Chapter 263 The Struggle Among Various Forces 1

—At this moment, I am reminded of the invitations I received when I was at Azure Dragon Academy.

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan then looked at the envoys.

These cultivators still wore warm smiles and showed no impatience whatsoever.

Zhong Cai gestured – then I'll just read the post in front of you?

The envoys were eager to get an answer as soon as possible so they could report back, and naturally they were hoping that these two geniuses from the Sky Ranking would dismantle the organization directly.

Zhong Cai then unceremoniously opened one of the posters.

The post begins with "two young friends," and the content clearly includes an invitation to him and Lao Wu.

The gist is:

The Yanhuo Palace greatly admires the couple and warmly invites them to join. The offer is generous and far more than can be described in a single invitation; they hope to discuss it in person. If the couple is interested, they can directly state their specific needs upon meeting.

The meeting place was a high peak in the Shiling Mountains, which were quite far from Qingyu Town. If the two were willing to keep the appointment, the messenger could drive them there directly.

If the two wish to change their meeting place, they can first have the messenger escort them there, and then have the messenger inform them, at which point they will proceed immediately.

·

Zhong Cai read the post herself, and at the same time, she moved closer to Wu Shaogan and asked him to read it with her.

After reading the letter from Yanhuo Palace, Wu Shaogan also opened the top letter in his hand and read it with Zhong Cai.

They both begin with the same address, "My two young friends," and the content is largely the same, except that the faction they represent has changed to Tianlong Mountain.

Even the location is on a peak in the Shiling Mountains—but obviously, it shouldn't be the same peak as the Yanhuo Palace.

The two of them opened one letter after another, one after another, until they had a total of twenty-six invitations in their hands.

Each invitation came from a different level-nine power, and all three invited the two of them, choosing the same location in the Stone Ridge Mountains...

·

Based on their study of the map, the vast majority of level-nine forces within and around the Xihe region sent invitations.

In other words, they are quite popular.

All the posts treated the couple as one, which made them both very happy.

·

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan exchanged another glance, both feeling pleased, and thinking of the same thing.

Among those sending out invitations were the Lingxian Sect and the War God Hall.

The posts from these two factions are similar to those from other factions.

Whether or not to choose them, we'll have to meet them in person to decide.

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan didn't want to separate, but neither of them wanted to jeopardize each other's futures.

Undoubtedly, the Lingxian Sect is more suitable for Zhong Cai, and the War God Hall is more suitable for Wu Shaogan. They both want to accommodate their lovers and enter the forces that are more suitable for their lovers, and they both understand that their lovers have the same idea.

So, this is a bit of a dilemma.

The two had actually discussed it secretly using their telepathic communication.

First, you should learn more about these two factions. If they really suit your needs, and the treatment they offer is no worse than that of other level nine factions, then naturally you should choose these two factions first.

As for which one to choose... that depends on the efforts of these two forces themselves.

For example, if the martial arts skills in the Lingxian Sect are stronger than the alchemy skills in the War God Hall, the two of them will go to the Lingxian Sect together; otherwise, they will go to the War God Hall.

If the two forces disappoint them after meeting, they will naturally give up.

Of course, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan have some past connections with the Lingxian Sect. If they happen to be able to enter the Lingxian Sect or the War God Hall, which is on good terms with it, then many years later, when the two masters come to the top continent, they will still be members of the same faction.

They, master and disciples, might be able to form a faction within the Lingxian Sect or the War God Hall, and then work together to develop that faction... It would be a kind of adjustment in their long lifespans.

It's hilarious just thinking about it!

·

While Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were reading the post, the other cultivators who had spoken to them earlier made way for the couple and the messengers who delivered the post.

Now that the couple looked up, all they could see were the envoys—but there were still many cultivators watching from afar. They were also curious about how many forces and which forces would try to recruit the couple, and they wanted to know where they would end up.

Of course, none of them did it too openly.

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan paid no attention to the occasional glances that swept over them, but instead looked at the envoys.

The envoys watched as the two men flipped through the posts one after another, their expressions unchanged, making it impossible to tell what they were thinking... Now that they had finished reading and were about to speak, the envoys became a little nervous.

After a moment of serious contemplation, Zhong Cai hesitated before speaking frankly: “The seniors are all very kind, but the junior officers and I do not know much about the various forces, so it is really difficult to make a decision in a short time.”

The envoys were not disappointed upon hearing this, and immediately presented the second solution offered by the forces behind them.

One of them volunteered, "Master Zhong's considerations are reasonable, and the seniors from various forces have no intention of putting you two in a difficult position. How about this, we will escort you two to the Stone Ridge Mountains, where there is a spacious palace. You can meet with the seniors there, and the seniors from each force can personally introduce you to their respective forces and have a conversation with you... Then you can make your decision?"

