The Sect Leader

"I have never seen the Sect Leader."

"Isn't he from your Zhang Family?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with me? Does that mean everyone in this world with the surname Zhang is one family? Just because I'm a candidate for Saintess or the adopted daughter of the Dharma King, does that mean he needs to get to know me or even give me a second glance?"

"..."

"I'm sorry, Demon Lord, I'm just a little nervous."

Dressed in Saintess gown, wrapped in layers of gold and red gauze, looking like a little steamed bun, Zhang Yanzhi gripped a torch that resembled some kind of religious relic tightly, her knuckles turning white.

"Yes... I can tell..."

No wonder, he had just agreed to be an inside agent for the Celestial Immortal Group, manipulating the usurpation of the Divine Cult from behind the scenes, and then the Sect Leader personally came to kill him. I wonder if someone had foreseen that he would be summoned and skinned alive; it's quite terrifying.

Waiting outside the Sect Leader's hall, Zhang Yanzhi gazed at the magnificent palace, its walls painted with vibrant blood-red sand. He watched as the fine sand flowed like living blood, transforming from the 'ghost face' of the cult Sect Leader into the likenesses of past leaders, as if being watched by countless martyrs. Involuntarily, in a detached, ethereal voice, he sang with a rhythmic cadence...

"I have heard that the Sect Leader is a cold-blooded and ruthless saint. He slaughtered all the kingdoms west of Kunlun, skinned the kings, chieftains and priests who did not respect the gods and made them into flags. He squeezed their blood and cast them into coins."

Slay all the gods and demons who refuse to prostrate themselves before the God, extinguish their incense offerings, destroy their temples, and slaughter their followers, until no one knows their names or recites their deeds anymore, until from the vast grasslands to the boundless icy seas, only the name of the God is proclaimed.

This is our cult's Sect Leader, our revered king...

"... But he lost the Ten Ultimate Formation, right?"

Li Fan couldn't help but interject.

Zhang Yanzhi an incredulous look.

"... Didn't you hear me say that he wiped out all the kings and gods west of Kunlun?"

"I heard that. I just asked him how many matches the Ten Ultimate Formation had won. Oh right, they hadn't won a single one."

Li Fan leaned close to her ear

"Rest assured, our leader will protect you."

Zhang Yanzhi couldn't help but glare at Qiongqi, but at that moment the door opened and a Blood God Child emerged and bowed to her. So she had no choice but to swallow hard, bow back in kind, and then follow him into the hall to pay her respects to the Sect Leader.

Li Fan, having failed to receive a summons from the Sect Leader, could only shrug and continue squatting.

Anyway, by now, he has a certain understanding of the religious system.

Therefore, it goes without saying that the Sect Leader of a cult is not necessarily the one with the highest spiritual attainment, the richest, the most powerful fighter, or even the most popular.

But it must be the one that can grind the most...

After all, while the leader of a cult is theoretically elected by each member through a vote, there still needs to be some selection criterion. The cult's territory is now vast and boundless, stretching from the north to the south, from the snowy Central Plains to the central plains. Even the most powerful person might be someone unheard of in some remote mountain village. How can they be chosen?

Therefore, according to the tradition of the Divine Sect, which is based on the merit of the Blood Register, the ten candidates with the highest merit are selected from the top down. As long as they have reached the Transformation Stage, they can participate in the vote.

Of course, considering that it would be too costly for the followers to vote one by one, and that there was a risk of exposing their identities and being wiped out, it was neither realistic nor wise. Moreover, considering that for a considerable period of time, the leaders at the top of the cult were being hunted down by the Xuanmen.

Therefore, in the usual operation, those who are seriously injured, in seclusion, cultivating, reincarnated, or sealed must be excluded. In short, those who can still be brought out to be the Sect Leader in a short period of time are usually selected from a few of the Ten Ultimate Venerables. The Venerable with the highest merit is then recommended by the other Venerables, usually the Saintess, to be the Sect Leader of the Divine Sect.

In most cases, the leaders would inform each other, and then the Saintess would contact the local altar masters to convey the decision of the main altar. The local altars would then tacitly accept the decision, since normal people would generally agree to be elected as the Sect Leader.

