Elder Xiao's Fate Decided

Li Ping'an had expected Xiao Yue to come.

He had originally thought Xiao Yue would bring Wen Ling'er along as well.

The moment he saw Wen Ling'er appear within the sect gates, Li Ping'an had already grown suspicious.

As Elder Xiao Yue's confidante, Wen Ling'er had spent the previous several decades working for the Myriad Cloud Sect in the Market Town. Her sudden entry into the mountain gate was inherently suspicious.

Normally, the only way an Errand Disciple like Wen Ling'er could enter the mountain gate was by taking a master and becoming an Inner Sect Disciple. Yet Wen Ling'er had been wearing Outer Sect Disciple robes, surrounded by other Outer Sect Disciples. Clearly, Xiao Yue had specifically arranged for Wen Ling'er to enter the Myriad Cloud Sect's Outer Sect...

What deeper purpose did Xiao Yue have in sending Wen Ling'er into the mountain gate?

If it was some sort of honey trap, Li Ping'an naturally did not believe it. He firmly believed that immortals would not scheme in such a crude manner.

Besides, Wen Ling'er was the obedient and adorable sort. Shouldn't a honey trap be something Elder Xiao personally used on his father instead?

As he was thinking this, Xiao Yue called out before the entrance to the cave abode:

"Immortal Qing Su, Xiao Yue requests an audience."

She was a True Immortal, while Qing Su was a Heavenly Immortal. Such a request for an audience was only proper.

Within the cave abode's barrier, Qing Su walked over with her hands behind her back. Her slender, tall figure perfectly filled out her icy-blue gown. With two flashes, she appeared behind the door, deactivated the barrier, and opened the cave entrance.

Li Ping'an rose from his recliner, stood obediently beside the lotus pond, and glanced outside.

Standing outside was still that beautiful elder.

Xiao Yue's features suited heavy makeup well. Her red lips blazed like fire, and her phoenix eyes were soul-stealing. The structure of her flowing robes was intricate, yet poor at concealing her body, exposing broad swaths of fair skin across her fragrant shoulders and chest. Her fiery figure, paired with gauzy robes, somehow gave her an alluring yet refined air.

But at this moment, Xiao Yue's beauty could not overshadow Qing Su's icy purity. The cave entrance seemed to have become a realm of ice and fire.

"What brings Elder here?" Qing Su asked calmly.

"Don't you recognize me, little sister?"

Xiao Yue covered her mouth and chuckled, taking the initiative to step half a pace forward and grasp Qing Su's arm.

"When you became immortal, I even went to Colorful Cloud Peak to observe the ceremony. I never expected that in the blink of an eye, you would become a Heavenly Immortal within the sect, receiving the same provisions as an Inner Sect Elder, while your elder sister remained only a True Immortal.

"I have spent my days busy in the Market Town outside the mountain. I truly envy you greatly."

Qing Su was somewhat uncomfortable. With a slight shake, she brushed Xiao Yue's right hand away and softly asked, "Elder, do you need something?"

Xiao Yue smoothly folded her hands before her and said gently, "It is nothing else. May I speak with little friend Ping'an? There are some matters I wish to discuss with him."

Li Ping'an had just started toward the entrance.

"No."

Qing Su said indifferently:

"My disciple's cultivation is too low. He should not have contact with Elder."

Li Ping'an immediately halted and obediently looked outside.

Xiao Yue was not angered. She smiled faintly and said, "Sister Qing Su may not know this, but little friend Ping'an and I may be considered old acquaintances. I came to find him this time to ask about a new method of artifact refinement. I too wish to contribute more to the sect."

Qing Su said, "Then stop using your seduction art first. My disciple is only in the Light Condensation Realm. You will damage his Dao heart like this."

Xiao Yue's smile stiffened, and she seemed somewhat embarrassed. Forming a spell with an orchid-finger gesture of her right hand, the enticing ripples in her phoenix eyes diminished, while several traces of purity appeared between her brows.

Instead, her charm greatly increased.

Qing Su turned to look at Li Ping'an, seemingly asking for his opinion.

"Master, I also have matters to discuss with Elder Xiao," Li Ping'an said with a smile. "This disciple's cultivation is too shallow. Please stay nearby and watch over me."

