279: Chapter 276 Controlling the Realm

As the Zichen Hall banquet concluded, the heads of the four major powers bowed to bid farewell to the Emperor. The moment they stepped out of the Daming Dynasty capital, the boulder pressing down on their hearts had not lightened in the slightest; instead, it had grown even heavier.

Outside the imperial capital, the sea of clouds was vast and the wind roared, but the leaders of the Sects, Clan Chiefs, and masters of the Chaotic Star Sea, who dominated the four corners of the Canglan Domain, all walked with heavy steps, with not a trace of relief or joy to be found.

The three iron rules set by Yuan Chen in the hall earlier were like three heavenly gates standing before all the powers.

On one side was the Sect Foundation and old dynasty structure held for thousands of years; on the other was the survival path for a chaotic age and the Opportunity for the entire domain. Between giving up and keeping, it concerned the survival of thousands of Disciples and the continuity of ancient Legacies, allowing for no rashness.

They did not immediately return to their respective territories but, following a tacit agreement, gathered at the hostels outside the imperial capital to discuss behind closed doors.

Inside the hostel hall, the lights burned bright, and Spiritual Qi was dense, continuing day and night.

The leaders of the various powers sat at their tables, no longer wearing the respectful and humble expressions they had in the Zichen Hall. They let go of all restraints, engaging in frank strategic maneuvering and arguing logically, with every sentence fitting the reality of their Sects and every word concerning the survival of their territories.

The first to speak were the Sect Masters of small and medium-sized Sects from the Western River, whose Foundations were weak. With anxious expressions and earnest tones, they said, "Fellow Daoists, our small Sects have meager resources. The sharing of fissure maintenance costs and the long-term stationing of elite forces place a burden far exceeding that of the large Sects. Since the Dragon Emperor previously agreed that the details were negotiable and the pace could be slowed, we have a suggestion! The first rule regarding cost-sharing must be tiered and allocated according to the size of the Sect's territory, the number of fissures, and the power's Foundation. It absolutely cannot be a one-size-fits-all equal split, otherwise, our small Sects will be the first to perish, and the large powers nearby won't be able to hold out for long either, right?"

After the voice fell, Jin Wanyan of the Western River's Red Gold Clan raised his eyes slightly, tapping his fingers on the table with a steady expression: "Tiered cost-sharing is only right and proper; our Red Gold Clan has no objections. But you small Sects must also understand that fissures do not distinguish between large and small, and disaster treats everyone equally. If large Sects bear more costs, then the core Opportunities from fissure training and the right to guard high-quality Formation eyes should also belong to the large Sects in priority. Benefits and burdens must be equal to be fair."

"Sect Master Jin is absolutely right!" Xuanji Zi of the Nanshan Qingsiao Dao Sect nodded in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "There is no such thing as a free balance in this world; you get as much as you give. Large Sects bear heavy pressure and risks to enjoy priority Opportunities; small Sects have lighter burdens and stable Foundations to gain secure survival. Each performing their duty is the only way to last long."

Leng Xuanchen of the Northern Cold ShuoSnow Sect followed closely, stating the core demands of the Northern powers: "Our North is bitter and cold, the Spiritual Veins are barren, and resources are already scarce. We also have to resist extreme cold beasts and Void Realm turbulence all year round, making cultivation difficult. We accept the tiered cost-sharing, but regarding the high-frequency consumption of Formation maintenance and Formation eye repairs, how about this? Our North will use elite tribesmen and Formation-guarding manpower to offset some of the scarce Void Realm Origin Materials, and you all contribute a bit more Materials."

Everyone looked at each other. Isn't this stealing Yuan Chen's business?

This kid has some guts!

Seeing everyone staring at him with strange expressions, Leng Xuanchen was a bit confused. Why are you looking at me? I'm just discussing things!

The next second, he immediately reacted and hurriedly changed his words: "Of course, I mainly wanted to tell the Dragon Emperor about these things, to see if he could ask for less money. It has nothing to do with you all, please continue."

Everyone fell silent in thought. Still not working, can't you be tougher?

Tu Cangming of the Chaotic Star Sea Black Shark Island spoke loudly, his rough voice carrying a straightforward negotiating attitude: "Our Star Sea has the most complex fissures, the most rogue Cultivators, and the strongest undercurrents. The probability of Formation eyes being sabotaged by humans or ambushed by foreign spies is more than three times that of the other three domains! The first rule regarding garrison accountability must include special exception clauses! Any Formation damage caused by deliberate sabotage by foreign powers or collusion by local rebel Cultivators cannot be blamed on the local garrison forces. The Imperial Dynasty must take the lead in providing a safety net and jointly repairing it. We cannot be left to bear the responsibility alone! This must be made clear to the Daming Dynasty."

For a time, all parties expressed their views, picking apart the loopholes in the rules and refining the implementation details to suit their own territories. Some fought for resource offset policies, some for garrison error tolerance, some for priority in Opportunity allocation, and some for buffer periods.

The discussions continued from day to night, and from night to dawn, repeatedly pulling and compromising. The powers that were originally at odds, under the pressure of the chaotic era's crisis, gradually let go of their selfishness and reached a consensus, no longer clinging to their own interests, but instead seeking the optimal solution for the survival of the entire domain.

When discussing the second rule regarding the Imperial Dynasty's garrison, the disputes heated up again, but were more rational and restrained than in the Zichen Hall.

