Sect's Philosophy: It's All About Lying Low

As everyone in the Eastern Domain was immersed in the astonishing news of the Mysterious Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum's emergence.

An equally explosive piece of news spread from the Eastern Domain's two Supreme Dao Holy Lands!

The Immortal Ranking!

The competition for Immortal Positions would begin again!

The current titles of the Eastern Domain's Nine Great Immortal Sects would be revoked!

The Nine Great Immortal Sects of the Eastern Domain would be reselected, and this time, the Yaoguang Holy Land and the Sun Moon Divine Cult had widely invited those ancient families and hidden great sects that had just emerged to participate.

The competition for the Immortal Ranking, the titles of the Eastern Domain's Nine Great Immortal Sects, represented the voice of the Eastern Domain's land.

Since those ancient clans and hidden sects had decided to emerge, they would absolutely not miss such a major event.

Moreover, they would do their best to secure one of the Nine Great Immortal Sects!

Of course, the titles of the current Nine Great Immortal Sects could not be revoked simply because the two Holy Lands said so.

The Yaoguang Holy Land and the Sun Moon Divine Cult each dispatched important figures to inform the various Immortal Sects of the situation.

The Eastern Domain was currently in turmoil, with Primordial Races, ancient families, and hidden sects emerging one after another. Their strength and foundations were extremely powerful.

Some even possessed the capital to become Holy Lands, perhaps lacking only an Emperor Weapon.

Therefore, the important figures from the Holy Lands responsible for the persuasion informed the current high-level figures of the Nine Great Immortal Sects of a very realistic problem.

Their foundations and sect strength were no longer sufficient to maintain their standing. At the very least, some were no longer worthy of being among the Nine Great Immortal Sects.

If they forcibly clung to these positions, they would surely become thorns in the side of some ancient clans and hidden sects in the future, and these groups would not let them off.

If one's strength and status did not match, it was best not to be in the spotlight.

Otherwise, they would be the first to die!

The current Nine Great Immortal Sects were naturally unwilling. These titles were hard-won by their ancestors thousands of years ago when the last Immortal Ranking was held.

To hand them over so readily now.

It was truly difficult to swallow this insult.

But...

Reason told them that the two Holy Lands asking them to relinquish the titles of the Nine Great Immortal Sects was for their own good.

Otherwise, in the future, they might face the disaster of sect annihilation!

Of course, those among the current Nine Great Immortal Sects who believed their strength was sufficient could still participate in this session's Immortal Ranking competition.

If their strength was sufficient, they could still become one of the Nine Great Immortal Sects.

However, besides the Yaoguang Holy Land and the Sun Moon Divine Cult, who else dared to say they could contend with those ancient clans and hidden sects whose legacies spanned at least a million years?

The news that the Immortal Ranking was about to begin naturally also reached the Kaoshan Sect.

Daoist Xuanhe personally emerged from the ancestral land and descended upon the Kaoshan Sect, summoning all the Elders and Peak Masters of the Seven Peaks for a meeting!

In the main hall of Kaoshan Peak, every seat was filled. Almost all the Elders currently present at the Kaoshan Sect had arrived. Those who were absent were mostly occupied with important matters and had already left.

Looking around, there were over one hundred and thirty Elders from the Kaoshan Sect's Seven Peaks, with the lowest cultivation being the early stage of the Divine Infant Realm.

This was a significant increase in numbers compared to when the Ghost Nether Mansion attacked the Kaoshan Sect a few months prior.

Sect Master True Lord Yuntian and Daoist Xuanhe sat at the very front, the Peak Masters of the six peaks sat on the sides, and the other Elders of the Seven Peaks occupied the seats below.

They quietly observed True Lord Yuntian and Daoist Xuanhe.

The revocation of the titles of the Nine Great Immortal Sects was a major event. Not long ago, the important figure from the Yaoguang Holy Land who was responsible for the persuasion had just departed.

Daoist Xuanhe then stepped out of the ancestral land and convened this meeting!

True Lord Yuntian swept his gaze across everyone, his expression calm, and said, "The titles of the Nine Great Immortal Sects have been revoked. Thousands of years ago, the efforts of the Kaoshan Sect's ancestors have been in vain. What do you all think?"

Upon hearing this, several Elders were filled with righteous indignation, displeased with the actions of the two Holy Lands.

