Mortal: Starting with the Seven Mysterious Sects, I proved my Dao through sacrifice.

The afterglow of the great victory at Yanjiabao still lingered, but the atmosphere inside the central command tent of the seven factions of the Yue Kingdom was even more oppressive than the gloomy atmosphere at Jinguyuan.

Behind the long table, the leaders and core elders of the seven sects sat in rows. On the surface, they were discussing how to press their advantage and pursue their victory, but in reality, their discussions were full of excuses, suspicions, and calculations of self-interest.

"Although Junior Nephew Murong won this battle by sheer luck, the main force of the Ghost Spirit Sect is still intact, and the demonic army is close behind. If we were to launch a rash attack now, it would not be a wise move." The speaker was Sect Leader Lu of Spirit Beast Mountain. His eyelids were lowered, and his fingers tapped lightly on the table. He clearly had no intention of winning a quick victory.

"That's right, our Tianque Fortress disciples suffered heavy casualties earlier and need time to recuperate!" Elder Zhao of Tianque Fortress immediately echoed, but his eyes darted left and right.

Murong Fan sat upright at the lower end, looking calmly at this group of "allies" each with their own ulterior motives, and instantly found them utterly ridiculous. He knew all too well their ulterior motives; in the original story, it was precisely their shortsightedness and betrayal that led to the Seven Sects' crushing defeat at Jingu Plain, and the defection of the Spirit Beast Mountain dealt the Seven Sects a fatal blow.

"Cowardice and fear of battle?" Murong Fan suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but full of weight, immediately silencing the noisy tent. "Are you all planning to sit and wait for death like the Jiang and Cheqi Kingdoms? Since the Six Demonic Sects dared to come, they won't give us a chance to breathe. We should unite and press on with one fell swoop. What do we have to fear? If we retreat one step today, they will advance two steps tomorrow. When the demonic army is pressing in, we won't even have the chance to sit here and discuss this!"

These words struck everyone like a heavy hammer blow. The sect leaders' expressions changed slightly; although their eyes flashed with displeasure, they were unable to refute them.

"Then, in Junior Nephew Murong's opinion, what should we do now?" The sect leader of the Hidden Moon Sect, Fairy Ni Chang, finally spoke. Her voice was cold and inquisitive.

Murong Fan stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, finally settling on his master, Hong Fu.

"I propose the establishment of a 'Coalition Military Governorate'," he said, emphasizing each word. "Right now, we must unify the allocation of all resources and troops from the seven factions, with orders strictly enforced and anyone who disobeys executed!"

"What...?"

The tent erupted in chaos, filled with incredulous and questioning voices.

"Nonsense! The Governor's Office? Wouldn't that put them above the Seven Factions?"

"How can we allow our resources to be allocated at will? No, no, absolutely not!"

"Murong Fan, although you have made the greatest contribution, how can such an important matter be decided by you alone..."

"Murong Fan, you wouldn't be using the governor's name to line your own pockets and strengthen your own power, would you?"

……

Voices of opposition rose and fell, especially from the representatives of Spirit Beast Mountain and Heavenly Palace Fortress, whose reactions were the most vehement. Murong Fan remained expressionless, merely observing their reactions. He knew that their fierce opposition only proved that they had something to hide.

"If the Seven Factions Alliance does not unite, it will surely be defeated piecemeal by the Demonic Path! We all understand the King of the Lips and Teeth's principle! If any faction present believes it can stand alone and defeat the six Demonic Sects on its own, lead your troops and leave as soon as possible. If not, I believe the establishment of the 'Allied Military Governor's Office' is imperative!" Murong Fan's voice rang out again, this time with an undeniable coldness. "If the Seven Factions cannot unite as one, today will be the beginning of our doom. The Governor's Office must be established!"

"You...you're threatening us?!" Master Lu of Spirit Beast Mountain could no longer suppress his anger. He slammed his fist on the table and stood up, his face ashen.

"This is not a threat, it is a warning!" Murong Fan slowly took out a stack of yellowed talismans from his pocket. These were key pieces of information he had extracted from the memories of the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators who had been sacrificed earlier, using his "altar" ability. "These are secret letters between the Ghost Spirit Sect and some 'friends' within the Seven Sects, as well as... a detailed 'defection plan'."

He tossed the talisman lightly, and it transformed into beams of light that floated in the tent, the contents of which were clearly visible.

"Elder Zhao of Tianque Fortress, your personal relationship with Elder Wang of the Ghost Spirit Sect seems to be much deeper than we imagined." Murong Fan's gaze fell on Elder Zhao of Tianque Fortress, who had always advocated for defense. "And the Sect Leader of Spirit Beast Mountain, your 'old friends' of the Spirit Control Sect seem to have already prepared the 'pledge of allegiance' for your return."

The air inside the tent seemed to freeze.

Elder Zhao of Tianque Fortress turned pale with fright. His finger trembled as he pointed at Murong Fan: "You...you're making baseless accusations!"

"Whether it's slander or not, a soul search will tell," Murong Fan said coldly, his hands already forming a magic seal.

"Do you dare!" As soon as Murong Fan spoke, Elder Zhao was furious and looked defiant, but his body involuntarily shrank back.

