Chapter 1605 - 920: A Dilemma

"Pick a layer where the involved interest conflicts are minimal. That way... all the major factions can grit their teeth and accept it."

"And the first layer is just a bunch of bottles and jars. Even if they all get smashed, at worst we just buy another batch. It’s enough for Zhang Yu to experiment however he wants, without any worries hanging over his head."

Though as a supporter of the Mixed Element Dao, Bu Yuan Gui had always encouraged all kinds of competition inside and outside the sect.

But in his view... what he encouraged was all healthy competition—competition that could raise the sect’s overall strength, boost the Immortal Emperor’s competitiveness, and increase the Immortal Clan’s wealth.

Whereas if you’re going to stir up a heaven-shaking war among countless factions inside the entire sect, to the point that even he might get dragged in, then that’s no longer healthy competition, but vicious competition.

"Even if past contradictions between Taoist Inheritances and rivalries on the Immortal Path accumulate to a certain degree and trigger an economic calamity, at least before the calamity all major factions earn till their basins and pots are overflowing. It’s just that when the calamity hits... the billions upon billions of living beings of Kunxu share the price together."

In Bu Yuan Gui’s calculations, this kind of competition—where the Immortal Emperor and the major factions swallow the bulk of the profits, then let all under heaven bear the cost—is an inherent feature grown out of the current Kunxu Sect system itself, and will only keep pushing the Immortal Path forward step by step.

"But if we really let Zhang Yu trigger a Law Chain war, that would be a policy blunder, and could even cause a sect crisis."

In Bu Yuan Gui’s view, if inside the Wanfa Sect there breaks out... an internal struggle that exceeds control, one that makes Upper Cultivators, especially Immortals, Immortal Emperors, suffer losses, the other sects definitely won’t sit by and watch.

"If we let other sects seize the chance to loot a burning house, and that causes the Immortal Emperor and our sect’s cultivation growth rate to fall..."

Thinking to this point, Bu Yuan Gui suddenly calmed down: "Even I can think of this—how could the Immortal Emperor not? He absolutely won’t let the situation spin out of control and trigger a sect crisis."

"Then the question is... just how far does the Immortal Emperor plan to go this time?"

"And also... why make Zhang Yu choose?"

Bu Yuan Gui thought to himself: "Considering Zhang Yu’s own interests, whether he chooses the first or second layer, the profits are too small. Would he really sacrifice his own profit for the sake of sect-wide stability... and pick layer 1 or 2?"

In Bu Yuan Gui’s eyes, Zhang Yu has such a huge nerve, and this time he’s stirred up such a big storm, clearly showing ample ambition—how could he be satisfied with just picking layer 1 or 2?

"Why do I have to choose?" Zhang Yu only felt a wave of bad premonition in his heart: "Can’t they just assign me one directly?"

Fu Ji frowned and said, "The Upper Realm is way too dangerous. I think we’d better pick the Lower Realm; picking the first or second layer is the safest."

Xiang Shen said, "The Immortal Emperor is using us to sweep the Law Chains, to clean out the interest groups in the sect he wants purged. Will picking the first or second layer satisfy him? I think as long as we choose the Lower Realm, the Immortal Emperor won’t be satisfied."

Hearing Xiang Shen actually refute her to her face, Fu Ji silently marked it down in her heart.

And what Xiang Shen said, Zhang Yu also deeply agreed with.

Right now his biggest backing in the sect is the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor.

The fact he could come this far, obtain Miracle Merits, establish Law Chains—behind it all, he relies entirely on the Immortal Emperor’s support.

Xiang Shen sighed, "If we don’t please the Immortal Emperor, not to mention how he might knock us around—even if he just stops supporting us, we’ll still be in colossal trouble! Don’t forget we still owe a hundred million in Void Refining Loans, and we borrowed a thousand years of computational power from the Law Realm that we haven’t paid back yet."

Fu Ji said angrily, "If we can’t choose the Lower Realm, doesn’t that mean we can only choose the Upper Realm?"

"If we’re cleaning out the sect’s interest groups for the Immortal Emperor, if we want him satisfied, do we have to pick layer 16?"

At this, Xiang Shen let out another sigh: "The higher the Sect Level, the better the cultivation resources, and the more it touches the power center. Those who can open Cave Mansions on the 16th layer are all Level 6 Sect Affairs Officers, Refining Void Cultivators of many years. It’s basically the main base camp of Legislators in the sect. To choose it as a legislative pilot site..."

Just imagining it made Xiang Shen feel a chill: "It’s practically a public declaration of war against all Legislators. It’ll likely provoke the hostility of almost every faction in the sect other than the Immortal Emperor."

"Besides, Law Chains are all propping up various Taoist Inheritances. Freezing Law Chains is essentially tearing up the foundations of other Dao lineages. If we pick layer 16, we’ll probably offend a huge number of Immortals, even Immortal Venerables."

"Damn!" Fu Ji cursed. "If we choose downwards, we offend the Immortal Emperor; if we choose upwards, we offend the other Immortals and Immortal Venerables! They say they’re giving us the right to choose, but this is clearly just making us take the fall for them."

At this moment, Fu Ji felt that they’d already been pushed into a dilemma. No matter which side they chose, it was a road of thorns, eyes full of poverty, with bankruptcy lurking everywhere.

Thinking of this, Fu Ji cursed even more: "This bullshit Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Emperor! Wants to sweep the sect, but doesn’t have the spine to do it himself—keeps a little Refining Void like me charging in front, and even wants me to take the blame for him?"

The Kao Sect Avatar said, "Fu Ji, I can’t pretend I didn’t hear that. To charge for the Immortal Emperor, to take the blame for him—that’s our blessing. How many people dream of such a chance but can’t even get near the door?"

Fu Ji: "Spare me. The Immortal Emperor can’t hear your farting flattery anyway."

Just then, Su Xianchen looked toward Zhang Yu and asked again, "Zhang Yu, have you decided which layer to choose as the legislative pilot site?"

Zhang Yu’s mind spun at high speed, countless thoughts flashing by one after another, yet he still couldn’t make up his mind.

Seeing Zhang Yu’s tangled expression, Su Xianchen also smiled slightly and said, "Given how serious this is, it’s perfectly normal that you can’t decide in an instant."