In the Virtuous Realm, the founder of the Saintly Scholar School, Confucius, stared out of the hall. His gaze pierced the dimensional boundary of the Virtuous Realm and into the Primordial Realm.
After creating the Virtuous Realm, Confucius had allowed the Saintly Scholar School to enter the background. As a result, new forces arose, though they called themselves schools because of the Saintly Scholar School’s influence. Although their numbers exceeded a hundred, they came to be known as the Hundred School of Thoughts. Exceptional cultivators from them would be granted an invitation to join the Saintly Scholar School, bolstering the hegemon while maintaining an invisible influence.
“They finished far faster than I calculated,” Confucius said, to no one in particular.
Seconds later, footsteps echoed in the empty hall as a slovenly dressed daoist with a sword slung over his back walked in. In his hand, he carried a wine jug that he periodically drank from. “Ha, I knew that the Xi kid was special the moment I met him, but I didn’t expect him to grow up to have such ability or so fast.”
Confucius smiled. Instead, he picked up the teakettle next to him. “Tea?”
“Just fill it halfway,” Daoist Lu said. He took the half-filled cup and poured a dollop of wine into it from his jug. After a few swirls, he downed the entire cup and released a satisfied sigh. “Just the best.”
“Want some?” Daoist Lu, raising his wine jug.
Confucius only quirked an eyebrow. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to become one return to your prime?” Confucius asked. “Once you do, you might even return to your peak and gain the backing to control the entire realm system as you once wished.”
Daoist Lu shook his head, and he took another swig. “I’ve already learned my lesson. The King Duke of the East died because of his ambition to control all divinities under his rule. Why waste effort on external means? Personal strength is most important.”
“Did you forget about Haotian? He succeeded.”
“A lot of good that did him,” Daoist Lu said. “For all his schemes and wisdom, he couldn’t maintain anything beyond appearances. Try as he might, he could not elude you three’s interference. I’m quite thankful I failed and reincarnated, otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the chance like Haotian. It was only after the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning seized control of the Immortal Court that it could rule the Three Realms System. Still, I learned one thing from this. Authority doesn’t matter if you don’t possess the power.”
“If it’s power you seek, why not merge into one again?” Confucius asked once more. “You have the chance to reach the same height as my past self.”
“It’s far too late,” Daoist Lu said with a shake of his head. “Most of my power and essence gave birth to sentience and was taken by the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning, remember? While my current self is but an amalgamation of a broken soul with fractured memories, at best. If I were to merge back, I do not know who we would be in the end. Would we return to our original selves or something new entirely? That is, if my other half is inclined to do so. He seems quite enamored with his current role.”
Confucius made a noncommittal grunt.
“So?” Daoist Lu asked. “Do you plan to intervene with the Jade and Numinous Conference?”
“Hardly,” Confucius said. “I’ll let the two lineages of the heavenly lords play management. As you said, nothing is more important than personal power. By the time they unify the entire Three Thousand Immortal Realms System, my strength will be beyond theirs.”
“As will mine,” Daoist Lu said, taking another swig from his wine jug.
“In my spatial ring,” Bao Ling said. “I’m nurturing my lifebound sword. One day in the future, it will exceed the four Immortal Extermination Swords.”
Sovereign Yanxu smiled. How hard was that? There was a reason why the former owner of the Immortal Extermination Swords was known as a heavenly lord. Even among divinities, only his fellow heavenly lords were his equals. All other divinities were inferior.
Still, it was a wonderful goal to have. At least Bao Ling wouldn’t lose motivation for a long time, Sovereign Yanxu mused.
“If that’s your chosen path, I will not interfere,” Sovereign Yanxu said. He placed the Immortal Ending Sword on his lap and gently caressed the scabbard, as if lost in memories. “If you decide on a certain path, commit to it. Never lose confidence and cut everything that stands in your way. Only then can you call yourself a sword immortal.”
“You have to prepare yourself,” Sovereign Yanxu continued. “Although a battle might not break out between our two sects, there will definitely be a competition. It will be a proxy war to determine the hierarchy of our relationship. Although it shouldn’t amount to too much influence, I still don’t want to lose. As the most outstanding member of recent years, you must reign uncontested.”
Bao Ling nodded. Sovereign Yanxu didn’t know if his disciple digested his words or not, but the sword-like gaze was a good indicator. “Okay, you can return. I know you’re focused on your cultivation now.”
He didn’t leave immediately. “Master.”
“What is it?” Sovereign Yanxu asked. His disciple wasn’t one for many questions, if any, outside of cultivation.
“Will Xi Tianyi be there?”
Sovereign Yanxu paused. This was the first time he saw Bao Ling concerned about someone else. And did he smell a hint of rivalry? “Most likely, yes. He is the only immortal emperor to appear in recent times. His age is similar to yours too, so it will be inevitable that a battle will occur between the two of you. I have confidence in your victory.”
“I see,” Bao Ling said with his usual disinterest.
“Aside from you, the most outstanding junior is Meng Tingfeng.”
“What of it?” Bao Ling asked.
“If possible, I want him to defeat Xi Tianyi. Imagine it, an immortal monarch defeating an immortal emperor,” Sovereign Yanxu said. “It’ll give us the advantage in the negotiations.”
The grand elder of the Numinous Sword Sect noticed Bao Ling narrowing his eyes. “Do you think Meng Tingfeng can’t do it?”
“No,” Bao Ling said.
“Have more confidence. Although he ascended from a lower realm and doesn’t practice the orthodox cultivation method of the Numinous Sword Sect, he’s more outstanding than all the current juniors. It’s quite a happenstance that he inherited the legacy of one of our fallen elders,” Sovereign Yanxu said. “Among the immortal monarchs, he is extremely outstanding, and it wouldn’t be a problem for him to fight a newly ascended immortal emperor for long periods of time. And that was hundreds of years ago.”
“I’m not saying Meng Tingfeng can’t defeat an immortal emperor. I’m saying he can’t defeat Xi Tianyi.”
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