"Alright."

Qing Su nodded slightly, gestured for Xiao Yue to enter, then drifted to Li Ping'an's side.

Li Ping'an suddenly said, "Master, outsiders cannot hear my conversation with Elder Xiao. Please raise the barrier... You can simply listen here. You are not an outsider."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Qing Su's lips. She returned to the recliner, and a recording Jade Talisman appeared in her hand.

Xiao Yue sighed softly.

She looked at Li Ping'an with an unfathomable gaze and approached him gracefully.

Li Ping'an stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting. He invited Xiao Yue to the octagonal stone table, brought out some snacks and fruit wine, and observed every courtesy.

"You are so young," Xiao Yue sighed, "so why are you already so calculating? Once the barrier is raised, I will have a hard time explaining myself to Vice Sect Master Mo Yi."

She had directly invoked Daoist Mo Yi's name?

Li Ping'an smiled. "Since Elder came to find me of her own accord, you must already have made a decision. I presume you do not care much about such matters."

"It truly takes less effort to speak with you."

Xiao Yue smiled and said:

"I just came from the main hall. The Sect Leader is entertaining guests, while your father and the elders are discussing how to have that set of artifacts produce more magic treasures. I found it rather boring there, so I came directly to find you instead."

Li Ping'an said slowly, "I fear you will be disappointed. That set of artifacts was actually made by my father. He asked me to present it to the sect merely to earn me a little reward."

"Oh?"

Xiao Yue lightly ran her fingertip along the rim of her porcelain cup and said softly:

"Then why did Martial Aunt Dazhi say that he and you were both indispensable? He could create an entire process, while you could solve the methods for engraving and embedding spirit stones?"

Li Ping'an: ...

Good heavens, his father had said all that?

However, Xiao Yue called his father Martial Uncle. Considering she had once said that she too was a Golden Immortal's disciple, Xiao Yue's master should have been one of Ancestor Kongming's Golden Immortal disciples.

—Of the sect's other two Golden Immortals, one was Ancestor Kongming's third disciple, while the other was Ancestor Kongming's close friend and confidant.

"My father truly cannot keep anything to himself," Li Ping'an sighed. "What I did was merely a minor technique. My father's integration and adjustments were what truly mattered."

"Since you admit it, there is no need for me to beat around the bush."

Xiao Yue asked directly:

"Artifact refinement experts would naturally find the twelve artifacts you presented to the sect rather crude, but this method of using artifacts to refine artifacts was truly eye-opening.

"On my way here, I did some calculations. Given the sect's level of attention, this..."

Li Ping'an smiled. "This is called an assembly line."

"That is an interesting name."

A faint gleam flickered in Xiao Yue's phoenix eyes as she quickly said:

"At the sect's current pace, more than twenty such assembly lines can be established within half a month. After that, the number will increase monthly. It is estimated that they can earn the sect several hundred thousand spirit stones every year.

"And that is only based on our current standards of artifact refinement, limited by the number of Myriad Cloud Sect storefronts and the speed at which artifacts circulate.

"But if this method can be improved to mass-produce fine-quality artifacts, or even top-grade artifacts, the spirit stones earned by the sect will be extremely considerable."

Li Ping'an merely watched Xiao Yue without speaking.

Xiao Yue asked again, "I have three doubts. Could little friend answer them for me?"

"Please."

"First," Xiao Yue said, "these twelve artifacts themselves are not difficult to imitate. Once the sect establishes more sets of them, other sects will likely follow suit within three or four years. How should that be addressed?"

"There is no solution to that, nor is there any need to worry over it."

Li Ping'an said:

"The Myriad Cloud Sect is not known for artifact refinement. In this disciple's view, the most important thing about the twelve artifacts my father made was that they introduced this method and this concept of artifact refinement into the cultivation world.

"You have managed the Myriad Cloud Sect's Market Town businesses for many years, so you naturally understand this. Once a certain pill becomes sought after, large quantities of similar pills will appear on the market. Thirty percent of those goods come from various sects, while seventy percent come from the vast number of Loose Cultivators and cultivation families.

"The same is more or less true for artifact refinement.

