Taoist Master Xuanhuang

Generally, cultivators rely on talent, and once they advance to the next level, their talent is roughly the same, so they rely on their sect or family.

If you advance one level further in talent, the strength of your sect or family will be roughly the same. To stand out, you'll need an opportunity.

The next level of opportunity is when talent and power are not much different; to stand out, one must rely on merit.

Those who have accumulated great merit will inevitably be favored by fortune.

To advance to the next level, after all the previous requirements are met, it depends on who has more luck and merit.

The four sect leaders have reached the very peak of their conflict, to the point where even their luck and merits are no longer enough to move them forward.

Only through the test and tempering of time can even the mighty Xuanhuang have their will honed, and they are no exception.

Especially in terms of willpower, the four sect leaders never gave up on tempering their willpower from beginning to end. All four of them, with their second-level cultivation, possessed first-level true willpower, and some even reached the mid-to-late stage of first-level true willpower.

They are absolutely strong in every aspect, with no weaknesses; each one is a well-rounded fighter.

At this very moment, they are already preparing to advance to the late stage of the second tier.

……

"Alliance Leader, how are the discussions going?"

Upon returning to the Martial Arts Alliance, Sun Hui was surrounded by 40% of the high-ranking members, who inquired about his discussions with the three sect leaders.

"This may have disappointed everyone; it's not the result everyone expected, but rather a significant reduction," Sun Hui said.

"How could this be? Why? Didn't you, Alliance Leader, try to argue your case?" Some high-ranking members asked, puzzled and even dissatisfied.

"Give me the strength to argue my case? Are you out of your mind to want to swallow it all? Tell me how to achieve the result you want!" Sun Hui retorted.

When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

When division is inevitable and internal unity is lost, any sign of ulterior motives will cause discontent.

Sun Hui is currently in this situation.

Previously, it could reassure everyone and patiently explain, but now it doesn't have that patience anymore.

These people only think about the benefits, without considering how much they want to swallow. Is that realistic?

"I, I mean, leader, you, you..." The person who was rebuked felt embarrassed.

He had his own opinions, thinking: The previous leader wasn't like this. Although he was also domineering before, it was only domineering to outsiders, but very kind to his own people.

Things have changed now.

Seeing that he wanted to break free, he changed. People really don't know how to be grateful.

Without our previous support, you wouldn't have such a prominent position. You're truly heartless.

That's what he thinks.

All I can say is, if only life could be like our first meeting, why would the gentle breeze bring sorrow to the painted fan?
When people are united, everything looks like unity.

When division is imminent, discontent is the only apparent cause.

"Gentlemen, this is not something that the Alliance Leader alone can argue for. After all, you all know that it involves too many people. The strength of my Martial Alliance and Martial Temple alone cannot bear such a change. Even Lord Jiang Shang has said so, what more do you want?"

Wu Gang spoke up.

He was a staunch supporter of the alliance leader; their relationship wasn't just that of superior and subordinate, but also that of fellow disciples.

From now on, all these people can leave. As for my fellow disciples, we won't. Even if we do leave, it will be after we reach the fourth level, after we have truly graduated.

Unlike the Martial Arts Alliance, which split up very quickly.

"Alliance Leader, what do you mean?" Jin Ning completely ignored them.

"The general idea is that all four superpowers will participate, forming an alliance to argue their case. Their main adversaries will be subordinate cultivators, divine cultivators, spirit beasts, the Eight Greats, and other external figures. They will do their utmost to gain more advantages," Sun Hui said.

"What? They're involved too? Why should they get a share of the benefits from our plan? We've already suffered huge losses with the Four Superpowers involved, and they..."

A group of people started to complain again.

Don't blame them for being ungrateful, because no one is ever truly satisfied.

As they leave headquarters to make a living on their own, they naturally want to uncover more, and naturally, they want to develop their own path.

This is human nature; this is the human heart.

If you put yourself in their shoes, you would do the same.

Therefore, they were very dissatisfied.

In the eyes of Sun Hui and other senior executives, "I have worked hard to plan and lead everyone to develop, and you guys are dissatisfied."

In their eyes, it was through our joint efforts that you, Sun Hui, achieved your position as Alliance Leader and accumulated so much good fortune and merit. How can you be dissatisfied?

"Anyone who is dissatisfied should go and fight for it themselves. I have done my best. That's all. Let them argue their case at the conference in seven days."

Sun Hui simply waved and left, not wanting to bother with it anymore, because it was pointless.

"This?" The group of high-ranking officials had an indescribable expression.

