Chapter 632 Supreme Selection, Development of the Underworld
"Now we will proceed with the last item on the agenda of the conference: the election of the Supreme Elder."
The Heavenly Emperor spoke.
There was a slight commotion in the theater, and everyone could see that after the establishment of the Supreme Elders Committee, the Supreme Elders held a pivotal position in the Nine Mountains Sect.
"Now I will announce the requirements for the first batch of Supreme Elder candidates."
"First, one's cultivation level must be above the Nascent Soul stage."
"Second, the term of office is ten thousand years, and no one may be re-elected."
"Third, the total number is tentatively set at eleven."
The Heavenly Emperor paused for a moment, then said, "Apart from these three requirements, anyone can be nominated."
"Now, please list eleven people from the Zizhi Tongjian that you think are qualified to serve as the Supreme Elder."
"We will tally everyone's nominations and select the eleven people with the most votes."
Zheng Fa's idea regarding the selection of the Supreme Elders was the most crude; he essentially placed no restrictions and allowed the disciples of Jiushan to vote freely.
For him, this might be the path he follows.
In fact, the current Nine Mountains Immortal Court system is only two things more than before.
One is the general assembly, which is to encourage all disciples of the Nine Mountains Sect to play their role, put forward their ideas, and indirectly govern the Nine Mountains Sect through voting and elections.
One is the Divine Oversight Council, which is designed to protect the interests of ordinary people and give them their own voice.
Therefore, in the selection of the Supreme Elders Committee, Zheng Fa gave these disciples the greatest freedom—allowing them to choose the Supreme Elders who could represent their own will, so that his sermon at the Great Luo Dharma Assembly would not have been in vain.
As for whether there will be any problems, Zheng Fa cannot actually be sure.
But just as the Heavenly Emperor said to Uncle Pang, let's try it first, otherwise he doesn't know if this system can be promoted to the entire Xuanwei or even the myriad worlds.
He and Senior Sister Zhang had also considered that even if problems arose, given his current prestige and the situation of the Nine Mountains Sect, it wouldn't be difficult to set things right—the real fear was that if the Nine Mountains Sect grew stronger in the future, it would be harder to turn back.
The disciples looked at each other, pondered the matter, and only after a while did they begin to vote for nominations.
The voting results came out quickly.
Most of the names on the list are not surprising.
The number one ranked person is Zheng Fa, and the number two is Senior Sister Zhang.
Uncle Pang and the two elders were among them, while Uncle Huang was only ranked thirteenth and unfortunately not selected—but she didn't seem to regret it, and even seemed happy that she had finally reached retirement.
Xie Qingxue, as the commander of the Shenxiao Fleet, had an outstanding performance in the last battle, and she is among them today.
Xiao Yuying ranked ninth.
In addition, Madam Xuanhua received a high number of votes, ranking fourth. As the department that made the greatest contribution to the sect, Tiangong Pavilion also deserves this position.
These seven people were something the Heavenly Emperor had foreseen; they were originally high-ranking members of the Nine Mountains Sect.
But the other four people surprised him as well.
The first is the Nine Nether Emperor.
After thinking it over, the Heavenly Emperor understood. After all, cultivation was paramount in the Xuanwei Realm, and since the Nine Nether Emperor was now the Dean of the Supervisory Council, everyone naturally held him in higher regard.
Second is Master Qian. Master Qian has been at the Nascent Soul stage for over ten years. He usually stays at the Agricultural Academy to train disciples and spiritual plants. He doesn't really show his face much, so it's unclear why he got so many votes. Later, Zheng Fa learned that Master Qian and the Agricultural Academy are not prominent figures in the Nine Mountains Sect, but they have a high reputation in the mortal world. The disciples of the Nine Mountains Sect all come from the mortal world, and they have always kept Master Qian's name in their hearts.
There was also the Jade Dragon Lord, who was probably chosen based on his cultivation level and status, as he represented the sea region.
But what surprised everyone the most was their own disciple, Gu Chang, who had just reached the Nascent Soul stage and was chosen as a Supreme Elder.
Upon closer examination, it becomes understandable—the method of improving spiritual roots has a profound impact on cultivators.
