The Far East Alliance’s sect was located near the Dongming Sect. Built only a few years ago, it was far from being as opulent as its neighbor. But today, the place was adorned with lanterns and streamers. Mortal Servants bustled about like a flowing river, and Foundation Establishment Cultivators, a rare sight on any other day, were now arriving in droves.

"The Qingyuan Sect Master, Fang Qingyuan, has arrived!"

When Fang Qingyuan arrived with his people, the Magistrate at the gate immediately announced the Qingyuan Sect’s name. Hearing this, several sect leaders from within came out to greet them.

These were all minor sects in the Far East Alliance. They weren’t fond of conflict and weren’t particularly powerful, so they held a low status within the alliance.

But people are naturally inclined to band together; it’s a basic instinct that even Cultivators can’t escape. Thus, these sects had set their sights on the Qingyuan Sect. For one, the Qingyuan Sect was prestigious. For another, it was largely hands-off. They could all get along harmoniously without a clear dynamic of subservience.

"Sect Leader Fang, please put in a good word for us later. The Dongming Sect and the others want to start a war, but we want no part of it. We joined the Far East Alliance for mutual protection. It’s only been a few years, how has the alliance’s direction changed so drastically?"

"That’s right. We just want to live our lives in peace, not go out and get ourselves killed. How much more can these old bones of ours take?"

Several of the elderly Foundation Establishment Cultivators crowding around Fang Qingyuan were speaking at once. Few of them looked a day under sixty. This group of old men all had one thing in common: their sects were failing to produce a new generation of leaders. Besides these old-timers, not a single one of their disciples had reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

One could imagine the standing these sects held in the Far East Alliance. They couldn’t fight and had no future. The alliance had only brought them in to bolster its numbers—to have a few more voices for the choir.

Looking at them, Fang Qingyuan maintained a gentle expression. His thoughts mirrored theirs. ’Avoid war if at all possible. But if a fight is inevitable, I won’t be getting involved.’

The Qingyuan Sect had been granted its charter for three generations; there was no need for it to share a life-and-death struggle with the Far East Alliance. These had been the negotiated terms back when the Dongming Sect first persuaded Fang Qingyuan to join.

"I understand. Everyone, please be patient. We should just wait and see how things unfold. Even if they do dispatch troops, it won’t be our turn, will it?"

Fang Qingyuan offered a few words of comfort, then strode into the heart of the alliance compound, surrounded by the group of elderly cultivators.

Once inside, even more sect leaders greeted him. Fang Qingyuan acknowledged them all with a nod before leading Mao Cheng to one of the eight seats of honor at the head of the assembly.

Aside from the Qingyuan Sect, all the other sects in these honored positions were regional powers, each boasting more than five Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

A day later, nearly everyone had arrived. Fang Qingyuan surveyed the assembly: over fifty Foundation Establishment Cultivators and more than a thousand at the Qi Cultivation stage. Aside from the absence of any Golden Core Cultivators, the scale and power on display were nearly on par with the Wei Family of old.

Just then, the Sect Leader of the Dongming Sect stepped forward to address the main topic of the meeting: dispatching troops to Shandu Mountain. They were to coordinate with the Li Huo Alliance to seize some of Qi Wushuang’s former territory. As compensation, any spoils of war would be kept by the individual sects.

After the Dongming Sect Leader finished speaking, it dawned on Fang Qingyuan. ’So, they call it "dispatching troops," but that’s just putting a nice spin on it. "Mercenaries" would be a more accurate term.’

Fang Qingyuan glanced at the other sect leaders. Some wore expressions of sudden realization, while others remained perfectly calm.

’The ones who just realized must be like me, kept in the dark beforehand. The calm ones must have been tipped off by the Dongming Sect.’

Sure enough, a moment later, someone voiced their opposition.

"Our Far East Alliance is situated deep within White Mountain. We have the Pill Alliance to our west and the Li Huo Alliance to our east. The Shandu Land is over ten thousand li away from us. Why should we wade into those muddy waters?"

Most of the sects agreed with this sentiment. It was similar to the geographical position of Nine Stars Square, where nine chartered Golden Core Sects acted as a buffer between the Spirit Wood Alliance and the Pill Alliance. The Far East Territory, where Fang Qingyuan’s sect resided, served a similar purpose, separating most of the Pill Alliance’s domain from that of the Li Huo Alliance.

