Welcome to Ability Store-Chapter 109 - 108: The Inheritance of the Lotus Cloud Sect
"Your Majesty... the position of Immortal Master is exclusively for disciples from the Lotus Cloud Sect. May I ask if this cultivator is also from the Lotus Cloud Sect?" the aide standing at the forefront couldn’t help but inquire.
The King of Qi raised an eyebrow, exuding authority without anger, "What is it, Lord Tang? Are you accusing me of breaking the agreement with the Lotus Cloud Sect by choosing another cultivator as the Immortal Master of Great Qi? It wasn’t I who broke the agreement; it was that wench Liu Shuyue! On this point, all under heaven can see clearly!"
"I would not dare." The aide quickly explained, "I am merely concerned that, in the event the Lotus Cloud Sect lays blame—"
"That will be a matter for a hundred years from now!" the King of Qi interrupted directly, "And if we don’t have an Immortal Master now, Great Qi might be gone in ten years. Can’t I distinguish which is more important?"
The ministers were speechless.
His tone softened, "I know you are loyal and worried about the safety of Great Qi, but am I not the same? Immortal Master Jiang also said that if the Lotus Cloud Sect is willing to send a new disciple, or if Liu Shuyue admits her guilt and surrenders, he would willingly relinquish the position of Immortal Master, correct?"
"That is indeed the case." Jiang Ning said lightly.
"Moreover, I chose him as Immortal Master for a reason; without some capability, one cannot take on this position." The King of Qi looked at the man, "Why don’t you introduce yourself to the ministers and talk about your skills."
The man turned to face the gathered people in the hall, "The reason Liu Shuyue could quickly assemble a team of cultivators is rooted in the matter of slaying the dragon. The dragon represents the emperor, and the dragon’s blood nurtures dragon qi. Such dragon qi, if infused into the human body, can grant one the ability to sense qi. But she scattered the dragon’s blood among those destitute refugees, thus creating a group of loyal loose cultivators under her... no, calling them loose cultivators is no longer appropriate. These people are rebels unified under Liu Shuyue’s guidance!"
The ministers were immediately in an uproar.
"What? Dragon Blood can grant qi sensing?"
"If one can cultivate using this method, doesn’t that mean..."
"Did Liu Shuyue curry favor with the disaster victims in Qing State with an early mind of rebellion?"
The news of Liu Shuyue slaying the dragon was known to all, and back then, the King of Qi was infuriated, for it was the symbol of the Emperor. However, combined with the shocking news from Immortal Master Jiang, her actions of killing the dragon for its blood took on a completely different significance!
Despite the mainstream Lotus Cloud Sect’s rejection of loose cultivators, who wouldn’t want to become a cultivator? Leaving aside other benefits, people who can sense qi tend to live longer, suffer from fewer injuries and illnesses, and even without learning spells, it is worth it!
To think that such precious Dragon Blood had ended up in the hands of those wretches for free!
Just thinking about it made the officials in the hall gnash their teeth in anger.
"May I ask Immortal Master Jiang, how did you come by this information?" By this time, the aide addressed him with respect.
"My family ancestors were connected with the Immortal Masters of the Lotus Cloud Sect and not only heard many secrets unknown to the world but also learned some sect’s secret methods." Jiang Ning smiled faintly, "If any of you remain skeptical, I have other ways to prove it..."
"For instance, as mentioned, Dragon Blood can stimulate human potential. In fact, the Essence Qi of demon fiends can similarly bring people to the threshold of qi sensing." He took out a Golden Core from his bosom and displayed it to everyone, "This is the Mixed Origin Pill I crafted, made from over ten rare spiritual herbs, blended with demon fiends’ blood and the Mixed Origin Technique. Once consumed, even ordinary people like yourselves can sense the presence of qi within just a few two-hours!"
These few words were even more astounding than the previous news of Dragon Blood granting qi sensing!
Nobody here was a fool; if there were a pill that allowed one to sense qi, what would it imply?
It would mean that everyone would have the opportunity to cultivate, talent would no longer be the determining factor! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
It would mean that without relying on Lotus Cloud Sect disciples, the King of Qi could cultivate his own loyal army!
No wonder the King of Qi held this person in such high regard—that move could solve all the pressing issues currently facing Qi Kingdom.
"Excuse me, Immortal Master, since it requires demon fiend’s Essence Qi, won’t it have any side effects on ordinary people?" a general in armor asked with cupped hands.
"Yes, of course." Jiang Ning replied in a cool voice, "Compared to disciples of the Lotus Cloud Sect, these individuals might never learn advanced Heart Methods in their lifetime, and when their life force is exhausted, they’ll only reach the level of a loose cultivator. Does the General have anything else to ask?"
"Uh... no."
Of course he had no further questions; if the Immortal Master’s statement were true, didn’t that imply the side effect was virtually non-existent?
Loose cultivators may have significant disadvantages, such as being oppressed over the years and scattered across the Six Kingdoms, with limited loyalty to the Emperor. Even if a considerable amount of money was spent recruiting them, gaining even a couple of sworn loyalists couldn’t compare to an army of tens of thousands of good, law-abiding family men!
The battle at Jiufeng City in Yunzhou also proves this point. The Three States Alliance Army dares to charge in a desperate situation with interception ahead and pursuers behind. Meanwhile, the Loose Cultivators attracted by the bounty flee at the slightest setback; their reliability is on a completely different level.
"Immortal Master Jiang, how many pills can you produce?" asked King of Qi with a smile.