Liu Qingyi of the Western River Bishui Spirit Mansion looked solemn as she slowly spoke, stating the bottom line of all conservative forces: "We have already accepted and will comply with the Imperial Dynasty's experts being stationed in the four corners to maintain stability and guard against enemies. However, all stationed Cultivators must accept joint supervision by the local powers. The rotation period must not exceed half a year, and it is strictly forbidden to occupy core Formation eyes or key territory routes for a long time! The main force guarding the Formation eyes must be local Cultivators, with Imperial Dynasty Cultivators acting only as assistants and inspectors. This is our final bottom line; we will not yield!"

"Reasonable!" Ye Chenchen of the Shattering Star Pavilion nodded slightly, perfecting the rules. "Imperial Dynasty Cultivators hold the power of inspection, enemy defense, and coordination, while local Cultivators hold the responsibility of guarding the Formation, maintenance, and patrolling. Power and responsibility are separated, mutually checking and balancing, and neither shall overstep. At the same time, a domain-wide joint council hall will be established. Whenever there is a major crisis in the territory or abnormal movement of the Formation, the Imperial Dynasty officials and the four Sect Masters must make a joint decision. No individual shall act arbitrarily, completely eliminating the phenomenon of overstepping authority."

This supplementary detail instantly smoothed over the fears of all powers regarding the Imperial Dynasty's garrison seizing power. The Sect Masters who were originally resistant all agreed, and the second rule, which had been deadlocked for days, was completely finalized.

The issue that troubled all parties the most and took the longest was still the third rule: the implementation of the Merit Pavilion across the entire domain. This was a revolution that completely overturned the ancient Sect system, and it was also the core interest that each party found hardest to let go of.

On the seventh day of the discussion, the conservative Sects were still pleading bitterly: "Opening up Opportunities in the Merit Pavilion and allowing Disciples to rise freely is beneficial to all, but the Sect's thousand-year education system will inevitably collapse. If Disciples are not bound by Sect rules and can obtain resources without being loyal to the Sect, the teacher-Disciple bond, Sect hierarchy, and Legacy order will all exist in name only!"

Xuanji Zi sighed deeply. After many days of strategic maneuvering, he had long seen through the trend, and his tone was gentle yet firm: "Fellow Daoists, excessive obsession will only trap oneself. The chaotic age has arrived; the survival of the Canglan Domain comes first, and the private rights of the Sect come second. In the past, we monopolized Opportunities, which seemed to stabilize the Sect, but in reality, it shackled all living beings and buried Geniuses. Now, the Merit Pavilion benefits everyone; it seems to break old rules, but in reality, it preserves every bit of vitality and every Genius for the Canglan Domain."

"We don't have to stick to old systems; we should follow the trend and change. The Sect still teaches the Dao and protects Disciples, while the Merit Pavilion gives Disciples a path forward and hope. The two complement each other rather than conflict. Disciples who are loyal to the Dao and grateful for the Sect's cultivation will eventually return to their homeland; those who are greedy for profit and have no heart for the Legacy, even if forcibly confined, will eventually be of little use."

These words completely awakened the stubborn ones, and the days of dispute and tug-of-war finally came to an end.

The parties finally reached a consensus and set buffer details: the Merit Pavilion branches would be implemented step-by-step, first piloted in key fissure towns. During the three-year transition period, the Sect's reward and punishment system would not be forcibly overturned; old and new regulations would coexist, steadily completing the change in the domain-wide structure.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

After ten full days of closed-door negotiations, item-by-item polishing, and repeated consultations, the four major powers finally perfected all the implementation details, division of power and responsibility, error-tolerance clauses, buffer policies, and cost-benefit ratios of the three Supreme rules, making them airtight and comprehensive.

On the morning of the tenth day, the leaders of the four major powers returned to the palace together, back to the Zichen Hall.

This time, they were no longer uneasy or hesitant. With solemn and calm expressions, holding the regulatory documents jointly drafted by all parties, they bowed in unison, their voices uniform and loud, resounding through the entire hall: "Your Majesty! After ten days of consultation, we have coordinated the pros and cons of all sides, refined the implementation details, and finalized the power and responsibility charter. With the whole country united and a domain-wide consensus, we voluntarily comply with Your Majesty's three rules. We implore Your Majesty to take action and set up the Equalization World-Suppressing Formation for the four corners of the Canglan Domain, to protect all living beings and stabilize the order of heaven and earth!"

Yuan Chen sat on the Supreme jade throne, looking down at the leaders of the powers bowing in unison. His gaze swept over the clearly organized and comprehensive regulatory documents in their hands, and a faint look of approval flashed in his eyes.

"No problem."

Yuan Chen spoke slowly. With these two words, the matter was settled.

Take it slow, no rush.

He sat on the jade throne, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below: "You can all return today to your respective territories. According to the details agreed upon over the ten days, coordinate the allocation of Formation resources, inventory the Void Realm Origin Materials, arrange local garrison personnel, clear the Formation Foundation points in advance, and tidy up the chaos around the fissures."

"Once all parties have finished preparations and submitted the report documents, I will personally visit the four borders of the Canglan Domain, go to every fissure territory, assist all parties in stabilizing the Formation Foundations, implement the Formation, and organize the Void Realm veins, helping you complete the layout of the Equalization World-Suppressing Formation step by step."

The crowd had no more hesitation, bowed to bid farewell, and immediately set off to return to their four borders, starting the preparations in full swing.