With just a few words, the fruits of their ancestors' labor were stripped away. In the past, their ancestors had shed much blood to be selected as one of the Nine Great Immortal Sects!

"Sect Master, this Seat believes that the Nine Great Immortal Sects are merely nominal now. Having their titles revoked is a good thing."

True Lord Gouyuan was not in a hurry at all. He smiled slightly, shaking his head, and said.

"Oh?"

True Lord Yuntian smiled and looked at True Lord Gouyuan, saying, "Peak Master Gouyuan, what do you mean by that?"

True Lord Gouyuan said, "Although our Kaoshan Sect has deep foundations and fears no trouble, with Old Ancestor Kaoshan watching over us, our philosophy is one of 'lying low.' While we don't fear trouble, we should avoid it."

"If we insist on retaining the titles of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, when the Immortal Ranking opens this time, our sect will inevitably become a target for those ancient clans and great sects that have emerged."

"In that case, to protect ourselves, the sect would have no choice but to reveal its strength and foundations to deter them."

"Wouldn't this be contrary to the sect's philosophy? Revealing our foundations to the world, how can we continue to lie low in the future?"

"Even if we don't need to use our full strength."

True Lord Xiaxuan picked up the conversation, nodding and saying, "Indeed, Senior Brother Gouyuan's words are reasonable. The titles of the Nine Great Immortal Sects are indeed important."

"For thousands of years, the sect's affairs have been much easier thanks to the name of the Immortal Sects. As soon as many sects heard it was the Kaoshan Sect, one of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, they immediately cooperated and obeyed."

"But if we are to expose our true strength again and fight to the bitter end with those Ancient Families and Hidden Great Sects, just for the mere name of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, This Seat believes it's not worth it."

"Old Ancestor Kaoshan above would surely also feel this action is improper and goes against the sect's principles!"

True Lord Yuntian nodded with a smile. What True Lord Gouyuan and True Lord Xiaxuan said was exactly what he intended.

Indeed, the name of the Nine Great Immortal Sects was important.

But the sect's principles were more important!

Although on the surface, the Kaoshan Sect, founded tens of thousands of years ago, had only reached sixth place among the Nine Great Immortal Sects.

But that was only on the surface.

Now, the Eastern Domain was about to change, with many Ancient Families and Hidden Great Sects appearing.

Since they wanted the name of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, then let them have it.

There was no need to expose their strength and fight them.

In the future, although the Kaoshan Sect would no longer be among the Nine Great Immortal Sects, its strength and foundation would remain.

Whoever the new Nine Great Immortal Sects were, if they dared to bully the Kaoshan Sect under the banner of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, Then they would be blind!

An Elder from Limitless Peak stood up, his face unwilling and filled with anger. He spoke:

"Sect Master, Martial Uncle Xuanhe, all Peak Masters, we are not angry about this."

"It's that the two Holy Lands don't take us seriously at all. The Elder from Yaoguang Holy Land who came to persuade us also had their eyes so high up, looking down on us."

True Lord Wuji glanced at the Elder from his peak, thinking he had such a naive idea, and reprimanded him:

"Wuya, have you forgotten the sect's principles that Peak Master Gouyuan and Peak Master Xiaxuan just spoke of?"

"This Seat has such a temper and is not even angry, yet you are leading the protest."

"Gou (endurance) is paramount. Isn't it perfect that the enemy looks down on us?"

"The more they look down on us, the more they will be counter-killed."

"Our Kaoshan Sect hopes that those emerging powerful clans and great sects will look down on us. If they have the guts, come and try us, and we'll dig up their ancestral graves."

Hearing the last sentence, Elder Wuya also showed a smile and said, "I was foolish. Indeed, if we get angry over this matter, it means we lack confidence in the sect, and we look down on ourselves."

True Lord Yuntian nodded with a smile and said, "Alright, everyone has heard the conversation between the Peak Masters and the Elders just now."

"As they said, although the name is important, the sect's principles are more important."

"Others may look down on us, but we must look up to ourselves."

"The Kaoshan Sect does not cause trouble, nor does it fear trouble."

"The last time the Sun Moon Divine Cult trespassed on our sect was not unpunished, it was just that the time was not right."

True Lord Yuntian's words stirred the blood of these hundreds-year-old men, completely restoring their confidence in the sect.

His words implied that the sect had a deep foundation.

And feared no one!