Chapter 316: Everyone is Fighting to Cross

"Rumble!"

The hall doors swung open, and Wang Ping strode out with the Water-Fire Striking Profound Maces resting on his back. This was already the clone formed from the Spiritual Embryo Clay Figurine.

His true body remained hidden safely beside the Ever-Suppressing Six Harmonies Cauldron, cultivating in peace.

He did this not only to cultivate the Great Abundance Scripture, but also because intuition told him that this act of concealment held some other unspoken benefit for him.

"Junior Brother Dousheng."

Wang Ping had just stepped out of the hall when he heard a voice call his name. He turned and saw Xianfu strolling over with a smile. "You've finally come out of seclusion."

"Come, I have important matters to discuss with you."

"Oh?"

Wang Ping was slightly surprised. This was the first time Xianfu had ever sought him out. Was this Xianfu's own idea, or the will of the True Person behind him?

Following Xianfu, Wang Ping soon arrived at the Unified Mind Hall once again. The moment he stepped through the door, a wave of scorching spiritual light washed over him, making him squint. Scanning the room, he saw no less than eight cultivators standing throughout the hall with powerful qi surging around them.

'Holy shit...'

Wang Ping was shaken, his eyes widening. 'The Tribulation Transcending Third Layer... they're all at the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer. But their qi falls short of even Kunlun's.'

Judging by this, it was highly likely that these people were not True Transmission disciples.

Did that mean they were inner sect disciples?

Wang Ping had always known the Immortal Gate had deep foundations, but only now was he truly witnessing the tip of the iceberg.

'Inner sect disciples don't have true spiritual roots, so the highest they can reach in this lifetime is Corpse Dissolution Immortal. Their potential is limited, but their numbers are massive. Besides, someone at the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer can live for up to four thousand years. Between the Eight Immortal Peaks and the Three Great Academies, the number of inner sect disciples at this layer accumulated over four millennia must be staggering!'

These were all fine talents.

'They make perfect Daoist protector generals. Since they have no hope of reaching Qi Refining in this lifetime, the Immortal Gate might as well put them to use. They are the perfect cannon fodder for the Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle!'

The lucky ones might advance to become Corpse Dissolution Immortals and live freely for ten thousand years.

The unlucky ones would simply die. Inner sect disciples were like crops ready for harvest; once one batch was cut down, the next was already fully grown.

The Immortal Gate really refused to waste a single drop of their value as human livestock.

"Junior Brother Dousheng, let me introduce you."

Xianfu pulled Wang Ping closer and said warmly, "These eight have received the decree and volunteered to assist us in the sword battle. One has come from each of the Eight Immortal Peaks."

As he spoke, the eight cultivators bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Dousheng."

"...No need for formalities."

Wang Ping raised a hand to dismiss their bows while his mind spun, quickly recalling the intelligence he had on the Eight Immortal Peaks. The eight peaks symbolized the eight domains of the Immortal Gate.

They were: Ten Thousand Dharmas Immortal Peak, for drawing and crafting talismans; Bliss Immortal Peak, for dual cultivation; Jiutian Immortal Peak, for array formations; Wugu Immortal Peak, for curses, alchemy, and medicine; Dragon Rearing Immortal Peak, for raising and commanding demonic beasts; Wanshou Immortal Peak, for cultivating spiritual plants; Mingzhen Immortal Peak, for Monitoring Heaven and observing the world; and Xuanyi Immortal Peak, for karma and divination.

Soon, the gathered cultivators introduced themselves one by one.

Zhu Fuzi, Fairy Hehuan, Dunjia, Fairy Jizhen, Bailing, Qingxuanzi, Mingdaozi, Daoist Yanyun... Wang Ping did not commit a single name to memory.

The only one who left any impression on him at all was Fairy Hehuan.

Of course, this was entirely devoid of any impure thoughts; he only remembered her more clearly than the rest because she hailed from the Bliss Immortal Peak, just like You Xuexin.