If Gu Chang hadn't lived a secluded life and paid little attention to worldly affairs, he would probably have had more prestige within the sect.
Therefore, the eleven members of the Supreme Elders Committee are:
Zheng Fa, Senior Sister Zhang, Uncle Pang, Old Man Yuan, Xiao Yuying, Xie Qingxue, Madam Xuanhua, Emperor Jiuyou, True Man Qian, Dragon Lord Shuyu, and Gu Chang.
"I hereby declare the First General Assembly closed! From now on, the General Assembly shall be convened once every thousand years to vote on proposals and approve laws."
After the disciples dispersed amidst their discussions, the Heavenly Emperor found Senior Sister Zhang and Madam Xuanhua and headed towards the Nine Nether Emperor.
The Nine Nether Emperor seemed quite curious and asked, "What's the purpose of this Supreme Elders Committee?"
The Heavenly Emperor explained slightly: "In normal circumstances, the Celestial Court makes decisions based on the Supreme Elders Committee, and the Executive Yuan is responsible for their implementation."
"The role of the Control Yuan is to supervise."
The Nine Nether Emperor nodded slowly, then asked, "How was the resolution reached?"
"Discuss and vote," the Heavenly Emperor explained. "Regardless of cultivation level, the minority must obey the majority. Once a decision is made, no one may disobey it."
The Nine Nether Emperor nodded silently, seemingly pondering the meaning behind it.
Zheng Fa was fairly satisfied with the selection of this year's Supreme Elder:
He and Senior Sister Zhang are the four old members of the Nine Mountains Sect, who are able to maintain the stability of the Nine Mountains Sect and grasp the future direction.
Most importantly, people with academic backgrounds, such as Qian Zhenren, Madam Xuanhua, Xiao Yuying, and even Gu Chang, have joined the committee.
In Zheng Fa's vision, the Nine Mountains Sect was meant to lead the Celestial Court forward, and learning and research were the true essence of the Nine Mountains Sect. People like Master Qian were meant to represent various academies and research institutions.
As for Emperor Jiuyou, Lord Shuyu Dragon, and others, they are representatives of the peripheral forces of the Nine Mountains Sect.
Basically, the interests of all parties have been taken into account.
After pondering for a long time, the Nine Nether Emperor finally raised his head, looked at the three people in the Heavenly Emperor's body, and asked, "Where are you taking me?"
The Heavenly Emperor laughed, slightly embarrassed, and said, "As expected, nothing can hide from the Emperor."
He looked at Senior Sister Zhang, who said, "Now that the Emperor is also a member of the Celestial Court, there are some things we can't hide from him."
"Our Nine Mountains Sect is currently short of money."
After a moment's thought, Emperor Jiuyou understood the reason and couldn't help but shake his head: "Your Jiushan Sect has too many disciples."
With over 600,000 disciples, this was unprecedented in the entire Xuanwei Sect.
More importantly, these disciples cultivate at an extremely fast pace—take Gu Chang for example. He is intelligent and has a relatively detached temperament. After resolving his spiritual root problem, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, making him no less capable than Zheng Fa back then.
“In the past, things were alright. We had maritime trade routes and resources from the Supreme Dao and Yaochi,” Senior Sister Zhang said helplessly. “Now the situation has changed drastically, and the income of my Nine Mountains Sect has begun to decline sharply.”
"...Should we reduce the number of disciples?"
Emperor Jiuyou frowned and asked.
Senior Sister Zhang was silent for a moment, then said, "This doesn't align with Junior Brother's wishes... On the other hand, I'm also unwilling."
"Why?"
“Junior Brother’s cultivation now requires the help of an audience… The more disciples Jiushan has, the faster Junior Brother’s cultivation will be.”
The Nine Nether Emperor looked at Senior Sister Zhang, seemingly remembering someone else. His expression softened considerably, and he asked, "So you're looking for me?"
"Yes, we hope that the Emperor will allow us to develop the Underworld."
In the past, if Emperor Jiuyou wasn't considered one of the Nine Mountains Sect's own people, Senior Sister Zhang wouldn't have been so direct.
But things are different now.
As the Supreme Elder of the Nine Mountains Sect and the Dean of the Supervisory Council, Emperor Jiuyou should be even more open and honest with him.
