Chapter 467: Chapter 450: Sealing the Mountain
For a major client like Wang Meng, Zixiao offered some rather favorable terms. This batch of resources alone cost over a million. Master Wang didn’t usually spend much, but he never held back when it mattered. Wang Meng was prepared to spend this entire colossal sum of 3.6 million, and he feared it might not even be enough.
A person’s character determines their path. Anyone else in Wang Meng’s position would never have spent such vast resources on others, let alone on young disciples.
But Wang Meng dared!
It would be a grave mistake to call Wang Meng a fool. When it came to true investments, what could be better than investing in people?
Objects were lifeless, but human potential was limitless. Especially as a Sect Leader, it was a perfectly justifiable expense.
Watching Wang Meng’s extravagant spending, Zhao Xinglun felt his stomach twist into knots. The Dragon Transformation Pool method was extreme, with an unimaginably high cost and no guarantee of good results. Zhao Xinglun truly meant no harm in his concern; even if they managed to produce a few Minor Perfection cultivators, it would all be a waste if no one with special aptitude emerged.
But looking at the obstinate Wang Meng, Zhao Xinglun could only sigh. The resources belonged to Wang Meng, and he had the absolute authority to use them as he saw fit. Even if they were the Sect’s assets, he had control over them as the Sect Leader. Given Wang Meng’s current power and influence, it would be impossible to defy him unless one united with Thunderbolt and all the other major figures.
The events of the grand ceremony had a profound and far-reaching influence, not just within the Holy Hall, but across the entire Four Directions Small Thousand World.
More importantly, no one could guess what truly stood behind Wang Meng.
People have a tendency to let their imaginations run wild. In truth, Wang Meng had no special relationship with the Dragon Race. If anything, he was in their debt, and there was even a bit of a grudge between them.
But outsiders didn’t know that, nor would they ever assume it.
Everyone suspected this batch of Spirit Stones came from the Dragon Race. In reality, to the Dragon Race, such a meager amount wasn’t even worth mentioning. It was like a beggar guessing whether an emperor had steamed buns or meat buns for breakfast.
Master Wang, however, had witnessed the extravagance of the Dragon Hall firsthand. At the time, he had even regretted not bringing a pickaxe to chip away a block or two.
Back at the Holy Hall, Wang Meng gathered Li Tianyi and the others. Although Ma Tian’Er’s attempt in the Extreme Dao Alliance’s Dragon Transformation Pool had ended in failure, things were different now. Wang Meng possessed the Life Wheel, and that was the key reason he was willing to bet the farm. Otherwise, if they only relied on the pool’s natural effects, this pile of resources would likely be completely wasted.
In truth, Zhou Luodan and the others were heavy-hearted. They understood Wang Meng’s desire to strengthen the Holy Hall, but wasn’t this going too far?
After some discussion, they decided to have Zhou Luodan go and speak with Wang Meng.
Preparations for the Dragon Transformation Pool were proceeding in full swing. Wang Meng was determined to see this through; the Holy Hall’s power in Snow Moon City had to be increased. From Yang Jian’s perspective, while the immediate crisis was averted, the Holy Hall still needed to build up its strength for the coming city-wide battles. Yang Jian had granted Wang Meng time, but what kind of results would Wang Meng deliver in return?
With resources, anything was possible, and the Holy Hall did not lack for manpower. To maximize the Dragon Transformation Pool’s effects, the Dragon Transformation Hall was constructed directly inside the main Holy Hall. This would have been unthinkable in the past, as the older generation held such places sacred. But Wang Meng cared nothing for such conventions; old customs could be discarded.
The Elders of the older generation felt an indescribable mix of emotions as they watched the younger disciples occupy this sacred space. In the past, they would have been furious, and some might have even protested to the death. But under Wang Meng’s overwhelming authority and the pressures of the Star Alliance, they knew the old ways could no longer be upheld.
Back when Wang Meng himself was a disciple, it had been an incredibly difficult feat just to visit the Holy Mountain. Entering the sacrosanct Holy Hall had been completely out of the question.
