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Until now, his people had stayed holed up in a small place like the Yunchuan Mountains, their horizons and experience hemmed in. They needed to step out and truly rub shoulders with the North Sea Star's upper circles to adapt to the impending changes in status.

The time that followed was spent in discussion among Shen Junyan, Jiang Guike, and Yaoguang. Although the two men were deputy sect masters, just as he was, their bearing before Yaoguang was noticeably diminished, and they negotiated with him while clearly showing their lack of confidence.

The two sides hammered out a good number of trade terms, most of them favoring the southern domain. To demonstrate sincerity, Shen Junyan placed an order for thirty Jiuzhou warships on the spot.

The mention of warships reminded Yaoguang of something, and he asked with a smile, "I hear the eastern domain is suffering a fiendish calamity? Do you need help?"

"About that..." Shen Junyan hesitated a moment, then came clean. "It's mainly that Sect Master Zong kept raising the eastern domain's taxes, again and again. We were forced to find an excuse, despite it being something that would make us lose face."

"I see." Yaoguang was a little disappointed.

"Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang, you should be careful yourself. After you crushed the Yin Lunar Sect's fiendish cultivators in one stroke, plenty of factions must have placed orders for warships and flying swords. With both businesses booming, Zong Wenxian is certain to use that as a pretext to raise taxes on the southern domain and choke its development." Jiang Guike warned Yaoguang. "A tax hike like that benefits the whole Heavenly Dao Sect, so it will win everyone's support..."

He paused. "Even Supreme Elder Zhen Xuanyuan and his allies will be no exception."

Yaoguang was not surprised. There were no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.

Zhen Xuanyuan, Perfected Lord Liao Chen, Perfected Lord Chi Yun, and the rest stood opposed to Zong Wenxian's faction, but in the end it all came down to how the spoils would be divided.

If Zong Wenxian were willing to part with a large share of the benefits in his grasp, those men would change their tune in a heartbeat and rally behind him.

"I'll find a way to handle it," Yaoguang said.

Jiang Guike nodded. Yaoguang's position was already far better than theirs, or any deputy sect master's in history. Presumably he had his own calculations.

After a warm and friendly exchange, Supreme Elder Chi Yun and the others took their leave, and with the departure of the Heavenly Dao Sect contingent, the domain lord's residence finally quieted down a little.

"Scrapping tooth and nail over scraps of profit, locked in endless struggle. Where would anyone find the time, energy, or focus for cultivation, let alone attempt to reach the Dao Lord Realm?"

Within his residence, Yaoguang felt a surge of emotion, and then, just as quickly, laughed at himself. Easy for him to say.

For the majority of cultivators, the Void-Shattering Realm was already the absolute ceiling.

After clawing their way there through untold hardship, many took one look at the chasm between themselves and Dao integration, vast as the gulf between heaven and earth, and sank into despair.

It was no wonder they reversed course, trading bitter cultivation for idle pleasure and creature comforts.

The more disciplined among them turned instead to hoarding resources and pinning their hopes on their descendants, as though the children might reach heights the parents could never.

And so the many Void-Shattering cultivators grew petty and greedy, fighting tooth and claw over benefits across the North Sea Star, perhaps even moving themselves to tears afterward at their own great selflessness.

Still, Zong Wenxian raising taxes in the Heavenly Dao Sect's name would be a real problem. Yaoguang mused.

Many people could not bear to watch the new industries he had created flourish. The moment there were profits and a market, they would step in as the rule-makers and demand their cut.

It was something he had to guard against. But Yaoguang would not use Shen Junyan's playbook. He wouldn't come up with the excuse of an invasion by fiendish cultivators from beyond. His solution...

"I'll kill a supreme elder, and let all of you have something else to divide first," Yaoguang said.

The Recording Stone on him was more than enough to nail Jing Yuntian and his Jing family to the wall. Of course, the time was not yet ripe.

To really be able to throw a feast by carving up the Jing family, his own strength needed to grow further. At minimum, he needed the power to subjugate Jing Yuntian.

"I'm not quite there yet. But once I've fully refined the heavenly fiend origins of the Eight Desolations and Dark Fiend Lords, and the other fiendish cultivators, it should be enough." Yaoguang sensed the state of his cultivation.

If all went smoothly, the Void-Shattering Realm was not far off either.