The Three Bigwigs of Ask Dao Sect
The sect leader had thought that these few people had fallen to such a state that they were destined to have no hope of turning their lives around and would spend their lives in a daze within the Ask Dao Sect Seeking Sect. Unexpectedly, they found new hope with Vice Sect Leader Liu!
It seems the Ask Dao Sect isn't a monolithic entity either; there's open and covert infighting. What are they, the demonic path, best at? Sowing discord, isn't it?
"Tell me quickly, how many factions are there within the Ask Dao Sect?" The sect leader seemed somewhat anxious.
Master Liu set up a barrier and several arrays to effectively prevent sounds from being transmitted and to prevent people from eavesdropping with their Divine Sense.
Seeing that Vice Leader Liu was so well prepared, the leader felt somewhat ashamed. In his haste, he had forgotten to set up measures to prevent the message from being leaked.
Seeing this, the five elders of the Immortal Cult hesitated, unsure whether to continue listening. This seemed to be a top-secret meeting that people of their rank were not qualified to attend.
The cult leader beckoned them over; these were the last remaining forces of the Immortal Cult, and they were entitled to listen in.
After everyone had taken their seats, Master Liu lowered his voice and said, "Currently, we have contact with three forces. These three forces are the three giants of the Ask Dao Sect. There are many disciples in the Ask Dao Sect, and none of them can escape the control of these three giants. Each of these three giants has several Body Integration Realm cultivators in charge, including many powerful figures in the Integrated Body Late Stage!"
The sect leader nodded, it was not surprising that the three major forces of the Ask Dao Sect had Integrated Body Late Stage cultivators. "Do you have any Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivators?"
Master Liu shook his head. "We haven't found any yet. Those old monsters don't easily reveal their stance, so they shouldn't be among the three giants!"
Vice Leader Jin breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that there are no Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivators. With our abilities, it won't be difficult for us to navigate between the three giants. What is the relationship between these three giants? Is there room for maneuver?"
Master Liu agreed with Vice Master Jin's idea. The threat of the Tribulation Transcendence stage was too great. In the face of absolute force, no scheme would be of any use. He continued, "Don't be fooled by my daily street barbecue business. I actually pay attention to the conversations of the Ask Dao Sect disciples. From the daunting information, I've painstakingly pieced together the clues to deduce the relationship between the three giants."
Master Liu placed three bowls on the table, representing the three large bowls.
"The three giants are the long-established Baixianglou, the food stall association specializing in stir-fries, and the hot pot alliance that sells various types of hot pot."
"Bai Xiang Lou has been in the commercial street the longest. As far as I know, some disciples ate at Bai Xiang Lou when they first entered the Body Integration Realm, they still liked to eat there. Bai Xiang Lou not only has excellent taste, but also has the added appeal of nostalgia, making it the best among the three giants!"
Master Liu turned the large bowl upside down, representing Baixianglou.
"The Food Stall Alliance is not a single shop, but a force formed by multiple shops specializing in stir-fries. These stir-fries each have their own unique flavors, attracting disciples from all walks of life within the Ask Dao Sect. Its power ranks second among the three giants!"
Master Liu turned the medium-sized bowl upside down, representing the food stall association.
"There's also the Hot Pot Alliance, the largest hot pot restaurant on the commercial street. Many hot pot restaurants have its backing. It's like an invisible black hand, arbitrarily manipulating the rise and fall of the hot pot restaurants and their menus. However, compared to stir-fries, hot pot has a slightly thinner variety of dishes, and its business is not as good as the Food Stall Alliance. It's the last of the three giants."
Master Liu turned the small bowl upside down, symbolizing the hot pot alliance.
"Bai Xiang Lou's cuisine is high-end, with some dishes having effects comparable to top-tier medicines, helping people's cultivation to increase rapidly. Disciples who can frequent that place are either rich or noble, hence Bai Xiang Lou's superior status, disdaining to compete with the other two giants."
"In the competition between the food stall association and the hot pot alliance, the hot pot alliance lacked the necessary foundation and was at a disadvantage."