However, there are occasional instances that are not quite normal.

For example, a certain undercover sect leader, Sword Ancestor, who wished to remain anonymous, once stated that...

"Am I out of my mind to run for Sect Leader? If I get elected, they'll take away my Sect Leader merit! I'd rather use that time to grind more divine books! And even if I did get elected, so what! If the Sect Leader tells you to commit suicide, would you?! What? I have high merit? My merit is none of your business! Take it or leave it, I'm getting the hell out of here!"

So that year, the second-ranked person on the merit list was promoted. To be honest, the merit points were quite far off; they couldn't even accumulate enough for a first-class merit deduction, since other people had already taken all the missions...

Ahem Of course, he was, after all, the Sect Leader of one of the Three Great Sects, and not so lowly and unloved as some might think. While someone might not be willing to commit suicide, a mere gesture of "wipe out their entire family!" would suffice, and the followers of the Ten Absolutes Sect would gladly obey their Sect Leader's decree, swarming forward to wipe out the entire family...

Indeed, it's true that the Sect Leader's authority is too great, and if it were to be monopolized by someone else, it might lead to a situation like the Immortal Palace where the sect ruled as a family. Therefore, to prevent the dragon slayer from becoming the dragon himself, the Divine Sect deducts one, two, or three levels of merit from each of the Ten Ultimate Venerables, Sect Leader, Dharma kings, and Enforcement Venerable every hundred years. This is to spur them on, so they don't become lazy and inactive after becoming leaders, but continue to work hard to create new glories for the Divine Sect and strive for everyone's recognition to be re-elected!

Well, that's roughly how it is. Everyone has their own ambitions. Some people want to be the best in the world, some want to be the supreme martial arts master, and some just want to live a carefree life in the mortal world.

The current Sect Leader, Zhang Family, seems to be a typical example Sect Leader someone who thinks, "I'm going to be the Sect Leader! I'm going to be the Sect Leader!"

This guy doesn't have much of a presence in the Central Plains. After all, if you figured out the four ways to write talismans, the old Xuanmen might think highly of you. But this Blood God Child Sect Leader just buried himself in his cultivation and reached the Enlightenment Stage. He spends his days either practicing or making merits. He doesn't publish in any academic journals. Nobody on Yuntai Peak has even heard of him.

But his presence in the cult is very strong. He really worked hard to become the Sect Leader, serving as the leader for three lifetimes and two Sect Leader. He made outstanding contributions. It is said that he was adopted from a servant in the Zhang Family and worked his way up to the top of the cult!

Especially west of Kunlun, when they conquered cities, seized strongholds, destroyed religions and destroyed countries, it was this Sect Leader who first led the troops to slaughter the various demons and monsters worshipped by the Western alien Human Race and Demon Race, eliminating the top fighting force. Only then could the subsequent army of the Divine Cult sweep westward, breaking through cities and conquering territories with unstoppable momentum.

Therefore, the prevailing opinion within the cult regarding the character of this Sect Leader Zhang is that Zhang Family simply a task-farming machine specially trained by the Zhang Sect Leader to maintain their prestige within the cult. Aside from cultivation and completing tasks, he seemed to have no particular hobbies—a ruthless task-farming bot...

Of course, the fact that he could repeatedly achieve great feats in the West does not necessarily mean that Sect Leader Zhang is very powerful. The Western alien Human Race does not know the orthodox Daoist methods of the Three Great Sects. They are just a bunch of beastly demons and evil ways. All they can do is worship demon gods. What is there to brag about? Didn't they suffer a crushing defeat in their first battle in the Central Plains?

However, this Sect Leader certainly won't be too weak. After all, those who accumulate merit points are definitely not incompetent fools. Besides, to be honest, there are probably very few juniors in this world who can reliably defeat the Three Elders and Four Ancestors of Emei.

Although Sect Leader Zhang didn't win either, at least he didn't win in a siege battle, nor was he suppressed or killed, right? He fought the old Xuanmen for so long without being killed, which is quite an achievement.

Therefore, Li Fan's initial personality profile of Zhang Sect Leader was that of a powerful figure who focused on combat and enjoyed killing.

