197: Chapter 197: The Sect Leader's Choice

Inside the main hall of the Qingheng Sect, candlelight flickered.

The invitation letter made of cloud-silk from the Central Continent lay flat on the rosewood long table. It emitted a faint, exotic fragrance—a scent that could only be cultivated in the top-tier spiritual soil of the Central Continent; one whiff felt like it could prolong life.

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou sat in the main seat, his fingers gently tracing the gold-embroidered cloud patterns on the edge of the invitation. Opposite him sat Shen Xingzhou and Peak Master Luo Qingyi.

This was the moment that would determine the future direction of the Qingheng Sect.

"Take a look, you two." Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou's voice was somewhat hoarse as he pushed the invitation toward the center. "This is sent by the Heavenly Pivot Pavilion of the Central Continent. Even for the major Sects in the Nine Provinces that rank among the best, they would have to kowtow three times just to receive this."

Shen Xingzhou looked down. Every word on it was written with extreme elegance.

"Specially inviting the Qingheng Sect... to participate in the 'Three Realms Order Construction'..."

"Enjoying 'Higher-Level Project Cooperation'..."

"Becoming the only 'Reform Sample Representative' in the Nine Provinces region, to be recorded in history..."

These words, piled together, painted a magnificent blueprint. It was as if by accepting this invitation, the Qingheng Sect could ascend in one step, transforming from a dilapidated Sect on the edge of the Nine Provinces into a guest of honor at the core of the cultivation world.

"Hmph."

A sneer shattered this illusory dream.

Peak Master Luo Qingyi sat to one side, not even bothering to look closely at those flowery words. Her gaze was like two sharp swords, piercing directly into the footnote in the bottom right corner of the invitation, which was written in text smaller than ants.

"This is the so-called 'Order Construction'?" Peak Master Luo Qingyi casually picked up a teacup from the table and pointed somewhat rudely at the small line of text. "Shen Xingzhou, read this sentence."

Shen Xingzhou followed her finger and looked. It read:

Note: During the residency period, relevant Sect operational data, financial reports, personnel composition, and experimental results will be collectively observed and archived by the Central Continent Project Committee, without the need for separate reporting.

"Collectively observed... without the need for reporting." Shen Xingzhou furrowed his brows. "Does this mean that our every move in the Central Continent, and even everyone's Physique data, belongs to them?"

"It doesn't just belong to them." Peak Master Luo Qingyi said coldly, "This is called 'de-personalization.' In their eyes, once you go to the Central Continent, you are no longer a person named 'Shen Xingzhou,' but an experimental subject with the code 'Sample 041.'"

She set the teacup down heavily. "Is this inviting you to be a guest? This is asking you to be a lab rat. They'll peel off your skin to see how your bones grow, then turn your meat into canned food and sell it to other Sects that want to copy you."

Peak Master Luo Qingyi's vigilance was carved into her bones. She knew too well how those high-and-mighty big shots thought. So-called "samples" were always consumables to be discarded after use.

"What if we don't go?" Peak Master Luo Qingyi looked at Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou. "If we stay here, although we are a bit poor, and although we still have to bear a C- rating, at least we are the ones in charge."

Upon hearing Peak Master Luo Qingyi's words, Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou did not show any signs of worry. On the contrary, a faint smile appeared on his wrinkled face.

"Qingyi, you see clearly." Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou nodded. "This is indeed going to be a lab rat. Those old fellows in the Central Continent are not kind people."

"Then why did you take it out? Why not just reject it?" Peak Master Luo Qingyi was puzzled.

"Because this is a bigger game of chess."

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou stood up and walked to the entrance of the main hall, looking at the pitch-black night sky of the Nine Provinces outside.

"If we stay here, what are we?" Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou asked with his back to them. "We are a downgraded, bottom-tier Sect that could be crushed by the War Debt Bureau at any time. No matter how novel our reforms are, in the eyes of others, they are just 'the struggles of the poor.' The ceiling is right above our heads; the highest we can see is just crawling out of the mud and dying standing up."

He turned around and looked at Shen Xingzhou with burning eyes.

"But what if we go there?"

"That is the Central Continent, the source of the rules. If the Qingheng Sect goes, we are indeed lab rats, experimental subjects. But experimental subjects are also a kind of 'variable.'"

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou walked to the table and tapped his fingers heavily on the invitation.

"On the old chessboard, we are just pawns that can be eaten at any time. But on the new chessboard, once we, this group of 'variables,' lose control, we can flip the whole table. Since they want to see our 'reform data,' we will hide the sword that can actually kill in that data and hand it over."

"Xingzhou, you are an accountant. You should understand that sometimes, to win money in the biggest casino, you have to dare to sit at the most dangerous gambling table."

Shen Xingzhou listened to the Sect Head's words, and a stormy sea surged in his heart.

This was not just a risk. This was gambling with the national destiny—no, it was gambling with the "Sect destiny."

