Chapter 575

Chapter 575: Re-negotiating the Distribution

Prince Qin Cheng’s voice turned icy, murderous intent erupting like a physical force above his head, casting oppressive pressure over the gathering.

Master Hei Xu’s smug expression froze. His face darkened with disbelief. He’d believed rallying all sects against the three major powers would work—especially since Misty Sect and Divine Grace Palace had agreed to follow the royal family’s lead.

But Prince Qin Cheng’s sudden hostility shattered his plan. The murderous aura thickened, ready to strike.

“Prince Jing,” Master Hei Xu said, forcing calm, “the Saint’s Secret Vault holds treasures the Immortal Sword Sect stole long ago. Shouldn’t they return to their original owners once opened? Don’t you agree?” He scanned the crowd, expecting support.

Only faint murmurs answered him before silence reclaimed the valley.

The royal family’s might loomed large—hidden saints, imperial guards, a million soldiers. Prince Jing’s entourage alone—twenty Fifth Level Nascent Soul Ancestors and seventy Golden Core disciples who’d survived heavenly tribulation—could crush every minor sect present. No one dared side with Master Hei Xu.

“Only Xuan Yuan Sect disrespects the throne,” Prince Qin Cheng said, his tone cutting. “Without our three factions securing keys and the unlocking method, you’d have nothing. How many Nascent Soul Ancestors and Golden Core disciples have we lost over centuries? Count those lives before demanding more.”

The crowd stayed mute. All knew the truth: three factions had bled for a millennium to unlock the vault. They’d needed no allies. Yet the royal family still offered 10% to the cultivation realm—generous when they could’ve claimed half.

Master Hei Xu’s jaw tightened. After a pause, he argued, “Our Golden Core disciples risk their lives breaking the array. Their sects deserve compensation!”

“Ten percent suffices,” Prince Qin Cheng countered. “Misty Sect alone brought three hundred Golden Core disciples. Do your ragtag sects even match that number?” He pointed sharply at Master Hei Xu. “Want more? Earn it. Prove Xuan Yuan Sect’s worth, and I’ll let you pick extras.”

Master Hei Xu flushed. His greed exposed, he stammered, “Xuan Yuan Sect seeks no special treatment! We’ll share equally!”

“Convenient,” Prince Qin Cheng sneered.

“Enough!” Misty Sect Leader Hua Changchun stepped forward. “Master Hei has a point. Keeping 90% seems excessive. Eighty percent would be fairer.” His gaze slid toward Divine Grace Palace. The unspoken jab was clear: why should Divine Grace Palace keep 30% while Misty Sect, Great Qin’s strongest sect, settled for 20%?

Divine Grace Palace Master Yu Qingzhi smiled, unfazed. “Both leaders speak wisely. In fact, eighty percent still feels too much. We should give more.”

Hua Changchun and Master Hei Xu gaped. Hua Changchun had hoped to pressure Yu Qingzhi into surrendering 10%, earning minor sects’ gratitude without costing Misty Sect anything. But Yu Qingzhi’s counterproposal stunned everyone.

Prince Qin Cheng raised an eyebrow. “What do you suggest?”

“Each major faction should donate 10%,” Yu Qingzhi declared. “We’d keep 70%, while the remaining forty percent fairly compensates all sects for their sacrifices.”

Chaos erupted. Cheers exploded as minor sect leaders praised Divine Grace Palace’s generosity.

“This is the magnanimity Great Qin’s top sect should show!”

“Divine Grace Palace surpasses Misty Sect not in power, but in virtue!”

“Indeed, when I took the outer disciple exam for Divine Grace Palace years ago, I barely missed passing. Still, they gifted me a cultivation technique and spirit pill. That’s how I started my path of cultivation and reached my current achievements. Even a drop of kindness deserves overflowing repayment. I, Ma Yue, will always follow Divine Grace Palace’s lead from now on.”

“Divine Grace Palace Master Yu Qingzhi has a benevolent heart. Under her guidance, Divine Grace Palace will surely overtake Misty Sect as the Great Qin Empire’s top sect.”

