"It was never any miracle cure at all. It was merely a weakened version of the Mind-Ascending Immortality Pill that simultaneously accelerated the outbreak of the immortal-mortal miasma within a cultivator's body..."
"So you're saying that even without this so-called cure, we could have pulled through on our own?"
Compared to Kou Hong, Dao Xuanzi appeared much calmer.
Even so, his fists were clenched tight, his expression grim.
"No wonder I've been feeling dazed from time to time lately! Whenever I wanted to do something, I felt lost and at a loss for what to do. So it was all caused by that damn Mind-Ascending Immortality Pill!" Kou Hong gritted his teeth in realization.
"And to think the two of us were so full of gratitude that we joined the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals overnight..."
Feeling thoroughly deceived and humiliated, Kou Hong surged to his feet.
"No, the more I think about it, the angrier I get!"
"I can't stay in this Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals for another second!"
With his fiery temper, Kou Hong made his decision on the spot.
"Hold on!" Ji Shaoli raised a hand to stop him.
"Hehe, I know you feel wronged, Brother Kou. But..."
"Have you considered the consequences of quitting the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals?"
Ji Shaoli said meaningfully, "I have never heard of anyone who left the Alliance and lived to tell the tale in peace."
Kou Hong's brows shot up in fury. "So what? I, Kou Hong, am no coward who fears death!"
"At worst, I'll expose the secret behind this cure to the public! We'll go down together in ruin!"
"Either way, there's no way in hell I'm staying in this Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals! It utterly sickens me!"
Dao Xuanzi also rose to his feet, clearly having arrived at the exact same conclusion.
"You two are truly men of genuine conviction, true heroes!"
"My judgment of you was not mistaken after all!" Ji Shaoli clapped in admiration.
"What do you mean by that, Fellow Daoist?" Dao Xuanzi's eyes flickered as he asked.
"I, too, believe the Alliance is tyrannical and devoid of Dao. Cultivators of our generation should unite to overthrow it and restore a bright and just world to the Xuanhuang Realm!" Ji Shaoli's expression turned solemn.
Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi were startled. They exchanged a glance, their attitude toward Ji Shaoli instantly growing much more polite.
Yet while they detested the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, they were not fools.
They were only at the Golden Core realm, whereas the Alliance possessed countless Soul Formation and Dao Integration powerhouses...
Overthrow the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals?
What kind of joke was that?
Both simply feigned not having heard Ji Shaoli's words and prepared to take their leave.
But how could Ji Shaoli let them walk away so easily?
Inside this small secret chamber, he forcefully enlightened them on the existence of the Myriad Realms Association.
Needless to detail the various methods he employed.
In short, by the end of his explanation, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi had transformed from wanting to steer clear of it at all costs to being thoroughly tempted.
"As the saying goes, the strongest fortresses are often breached from within."
"Our Congyun Mutual Aid Association is a nail driven right into the belly of the Alliance! Lying dormant and hidden until the time is ripe, at which point we shall thoroughly bury the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals!" Ji Shaoli said with utter conviction.
"What do you two say?"
Meeting Ji Shaoli's eager, earnest gaze, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi still hesitated.
After all, this was nothing like their days as rogue cultivators running their mouths without restraint. This was something that could truly cost them their heads!
Yet things had already come to this. Having learned the secret of the Myriad Realms Association, if they refused, they would likely never walk out of this secret chamber alive today.
Seeing the two brothers wavering, Ji Shaoli raised the stakes once more.
"Do you know why our Congyun Mutual Aid Association, established only a few years ago, has been able to draw countless cultivators who came seeking our name?"
"Aside from the mutual aid and resource-sharing on the surface, the fundamental reason is that the Myriad Realms Association selects core pillars from among us to cultivate."
"The doors to all cultivation resources are thrown wide open."
"For instance..."
"Nascent Soul grotto-heavens, Soul Formation changes, and even animas of Heaven and Earth!"
Though Ji Shaoli spoke softly, his words struck Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi like claps of thunder.
Kou Hong couldn't help swallowing hard. "Fellow Daoist Ji, is that really true?"
Ji Shaoli smiled faintly and nodded in confirmation.
"Both of you were once rogue cultivators, so you must know how arduous cultivation is. Never mind an anima of Heaven and Earth or an about-to-be-born change—take a Nascent Soul grotto-heaven alone. Relying solely on luck, do you have the confidence to find one on your own?"
"With no hope of advancing to Nascent Soul, could it be you are resigned to having your cultivation locked at the Golden Core realm for your entire lives?"
Ji Shaoli's voice grew louder, reverberating endlessly in the minds of the two brothers.
The look in their eyes gradually shifted, until they finally made up their minds.
"A real man born between heaven and earth—how can he spend his entire life accomplishing nothing!" Kou Hong resolved ruthlessly in his heart.
"Such a heaven-sent opportunity cannot be passed up," Dao Xuanzi said with a solemn nod.
"Good! Excellent! Then let us hold an initiation ceremony once more. A genuine initiation ceremony," Ji Shaoli laughed heartily.
Following that, the enigmatic faceless stone statue appeared above the secret chamber once again.
Led by Ji Shaoli, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi recited the oath a second time.
With slight modifications to its wording, after reciting it, they felt as though an invisible shackle had locked onto their minds.
The two brothers exchanged glances, secretly alarmed.
"Now that we are family, I will speak candidly." Ji Shaoli amiably led the two over to a stone table in the chamber and sat down with them.
"If I am not mistaken, the Foundation Establishment wonders you two used were the Dao Xuan Sword and the Horned Dragon Branch, correct?" Ji Shaoli asked.
How could he tell?
The two brothers were so shocked they nearly jumped out of their seats.
Gesturing for them not to be alarmed, Ji Shaoli spoke plainly: "In my eyes, you two brothers possess truly extraordinary, heaven-sent talent. However, you have been dragged down by the quality of your Foundation Establishment wonders."
"Never mind a wonder of Heaven or a wonder of Earth; even if you swapped them for superior wonders of Man, your future prospects would be limitless."
Proud as the two brothers were, even they could hardly withstand such high praise from Ji Shaoli.
Blushing slightly, they were just about to offer a few humble words when Ji Shaoli's next statement instantly captivated their attention.
"When our Mutual Aid Association selects its core members, we look not at aptitude or natural talent, but solely at character and disposition!"
"So long as one's disposition meets the standard, we will naturally help them..."
"Defy the heavens and alter their fate!"
Kou Hong's breath hitched. "Defy the heavens and alter our fate? But we have already..."
"Indeed. Have you two ever heard of the method of 'Re-establishing the Dao'?" Ji Shaoli asked with enticing persuasion.
"The method of Re-establishing the Dao allows a cultivator, upon erecting an alternative Dao Foundation, to leave their existing cultivation and dharmic powers completely unaffected. What is more, one can gradually use the new Dao Foundation to swallow and replace the original one, silently completing a metamorphosis and mending all past flaws..."
As Ji Shaoli explained in measured tones, the brothers' breathing grew increasingly ragged.
"There actually exists such a heaven-defying technique in this world?"
"Indeed. Although both of you have reached Golden Core, you only broke through recently. The cost of shattering your cores to cultivate anew is not particularly great," Ji Shaoli nodded.
Chapter 878