Go Out

"Venerable, I received a strange Communication Talisman!"

Lin Xiqiu found Yang Zhengshan and handed him a Communication Talisman.

Yang Zhengshan took the Communication Talisman and read its contents. He could not help feeling surprised as well.

The amount of content a Communication Talisman could transmit was limited, usually no more than a few sentences.

There was only one sentence on this Communication Talisman: "The Qin Family of Wanbao Immortal City is in trouble. We request your support!"

Wanbao Immortal City?

Qin Family?

Why had they come to me for help?

Yang Zhengshan could not figure it out. "You didn't give the Qin Family one of your Communication Talismans?"

Lin Xiqiu's Communication Talismans were rather special. They could basically disregard distance when transmitting messages and could even transmit messages into certain Grotto-Heavens.

As long as there was a passage between the Grotto-Heaven and the real world, his Communication Talisman could follow the Void and find Lin Xiqiu.

"No. I have no connection with the Qin Family, and my Communication Talismans can only be received by me. So apart from our own people and the Hengshan Sect, I haven't given them to anyone else!" Lin Xiqiu said.

Yang Zhengshan stroked his beard and thought for a moment. Lin Xiqiu had not given any to outsiders, but that did not mean these Communication Talismans had not circulated outside. After all, he had once given this kind of Communication Talisman to several people.

Zhongli Yue and Zhongli Xiayi had both received Lin Xiqiu's Communication Talismans from him, as a means for them to contact him.

The Qin Family of Wanbao Immortal City?

Zhongli Yue or Zhongli Xiayi?

Yang Zhengshan immediately thought of the two of them. He knew of the Qin Family of Wanbao Immortal City, one of the Five Great Immortal Clans. He had heard of them long ago, though he had never had any dealings with them.

The Qin Family's Communication Talisman from Lin Xiqiu had most likely come from Zhongli Xiayi or Zhongli Yue.

That explained the strange message. The Qin Family had asked him for help because Zhongli Xiayi or Zhongli Yue had instructed them to do so.

"Has the Qin Family encountered some kind of trouble?"

"They shouldn't have. Wanbao Immortal City has been fairly peaceful recently, and nothing major has happened within the city!" Lin Xiqiu said.

He was responsible for external trade, including trade with the Hengshan Sect and business with Wanbao Immortal City, so he was involved in all of it.

If anything had happened in Wanbao Immortal City, Li Jianning and Li Jianan, who were stationed there, should have sent him a message.

Since he had not received any messages from Li Jianning or Li Jianan, that meant there was no abnormality within Wanbao Immortal City.

Lin Xiqiu thought of something and added, "It's just that the Northern Region isn't peaceful. The North Sea Demon Court has occupied quite a few territories in the Northern Region. Could it be because of that?"

He had already guessed the truth, but both he and Yang Zhengshan felt that this truth did not make sense.

The Northern Region was more than ten thousand li from Wanbao Immortal City. Not to mention that the North Sea Demon Court had yet to occupy the entire Northern Region—even if it did, it would not be able to threaten Wanbao Immortal City in the short term. After all, the northern part of the Wilderness of Ten Thousand Waters still lay between Wanbao Immortal City and the Northern Region, a distance of more than ten thousand li.

As long as the North Sea Demon Court had not gone mad, it would not cross ten thousand li to attack Wanbao Immortal City directly.

Given the current situation in the Northern Region, it could not affect Wanbao Immortal City at all. Naturally, it could not bring trouble to the Qin Family and make them rashly send a message requesting aid.

Their reasoning was not wrong, but they had overlooked the mindset of the Five Great Immortal Clans in Wanbao Immortal City. The Five Great Immortal Clans did not want to wait until disaster was at their doorstep before seeking help from the Wanbao Sect.

With the Wanbao Sect absent, they felt uneasy. Thus, they urgently needed to find a way to contact the Wanbao Sect. Only after grasping a means of contacting the Wanbao Sect would they have the confidence to face the threat of the North Sea Demon Court.

It could be said that without the Wanbao Sect, they were a flock of helpless lambs. With the Wanbao Sect, they would immediately become beasts baring their fangs and claws.

