Chapter 312 - 247: Gathering (Part 2)

Li Ping said with a sigh.

"If Neon really crosses the defensive lines and launches a full-scale invasion, it’s not impossible for us to cooperate with the various military forces. In a fallen nest, there are no whole eggs."

The Heavenly Elder mused.

"In the face of national disaster, we must set aside our differences and face the enemy as one. The upper echelons of our National Salvation Association will not oppose this. Without a country, how can there be a home? If the Divine Land’s legitimate rule is gone, what ’nation’ would we be ’saving’? However, the specifics of implementation are another matter entirely."

Yang Xun also spoke.

"The situation in Jinmen can be considered completely stable. But next, the matter of uniting the civilian Martial Arts Realm is of the utmost importance and cannot be delayed."

Li Ping said.

"The invitations have all been sent out. This time, none were returned, but the other parties haven’t given a clear, positive response either. They’re likely still assessing the situation in Jinmen. Once we finalize our talks with the military factions and their masters withdraw from Jinmen, and the situation is settled, I’m sure they won’t refuse to participate in this World Martial Banquet."

The Heavenly Elder said.

"Then let’s settle things with the military factions as soon as possible. If their masters have any more objections, I’ll step in and resolve it myself. Cut the Gordian knot."

Zhao Xuanqi said.

"With Yuan Tianhao pushing things from the inside, it shouldn’t be too difficult. However, there is one matter we can’t resolve for now."

The Heavenly Elder said.

"Oh? What is it?"

Zhao Xuanqi asked.

"Within the civilian Martial Arts Realm, we’ve already sent formal invitations to all the top-tier schools with Harmony masters. But there’s one more, the most important one, that we’ve been unable to contact."

The Heavenly Elder said.

"You’re talking about one of the Four Saints Sects, the Cyan Dragon Sect, right?"

Yang Xun asked.

"Correct. It is indeed the Cyan Dragon Sect. This sect was originally the leader of the Four Saints Sects. Its successors are few, and its methods and actions are secretive. They are like a Divine Dragon, able to appear and disappear, to bend and to stretch. However, this sect also falls under the civilian Martial Arts Realm. And because its members are exceptionally powerful, it holds an extremely high status, acting as the unacknowledged leader of the civilian Martial Arts Realm."

"If we could invite a master from the Cyan Dragon Sect to the World Martial Banquet, it would likely be much easier to win over the major powers of the civilian Martial Arts Realm. The problem is, their whereabouts are unknown. The last time a successor of theirs was seen in action was over a decade ago, during the battle in Shangjing that overthrew the Qian Dynasty. There’s been no word for more than ten years. We can’t contact them, and we can’t deliver the invitation. You are the successor of the Holy Beast Fist; have the people of the Cyan Dragon Sect ever contacted you?"

The Heavenly Elder inquired.

"No."

Zhao Xuanqi shook his head slightly.

’In truth, he was also very interested in the Cyan Dragon Sect. It was one of the four sects passed down by the Holy Beast Divine General, and before Lin Quelan of the Vermilion Bird Sect rose to prominence, it had always been the head of the Four Saints Sects. Because it remained hidden from the world, it had escaped the destruction of several "Mie Wu" purges. As a result, its legacy was complete, and it seemed to possess many preserved ancient texts. This was a significant treasure, one that might hide important information about the Holy Beast Divine General and the Divine General realm itself.’

’He had now experienced the White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermilion Bird Sects of the Four Saints Sects. Only the elusive Cyan Dragon Sect, like a dragon showing its head but hiding its tail, remained for him to encounter.’

"Is there any way to contact them?"

The Heavenly Elder asked.

"I don’t know. I can try, but don’t get your hopes up. It’s better to make other preparations. Leave this matter to me."

Zhao Xuanqi said.

Everyone nodded.

...

...

Everyone dispersed from the conference room. That evening, Li Ping and Yang Xun came together to bid everyone farewell.

Now that the situation in Jinmen was initially settled, there was little point in them staying longer. Moreover, with war breaking out in the north and the world in upheaval, the National Salvation Association was bound to take action, and their participation would be indispensable.

The two of them declined the Three Elders’ suggestion to hold a secret farewell banquet for them. They merely left a contact method for Zhao Xuanqi in private before disappearing without a trace, like a dragon hiding in the great sea.

Early the next morning, at the call of the Martial Arts Association, the masters from Jinmen’s various military factions gathered to discuss the specific division of interests following the events in the city.

The meeting lasted for an entire day. It was full of tedious squabbling between the various parties.

Zhao Xuanqi attended the entire meeting but barely spoke, sitting there like a divine statue.

He had no choice but to attend. Without him there in person, there was no one to keep all the masters from the military factions in check. The negotiations would have completely stalled otherwise.