"My father examined some of the sect's accounts. The cost of a common-grade flying sword is roughly twenty low-grade spirit stones, while its selling price is around thirty to thirty-two low-grade spirit stones. Once the manpower required to refine the artifact is included, the profit in spirit stones is not great.

"Yet the Myriad Cloud Sect possesses three mortal Immortal Dynasties and more than a hundred spirit mines. From mining the materials to selling the finished products, we need not purchase anything externally. How much lower is the cost within that?"

Xiao Yue's phoenix eyes shifted as she quickly answered, "If only the monthly wages for manpower are counted, it should not be much."

Li Ping'an smiled. "I calculated it. If an assembly line requires six cultivators working in shifts, and we add the cost of minerals produced by the sect, then the assembly line can reduce the cost of a common-grade flying sword to seven low-grade spirit stones. Could we not then sell our flying swords for only fifteen low-grade spirit stones? Compared to selling ore directly before, we would earn three to five times more."

With a flick of Xiao Yue's fair hand, a tiny golden abacus appeared in her palm. She lowered her head and rapidly worked the beads.

She suddenly looked up. "It is six and a half low-grade spirit stones!"

"And it is far from limited to flying swords," Li Ping'an said seriously. "We can release a large number of low-priced flying swords. As long as we tightly control their quality, we can impact the existing artifact market."

Xiao Yue smiled. "As expected of a wealthy mortal merchant. This is greatly profitable!"

Li Ping'an smiled and asked, "Did Elder not have two more doubts?"

"After what you said, my second doubt is already gone."

Xiao Yue said:

"My third doubt is this: why did you directly reveal such artifacts before those Sect Leaders? Now, we cannot even keep it confidential, and we must share a portion of the profits."

Li Ping'an: ...

Go ask the Sect Leader!

The Sect Leader had told him to bring them out directly!

The atmosphere had been built up to that point. What else could he have done?

But after his thoughts shifted, Li Ping'an put on a solemn expression, cupped his hands toward the side, and sighed. "It was merely my father's arrangement."

"Oh? Why?"

"My father said that pursuing only small profits is detrimental in the long term."

Li Ping'an said seriously:

"My father also said that while the Myriad Cloud Sect cannot expand its influence outward in the short term, it can unite weaker friendly sects around itself and make them a protective moat around the Myriad Cloud Sect.

"Not only that, my father said that we should later select only several artifacts with greater demand for assembly-line production. We must not seize every avenue of artifact refinement.

"A great many Loose Cultivators depend on artifact refinement for their livelihood. If we leave them no room to survive, the Myriad Cloud Sect may have no troubles in the coming years, but should the sect ever encounter misfortune, we may find everyone pushing against a falling wall.

"These are merely my father's considerations."

Xiao Yue considered this carefully, a hint of a smile unconsciously appearing at her lips.

She said softly, "Martial Aunt Dazhi's breadth of mind and vision truly earn my admiration... He does not merely spend every day drinking and fooling around."

"My father is simply like that."

Li Ping'an smiled and said:

"When nothing is happening, he enjoys making friends everywhere, drinking, and having fun. But when serious matters arise, he will never let anyone down. He is gentle and tolerant toward others as well. He deliberately presents himself as plump now, but if he changed his figure, he would be handsome and dashing too.

"Also, Elder Xiao."

Xiao Yue asked, "What is it?"

Li Ping'an smiled. "Although Vice Sect Master Mo Yi repeatedly makes things difficult for my father, my father has never regarded Vice Sect Master Mo Yi as an opponent or enemy. My father says that everyone is simply part of the Myriad Cloud Sect. So-called power is but floating clouds before the immortality Dao fruit."

Xiao Yue smiled without speaking and did not respond.

Li Ping'an said slowly, "Does Elder Xiao know that my father will next suggest to the sect that a 'Casting Cloud Hall' be established beneath Marvelous Cloud Hall, specializing in artifact refinement such as this?"

The smile on Xiao Yue's lips deepened as she said softly, "Do you want me to stop following the Vice Sect Master?"

"Correct."

"Then do you know that Vice Sect Master Mo Yi can have me return to the mountain to cultivate at any time?"

Xiao Yue sighed and said:

"My master has been in seclusion for many years, and Senior Brother Mo Yi has always taken good care of me. Though I manage many of the sect's external businesses, replacing me would take no more than a word from the Vice Sect Master.

