ragginovel Chapter 2603 The Order of Peace
Chapter 2603 The Order of Peace
Chapter 2603 The Order of Peace
Unable to hear the conversation between Qin Sang and Mu Hongsheng, and seeing Mu Hongsheng's respectful attitude towards Qin Sang, the two became increasingly suspicious.
Although they were unwilling, they knew very well that their chances of succeeding today were slim.
The masked man sneered, "You, surnamed Mu, are lucky today. I will definitely demand an explanation from the Burning Crystal Sect in the future!"
After saying that, he gave Qin Sang a cold look and left.
Mu Hongsheng knew that this person was just being verbally aggressive and didn't take it seriously. He did use some tricks, but they weren't exactly sinister. It was hard to distinguish right from wrong, and if the matter were brought to the three sect leaders, it would be a complete mess.
"Hurry up and pay your respects to Elder Qin to thank him for saving your life!"
Having startled his adversary, Mu Hongsheng put away the Burning Crystal Heart Furnace and shouted at his three disciples.
For him, the outcome of this battle was only a matter of gain or loss, but for these disciples, it was a real life-saving grace.
The three hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects, but were curious about which sect Qin Sang was an elder of.
Seeing their enemies disappear into the distance, and to avoid any further complications, the group immediately left the area and headed to the young sect leader's palace.
"After the young mistress was invited back to the sect by the young sect leader, she greatly admired Elder Qin's attainments in the art of weapon crafting. She took out 'The Dream Interpretation of Luohua' and circulated it among the disciples, causing widespread amazement. This treatise has now been placed in the True Inheritance Pavilion for the disciples to refer to. I, too, have gained much inspiration from it. Thinking back to those fellow Daoists who shared the same ideals and discussed profound Daoist principles in the mountains and fields, eventually producing a magnificent work, I couldn't help but yearn for it. Today, I finally had the opportunity to meet Elder Qin, only to be caught in such a shameful affair by him..."
On the return journey, Mu Hongsheng adopted a very humble attitude, showering Qin Sang with compliments. At this point, he repeatedly expressed his shame, which drew frequent glances from his three disciples.
This Uncle Mu was proud and arrogant, and among his peers he only respected the young sect leader. He had never shown such behavior before.
Qin Sang knew perfectly well that Mu Hongsheng's behavior was not because of Madam Shuanghua. On the one hand, Qin Sang had helped Mu Hongsheng out of a predicament, and on the other hand, it was because of his status as an elder of the Five Elements Alliance.
Among the eight great states of Tianzhou, the Five Elements Alliance is still quite well-known.
Back then, he was just a guest elder in the Five Elements Alliance. After leaving Kanzhou, he lost contact with them, but Mu Hongsheng was unaware of this.
He was a guest advisor before, but now he may very well become a true elder.
Qin Sang, of course, wouldn't expose them, and laughed, "I just heard Fellow Daoist Mu say that those two are also from prestigious sects? If you're not as skilled as them, why break your oath and resort to robbery? Isn't that the behavior of a demonic sect!"
Mu Hongsheng sighed, "Indeed, those two, one from the Thousand Peaks Sect and the other from the Execution Platform Alliance, are both Xuan-rank sects in the Heavenly Market Ruins. It's a pity that people's hearts are not what they used to be!"
The Tian Shi Xu, one of the three poles of Xunzhou, does not refer to a single sect; the most accurate description would be a merchant alliance.
Xunzhou has been a prosperous commercial center since ancient times, which is related to its location.
Before the appearance of Xunfeng Sea, Xunzhou was half mountain and half water, located at the intersection of the Great Zhou, the East Sea and the Wilderness, connecting the human race, the Wilderness demon race, the East Sea aquatic race and the alien race.
At that time, Xunzhou was not yet fully controlled by the Great Zhou. It was a place where heroes gathered and people of all kinds came together, and a prosperous commercial industry emerged. Even when the conflict between humans and demons was at its most intense, the trade routes in Xunzhou never ceased.
As the Dao Court rose to prominence, it vanquished demons and monsters, expanded its territory, and the human race gained increasing control over Xunzhou. However, there were still those who dared to take risks, and countless merchant guilds existed.