Thinking this, Wang Ping looked at Xianfu and sent a direct voice transmission.

"Senior Brother, what is the meaning of this?"

Xianfu smiled faintly. "We have already won two consecutive rounds in this Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle. The Brahma Nation will inevitably send reinforcements to try and even the score."

"Last time, Baohu's appearance cost us dearly. The Brahma Nation sent her without warning and caught us completely off guard. If your divine powers hadn't been so formidable, Junior Brother, and if you hadn't tangled with her long enough for me to arrive, the Jingyuan Pass would have certainly fallen. So this time, I intend to strike before they can."

Wang Ping raised an eyebrow. "You mean..."

"We take the offensive!"

Xianfu finally revealed his plan. "I want you to lead these inner sect disciples on a surprise attack against the Brahma Nation. First, to kill off as many troublesome Brahma Cultivators as possible."

"Second, if the Brahma Nation has reinforcements arriving, your assault will force them out into the open, giving me time to prepare a countermeasure on this end."

"At the same time, you and your squad waging a mobile battle within the Brahma Nation will take the pressure off the Jingyuan Pass, leaving those bald donkeys scrambling to cover all sides. Of course, this carries a certain amount of risk, but with the Ever-Suppressing Six Harmonies Cauldron in your possession, you can easily escape even if you encounter danger."

"Kunlun, on the other hand, lacks that ability."

Xianfu's expression was utterly sincere, and he looked as though he were about to grab Wang Ping by the hand. "Because of that, I believe you are the only one who can take on this mission, Junior Brother."

"...I see."

Wang Ping lowered his eyes, his heart already arriving at an answer. 'This isn't Xianfu's idea. It's a demand from Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan behind him.'

If this were merely Xianfu's personal idea, he would never have voiced it. Weapons were blind, and a True Person would never allow him to risk venturing so deep into the Brahma Nation alone.

But since Xianfu had suggested it, it meant the True Person had agreed—in other words, they were entirely certain that Wang Ping would not be in true mortal peril within the Brahma Nation. That meant there was only one possible answer. 'The Brahma Nation's arhats and the three True Persons have already struck a deal, and they're just extracting a payoff!'

Venturing deep into the plains to take the offensive?

'It's nothing but a smokescreen. At its core, they're just offering me up as a sweet morsel so the Brahma Nation can take a bite and grab a share of the spoils!'

He currently bore the identity of the Great Rebellion.

Back then, the Great Rebellion had waged war against both the Immortal Gate and the Brahma Nation simultaneously. The Immortal Gate used the Ancient Qi of the Six Heavens, but had the Brahma Nation truly done nothing? Wang Ping didn't believe that for a second.

'If I march out to battle bearing the identity of the Great Rebellion and suffer defeat at the hands of the Brahma Cultivators... it will most likely benefit the Brahma Nation's imagery, even if I don't know the specifics.'

Therefore, even though he was ordered deep into the Brahma Nation and his life would likely be spared, he was destined to suffer a series of crushing defeats. He would be forced to let the Brahma Cultivators gorge themselves on that imagery before fleeing back to the Great Shun all by himself. As for these inner sect disciples accompanying him...

'Every last one of them will die!'

After a moment of silence, Wang Ping looked up at Xianfu. "I understand."

"Good."

Xianfu nodded faintly. "Then I will leave these junior brothers and sisters in your hands. How and when you attack will be entirely up to your discretion."

Wang Ping said nothing more. He led the eight inner sect disciples straight out of the Unified Mind Hall. As soon as he was gone, the smile on Xianfu's face slowly faded away.

"Rumble!"

A heavy, thunderous voice boomed within the Unified Mind Hall. "Well done. The Brahma Nation is already prepared. They will devour these people."

Xianfu lowered his head, hiding his expression as he spoke in a low voice. "No harm can come to Junior Brother Dousheng himself, but those inner sect disciples are nothing but a gift to the Brahma Nation. Since they are under Junior Brother Dousheng's command, their total annihilation will serve as an indirect way to chip away at the Great Rebellion imagery he carries..."

