Volume 5 Chapter 55

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Volume 5 Chapter 55: Strategy

As Man Tian left the "Kunling Sect," behind him, along with the three Evil Immortals and more than a dozen Flying Generals, were Immortal Kunning and three others. There were also over a hundred original "Kunling Sect" disciples who were now disciples of the "Eight Wilderness Hall." Those unwilling had already turned into bones, and no one dared to even bury them.

On the other hand, Immortal Kunning felt calmer because Man Tian promised him a position as an Evil Immortal in the "Eight Wilderness Hall," with the other two elders becoming Flying Generals. Unlike the other "Kunling Sect" disciples, they followed closely behind Man Tian. Man Tian promised to quickly enhance their powers, possibly surpassing the current Twelve Evil Immortals, and soon giving them a more honorable status. Judging by their demeanor, they seemed to identify themselves as "Eight Wilderness Hall" cultivators, planning wholeheartedly for it. They not only offered the "Kunling Sect’s" millennium treasures but also carefully inquired about the future plans for "Eight Wilderness Hall." A disciple who disrespected "Eight Wilderness Hall" was severely punished by Immortal Kunning himself.

Man Tian always had a gentle smile on his face. To be honest, he couldn’t be entirely sure if Immortal Kunning was truly dedicated to joining his "Eight Wilderness Hall." Man Tian knew that Immortal Kunning stepped in to discipline the boastful disciple simply to prevent the other three Evil Immortals from intervening. If they did, the disciple would be more than just severely injured.

However, Man Tian wasn’t too worried. He planned to have Immortal Kunning undergo the "Statue of Shura" transformation, just like every disciple of the "Eight Wilderness Hall." But the "Statue of Shura" wasn’t just about enhancing a cultivator’s skills. It also allowed Man Tian, who controlled the "Statue of Shura," to have means to control those who had undergone the transformation. So for Man Tian, whether Immortal Kunning was loyal now wasn’t crucial; what mattered was that after the transformation, he would certainly be loyal to the "Eight Wilderness Hall."

When Man Tian and his followers reached the outside of "Kunling Sect," his smile grew brighter. Standing outside the gates were Man Di, the Second Hall Master of "Eight Wilderness Hall," and a group of people waiting quietly. Among them were some Evil Immortal Flying Generals that Man Tian recognized, along with some unfamiliar faces standing respectfully behind Man Di.

Man Tian knew that thanks to Man Di’s abilities, the nearby "Jiu E Men" had officially joined the "Eight Wilderness Hall."

While most of the powerful sects were concentrated around Ronghua Mountain, where "Qingxu" was located, and could not control other areas, Man Di took advantage of the situation by invading the prosperous Middle-earth. They absorbed all the remaining, less powerful sects and cultivators into the "Eight Wilderness Hall," then transformed them with the "Statue of Shura" to strengthen their abilities and ensure their loyalty. This was to prepare for the impending suppression and confrontation by the Righteous Alliance.

This method was simple yet effective.

Man Di’s appearance differed greatly from Man Tian. He wore scholarly attire and had an elegant demeanor, though the tattoos on his face gave him a somewhat strange look.

Both Man Tian and Man Di were very courteous to Immortal Kunning and his followers. Their goal was to dominate the cultivation world, not to rampage through it. This polite introduction put Immortal Kunning and his companions at ease.

After the introductions, Man Tian and Man Di walked off to speak privately, while the others wisely stayed back at a distance.

"Just now, Man Ye sent a message saying that the ‘Nine Palace Sect,’ which he was in charge of, has merged with our ‘Eight Wilderness Hall.’ The other five have yet to report back, as they went to sects that are a bit farther away. However, they’re only minor sects, so there shouldn’t be any issues."

Man Di quietly introduced.

Man Tian nodded, appearing not too excited by the news, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

However, Man Di didn’t notice the trace of unusualness in Man Tian’s eyes and continued, "Once the other five juniors complete their tasks, our ‘Eight Wilderness Hall’ will control the entire western part of the prosperous Middle-earth. It’s laughable how those so-called major sects, out of fear of disaster, are handing over the founding legacies from their ancestors and instead seeking protection from the Righteous Alliance. I really don’t know what they’re thinking."

Man Tian continued to listen silently, without responding.

After some time, Man Di finally noticed Man Tian’s unusual demeanor and couldn’t help but ask, "Brother Man Tian, what’s wrong? Do you have any concerns?"