"Do you dare?" Murong Fan took another step forward, completely absorbed in Chapter 59 of the novel, "Iron Fist Suppresses Traitors, the Governor Controls the Universe!" The oppressive aura of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator was released without reservation, causing the entire tent to tremble. Having won the first battle, Murong Fan used a chaotic formation to defeat Elder Zhong's vanguard of the Ghost Spirit Sect, and also took the opportunity to loot many valuable items, naturally greatly increasing his strength. Now, let alone Core Formation cultivators, he might even be able to fight against early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. "Today, either you cripple your cultivation and get out of the Seven Sects, or I will personally refine you to set an example!"

Looking into Murong Fan's unwavering eyes, Elder Zhao knew he had no way out. He abruptly turned to the leader of the Spirit Beast Mountain, trying to seek help, only to find that the other was also looking at him with a terrified and helpless expression.

"Take down the traitors of the Seven Factions Alliance! This is the fate of traitors!" Hong Fu said angrily. The cultivators from Huangfeng Valley behind him immediately stepped forward and restrained Elder Zhao, whose face was ashen.

Then, the leader of the Spirit Beast Mountain Sect was also captured.

Murong Fan possessed irrefutable evidence, and clues unfolded like a spider web, exposing the malignant tumors hidden within the Seven Sects one by one. Elders from Spirit Beast Mountain, Qingxu Sect, and even Giant Sword Sect were implicated to varying degrees. Some were colluding with the demonic path, while others had already secretly defected, waiting only for the opportune moment to dismantle the Seven Sects from within.

A silent purge unfolded swiftly under Murong Fan's iron fist.

Resistance against the call of justice is futile. Murong Fan not only possesses irrefutable evidence, but also the absolute prestige established by the battle of Yan Family Fortress, as well as the strong support of relatively upright forces such as Yellow Maple Valley and Hidden Moon Sect. Although Fairy Ni Chang remained aloof, a hint of admiration appeared in her eyes as she looked at Murong Fan.

"Murong Fan, although your actions were for the sake of the Seven Sects, your methods were far too extreme and cruel," a highly respected elder sighed.

"Intense and cruel?" Murong Fan sneered. "If it's not cruel, the Seven Sects have no future. Today I bear the infamy, only so that the Seven Sects can have a glimmer of hope tomorrow. If you all think I'm ruthless, I can leave the Governor's Mansion right now, and you can choose someone else to lead the defense against the enemy..." As soon as Murong Fan said this, the scene immediately fell silent. Before long, everyone reluctantly accepted his opinion.

"Our Hidden Moon Sect wishes to establish a Governor's Office and honor Young Master Murong as the Grand Governor!" said Fairy Ni Chang of the Hidden Moon Sect first.

"Yellow Maple Valley is also willing to establish a Governor's Office and honor Young Master Murong as the Grand Governor!" Hong Fu looked at the confident Murong Fan with satisfaction and joy.

……

"The Giant Sword Sect is also willing to establish a Governor's Office and honor Young Master Murong as the Grand Governor!" With the addition of the Giant Sword Sect, the Seven Sects Alliance was truly established.

The purge lasted for two full days. Dozens of elders with ulterior motives had their cultivation stripped and were expelled from their sects; some were even killed on the spot. The seven sects were shaken, but it was precisely this swift and decisive action that caused those sects that had previously wavered to completely side with Murong Fan, joining the Seven Sects Alliance with a desperate, all-or-nothing commitment. They saw a truly capable war leader, one determined to lead them to survival.

Finally, with the tacit approval of Elder Hongfu and the leadership of Fairy Nishang, the "Allied Military Governor's Office" was officially established. Murong Fan was elected as the first governor, wielding supreme military and political power over the seven factions.

Below the stage, the cultivators from the seven sects gazed at Murong Fan's figure on the command platform, their hearts filled with mixed emotions. Some felt awe, some resentment, some admiration, some fear, and some simply watched with skepticism. But everyone knew that from this moment on, the seven sects were no longer a disorganized mob fighting their own battles, but a unified whole forcibly integrated by Murong Fan through his iron fist and wisdom.

Yan Family Fortress also underwent a magnificent transformation amidst this upheaval. With Murong Fan's support, Yan Yun Mountain pulled back from the brink, completely eliminating the pro-demonic forces within the family. Yan Family Fortress was officially incorporated into the Seven Sects Alliance, becoming another major power almost on par with sects like Huangfeng Valley and Yanyue Sect. The cultivators of Yan Family Fortress followed Murong Fan's lead without question, and the morale of the allied forces was high.

The eerie wind persisted. Murong Fan stood in the wind, his gaze fixed on the direction where the demonic army might appear, a cold smile playing on his lips. He knew that the establishment of the Governor's Office was only the first step; the real test was yet to come. The complex gazes of those below the stage would ultimately coalesce into a unified will in the impending inferno of blood and fire—life or death, all would be tied to the direction the Governor's Office's banner pointed.

The news caused an uproar throughout the cultivation world of Yue Kingdom.

"Murong Fan... he actually did it?!"

"The Seven Factions Alliance is finally no longer a disorganized mess..."

"This man possesses the makings of a powerful leader; his future is limitless!"

……

"This kid is so amazing! I remember a lot of people used to call him 'Two Fools,' but he was just pretending to be stupid. I'm the real fool!" a disciple of Huangfeng Valley muttered to himself.

Murong Fan was not basking in the joy of victory. Standing atop the walls of Yan Family Fortress, gazing at the still gloomy sky in the distance, he understood that the real test had only just begun. The frenzied counterattack of the six demonic sects would soon descend, and he, Murong Fan, must be fully prepared to face the ultimate battle that would determine the fate of the cultivation world of Yue Kingdom.

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