The System interface popped up an analysis box at the right moment:

[Central Continent Pilot Opportunity: Risk Assessment]

Potential Benefits:

Expansion of reform space: Access to core resources and rules, and possibly even source code of the Heavenly Dao algorithms.

Increase in influence: If we gain a foothold in the Central Continent, the Nine Provinces Rating Bureau will not be able to manipulate the Qingheng Sect at will.

Potential Risks:

Multi-System surveillance: Various factions in the Central Continent, Old Gods forces, and the core layer of the Heavenly Dao—countless eyes are watching you.

Being devoured: Once the reform fails, or is completely parsed, the Qingheng Sect will not even have scraps left.

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou looked at Shen Xingzhou's contemplative state, seemingly knowing what he was worried about. He sighed softly and took out a heavy Sect Head's jade seal from his bosom.

With a "slap."

The jade seal was placed on the table and pushed in front of Shen Xingzhou.

"I am old." Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou looked at the jade seal, his eyes somewhat distant. "When I took over the Qingheng Sect back then, I swore to bring it back to its Peak. In the end, I struggled for a lifetime, and only barely managed to keep it from dying out."

"The last time, handing the 'restructuring power' and 'merger power' of the Sect to you two was the biggest gamble of my life. And you won."

"For this step, if it were up to the Sect Head to decide, I might have chosen to reject this letter for the safety of the Sect and just hide here."

Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou raised his head, his eyes filled with determined trust.

"But since we are going to gamble big, then you make the decision."

He pushed the jade seal to the side, as if laying down a heavy burden.

"If you want to go, I will take those who remain and guard this empty mountain gate, leaving a way back for you. If you manage to poke a hole in the sky, I will say you stole the seal and ran away. If you manage to make something of yourselves there, then this position of Qingheng Sect Sect Head... I should have abdicated long ago."

"The jade seal is here, and the stamp is in my hand. Whether to stamp or not, you decide."

The main hall fell into dead silence again.

At this moment, the transfer of power was so understated, yet as heavy as Mount Tai. An older generation cultivator handed the fate of the Sect, and even the crazy idea of crossing the Nine Provinces to challenge the Central Continent, to two young people.

Shen Xingzhou looked at the jade seal, then at the silent Peak Master Luo Qingyi beside him.

Peak Master Luo Qingyi didn't speak, just hugged her sword tighter. That was silent support—wherever you go, I will kill.

On the System interface, the main quest bar, which had been gray, finally lit up.

[System Notification: Central Continent Pilot Main Quest Activation Conditions]

Key Indicators:

Internal Sect Approval Rate: ≥ 60% (This is the ticket to the Central Continent; hearts cannot be scattered)

Confirmation of Core Team Willingness: Shen Xingzhou, Peak Master Luo Qingyi, Senior Sister Xie Handeng, Su Ciyao, and others have all unanimously passed.

Shen Xingzhou understood Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou's meaning. The Sect Head could give him the power of decision, but he could not act as a dictator. This was not his personal escape; this was a migration of the entire Qingheng Sect.

Going is a high-stakes gamble, a narrow escape from death, but it could also be a narrow escape into life.

Not going is living in safety, a frog in warm water, destined to be eaten by a big fish sooner or later.

Shen Xingzhou took a deep breath. His fingers tapped lightly in the void, as if tapping on the abacus of fate.

"System."

Shen Xingzhou murmured in his heart.

"I will not make the decision for them. Return the choice to every person who has survived."

[Command Confirmed]

As Shen Xingzhou's thought moved, that familiar golden System voting box slowly emerged in the void in the center of the main hall. It was larger and heavier than any previous time.

This was not just a vote; this was a one-way ticket to an unknown world.

[System Pop-up: Sect Destiny Choice]

Topic:

Do you accept the Central Continent invitation and initiate the "Overall Sect Migration" proposal?

Option A: Reject the invitation. Remain in the Nine Provinces, maintain the status quo, cultivate locally, and engage in a long-term tug-of-war with the War Debt Bureau.

Option B: Accept the invitation. Go to the Central Continent, become a pilot, face higher risks, but potentially rewrite the rules.

Voting Weight:

Core members: 3 votes/person

Official Disciple: 1 vote/person

Menial/Newly merged personnel: 0.5 votes/person

Shen Xingzhou looked at the huge question mark, his finger hovering in the air.

And at the very bottom of the voting box, a line of blood-red warning text was flickering slightly, like the devil's whisper.

[Special Note]

[Once "Go to Central Continent" is selected, the current "Qingheng Sect" status will be archived.]

[You will no longer be able to return to the current "poor but relatively free" default state.]

[Ahead lies the abyss, and also the Heavenly Gate.]

Shen Xingzhou looked at the text, as if seeing countless lines of Karma intertwining above the main hall. He looked back at Sect Leader Ning Chenzhou, who was closing his eyes to rest, waiting for the final result.

"Then... let's begin."

Shen Xingzhou's finger pressed heavily on the "Initiate Voting" button.