Man Tian gently shook his head and softly replied, "Man Di, you’re too optimistic. As you said, the west of prosperous Middle-earth is under our control, and our ‘Eight Wilderness Hall’ has finally gained a foothold there, achieving what we always wanted. But while it seems promising, it’s not actually the case."

After a pause, Man Tian continued, "Although the west of prosperous Middle-earth is within our domain, it’s because the strongest sects in the cultivation world don’t reside in the west, and the slightly stronger sects have retreated to the Righteous Alliance. We’ve only subdued a few small fry. But for that reason, the Righteous Alliance has become even stronger. And after seizing the west of prosperous Middle-earth, we’ve reached a bottleneck. To the north is the ‘Five Elements Sect,’ to the south is the ‘Penance Valley,’ and to the east is ‘Jiuhua Mountain,’ not to mention the central Righteous Alliance, the ‘Liuhe Gate,’ and ‘Mercy Cloud Temple.’ If we continue to expand, we’ll indeed have confrontations with those righteous individuals."

After hearing Man Tian’s concern, Man Di dismissed it with a casual smile and said lightly, "So what? The goal of triggering this calamity in the cultivation world is precisely our aim. Moreover, with the ‘Statue of Shura,’ transforming those small fry might make them not much weaker than the cultivators from esteemed sects. Even if it comes to direct conflict, we’re unafraid. Besides, the ‘Nether’ and Zhong family are also about to reveal themselves, aren’t they? When that time comes, there will be chaos in the cultivation world. We’re just the ones to start this calamity."

Man Tian shook his head with a bitter smile. Although Man Di had decent skills and often presented himself as a refined individual, he was, after all, from the Barbarian tribe and tended to see things too simply.

Then, Man Tian slowly said, "Man Di, let’s not forget that our cooperation with ‘Ming’ is merely to secure a space for survival. Although our strength has greatly increased, giving us the ambition to dominate the cultivation world, it is based on our current power. Now, ‘Ming’ wants us to fight desperately against the Righteous Alliance. If we cause chaos, the Righteous Alliance will always treat us as targets. I am not afraid of the Righteous Alliance alone; what truly worries me are those old masters controlling it, who are Grandmasters of the Mahayana Stage. Even though we’ve been transformed by the ‘Statue of Shura,’ we’re not necessarily their match."

As Man Tian spoke, Man Di seemed to understand something yet felt confused, and he asked, "Are you saying…"

Man Tian slowly said, "Whether our ‘Eight Wilderness Hall’ seeks a space for survival or aims to dominate the cultivation world, we have preliminarily achieved our goal, willingly being used by ‘Ming,’ as our interests aligned. But moving forward, our goals diverge from ‘Ming,’ and we can’t be content being used like this anymore."

As he spoke, a sharp gleam flashed in Man Tian’s eyes, and he said slowly, "In the future, if we just aim for survival, our adversaries won’t only be the Righteous Alliance. The Zhong family, Zhang Xusheng, and even ‘Ming’ will be our targets to overcome. We may currently serve under ‘Ming,’ but this doesn’t mean our ‘Eight Wilderness Hall’ will always be controlled by ‘Ming.’ If ‘Ming’ asks us to risk everything, should we really do so? To risk everything for survival is to put the cart before the horse."

Admiration showed in Man Di’s eyes, realizing that he didn’t see as far ahead as Man Tian did. He asked, "So do you mean we should gather strength, preserve our power, avoid confronting the Righteous Alliance, and seize opportunities when the Zhong family and ‘Ming’ come into play?"

Man Tian shook his head again and said slowly, "No, even though we’ve annexed more than ten small factions, enhancing our power with the Statue of Shura, we’re still not a match for the Righteous Alliance, nor are we for ‘Ming.’ Defying ‘Ming’ now is unwise, so we should fight as ‘Ming’ demands against the Righteous Alliance while preserving our strength."

Speaking, Man Tian glanced again at Immortal Kunning behind him. Seeing Man Tian like this, the previously confused Man Di suddenly understood. Immortal Kunning and those who had joined their side would take the lead after being transformed, becoming the initial force, while Man Tian and the core elders of "Eight Wilderness Hall" preserved their strength. This way, "Ming" had nothing to say, and they kept the true power of "Eight Wilderness Hall" to prepare for the ongoing chaos in the future.

After expressing admiration, Man Di hesitated and said, "Man Tian, senior brother, there’s another matter concerning Huang Xie."