As for what they think in their hearts, that's their own problem.

Before long, the group gathered together again and began an unusual 'spoils-dividing meeting'.

"The leader is indeed a bit tired, but we can't be blamed. We didn't want it to be like this either, but fate is hard to defy. This is the trend of the times. Unless the current management environment is changed, the only outcome will be division."

They're not stupid, they understand, but they're still powerless to control their own destiny.

Whether it's the principle that reversal is the movement of the Tao, or that prosperity inevitably leads to decline, this is an unchanging truth.

When a power reaches its peak, it will inevitably experience a period of decline, which is beyond human control.

To maintain this long-term trend, as he said, the management environment needs to be changed.

What will it become?
It needs to become a hierarchical, strict, and equally ruthless management system, both internally and externally.

It is not their current loose alliance structure, nor even the management structure of the three major sects.

Their management structure is ineffective; to maintain a certain level of strength over a long period, they need to suppress freedom and unexpected events.

Each level is its own level, and those at higher levels cannot even treat those at lower levels as human beings. Any transgression will inevitably be met with severe regulations.

Only in this way can a person who has risen from a low-level position enjoy the pleasures of middle management and then, in turn, treat those below them cruelly.

To consolidate their class and their rights, they would brutally suppress any resistance from the lower classes.

Similarly, if he were to be promoted to a higher level, he would firmly believe that it is necessary to be ruthless to the middle and lower levels. He himself had endured such hardships, so why shouldn't he enjoy such rights now that he has become a higher level?

It's a situation where someone from the lower class hates someone from the middle or upper class, but once they rise in rank, they'll start thinking from the perspective of someone in the middle or upper class.

Only with such strict and ruthless rules can a power maintain stability for a long time.

The key to stability lies in internal ruthlessness; otherwise, it would be impossible to maintain the status quo.

A relaxed and pleasant environment is fertile ground for undisciplined behavior and insatiable greed.

Clearly, none of the four superpowers operate in such an environment.

People come together because of fate, and they will also part ways because of fate.

When a company is rapidly growing and expanding, it can mask many problems and use development to resolve conflicts. However, once rapid growth ends, these conflicts begin to accumulate. Coupled with a free and undisciplined environment, the lack of clear hierarchical rules, and everyone feeling that they are the most important person, these conflicts persist.

Such an environment has its advantages, such as more unexpected events and surprises. A relaxed and stress-free environment is very suitable for the birth of unexpected events, surprises, and even miracles.

In a society with a rigid class system, people wouldn't dare to do it, even if they thought about it. So how could there be any surprises or unexpected events?

There are good and bad aspects. Over the years, the Four Superpowers have given birth to countless martial arts techniques and secret methods, which is due to this kind of environment.

In a rigidly class-based environment, so many miracles are unlikely to occur.

Just stick to the sect's techniques and cultivate diligently. You're thinking of creating your own techniques. That's breaking the rules and overstepping your bounds.

Therefore, he said that if we want to change the division, we must change the environment and the rules.

"No, we wouldn't like that kind of environment. Although we respect the Alliance Leader and the Vice Alliance Leaders, it's out of respect for the sake of respect... If it becomes the environment you described, then it won't be respect anymore, but fear and dread. I don't like that kind of environment."

They knew that such an environment was conducive to long-term survival, but they didn't like it.

They're high-level employees, and if even high-level employees don't like them, what about middle and lower-level employees?

"But, Fellow Daoist Qin, would you choose a loose environment for the branch you've branched out?" someone countered.

"Haha, what's there to hide? Although I don't like a rigid class system, if I were at the top of the class, I would strongly support it... I wouldn't be as free and loose as the current Alliance. The Alliance is a miracle, created by the convergence of countless geniuses. It's suitable for the Alliance, not for us who have been separated."

This Fellow Daoist Qin said without any attempt to hide anything.

They've split off, so they shouldn't even think about learning from the Alliance's environment; they can't learn it.

Where is the Grand Alliance? This is Qingyun Mountain.

It's impossible to have a strict hierarchy here; the Dao Lord is above, and there are two major departments guarding the area.

Learning from the Alliance's environment-building power, isn't that courting death?

Everyone has a rebellious streak, and everyone thinks they are great. How can this be allowed to continue?
"Fellow Daoist Qin is indeed upright and honest. Yes, we will not be like the Alliance. After all, we are not Qingyun Mountain. I do not want the power I have worked so hard to build to be scattered in a hundred years. I am hoping that it will last forever."

Fellow Daoist Qin's words were met with everyone's approval.