“True greatness requires great generosity. Major sects hoard most training resources to maintain their power, but this stifles our cultivation realm’s growth. If all sects showed Palace Master Yu’s magnanimity, our empire’s strength could multiply tenfold.”

“Well said! You’ve nailed the core issue!”

“Though Palace Master Yu made this proposal, I doubt Misty Sect and royalty will agree. Ten percent isn’t small change for them.”

“This proves why major sects need broader vision! Let’s hope they allocate us more.”

Cultivators from various sects murmured throughout the valley, voices rising and falling like tides.

Hua Changchun’s face darkened while Divine Grace Palace Master Yu Qingzhi remained composed. Prince Jing Qin Cheng looked puzzled, unable to decipher Yu Qingzhi’s hidden motives.

Ye Yun suddenly noticed Murong Wuqing standing beside him.

“Brother Wuqing, what’s really happening?” Ye Yun whispered. He refused to believe Yu Qingzhi would casually surrender 10% shares.

He doubted Hua Changchun more – Misty Sect only held 20%. Giving half their gains seemed impossible.

Murong Wuqing stared coldly at the leaders’ platform. “Even without mentioning 10%, doesn’t Divine Grace Palace need to share benefits regardless?”

Ye Yun nodded. “Naturally. They must distribute some.”

Murong Wuqing smiled faintly without responding.

Ye Yun blinked, then gasped softly. “You mean since they’ll lose shares anyway, better surrender 10% openly? They’d still keep 20%. The royals have 40% – keeping 30% after donating 10%. But Misty Sect’s 20% can’t spare 10% without losing half. Sect Leader Hua would never agree.”

“These old foxes scheme cleverly. Snatching benefits from them is impossible. Palace Master Yu intentionally proposes this. The royals will agree, but Hua Changchun can’t. Thus Misty Sect becomes the villain while Yu stays blameless,” Murong Wuqing explained calmly.

Though Ye Yun spent three years among Heavenly Sword Sect’s errand boys witnessing petty schemes, these high-level intrigues shocked him.

Hua Changchun’s eyes flashed with murderous intent.

“Brother Hua, your thoughts?” Prince Qin Cheng inquired slowly.

Hua’s cheek twitched. “Misty Sect only holds 20%. Over millennia, we’ve sacrificed as many experts and efforts as Divine Grace Palace. Demanding half our share is unreasonable.”

Prince Qin Cheng smiled. He recognized Yu Qingzhi’s ploy – redirecting sects’ resentment towards Misty Sect. Compared to Divine Grace Palace’s apparent generosity, Hua’s refusal made Misty Sect seem petty. Public opinion and royal favor would shift accordingly. Within a decade, Divine Grace Palace might truly surpass Misty Sect.

The royals cared little which sect dominated, provided they remained obedient. Misty Sect’s recent defiance warranted correction.

Turning to Yu Qingzhi, Prince Qin Cheng asked, “Palace Master, any alternative compensation methods?”

He knew Yu Qingzhi too well – no sect leader reached such heights through charity. Superpower rulers weren’t kind souls.

Divine Grace Palace Master Yu sighed. “I’d gladly donate 10%, but single-sided generosity breeds resentment against royals and Misty Sect. All three factions should contribute shares for fairness.”

“Your grace outshines others, Palace Master. Even without donating, we’d still admire Divine Grace Palace!”

“Exactly! This exemplifies a major sect’s bearing. Certain sects pale in comparison.”

“I thought Misty Sect was our empire’s top sect, but today’s display proves reputation exceeds reality. Disappointing.”

“We should collaborate more with Divine Grace Palace to strengthen our cultivation realm.”

“Well spoken! Our sect will partner with Divine Grace Palace whenever possible.”

In the valley, voices buzzed with excitement and discussions flowed freely. Most praised the Divine Grace Palace while looking down on the Misty Sect with disdain.

Divine Grace Palace Master Yu Qingzhi stood with her hands behind her back, wearing a smile. In contrast, Hua Changchun, the Misty Sect Leader, wore a frosty expression. He nearly cursed aloud, thinking, "What’s this act, Yu Qingzhi? You knew the Misty Sect would refuse, so you proposed this deliberately! If our positions were swapped, I’d be the one smiling here."