The Five Great Immortal Clans had five Golden Core cultivators. They were all families that had been passed down for thousands of years. How could such families have no hidden reserves?

They relied on the Wanbao Sect, but they were also the ultimate beneficiaries of the Wanbao Sect's influence.

Yang Zhengshan thought for a moment and decided to go to Wanbao Immortal City first and see what was going on.

Since this was something Zhongli Yue or Zhongli Xiayi had instructed, he would help no matter what.

"Let's go. You and I will make a trip to Wanbao Immortal City!"

After saying that, the two left the Life Realm Immortal Palace and headed straight for Wanbao Immortal City.

Wanbao Immortal City was still as it had always been—prosperous and bustling. At the very least, the Outer City was the same as before. It was only the Central City, the residence of the Five Great Immortal Clans, where the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Yang Zhengshan's Spiritual Sense swept discreetly across the entire immortal city, and he immediately discovered the situation at the Zheng Family.

The five Golden Core cultivators had gathered at the Zheng Family, so it naturally caught his attention.

At this moment, Zheng Kaiming, Qin Xianyang, and the others were still waiting. They had already been waiting for more than an hour, and it was no wonder they were becoming anxious.

The main problem was that they did not know who the Communication Talisman had been sent to. Sitting here and waiting without the slightest idea was truly tormenting.

"Who exactly is this Communication Talisman sending a message to?" Sun Ye asked.

"Don't ask me. I don't know either!" Qin Xianyang was utterly helpless.

"Are we really going to wait here bitterly?"

"Do you have another solution?"

"No!"

"Then stop spouting nonsense! Don't you have even this much patience?"

"It's not that I'm impatient. I just don't want to waste time here. If nothing else works, we can simply gather our forces and kill our way into the Northern Region!" Sun Ye said with a frown.

Although the North Sea Demon Court was powerful, they were not pushovers either.

With the Wanbao Sect absent, they could still use the Wanbao Sect's name to summon various forces.

Throughout the Wilderness of Ten Thousand Waters, there were countless Immortal Cultivation Families and lineages, more than a million Immortal Cultivators, over a hundred thousand Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and countless Martial Artists.

If they could mobilize this force, they would not lack the courage to fight the North Sea Demon Court.

Just as the group frowned and considered whether Sun Ye's proposal was feasible, the figures of Yang Zhengshan and Lin Xiqiu suddenly appeared before the hall entrance.

The sudden fluctuation of aura instantly put everyone on guard. One after another, they shot to their feet and stared sharply at Yang Zhengshan and Lin Xiqiu.

Yang Zhengshan paid no attention to their nervousness. His calm gaze swept across the five people in the hall before finally settling on Qin Xianyang.

"Qin Xianyang of the Qin Family? Were you the one who sent this Venerable the message?" Yang Zhengshan asked calmly.

Zheng Kaiming, Qin Xianyang, and the other three were all stunned, looking at each other in bewilderment.

None of them knew Yang Zhengshan. They could not discern his origins, much less guess his identity.

That was normal, actually. Yang Zhengshan rarely appeared before the world and had no great reputation outside.

In the Western Regions, he could be considered somewhat famous, but in the Central Region, he was a nobody.

When Zhongli Xiayi left the Qin Family a Communication Talisman, she had not intended for Yang Zhengshan to shield the Qin Family from disaster. She merely hoped that when the Qin Family encountered calamity, Yang Zhengshan could give them a hand and leave them an escape route.

"It was indeed Qin who sent it. May I ask who you are?" Qin Xianyang came back to himself, clasped his fists, and asked.

The corners of Yang Zhengshan's lips lifted slightly. "Yang Zhengshan of the White Jade Capital!"

The Yang Family was a thing of the past, and the White Jade Capital should now emerge into the world. There was no meaning in continuing to hide it.

Of course, that did not mean there was no longer a Yang Family. It meant that from now on, everyone could no longer act under the Yang Family's name. They should use the name of the White Jade Capital instead.

The Yang Family represented merely a lineage. It was understandable for a lineage to have a few Guest Elders, but with so many Demonic Beasts, and even Demon Kings, it would be rather strange.

