Under One Person, your rebellious life has reached the heavens?

Given the recent commotion caused by Xuanzun of the Sanyi Sect, what kind of emergency measures should they take?

According to intelligence provided by some sects, Xuanzun has not only allied with the Demon King, but also with the Pegasus, which possesses the ability to tear apart secret realms and is considered a threat by major sects.

In just a few days, he destroyed two major sects. If this continues, no other sect will be able to suppress him, and everyone will feel insecure.

According to the higher-ups of the Nine Departments, all signs indicate that a new bloody storm is rapidly brewing.

If not handled properly, the entire land of mountains and rivers will inevitably become the battleground between the Sanyi Sect and the major sects, and the casualties at that time are unknown.

In addition, the demon kings in various places are evolving faster and faster, the battle lines are strained, and the number of towns falling is increasing day by day.

It was still somewhat difficult for the Flying Immortal Sect to suppress dozens of demon king fiefdoms on its own.

Furthermore, the number of martial artists and awakened individuals in the country is still on the rise, and so far no one has emerged who can directly confront extraordinary beings, which has prevented the Nine Divisions from effectively mitigating their disadvantage.

Even pinning our hopes on the ancient weapons that are still being repaired and improved in laboratories is just a drop in the ocean.

The most disappointed person was undoubtedly the head of the R&D department. He looked somewhat dazed and lost, appearing absent-minded.

He seemed not to hear any of the discussions or suggestions from the leaders present, treating them as mere background noise.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment. He pondered for a long time before finally deciding to reveal some bad news to everyone, interrupting the chaotic argument among his colleagues with an unexpected slam of his hand on the table.

"boom!!!"

"boom!!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, please pause for a moment and allow me to say a few words."

"..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the noisy debate gradually subsided and soon became completely silent.

Among the leaders present, this elder was the most senior. His achievements and character had long earned him the deep respect of everyone, and only he could keep the situation under control and break up the endless dispute between the Ninghe and Ji Yunzhou factions.

The old man, named Xu Qiuyu, took a deep breath to calm his anxiety and unease, looked around, and slowly announced:

"I've ordered a halt to the development of the ancient weapon in the lab..."

"?!"

Everyone was stunned, their eyes wide open. This was their only trump card, the only one they could rely on. Why would the old man do this?

The answer was revealed in the next second, and the weary voice continued:

"Researchers have learned from the latest deciphered information that the ancient civilization in the secret realm we explored was destroyed by the giant beasts that are now ravaging various places."

"They possess scientific and technological advancements that are generations ahead of ours, to the point where they can explore the stars and migrate to other planets. Yet, while gazing at the stars, they neglect the planet beneath our feet."

"Overexploitation of the earth's resources led to the successive resurgence of demon kings, affecting the spiritual veins that connect various secret realms. This attracted the attention of major sects, and in less than half a month, they were destroyed by one large-scale war after another."

"The weapons they painstakingly developed can hurt the demon kings, but they are far from being able to kill them completely."

"Furthermore, a powerful Daoist from a certain sect, suspected to be a Lord of the Imperial Realm, personally arrived on the battlefield. With a single strike, he reduced a technological civilization that had developed for over two thousand years to ashes. All past pride and honor were buried in the dust of the ruins..."

Xu Qiuyu said calmly.

A few days ago, when he learned of this news, he felt that all his efforts over the past decades had been in vain, and that he was following the path of destruction that had led to the demise of his predecessors. Did he really have a chance to escape the threat of the demon kings?

If that's really possible, then what about the secret ruins they accidentally unearthed?

As the old man continued his narration, the atmosphere in the entire meeting room suddenly plummeted to freezing point.

Everyone's expression changed drastically, realizing that the grim situation was never something they could control.

Whether it was the demon kings or the various secret realm forces, from beginning to end, without the help and restraint of the Flying Immortal Sect and the Three Ones Sect, they would not even have had a chance to resist. They could only repeat the fate of the past dynasties and kingdoms, being manipulated by the secluded sects as puppets, collecting cultivation resources in the human world for them, and obediently paying tribute.

"Then... is there a way to break this deadlock?"

Gu Zhiya asked with concern, and the others followed his gaze to look at Xu Qiuyu.

"There's always a way out; it just depends on how we deal with it..."

Xu Qiuyu recounted in detail: "Do you still remember the two abandoned secret realms that we took control of?"

"Although they are not as large and vibrant as the strongholds of the major sects, the global spiritual energy recovery is gradually starting to improve."

