Might

Once the shock brought by their peak combat power and military strength passed, what followed was the disclosure regarding construction, demographics, and development. Such as the current population under the Nine Cauldrons Sect, the population that had developed divine sense, and the numbers of high-tier cultivators and Great Cultivators. Among these, the figure highlighted most prominently was the number of cultivators who had transitioned to the Mystic Origin Creation Technique. Never mind those Great Cultivators who had lived for decades or centuries— among the new generation of cultivators, or rather, those under the age of sixty, all practiced the Mystic Origin Creation Technique. In particular, for cultivators under thirty, the proportion practicing the Mystic Origin Creation Technique exceeded ninety percent. One could say that from the moment they first encountered cultivation in the higher academies, they had directly embarked on the path of the Mystic Origin Creation Technique. And after a dozen-plus years, the most gifted among them who received vigorous cultivation had already stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm. The better performers were at high-tier qi refining. Naturally, those at mid-tier qi refining were even more numerous. Yet these individuals were largely no longer within the Nine Cauldrons Sect's focus of observation. Failing to become high-tier cultivators after more than a decade meant their chances of reaching Foundation Establishment in the future were practically nonexistent, let alone the Unity Realm and Core Formation Realm further up. ... "I remember that a dozen-odd years ago, even counting the people from the subordinate worlds, our Nine Cauldrons Sect had fewer than three hundred million cultivators who had developed divine sense and could qualify for posts in the Energy Department. But now... that number has surged four to five times over, reaching as high as 1.2 billion. This figure is barely behind the Golden Divine Temple, Taiyin Sect, and Fatian Pavilion. Truly incredible!" Looking at the data, Zhang Ruosheng, Master of the Administrative Affairs Hall, could not help but sigh with emotion. "It all comes down to higher spirit stone output. Once spirit stone output rises, social productivity shoots up. Not only does alchemy efficiency increase, but all sorts of cultivation-assisting formations can also run for extended periods. With progress on every front, the sect's overall average standard naturally rose." Liang Qiu, Master of the Logistics Hall, replied, "In another eight to ten years, when the growth of cultivators with divine sense hits its peak, catching up with the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Immortal Alliance will surely be no difficult task." Zhang Ruosheng nodded in deep agreement. Beside him, Murong Hui smiled and said, "Once all these figures are publicly disclosed, it should be enough to give our leadership a brand-new appreciation of just how powerful the Nine Cauldrons Sect truly is right now. They won't demean themselves the moment we're compared to top immortal sects anymore... In fact, countless disciples naturally harbor a subservient mindset toward people from top immortal sects, assuming their words are always right and everything they have is superior." Zhang Ruosheng and Liang Qiu recalled the various reports they had seen from time to time... and nodded. "I'm afraid data alone won't be enough. We must truly clash with these top immortal sects once or twice. Once we've forged the Nine Cauldrons Sect's morale through battle, our disciples will naturally stand tall whenever they venture out into the world," Lou Yuyu voiced his opinion. And his words genuinely made quite a few hall masters ponder the feasibility of such a move. "Top immortal sects..." The Wuji Astral Palace, Myriad Beasts Sect, and Immortal Alliance were not easy to deal with for the moment. However, the Taiyin Sect, Fatian Pavilion, and the visibly declining Golden Divine Temple could certainly be tested. The Golden Divine Temple could be set aside; they were on good terms with the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Naturally, the Nine Cauldrons Sect would not move against such a cooperative partner. As for the Taiyin Sect... A decade ago, they had colluded with the Wuji Astral Palace and the Immortal Alliance to dig a pit with their orders, nearly entrapping the Nine Cauldrons Sect. They would make a fine target to establish dominance. That sect possessed only twenty-four elite battle institutes and thirteen sky-patrol warships. Their conventional strength was