The White Jade Capital, however, was a sect. Whether they were Human Race Cultivators, members of the Demon Race, or Ghost Cultivators, all could integrate into the sect.

"The White Jade Capital!"

Zheng Kaiming and Qin Xianyang were both utterly bewildered.

Yang Zhengshan did not mind their reaction and asked, "Who gave you the Communication Talisman?"

"Miss Xiayi!" Qin Xianyang replied.

Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly. As expected, it was just as he had thought. "Then why did you seek me out?"

For some reason, Qin Xianyang suddenly felt nervous. "We wish to contact the Wanbao Sect. Does Your Excellency have a way?"

"..."

Yang Zhengshan stared at them, speechless.

"You've found the wrong person. This Venerable is not from the Wanbao Sect. I am merely a close friend of Fellow Daoist Xiayi, with little connection to the Wanbao Sect!"

His dealings with the Wanbao Sect were limited to the siblings Zhongli Yue and Zhongli Xiayi. Apart from them, he had almost no other connection with the sect.

Of course, he was still a Guest Elder of the Wanbao Trading Company, but that Guest Elder position was merely nominal. It was not enough to enter the eyes of the Wanbao Sect's higher-ups.

Qin Xianyang smiled awkwardly. "My apologies. I did not know the circumstances and have disturbed Your Excellency!"

"No matter." Yang Zhengshan waved his hand, then turned to Lin Xiqiu. "Give Fellow Daoist Qin another Communication Talisman."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiqiu immediately took out a Communication Talisman and handed it to Qin Xianyang.

"If you encounter trouble in the future, you may contact this Venerable at any time!"

Qin Xianyang looked at the Communication Talisman being offered, then at Lin Xiqiu. He accepted it and said respectfully, "Many thanks for Your Excellency's care!"

He could see Lin Xiqiu's cultivation. After all, Lin Xiqiu was one minor realm below him. However, he could not see through Yang Zhengshan's cultivation and felt that Yang Zhengshan was unfathomably deep.

Yang Zhengshan nodded. "Farewell!"

Immediately afterward, his and Lin Xiqiu's figures disappeared from the hall without a single unnecessary word.

By now, he understood why Qin Xianyang had sought him out. It was nothing more than frantically seeking medical help wherever he could.

As for why Qin Xianyang wanted to contact the Wanbao Sect, he could also guess the reason.

The situation was turbulent, and the North Sea Demon Court was pressing forward step by step. Although it had yet to threaten Wanbao Immortal City, Zheng Kaiming, Qin Xianyang, and the others had already felt the pressure. Thus, they urgently wanted to contact the Wanbao Sect.

They had simply found the wrong person. Yang Zhengshan had no intention of interfering in the situation in the Northern Region, nor did he intend to become enemies with the North Sea Demon Court.

After returning to the Life Realm Immortal Palace, Yang Zhengshan quickly cast the Qin Family's matter to the back of his mind and summoned everyone to the Longevity Palace for a meeting.

Inside the Longevity Palace, all the higher-ups of the White Jade Capital had gathered.

Xuan Zhen, Yunxiao, Lin Xiqiu, Green Ox, Yue Yao, Kou Ta, Hong Fuxiu, and the other Golden Core cultivators.

Yang Jizhen, Ma Qiuyan, Cui Yang, Ning Yun, Yang Mingzhi, Yang Minghao, Yang Chengmou, Yang Chengye, and the other higher-ups who held specific positions in the Five Cities and Twelve Towers.

The Golden Core cultivators and Demon Kings represented the White Jade Capital's highest combat strength, while the others represented the management of the Spirit Source Land.

"What does everyone think of the current situation in the Myriad Flower Domain?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

Hearing this question, everyone could not help frowning.

They had only one feeling about the current situation in the Myriad Flower Domain: chaos.

The war was growing increasingly fierce and had practically spread across the entire Myriad Flower Domain. It could not be said that there was not a single pure land left in the Myriad Flower Domain; it could only be said that finding a stable place now was truly difficult.

Yunxiao pondered for a moment before asking, "Venerable, do you have some plan?"

"That's right. I do have some plans." Yang Zhengshan did not conceal anything and spoke frankly. "The strength of our White Jade Capital is no longer weak. It is time for us to step outside."