"My Lord, why must it be done this way?"

"Oh?"

At Xianfu's words, a hint of surprise echoed through the booming thunder. "It seems you have other thoughts on the matter? No matter. Speak your mind freely."

"...I wouldn't call them thoughts."

Xianfu maintained a respectful tone. "This disciple is simply worried. What if Junior Brother Dousheng doesn't suffer a crushing defeat, but instead vanquishes the Brahma Cultivators? What do we do then?"

"Vanquish the Brahma Cultivators?"

Laughter boomed through the thunderous voice. "Then it wouldn't be that we refused to give those bald donkeys a taste of the soup, but that they simply lacked the ability to drink it."

"Why do you ask? Do you wish to help him?"

"A little," Xianfu admitted with a nod. "With his cultivation advancing at such an incredible pace for him to reach this point, Junior Brother Dousheng is truly an outstanding talent."

"Suit yourself."

Lightning flashed, and the True Person's figure suddenly materialized upon the main seat of the Unified Mind Hall. Thirty-six thunder decrees echoed around him as the dual yin and yang qi clashed violently.

"If you wish to win his loyalty, then do so. He is, after all, your future subject."

"But do not forget."

The True Person's tone was calm and indifferent, but every word fell into the hall with the heavy, ringing weight of iron, clanging like crossing swords:

"The process is irrelevant. The entire dynasty must ascend, and the human-yang wood must fill the gap left by the Earth Yang Wood to restore the Dao path of wood qi. That outcome cannot be compromised."

"Do not confuse your priorities."

Xianfu did not dare argue. He immediately moved to kneel in submission, but the True Person upon the dais waved a hand to stop him. "Do not kneel. It will only pointlessly diminish your sovereign bearing."

'So you actually realize that.'

Xianfu lowered his head. The hall was brightly illuminated, but his thoughts had plunged into utter darkness. 'The human-yang wood is a supreme qi. How could it ever tolerate being dictated by an outsider?'

Ever since he entered the Eight Trigrams Furnace, whether it was taking control of the Great Shun, or bestowing titles upon Wang Ping, Kunlun, and even the First Seat—almost every single one of his actions had been carried out precisely according to the orders of Daoist Master Xuanxiao Yingyuan before him. The True Person had arranged absolutely everything, but none of it aligned with Xianfu's own desires.

'Am I the one cultivating, or is the True Person cultivating on my behalf?'

Cultivating like this would never allow him to actualize the human-yang wood.

The Profound Firmament Governance-Bestowing Talisman-Wielding Qi was a supreme qi. It claimed the title of sovereign lord and reveled in loyal subjects. How could it possibly allow its practitioner to be controlled by another, entirely stripped of their autonomy?

Or rather:

'The True Person doesn't care at all if I actually manage to master the human-yang wood. All he cares about is that I return it to the natural order of heaven and earth to fill the gap left by the Earth Yang Wood.'

'If I succeed, excellent. If I fail, it doesn't matter.'

Perhaps that was the actual truth.

'All that talk about the Corpse Dissolution Immortal was not just to deceive Dousheng, but to fool me in turn. It was meant to make me believe I was guaranteed to reach Qi Refining so I would be even more obedient.'

Xianfu's thoughts spun rapidly, but he didn't dare let a hint of it show on his face. This was also exactly why he felt a twinge of sympathy for Wang Ping's predicament.

They suffered from the same plight.

Heaven and earth were an endless sea of suffering, and everyone was fighting to cross it. He knew that while Dousheng appeared submissive, he was definitely plotting a way to break free of his constraints—because Xianfu was doing the exact same thing.

'However... it is still too early.'

In an instant, Xianfu cleared his mind of all distracting thoughts. He raised his head, his face resuming its usual mask of total submission, and cupped his hands in a deeply respectful bow.

"This disciple understands."