Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

"Excellent! Excellent! In just a few months, our Heavenly Star Sect has gathered nearly four hundred Nascent Soul cultivators, thousands of Golden Core cultivators, and tens of thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators! Such a grand occasion is unprecedented! With so many talents gathered here, how can we not find the void passage? How can we not let our Heavenly Star Sect dominate the world and explore the path to immortality together?"

His words were spoken with great pride and enthusiasm, as if he were genuinely delighted by the growth of the sect and the prospect of finding a passage.

However, the moment he finished speaking!

Ying Xuan's incredibly powerful primordial spirit perception clearly captured that—at that instant, all the Tianxing Sect cultivators present, from Nascent Soul elders to ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, experienced an extremely subtle yet uniform... freeze in their souls!
It's like the moment of guilt and stiffness when someone is lying and their weakness is suddenly exposed.

Ying Xuan chuckled inwardly, but remained outwardly composed.

Why would he need a void passage to ascend to the Spirit Realm? He wasn't even a cultivator from this realm! His fundamental purpose in establishing the Heavenly Star Sect was to efficiently collect complete cultivation civilization knowledge, technological systems, resource samples, and... the cultivators themselves from this realm!
The so-called "search for the void passage" was nothing more than a perfect excuse he had carefully designed to explain his unreasonable behavior of "why a Nascent Soul cultivator would so ostentatiously establish a sect and recruit many disciples!"

A Nascent Soul cultivator who doesn't retreat to the world to cultivate and seek a breakthrough, but instead builds a vast power, will naturally arouse suspicion about his true purpose—does he need massive resources? Is he after some special scriptures or treasures?

He then presented the "ultimate goal" of "finding the void passage," which is extremely tempting and reasonable for all Nascent Soul cultivators, and offered "personal guidance from a Nascent Soul cultivator" as the highest reward for points redemption.

In an instant, all doubts were dispelled, and their desires were directed toward "improving their own strength" and "preventing/delaying the sect leader's ascension."

After all, guidance from a Nascent Soul cultivator is a rare and precious opportunity, saving one from hundreds of years of arduous cultivation. Who would want such a "living treasure" to ascend and depart so soon?
Therefore, it became almost inevitable that the disciples, for their own benefit, would resort to deception, concealment, or perfunctory explanations regarding clues about the passage. Those who genuinely sought clues, on the other hand, might suffer because they threatened the interests of those already in power.

All of this was within Ying Xuan's expectations, or even the result of his deliberate guidance.

As a Primordial Spirit Earth Immortal, his strength far surpasses that of a Nascent Soul cultivator in this world. Under the influence of his divine sense, he has a meticulous perception and control over everything around him.

Those Nascent Soul elders thought they could deceive their superiors and subordinates by joining forces, but in his eyes they were nothing more than ants banding together, naive and laughable.

Even a Nascent Soul cultivator born and raised in this world, like Xiang Zhili, with his long lifespan and experience, would not be deceived by such crude methods for long. He simply doesn't care for now, or he may have other plans.

What truly delighted Ying Xuan at this moment was the significance behind the surge in the number of Nascent Soul cultivators—it meant that at least several hundred sects or forces with Nascent Soul cultivators had been completely incorporated into the Tianxing Sect!
The incorporation of each sect signifies the accumulation of its inherited cultivation techniques, insights, alchemy and weapon-forging methods, knowledge of formations and talismans, geographical knowledge, and resource distribution throughout its history.

All these valuable "knowledge" and "samples" were cleverly and almost freely incorporated into the Tianxing Sect's system, that is... into his possession, in the form of "points exchange"!
Interestingly, he discovered that these cultivators who joined rarely chose magic treasures when exchanging items; the vast majority opted for the late-stage Nascent Soul and even Deity Transformation cultivation techniques that he had "created" and placed in the library.

To exchange for a Nascent Soul cultivation technique, one often needs to exhaust the rare materials, magic treasures, and even some spiritual vein resources accumulated by a sect over a thousand years, at an astonishingly high cost. However, almost every newly joined Nascent Soul cultivator possesses at least one Nascent Soul cultivation technique and carefully accumulates their remaining points in hopes of exchanging for the legendary "personal guidance from the sect leader."

Judging from the current scale of nearly four hundred Nascent Soul cultivators and thousands of Golden Core cultivators, the number of newly added magic treasures in the Tianxing Sect's treasury is probably at least tens of thousands! As the true foundation and decision-maker of a sect, Nascent Soul cultivators will not hesitate to devote the sect's resources to their own use when faced with the temptation of "improving their own fundamental Dao".

This also led to the Tianxing Sect completely absorbing and digesting the accumulation of various schools over thousands or even tens of thousands of years in a subtle and gradual way.

As his thoughts raced, Ying Xuan had already reached the edge of the main peak square.

