Independence

He intimidated the cultivation alliance; it wasn't that the various sects feared him, but they certainly wouldn't dare to openly oppose him. Strength determines status—everyone knows that. If Yue Qianchou's side had lost the previous battle, putting aside the issue of status, at the very least, the various sects would have forced him to return the 60 million, and that would be the least of their worries. There would likely be quite a few who wanted to eliminate this potential threat.

"Yue Qianchou, this isn't about anyone plotting against you. Everyone who's willing to spend money naturally wants something in return; otherwise, no faction would throw away their hard-earned Spirit Stone stones for nothing. However, you've suffered heavy losses, and we're all part of the Cultivation Alliance. It wouldn't be fair to ask you for anything more. Forget it. My Blood Demon Palace won't bring this up again." Wen Zhongping waved his hand magnanimously and returned to the Blood Demon Palace as if nothing had happened.

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Xianxian nearly ground his teeth to dust in anger. Did he think that the Daluo Sect's losses were not heavy? Did he think that the Daluo Sect was not a member of the Cultivation World alliance? Did he think it was acceptable for him to ask the Daluo Sect for something?

He was angry as he was, but he also understood that in the Cultivation World, it was common to add flowers to brocade, but offering charcoal in the snow was nonsense. As long as there was profit to be made, there would be countless instances of taking advantage of someone's misfortune. If it were anyone else, his Daluo Sect would have done the same. In the Cultivation World, not protecting one's own interests was tantamount to cutting off one's own path to survival.

"The Blood Demon Palace has already set an example, how could my Six Paths Demonic Sect be a villain?" Yuan Jiusheng chuckled as he walked back, waving his hand as he went, "Let's just let this matter drop, let's just let it drop."

The other factions remained silent, seemingly finding it perfectly normal to do something like this, and no one felt embarrassed. Logically speaking, it wasn't for personal gain; they were fighting for the entire sect, so what was there to be ashamed of?

Luo Kun's face was ashen, and everyone present from the Daluo Sect remained silent, having truly experienced the coldness of human nature. The second largest sect of the righteous Righteous Path, once it lost power, was utterly worthless.

As expected, none of them are good! Yue Qianchou sneered incessantly.

Quan Deming of Fu Xian Island coughed and looked around at Human Path, "Since no one has any other opinions, once the reinforcements from the Daluo Sect arrive tomorrow, the 263 sects of the Cultivation Alliance will coordinate according to the original plan and strive to wipe out Wuji Island in one fell swoop, thus eliminating a major threat to the Huaxia Cultivation World."

As everyone was leading the way, Human Path, "Elder Quan, if the foreign cultivators of Wuji Island are defeated, they are more likely to flee south. Our Sword Sect, which leads thirty-six sects, is responsible for guarding the south. Although the thirty-six sects have a large number of members, there are not many with profound cultivation. To prevent any accidents, I think we should do this! Yue Qianchou and the group of Rogue Cultivator were not included in the original plan, so why not include them in our defense of the south as well? This way, it should be much safer."

Hearing the sound, everyone looked over and saw Duan Tianbo of the Sword Sect making his plans. Then everyone remembered that Yue Qianchou's fighting strength was undeniable, practically unmatched. Wherever they were placed, as long as no late Tribulation Transcendence stage expert appeared, the remaining four hundred men should have no problem dealing with one or two thousand.

These words were a wake-up call, and the various factions immediately began to stir with their thoughts. The Righteous Path Sect, ranked fourth among the righteous Sword Sect, jumped out, but how could the Six Paths Demonic Sect, let it play a solo act? Putting aside the face of the demonic sects, they couldn't let go of such a huge benefit.

Yuan Jiuben chuckled and said, "Duan Tianbo, you're mistaken. In my opinion, the Wuji Island is unlikely to flee south once defeated. Think about it, the Fu Xian Island sect is just to the south, boasting tens of thousands of disciples and countless experts. If they flee south, they'll inevitably fear encountering a head-on attack from Fu Xian Island. Therefore, the possibility of them fleeing south is slim."

"Yuan Jiuben, according to you, do you mean they would go to the far east, instead of going to the Sanfeng Six Sects under your Six Paths Demonic Sect?" Duan Tianbo sneered with disdain.

"That's right. If they are defeated, the most likely thing they will do is detour eastward." Yuan Jiuben's people gestured to the general outline of the region and said confidently, "To the south, even if they get past Fu Xian Island, there is the vast Demon Ghost Domain. Do you all really think that the rabble of Wuji Island can cross the Demon Ghost Domain to get back? That should be impossible."

