Chapter 469: Chapter 454: There’s Such an Operation!
When internal conflicts within a power group become increasingly deep and irreconcilable, the best solution is to initiate an external war to divert the conflicts.
The Anti-Light Alliance, an organization composed of numerous sects and clans, cannot claim to be completely united internally; some sects even have a history of major conflicts with each other.
This loosely organized alliance has managed to endure for thousands of years mainly because they have a formidable adversary, one that prevents them from disbanding.
All the high-level cultivators within the Anti-Light Alliance understand that as long as the Great Brightness Immortal Palace exists, the alliance cannot dissolve; otherwise, no one can withstand the autumn reckoning of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace.
Therefore, whenever there are irreconcilable internal conflicts, they first sit down to talk. When talks fail, instead of fighting amongst themselves, they launch a war against the Great Brightness Immortal Palace, using the merits established in the war to allocate internal interests.
As for the outcome of the war, it is not particularly significant because, unless grave errors are made, neither side can subdue the other.
Jin Qu said the main reason for going to war is that the high-level members of the Anti-Light Alliance are concerned that many years without war would make the cultivators below forget about war and lose their fighting spirit, which Zhouyang believes.
But he knows better that this reason alone cannot lead to a war of the intensity Jin Qu described, or a war among Golden Core Stage cultivators.
So he speculates that there must be some irreconcilable internal conflict within the Anti-Light Alliance, which is why they are planning to use this war to ease and resolve the conflict.
Jin Qu definitely wouldn’t dare to tell him this, after all, it’s a family scandal, and how could it be easily exposed to outsiders.
Of course, Zhouyang does not care much about this. What he cares about is whether this war will affect him.
He looked intently at Jin Qu, and with a low voice, asked, "Fellow Daoist Jin, you wouldn’t have come just to deliver this news to me, would you?"
"I am not a cultivator within the Anti-Light Alliance. Even if a war breaks out, unless the Great Brightness Immortal Palace cultivators invade Jinyang Country, it’s impossible for me to be forced onto the battlefield!"
Jin Qu seemed unsurprised by Zhouyang’s question. After hearing this, he first glanced at Xiao Ying, who was quietly listening to their conversation nearby. Seeing no reaction from Zhouyang, he mustered his courage and said, "It’s like this. Fellow Daoist Zhou, you know that every time a major war involving high-tier cultivators occurs, our Cyan Origin Sword Sect, as one of the member sects, has to send a certain number of high-tier cultivators to participate."
"However, several Late-Stage Purple Mansion cultivators from our Cyan Origin Sword Sect are reluctant to join this war. Therefore, after discussing with the sect’s high-level members, they decided to offer a high price to invite a cultivator of your caliber, Fellow Daoist Zhou, to temporarily join our Cyan Origin Sword Sect as an Honored Guest Cultivator to fight on our behalf!"
Such a maneuver!
Zhouyang looked at Jin Qu in astonishment, unable to speak for a long while.
He had only heard of weak mortal nations hiring mercenaries at high costs to help them in battles and of sports teams hiring foreign athletes at high prices to achieve good results in competitions.
He never imagined that such operations could also occur in the wars between cultivators.
Moreover, judging by Jin Qu’s demeanor, this seems to be a normal operation, not something to be ashamed of.
"Fellow Daoist Jin, no offense intended, but my husband and I are not in need of Spirit Stones for cultivation, nor do we need to act as fighters for others to earn Spirit Stones!"
"Therefore, Fellow Daoist Jin, you should go back. My husband will definitely not agree to this matter!"
As Zhouyang was still astonished by the Cyan Origin Sword Sect’s bold maneuver, Xiao Ying, who had quietly listened to the conversation beside him, took the initiative to help him refuse Jin Qu’s request with a taut face.
This was the first time she spoke on behalf of Zhouyang in such matters. Previously, she had always stayed silently in the background, never voicing her opinions.
Of course, what she said was the truth.
Zhouyang and she genuinely do not lack Spirit Stones. After all, they have access to the entire family wealth of the Zhou Family at their disposal, and they also have a Spirit Stone ore with reserves of millions ready to be mined.
If necessary, they could easily earn the Spirit Stones needed for cultivation by opening up and helping others with Artifact Refining and Alchemy, so there was no need to act as mercenaries and earn such life-threatening money.
Therefore, after hearing her words, Zhouyang quickly supported his Dao Companion by saying, "Indeed, right now I only want to focus on my closed cultivation to improve my cultivation level and have no intention of going out. I hope Fellow Daoist Jin understands."
Upon hearing this, Jin Qu lightly coughed with a slightly uncomfortable expression and said, "Ahem, since Fellow Daoist Zhou is not interested in this matter, naturally I dare not insist."
After saying this, he paused and then lowered his voice to add, "But let me say one more thing: real treasures cannot be bought with Spirit Stones. Although Fellow Daoist Zhou is not one of us in the Anti-Light Alliance and doesn’t need to participate in the war, it also means you cannot acquire treasures like the ’Jade Liquid Golden Pill’ which are unavailable even if you have the money."
