Xiuxian: I use magnetic fields to prove my truth

Chapter 198 The Sect Leader's Scheme

The group had no choice but to agree.

What followed was a lengthy negotiation process between them and Yu Liangmou.

The matters to be negotiated by both parties included auditing accounts, allocating goods to each shop, the share of profits to be handed over, and most importantly, how to reclaim those old battle flags.

Today, there are over 20,000 old plaques in various shops.

Finally, both parties decided that these array plates would be resold to Zhou Qing at 20% of the market price of soft black jade. Zhou Qing's people would then modify the array plates into new arrays and return them to their respective shops.

As for the distribution of the store's profits, Zhou Qing did not make things difficult for them.

Nowadays, almost all the shops belonging to the Qingyun Sect are at Zhou Qing's beck and call.

Apart from the four major families, none of them have yielded yet.

There's no need to differentiate between them at this point.

Therefore, he set the same share for all shops: two-tenths of all profits were reserved for shop operations and the development of the affiliated families behind the shops.

Of the eight-tenths of the profits, four-tenths went to the sect and four-tenths went to the formation court.

The impact of this adjustment can be described as enormous.

The share nominally received by the affiliated family has been reduced from three parts to two parts, a reduction of only one part.

The reality is that it was cut in half or more.

Previously, most of the profits earned by affiliated families actually came from their manipulation of the accounts, but now this source of income has been completely cut off.

However, because the Qingyun Sect now has additional profits generated by Zhou Qingxin's array talismans, the losses suffered by its affiliated families are not unacceptable compared to the past.

Afterwards, the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall compiled statistics on the sect's income. After redistribution, the sect's income has increased five or six times compared to before.

And all of this was brought by Zhou Qing.

Therefore, when Zhou Qing proposed to increase the monthly spirit stone allowance for registered disciples and newly initiated disciples in the sect, the proposal was easily approved.

As the sect's financial patron, Zhou Qing's influence had reached a certain peak.

Even the heads of the various halls could only avoid his sharp edge.

Now only four families are still stubbornly holding on.

However, it's obvious to anyone with eyes that they won't last much longer.

That day, Zhou Qing was pondering how to deal with the four families when Xu Hui, the newly appointed steward of Zichen Palace, suddenly came and summoned him to Zichen Palace to see the sect leader.

Xu Hui became a steward of the Zichen Palace after Yu Liangmou.

He wasn't a member of Mu Zhuosha's faction, but rather came from a very small affiliated family. However, he was a free spirit and never participated in any sectarian conflicts.

Zhou Qing and Xu Hui had no connection, so Zhou Qing wasn't interested in chatting. Xu Hui, on the other hand, was somewhat in awe of Zhou Qing and didn't dare to speak first. So the two of them arrived at Zichen Palace in silence.

Throughout the journey, Zhou Qing kept thinking about the Sect Leader's intention in summoning him.

He immediately realized that perhaps the four family heads had persuaded the sect leader to act as a mediator and bring the two sides to an end. So he prepared his words in advance to deal with the sect leader's attempt to make peace.

But the sect leader's first words were completely unexpected, rendering all his preparations futile.

The sect leader smiled at him and said, "You did better than I expected."

Zhou Qing blinked and said, "This disciple does not understand."

The sect leader paced back and forth in the hall and said, "Over the years, I have been waiting for someone who can resolve the deep-rooted conflicts within the Qingyun Sect. I used to place my hopes on Zhuo Sha, but Zhuo Sha has a major problem with her personality. She is strong but not gentle. She has amazing talent in cultivation, but her methods for handling conflicts are not skillful enough."

“I thought it would be decades or even centuries before I encountered such a genius again, but I didn’t expect the Qingyun Sect to be so kind as to send you here so quickly.”

Oh, really...

Zhou Qing looked at the sect leader with suspicion, unsure how much of what the other party said was true. "What, you don't believe me?"

The sect leader laughed and said, "So you also believed what Zhuo Sha said, that I intend to maintain a balance within the sect?"

Zhou Qing chuckled dryly, "No one knows a daughter better than her father."

The sect leader said, "Zhuo Sha thinks I'm too lenient in dealing with the drawbacks of affiliated families, but she doesn't consider who guided her radical ideas."

Zhou Qing asked in confusion, "So, the sect leader and my senior uncle both think that the drawbacks of affiliated families should be completely resolved. With the two of you working together, who in the sect can stand against you? Why do you still wait for your disciple to solve this problem?"

The sect leader smiled and said, "To solve these problems, there is no need to join forces with Zhuosha."

"I merely left it behind as a trial to select the next leader of the Qingyun Sect, so that I can carry out a truly vital matter concerning the life and death of the Qingyun Sect."

"A truly life-or-death matter?"

Zhou Qing asked in surprise, "Doesn't internal power struggles within the sect count as that?"

"Not at all."

Zhou Qing asked, "What is it?"

The sect leader said leisurely, "In the world of cultivation, whether for an individual or a sect, the true foundation always lies in the realm of immortality."

Zhou Qing was startled and instantly realized the sect leader's intention.

He said in a deep voice, "Does the True Person intend to break through to a higher realm?"

Although he asked a question, his tone was very firm.

The sect leader nodded and smiled, "Not bad."

"This is an immense opportunity for my Qingyun Sect, but also a calamity that could plunge the entire sect into annihilation. I must prepare accordingly."

"Where did this great calamity come from?"

Zhou Qing asked.

The sect leader remained silent, simply pointing to the top of his head.

Zhou Qing immediately understood.

West Antarctica belongs to someone.

The sole master of the Western Continent is that Nascent Soul Daoist Temple.

They will not allow another Nascent Soul training ground to appear in West Antarctica.

If they discover that the sect leader intends to break through, the Qingyun Sect may face a blow from the Nascent Soul level.

The sect leader said, "That family has always kept a close watch on the Western Continent. They pay close attention to everything, from young geniuses to Golden Core cultivators who may break through to the Nascent Soul stage."

"That's why I've been hesitant to break through."

"Over the years, I have been secretly collecting resources to help them break through to higher realms, while also thinking of a way to distract them."

"At first, I placed my hopes on Zhuo Sha."

"Her talent surpasses mine by several points. She was already famous throughout the Western Continent when she was still in the Foundation Establishment stage. When she went down the mountain to travel, she became a figure of great interest to everyone in the entire Western Continent. For a time, even the eyes of that family were focused on her."

"At that time, I was making preparations in secret, waiting for the discussion at Zhuosha Wanxiang City."

"If she can defeat Saintess Xianglian, then her status in that family's heart will instantly surpass mine, and their attention will shift from me to her."

“I can take this opportunity to break through. Once I succeed, the Qingyun Sect can get rid of the shackles of that family, and I can become Zhuo Sha’s protector. When she breaks through to the Nascent Soul stage, she will no longer be hindered like I am.”

(End of this chapter)