Step outside?

Everyone was stunned, then immediately became animated.

Step outside!

These three words sounded easy, but in reality, they were extremely difficult.

The "step outside" Yang Zhengshan spoke of certainly did not mean that everyone should leave the Life Realm Immortal Palace. He meant that the White Jade Capital should establish a sect in the outside world and awe an entire region.

To establish a sect, they would certainly need a Daoist ground.

This Daoist ground could not be too poor. At the very least, it needed a third-grade Spirit Vein.

Having a Daoist ground alone was not enough. They also needed industries.

Ordinary forces needed vast expanses of Spirit Fields, but the White Jade Capital did not need too many Spirit Fields. The Spirit Source Land had more than enough.

That did not mean the White Jade Capital needed nothing else.

All kinds of mineral deposits, all kinds of Spiritual Items, and, most importantly, the most basic resource of all—Spirit Stones.

Countless Spirit Stones. The more, the better.

This meant that the White Jade Capital would have to compete with all kinds of forces for territory, industries, resources, and everything beneficial to itself.

In the past, the Spirit Source Land had only engaged in trade, and even then its channels had been limited. It had almost never conflicted with the output of other forces. But once the White Jade Capital established a sect outside, conflict with the industries of various forces would be unavoidable.

What was more, this was currently a period of the Struggle for Authority. The situation was already chaotic enough. If the White Jade Capital stepped outside at such a time, it would inevitably become involved in the Struggle for Authority.

At the mention of the Struggle for Authority, everyone's expressions varied.

Yang Jizhen, Yang Chengye, Yang Chengmou, and the others were excited, looking as though they were eager to do a big job.

They knew how cruel the Struggle for Authority was, but they had absolute confidence in Yang Zhengshan. They believed that Yang Zhengshan would certainly lead them to victory.

Yunxiao sank into thought, sharp light flickering in his eyes.

Xuan Zhen grinned broadly. He had long grown tired of staying in the Life Realm Immortal Palace and had wanted to go out and act wildly for ages.

Lin Xiqiu's eyes drooped slightly, but he was thinking of the Wuchang Ghost Sect he could never forget.

The Green Ox Demon King came to his senses as if from a dream, his face blank.

Yue Yao frowned. She did not want to participate in the Struggle for Authority, nor did she want Yang Zhengshan to participate. She was very satisfied with the Spirit Deer Clan's current life and did not want her clansmen to endure another brutal war.

Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu, however, looked unconcerned. They were already content to have reached the Golden Core Great Dao. If Yang Zhengshan needed them, they were willing to go through fire and water for him.

"Venerable, do you intend to participate in the Struggle for Authority?" Yue Yao could not help asking.

She wanted to know what Yang Zhengshan was thinking. However, if Yang Zhengshan truly wanted to participate in the Struggle for Authority, she had no other choice but to follow him down that path to the bitter end.

The Wanhua Demon Court had already been destroyed, and the Spirit Deer Clan had adapted to life in the Spirit Source Land. By now, she could no longer leave the White Jade Capital.

Yang Zhengshan lightly tapped the armrest of his chair. He understood Yue Yao's concerns, so after thinking for a moment, he said, "We may participate, or we may not!"

Yue Yao looked at him in confusion.

He explained, "Whether we participate will depend on how things develop. Right now, I only want to lead the White Jade Capital outside. But once the White Jade Capital steps outside, whether we become involved will no longer be up to me."

"The greater tide will force us to participate. Unless we remain in the Spirit Source Land forever, we will inevitably be drawn into it."

Yue Yao's eyes drooped slightly. "Can't we remain in the Spirit Source Land? We could wait until the Struggle for Authority ends before going out."

Yang Zhengshan smiled. "No. If I don't participate in it at least once, I'll feel unwilling to accept it. But if I do participate, I actually don't have that great a desire!"

He coveted the Position of Authority, but it could not be said that he absolutely had to obtain it.

Compared with the Position of Authority, he actually wanted even more to become a true Dao Master.

By now, he had already taken a Half-step Entering Dao. Moreover, he was not yet three hundred years old, so he still had thousands of years to cultivate.