562: Chapter 562 Conflict of Interests

He paused, his aura suddenly sinking several degrees. His gaze swept across everyone in the hall as his tone grew increasingly solemn.

"Furthermore, Situ Jun was able to hide his Cultivation for many years right under the nose of our Qintian Division and evade the detection of our supreme treasure, the qin tian mirror. His methods are so sophisticated and his mind so meticulous that he far exceeds ordinary imagination. If we rush to hold him accountable now and break ties with him, forcing him to turn against us, our dynasty would lose a top-tier Mid-stage Soul Transformation combatant just as the Ascension Realm passage is about to open. Who could bear such a heavy loss?"

The hall instantly fell back into a dead silence, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

The Elders looked at each other. Even though they felt unwilling and resentful, they had to admit that every word the Division Master said was reasonable and considered the overall situation of the Imperial Dynasty.

Mid-stage Soul Transformation Cultivators were rare; there were only a dozen or so in the entire Heavenly Dragon Dynasty. Each one was a top-tier combatant capable of shaking the dynasty's Foundation and could not be easily offended.

Moreover, with the Ascension Realm passage about to open, making an enemy of Situ Jun now would be no different from cutting off one's own arm—the loss would far outweigh the gain.

Yang Ye remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding, though a hint of lingering worry still hovered between his brows.

"The Division Master is absolutely right; this Subordinate understands the reasoning. However, the matter of Situ Jun is, after all, a ticking time bomb in our hearts. Once the Ascension Realm passage opens, he will be forcibly pulled into the Ascension Otherworld by the power of the Heavenly Dao. But before that, there are still several months left where he will remain within our dynasty's affiliated territories. If he causes any trouble during these months..."

"Therefore, the necessary inquiry process must still be followed."

Lu Wanxian interrupted him, his tone still flat as he slowly instructed:

"When Situ Jun eventually arrives at the Imperial Capital according to the rules of the Heavenly Dao, Vice Division Master Yang, you shall personally meet him. There is no need for a forceful interrogation; you only need to clarify three things. First, what methods did he use over the years to hide his Cultivation and evade the all-encompassing monitoring of the qin tian mirror? Second, what was his true plot while painstakingly lying low in that small city in the northern border of Tianqi for so many years? Third, and most importantly, try to befriend him and keep him stable; we absolutely cannot have any variables arise on the eve of Ascension."

Yang Ye bowed and replied with a solemn expression:

"This Subordinate understands and will act according to the Division Master's instructions."

Lu Wanxian nodded slightly and slowly stood up.

The dark-patterned stars on his black official robes shimmered as he rose, echoing the thousands of stars slowly rotating on the ceiling. The vast aura of a Late Stage Soul Transformation expert slowly spread out. He did not exert pressure intentionally, yet he carried an innate supreme majesty that caused the ten Nascent Soul Elders in the hall to hold their breath and cease all whispering.

"Since that is the case, today's discussion regarding Situ Jun ends here. Next, we shall discuss the candidates for the new Division Master and Vice Division Master of the Qintian Division."

His eyes were as bright as cold stars as he swept them across the people below. His voice was forceful and resonated throughout the entire hall.

"The Ascension Realm passage will fully open in three to five months, and the rules of the Heavenly Dao have already begun to tighten. All Cultivators at the Mid-stage Soul Transformation and above must step onto the Path of Ascension on the day the passage opens. Those who defy this will surely suffer Heavenly Punishment, resulting in their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, with no chance of escape."

"Both Yang Ye and I fall into this category of Cultivation and must leave this continent for the Ascension Realm. The Qintian Division, which oversees the monitoring of the world's heavenly secrets, is a core pillar of the Imperial Dynasty and cannot be without a leader for a single day. We must decide on the successors today to stabilize the division's overall situation."

As his voice fell, the expressions of the Elders on both sides of the circular stone table varied instantly. Some had an irrepressible heat in their eyes, their fingertips tightening slightly; others lowered their eyes and held their breath, feigning indifference while already calculating secretly in their hearts.

The Qintian Division held the power to monitor the heavenly secrets of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty and held the lifeblood of the world's Cultivators' movements. Its authority was second only to the central court of the Imperial Family. The position of the new Division Master was a high office that countless Cultivators dreamed of.

Furthermore, with the opening of the Ascension Realm imminent, although the new Division Master's Cultivation might not yet reach the Mid-stage Soul Transformation, they would control the dynasty's most core heavenly secret treasure, the qin tian mirror. Their future Cultivation opportunities and influence in the court would be limitless.

After a moment of silence, the first to speak was the white-bearded Elder Zhang, who had been in charge of monitoring the qin tian mirror for a century.

He lightly stroked his long beard, stood up slowly, bowed to Lu Wanxian, and said loudly:

"Division Master, in my opinion, this position of the new Division Master belongs to no one but Elder Zhao! Elder Zhao has cultivated for twelve hundred years and is already at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul, just one step away from the Soul Transformation realm. Both his talent and Foundation are top-tier. Moreover, he is proficient in astral deduction and deeply understands the principles of the movement of heavenly secrets. He has assisted the Division Master in managing the division's affairs for many years, acting with stability and impartiality. He is more than capable of taking on this heavy responsibility!"

The mentioned Elder Zhao had a gentle face and wore a plain silk robe, looking quite refined. Upon hearing this, he quickly stood up and cupped his hands in a show of feigned modesty:

"Elder Zhang overpraises me. My seniority is still shallow and my ability limited; I fear I cannot bear such a heavy responsibility. I ask the Division Master and the other Elders to reconsider."

However, the slight curl of his lips and the unconcealable pride in his eyes had already betrayed his true thoughts.

"Elder Zhao, why be so modest!"

The burly Elder Liu immediately spoke up in agreement. He slapped the stone table with his large hand, his voice like a booming bell, causing the spiritual light on the table to tremble slightly.

"Elder Zhao's Cultivation is profound, and he is familiar with all the regulations of the Qintian Division. If he succeeds as the Division Master, we will be fully convinced! As for the position of Vice Division Master, Elder Cang Wu is meticulous and excels at organizing intelligence; he is the best candidate!"

With someone leading the way, the hall instantly fell into chaos, splitting into several factions in an instant.

Some strongly supported Elder Zhao, while others recommended other familiar Elders. Each held their own views, and the sound of argument grew. The originally solemn and heavy hall was suddenly filled with the undercurrents of a power struggle, and the noise became incessant.

Yang Ye, sitting to the side, remained silent throughout. His fingertips lightly tapped on the dossier in front of him, his gaze falling on the document with Situ Jun's name on it, his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He naturally knew that while these Elders seemed to be arguing incessantly, they were actually all seeking interests for their respective factions. But they had forgotten that the existence of the Qintian Division was never about power struggles, but about monitoring the world and stabilizing the dynasty's Luck.

Lu Wanxian watched the clamor and dispute in the hall with cold eyes, his aura becoming increasingly chilly.

The starlight flowing from the ceiling seemed to stall. The slowly rotating stars suddenly stopped, and the originally cold and soft light instantly became as sharp as a blade, pressing straight down and stifling everyone's breath.

"Have you argued enough?"

A flat, emotionless sentence, yet it carried the unquestionable supreme pressure of a Late Stage Soul Transformation expert, instantly suppressing all the arguments in the hall.

Everyone's expression changed in unison. They all bowed and fell silent, not daring to say another word.

Lu Wanxian walked slowly to the center of the circular stone table. His withered fingertips lightly touched the qin tian mirror. The mirror's surface immediately surged like a galaxy, and the ancient star runes engraved on it suddenly lit up with a brilliant radiance, making his figure look even more majestic and inscrutable.