But he wouldn’t treat his own disciples that way. For the Sect to grow, especially now, it had to put its people first.
The Dragon Transformation Hall was complete, and Wang Meng felt it was even better prepared than the one at the Extreme Dao Alliance. Of course, he didn’t have as many resources as the Alliance, so this time he had only prepared enough for thirty-odd people at most.
Zhou Luodan got straight to the point with Wang Meng, telling him about the typical results of such an endeavor and the others’ concerns.
"Sect Leader, it’s not that we’re timid, but the probability of success is truly low. In other words, the potential gains simply don’t justify the costs. If this is merely for the sake of appearances, we believe the Holy Hall should endure the hardship and bide its time."
Wang Meng smiled. "I’m aware of that. The Dragon Pearl is the key."
Of course, Wang Meng couldn’t reveal the existence of his Life Wheel, so he attributed everything to the Dragon Pearl, a half-truth to obscure the full picture.
"Let me put it this way," Wang Meng said. "I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t have a certain degree of confidence. While it’s very difficult, the reality is that Snow Moon City won’t give us much time. If we lack combat strength for too long, we will inevitably be excluded. And in the current climate, the consequences of being forced out of Snow Moon City are easy to imagine. That’s why we have to take this gamble."
Since Wang Meng was the one who had provided the resources, reason dictated that the others had no choice but to obey.
Zhou Luodan wasn’t entirely convinced. After all, this wasn’t the first time a Dragon Pearl had appeared. The item was more symbolic than practical. One could hope for something as ethereal as changing one’s fate, but one couldn’t depend on it.
However, things had already reached the final stage. There was no turning back.
"We will leave everything to the Sect Leader’s discretion. As for the list of disciples for this attempt, Protector Ma was hoping..."
Zhou Luodan trailed off, but it was clear that the family factions wanted a piece of the action.
Wang Meng shook his head. "I will personally select the candidates for this. Otherwise, all our preparations could be for nothing. I hope everyone understands."
These resources had been hard-won; Wang Meng would not get a second chance. This attempt had to succeed for them to have a future. He could not tolerate any interference at this critical juncture.
Seeing Wang Meng’s decisiveness, Zhou Luodan said nothing more.
The initial list was drafted by Hu Jing, with Wang Meng making the final selections. Although there were enough resources for more than thirty people, Wang Meng only chose twenty, just in case any unexpected situations arose. His principle was all or nothing: for every person he chose, he had to ensure their success.
If a genius or someone with a special constitution emerged, their demand for resources would instantly skyrocket. Both Mingren in the past and he himself were prime examples, though his own needs had been even greater.
The Holy Light Demon Collapse Body had a unique trait: it could devour power during normal cultivation. A portion of this power would be accumulated, creating favorable conditions for future breakthroughs.
The Five Elements Body, while formidable, lacked this ability to borrow external power.
The Five Elements Body had no special abilities, but it possessed the most solid and well-balanced foundation, which also provided the support needed to form a Divine Statue. No other constitution could produce such a Holy Statue.
The list included Li Tianyi, Ma Tian’Er, Yang Ying, Hu Jing, Zhang Xiaojiang, Suo Ming, Zhou Qian, Zhao Lingxuan, Gongsun Wuqing, as well as other outstanding individuals chosen from various halls like Youn Yuqing and An Dao. However, some of the Seniors from the Sub-Halls were not selected.
This caused some controversy among the disciples, but Wang Meng was making his choices based on constitution. While individuals like Jia Shidao were quite strong, their potential was too low. Even if they reached Minor Perfection, further breakthroughs would be extremely difficult. On the other hand, there were indeed disciples in the Holy Hall who had an excellent affinity with the Five Elements.
The formation of a Holy Statue or a Life Artifact was fundamentally derived from one’s affinity with the Five Elements.
Wang Meng quashed all disputes. At this moment, everything was for the sake of ultimate success.