This custom has continued to this day. Many sects in Xunzhou trace their lineage back to their founding masters, who were once merchants. They gradually evolved from merchant guilds into sects. Therefore, Xunzhou's emphasis on "business ethics" is unparalleled among the eight major states.
Tian Shi Xu is a large merchant alliance formed by these sects, with influence throughout Xunzhou. Based on their power and contributions to the merchant alliance, the sects are divided into four ranks: 'Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow'.
Do not assume that Tian Shi Xu is merely a loose alliance. Its internal structure is rigorous, with members advancing and retreating together, and it does not allow external forces to interfere. Many other powerful figures from other prefectures have returned empty-handed from Xunzhou.
Furthermore, the unique pattern of "the immortal city not touching the ground" that Xunzhou was able to form is also closely related to the Heavenly Market.
After the formation of the Xunfeng Sea, Xunzhou suffered as much as Dafengyuan. The areas near the Xunfeng Sea were even more severely affected than Dafengyuan, with frequent Xunfeng storms that created winds that swept southward, destroying mountains and seas in their wake and leaving Xunzhou in ruins. Many sects' mountain gates and spiritual veins were destroyed as a result, forcing them to relocate and suffer greatly.
In order to protect themselves, the sects in Xunzhou united and formed an alliance to jointly deal with the calamity of Xunfeng. This was the prototype of Tianshixu.
Although these sects do not possess the supreme treasures of the Divine Court that can determine the heavens and the origins of the universe, their combined strength is not to be underestimated. They could have sealed the Xun wind in the high sky like Yuan Zhenjun, restoring peace to Xunzhou. However, they did not do so. Instead, they came up with a unique idea, sparing no expense in expending enormous resources and energy to sort out the flow and veins of the Xun wind, and built a celestial city that allows one to ride the wind.
These celestial cities are forever suspended in the sky, never settling in one place, but constantly roaming the territory of Xunzhou. The tracks of the celestial cities' activities form a vast network, covering almost most of Xunzhou.
The consequence of this was that the wind disaster in Xunzhou was not resolved. Moreover, unlike the original intermittent strong winds, the gales continued to blow from the Xunfeng Sea almost year-round, only weakening in the southern region of Xunzhou, allowing mortals to survive outside the immortal city. The northern part of Xunzhou was sparsely populated, and apart from moving into the immortal city, mortals could only be seen in places protected by the great formations of immortal cultivation sects.
Gradually, some people realized that Tian Shi Xu's move was ambitious. In fact, the Immortal City and Xun Feng had been transformed by Tian Shi Xu into a great array, an incomparably grand array that covered Xun Prefecture!
In the aftermath of the catastrophe, the Great Zhou Dynasty was powerless to govern Xunzhou, giving Tian Shi Xu an opening to secretly plot its seizure. Xunfeng is the lifeblood of the grand formation, and the Immortal City is its vital energy center, spreading throughout the region. If things go wrong, Tian Shi Xu will be able to control Xunzhou, granting it absolute power: those who submit will prosper, and those who oppose will perish!
However, these doubts cannot change the situation. Tian Shi Xu has now grown too powerful and is difficult to control. Although it is known as one of the three poles of Xunzhou, it will probably take the combined forces of Huang Ting Dao and Duan Hong Island to contend with Tian Shi Xu.
However, among the eight great states of the world today, how many truly submit to the Great Zhou?
Looking at the western states, although the western Buddhist lands are outside the territory of the Great Zhou, Buddhism has never stopped infiltrating the Great Zhou. More than half of the people in Yanzhou are devoted to Buddhism, and Buddhist temples and monasteries are everywhere.
Looking at Kanzhou in the East Sea, the Supreme Dao lineage is quiet and inactive, and does not show itself in the world, but which sect or power in Kanzhou does not have the shadow of the Supreme Dao lineage behind it?
At the very least, Tian Shi Xu did not openly occupy Xunzhou and remained very respectful to Da Zhou. Da Zhou's prefecture was located in Xiancheng, and on the surface, it was still the lord of a city, with its policies being implemented smoothly.