"Gentlemen, let's talk about something useful. Even the Alliance Leader can't stop other forces from interfering. What are we supposed to do? This will greatly reduce what we can get... If that's the case, shouldn't the Alliance compensate us? For example, shouldn't we get a share of the central treasury?"

A high-ranking member of the Martial Arts Alliance said.

"Hmm?" Everyone fell silent for a moment.

The General Treasury is the collective name for the Martial Arts Alliance's treasure trove.

It's understandable that these guys started eyeing the main vault, since they believed that the treasures in the main vault were also contributed by them.

"This is difficult. The fellow cultivators who have already been assigned to other positions have all left with almost nothing. They didn't ask for any benefits from the Alliance. The Alliance only gave them some points to help them get started. We..."

The branches that were split off earlier did not mention the main repository.

Sun Hui also stated that the main warehouse will always be everyone's main warehouse, it's just that it will be kept in Qingyun Mountain.

Just deposit them in the bank; these treasures will save you in a critical moment.

For example, if a survival crisis occurs, as long as you ask the headquarters for help, the headquarters will not ignore you, which is equivalent to guaranteeing your funds.

"Times have changed. Back then, we thought we could gain even more advantages in the new Investiture of the Gods, but now we don't. Since we've lost those advantages, we can't afford to suffer too much of a loss, can we?"

"Yes, yes, and there are also the cultivation techniques and secret arts in the main treasury. Should we inherit these? That's worth mentioning."

Well, they've started working on not only the main library but also the martial arts manuals in the Sutra Repository.

"The Alliance Leader said that we can only take away the cultivation techniques and secret manuals we created ourselves. We can't take away what isn't ours. After all, if we take away someone else's secret manual, someone else can take away ours. It's best not to even think about it."

Someone intervened.

"Yes, yes, the techniques and secret methods must not be touched without permission."

"I disagree with using secret techniques!"

Suddenly, two factions emerged: one faction believed that the matter should not be touched and that it was best for the Grand Alliance to keep it safe.

One faction believes in splitting up.

Ultimately, it turns out that those who want to share cultivation techniques and secret manuals are those who haven't created their own unique techniques or manuals, or who have contributed very little to the development of cultivation techniques and manuals, and therefore want to obtain other people's techniques and manuals.

Those who strongly disagreed had their own unique cultivation methods. They had no shortage of methods and did not want others to spread their secret techniques widely.

In short, it was all due to selfishness.

"We can mention the treasure vault, and see how the Alliance Leader reacts. As for secret techniques and cultivation methods, let's skip that... If I may say something that might upset you, I trust the Alliance Leader and the General Alliance more. I don't need to worry about leaving it here."

After saying that, only the person who felt embarrassed knew it.

Fortunately, they didn't dare to suggest dividing the custody of three special creatures.

If Mr. Chair, Mr. Paper, and Mr. Pen found out about this, they would probably be furious.

This is blatant disrespect to one's teacher and ancestors! It's outrageous!

The Martial Arts Alliance, once hailed as the most united force, has changed beyond recognition over time and with the passage of years and the passage of time.

Not to mention the other three young families.

After Yan Lai, Jiu Tong, and Ming Hui told their respective superiors about the plan, the three sects were in an uproar.

It's not hard to imagine how fierce this event will be, but it's impossible not to strive for it.

The Martial Arts Alliance is better off because they still have their main treasury untouched, while the other three have already distributed a significant portion of their treasuries.

Of course, the secret manuals and techniques were remarkably consistent; none of the three families had shared them.

Whoever created it can take it with them. Then there are some publicly available and popularized cultivation techniques and secret methods, all of which can be copied and taken away.

Don't think about anything else.

That's not yours, so don't even think about it.

There are even regulations that stipulate that after a project is split off, any subsequent self-created laws must be returned to the main alliance for re-recording.

They all agreed to this, and they felt at ease leaving it at the Qingyun Mountain headquarters.

Moreover, keeping it in the Grand Alliance Treasury is a form of fortune and merit.

After the world changes, no one can guarantee that the power they have built will be wiped out, and no one can guarantee that they will live to see that time.

The secret techniques and cultivation methods stored in the headquarters' library serve as evidence and proof of its existence.

Even if I die and disappear without a trace, as long as there are still people learning my techniques, it means that I have not truly died.

In this respect, the three organizations performed better than the Martial Arts Alliance.

The Martial Arts Alliance will definitely do the same in the future.

General Alliance, General Treasury, General Economic Building.

The three headquarters will be the key hub connecting the four super-powers after their dispersal.

...(End of chapter)