608: Chapter 608 Sowing Discord

[The wind blows past, the gauze curtains fluttering.]

[The leftovers on the table have not yet been cleared, leaving a messy scene of cups and plates.]

[You are right—Patriarch Sima Gongzhi is indeed afraid.]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi came to find you not to apologize, but to test the waters.]

[He wanted to know how big a blade you, this newly arrived Star Lord, truly held and whether it would fall upon his head.]

[And you have already given him the answer.]

[—Brothers.]

[At least to his ears, that was the meaning.]

[But he does not know that your use of the word "brothers" has never been for protection.]

[It is used to make people lower their guard.]

[You also understand that the Flame Emperor's grand issuance of an edict for you holds a deep meaning behind it.]

[The Flame Emperor currently needs a blade—a blade to be discarded after use.]

[This blade cannot be the Flame Emperor himself, nor can it be his trusted aides.]

[He wants to use this blade to purge the internal corruption of the Heavenly Palace.]

[Once the deed is done, the outcome is predictable.]

[Therefore, even if you kill people like Patriarch Sima Gongzhi, the Flame Emperor will not care; in fact, he would be happy to see it happen.]

[But such things cannot be said explicitly.]

[Naturally, you are not foolish enough to help the Heavenly Palace purge these corrupt forces.]

[Instead, you want to become one of them—only by doing so can you accelerate the decline of the Heavenly Palace.]

[On the other side,]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi led Sima Jing out of the Teleportation Plaza, the smile on his face vanishing instantly.]

[With a darkened expression, he strode forward without saying a word.]

[Sima Jing followed behind him, not even daring to breathe loudly.]

[After walking a hundred paces, Patriarch Sima Gongzhi suddenly stopped.]

["What do you think of him?" He did not turn back.]

[Sima Jing was stunned for a moment and said cautiously, "Old Ancestor, I feel... that the Star Lord didn't seem to be just humoring us."]

["Doesn't seem like it?" Patriarch Sima Gongzhi turned around and looked at her, "Are you sure?"]

[Sima Jing nodded: "The look in his eyes when he saw me lacked any killing intent. The things he said didn't seem like mere polite social pleasantries either."]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi remained silent for a long time.]

[Then he laughed. It wasn't a loud laugh, but it carried a hint of relief.]

["If he is truly willing to stand on our side, combined with Elder Qi and the others... then in the future, the Heavenly Palace won't be under the sole say of the Liu Clan Immortal Family!"]

[Sima Jing did not respond, lowering her head, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi did not notice her expression and strode forward, his steps much lighter than when he arrived.]

[In fact, before coming here, he had specifically sought out Elder Qi to inquire about your situation.]

[Elder Qi had only replied with one sentence: "His strength is not inferior to mine."]

[The weight of those words was self-evident.]

[Elder Qi was, after all, the number one person below the Mahayana realm.]

[That was why Patriarch Sima Gongzhi's attitude was kept extremely low during this visit.]

[In the twenty-seventh year, you reached the initial level of the seventh Divine Ability of the Immortal Slaying Sword Art—the Big Dipper Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation.]

[In the twenty-eighth year,]

[Your interactions with Patriarch Sima Gongzhi and Elder Qi increased. The three of you often gathered, becoming more familiar with each other.]

[Using this opportunity, you gained a clearer understanding of the internal factions within the Heavenly Palace.]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi and Elder Qi belonged to the same faction; there was another faction led by the Yan Clan, and yet another led by the Liu Clan.]

[These were the three main forces, keeping each other in check and engaging in secret power struggles.]

[On this day, within the Elder Hall, thirty-seven seats were arranged in order.]

[The Heavenly Palace held a high-level meeting to discuss major affairs and future directions. In addition to the twenty-eight Body Integration Elders, nine Star Lords of the Body Integration stage were gathered together.]

[Liu Tianxing sat in the third seat on the left, his expression gloomy.]

