166: Chapter 166 You are a good person.

"Unified management?"

The Elderly Sect Master of Jinyang Sect's voice rose.

"What do you mean? You want all the resources of the four Sects to be managed by your Qinglan Sword Sect?"

The voice of the New Pavilion Master of Qingxin Pavilion also turned cold.

"Qinglan Sword Sect, is this trying to become the overlord of Yunzhou?"

The Valley Master of Medicine King Valley did not speak, but Li Changsheng could imagine his helpless expression.

The Sect Master of Qinglan Sword Sect's voice remained steady, but carried an undeniable authority.

"Not an overlord, but a coordinator."

"The post-war situation is complex and requires unified command."

"Otherwise, if everyone manages their own affairs, today you seize my city, tomorrow I occupy your mine, won't it just turn into chaos in the end?"

The Elderly Sect Master of Jinyang Sect angrily said.

"Chaos? My Jinyang Sect has been established for three thousand years, and it has never been in chaos!"

The New Pavilion Master of Qingxin Pavilion also said.

"Although Qingxin Pavilion has recently suffered a great disaster, it is not so bad that it cannot even manage its own cities."

The Valley Master of Medicine King Valley finally spoke, his voice gentle but firm.

"Medicine King Valley only knows Alchemy, not power struggles."

"It's better for these cities and ore veins to be managed by their respective owners."

The Sect Master of Qinglan Sword Sect was silent for a moment, then said indifferently.

"Since that is the case, this Sect will not insist. But if trouble arises in the future, do not blame this Sect for not warning you."

Inside the hall, a brief silence fell.

Li Changsheng stood outside the hall, hearing everything clearly.

Unified management.

To put it bluntly, Qinglan Sword Sect wanted to be the boss.

He recalled Zhou Yuan's gaze before his death, the Elder Matriarch Pavilion Master of Qingxin Pavilion burning herself, the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley's helpless sigh, and the ordinary Disciples who fought desperately on the battlefield.

Was this all their sacrifice bought?

He clenched his fists, then released them.

Inside the hall, the argument continued.

"...My Jinyang Sect wants the nine cities to the north; they were once within my Jinyang Sect's sphere of influence!"

"The north? The ore veins in the north have always been secretly managed by my Qingxin Pavilion!"

"You manage them? Can you manage them?"

"Is Jinyang Sect trying to forcibly seize them?"

The voices grew louder and sharper.

Those allies who had fought side by side on the battlefield were now arguing red-faced over a few cities and ore veins, as if they had an irreconcilable hatred.

Listening to the arguments, Li Changsheng felt an unspeakable weariness in his heart.

Is this the Righteous Path?

Is this the result they fought so desperately for?

An hour later, the hall doors finally opened.

The various Sect Masters filed out, all looking displeased.

The Elderly Sect Master of Jinyang Sect left with a dark face, flicking his sleeves.

The New Pavilion Master of Qingxin Pavilion was as cold as ice, not uttering a word.

The Valley Master of Medicine King Valley sighed, shook his head, and departed.

The Sect Master of Qinglan Sword Sect stood at the entrance, looking at the retreating figures, his face also terribly grim.

Li Changsheng lowered his head, not daring to look too much.

But he understood one thing in his heart.

The Righteous Path Alliance now existed in name only.

After the post-war council, Li Changsheng followed the group back to Qinglan Sword Sect.

Along the way, no one spoke.

Those young Disciples who were once full of passion were now silent, wondering what they were thinking.

Li Changsheng sat in a corner of the Flying Boat, looking at the swiftly passing clouds outside the window, the scenes repeatedly playing in his mind.

The ruins of the Blood Fiend Sect, the bones of the innocent, the Elder Matriarch Pavilion Master burning herself, the lonely back of the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, and the sharp arguments in the hall.

He remembered Master's words.

"Cultivate is like planting a tree; only with deep roots can the leaves flourish."

For a tree to grow tall, its roots must be deep.

But if the roots are planted in soil filled with power struggles and schemes, will what grows still be the Righteous Path?

He didn't know.

But he knew one thing.

No matter how much those Sect high-ranking officials fought and schemed, he had to uphold his own bottom line.

Not to indiscriminately kill the innocent, not to bully the weak, and not to sell his conscience for profit.

This was the "Righteous Path" in his heart.

The Flying Boat traveled through the Qinglan Mountains.