The other envoys all nodded in agreement, clearly sharing the same thought.

Zhong Cai smiled and said, "Since you are all so kind, we will gladly accept your invitation."

When the messengers heard him say this, a great weight was lifted from their hearts.

At the same time, they also had many subtle thoughts:

—Elder Nirvana is indeed Elder Nirvana. He directly placed the invitations of the two of them on one invitation. I thought this was a bit disrespectful to geniuses, but now it seems that this move was actually the right one! Now it's King Zhong Dan who's stepping forward. I'm afraid that if any force wants to recruit people in the future, as long as King Zhong Dan agrees, King Wu Dou will follow along!

—Thanks to the Second Elder for persuading the Fifth Elder, otherwise, if the invitations had been sent out separately, we might not have received a good reception and would have fallen behind.

—The bond between these two is truly deep. Fortunately, the elders didn't ignore my message; they made the right decision!

The envoys exchanged glances and their thoughts raced. One of them then released a very beautiful, phoenix-like, seventh-tier rare beast.

It was this person's contracted pet, and among all the contracted pets of the envoys present, it was the most beautiful and had the highest bloodline.

Its name is: Soaring Phoenix.

Bringing out the best now makes it seem more solemn!

Then, led by numerous envoys, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were ushered onto the flying beast.

The flying beast spread its wings and flew at a very high speed, yet its body remained very stable.

The fierce winds and various air currents sweeping in from all directions should have been extremely annoying, but with a slight tremor of the rare beast's feathers, all the external forces were instantly cut off and returned to the air...

·

Zhong Cai raised her finger and silently pressed the fluffy green dumpling's head, which had suddenly popped out, back into her sleeve.

While Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were busy in Qingyu Town, Qingyu and Qinghui finally completed their evolution under the stimulation of countless resources, becoming rare beasts with the potential to reach the eighth rank!

However, Zhong Cai checked and found that although Qingyu and Qinghui's evolution was successful, they could still be further cultivated. In other words, the upper limit was not yet fixed. The current resources were only enough for them to activate that trace of high-level bloodline, but not enough to make that trace of bloodline grow stronger—the resources required for this were enormous.

Zhong Cai will naturally need further training.

Qingyu and Qinghui are already quite outstanding, and Zhong Cai comforted them after hearing the news.

After that, Qingyu and Qinghui became even more clingy.

Qingyu, being small and shrunk down, spent all day nestled in Zhong Cai's sleeve; Qinghui, too, was tucked into Wu Shaogan's sleeve and often slept soundly.

Now……

Zhong Cai thought that Qingyu must have noticed that the "phoenix" they were riding had a high bloodline and was also good-looking, so it couldn't help but stick its head out to take a closer look.

But he and Lao Wu would soon be meeting with powerful figures from various factions, so it was best not to let these two get involved.

Wu Shaogan realized Zhong Cai's thoughts.

Zhong Cai glanced at him.

The two of them tacitly slipped their fingers into their sleeves, rubbed Qingyu and Qinghui's heads, and then put them into... the beast scabbard.

The ancient city disappeared deep into Zhong Cai's hair, hidden so well that it carried no trace of her presence.

...In fact, on the top continent, many of the companion treasures of the Battle Kings that the two of them saw on the Sky Ranking were quite special, and their ancient city didn't necessarily have to be so secretive.

But the two of them are used to keeping a low profile... Besides, even if the ancient city is no longer so eye-catching, there's no need to make a special appearance! If they really want to make an appearance, it would be better to wait until it's upgraded to level nine quality.

Qingyu and Qinghui are very honest.

Upon sensing their owners' intentions, they obediently lay down in their sacks and fell fast asleep.

·

Before long, the Sky Phoenix arrived at the Stone Ridge Mountains.

Guided by the many envoys, Lingtian Fengque lingered for a while before suddenly descending. There, on a huge mountain peak, appeared a palace that was clearly some kind of mystical artifact.

Seemingly having already sensed the arrival of the phoenix, just as the phoenix seemed to have chosen its spot and was about to land, dozens of Nirvanas appeared in the open space in front of the palace in the blink of an eye.

Zhong Cai: "..."

Wu Shaogan: "..."

[Old Wu, they're coming out to greet us! This is a bit over the top.]

Since all of you seniors act this way, let's all remain calm. It's probably because this is how you all approach recruitment.

【That's right, that's right! Let's be polite!】

The exchange was very brief, basically completed in the blink of an eye.

Then, the two first paid their respects to all those who had attained Nirvana.

