Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 470: 291: Unity_2

Chapter 470: Chapter 291: Unity_2

Indeed, the Mercy Sailing Temple is already scheming for the future!

Where there are people, there is the Martial World, where ideological conflicts and struggles for interest give rise to factions and stances.

The Wandao School is no exception!

As far as she knew, there were currently three major factions within the Wandao School.

One was the “Tian Wu Sect,” which was mainly composed of the Heavenly Martial Remnants, the remnants of the old Great Zhou. Although it was unclear whether they were legitimate, merely by claiming such a name, they received a modicum of sentimental support. It was also key to the current revival of the Heavenly Martial, so they held great sway in the Wandao School. Su Shaoqing, the young lord, was their standard bearer, although it was said she didn’t get along very well with the other Heavenly Martial Remnants.

Another faction was the “Master-Disciple Sect,” primarily made up of Academy Disciples and a result of the revival of Heavenly Martial’s two canonic laws. The representative was Mo Bufan, who took pride in being a direct disciple of the Taoist Master and a child of the Scholar’s Palace. Though slightly less connected than the Tian Wu Sect, they were numerous and had great potential. Holding various key positions within the school, they also wielded significant influence.

There was also the “Surrendered Officials Sect,” which could also be called the Aristocratic Families Sect. It consisted mainly of branches from various families who hedged their bets, along with people who had defected from forces like the Mispirit Sect and the Heavenly Star Sect. Although they lacked the closeness of the Tian Wu Sect and the loyalty of the Master-Disciple Sect, their superior qualities and inherited potential from their previous status as aristocratic families and sects allowed them to compete fiercely for a place within the school.

This was the current situation of the three main factions within the Wandao School!

If the Mercy Sailing Temple wanted to be integrated into the school’s system, it had to make a choice among these three major factions.

Well… there was actually no choice. The Tian Wu Sect would not accept them, and the Master-Disciple Sect would probably reject them. The Surrendered Officials Sect was the only option.

The current leading figure of the Surrendered Officials Sect was the Mispirit Sect, which had barely been considered a rival to the Mercy Sailing Temple in the past, and there had been some grudges between them.

Although the Mercy Sailing Temple had no intention of replacing the Mispirit Sect, they also did not want to be suppressed by them, which was why they had sent her here.

Of course, these factions were more of a conceptual division and didn’t actually mean much in the grand scheme of things.

After all, with a giant looming over them, forming cliques and targeting outsiders was something no one dared to do. Those who dared had shed their “human” identity, and the struggle between factions was limited to an inconsequential sphere, even becoming a means for some to stimulate internal competition.

Yet, for the future of the Mercy Sailing Temple, Yun Mengyao still wanted to try to manage the situation.

So…

Yun Mengyao looked at Su Shaoqing, “Mengyao is here for a purpose, which the young lord must already be aware of.”

“Of course, I am aware!”

Su Shaoqing nodded slightly, speaking calmly, “But given the current situation, the school’s laws, and the Ancestor Emperor’s attitude, the fairy must have understood as well.”

Her words were measured, as light as the breeze and as soft as clouds, gone was the previous demeanor of a young girl, revealing instead the poise and tactics that befit the young lord of the academy.

“…”

Yun Mengyao fell silent for a moment before saying, “I have certainly understood!”

“That’s good to know.”

Su Shaoqing looked at Yun Mengyao, “The heretic cultivators of the Demon Realm, heartless and insane, sacrificed half the people of their territory just to preserve themselves. Such people, even if they surrender and submit, must be put to proper justice to appease the public spirit!”

“The sacred places of the Martial Domain were once the Righteous Path of Martial World. Although they also have their misdeeds, compared to the Demon Sect, they still hold some boundaries. Thus, the Ancestor Emperor is willing to turn a blind eye. As long as you are willing to submit and abide by the school’s laws, except for those who have committed the most heinous crimes, the rest may be pardoned and become subjects under the rule of our school!”

“Of course, the War God’s Atlas, as well as the sect’s treasury, must be submitted in full. The school will then allocate certain assets for maintenance, as well as fields and properties, to ensure that everyone can be self-sustaining in the future.”

“Our school’s subjects enjoy great freedom. Groups like the Mispirit Sect and Heavenly Star Sect can retain their sectarian heritage and act as civil organizations. However, their rules must not exceed the school’s laws!”

“In short, as long as you abide by the school’s laws, your past doesn’t matter, be it aristocratic scions or sect disciples; all are subjects under the school, all may take the examinations, study, and enjoy the treatment they deserve.”

Laying out all the conditions, Su Shaoqing looked at Yun Mengyao again, “This was the reply to Freewheeling Peak before, and it is also the reply to Mercy Sailing Temple now. What do you think, fairy?”

“…”

After a long silence, Yun Mengyao managed a wry smile, “Mengyao has no objections, and the Mercy Sailing Temple is also willing to accept, but there is one more question I hope to ask the Martial Emperor in person.”

As Xu Liang had said before, the trends of the world are unstoppable. If the Wandao School could conquer the Demon Realm, they could also conquer the Martial Domain; it was just a matter of the cost.

If even an academy disciple could see this, how could the various sacred places and venerables fail to realize it?

While the Righteous Path was not like the Evil Path, lacking not in those who would nobly sacrifice themselves for a cause, clearly, the sacred places did not wish to come to that pass.

Moreover, since the Wandao School had placed great emphasis on its laws, it was tantamount to establishing a “rule,” and what the major powers and sect families enjoyed most was acting within these rules.

While they could no longer employ underhanded tactics, at least they could ensure the continuation of their lineage and heritage.

Thus, surrendering was inevitable.

Having surrendered, haggling over terms and conditions became meaningless. Rather than provoke resentment over negligible profits, it was better to be straightforward and leave a good impression on both sides.

At most, it was a matter of making one final probe.

“Since it is a matter for the Ancestor Emperor himself, the fairy will have to wait to see the Ancestor Emperor and ask personally.”

In response to Yun Mengyao’s request, Su Shaoqing did not refuse, but prefaced, “However, let me give you forewarning: Such acceptance can only happen once. If there later arises any rebellion, do not blame the law for being merciless.”