“My swordsman has inquired for me and found that the most powerful being in any secret realm, who holds the title of Lord of the Realm, is someone who can absolutely overpower a Demon King. You all know this, and we even asked the Flying Immortal Sect Master not long ago, and he confirmed it, didn’t he?”

Upon hearing this, someone frowned slightly and pointed out the fatal flaw:

"Elder Xu, I understand what you mean, but we can't cultivate a Lord of the Realm. The so-called Refinement Secret Realm, only the major sects know how it is conducted. We know nothing about it, so it's probably unrealistic to expect to achieve it."

"Even if we succeed by chance, can a fragmented secret realm truly compare to a complete one?"

"There must be a difference in strength between the two types of Realm Masters, right? They can defend against the Demon Kings, but they can't defend against the other Realm Masters, so it's still a headache."

At this moment, Ning He, who was sitting on the other side of the seat, interjected:

"If we can't ask those reclusive sects, then we won't. It's not like they're the only ones who know how. Can't we ask the Venerable Master?"

"Correct."

Xu Qiuyu accepted the gift, saying, "So I plan to give the coordinates of a secret realm to Xuanzun so that he can refine that secret realm. Then we can ask him to help us eliminate the demon kings within our territory. With his current abilities as the Lord of the Realm, it shouldn't be difficult for him to do so."

These words immediately aroused suspicion among some people, and Wu Birang strongly objected:

"No!! If we give it to them, won't we lose a Lord of the Realm in the future?!"

"Moreover, the Sanyi Sect is close to the Demon King, and we have no ability to restrain them. If we allow them to give birth to a new Lord of the Realm, we will be sowing the seeds of future trouble, and it will be too late to regret it then!"

"If we don't give it to him, will you refine it yourself, or will someone else do it?"

Xu Qiuyu glanced at Wu Birang, her attitude icy cold, her tone immediately displeased.

"I regret it now, let alone the future."

"Your constant hesitation and second-guessing always lead you down the worst possible path, causing the previously amicable relationship between the Nine Departments and the Sanyi Sect to deteriorate day by day. Are you going to add to the trouble now? It's not a question of whether to give it or not, but whether they will accept it."

“…”

Wu Birang's face darkened slightly. Unable to find a rebuttal, he wisely kept quiet.

"There's no need to favor one over the other. I think the Flying Immortal Sect Leader is more suitable. He has cooperated with us a lot and is worth considering. He should be included in the candidates."

A leader from a neutral faction promptly offered advice, easing the tension between the two sides and diverting everyone's attention.

Soon, it received several votes in favor.

"That's a possibility."

“Their sect’s foundation is among the best, and they undoubtedly possess the refining method. Moreover, the Flying Immortal Sect has no conflict of interest with other sects. At present, the Xuanzun seems to be injured and on the verge of death, and a great war is about to break out. If we choose him, we may be implicated and get burned, which would be a loss. In my opinion, it is safer to give it to the Flying Immortal Sect Leader and preserve the overall situation.”

"Yeah...the risk is too great, we can't afford to gamble."

Hearing those idle chatter, Ning He truly couldn't stand it anymore. He frowned deeply and questioned:

"Isn't the fact that Xuanzun wiped out the Creation Sect and the Void Stepping Hall enough to change your prejudices?"

"By the way, before he disappeared, he destroyed the Taiqing Palace, which also had a secret realm, that year."

"What makes you think other sects would dare attack his sect at this time? How many times have you learned your lesson? Haven't you learned anything?"

"snort--!"

Ji Yunzhou offered a strong rebuttal: "Then what makes you think he will help us?"

"He has the ability, and I don't deny his ability, but will he help us?"

"Now, all regions are under the threat of the Demon King, and the people are suffering terribly."

"He'd rather risk his life to fight the secluded sects than spare a moment to help us. He's clearly capable of suppressing the Demon King to the point of being unable to lift his head, yet he refuses to act. Don't you understand what that means?"

"The higher a cultivator's cultivation reaches, the less humane they become. Excessive power without effective restraint only makes them arrogant and disdainful of everyone. They don't even consider themselves to be the same species as us. They only care about their disciples and their sect. What are we to them?"

"Furthermore, the Creation Realm has been plundered by the Mystic Venerable, who can refine it at any time. How attractive is this incomplete realm we are offering to him that it can win him over?"

"It would be better to give it to the Flying Immortal Sect Leader, so as not to disappoint him. He has guarded the defense line for so long, and his great merit deserves to be ranked first. I think he is qualified to take over the secret realm."

Ji Yunzhou's insights have gained the approval of many people.

"Alright, stop arguing, stop arguing."