His gaze seemed to casually sweep over one side of the square, where the Foundation Establishment cultivators were excitedly craning their necks to look in their direction.

The corners of his mouth even curved into a very subtle, yet seemingly approving, smile in that direction.

Without lingering, he turned and stepped into the majestic and ancient Star Palace, shrouded in starlight. Nearly four hundred Nascent Soul elders quickly composed themselves and filed in one after another.

However, the sect leader's seemingly casual glance and smile stirred up quite a ripple among the Foundation Establishment cultivators, especially the disciples of the Spirit Plant Hall.

"Did you see that? Did the sect leader just glance this way? And even smile?"

A Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Spirit Plant Hall, his face flushed with excitement, pulled his fellow disciple aside and asked in a low voice.

"It was more than just a glance! The sect leader must be very satisfied with the growth of the spiritual plants in our Spirit Plant Hall's fields!"

Another slightly older Lingzhi Hall Foundation Establishment cultivator, his beard trembling slightly, his eyes filled with excitement and hope.

"I've been stuck in the late Foundation Establishment stage for over a hundred years, with no hope of forming my Core on my own... If I could catch the attention of the Sect Leader, even just by asking a casual question, perhaps an opportunity would come my way! Look at Han Li, with the aptitude of four spiritual roots, he was directly promoted to Foundation Establishment by the Sect Leader when he was just over ten years old! What does this mean? It means that the Sect Leader values ​​our Spirit Plant Hall! Our chance has come!"

These words drew nods of approval from many Foundation Establishment disciples of the Spirit Plant Hall around them, each feeling proud as if they could already see a bright future ahead.

"Hmph! Shameless!"

A cold, clearly angry voice came from the side.

A group of Foundation Establishment cultivators dressed in the robes of the Alchemy Hall walked over. The one in the lead had an unpleasant expression; he was a well-known late-stage Foundation Establishment alchemist from the Alchemy Hall.

He glanced sideways at the people from Lingzhitang and said sarcastically.

"The spiritual fields are growing well? Which of those newly added rare spiritual herbs, or even ten-thousand-year-old spiritual roots, were cultivated by your own hands? Weren't they all contributed by the various sects that joined the sect?"
"It's because our sect leader is so powerful that those other sects offered up their most treasured possessions just to curry favor! What does it have to do with your Spirit Plant Hall? You're just basking in our sect leader's glory, guarding and tending to them. And you actually consider it your own achievement? Shameless!"

"you!"

The old Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Spirit Plant Hall was so choked up that his face turned red. He pointed at the other person, too angry to speak.

"What? Did I hit a nerve?"

The late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Alchemy Hall was relentless in his pursuit of the truth.

"Our alchemy hall dedicates itself to studying pill formulas and processing medicinal herbs day and night to refining pills for the sect. That is our real contribution! You are nothing but gardeners!"

"What's wrong with looking after the garden? Without our careful tending, would those medicinal herbs grow so well? Would they be enough to supply your alchemy?"

Some people at Lingzhitang also disagreed and retorted.

"That's right! The sect leader was clearly smiling at us just now!" The disciples from the two halls immediately started arguing at the edge of the square, attracting the attention of many cultivators from other halls. Although they dared not make a loud noise, their underlying rivalry and desire to show off their achievements were clearly evident.

This minor incident is merely a microcosm of the increasingly complex human relationships and conflicts of interest within the behemoth that is the Tianxing Sect.

Inside the Star Palace, starlight flowed, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Ying Xuan was already seated on the Star Throne, with nearly four hundred Nascent Soul cultivators standing respectfully on both sides below, heads bowed, awaiting the sect leader's instructions.

Ying Xuan's gaze slowly swept over the faces below, representing the pinnacle of the cultivation world, while he plotted his next move. Clean house? No, it wasn't the right time yet.

These "tools" are still useful, and the "gift" from the Mulan Grassland will be delivered soon.

He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a meaningful smile, and slowly began to speak.

"I have been away from the mountain for several months, and the sect has undergone a complete transformation, thanks in no small part to the contributions of all the elders. I have summoned you all here today for two reasons: first, to hear about the recent affairs of the sect; and second, because I have made some progress during my travels and have some new ideas regarding the 'Void Passage,' which I would like to discuss with you all..."

Inside the main hall, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only Ying Xuanping's calm yet dignified voice echoing in the starlight.

All the Nascent Soul cultivators pricked up their ears, their minds tense, both anticipating possible "guidance" and apprehensive about whether the sect leader would notice their "small actions."

A seemingly ordinary meeting began in this subtle atmosphere.

The commotion at the edge of the square gradually subsided, and the dispute between the disciples of the Spirit Plant Hall and the Alchemy Hall quickly turned into low murmurs and mutual glares under the gazes of higher-level cultivators.

