Alliance

"Any Dao Lord!" From these words, Yaoguang could clearly sense Dao Lord Penglai's confidence in her own strength. Still... She seemed to possess the capability to back it up. Although the time since she attained the Dao was far shorter than that of any other Dao Lord, her two most glorious battle records were enough to shake Beihai. She had battered the Tianhai Sword Pavilion into sealing off their mountain and staying inside. She had beaten Demon Saint Yulin so thoroughly that he fled with his head in his hands. How many people in this world could achieve such feats? "Dao Lord, you truly think highly of me, believing I can achieve Dao Integration?" Yaoguang asked with a smile. "Reaching Void Shattering within a century, and bringing more than one Dao art to major accomplishment... In the long span of ten thousand years to come, bringing one, several, or even a dozen Dao arts to perfection is by no means an extravagant hope for you. In fact... it may not even take a millennium before the perfected Dao arts you grasp exceed the fingers of one hand. Naturally, you will attempt to push for Dao Integration." Dao Lord Penglai continued, adding, "It took me merely a thousand years to achieve Dao Integration, but reaching Void Shattering took me two centuries." Yaoguang had accomplished in a hundred years what took her two hundred, and as a deputy sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect in charge of the Southern Domain, his circumstances were far better than hers had been back then. Therefore, she naturally believed that Yaoguang possessed the qualifications to attempt Dao Integration within a thousand years. Of course, having the qualifications was one thing; whether he would ultimately succeed would still depend on Yaoguang himself. "You truly think very highly of me, Dao Lord, and place great trust in me. But... sheltering the Penglai Immortal Sect's survival and growth..." Yaoguang shook his head. "I am a deputy sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect. With my current Void Shattering strength, I intend to contend for the position of Heavenly Dao Sect Master as well. Compared to the Penglai Immortal Sect—which hangs isolated overseas, directly confronts the demon race, and lacks any decent experts within its ranks—the Heavenly Dao Sect undoubtedly offers vastly superior prospects for development." "Development prospects..." Dao Lord Penglai remarked indifferently, "If I truly cared only about development prospects, I could have struck down the Tianhai Sword Pavilion back then and demanded to become its master. Their entire sect would have welcomed me with open arms." Saying this, she glanced at Yaoguang. "If I wished to take charge of the Heavenly Dao Sect, Dao Lord Juntian would not refuse, either." Hearing this, Yaoguang was somewhat surprised. "To a Dao Lord, the most important matter is the Dao Contention that occurs once every ten thousand years! Beyond that, sect heritage, disciples, and the division of benefits are all secondary—merely a matter of convenience so that someone handles mundane trifles. Take Dao Lord Juntian as an example: if another Dao Lord cultivating the Grand Dao of Truth demanded the entirety of the Heavenly Dao Sect in exchange for sitting out this Dao Contention, Dao Lord Juntian would agree without the slightest hesitation." Dao Lord Penglai added, "Conversely, if a Dao Lord were willing to aid him in the Dao Contention and hold off another Dao Lord on his behalf during the clash, he would likewise pay any price." "This... would Venerable Golden Book agree?" "He would simply take the Golden Book of the Grand Dao with him," Dao Lord Penglai said. "Besides, the Golden Book of the Grand Dao is merely an artifact spirit after all. Its strength may far surpass the Void Shattering realm, but in the end, it cannot compare to a true Dao Lord." Hearing this, Yaoguang's impression of the Dao Lord shifted somewhat. Her reason for establishing a sect in the Deep Blue Sea was to expand the territory of the human race. "When the Gate of the Immortal Realm opens, the entire Beihai Star will be plunged into chaos. Preoccupied with the Dao Contention, all Dao Lords will barely be able to look after themselves. Therefore, before I ascend, I will charge into the heart of the demon territory and slay Demon Saint Yulin. You need not worry that sheltering the Penglai Immortal Sect will draw retaliation from a demon saint." Dao Lord Penglai explained. Finishing her explanation, she gave a light chuckle. "Leaving the Penglai Immortal Sect in the Deep Blue Sea to give future human cultivators one more path to choose from can be considered my way of leaving a mark of my own on Beihai Star and in this world." Yaoguang truly felt admiration for Dao Lord Penglai's conduct. Yet the moment he recalled the behavior of those deputy sect masters in the Penglai Immortal Sect... He only wanted to stay as far away from those people as possible. Besides... In Dao Lord Penglai's view, even if he smoothly advanced to become a Dao Lord, with his shallow foundation he would never compete against veteran Dao Lords of the Void path for a spot to enter the immortal gate. Yet he knew full well in his heart that he would most likely not let this opportunity pass and wait ten thousand years for nothing. And if he also intended to enter the Gate of the Immortal Realm, even if he wanted to protect the Penglai Immortal Sect, his hands would be tied. "I apologize. Even without Demon Saint Yulin, the remaining demon emperors and demon sovereigns in the Deep Blue Sea are still numerous. I might not be able to protect the Penglai Immortal Sect. Furthermore..." Yaoguang glanced at Dao Lord Penglai. "I do not believe the acting sect master and deputy sect masters of the Penglai Immortal Sect would be willing to accept my protection." Dao Lord Penglai understood Yaoguang's meaning. Those disciples of hers... After brief deliberation, the Dao Lord made up her mind. "If those disciples of mine fail to make something of themselves, you may simply expel them from the sect." Hearing Dao Lord Penglai's words and comparing them with what she had said earlier, Yaoguang gradually grasped her true intent. What she truly wanted him to do was not necessarily to preserve those disciples. Rather... It was to ensure that the mark she had left on the Deep Blue Sea would not be erased once more by the demon race. To ensure that over the years, the factions that had placed their trust in her would not plunge into catastrophe upon her ascension. She was taking