Chapter 459

Chapter 459: Sect Infighting

Fang Li’s withdrawal came as a surprise to Zhou Luo. Moreover, according to Wang Lang, Fang Li had essentially turned into a complete hands-off boss, pulling all of his subordinates away.

If it were solely due to the Immortal Sect war, there’d have been no need to withdraw his people entirely. Unless something else had also occurred.

Upon being questioned, Wang Lang adopted a serious expression, lowering his voice as he answered, “I heard it’s because his master was transferred away from Qinyuan Immortal City.”

The veracity of this matter remained uncertain, though it appeared to already be circulating among some Foundation Establishment strong persons.

Though Wang Lang was still merely a Qi Refinement cultivator, his connections and status had allowed him to gather some information.

“Hmm?”

Zhou Luo’s eyebrows shot up, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes. He immediately pressed, “When did this happen? Why?”

Master Xuanlong had guarded Qinyuan Immortal City for nearly a millennium; logically, he should have remained stationed there indefinitely until he either attained a breakthrough or passed away.

So why, at this critical juncture of an Immortal Sect war, had he been abruptly reassigned?

Were they not afraid of provoking a Golden Core master at such a sensitive time?

“Master Manager, just half a month ago. Word is one of Master Xuanlong’s direct disciples died on the battlefield,” Wang Lang conveyed the news he’d heard.

For this great conflict, the Qinyuan Sect had mobilized virtually all combat-ready disciples, Stewards, and Elders within the sect.

Although Master Xuanlong was required to defend the Immortal City, a portion of his disciples still needed to participate in the fighting.

Among them was one of his direct disciples.

This particular direct disciple was actually his own son. Furthermore, his son possessed extraordinary talent, consistently exhibiting outstanding performance within the sect and earning deep affection from Master Xuanlong.

This deployment to the frontlines was purely intended as training.

No one had foreseen that Zhou Changqing’s appearance at the battlefront would ignite the competitive spirit among the sect’s young geniuses.

Ever since Zhou Changqing joined the sect, he had stood as the foremost leader of his generation’s talents, consistently overshadowing the other direct disciples within the sect.

Over time, this bred resentment among those proud direct disciples of renowned lineages.

Unable to defeat him, however, they had little choice but to suppress their dissatisfaction.

Now, on the battlefield, Zhou Changqing was assigned to the vanguard division, wreaking havoc on the frontlines and causing the Chimagong Sect considerable distress. His exploits earned him boundless glory.

Once again, this performance stoked fierce resentment among the direct disciples.

If it had merely been that, it might not have stirred such resolve in them.

The trigger came when Zhou Changqing, upon returning to a command post, arrogantly declared that while the Chimagong Sect consisted of a bunch of inept and useless people, the so-called geniuses of their own sect were no different than cowards.

Though uttered privately, walls have ears in any world.

These words swiftly reached the other direct disciples.

The disciples who already harbored animosity towards him exploded with rage, firmly convinced he was targeting them.

Compounded by the undeniable tedium of the main division, where nothing much seemed to occur…

In a fit of anger, over a dozen direct disciples petitioned the sect leadership, requesting transfer to the frontlines.

The sect itself had little objection; after analyzing prior engagements, they concluded the frontlines posed less danger than anticipated, and since these disciples possessed substantial strength, the requests were promptly approved.

Initially, everything proceeded smoothly.

It simply was not expected that the Chimagong Sect had already secretly formed an assassination squad behind the scenes due to the matter of Zhou Changqing.

The aim was to quickly capture and kill Zhou Changqing once his location was locked down.

However, this assassination squad did not behead Zhou Changqing; instead, they took the heads of several direct disciples.

Among them was that disciple of Master Xuanlong.

When this news spread, it instantly enraged the Qinyuan Sect. Facing the treacherous Chimagong Sect, they dispatched multiple Golden Core masters that very day, instantly reaping the lives of over a hundred enemy frontline disciples as a show of punishment.

Not to be outdone, the Chimagong Sect also sent out its own Golden Core masters to engage in combat.

For a time, the recently stabilized situation exploded once again.

After learning of this, Master Xuanlong flew into a rage and repeatedly declared it a blatant conspiracy, that Zhou Changqing had colluded with the Chimagong Sect to deliberately trap those direct disciples.

Conspiring with an enemy sect was no small incident.

Once he spoke, Zhou Changqing’s master, Master Tianshu, naturally did not accept it and directly shouted that it was slander.

The two Golden Core masters began exchanging insults from afar.

They did not belong to the same faction originally; now with this incident, although it was caused by the Chimagong Sect, fierce quarrels also erupted internally.

As time passed, the situation worsened, and both sides started calling on friends to join in the war of words.

Seeing the conflict escalate constantly, the Qinyuan Sect’s sect leader could no longer sit idle.

He ordered both sides to stop quarreling and demanded they return to the sect to prevent the situation from worsening.

Especially Master Xuanlong.

There was no choice, as Master Xuanlong at that moment was like a powder keg that could explode at any spark; the sect did not trust him to guard Qinyuan Immortal City again.

This move made Master Xuanlong refuse completely.

Because Master Tianshu and the sect leader were in the same faction, he saw it as an attack on their faction.

Thus, he rejected the sect’s order.

Openly defying the sect leader’s command was a great disgrace to the Qinyuan Sect.

It even alarmed the Senior Elders in the end.

Only after they spoke did Master Xuanlong unwillingly return to the sect.

After hearing the full details, Zhou Luo showed a helpless smile.

"That good son of mine really can stir up trouble," he said.

He did not know if this was related to the conflict between the two factions behind the scenes.

But for now, his son likely had no issues himself.

Plus, he had prepared many defensive means for him; even if truly surrounded, he probably would not face life-threatening danger.

"Master Manager, now that the manager at Tian Xia Restaurant isn’t managing things, and Fang Li and the others have withdrawn, we just happen to…" Wang Lang left his words unfinished, but his meaning was clear.

Zhou Luo nodded silently, only reminding, "Still need to pay more attention to Tian Xia Restaurant’s stance."

"Rest assured, Master Manager, with me here, don’t worry," Wang Lang declared solemnly.

After he left, Zhou Luo reflected on the major event just mentioned and fell into deep thought.

He hadn’t realized the Qinyuan Sect’s internal strife had intensified to this extent now.

Even with a formidable enemy present, the factional conflicts inside never stopped.

This was fine too—the fiercer the factional strife, the more attention would shift, and his son’s Heavenly Alliance would have an easier time surviving.

He only hoped this The Great Battle would not end too quickly; it would be best to deplete as much of the Qinyuan Sect’s power as possible.

Because only by himself could he gradually exert his influence.

Thinking this, Zhou Luo recalled the materials for forming the Golden Core he had obtained earlier.

"Seems I must quickly advance to peak Foundation Establishment," he thought.