Chapter 92

In the Zixiao Hall, Ziyun Zhenren looked around at the various sect leaders and said, "The first method is to bring the Eight Sects under the direct jurisdiction of the Zixiao Hall, integrating the power of the Zixiao Hall to glorify the name of the Zixiao. The second method is for the Ten Sects of Zixiao to each dispatch experts to form a joint force, led by the Ziyang Sect, to go to the Central Continent to avenge the blood debt. Qingping Sect has already stepped on our heads. Today they killed my wife, tomorrow they might kill your children. The century-old enmity with the Qingping Sect must be resolved."

At the foot of Yingke Mountain, Zhang Tongyuan said calmly, "During cultivation, the sect leader told me that love and desire between men and women are the knots of cultivation. If you can untie them, it is a blessing; if you cannot, it is a calamity. Now I find that the desire for power is even more terrifying."

Lin Fan said, "Your sect leader has the heart to strive for strength and knows that the Eight Sects are too large to control. The fault does not lie with him but with the previous sect leader. If he were willing to hand over the leadership, there would be no such situation today. However, the successive leaders of the Ziyang Sect will eventually provoke the dissatisfaction of the leaders of other sects. You are right; it is the power that causes the trouble."

Zhang Tongyuan asked, "Aren't cultivators supposed to be free from desires? Why do they still vie for power?"

"Why are there evil sects?" Lin Fan countered, then continued, "In a village, everyone lives in harmony. Then there is a lazy person who doesn't want to work but is afraid of going hungry, so he steals others' food. When others find out, they realize it's an easy way, so they also learn to steal. The hardworking people are not happy; why should their hard-earned food be stolen? So they start to resist. The lazy people, unable to steal, start to rob, and the hardworking people join forces to fight the bad guys. This alliance needs a leader. Is the leader selfish? Everyone is selfish, to varying degrees. Once the leader has power, he lets his brother not work hard and focus on farming, while others work harder to guard against robbers. Others see this and refuse; why should your brother not work? Everyone feels the benefits of power."

Lin Fan added, "If you were not from the Ziyang Sect, and if the Ziyang Sect was not directly under the leadership of the sect leader, could you freely read in the library hall? Could you focus on cultivation without doing chores? How to highlight the use of power? Your sect leader restricts the other eight sects from reading the documents and scriptures in the library hall. Who has the right to read and who does not, is decided by those in power."

Zhang Tongyuan said, "The sect leader can be fair and treat everyone equally."

"Right, your sect leader can do that, but can you be sure that the leaders of the other eight sects think the same way? Will they be grateful? Can you ensure they won't favor their own sect? Unless everyone in the Zixiao Hall is selfless, if they are selfless, they will not compete, and without competition, there will be no progress. The Zixiao Hall would have long declined, and evil people would easily attack and plunder the library hall."

In the early days, cultivators were indeed free from desires and did not compete. But a bad person appeared, and even if you don't compete, he will try to take. Why are there sects? To have cohesion, to protect the sect, and to provide a safe environment for everyone. Once a sect is formed, there is a leader, and it involves the distribution of resources. There is no absolute fairness in the world, only relative fairness. Those who feel unfairly treated naturally become dissatisfied. Gradually, people discovered the role of power.

Power and cultivation are unrelated; it is a natural phenomenon when there are more than two people. The Yunqing Sect's approach is to separate power and influence. The sect leader can command the various sects but has no direct sect. Each sect has influence, but the power belongs to the sect leader, forming a mutual check. The Immortal Sect's elders strictly follow the rules in selecting the sect leader and appointing sect leaders, so the Yunqing Sect has never had worries about power and influence.

Zhang Tongyuan said, "The Transmission Elder suggested to the sect leader that the Eight Sects, plus the Li Huo Sect and the Ziyang Sect, are only united in appearance. It would be better to let go and transform the ten sects into ten independent sects. The Ziyang Sect could become the Ziyang Sect, free from internal strife, strive for strength, and remain the leading righteous sect after a hundred years."

Lin Fan nodded, "The Transmission Elder has insight, but your sect leader will definitely not agree. To split the family, you must divide the assets. How do you divide Zixiao Mountain? How do you divide the library hall? If you divide too much, your sect leader won't agree; if you divide too little, others won't agree. Yes, you are right; the Zixiao Hall is indeed in a deep crisis."

Zhang Tongyuan said, "If the Zixiao Hall falls, the demonic sect will have no direct support, and with the Evil Emperor's reincarnation... From a broader perspective, I think the Transmission Elder's suggestion is a good method. Even if the Ziyang Sect stands alone, it can still be the leading righteous sect in the Twelve Continents."

Lin Fan laughed, "Zhang Tongyuan, these are not decisions you can make. When the Eastern Continent and Little Eastern Continent are at war, the common people are busy fleeing. If you tell the court not to fight, they won't care about your life or death."

"Ha ha, but it has happened before. The Central Continent and Southern Continent had a dispute, and a commoner stood outside the imperial palace until he starved to death. After his death, his letter was delivered to the emperor. The emperor, moved by the blood letter, ordered the troops to withdraw."

Lin Fan knew this story and asked, "Are you going to be that commoner?"

"I have talked to the sect leader several times, but it's no use. The other four major sects of the righteous and demonic alliance are about to send envoys to the Zixiao Hall to make a decision to expel the Qingping Sect from the alliance. I want to try."

Lin Fan shook his head, "You ungrateful wolf, your sect leader has been good to you, and you want to undermine him."

Zhang Tongyuan said, "But if we go to war with the Qingping Sect, we will lose a thousand enemies and eight hundred of our own. Although it will weaken the Eight Sects, it will also provoke their dissatisfaction, leading to internal strife rather than a split. But as you said, the sect leader has been good to me... So I can only be troubled."

Lin Fan laughed and patted Zhang Tongyuan on the shoulder, "Do what you want to do, don't fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind." This is a matter of life and death; every decision has its gains and losses.

Zhang Tongyuan did not want to discuss the internal affairs of the Zixiao Hall with Lin Fan anymore and changed the topic, "Where is Ximen Shuai? I haven't heard from the kid since the Cangmang Dead Land."

"I haven't heard from him either." It was strange; after two years of separation in the Cangmang Dead Land, Ximen Shuai, who used to wander around and cause trouble, had become completely unknown in the past two years. Not thinking about it was one thing, but when he mentioned it, Lin Fan really missed him.

"Tomorrow I won't see you off." The upcoming alliance meeting is not something a small fry can participate in.

Lin Fan left, feeling Zhang Tongyuan's unresolvable frustration. He was originally a straightforward person, with a generous and unrestrained nature, not bound by trivialities. But because of the benefits from the sect and the sect leader, he lost that somewhat unreasonable and carefree spirit. From today's conversation, it felt like Zhang Tongyuan was more like a court official, worried about the country and the people, rather than a cultivator.

A yellow piece of paper floated down, and Zhang Tongyuan caught it. It read: "If there is wine today, drink it today; if there is no wine tomorrow, sleep just the same. How much sorrow can you have? Just like the spring river flowing east." Zhang Tongyuan laughed, "Yes, this should be my nature. I have thought too much. It's just a matter of doing or not doing, just a decision. Why be so concerned about gains and losses?"

---

The advertisement on the previous page begins.

The advertisement on the previous page ends.