"If the materials are sufficient, one furnace every seven days, a hundred pills per furnace," replied Jiang Ning, turning around. "The herbs are easy to say, the key lies with the Demon Fiends. So at this stage, Your Majesty still has to temporarily rely on the power of the Loose Cultivators."
"No problem!" King of Qi waved his hand grandly. "Whatever number of people, money, or resources you need, I will provide them all. As long as you can train a Cultivator troop for me, that will be no issue!"
"Yes." He agreed clearly, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, this is my duty."
...
King of Qi brought Immortal Master Jiang back to the Inner Palace, heading straight to Hanchun Hall.
That was his place for resting, handling affairs, and sleeping. Only queens, concubines, and deeply trusted ministers were summoned to enter.
However, once crossing the threshold of Hanchun Hall, King of Qi transformed, respectfully stepping aside to be a follower, turning from the guide to someone akin to a servant.
Immortal Master Jiang, however, knew the way well, bypassing the screen and inner corridor, leading King of Qi into a bedroom.
The air was thick with a rich aroma, and light red drapes hung from the beams, encasing the large bed in the center from all sides.
Approaching the bed, he saw a woman half-lying on it, her black hair cascading like a waterfall, scattered on the embroidered gold pillow, her body wrapped only in a thin veil that unveiled her graceful figure without doubt. Her attire was half-open, revealing a section of snow-white neck and collarbone, with the rest hinting coyly, tempting imagination.
The woman lazily supported her chin, lightly fiddling with her fallen strands of hair, her eyes ebbing, carrying a smiling yet non-smiling allure, entwined with a seductive weariness. "How was it, senior, was the journey smooth?"
"You should call me Martial Uncle," Jiang Ning said expressionlessly. "Sit up and talk, this Charm Technique is useless on me."
The alluring expression immediately faded from her face, and the woman flipped to sit up, tidying up her clothes. "If not for this, how can I be sure you are still Martial Uncle Jiang?"
"It’s not simple for an ordinary Cultivator to escape the Soul Transfer Technique. Rest assured, this body will be stable for at least two to three years." Jiang Ning sat beside her, while King of Qi stood opposite, wooden like a puppet. "But your level of temptation truly makes me impressed."
"Oh, it’s only effective on ordinary mortals, nowhere near Junior Sister Liu slaying demons alone, with a sword splitting the sky," the woman said indifferently. "What a pity... if she had obediently come to the Royal City once, we would’ve saved a lot of effort. Unexpectedly, she dared to defy the Lotus Cloud Sect’s agreement and autonomously betray Great Qi. I thought she valued the duty of the Sect above all else."
"To discreetly win over mortals is anything but useless as you think," Jiang Ning curled his lips. "As for Liu Shuyue... it’s not certain she autonomously betrayed Qi Kingdom either."
According to their original plan, let Prince Luo, who was long infatuated with Lan Qin, dispatch troops to the border, creating a continuous invasion atmosphere towards Qi Kingdom. Then let King of Qi, equally bewitched by Lan Qin, force Liu Shuyue to return to the court. In this way, they could leverage the monarch-subject relationship to control the Qi Kingdom’s Immortal Master, achieving the merger of two countries bloodlessly.
This plan lasted nearly three years. Liu Shuyue being often outside and far from the court indeed gave Lan Qin an opportunity, allowing her to quietly infiltrate King of Qi’s sleeping quarters. But she never imagined that Liu Shuyue would carry out her loner philosophy to the end, refusing to obey, regardless of the threats of national annihilation facing Qi Kingdom, even slightly pressured leading directly to rebellion, as if knowing there were traps waiting for her in the Royal City.
"Not autonomously betrayed?" Lan Qin suddenly felt a bad premonition. "Did she happen to meet the previous Martial Uncle too? Then shouldn’t we sit down for negotiations?"
"Negotiate what, jointly fighting Lotus Cloud Sect?" Jiang Ning coldly laughed twice, "Indeed I have considered if there are other senior apprentice brothers misleading the Sect through Golden Cicada Shell Escape Technique and Soul Transfer Technique. But even so, it cannot guarantee they will surely decide to stand by our side. After all, it’s the Lotus Cloud Sect—whose orthodoxy deceived us with persuasive reasoning, and within it, the outstanding talents are not merely limited to the master’s generation."
"...That’s true." Lan Qin thought for a moment, "She once wrote me a letter questioning why I initiated warfare. From this, she still fulfills the Immortal Master’s duty of caring for the people."
"Indeed, even facing betrayal, teachings from the Sect are hard to forget, which are deeply imprinted on our souls by those people."
"What if Liu Shuyue truly has the support of Martial Uncle behind her..."
"What else can be done, but to speak with strength." Jiang Ning said calmly, "She may cultivate disaster victims with Dragon Blood; we can also create a Cultivator army with Primordial Pills. And she only has one Jiufeng City, while we control resources from both Great Luo and Great Qi. How can the confrontation not be victorious?"
"Honestly, I kind of dislike her." Lan Qin sighed as she played with her hair, "In the Sect, she was impervious, surpassed me in everything she learned. I’ve long wanted to expose her cold façade—to see what junior sister would become..."
"Humph, it’s merely a woman’s jealousy," Jiang Ning scoffed.
"Who says it’s not?" She smiled gently, letting go of her hair, raising her slender and agile fingers before her... each vividly distinct, capable of bringing immense pleasure, "Once she’s in my hands, I will surely take good care of her."