already notably inferior to the Nine Cauldrons Sect's. Yet... they were, after all, an ancient top immortal sect with a long heritage. Not only did they boast three Radiant Sun Golden Cores and four Crimson Golden Cores, they also possessed six combatants of Star God or divine beast caliber. With the Nine Cauldrons Sect's current foundation, it was still inadvisable to trade blows with a top immortal sect that had maintained its enduring prosperity. ... On stage, Li Qingshan had spoken at length, and at last, this series of affirmations regarding the Nine Cauldrons Sect's progress over the years drew to a close. Immediately, he voiced the tentative decision he had just discussed with Yaoguang and Li Hanqiu. "The sect's next strategic directive will inevitably be the reclamation of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. However, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains have long been under the control of the Brahma Divine Kingdom. Although we do not fear going to war with them, the best course is to subdue the enemy without fighting by displaying our formidable military might. So long as the Brahma Divine Kingdom realizes that daring to wage war against us in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains will inevitably end in a catastrophic defeat, they will voluntarily withdraw, just as the Ancient Immortal Sect, Great Yue Dynasty, Astral Sea Sect, and other factions did in the East Sea Archipelago years ago." As Li Qingshan spoke, his voice grew resonant and firm. "Therefore, in three months, the sect will hold a grand military parade in Chicheng! We will not only showcase our brand-new battle institutes and our new cultivation system, but the hidden Shenzhou and Zhongzhou sky-patrol warships will also form a formation alongside the Jizhou, Qingzhou, Yangzhou, and Xuzhou to sweep through the void, displaying the majesty of our Nine Cauldrons Sect!" "A military parade in three months? Has the sect's tempo picked up?" "It's a bold move, but with less than twenty years left until that covenant, whatever needs to be done must be set in motion." "The highest form of warfare is to outwit the enemy through strategy. Only by demonstrating our strength can we make the surrounding factions understand the consequences of crossing us! I support the decision for a grand parade!" Hall masters, vice hall masters, branch masters, domain masters, and elders murmured in debate and agreement. "During the parade, I ask each of you to maintain stability in your respective branches and domains!" Li Qingshan said solemnly, "Our Nine Cauldrons Sect is currently in the midst of unprecedented development. So long as we continue to grow along our established path, it will not be long before we become the strongest sect in the entire Cangwu Great World! Thus, what is most vital for us right now is to keep our stride steady! So long as we maintain internal stability and advance solidly step by step, I believe we will soon reclaim the glory of the Artifact Sect era, and perhaps even..." He paused, his tone soaring: "In the future, the Nine Cauldrons Sect's weight in the Cangwu Great World will surpass the Artifact Sect at its absolute peak. We will become one of the Cangwu Great World's mightiest top immortal sects—and indeed, truly and on all fronts... foremost in the world!" Listening to Li Qingshan's speech, the hall masters, branch masters, and domain masters grew impassioned. "We will faithfully shoulder our duty to guard our territories and foster the livelihood of our people. We will not let the Sect Master down!" The branch and domain masters rose to their feet one after another in response, their expressions filled with eager anticipation for the future. Li Qingshan nodded at the assembly in satisfaction. "You, I, and the Nine Cauldrons Sect all have a bright future ahead." With that, the plenary meeting drew to a close. Contrary to everyone's expectations, the meeting did not discuss an armed campaign against the Brahma Divine Kingdom to reclaim the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. Yet everyone knew that so long as the Nine Cauldrons Sect fully displayed its current strength— when the representatives of thirty-three peak battle institutes soared on their swords through the sky, when six of the world's most advanced sky-patrol warships flew overhead, projecting a domineering presence that could overawe the Sky Star continent— the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains could be settled with nothing more than a written summons. ... "Do you plan to take part in this military parade?" Once the meeting