The Nine Nether Emperor laughed upon hearing this and said, "It's not that I'm unwilling, but the Underworld really doesn't have anything good."
Senior Sister Zhang was taken aback and looked at the Heavenly Emperor's body, even the Heavenly Emperor's body frowned.
The Nine Mountains Sect actually has serious financial problems, so the sect has begun to set its sights on the Northern Continent.
However, there is still potential to be explored within the Celestial Court.
The first is the newly occupied North Sea, the second is Haori Mountain, and the third, which is the place they have the highest hopes for, is the Underworld.
The underworld is extremely special, connecting all the heavens, and its area is still growing larger and larger; it is practically a virgin land.
The Heavenly Emperor looked at Yan Changge, who nodded helplessly, seemingly somewhat frustrated: "Sect Leader, you've also been to the Underworld, do you still remember what it was like there?"
The Heavenly Emperor frowned and hesitated before saying, "I think that although the Underworld is not suitable for human survival, its spiritual energy is still quite abundant."
“It has spiritual energy,” Yan Changge shook his head and said, “but it doesn’t have spiritual materials.”
"No spiritual materials?"
“Spiritual materials, spiritual herbs, spiritual beasts—we have none of them,” Yan Changge said helplessly. “There are no resources that can help with cultivation. The number of wandering spirits is increasing, and we’re just wasting our time in the Underworld. Even after we’ve left, the Emperor himself is still controlling reincarnation, without a single day of rest…”
"this……"
Seeing Yan Changge's miserable face, utterly exhausted like an ox or horse, the Heavenly Emperor had no choice but to believe that the Underworld was indeed in a rather dire state.
Of course, it's understandable—the Nine Nether Emperor used the Netherworld to become a Taiyi Golden Immortal, and now he's paying off his debt.
The Nine Nether Emperor spoke up: "If you don't believe me, you can send someone to see for yourself."
“It’s not that we don’t believe in the Emperor… it’s just that we didn’t expect the Underworld to be in this state.” The Heavenly Emperor shook his head, glanced at Senior Sister Zhang, thought for a long time, and still insisted, “Of course, we still hope that the Emperor can allow the disciples of the Nine Mountains to enter and explore.”
"sure."
The Nine Nether Emperor was quite generous, or rather, he didn't care much and seemed not to think highly of it.
Since the Nine Nether Emperor had agreed, the Heavenly Emperor changed the subject and smiled at the Nine Nether Emperor, saying, "Since Your Majesty is new to the Nine Mountains Sect, why don't you come with me for a tour?"
The Nine Nether Emperor was also very interested in the Nine Mountains Sect, and followed the Heavenly Emperor out.
The first place they arrived at was the Tiangong Pavilion.
"Your Majesty should know that our Nine Mountains Sect's most mature skill is in weapon forging."
Emperor Jiuyou nodded and looked at the Heavenly Crafts Pavilion.
The Heavenly Craft Pavilion now occupies seven floating islands, making it extremely large, with manufacturing workshops, laboratories, and design studios standing side by side.
"This is... the Immortal Execution Sword?"
"Yes, we are thinking of improving the Zhuxian Sword to make the Zhuxian Sword Formation more powerful."
The Nine Nether Emperor pursed his lips, seemingly recalling the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation of the Nine Mountains Sect, which could kill Golden Immortals, and his expression became somewhat solemn.
As a result, he also developed a greater sense of awe towards the Heavenly Craft Pavilion.
"Tiangong Pavilion has several key projects."
Madam Xuanhua explained.
"The Emperor has just seen the improvements to the Four Swords of Zhuxian."
The Nine Nether Emperor nodded.
"The second is the design and manufacture of the new version of the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow."
"The Sun-Shooting Divine Bow?"
"Yes, after the last battle, the Sun-Shooting Army had a lot of new ideas and some improvements to the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow. The next generation of the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow should reduce consumption by 30%."
The Nine Nether Emperor was startled: "Thirty percent?"
"right."
The Nine Nether Emperor remained silent for a moment before praising, "Not only is the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation even more powerful in your hands, but the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow is also shining brightly. And now it can even go a step further? Your Heavenly Craft Pavilion is truly remarkable."
