326: Chapter 326: Trivial Matters

Supreme Dao Palace, on the mountain peak.

The morning mist had yet to disperse, and Li Changsheng was already sitting in the main seat of the Council Hall.

Piles of files half a person high lay before him, each one a case awaiting resolution.

The teacup on his left was already cold, and the brush on his right was still dripping with ink.

"Alliance Leader, the Luoxia Sect requests funding to rebuild their mountain gate; the budget requires three million Spirit Stones."

Ling Jianxin stood below, reading in a serious tone.

"Approved."

Li Changsheng did not even raise his head, signing his name with a flourish.

"The Heavenly Sword Sect is applying to expand the Sword Tomb, which requires the requisition of three hundred miles of forest land north of the Sect."

"Approved."

"The Loose Cultivators Alliance wants to increase patrols and asks if the Alliance Leader can allocate fifty Disciples to support them."

"Approved."

"The Loose Cultivators Alliance has lodged a complaint, claiming the Shangguan Family's caravan is engaging in forced sales at the black market..."

Li Changsheng finally raised his head and rubbed his temples.

"The Shangguan Family? Let Shangguan Yunhe handle it himself. If he cannot resolve it properly, I will handle him."

Ling Jianxin paused and closed the file.

"Alliance Leader, today's official business is concluded."

"There is one more thing—Daoist Master Qingxu asks when you might be free; he wants to discuss the training plan for the new generation of Disciples of the Supreme Dao Palace with you."

Li Changsheng was silent for three seconds.

"Tell him, tomorrow."

"No, the day after tomorrow. No, next month."

Ling Jianxin's mouth twitched slightly as he bowed his head and retreated.

As the doors of the Council Hall closed, Li Changsheng let out a long breath and slumped back into his chair.

Within the Soul Link, a familiar voice rang out.

"Tsk tsk, judging by your tone, are you being crushed by official business again?"

Xiao Ran's voice was filled with thick schadenfreude.

Li Changsheng closed his eyes, his tone weary.

"The Righteous Path has so many matters to attend to. Had I known, I would have let you be the Alliance Leader."

"Me, the Alliance Leader? Then who would send me beauties?" Xiao Ran chuckled.

"...You are incorrigible." Li Changsheng cursed, then opened his eyes.

"How is it over there? Do those old geezers in the Demonic Path obey?"

"Obey? They obey on the surface, but not in their hearts."

"But it does not matter; all I need is for them to obey on the surface." Xiao Ran's voice was lazy.

"We just held a meeting, and I demoted the Blood Butcher from Sect Master to Deputy Legion Commander. The old thing's face turned green, but he did not dare say a word."

Li Changsheng laughed: "You are certainly simple and brutal."

"Well, this is the Demonic Path. Might makes right." Xiao Ran paused.

"By the way, is that Shangguan Yunhe over there still playing tricks?"

"Yeah, he is flirting with Sect Master Wuxin, thinking I do not know."

Li Changsheng rolled his eyes.

"Let them mess around; they cannot turn the world upside down."

"You are so confident?"

"Otherwise? Kill them? If I kill them, who will manage the Righteous Path for me?"

Li Changsheng sighed.

"Someone has to do the work."

Xiao Ran was silent for two seconds before suddenly saying: "Changsheng, don't you think we are like those... what are they called..."

"What?"

"That... the two biggest construction foremen in the world. Each of us manages a site, supervising all day, tired like dogs."

Li Changsheng was stunned, then laughed.

"You really are a talent. A construction foreman? I, the dignified Righteous Path Alliance Leader, described by you like this."

"Don't you think so?"

"You manage the Righteous Path, I manage the Demonic Path. Aren't those Sect Masters and Sect Heads below just the foremen under the construction bosses?"

Xiao Ran's voice carried a smile.

"The only difference between us is that your foremen talk back, while my foremen get killed if they dare talk back."

Li Changsheng thought about it and actually felt it made sense.

"All right, stop talking about this useless chatter. Is it truly stable over there?"

"It is stable. The Six Great Demonic Sects have been dismantled by me into scattered pieces, each acting on their own, unable to make waves." Xiao Ran said.

"But I am indeed a little bored."

"Bored? Did you not love making trouble before?"

"Making trouble is one thing, but you need an opponent to make trouble."

Xiao Ran sighed.

"Now, no one in the entire Demonic Path dares to oppose me. Even if I sneeze, someone will hand me paper. There is no challenge at all."

Li Changsheng was silent for a while, then suddenly said: "Why don't you come to the Righteous Path to be the Alliance Leader? There are people talking back to you all day; I guarantee you will not be bored."

"Get lost. I am not going." Xiao Ran cursed.

"The kind of intrigue you have over there is even more tiring than the Demonic Path."

Both laughed.

Sunlight spilled into the hall through the window lattice, shining on those piles of files.

Li Changsheng looked at those files and suddenly felt that it did not seem so annoying anymore.

...

Eternal Night Demon Sect, main peak Council Hall.

Xiao Ran sat in the main seat, his fingers tapping the armrest lightly.

Blood Butcher, Old Man Myriad Gu, Sect Master You Ming Zi, Fairy Hehuan, Immortal Master Baigu, and Old Man Tian Shi—the Sect Masters of the Six Great Demonic Sects—stood in a row, each with a solemn face.

"Everyone, I have summoned you here today to announce a few things."

"I think we should take some action."

The other six Sect Heads were taken aback.

It turned out that Xiao Ran was preparing to launch a disturbance again.

This was the old Demonic Path way.

There is no such thing as an honest Demonic Path.

The other Sect Masters also agreed; after all, only by invading could they plunder resources.

So Xiao Ran gave orders to everyone.

In short, it was to harass the borders of the Righteous Path.

After the meeting.

Xiao Ran let out a long yawn.

Within the Soul Link, Li Changsheng's voice rang out again.

"Another lecture? You hold meetings every day; are you not tired?"

"It is much easier than your side." Xiao Ran stretched.

"I say one thing here, and no one dares to say a second. Although it is boring, it is worry-free."

"Indeed. I hold a meeting here, and the people below can argue for a long time." Li Changsheng sighed.

"I think I will be angered to death by them sooner or later."

Xiao Ran suddenly sat up straight, a flash of cunning in his eyes: "Changsheng, don't you think we are too... harmonious now?"

"Is harmony not good?"

"Not good." Xiao Ran shook his head.

"The Righteous Path and the Demonic Path need balance and constant struggle. If it is too quiet, the people below will start to let their imaginations run wild."

Li Changsheng seemed to understand something.

"You mean..."

"I will send Liu Ruyan to harass a small Sect of the Righteous Path; you go to the rescue and catch her for interrogation." Xiao Ran chuckled.

"As for how to interrogate... you know."

Li Changsheng was silent for two seconds.

"Then... how long should the interrogation last?"

Xiao Ran smiled even more lewdly: "Depends on the mood."

Both laughed at the same time, the laughter echoing in the Soul Link, as tacit and synchronized as if it had been rehearsed in advance.