However, compared to the Spirit Wood Alliance, which was directly targeted by the Great Zhou Academy, the Li Huo Alliance was in a much better position. The region containing the Qingyuan Sect didn’t completely seal off the Li Huo Alliance from the Barbaric Wilderness.

This method of separation was common in White Mountain. To avoid daily friction and conflict, two major powers would often place smaller sects between them to act as a buffer zone. This not only prevented territorial disputes but also saved them from having to station large forces along their borders.

But between the Far East Alliance and Shandu lay most of the Li Huo Alliance’s territory, the entire Spirit Wood Alliance, and the White Mountain Loose Cultivator Land. Given such a vast distance, why on earth would the Far East Alliance act as hired muscle for Li Huo? What could they possibly stand to gain?

As one person voiced their doubts, other sects that didn’t want to send their people began to clamor in agreement. The Sect Leader of Dongming Sect cleared his throat and then said coldly:

"This isn’t something we can avoid just by wishing it away. The Li Huo Alliance has issued an order: thirty Foundation Establishment Cultivators and five hundred at the Qi Cultivation stage. If any of you are unhappy about it, feel free to take it up with the Li Huo Alliance personally."

As soon as he said this, the clamor in the hall died down considerably. Watching the scene, Fang Qingyuan had a realization. ’I thought we were being hired as mercenaries, but now it looks like they’re just picking out cannon fodder.’

’But if the Li Huo Alliance dares to make such a move, will the Pill Alliance on the other side stand for it?’

Seeing that he had silenced the opposition, the Dongming Sect Leader adopted a more persuasive tone.

"The Li Huo Alliance has assured us that the risk is low. They simply don’t want to get their own hands dirty. We breach the mountain gates and take the spoils, then leave the sects themselves for Li Huo. It’s the best of both worlds, isn’t it? The Li Huo Alliance is a major power; they have at least that much credibility.

"Furthermore, they will prioritize conscripting from sects that haven’t joined the Far East Alliance. Only if that’s not enough will it be our turn. I’ve done the math, and we’ll only need to provide twenty Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Anyone willing to volunteer can sign up now, and there are various benefits. But if you have to be assigned, don’t blame the alliance for being merciless."

The Dongming Sect Leader finished and waited for the crowd’s reaction. Beside him, Fang Qingyuan remained completely unperturbed, his attention already elsewhere. ’No matter who they assign, it won’t be the Qingyuan Sect.’

’With Qi Wushuang dead, the lands around Shandu are a juicy piece of meat, and naturally, the Li Huo Alliance wants a bite. Originally, after Kuai Tong of the Artifact Talisman Alliance died, Qi Wushuang had the sense to pledge allegiance to the three major sects of the Five Elements Alliance. But it seems a subordinate is never truly one of your own. Only what you’ve swallowed yourself truly belongs to you.’

’Right now, the Li Huo Alliance only wants the land, not the sects currently occupying it. Geographically, their territory doesn’t actually border Shandu; a large stretch of Loose Cultivator Land lies between them.’

’I don’t know what kind of deal the Li Huo and Spirit Wood Alliances struck, but the Spirit Wood Alliance is willing to cede some territory. This new land, however, isn’t contiguous with the Li Huo Alliance’s domain. If they want to maintain a firm grip on it, they’ll have to replace the existing powers with their own die-hard loyalists.’

’The best solution for them would be to relocate a batch of sects from their own territory to occupy these new lands. That way, the new domains wouldn’t be full of opportunistic fence-sitters, but would instead become a core part of the Li Huo Alliance’s strength. From their perspective, that’s the ideal outcome.’

’But having the Li Huo Alliance personally lead the charge to expel the current occupants would be unseemly. After all, they’re a major power in White Mountain with a reputation to maintain; they have to be mindful of appearances. And that’s where the Far East Alliance comes in.’

’They’ll have the Far East Alliance act as the public executioner, clearing out the lands they covet, so that the Li Huo Alliance can move in without any trouble.’