All those who have attained Nirvana have smiles on their faces, and this feeling of "kindness" seems to be even deeper than the extremely warm words in the post.

Immediately, the Nirvanas took the initiative to lead the two into the palace.

The banquet has been prepared and set out on different long tables.

There is a seat behind each long table, and the long tables are arranged in a circular pattern.

Wu Shaogan and Zhong Cai were positioned opposite the Nirvana beings—although facing the Nirvana beings directly should have been somewhat stressful, the Nirvana beings concealed their aura to the point of being almost imperceptible, so naturally it had no effect on them.

The couple glanced at the dishes in front of them.

As expected, they were all suitable for the two of them, and each dish used level 5 ingredients, but they were all mild enough that even Zhong Cai, who was a Xuanzhao, could eat them and they were also good for her health.

That's very thoughtful.

·

After witnessing this series of actions, Zhong Cai realized just how meticulous these level-nine forces could be when trying to win people's hearts. To be honest, he actually found it quite satisfying.

Zhong Cai's thoughts raced through her mind, and she couldn't help but quietly transmit her voice, beginning to mutter to herself:

[Old Wu! This is truly thoughtful and considerate. If it weren't for the fact that so many Nirvana Realms have arrived at once, and I didn't know which one to join, just based on this level of attention, I would have joined immediately!]

[Look, we've only recruited those at the fifth level, and these few dozen Nirvana Realm cultivators have already come—more than the total number of Nirvana Realm cultivators in all fifteen of our states!]

[You looked quite professional from the outside, didn't you? Actually, I was quite surprised!]

[I wonder which sects have achieved Nirvana in the Lingxian Sect and the War God Temple?]

I don't really feel like eating right now, I need to finish dealing with this joining the faction thing first...

Wu Shaogan listened attentively with a slight smile.

He knew very well that A-Cai was muttering like this because... the way the two of them were surrounded by Nirvana was putting some pressure on A-Cai.

·

After Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan took their seats, many of the Nirvana beings were actually carefully observing them.

Although many "spies" relayed back everything they saw and heard in Qingyu Town, especially gathering information about the two recruits as carefully as possible, the Nirvana people had never actually seen the two of them in person.

Now that I see it, I can't help but nod in agreement.

Outstanding appearance, extraordinary demeanor, and composure.

As expected of the third Dou Wang and tenth Dan Wang who were parachuted in, he is indeed no ordinary junior.

Many Nirvanas admired the two even more.

At this moment, they did not immediately discuss important matters, but instead let Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan eat in peace and enjoy the delicious food.

The Nirvana beings themselves casually ate some of the food in front of them, waiting only for the opportunity to speak.

·

As they ate, the atmosphere among the group became more harmonious.

Then a Nirvana cultivator smiled and took out a scroll, which he presented to Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan, saying, "The Five Elements Sect's scriptures are all-encompassing, and we sincerely invite you two to join us. This is a token of our Five Elements Sect's sincerity, which you may give to us immediately. If you have any needs, our Five Elements Sect will certainly do its best to meet them."

The other Nirvana cultivators were also supposed to speak now, but they were all a little slower than the one from the Five Elements Sect.

But now that the two young friends have received the scrolls, it is inconvenient for other factions to immediately send out their own scrolls, so they can only wait.

Zhong Caihe and Wu Shaogan: "..."

Well, it was a bit sudden, yet also somewhat normal.

The two simply ignored everything else, smiled at the Nirvana assembly, said "Excuse me," and then unrolled the scroll to examine it carefully.

·

The treatment given by a level nine power is indeed very generous.

The Five Elements Sect, which was the first to make a move, immediately said, "A Xuan Stone Mine."

Zhong Cai's pupils trembled.

How could someone offer a vein of mystic stones so readily!

Although it was already known that the resources on the top continent were incredibly abundant and terrifying, it was still beyond expectations that a level nine power would directly give a level five cultivator a mystic stone mine!

and……

The resources allocated to Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were given in parallel.

In the first line, below the names of the two people, the words "mysterious stone vein" are written side by side, which means that Wu Shaogan and Zhong Cai were each given a mysterious stone vein!

Even after the two carefully examined the description, they realized that this mystic stone vein was only a small one, but it continuously produced low-grade mystic stones. If they didn't stop its production, they could harvest something every month!

If Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were not wealthy enough, this Xuan Stone Mine would be a "secure job"—deep within the mine often lies the heart of the mine, which can quickly absorb energy to sustain its production.

That's a big spender!

·

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan continued reading.

The rows and rows all contained various resources of roughly the same level.

However, alchemists and martial arts cultivators are different. Therefore, alchemists are given mainly rare herbs, resources for cultivating wood and fire, and other resources suitable for alchemists, while Wu Shaogan is given a large amount of commonly used resources, some very special resources, and some quotas that can be exchanged for even rarer resources.

