The Three Giants of the Dao Seeking Sect

The Cult Master had thought that having fallen to such depths, they were doomed to have no hope of turning the tables in this life, destined to muddle through their days within the Dao Seeking Sect. Little did he expect to find new hope here with Vice Cult Master Liu! It seemed the Dao Seeking Sect was not a monolith either; covert and overt power struggles ran beneath the surface. And what was the demonic path best at if not driving wedges and stirring up discord? "Tell me quickly, how many factions are there within the Dao Seeking Sect?" The Cult Master appeared rather impatient. Master Liu raised a barrier and laid down several arrays that could effectively prevent sound from leaking out and block anyone from eavesdropping with divine sense. Seeing Vice Cult Master Liu prepare so thoroughly, the Cult Master felt a bit ashamed. In his eagerness just now, he had actually forgotten to set up precautions against information leaking. Seeing this, the five Immortal Cult elders and consecrated experts hesitated, unsure whether they should stay to listen. This seemed like a top-secret council that people of their rank were not qualified to attend. The Cult Master waved them over. These were the only surviving forces of the Immortal Cult; they deserved to sit in on this. Once everyone was present, Master Liu lowered his voice and said, "As far as what we can currently access, there are three major factions. These three factions are the three giants of the Dao Seeking Sect. The Dao Seeking Sect has a vast number of disciples, and none can escape the control of these three giants. Each of these three giants is backed by several Body Integration experts, including quite a few late Body Integration mighty figures!" The Cult Master nodded. It was hardly surprising that the three major factions of the Dao Seeking Sect possessed late Body Integration figures. "Are there any Tribulation Transcendence mighty figures?" Master Liu shook his head. "None discovered for now. Old monsters of that caliber do not easily declare allegiances, so they shouldn't be counted among the three giants!" Vice Cult Master Jin breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as there are no Tribulation Transcendence figures, that's fine. With our methods, maneuvering between the three giants shouldn't be difficult. What is the relationship among these three giants? Is there room for maneuvering?" Master Liu agreed with Vice Cult Master Jin's assessment. A Tribulation Transcendence cultivator posed too great a threat; in the face of absolute martial might, any scheme was useless. He continued, "Though I merely grill skewers on the street every day, I have actually been paying close attention to the conversations of the Dao Seeking Sect's disciples. Sifting through the tangled mass of information, I have unraveled the threads and deduced the relationships among the three giants." Master Liu placed three bowls on the table to represent the three giants. "The three giants are the time-honored Baixiang Restaurant, the Food Stall Association specializing in stir-fry dishes, and the Hotpot Grand Alliance whose selling point is every variety of hotpot. "Baixiang Restaurant has existed the longest on the commercial street. From what I know, some disciples ate at Baixiang Restaurant when they first joined the sect, and even after cultivating all the way to the Body Integration stage, they still enjoy dining there. Baixiang Restaurant not only boasts superb flavors, but is also imbued with nostalgic sentiment. It stands as the foremost of the three giants!" Master Liu overturned the large bowl to represent Baixiang Restaurant. "The Food Stall Association is not a single establishment, but a faction formed by an alliance of multiple shops specializing in stir-fries. These stir-fries feature diverse culinary styles capable of drawing disciples from every walk of the Dao Seeking Sect. Its power ranks second among the three giants!" Master Liu overturned the medium bowl to represent the Food Stall Association. "Then there is the Hotpot Grand Alliance. This is the largest hotpot restaurant on the commercial street, and its shadow looms behind numerous other hotpot shops. It is like an invisible black hand, willfully manipulating the fortunes and menus of the commercial street's hotpot joints. However, compared to stir-fries, hotpot offers a somewhat narrower range of dishes, and its business does not match the Food Stall Association. It ranks last among the three giants." Master Liu overturned the small bowl to represent the Hotpot Grand Alliance. "Baixiang Restaurant's dishes are high-end, with certain dishes having effects rivaling top-tier miraculous medicines, helping one's cultivation grow rapidly. The disciples who frequent it are either wealthy or noble, which is why Baixiang Restaurant maintains an aloof status, disdaining to compete with the other two giants. "In the rivalry between the Food