[Elder Qi Yuan closed his eyes to rest, looking as if he were asleep.]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi sat upright on the right, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, a faint smile playing on his lips.]

[Yan Ji sat in the third seat on the right, wearing a crimson dress with her hair pinned high. Her features bore a thirty percent resemblance to Liu Xuerong, but with more heroism.]

[She was the only daughter of the Flame Emperor and Liu Xuerong, a Late Stage Body Integration cultivator, and one of the twenty-eight Elders of the Heavenly Palace.]

[She looked around and spoke slowly: "Today's agenda consists of four matters, all regarding border disputes."]

[With a wave of her hand, a star map unfurled in the hall.]

[On the star map, four light points lit up simultaneously, distributed across the four directions of the Immortal Realm.]

["First, the edge of the Ziyin Star Domain. The people from the Academy have occupied one of our resource stars and refuse to withdraw."]

["Second, the Hongyan Star Domain. The Xuanyuan Immortal Clan is contesting a Spirit Stone vein with us. There has already been an exchange of blows, with casualties on both sides."]

["Third, the Taixu Star Domain. The people from the Holy Land have built a city on our territory without permission. They claim it's for the convenience of traveling, but everyone knows what they really mean."]

["Fourth..." Yan Ji paused, "The Wuji Immortal Sect has also stuck a foot in at the junction between us and the Academy."]

[The hall fell silent for a moment.]

[In truth, the secret jockeying and testing between the five top forces had never truly stopped.]

[It wasn't that the other four were teaming up against the Heavenly Palace, but rather that there were frictions between all of them—today you occupy one of my mines, tomorrow I intercept one of your merchant caravans, and the day after, he sets up a formation for a standoff at the Star Domain border.]

[This back-and-forth attrition and testing had long become the norm.]

[Liu Tianxing opened his eyes and said in a deep voice: "Regarding the Wuji Immortal Sect's side, I have already sent people to negotiate. It is currently not suitable for us to face them as enemies head-on."]

["Not suitable?" Qi Yuan opened his eyes, his gaze falling on Liu Tianxing, "Elder Liu, when did you become so timid and overcautious?"]

[Liu Tianxing's face darkened: "Qi Yuan, what do you mean by that?"]

["My meaning is very clear." Qi Yuan sat up straight, "The Wuji Immortal Sect has been pressing harder year after year. If you take one step back, they take two steps forward. If we keep retreating, they'll be at our front door."]

["Elder Qi is right." Patriarch Sima Gongzhi chimed in, tapping his finger on the armrest, "Fellow Daoist Liu, your attitude is perhaps a bit inappropriate."]

[Liu Tianxing gave him a cold sweep: "Patriarch Sima Gongzhi, the last time you fought with Ancestor Lu of the Immortal Sect, you ran faster than anyone. Now you have the face to talk about me?"]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi's smile froze.]

["Enough." Yan Ji spoke, her voice not loud but carrying an unquestionable authority.]

[The hall went quiet.]

[She looked around, her gaze finally landing on you.]

["Star Lord Qin, you are new here. Why don't we hear your opinion?"]

[Everyone looked toward you.]

[Liu Tianxing's gaze was scrutinizing, Qi Yuan was expressionless, and Patriarch Sima Gongzhi had a slight curl to his lips as if waiting to watch a show.]

[Some other Elders were curious, some were disdainful, and some were blank.]

[You smiled: "The Wuji Immortal Sect is indeed something we cannot provoke for the time being."]

[Liu Tianxing was slightly stunned, seemingly not expecting you to support him.]

[Qi Yuan frowned.]

[Patriarch Sima Gongzhi's smile faded slightly.]

["However," your tone shifted, "what does that Xuanyuan Immortal Clan count for?"]

["A mere Family force, relying on the shade of their ancestors to last until now—do they really think they're something special?"]

["Contesting mines on our Heavenly Palace's territory, who gave them the guts?"]