"Conversely, if you are willing to participate in the war as an Anti-Light Alliance cultivator, you can exchange the Merit Points earned on the battlefield for such treasures. With your strength, Fellow Daoist Zhou, this route should be more accessible than for most peers!"
This statement is true.
Treasures like the ’Jade Liquid Golden Pill,’ Zhouyang had only seen being sold at the major auction in Immortal Sun City back then, and that was when the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, in order to attract popularity and boost their reputation, specially brought out for Master Cyan Yang’s Nascent Soul Ceremony.
At that time, the ’Jade Liquid Golden Pill’ was obtained by Cao Wenjin for over a million Spirit Stones, which Zhouyang thought was already a sky-high price.
But as for him now, if he had a chance to bid for the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," even one hundred and fifty million low-grade spirit stones would be worth it!
However, such opportunities are too rare, occurring only once in a century even in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, let alone in the Land of the Far West.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that Zhouyang would agree to Jin Qu’s request.
He is indeed very powerful, even described as invincible among his peers.
But on the battlefield, the enemies he faces would not only be Purple Mansion Cultivators of the same tier.
If he madly killed Great Brightness Immortal Palace Purple Mansion Cultivators on the battlefield to accumulate merit for the Anti-Light Alliance, it would surely attract assassination attempts by Golden Core Stage Cultivators, and by then, forget about exchanging for the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," even his life would be in jeopardy.
Moreover, the greater the sensation he causes, the more people would investigate his origins, and by then even if they couldn’t discover he’s from the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, they would know he’s not from the Anti-Light Alliance’s domain.
In that case, whether he could still exchange his battlefield merits for the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" from the Anti-Light Alliance would remain unknown.
Therefore, unless there’s no other choice, Zhouyang certainly will not take that path.
After all, he still has some time before reaching Core Formation, and his lifespan is not even three hundred years yet, so there’s no need to be so hasty.
If all else fails, he could risk a visit to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm and ask Master Cyan Yang for help in procuring a "Jade Liquid Golden Pill."
So, regarding Jin Qu’s strongly suggestive words, Zhouyang’s expression did not change at all, he simply said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Jin, I appreciate your concern. If Zhou changes his mind, I’ll surely inform you first."
In the end, Jin Qu had to leave dejectedly, turning to look for another cultivator willing to accept employment.
After he left, Zhouyang couldn’t help but grasp his Dao companion Xiao Ying’s jade hand and said, "Ying’er, rest assured, your husband knows what he’s doing and definitely won’t endanger himself for small benefits."
Xiao Ying, upon hearing this, furrowed her brows and said, "Husband, does that mean if the benefits were great enough, you’d be willing to risk yourself?"
Zhouyang, seeing her being so earnest, felt quite a headache and helpless.
This Dao companion of his is good at everything, but too naïve in worldly affairs, sometimes leaving him at a loss about what to do.
After thinking for a moment, he gently held Xiao Ying’s lovely head with both hands and lightly kissed her fair forehead.
Then he looked earnestly at his Dao companion, whose lovely face had suddenly turned red, and said, "Good wife, I don’t want to deceive you. Yes, if the benefits are great enough, like if Jin Qu had come with a ’Jade Liquid Golden Pill’ today to invite me to war, I would have agreed, but would he and the Cyan Origin Sword Sect be willing to pay such a big price?"
"Moreover, no matter how great the benefit, you need to be alive to enjoy it. If it’s a life-threatening situation, even if they offer great benefits, your husband can’t possibly agree!"
A high-tier cultivator who has lived for hundreds of years must have a greedy heart and understand when to be greedy and when not to be greedy.
If one lacks that lust for gain, how would they acquire resources for cultivation?
It’s not as if every high-tier cultivator is a spirit body or a descendant of Nascent Soul Stage cultivators!
Over the years, Zhouyang has risked his life more than once for huge benefits, and although sometimes he would feel fearful and fortunate for his greedy ventures afterward, if given the choice again, he would probably still take the risk.
A cultivator without the spirit of adventure can hardly climb to the top in this cruel Cultivation Realm.
Those who are content with mediocrity, spending their entire lives holed up in the safety of their Immortal City or Marketplace, working in shops for meager wages, will find achieving Foundation Establishment difficult, let alone stepping into the ranks of high-tier cultivators.
Even their descendants, if they don’t change this mindset, will spend their whole lives wavering in the Qi Cultivation Stage.
Zhouyang has already lived such a life once; he doesn’t want to live it again.
In this lifetime, he has already lived for over two hundred years, and he wants to live even longer!
And to live longer, he must abandon the mentality of being satiated with small achievements and, at certain times, risk his life for a more splendid future.
Xiao Ying, after listening to her love’s words and sensing his firm and unwavering will, felt quite helpless as well.
She hesitated to speak, and after a pause, finally sighed lightly, "I’ll still say the same, no matter what you do, husband, I’ll always support you!"
"Just hope that in the future, when you decide to take risks, you’ll think more of me and the Zhou Family before making your decision!"