"Although our barbecue restaurant is just starting out, business is booming. Given time, it will be no less successful than the three giants, and its potential is huge. I think we can form an alliance with the hot pot alliance to compete with the food stall association!"
Master Gao interjected, "Moreover, geographically speaking, Hotpot Alliance is very close to us, only half a street away, which also fits the military strategy of forming alliances and attacking from afar while befriending those nearby!"
Master Gao is well-versed in military strategy and is the strategist of the barbecue restaurant.
Above the three giants, there is another transcendent force: the cafeteria!
"Whether looking at its background, customer traffic, or spending level, the cafeteria's status far surpasses that of the three giants!"
"The good news is that the Ask Dao Sect went to the cafeteria not to buy food, but weapons. From a functional perspective, they have no connection with us, so we don't need to worry about any future clashes with the cafeteria."
After Master Liu and Master Gao's insightful and easy-to-understand analysis, the leader and Vice Leader Jin had a general grasp of the current situation.
Although the start was difficult, with proper management, it's entirely possible to become the fourth giant!
Master Gao then expressed some concern. "Theoretically, we can form an alliance with the hot pot giants, but they are established giants and may not be willing to cooperate with a barbecue restaurant like ours that has a relatively shallow foundation."
Chef Gao plans to discuss things with the hot pot alliance tomorrow, but he's already prepared to be turned away.
Seeing Master Gao's worry, the sect leader revealed a faint smile. He took out a piece of paper representing the will of the Ask Dao Sect's higher-ups and placed it in front of everyone.
"Look at this, what is it?"
Master Liu, Master Gao, and the five high-ranking members of the Immortal Cult saw the words on the paper and their pupils contracted sharply.
One of the high-ranking members of the Immortal Cult exclaimed, "This... this is actually an operating license for a breeding farm!"
The cult leader's smile was full of confidence, "Yes, that's the qualification for us to form an alliance with the Hot Pot Alliance!"
"Whether it's a barbecue restaurant or a hot pot restaurant, what they need most is fresh ingredients, of course. If we have the opportunity, we can raise some rare Demon Beast to supply Baixianglou, and that way we can establish a connection with Baixianglou!"
Everyone gasped in shock; as expected of the cult leader, he had come prepared.
"The surprises don't stop there." The cult leader stepped aside, inviting the third man in black robes to reveal his true form.
The third man in black robes hadn't spoken a word from beginning to end, but had simply listened quietly to their discussion. Now, he removed his hood, revealing a kind yet weathered face.
"Believers, it's a pleasure to meet you. You may call me the Immortal Immortal."
"An Immortal Immortal!!" Everyone was truly shocked; they hadn't expected the Immortal Immortal to be resurrected!
With the cult leader vouching for him, no one doubted the immortal's identity.
More importantly, they could sense an inexplicable connection with the immortals, a connection that could not be faked.
"We pay our respects to the Immortal Immortal!" Master Liu and Master Gao led the way in kneeling.
"Greetings, Immortal Immortal!" The five high-ranking members of the Immortal Cult behind him also knelt and kowtowed.
"Get up," the Immortal said calmly. "I have reached an agreement with the Ask Dao Sect. As long as I don't leave the Ask Dao Sect, I can move freely within the Ask Dao Sect!"
"After much thought, I've decided that coming here is the best option."
"I've listened to you guys talk for a while now, and I'm a little disappointed in you." The immortal immortal's eyes revealed a look of disappointment and frustration with the group.
"Are you all at the Body Integration Realm destined to spend your entire lives Ask Dao Sect Seeking Sect? Are you willing to do that?!"
"Please enlighten us, immortal!" The sect leader and the others felt ashamed, thinking that they had once been powerful and influential figures, but now they were complacent about having the opportunity to become the fourth largest giant.
"Is the mere Ask Dao Sect your target? If you're going to open a store, you should open a chain throughout the entire Central Continent!"
"If we're going to do it, we'll do it the biggest and the best!"
This is a reader's work, lighthearted, funny, and with appropriate references. Follow the protagonist, Lin Yu, as he enters the world of cultivation and gradually becomes the most unconventional Alchemist, full of quirky antics. The author's writing is incredibly fast, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in three and a half seconds, making it impossible to stop laughing.