But even with him present, reaching a consensus was no easy task. Even though the Divine Land’s situation was tense and Yuan Tianhao had already made concessions, if these masters backed down too easily, they would likely lose face when they returned to their respective forces.

So, by the end of the first night, no final consensus had been reached, and the meeting was set to continue the next day.

But Zhao Xuanqi didn’t have that much time to waste on such trivial matters.

That night, he paid a visit to the garrisons of every military faction.

Early the next morning, the meeting proceeded with unimaginable smoothness. A consensus was basically reached by the end of the morning, though the expressions on the faces of the military masters were none too pleasant.

If a consensus couldn’t be reached through talking, then it would be beaten into them.

This was the method Zhao Xuanqi had always been accustomed to using, and it was extremely efficient.

On the third day, the military masters who had reached an agreement began to withdraw from Jinmen. Some returned to their factions, while others rushed to the northern front lines.

The contents of the multi-party agreement inevitably leaked out and soon became known throughout the land.

This agreement, which heavily favored the Martial Arts Association, immediately made everyone realize that in the chaotic situation of Jinmen, the Martial Arts Association had emerged as the final, greatest beneficiary!

For a moment, the various powers that had been watching from the sidelines were somewhat surprised.

Although Zhao Xuanqi’s combat record was formidable and the strength he displayed had reached the pinnacle of the Divine Land, eleven Harmony masters from the various military factions had gathered in Jinmen at the time. As the saying goes, "two fists are no match for four hands." Even a Military Commander would have to be wary of such a number of masters.

What’s more, these masters had the backing of their respective military factions, yet they had still retreated.

Everyone understood: the military factions had compromised. The rise of the Jinmen Martial Arts Association was now inevitable!

Suddenly, the major schools that had received invitations but had not given a clear, positive response all took the initiative to contact the Martial Arts Association. They expressed their willingness to participate in the World Martial Banquet to discuss the development of the Divine Land’s civilian Martial Arts Realm and how to deal with Neon’s invasion of the Divine Land.

The World Martial Banquet would now truly become a grand event for the entire civilian Martial Arts Realm of the Divine Land.

However, Zhao Xuanqi did not participate in these specific details. At this moment, he was in a courtyard house in the suburbs of Jinmen.

In the main hall, Elder Xu Ji of the Black Tortoise Sect, Elder Peng Weishan of the White Tiger Sect, as well as Fan Shiyan and Shi Huai’an were all present.

"The Sect Leaders of both our sects have already called to say they will personally attend the World Martial Banquet to support Elder Zhao."

Xu Ji and Peng Weishan were both beaming. It had been their decision to make Zhao Xuanqi an Honored Guest Elder for both their sects. At the time, they had suppressed considerable opposition from within their ranks. Now, all their investments had paid off.

Zhao Xuanqi had appeared out of nowhere, suppressed all of Jinmen, and propelled the Martial Arts Association onto the stage of the entire Divine Land. Their two sects had naturally reaped huge benefits from this, and their own status within their sects had risen accordingly.

"This is the supplement for the missing parts of your two sects’ Secret Transmissions. Take them back and study them well."

Zhao Xuanqi took out two scrolls and handed them to the two men.

He had originally held back from the two sects to guard against certain risks, but now, his strength was so great that he could completely overpower them both. There was no longer a need for such precautions.

"Thank you, Elder Zhao!"

Xu Ji and Peng Weishan were overjoyed. They stood up and gave Zhao Xuanqi a sincere bow.

Zhao Xuanqi did not shy away and accepted it calmly. Then, he gestured for them to sit down and said, "Is there any news on the Cyan Dragon Sect?"

"Not yet. Originally, our Four Saints Sects all came from the lineage of the Holy Beast Divine General. We were like branches of the same tree and had secret ways to contact each other. But ever since the battle in the Capital City back then, when Lin Quelan went to war to seize the Secret Transmissions of the other sects, suspicion grew between us. The lines of communication were severed. The hope of contacting the Cyan Dragon Sect using the old methods is very slim."

"However, we might not need to contact them at all. They may just show up on their own."

Xu Ji said.

"Oh?"

Zhao Xuanqi was slightly surprised to hear this.

"The Cyan Dragon Sect has the Qi Observation Technique. They can know the changes of the world without ever leaving their homes. Whenever the world is on the brink of great change, their members emerge to participate in major events. For them, this is a form of training, of cultivation, and also a promise they made to the Holy Beast Divine General."

"The world is in upheaval now. Neon is invading, and you, the successor of the Holy Beast Fist, have appeared to lead the Martial Arts Association in unifying the civilian Martial Arts Realm. It’s impossible for a successor of the Cyan Dragon Sect to miss such a momentous trend."

Peng Weishan said.