When Mu Hongsheng spoke of Tian Shi Xu, his tone was quite apprehensive. The Burning Crystal Sect was not a member of Tian Shi Xu. When Tian Shi Xu was established, there was no such sect as the Burning Crystal Sect. It was not until the appearance of Sect Master Li that the Burning Crystal Sect stood out and gradually prospered under the leadership of Sect Master Li.
Back then, Sect Master Li had also wanted to have the Burning Crystal Sect join the Heavenly Market, but it was delayed due to other matters.
Joining Tian Shi Xu is a complex matter, with both advantages and disadvantages. While one can enjoy the vast resources controlled by Tian Shi Xu, one must also abide by its rules. Sometimes, sacrifices and contributions are necessary, and new members often have to make contributions before gaining recognition.
Fortunately, Tian Shi Xu cannot dominate Xunzhou; Huang Ting Dao and Duan Hong Island are there to contend with it.
Tian Shi Xu places great importance on the rules of 'business ethics'. As long as Fen Jing Men doesn't deliberately provoke Tian Shi Xu, they can live comfortably, and in the end, the matter of joining the alliance was dropped.
Qin Sang learned from Mu Hongsheng that the sects of Burning Crystal Sect, Thousand Peaks Sect, and Punishment Platform Alliance were not actually located nearby, and couldn't help but wonder, "Since none of your sects are here, why have you all gathered here and clashed?"
The Xunfeng Sea is vast and boundless; how could it possibly stumble upon three cultivators at the Void Refinement stage fighting so easily?
"Elder Qin, are you unaware of recent events?"
Mu Hongsheng looked surprised.
He had assumed that Qin Sang had come specifically for that matter, on the orders of the Five Elements Alliance.
The reason he was so enthusiastic towards Qin Sang was that he realized the situation was getting out of control. More and more sects from Tian Shi Xu were gathering here. They were all of the same ilk, and even if they didn't get along, they could resolve their conflicts internally.
Once they unite against a common enemy, the Burning Crystal Sect will have nowhere to hide. That's why those two just now easily went from enemies to allies.
At this time, none of the members of Tian Shi Xu were reliable; Huang Tingdao was the instigator, and Duan Hong Island remained silent. Upon learning Qin Sang's identity, Mu Hongsheng initially thought the Five Elements Alliance intended to intervene here, but Qin Sang seemed completely unaware.
Qin Sang had already prepared a plan for this, and said, "I was planning to travel through the Great Zhou Dynasty, and happened to be traveling to Xunzhou. I learned that the Xunfeng Sea produces some special spiritual items, which I was planning to use to refine a spiritual weapon, so I went into the Fenghai Sea to search for them. I went too deep and almost lost my way, which delayed me for quite some time. I don't know what happened outside."
At the same time, he thought to himself, "Something big has indeed happened here."
Mu Hongsheng nodded, still somewhat doubtful, but he couldn't question her directly, so he explained the situation to Qin Sang.
"I wonder how long Elder Qin has been in Fenghai, and whether he is aware of the major event that has recently caused such a stir in the cultivation world?"
Aside from the birth of the Thunder Ancestor of the Daoist Court, what else could cause such a great uproar? If such a major event were to occur, Yuan Zhenjun would surely remind himself of it.
Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then said, "Fellow Daoist Mu is referring to the Dao Court..."
"Exactly!"
Mu Hongsheng nodded. "It is said that decades ago, the Dao Court was a force to be reckoned with in the Demon Realm. The Thunder Ancestor descended to earth and intimidated all the demons! Since the Dao Court returned to the Great Thousand World, it has been silent for thousands of years. It has just been reborn and has already shown its divine power. Now, everyone in the Eight Great Heavenly Continents is talking about this matter, especially in Xunzhou."
As he spoke, he looked toward Xunzhou.
"In the northern region of Xunzhou, the mountain gates of many sects were established by the Dao Court in ancient times. However, what everyone is worried about is not having their mountain gates taken back by the Dao Court. The Dao Court has just returned to the Great Thousand World and should not make enemies everywhere. This should be the reason why Lei Zu was the first to descend upon the Demon Realm..."