Passing through layers of clouds and mist, it finally landed in front of the Qinglan Sword Sect's mountain gate.

Li Changsheng stepped off the Flying Boat, setting foot on the familiar land, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

How long had he been away?

A month?

Two months?

He didn't know.

But these short tens of days felt like decades.

In front of the mountain gate, a few on-duty Disciples saw him, their eyes lighting up.

"Senior Brother Li is back!"

"I heard Senior Brother Li killed countless enemies in Jinyang Sect and also saved people from Qingxin Pavilion!"

"More than that! I also heard he personally beheaded a Golden Core Stage Blood Fiend Sect Elder!"

The Disciples gathered around, asking various questions all at once.

Li Changsheng answered them one by one, but didn't say much.

He just wanted to go back and see that Spirit Tea Tree.

The Hundred Herb Garden was still there, Section C Field No. 7 was still there.

That Spirit Tea Tree had grown taller again, its branches and leaves denser, gleaming emerald green in the sunlight.

The Jade Dew Ginseng next to it was thriving, clearly someone had taken care of it for him.

Li Changsheng stood by the field, looking at everything, a warmth rising in his heart.

No matter how turbulent the outside world was, here was always a place that brought him peace.

He squatted down and gently stroked the trunk of the tea tree.

"I'm back."

He whispered.

The tea tree was silent, its leaves gently swaying in the wind, as if responding.

The next day, Li Changsheng went to visit his injured fellow Disciples.

Those Senior Brothers who had fought alongside him on the Jinyang Sect battlefield, some were still lying in the Infirmary, while others could already walk around. When they saw Li Changsheng, they all smiled.

"Senior Brother Li is here!"

"Senior Brother Li, I heard you were promoted to inner Disciple! Congratulations!"

"Senior Brother Li, quickly tell us how you killed that Golden Core Stage cultivator!"

Li Changsheng answered their questions one by one, left them some Medicinal Pills for healing, and chatted with them for a while.

When he reached the innermost bed, he saw a familiar figure.

Zhao Qian.

This kid was badly injured, one arm still in a sling, and several scars on his face.

But he was in good spirits, bragging to the patient next to him.

"...You don't know, at that time, when that Golden Core Stage Elder charged over, Senior Brother Li immediately went to meet him without a word!"

"One sword!"

"Just one sword!"

"He pierced that old fellow right through!"

The Senior Brothers recuperating nearby listened with great interest, repeatedly asking for details.

Li Changsheng walked over and patted his shoulder.

Zhao Qian turned around, saw him, and his eyes immediately lit up.

"Senior Brother Li!"

Li Changsheng smiled and sat down by his bed.

"How are your injuries?"

Zhao Qian grinned.

"It's nothing! I won't die! I'll be discharged in a few more days of recovery!"

Li Changsheng nodded, took out a small jade bottle from his embrace, and handed it to him.

"This is a peiyuan pill; it has good healing effects. Take it."

Zhao Qian was stunned and quickly waved his hand.

"This, this is too valuable, I can't take it..."

"Take it."

Li Changsheng pressed the jade bottle into his hand.

"You came out with me; I can't let anything happen to you."

Zhao Qian's eyes were a little red; he lowered his head and said nothing.

Li Changsheng patted his shoulder and stood up.

"Recover well. When you're better, we'll drink together again."

On the third day, Su Qianxue arrived.

She stood at the entrance of the Hundred Herb Garden, dressed in white, with a cool temperament.

Seeing Li Changsheng, she nodded slightly.

Li Changsheng greeted her, invited her into the garden, and sat down at the stone table beside the Spirit Tea Tree.

The two sat opposite each other in silence for a moment.

Su Qianxue spoke first.

"I'm leaving."

Li Changsheng looked at her.

Su Qianxue continued.

"Qingxin Pavilion suffered heavy losses this time, and the New Pavilion Master has ordered all external Disciples to return and reorganize."

Li Changsheng nodded, saying nothing.

Su Qianxue was silent for a moment, then suddenly said.

"Thank you."

Li Changsheng was startled.

Su Qianxue looked at him and said seriously.

"That day on the mountain path, you saved me."

"Later in Qingxin Pavilion, you kept helping us defend the front line."

"And in that final battle, you charged at the very front..."

She paused, then whispered.

"You are a good person."

Li Changsheng smiled and said.

"You are too."

They looked at each other and both smiled.