Speaking of the Demon Ghost Domain, Duan Tianbo paused. He himself didn't believe anyone could possibly cross Demon Ghost Domain. Unable to find a reason to refute, he could only maintain a somber expression and continue, looking at Yuan Jiuben, "Escape west. That's the heartland of our Huaxia Cultivation World. Aside from the frontline defenses, further in, various sects have outposts everywhere. If they're defeated and break in, the sects entrenched there won't let them off easily. The north is another story. It's their shortest escape route, which is why we concentrated our strongest forces to attack from the north first. Therefore, the north isn't a suitable escape route either."

At this point, Yuan Jiuben, hands on his stomach, looked around at everyone and laughed heartily, "In that case, we don't need to worry about the west, south, or north. The area we need to focus our defense on is the east. Therefore, I think Yue Qianchou and his group of rogue Rogue Cultivator should be coordinated to guard the east. This way, we can at least stop them from escaping, if not completely, and at least reduce the number of those who slip through our net." His reasoned argument immediately drew cheers from the demonic path, while the Righteous Path seemed to find it lacking. Several late Tribulation Transcendence stage Transcending Elders of the Six Paths Demonic Sect nodded slightly, casting approving glances at Yuan Jiuben. Yuan Jiuben bowed slightly to the elders and withdrew, seemingly somewhat pleased.

Luo Kun of the Daluo Sect glanced coldly at Zhu Xianxian. He had also heard that Yuan Jiuben and Yue Qianchou had almost come to blows in Hundred Flower Valley, but Yuan Jiuben had repeatedly made amends afterward, and they had since lived in Yue Qianchou. Unlike this guy, who couldn't tell the difference between right and wrong and acted recklessly.

Comparing the two, Luo Kun felt a surge of disgust. He thought, "Both are external affairs managers for their respective sects, but the difference is enormous. My Daluo Sect has practically chosen a pig to be in charge."

Hundred Charm Demoness glanced at Yue Qianchou, who stood with his arms crossed, seemingly unfazed by the matter, his brow furrowed in a cold smile that never seemed to fade. She couldn't help but shake her head slightly. These people were all talk and no action; could Yue Qianchou really be so good at orchestrating things? If that were the case, he wouldn't be Yue Qianchou.

Quan Deming looked questioningly at the various factions. Seeing that no one said anything more, he nodded and said, "In that case, all Rogue Cultivator shall be assigned to guard the eastern direction."

Yuan Jiuben immediately beamed as he looked at Yue Qianchou, a smile that suggested they were now on his side. However, Yue Qianchou responded with a mocking sneer. "This guy is incredibly audacious! Who knows where he learned this trick from... what kind of wicked scheme will he pull at this crucial moment?"

"Yue Qianchou, do you have any objections?" Yuan Jiuben had to ask in advance to avoid anyone stabbing him in the back later.

Upon hearing this, the various factions looked at Yue Qianchou and found his indifferent demeanor quite intriguing! Duan Tianbo of the Sword Sect was immediately amused, or rather, gloating, thinking to himself, "Who can control this guy?"

Sure enough, Yue Qianchou looked Yuan Jiuben up and down. He said in a sarcastic tone, "You want to know my opinion? You ignore me completely, you made my decisions first, and then you ask me for my opinion? I've never seen such an unreasonable person in the Cultivation World before."

This made Yuan Jiuben embarrassed, but the most awkward person was Quan Deming from Fu Xian Island, who seemed to be the one who made the final decision. Quan Deming opened his mouth and said with a wry smile, "It was my oversight. Yue Qianchou, you don't need to take it to heart, just say what you have to say."

"We must give Elder Quan face, and I am always an honest person who doesn't mince words. Since that's the case, I'll speak the truth. If there's anything unpleasant to hear, please don't take it to heart."

Yue Qianchou glanced at the various factions and slowly said, "I hadn't even arrived yet, and I'd already been tricked by Zuo. Whether you admit it or not, everyone knows it. I came here full of passion, wanting to dedicate myself to the Huaxia Cultivation World, even to the point of self-sacrifice, even if it meant dying a thousand deaths. But death can be heavier than a mountain or lighter than a feather. To die fighting for the Huaxia Cultivation World is heavier than a mountain, but to die being tricked is lighter than a feather. Everyone, you have truly chilled my heart! Since that's the case, rather than leaving me with lingering fear, I'd rather continue to dedicate myself to the cause until my dying breath. I think we Rogue Cultivator shouldn't be included in the overall coordination!"

The various factions exchanged bewildered glances. All that Great Dao rhetoric had amounted to nothing more than a desire to go it alone. Duan Tianbo, watching Yuan Jiuben, who had just been so eloquent but was now standing there dumbfounded, couldn't suppress a smile. What a load of rubbish! Even if they won, what then?