Master Hei Xu and the others stayed silent, their gazes fixed on Hua Changchun. If he agreed, the three major powers would bleed heavily, surrendering thirty percent of their shares.

What could Hua Changchun do? Under the weight of countless stares, he pretended not to notice, drawing a deep breath to steady himself.

"Such cunning schemes! None of these old men are fools. Surviving this long and climbing so high demands craftiness," Ye Yun muttered. He believed that with the Heart of Immortals and Demons, he could surpass Yu Qingzhi in combat, but matching their cunning? Ten versions of himself might still fail.

"You think leading sects like the Divine Grace Palace or Misty Sect requires brute strength alone? No. It takes strategy, cultivation, talent—all combined," Murong Wuqing remarked quietly. Though he valued raw power, he acknowledged that until one could shatter all obstacles, schemes and influence held immense sway.

Ye Yun nodded, his view of Yu Qingzhi shifting. He resolved to avoid dealing with such people whenever possible. One misstep could expose the Heart of Immortals and Demons, inviting catastrophe.

"Enough!" Yu Qingzhi suddenly declared. Floating forward, she scanned the crowd and said gently, "Since Sect Leader Hua finds ten percent excessive, let my Divine Grace Palace yield half its share—fifteen percent. How does this suit you, Brother Hua?"

Gasps rippled through the valley. Even her own disciples gaped in confusion.

Prince Qin Cheng stiffened. He knew Yu Qingzhi too well to believe this generosity. Yet she’d openly offered half her sect’s profits. What game was she playing?

Hua Changchun froze. This concerned the Saint’s Secret Vault of the Immortal Sword Sect—its treasures beyond reckoning! That Yu Qingzhi would casually discard such wealth defied belief. Was this truly the same ruthless Palace Master?

"Sect Leader Hua, the Palace Master makes a grand gesture. Your response?" Master Hei Xu pressed eagerly. As the vault’s discoverer, his Xuan Yuan Sect stood to gain most from larger shares.

Prince Qin Cheng watched with amused interest as Hua Changchun’s face cycled through shades of red and white. Finally, the Misty Sect Leader gritted out, "Very well. The Misty Sect contributes ten percent."

"Then my royal house matches with ten percent," Prince Qin Cheng added.

The valley erupted—cheers, wails, and shrieks merging into deafening chaos.

Master Hei Xu beamed as if treasures already filled his grasp. Yu Qingzhi remained serene, basking in the adulation.

When the noise faded, all eyes locked on the materializing Saint’s Secret Vault—neither palace nor tomb, its form blurred until fully manifest.

As the vault solidified, its shape resolved into an unknown beast, radiating overwhelming majesty. A millennium after its discovery, the vault finally opened.

Yu Qingzhi smiled. "With shares settled, Golden Core disciples may enter once the vault stabilizes. Shatter the array’s core, and the path clears."

"Indeed," Hua Changchun spat, still seething. "Slackers will regret their cowardice."

"Fear not," Master Hei Xu soothed. "We share your desire to claim the training resources and treasures fairly."

Prince Qin Cheng added coldly, "All loot gets pooled and divided. Hoarders die."

"Prince Jing’s words are ours!" Master Hei Xu thumped his chest.

Hua Changchun’s jaw twitched, murderous intent flickering. His plan—flooding the vault with three hundred Fifth-Level Golden Core disciples to grab treasures—crumbled. Now every trinket would be counted and split. Without the Saint’s own techniques or peerless artifacts, this venture might cost more than it gained.

His glare met Yu Qingzhi’s calm gaze. A cold snort escaped him.

"Any objections, Sect Leader Hua?" Yu Qingzhi inquired.

"None. But the three major powers claim first pick of relics," he growled.

"Naturally," Yu Qingzhi agreed. "Our efforts warrant priority."

Prince Qin Cheng nodded. Master Hei Xu swallowed further arguments—the sects had conceded enough.

The vault now loomed complete, bestial and towering, its aura shaking the heavens. After a thousand years, the Saint’s legacy awaited.

Breaths held. Hearts raced. History beckoned.