Stall Association and the Hotpot Grand Alliance, the Hotpot Grand Alliance lacks sufficient foundation and has fallen into a disadvantage. "Although our barbecue stall has only just started, business is booming. In time, it won't pale in comparison to the three giants; its potential is immense. I believe we can form an alliance with the Hotpot Grand Alliance to stand against the Food Stall Association!" Master Gao chimed in, "Furthermore, from a geographical standpoint, the Hotpot Grand Alliance is very close to us, separated by only half a street. This also aligns with the art of war regarding horizontal and vertical alliances, and attacking the distant while befriending the near!" Master Gao was well-versed in military strategy, acting as the barbecue stall's military strategist. "Above the three giants, there is yet another transcendent power: the dining hall! "Whether in terms of backing, customer flow, or level of expenditure, the dining hall's status is far above the three giants! "The good news is that what the Dao Seeking Sect disciples purchase at the dining hall is not food, but weapons. From a functional standpoint, they have no overlap with us, so there is no need to worry about clashes with the dining hall in the future." Through Master Liu and Master Gao's lucid and insightful analysis, the Cult Master and Vice Cult Master Jin grasped the general picture. Although they had started from a difficult position, with proper maneuvering, it was not impossible to become the fourth giant! Then Master Gao voiced some worry: "Although in theory we can ally with the Hotpot Grand Alliance, they are an established giant after all, and might not be willing to cooperate with a shallowly rooted barbecue stall like ours." Master Gao planned to discuss it with the Hotpot Grand Alliance tomorrow, though he had already prepared himself in advance to have the door slammed in his face. Seeing Master Gao's worry, the Cult Master wore a faint smile. He produced a piece of paper representing the will of the Dao Seeking Sect's upper echelons and laid it before everyone. "Look and see what this is." Master Liu, Master Gao, and the five Immortal Cult upper echelons looked at the words on the paper, their pupils constricting sharply. One of the Immortal Cult upper echelons blurted out in shock, "Th-This is actually a business permit for a breeding farm!" The Cult Master's smile was brimming with confidence: "Indeed. This is our qualification to ally with the Hotpot Grand Alliance! "Whether it is a barbecue stall or a hotpot restaurant, what is needed most? Fresh ingredients, of course! And if the opportunity arises to raise some rare demon beasts to supply Baixiang Restaurant, we can establish ties with Baixiang Restaurant as well!" Everyone gasped. As expected of the Cult Master; he had actually prepared in advance! "The surprises don't stop there." The Cult Master stepped aside and invited the third black-robed person to reveal their true countenance. The third black-robed figure had not spoken from beginning to end, merely listening quietly to their discussion. Now, he pulled off his hood, revealing a benevolent yet weathered face. "Believers, a pleasure to meet you for the first time. You may call me the Immortal Celestial." "The Immortal Celestial?!" Everyone was truly stunned. Never had they imagined that the Immortal Celestial had actually revived! With the Cult Master vouching for him, no one doubted the Immortal Celestial's identity. More importantly, they could sense an indescribable, mystical connection with the Immortal Celestial—a connection that could not be faked. "We pay our respects to the Immortal Celestial!" Master Liu and Master Gao took the lead in dropping to their knees. "We pay our respects to the Immortal Celestial!" The five Immortal Cult upper echelons behind them also knelt and kowtowed. "Rise," the Immortal Celestial said calmly. "I have already reached an agreement with the Dao Seeking Sect: as long as I do not leave the Dao Seeking Sect, I may move about freely within its grounds! "I thought it over and decided it was best to come to you. "I listened to you talk for a good while just now, and I am somewhat disappointed in you." The Immortal Celestial's gaze held an expression of frustration at their failure to live up to potential. "As Body Integration cultivators, do you intend to spend your entire lives opening barbecue stalls and breeding farms in the Dao Seeking Sect? Are you truly content with that?!" "Please enlighten us, Celestial!" The Cult Master and the others thought back to how they had once been towering figures who commanded wind and cloud, yet had just been feeling complacent over having a chance to become the fourth giant. They felt deeply ashamed. "Is a mere Dao Seeking Sect the limit of your ambitions?! If we are going to open them, we must open chain stores across the entire Central Continent! "If we are going to do it, we must make it the biggest and the best!"