Li Chang'an smiled faintly.
"Because it was you, Sect Master, who personally allowed this disciple to enter the sect," he said. "And I have cultivated within its gates for half a year. On the mountain where I cultivate, the Mountain Lord has treated me very well, and my fellow disciples have also been friendly. From this, it is clear that you, Sect Master, deliberately assigned me to that specific immortal mountain."
"This disciple has also observed that many of the disciples on my mountain originally came from the other immortal mountains. I've also heard that these particular disciples are often bullied and oppressed. Therefore, allow me to venture a bold guess, Sect Master."
When Daoist Mingtai remained silent, Li Chang'an continued, "Within the Aeternus Sect, a schism has formed. A great many disciples and elders have already decided to pledge their allegiance to Prince Qian.
The disciples and Mountain Lord on my own immortal mountain, however, are single-mindedly devoted to the Dao. They have secretly protected and befriended me."
"This way," Li Chang'an concluded, "even if Prince Qian should fail, by having this connection to me, the Aeternus Sect still has a slim chance of survival."
Daoist Mingtai gave a wry smile.
"If only a monstrous talent like yours were applied to cultivation," he lamented, "how wonderful would that be?"
Li Chang'an ignored Daoist Mingtai's compliment.
He continued, "However, there is something I find puzzling."
"Oh?" Daoist Mingtai's interest was immediately piqued.
Li Chang'an explained, his expression puzzled.
"Ever since arriving at the Aeternus Sect, I've always felt that something is... strange.
He could easily have allied with Prince Yu of Duskwild Prefecture—wouldn't his chances of success have been far greater that way?"
Hearing Li Chang'an's string of questions, Daoist Mingtai, contrary to expectation, couldn't suppress a feeling of delight.
He had lived for several thousand years, and this was the first time he'd ever been so thoroughly led by the nose during a conversation.
Now, he finally had a chance to turn the tables on this clever young man!
He was practically buzzing with excitement—he was finally going to enlighten Li Chang'an!
"But when you summoned me, Sect Master, I figured it out," Li Chang'an said.
"Perhaps some event convinced Supreme Elder Puci that Prince Qian was worth backing.
He decided to take a gamble, betting that he would gain more by siding with the prince.
But you, Sect Master, do not approve of him."
...
At that moment, the old man before Li Chang'an looked like a deflated ball, completely listless and dejected.
Li Chang'an's voice turned grave.
"For the better part of a year, I have been searching for the reason why," he said. "Then, a report came from my clansmen. It stated that many years ago, Prince Qian began frequently visiting the three great powers.
The tax revenues and the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures of the Duravia Trade Prefecture remain in the hands of your three great powers. And yet,"
He continued, "The monthly allocation of cultivation resources—Heavenly Materials, Earthly Treasures, Spirit Stones, medicinal pills—for the disciples has actually increased."
"And at the same time, it was from that point onward that disciples from the three great powers began to die in large numbers. The number of these deaths peaked early on, and then gradually began to decrease."
"Heh." Li Chang'an scoffed.
"Everyone says that the Duravia Trade Prefecture is a domain divided into three," he said. "But in truth, from that moment forward, the very heavens over the prefecture had already changed.
He must have a secret force under his control.
He provides the disciples of the three great powers with benefits, and in return, countless among them are willing to lay down their lives for him."
"And as for the disciples who refused to obey," he declared, "they have already been eliminated by that secret force of his!"
"Supreme Elder Puci was aware of this long ago, but he turned a blind eye.
In fact, he was pleased to see it happen. He was once forced to bow his head to the Human Emperor, and now he wants to rebel.
He intends to back Prince Qian. The existence of that secret force, combined with Prince Qian's own cunning, led Supreme Elder Puci to believe that the prince's potential is limitless!"
Daoist Mingtai's expression grew increasingly grim.
His breathing grew labored. Suddenly, he fixed Li Chang'an with a deathly stare.
"You've figured out so many secrets?" he snarled. "Aren't you afraid that I, the Sect Master, will kill you right here and now?!!"
"Sect Master, you are mistaken again," Li Chang'an replied calmly. "This wasn't a guess. I simply saw through it. You all assumed I was doing nothing for the past half-year, but in truth, I was simply waiting for an opportunity."
Li Chang'an remained utterly at ease, even under Daoist Mingtai's killing intent.
He smiled and said, "Your summons, Sect Master—that was the opportunity I was waiting for. If you had not summoned me, I would have left within the month, because I knew an Aeternus Sect in this state was no longer worth the effort of persuasion."
Daoist Mingtai lowered his gaze.
"You young pup," he said, "you certainly have some nerve. Are you truly not afraid that a single misstep could mean losing your life here on my Aeternus Immortal Mountain?"
At these words.
Li Chang'an said nothing. After returning to the clan, he had heard a story about a man who, all alone, had set out on a path to certain death—and never once looked back.
He, Li Chang'an, had inherited that same fearless bloodline, and on his shoulders, he carried the heavy will of the one who had passed.
"The Supreme Elder failed to realize," he said, "that hundreds of years ago, our Aeternus Sect had already forgotten the precepts passed down through generations. We were meant to be transcendent, detached from the mundane world, untroubled by worldly affairs. That was our path to survival."
A profound sorrow laced Daoist Mingtai's voice.
"But in this age of great chaos," he said, "who can truly escape? He was blinded by his fury at having been forced to bow his head to the Human Emperor. He failed to see that a treacherous villain like Prince Qian, in his bid to control the sect, would buy the loyalty of our disciples while regarding their lives as no more than worthless weeds."
"The Supreme Elder imagines he can become Prince Qian's right-hand man, but how could he ever be more important than that secret force Prince Qian commands? I have seen them," he said, his voice dropping low. "Those people... they call Prince Qian 'Master'!"
A look of sudden understanding crossed Li Chang'an's face.
"So that is your thinking, Sect Master," he said, "and the real reason you summoned me. Supreme Elder Puci believes he will be placed in a position of great importance, becoming a powerful noble on par with the State Preceptor or the Grand Tutor.
But he fails to grasp that unless the day comes when he is willing to call Prince Qian 'Master,' he is destined to become a discarded pawn.
Sooner or later, the disciples of your Aeternus Sect—just like those at the very beginning—will be branded as disloyal by Prince Qian and purged to the last man."
Daoist Mingtai snapped his head up, his gaze fixed intently on Li Chang'an.
Then he stood up and, to Li Chang'an's visible dismay, kicked his own cattail cushion aside, stepped directly onto the spiritual liquid array, and strode towards the door—leaving Li Chang'an with no choice but to tidy everything up all over again.
The next moment, the grand hall grew dim as Daoist Mingtai shut the door. His face was dark as he stared at Li Chang'an, who was bent at the waist with his rear in the air, tidying up the mess.
"Excellent, Chang'an," he said. "Everything has unfolded just as you predicted. But there was one thing you didn't anticipate—that I could close the door myself!"
"What? Stay away!"
Li Chang'an's face turned black.
Daoist Mingtai advanced on Li Chang'an with heavy, deliberate steps. To Li Chang'an, it was as if he were facing a towering, oppressive mountain. The old Daoist's voice was low and deep.
"Go on and shout," he rumbled. "In all my years, I have never wanted to beat someone this badly. After I've given you a good thrashing, then we can discuss what comes next!"
"Sect Master, let's talk this over calmly..."
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