Han Li stood among the Spirit Plant Hall disciples, appearing outwardly the same as the other disciples, slightly excited by the sect leader's potential attention, yet somewhat resentful due to the dispute with the Alchemy Hall.

But inside him, like boiling magma, emotions churned far more intensely than those on the surface. He was absolutely certain that the sect leader's seemingly casual glance, and that faint, almost imperceptible smile he had keenly caught, were directed at him!

Moreover, that smile was by no means a simple approval; it seemed to contain some deeper meaning, a kind of understanding, a kind of... expectation?
"Sect Leader...does he already know that those Nascent Soul elders are deceiving him?"

A bold idea flashed through Han Li's mind, making his heart skip a beat.

"Otherwise, why would he look at me like that? It was clearly saying... 'You understand, right?'"

This conjecture sent a chill down Han Li's spine, and also gave rise to an indescribable sense of mission. But he immediately suppressed the trembling in his heart, and instead of stepping forward, he subconsciously took a small step back, hiding himself even more discreetly behind his fellow disciples.

He knew the ironclad rule of the cultivation world: the strong are respected! Without sufficient strength, any idea, any loyalty, any ambition is just a castle in the air, which will collapse at the slightest touch.

The sect leader had been kind to him, and he was grateful, even willing to do his best to preserve the name of the "Tianxing Sect" after the sect leader's departure. But all of this depended on him having the corresponding power!

Once the sect leader ascends to immortality, the Tianxing Sect, without the suppression of a Nascent Soul cultivator, will almost inevitably disintegrate, facing hundreds of Nascent Soul cultivators within and various forces eyeing it covetously from the outside. At that time, what can he, a Foundation Establishment stage spirit plant master, do? He'll probably struggle even to protect himself.

"Strength...we must increase our strength as soon as possible!"

Han Li clenched his fist in his sleeve, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

"The little green bottle must be used more carefully to cultivate more rare spiritual herbs as soon as possible, exchange them for points, redeem them for higher-level cultivation techniques, and strive to form the Golden Core as soon as possible! Only when I reach the Golden Core stage will I have a certain ability to protect myself, and only then can I talk about... doing something."

He glanced one last time at the direction of the starlit hall, his eyes hardening with determination, before turning and leaving with the gradually dispersing crowd.

The most urgent task is to return to my own spiritual fields and herb garden, and cultivate those spiritual herbs with even greater care. Strength is the foundation of everything.

……

Inside the Star Palace, the starlight was serene, yet the atmosphere carried a subtle tension.

Nearly four hundred Nascent Soul cultivators, led by Elder Linghu and Sect Master Yanyue, were reporting their “great achievements” over the past few months to Ying Xuan, who was seated above them, in an extremely humble and almost fawning tone.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, thanks to your great blessings, all sects within the Nine Kingdoms Alliance that have reached the Nascent Soul stage have expressed their gratitude for the prestige of our Heavenly Star Sect and the benevolence of our Sect Leader, and have voluntarily joined our sect! Now our sect boasts a vast territory, inexhaustible resources, and countless disciples, a truly unprecedented prosperity!"

Linghu the Elder bowed and said, his tone full of pride, as if all of this was the result of the hard work of the elders.

"Yes, Sect Leader!"

The female cultivator from the Hidden Moon Sect, who was in the late Nascent Soul stage, spoke up, her voice melodious and pleasant.

"Our sect is now powerful and influential, and all disciples are united in their efforts to help our sect leader find a stable void passage and achieve ascension as soon as possible! We will do everything in our power to find out the truth for our sect leader, no matter how small the clue may be!"

"To explore the void passage for the sect leader is our lifelong wish!"

"I swear to serve the sect leader to the death and help him ascend to the Spirit Realm!"

The Nascent Soul cultivators below echoed him, their tones more sincere and their expressions more excited than the last, as if Ying Xuan's path to ascension was the ultimate meaning of their lives.

Ying Xuan listened to these impassioned reports with a faint smile on his face, but his heart remained calm and even felt like laughing.

Having traversed numerous cultivation worlds and encountered all sorts of cultivators, he deeply understood one principle: those who pursued longevity and power were often inherently selfish and self-serving. For the sake of their own cultivation paths, betrayals between masters and disciples, and even fathers and sons turning against each other, were commonplace; how much more so between fellow disciples, or even those who were merely nominally superiors and subordinates?

The reason why these Nascent Soul cultivators appear so "loyal" is simply because the current Tianxing Sect model best suits their interests—they have a Nascent Soul cultivator as a backer who can act recklessly, they have high-level cultivation techniques to improve their strength, and they have a safe environment to cultivate in peace.

As for helping him find the void passage? That would mean their biggest asset and "source of benefits" might disappear! How could they be truly sincere? (End of Chapter)