"The Thunder Ancestor's display of power proves that the legends of that time were not mere rumors, and that the Dao Court is indeed returning to the Great Thousand World."
"It should be noted that Xunzhou is a prosperous commercial center, and many sect cultivators think differently from those elsewhere, still retaining the mindset of 'merchants'."
"Some claim that if the Dao Court wants to establish itself in the Great Thousand World after its return, it must pacify the Xunfeng and stabilize the Fenghai. Apart from that, there is no other unclaimed land in the Spirit Realm that can accommodate this behemoth."
"Since the Dao Court will eventually pacify the Xunfeng Sea, whoever can make contact with the Dao Court first and obtain the right to transfer the Dao Court's massive resources, even if it is only one in a thousand, will still have an immeasurable fortune, enough to feed an entire sect."
"As a result, all the major sects in Xunzhou flocked to it, sending people to the northern region of Xunzhou and the coast of Fenghai. In the mountains and rivers that had been abandoned for countless years, traces of people appeared. Whether they succeeded or not, they wanted to occupy a position first."
As Mu Hongsheng recounted his story, Qin Sang sensed that Xunzhou's atmosphere was quite different from other Tianzhou states, which surprised her greatly.
It was thought that with the return of the Dao Court, the entire Xunzhou would be on high alert, fearing a repeat of the fate of Dafengyuan.
Unexpectedly, they were thinking about how to do business with the Daoist court.
Upon hearing this, Qin Sang asked, "Fellow Daoist Mu, is this also why you've come?"
Mu Hongsheng nodded. "I was frustrated because I kept failing in refining a treasure, so I went to visit friends. At that time, I happened to visit a fellow Daoist in the Northern Region. However, the Dao Court has only just begun to show its power, and the day of its return is far away. Sect Master Li did not pay much attention to it. He only sent a few juniors to find a blessed mountain and establish a Daoist temple in preparation for its return. He ordered me to secretly take care of it."
Qin Sang did not interrupt Mu Hongsheng. Other sects, like the Burning Crystal Sect, were probably sending their juniors to claim territory and make long-term plans. Moreover, almost the entire northern part of Xunzhou bordered the Xunfeng Sea, with a vast and boundless frontier, enough for these sects to divide.
Now, cultivators from various sects and schools have also been drawn here, which clearly indicates that another unexpected event has occurred.
"It was also fate that the once desolate and quiet Northern Region suddenly became lively, and we unexpectedly stumbled upon a secret," Mu Hongsheng shook his head and chuckled. "Huang Tingdao had been laying out plans in the Xunfeng Sea all along, secretly plotting something. He had never revealed any information for many years, but perhaps he was careless and was discovered by the cultivators who came all at once."
Upon hearing this, Qin Sang secretly realized that it was indeed related to Huang Tingdao.
However, he soon realized that Huangtingdao and Daoting were both Daoist sects, and Xunfenghai was the homeland of Daoting. Could Huangtingdao be plotting to seize the legacy of Daoting?
"Could this also be related to the Dao Court?" Qin Sang immediately asked.
"Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't, but even if it really isn't, Huang Tingdao can't explain it clearly at this time. Upon receiving the news, Sect Master Li ordered me to investigate the matter. I entered the Wind Sea to investigate many times, intending to have these juniors stay and help me, and to let them gain some experience. However, I underestimated the danger here and almost lost their lives."
The man and two women lowered their heads in shame. Their sect had always been very protective of them, yet they had dragged Master Mu down.
Qin Sang also didn't believe that Huang Tingdao's schemes had nothing to do with the Daoist court. "How did Huang Tingdao defend himself?"
"He didn't utter a single word in defense!"
Mu Hongsheng showed admiration, "Huang Tingdao simply spread a message and scattered thirty Taiping Tokens into this sea of wind. Whoever obtains the Taiping Token will know the truth, thus easily dismantling the external pressure."
As he spoke, he opened his palm, revealing the token. It turned out that what they had just been fighting over was a Peace Token.