responsibility for all the cultivators and living beings throughout the Deep Blue Sea who believed in her. From this alone, one could see that this Dao Lord... Truly deserved to be called a "good person." Then again, it made sense. In the end, the time she had spent cultivating was relatively brief. Although she had escaped death countless times, the fact that she had never wiped out the Tianhai Sword Pavilion completely showed... She was different from the ordinary masses of Beihai Star. And it was precisely because of this difference that her disciples had turned out so poorly. With this thought, Yaoguang reached a decision. "Since you believe I have hope of achieving Dao Integration, Dao Lord, what if I also intend to vie for a spot when the Gate of the Immortal Realm opens this time?" Hearing Yaoguang's words, Dao Lord Penglai was visibly surprised. Yet when she sensed that Yaoguang was seemingly not joking... "Are you serious?" She glanced at the bustling construction of Nandu all around them. "Setting aside how perilous it would be for you to participate in this Dao Contention, even if you were to overpower all rivals and claim a spot to enter the Gate of the Immortal Realm, are you prepared to abandon everything in Nandu... and the Nine Cauldrons Sect that followed you here?" Hearing Dao Lord Penglai's question, Yaoguang quickly understood something. The reason this Dao Lord wanted to ask him to shelter the Penglai Immortal Sect... Aside from his innate ability and talent, the loyalty and affection he showed to the Nine Cauldrons Sect lineage without ever abandoning them after coming from the Cangwu World was of crucial importance. "If I say that I have sufficient confidence to ensure the people of Nandu can rest easy even after I leave, do you think, Dao Lord, that we might change our terms of exchange?" "Leaving Nandu while still ensuring Nandu can rest easy..." Dao Lord Penglai glanced around, her gaze finally coming to rest upon the Wuji Sword. As she examined it closely... She faintly noticed that this Dao artifact seemed not to be quite as simple as she had imagined. "Artifact crafting? You intend to craft a semi-immortal artifact like the Golden Book of the Grand Dao to guard Nandu?" Dao Lord Penglai said, but then shook her head. "Relying on a powerful Dao artifact to guard a sect is not a wise move. It easily draws the covetous eyes of others..." She shifted her gaze back to Yaoguang, asking with curiosity, "I find it somewhat hard to see through you. Just where does your confidence come from?" "Since you had people investigate my background, Dao Lord, have you ever heard of a title I held in the Cangwu Realm—'Supreme in Formations and Artifacts'? Not only do I possess astonishing artifact-crafting skills, but I also possess formidable mastery over formations. Fifteen years ago, when the demon cultivators of the Shadow Moon Sect invaded in force, two Void Shattering and five Void Refining demon cultivators were completely wiped out in the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation—that is the best proof." Yaoguang raised his head, gazing at the streams of light that flashed across the perimeter of Nandu from time to time. "Even a semi-immortal artifact as formidable as the Golden Book of the Grand Dao might not deter the greed of a Dao Lord. But what if such a semi-immortal artifact were paired with a rank-fifteen quasi-immortal formation—or even a true immortal formation?" "'Supreme in Formations and Artifacts.'" Hearing Yaoguang's words, Dao Lord Penglai's gaze involuntarily shifted toward the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation as well. Only now did she realize that the level of this formation had already reached the pinnacle grand formation tier. Although to her, superior grand formations and pinnacle grand formations made little difference, if this formation could advance another rank to reach the quasi-immortal formation tier, and had an artifact spirit of the semi-immortal artifact caliber like the Golden Book of the Grand Dao presiding over it... It would already possess the ability to block a Dao Lord. And if the formation's level could reach the immortal formation tier... The way Dao Lord Penglai looked at Yaoguang gradually shifted from curiosity and surprise to genuine regard, and she began to converse with him as an equal. "You can set up an immortal formation?" "Not right now. But if I can become a Dao Lord..." A look of confidence mirroring the one Dao Lord Penglai had displayed at the start appeared on Yaoguang's face. "Setting up an immortal formation will be no extravagant hope either." "An immortal formation!" Formation masters were an even rarer and more precious breed than artifact refiners. While Artifact Saints capable of crafting Dao artifacts at the Void Piercing, Void Refining, or Void Shattering stages were scarce, they were not nonexistent. Yet formation masters who could lay down pinnacle formations at this stage... Were even rarer than Artifact Saints. In today's world, ninety-nine percent of Dao artifacts and pinnacle formations were crafted and arranged by Dao Lords through sheer brute force. If Yaoguang truly possessed such mastery in both formations and artifacts... "Hearing you say that, I almost want to carry you off to the Penglai Immortal Sect just to set up formations and refine artifacts for me," Dao Lord Penglai said. "You jest, Dao Lord. If I cannot achieve Dao Integration, I will never in my life be able to craft an immortal artifact or set up an immortal formation; merely producing some Dao artifacts and pinnacle formations would hold no real value for you. But if I am able to integrate with the Dao... you will be entering the Gate of the Immortal Realm in a thousand years anyway, and you would hardly want to make an enemy of someone like me." Yaoguang added, "Furthermore... I trust in your character, Dao Lord." "I like hearing that." Dao Lord Penglai looked at Yaoguang, a smile gracing her brows. "By telling me all this, what you want is..." "To alter our terms of exchange," Yaoguang said. "You provide me with your full support in advancing to Dao Integration. Once my Dao Integration is accomplished, I am willing to refine a semi-immortal artifact no inferior to the Golden Book of the Grand Dao for the Penglai Immortal Sect, as well as lay down an immortal-rank formation. Afterward, if I decide to push for the Gate of the Immortal Realm, we will form an alliance; if I choose not to enter the immortal gate, I will shelter the Penglai Immortal Sect. How does that sound?"