Quan Deming frowned and said, "Yue Qianchou, we are all part of the Cultivation Alliance. With the great battle at hand, all factions should obey unified command. It's not good that you are not included!"

"It's true that all factions should obey orders. The key is that we are Rogue Cultivator, without any sect or affiliation, so naturally we don't need to abide by the rules that each faction should follow." Yue Qianchou said with some emotion, "More than six hundred people! We've only just caught them! And some people have already started killing them without saying a word. In the blink of an eye, more than two hundred people are dead. If we didn't have some ability to protect ourselves, I'm afraid I might not even be able to stand here and speak now. Gentlemen, it's not that we're unwilling to abide by the rules! We just learned these lessons at the cost of two hundred lives, and they're etched in our hearts!"

There are a lot of reasons for the deaths of more than two hundred people, but what about the deaths of more than a thousand people? Everyone secretly grumbled, their eyes glancing intentionally or unintentionally at the Daluo Sect, whose faces were not pleasant to look at.

"Although you are Rogue Cultivator, now that you have joined the Cultivation Alliance, you should do your part! The Cultivation Alliance's Spirit Stone budget..."

Before Quan Deming could finish speaking, Yue Qianchou interrupted, saying, "Elder Quan, rest assured, although we rogue Rogue Cultivator are few and far between, we are the most trustworthy. We would never take money and not do our job. Even if we are not within the scope of our organization, we are still loyal and devoted. If you do not believe me, you may wait and see."

"What exactly do you mean? Just say it!" Quan Deming was no longer willing to engage in verbal sparring with him, as he couldn't get anything concrete out of him no matter how much he beat around the bush.

"It's very simple," Yue Qianchou said, patting his chest. "We independent cultivators Rogue Cultivator on our own, seeking opportunities for battle. For now, we don't need to be included in the overall coordination of the Cultivation Alliance. We'll talk about coordination after our wounded hearts have healed a bit. What do you all think?"

The various factions exchanged glances, no one offering a response. They all wondered how long it would take for their wounded hearts to heal, especially given the seemingly unreliable suggestion of "seeking an opportunity to strike." What if they couldn't find a chance? And what about the expenses of the four hundred-plus Rogue Cultivator? Everyone had chipped in, and the thought of someone just taking money without doing any work made everyone unhappy. Even though the amount wasn't much, it was unfair!

Quan Deming pondered for a moment, then looked around at Human Path, "It's not appropriate for Fu Xian Island to make decisions for everyone. Does anyone have any different opinions?" At this moment, Hundred Charm Demoness stepped forward, smiling, and said, "I've spent some time with these Rogue Cultivators. I have a lot of confidence in their ability to seize opportunities and fight. Perhaps they are more suitable than us in coordinating and deploying them. On behalf of the Crimson Powder Sect, I support independent combat by Rogue Cultivator."

You naturally agree, and maybe you've already slept in the same bed with Yue Qianchou. We're all family, so let's not be so formal! All the factions looked at Hundred Charm Demoness with ambiguous expressions.

At this moment, the Four Great Families naturally stepped forward without hesitation. Bi Shan said in a deep voice, "Our Four Great Families agree."

Myriad Demon Palace has its own plans regarding Yue Gechou, and has expressed its approval.

Yuan Jiuben of the Six Paths Demonic Sect looked around and laughed, "It seems my previous thoughts were a bit shallow. Since the Myriad Demon Palace has expressed its approval, then my Six Paths Demonic Sect also supports it!"

"Our Fu Xian Island will respect everyone's opinions. If anyone has different opinions, please speak them out. Under no circumstances should it affect tomorrow's great battle," Quan Deming said, looking at the various factions.

Most factions remained silent, clearly unwilling. However, they were all mindful of Yue Qianchou's presence. No one wanted to offend him openly. This guy was known for his vindictive nature, and his current strength was undeniable; there were no insurmountable conflicts, so it was best to avoid provoking him. They all expressed their protest through silence.

"Not objecting means agreeing! Thank you all for your understanding and support." Yue Qianchou nodded and sighed, then turned to Quan Deming and cupped his hands, saying, "Elder Quan, everyone's meaning is clear. Please make the final announcement! So that we Rogue Cultivator can have a legitimate claim."

Everyone's expressions twitched; they'd never seen anyone so shameless. Quan Deming looked around in astonishment. He asked loudly, "Does the various factions really have no objections?" After looking around several times without anyone speaking, he could only smile wryly and say, "Since no one objects, then so be it!"

He himself felt embarrassed to speak, so he just gave a perfunctory reply. Yue Qianchou didn't seem to care; that was the point anyway, and he was circling around, bowing to the crowd in thanks. However, most people turned and left; who would accept such a humiliating thank you?

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