concluded, Li Hanqiu approached Yaoguang again. "I won't be attending. But I believe that once the news that I am the fifth Dharma Idol cultivator in the Cangwu Realm is made public, probes from the Immortal Alliance and the Wuji Astral Palace will arrive swiftly. Lest they choose the interior of the Cangwu Great World as their battleground and disrupt the Nine Cauldrons Sect's development, I might as well make a trip beyond the nine heavens." Yaoguang paused, then added, "On one hand, I need to visit several stars beyond the nine heavens and refine their stellar cores for my cultivation, allowing me to truly achieve a Rank-3 Star God physique as soon as possible. On the other hand, it will give them the chance to test my mettle." "Beyond the nine heavens..." Li Hanqiu frowned slightly. "Won't that be somewhat dangerous?" "It's fine. In our upcoming plan, we will first release the Nine Cauldrons Sect's economic data while building momentum for the military parade. A month later, we will announce the specific details of the parade and issue invitations to the surrounding factions, including the Myriad Beasts Sect, Immortal Alliance, Wuji Astral Palace, Taiyin Sect, Fatian Pavilion, and Golden Divine Temple..." Yaoguang paused before continuing, "Two months later, we'll disclose the line-up of forces likely to appear in the parade. And at that exact moment, I will ascend beyond the nine heavens... Unless something unexpected happens, the one who moves against me should be Miller of the Immortal Alliance." Li Hanqiu nodded. Once Yaoguang announced his identity as a Dharma Idol cultivator, the Immortal Alliance would quickly connect him to the raid on Dengxian Tower's headquarters ten years prior. Enraged by embarrassment, it was entirely plausible that Miller, the pillar of the Miller clan, would strike at him. "Since you are confident, then my mind is at ease," Li Hanqiu said. Yaoguang smiled faintly. After a moment of thought, he traced a hand through the empty air, and the phantom image of the spirit treasure, the Convergence-Dispersal Ring, materialized within the Virtual Spirit Realm. At the same time, he condensed the information regarding the spirit treasure and sent it to Li Hanqiu. "Have a look, Master Li." Li Hanqiu stared blankly for a second, then began digesting the details of the Convergence-Dispersal Ring. Yet he had only absorbed it for a moment before his expression changed drastically. "This is..." He snapped his head up to look at Yaoguang, then back to the simulated spirit treasure, a trace of excitement flashing in his eyes. "Is this real?" "Yes. I should be able to forge it next month. Once you have this spirit treasure, it should stabilize your Golden Core. While letting loose completely might still be out of reach, you certainly won't have to brace yourself for core collapse the moment a battle turns slightly intense..." Yaoguang said. "Good! Good! Excellent! Truly marvelous!" Li Hanqiu's eyes gleamed sharply. "Yaoguang, do you realize what the appearance of this spirit treasure signifies?" "It means that all Crimson Golden Cores and Radiant Sun Golden Cores will basically be freed from their worries—or at least, outside of life-and-death struggles, they won't have to fear mortal peril caused by core instability," Yaoguang replied with a smile. He understood this clearly. Between the Crimson Golden Cores and Radiant Sun Golden Cores, the Cangwu Great World had dozens of such figures. Once the Convergence-Dispersal Ring was forged and circumstances allowed in the future, it could even be sold externally. Selling one for three to five hundred million wouldn't be excessive, would it? As long as he sold eight or ten of them, the proceeds could easily push his Immortal Path realm beyond Void Piercing. "No! It is far more than that! This spirit treasure will be a strategic asset!" Li Hanqiu said solemnly. Yaoguang quickly grasped his meaning. "You mean..." "The Wuji Astral Palace is closely tied to the Immortal Alliance and the Taiyin Sect, but... the Myriad Beasts Sect, Fatian Pavilion, and Golden Divine Temple aren't necessarily beyond our reach to win over!" Li Hanqiu gazed at the phantom of the Convergence-Dispersal Ring. "In the future, we could very well forge a brand-new coalition led by the Nine Cauldrons Sect, Myriad Beasts Sect, Fatian Pavilion, and Golden Divine Temple to confront the Wuji Astral Palace, Immortal Alliance, and Taiyin Sect head-on!" He clenched his fist tightly. "Without exaggeration, the moment this spirit treasure appears, the unification of Cangwu led by the Nine Cauldrons Sect will no longer be a pipe dream!"