His gaze toward Madam Xuanhua became much more serious.
Lady Xuanhua chuckled, glanced at the Heavenly Emperor, and seeing that he had no intention of stopping her, said, "Besides these two improvement projects, we also have two key projects."
"What?"
"One is another improved version of the Shenxiao warship."
"I know about the Divine Firmament Warship." The Nine Nether Emperor seemed quite curious. "It seems Xie Qingxue is the fleet commander?"
"It was she who came up with the idea."
Madam Xuanhua smiled and said, "She said that flying swords could be linked with warships to develop a... unmanned warship."
"..."
A few question marks appeared on the face of the Nine Nether Emperor, as if he did not understand. Yan Changge, who was next to him, also had a look of "What the heck is this?" on his face.
Seeing their expressions, Madam Xuanhua explained, "These unmanned warships are not for attacking the enemy, but for reconnaissance."
"Investigation?"
"Yes, use them as nodes in the Thick Earth Magnetic Array to help the Japanese Army lock onto the enemy."
"..." Yan Changge's eyelids twitched, and he immediately understood the terrifying implications: "Expand the attack range of the Shooting Sun Army?"
"That's exactly right."
These Nine Netherworld Emperors also knew why this was a key project of the Heavenly Craft Pavilion—the Sun-Shooting Army was previously limited by the Thick Earth Magnetic Array, which restricted its range. If this kind of unmanned warship were completed, it would truly be able to hit any target.
"Speaking of which, this thing is actually related to Yan Wushuang, and the first version of the design also incorporated Elder Han's Ten Directions Knowledge."
As Yan Changge listened to the contributions of the former members of the Tianhe Sect, a hint of pride crept onto his face.
The group walked and looked around, and eventually arrived at the outside of a large factory.
"What is this made of?"
"This is the most important project for my Tiangong Pavilion recently." Madam Xuanhua led everyone into the factory.
There were many disciples in the factory, assembling a huge magical artifact.
This magical artifact is disc-shaped and stands on the ground. It is engraved with countless runes, and in the center is a yin-yang symbol and the Eight Trigrams.
"This is……"
"This is my treasure for achieving enlightenment, the Heavenly Evolution Array Plate," Senior Sister Zhang introduced. "This array plate combines my previous Nine Chapters Calculation Array with the innate Eight Trigrams supernatural power. In terms of deduction and calculation, it has surpassed my own abilities."
"..." Emperor Jiuyou turned around and looked at her, then suddenly realized, "So you're going to achieve the Dao Fruit."
"We're just waiting for this array to be completed."
Senior Sister Zhang's cultivation is a little slower than Zheng Fa's, but the difference is not significant, especially since she also has Zheng Fa's dual cultivation assistance.
Her current goal is to improve her natal magic weapon before achieving enlightenment. The Flying Immortal Brush has a great advantage in the way of talismans, but her focus is no longer on the way of talismans, so she wants to design another magic weapon.
"What is the purpose of this array?"
"We plan to entrust tasks such as distributing merits, evaluating performance, and allocating resources to the array," Senior Sister Zhang explained. "We will even gradually hand over the presiding over the general assembly of the Nine Mountains in the future. Only in this way can we ensure fairness to the greatest extent possible."
Before the Nine Nether Emperor could speak, Senior Sister Zhang added, "In this way, the burden on the Executive Yuan can be greatly reduced, actually..."
She looked at the Nine Nether Emperor and said frankly, "We originally wanted to exchange technology for resources."
"Technology for resources?"
“Zheng Fa said that the affairs of the underworld are particularly busy. This Heavenly Evolution Array should be very suitable for the reincarnation of the underworld. As long as it is set up, it can automatically determine the good and evil of the souls and classify them. According to our calculations, it can reduce manpower consumption by at least 90%.”
The Nine Nether Emperor silently turned his head and looked at the Heavenly Evolution Array Plate. Yan Changge also looked over, with the same thought in his heart—such a treasure that saves people from suffering, but the Underworld doesn't have the money to buy it!
After a long silence, the Nine Nether Emperor licked his lips and earnestly said, "Actually, I do have some savings..."
(End of this chapter)
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