The Dragon Transformation Pool project began. The five with the best foundations were Hu Jing, Zhang Xiaojiang, Li Tianyi, Yang Ying, and Ma Tian’Er. This was especially true because all five had diligently practiced Five Elements Magic, giving them incredibly solid fundamentals.
These five would go in one batch, and the other fifteen would go in a second.
Wang Meng explained the theory behind Life Artifacts and Holy Statues. He stressed that the speed of cultivation wasn’t the most important factor; the key was to discover one’s Artifact Soul or Holy Shadow. With the help of immense resources, breaking through to higher realms was only a matter of time.
To put it bluntly, it was about unearthing their own potential and finding their own origin!
This was the first major plan Wang Meng had implemented since becoming Sect Leader.
What Wang Meng didn’t know was that his every move was being watched and magnified with intense scrutiny.
"He dumped all 3.6 million Top-Grade Spirit Stones into this?"
"Has he gone mad? That’s far too impulsive! All just to churn out a few at the Minor Perfection realm?"
"The young are always so eager for grand achievements. The Holy Hall’s meager savings are hardly enough for him to squander like this."
"He’s had it too easy and really thinks he’s omnipotent. What good are a few more Minor Perfection cultivators to a Sect? He would’ve been better off using those resources for recruitment. He might have even been able to hire a Great Perfection master."
"You can’t manage a Sect just by relying on outsiders to put on a show for you. The Holy Hall is just the Holy Hall, not the Taiyin Sect."
"Heh, maybe the Holy Hall is trying to become a Sub-Hall of the Taiyin Sect."
"Tsk, tsk. That’s entirely possible. So much for him."
"Let’s just wait for the show. If he fails, now *that* will be entertaining."
After the grand ceremony, the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had been remarkably quiet, seemingly ceasing all activity. But once Wang Meng began this major undertaking, they started making preparations of their own.
Celestial Demon’s ambition was immense. One mountain cannot hold two tigers. Given the Star Alliance’s current influence, the eventual outcome was that only one great Sect would remain in each Small Thousand Realm. The old, chaotic order of countless factions was destined to disappear. As the old saying goes, what has long been divided must unite. The Star Alliance was simultaneously expanding its territory and consolidating its power.
Unless a Small Thousand Realm was exceptionally powerful, only one of its Sects would be allowed to remain in the Star Alliance. In the Four Directions Small Thousand World, the only two currently qualified were likely the Ten Thousand Demons Sect and the Holy Hall.
Celestial Demon’s foresight was as ruthless as his methods, which was how he had built the Ten Thousand Demons Sect to its current strength. Although the Star Alliance had yet to fully reveal its intentions, Celestial Demon had already discerned the truth: in the past, his Sect and the Holy Hall could coexist, but now, only one could remain.
Celestial Demon was waiting for the perfect opportunity to annihilate the Holy Hall in one fell swoop and unify the Small Thousand Realm under his rule.
As long as he won a decisive victory, the matter would be settled. What could the Star Alliance do to him then?
The Star Alliance was, after all, a neutral organization. For everyone who liked Wang Meng, there was someone who hated him. The point was, Wang Meng had to die, and he must not be given any chance to retaliate.
’Bullshit.’ The Ten Thousand Demons Sect was forged in blood and steel. How could they be frightened off by a few other Sect Leaders? They were masters of their own domains. They might show up to give Wang Meng face, but they weren’t about to fight his battles for him. They weren’t his lackeys.
’As long as the Ten Thousand Demons Sect can deliver a single, fatal blow!’
A perfect opportunity was presenting itself!
Celestial Demon could sense that the Holy Hall’s overall combat power was likely still inferior to his own. The only problem was Wang Meng himself, who was terrifying. An all-out sect war would be a messy affair.
But if he could wipe out Wang Meng and the elite of the Holy Hall’s younger generation all at once, the Sect would naturally be eliminated.
By comparison, the Ten Thousand Demons Sect would suffer minimal losses, and they could avoid a protracted, bitter war that might attract outside interference.
Celestial Demon began to scheme.
Meanwhile, the entire Holy Mountain was completely sealed off to create the optimal environment for those attempting their breakthrough.