’As for the future repercussions for the Far East Alliance for committing such an atrocity? That’s not even part of the equation. The White Mountain People have always lived by a dog-eat-dog philosophy. Unless you’re as big as the Spirit Wood or Li Huo Alliances, reputation means nothing. Concrete benefits are all that matter.’

’It’s just that many of the Far East Alliance’s sects are transplants from other regions. As "new" White Mountain People, they haven’t fully assimilated into the local culture. Give it a hundred years, two or three generations, and they’ll all be thoroughbred White Mountain People through and through.’

All these thoughts churned in Fang Qingyuan’s mind. He knew far more secrets than the other sect leaders present. He even suspected that the Spirit Wood Alliance’s reason for offering these benefits to Li Huo was connected to the information he had personally delivered to Lechuan.

’That day, I told Lechuan about the second Nascent Soul appearing in the Spirit Wood Alliance, and Lechuan chose to spread the news far and wide. The pressure on the Spirit Wood Alliance must have skyrocketed, forcing them to cede some benefits to the Li Huo Alliance in exchange for their stauncher support.’

’Otherwise, given the Spirit Wood Alliance’s greedy nature, why would they ever part with such important territory? I wonder what benefits the Lianshui Alliance—another member of the Five Elements Alliance—received. The Lianshui Alliance’s lands are separated from Shandu by even more powers, so getting a piece of the Spiritual Land is out of the question. But to keep them on side, the Spirit Wood Alliance must have paid a hefty price to Lianshui as well.’

’And all of this, stemming from a single piece of news that Lechuan disseminated. When it came to schemes and plots, Lechuan was second to none. The only reason he lost his title as Lord of the Southern Border was due to factors entirely outside the battlefield.’

Watching the raucous arguments down below, Fang Qingyuan closed his eyes slightly and had Mao Cheng join the discussion. While the Qingyuan Sect would not be officially participating, he decided they could send the Qi Cultivation Disciples he had rescued all those years ago. It would be a good chance for them to gain some real-world experience.

Fifteen years had passed since Fang Qingyuan spent his Spirit Stones to rescue these disciples from the hands of Tribulation Cultivators. Most were now adults, but having spent so long in the sect, they had never seen real combat. This was the perfect opportunity.

「Five days later.」

Fang Qingyuan watched as ten of the Qingyuan Sect’s Qi Cultivation Disciples boarded a beast-drawn vessel. Mixed in with the five-hundred-strong military contingent, they slowly flew off toward the horizon.

This was the first time the Qingyuan Sect had dispatched disciples to war. For Fang Qingyuan, any spoils they might bring back were secondary. What he truly hoped to see was a few promising talents forged and tempered by the crucible of the battlefield.

Once the large contingent—carrying thirty Foundation Establishment and five hundred Qi Cultivation Cultivators—had flown far into the distance, Fang Qingyuan and the other sect leaders finally dispersed.

Back in the Qingyuan Sect, Fang Qingyuan had only enjoyed a few days of peace before another uninvited guest arrived.

"Han Ping, an emissary of the Pill Alliance, has come to visit. I request that Sect Leader Fang come out to meet me."

Hearing this, Fang Qingyuan’s expression soured inside his Quiet Chamber. ’What does the Pill Alliance want with me? And this Han Ping has some nerve, demanding I come out to greet him. Just who does he think he is?’

’My sect’s charter is guaranteed for three generations. I have no need to curry favor with the Pill Alliance. So what if I don’t give you face?’

With that thought, Fang Qingyuan closed his eyes in his Quiet Chamber and settled into meditation, content to let Han Ping wait like a fool outside. He simply chose to ignore him.

「Three days later.」

Han Ping’s tone was no longer as harsh as it had been. He submitted another visiting card, his attitude now much more polite:

"Han Ping, an emissary of the Pill Alliance, has come to visit. I have an urgent matter to discuss. I implore Sect Leader Fang to allow me to enter the sect. I would be eternally grateful."

Seeing this new card, Fang Qingyuan finally gave a slow nod. ’That’s more like it. This is the proper attitude for someone asking for a favor.’

He then instructed Mao Cheng to escort the man to the Guest Welcoming Building, while he himself chose to continue meditating.

Another three days passed before Mao Cheng came to report that Han Ping was pleading to see him again and again. It seemed the man was truly getting anxious. Only then did Fang Qingyuan finally decide to meet him.