Xu Qiuyu calmed both sides down, saying:

"Both Xuanzun and Feixian Sect Leader are candidates; it's just a matter of order. Since you disagree and neither of you can convince the other, let's vote."

"I'm casting my vote for Xuanzun."

As the elderly began to express their opinions, the other officials also made their decisions in succession.

"I will also vote for Xuanzun."

"I choose the Flying Immortal Cult Leader."

"I... abstain."

Some people are hesitant, unable to offend either side, which is a form of taking sides, so they have no choice but to give up.

After completing one round of procedures, only Xu Qiuyu, Ning He, and Yuan Xiao remained as the persons in charge who supported gifting the secret realm to Xuanzun.

The Security Council President, Sun Feiyu, and one other official abstained, resulting in a final vote ratio of 5:3, which meant that the Flying Immortal Sect Leader received priority in the succession.

"..."

Xu Qiuyu silently scrutinized the voting results, then asked pointedly, "Are you really sure about this?"

"Ah."

Ji Yunzhou and Wu Birang nodded first, while the rest of the followers avoided eye contact with the old man, but their choice remained unchanged.

"Alright, then let the Flying Immortal Sect Master take over the secret realm first."

"This matter can be addressed later. Now we should discuss which sword wielders should be selected to refine the remaining secret realm."

"By sacrificing the previous secret realm, we have a high probability of obtaining the refining method from the Flying Immortal Sect or the Three Ones Sect. Let's finalize the specific challengers now."

Xu Qiuyu addressed the crowd again, asking them to recommend candidates.

"To be fair, we need to consider merit, strength, and character. There are currently 24 sword bearers, and each of you usually has 2-3 under your jurisdiction. Whether you recommend your own sword bearer or the sword bearers of other responsible persons, you are welcome to do so. We must select the most promising people with the highest success rate who are capable of refining the secret realm."

"and many more!"

Sun Feiyu raised his hand, and after receiving permission, immediately asked the question that had been bothering him:

"Mr. Xu, I'd like to ask if the other two presidents of our Security Council are eligible to run for election?"

"Based on your criteria, they are no less than the other sword wielders."

Xu Qiuyu pondered for a moment, and was about to speak when someone beat him to it, saying:

"Aren't they still in seclusion? The situation is urgent, and there's no time to wait for them. We'll have to make arrangements for next time. If all 24 existing sword bearers fail, we'll select from the top experts in the Security Council."

"Okay, I understand..."

A quarter of an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and the order of challenges for all the sword wielders was determined. The top 5 were Xu Qiuyu, Ning He, Ji Yunzhou, and Gu Zhiya's subordinates.

Next came the most important part: a person in charge invited the Flying Immortal Cult Leader to join the online meeting and explained the purpose of the visit in a straightforward manner.

"What? You mean I should refine that small secret realm and become the Lord of the Realm?"

The Flying Immortal Sect Leader was slightly surprised. He knew that the Nine Departments controlled an unknown number of abandoned secret realms, but he had never asked about it.

In his eyes, an abandoned secret realm meant that its resources had likely been depleted, and even with the revival of spiritual energy, it would require a long recovery period and would not be of much value.

"Yes, in these chaotic times, senior, you are stationed on the front lines and will eventually need some assistance. Therefore, we want to give up that secret realm so that you can advance further. In this way, suppressing the demon king and ferocious beasts will be even easier."

Wu Birang flattered and fawned, unaware that the Flying Immortal Sect Leader was indifferent and politely declined:

“Our sect’s ancient texts have almost no record of what happens when a master of two secret realms refines another realm. Other sects have never heard of such an anomaly either. I’m worried that there might be mutual repulsion leading to demonic possession, so let’s skip it.”

The Flying Immortal Sect Master hasn't even taken over his own secret realm yet, so how could he possibly be asked to refine a damaged one?

Even after being rejected, Ji Yunzhou still asked unwillingly:

"Senior, could you please tell us the method for refining the secret realm?"

"This is no secret. Many sect elders know that there are roughly two methods: either refine the entire secret realm as a magical artifact, or merge your body with heaven and earth. However, I know very little about the specific process and insights involved, so I can't help you much more."

The Flying Immortal Sect Leader gave a perfunctory answer.

Even if it were an abandoned secret realm, he didn't think anyone from the current Nine Departments or the Security Council would be able to successfully refine it.

After all, there's a limit to one's strength. If one can't even defeat a demon king, how can one expect to leapfrog to become a master of the realm? No matter how much effort one puts in, it's useless.

"Alright... thank you for your help."

Ji Yunzhou bowed and thanked him.