"I did not wish to become too deeply entangled with them either, but I have over a thousand registered disciples under my name. If I return to the mountain, they will lose their support..."

Li Ping'an smiled. "Is this not precisely the perfect opportunity?"

Xiao Yue was puzzled. "What sort of opportunity?"

Li Ping'an took a Jade Talisman from his sleeve, handed it to Xiao Yue, and smiled.

"Give this to my father, and he will naturally help you dispel all your concerns.

"My father has said that among the sect's many elders, only Elder Xiao can bear such a heavy responsibility. Otherwise, even if we make the artifacts, how can this succeed if storefronts everywhere fall into chaos?

"My father's intention is not to have Elder Xiao oppose the Vice Sect Master. You merely need to remove yourself from the matter.

"My father does not wish to become enemies with any fellow disciple. Even if those fellow disciples repeatedly pressure him, as long as they still have the sect's interests at heart, my father will not hold it against them in the future."

Xiao Yue accepted the Jade Talisman with a smiling expression, a gentle smile on her lips.

Her Immortal Sense swept over the Jade Talisman, yet she could not understand the Eagle Speech written inside at all.

"In that case, I shall head to the main hall at once. Thank you, little friend."

"You are too courteous," Li Ping'an said, rising to give a disciple's salute. "Actually, my father's nature is honest and kind. I am always afraid that he will suffer losses and swallow grievances. If he could have your assistance at his side..."

"We are all working for the sect. It is merely mutual assistance."

Xiao Yue bowed to Qing Su, then looked Li Ping'an over several times from head to toe, as though she wished to speak but hesitated. She turned and took her leave.

After Xiao Yue rode away on a cloud.

Li Ping'an stood at the cave entrance with his hands behind his back, carefully calculating in his heart.

What he had written on the Jade Talisman was for his father to ask the Sect Leader to issue an order directly appointing Xiao Yue to oversee the sale of artifacts.

Xiao Yue appeared to have paid nothing, gaining such benefits for free.

But in truth, in the Eagle Speech written on the Jade Talisman, he had instructed his father—first, publicly praise Elder Xiao loudly, praising her in whatever way sounded best, then ask the Sect Leader to issue the order before everyone.

As long as this succeeded, whether Xiao Yue wished it or not, she would naturally be passively separated from Vice Sect Master Mo Yi's small faction.

Power struggles in an Immortal Sect differed from succession disputes in historical dramas, where one had to fight until the fish died and the net broke, and whoever rose to power had to exterminate the losers.

The Founding Ancestor was still alive and well. The current Sect Leader merely wished to retire so he could focus on cultivation. Under such circumstances, the essence of fighting for power was fighting for influence.

Make enemies fewer and fewer, make friends more and more;

If no one remained beside Vice Sect Master Mo Yi to echo his words, then he himself would lose all hope of contending for power.

According to Li Ping'an's current plan, he would first use the artifact business to temporarily win over Xiao Yue. After that, his next target would naturally be Elder Bi, Grandmaster of Wang Zaizhi.

Sometimes, conflict also created a connection, and once there was a connection, there was a place to begin...

Hm?

Wait.

Li Ping'an suddenly realized something.

Hadn't he said he would rely entirely on his father?

How had it turned into him personally helping his father become an immortal generation?

Well, this...

"Disciple?"

Qing Su suddenly called out.

Li Ping'an tossed those random thoughts aside and walked over with a smile. "Master, what is it?"

Qing Su said, "Focus on cultivation. Do not be distracted by worldly affairs. Longevity is the foundation of all."

"Yes, Master. This disciple will remember."

Li Ping'an lowered his head in acknowledgment. Just then, he noticed the spirit fish kept in the lotus pond and smiled. "Would you like this disciple to make a few dishes for you to try?"

Qing Su did not understand. "Dishes? The food you made in the mortal world?"

Li Ping'an deliberately kept her in suspense. "You'll find out in a moment."

Meanwhile, at the Main Peak's main hall.

The Sect Leader, who was changing clothes, frowned in concentration and suddenly slapped his own mouth.

Then he resumed his composed smile and walked out of his cultivation hut.