Looking at them one by one, there were quite a lot of them.

In addition to resources, the various privileges acquired within the power are also explained—including even the power of execution!

·

Upon seeing this, Zhong Cai was shocked once again.

Disciples within a faction are of course not allowed to kill each other, but how come they have such power just for being listed on the Sky Ranking!

Isn't this a bit too much... favoritism towards the geniuses on the Sky Ranking?

Wu Shaogan observed even more carefully.

Seeing that his old man, Wu, was very composed and unwilling to admit defeat, Zhong Cai also took a closer look.

After reading it, Zhong Cai felt relieved.

The power of execution does not mean that Battle Kings and Azure Sky Pill Kings can kill people indiscriminately within their forces, but rather that they have the function of half a punishment hall.

If any disciple within the faction is treated unfairly, they can ask the Azure Sky Pill King and the Battle King for justice.

Both the Azure Sky Pill King and the Battle King have direct access to the top levels of their respective factions, and after submitting an application, they can personally handle the matter.

This power is considerable, but it is still within the bounds of the rules.

Good.

The privileges also include various slots for secret realms.

As long as a secret realm suitable for the Sky King and Battle King levels opens, they will automatically have a spot. If they don't want to go, they can transfer it to any disciple within their faction as they wish. If they want to give it to a cultivator from another faction, they will need to apply, but most of the time they won't be blocked. As long as it's not an enemy faction, there are usually no problems.

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan looked through the list and were quite satisfied.

The many Nirvana beings were also observing the expressions of the two.

Especially the one who drafted the "sincerity scroll," who knew very well what was written on the scroll, and by observing the subtle changes in Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan's expressions, one could deduce their thoughts on each resource.

If these two geniuses on the Sky Ranking have any complaints or shortcomings, they can make up for them when bidding for better treatment later. And if they value something highly, they can continue to increase their offers.

·

Before Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan could even speak after reading the scroll, another scroll floated over.

The two looked at it again.

Not surprisingly, the first row still shows one mine for each person.

...Zhong Cai felt that this was probably because top-tier continents really didn't lack mystic stone veins.

The two of them looked at them one by one.

Most resources are of similar value and privileges, but what makes them different are some rare, non-overlapping resources—these are mostly their respective "specialties".

For example, the Five Elements Sect offered a spot at a "fishing ground" where one could freely catch a precious fish that was extremely nourishing to the body; the Purple Cloud Sect, which had just sent the scroll, offered a spot at a medicinal spring.

After reading this scroll, Nirvana sent a new scroll.

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan, as the selectors, were quite busy checking everything and were not distracted at all.

But if they were to actually pay attention and observe, they would discover...

It's true that the first one found the right opportunity the fastest, but for the later ones, there was some "competition" to see who could submit their applications first.

While the two were reading, the many Nirvanas had already used various silent secret techniques that barely released any pressure or aura to "spar" with each other several times. Only the one who gained the upper hand was able to successfully send the scroll out first.

This silent "battle" is actually quite intense.

Of course, not every Nirvana immediately joins the struggle. Many Nirvanas are constantly adjusting the treatment given on the scroll, especially those alchemists who carefully observe Zhong Cai's condition from time to time and write several more lines of text.

Overall, the benefits are increasing...

·

Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan watched the whole thing without making a sound.

But actually, when you see the seventh scroll, it comes from the Temple of War and the Spirit Immortal Sect.

That's interesting.

The two scrolls were delivered together, both handled by Nirvana of the Temple of War.

While the "sincerity" on the scroll was roughly equivalent in value to that of other forces, and all the usual offerings were included... the Lingxian Sect's package also included an opportunity to become a Pill Master.

This is extremely rare!

Another alchemist faction offered a scroll, but this wasn't part of their "sincerity."

Of course, they didn't have any Pill Masters at all—but they did have Ninth-Level Pill Masters, yet they didn't offer similar positions, which shows that the Spirit Immortal Sect's "sincerity" was greater.

The ninth-grade pills refined by the Pill Master are very attractive—especially to alchemists. Even if they don't need them now, once they reach a certain level, observing the pills refined by the Pill Master will be extremely beneficial! And even if they don't need them themselves, they can use this opportunity to make pills for someone very important to them.

Wu Shaogan saw it too.

In addition, these two forces offered something even more valuable—

The Lingxian Sect offers the Pill Master the opportunity to provide guidance once a year, at any time of year—if the Pill Master is unavailable, the opportunities can be accumulated.

Similarly, the Temple of War Gods offered opportunities for guidance from powerful figures who had reached the highest levels of power.