'Thirty years east of the river! Thirty years west of the river! Don't underestimate a young man's potential! You laughed at me back then, saying I was too high-ranking to be associated with you, but today I am the Supreme Master of the Ten Absolutes Sect! The Blood Register Sect Leader is invincible! Hahahaha!' This kind of old madman is a psychopathic killer from the Xuan Tian School.

But after a short while, Sarilang withdrew under the guidance of the Blood God Child, and when it was Qiongqi Altar Master's turn to pay respects to Sect Leader Zhang, Li Fan realized that this character setting was ridiculously wrong.

He seemed like a quiet and shy young man, the kind of guy who liked pineapples, and the kind of introverted college student who exuded a melancholic air of someone who had just been dumped, always in a state of heartbreak.

Of course, it refers to the heartbroken college student who has finally seen the light...

Oh, as for appearance, it's above the god (ghost) but below the god (handsome).

Why is the area defined so broadly?

That means he's above Li Fan but below Li Yi; in short, it's a 50/50 situation.

"Qingyang Altar Master, please have a seat."

Sect Leader Zhang, dressed in the sect's standard robes, sat on a folding chair with his hands on his thighs, his posture bordering on restraint. He smiled gently at Li Fan.

"You've rendered service to the cult, what reward do you want?"

Li Fan looked at him and said, "The Sect Leader summoned me just to give me some extra rewards?"

The Sect Leader still smiled. "Not really. As the head of the sect, I need to meet the appointed altar masters in each region to see what kind of person they are. I know Yanzhi; she's considered intelligent among the candidates for Saintess, though sometimes a bit timid, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm not familiar with the altar masters, though. So, the main reason I came back this time is to have a chat with you."

Oh, checking my identity? No problem, Li Fan already prepared Qiongqi's resume.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, I am Four Fiends, one of the Four Fiends, who has cultivated into human form. I don't remember much about my past. While hunting in Yinshan, I met Ali, the protector of your sect, and was invited to join the Divine Cult."

The Sect Leader nodded. "Why do you want to join the cult?"

Li Fan shrugged, "Because Ali invited me, and I don't have any other serious business to do."

The Sect Leader laughed and asked, "Why do you want to be the altar master?"

Li Fan remained unfazed. "I'm a fully grown Qiongqi now. I need my own territory and hunting grounds."

The Sect Leader nodded in agreement, "Why should we save Yanzhi?"

Li Fan thought for a moment, "I was full at the time and didn't know the way. After spending more time with her, I didn't want to eat her anymore. Anyway, there wasn't much meat in her."

The Sect Leader smiled, "Why is it that I feel you're not lying, yet I also feel like not a single word you're saying is true?"

Li Fan shrugged. "Your math isn't very good, is it? At least it's true that this Sect Leader is as bad at the five arts as rumored..."

The Sect Leader didn't delve too deeply into it, since he had indeed locked onto Qiongqi with his Divine Sense and checked it from beginning to end, confirming everything from the tiger's head to its tail, so naturally there was no problem.

"Alright, Yanzhi does need help, but unfortunately I exchanged blows with that old scoundrel Cangyun and was seriously injured. I will soon have to step down as the Sect Leader, go into seclusion to recuperate, and perhaps even reincarnate to start over."

Since you two are so destined to meet, you can guard her for me while I'm away. Consider it a favor, and you'll be well rewarded. What kind of divine skill, magic weapon, or perhaps a tigress? Just name your name."

This guy's really addicted to doing quests; he's even getting quests from this guy himself...

Li Fan thought for a moment, "In that case, I also have a few questions I'd like to ask you. After all, Qiongqi is new here, and I'm not familiar with the Sect Leader either, so I'd like to take this opportunity to chat with you."

Sect Leader Zhang chuckled softly, "Alright, ask away."

Li Fan then asked, "I heard that the Sect Leader destroyed all the kingdoms west of Kunlun? I wonder how many people he killed?"

The Sect Leader wasn't angry. He calmly said, "I didn't kill many. Those above the True Person Realm who didn't want to join my cult were all killed."

Li Fan then asked, "I've heard that the Divine Cult doesn't discriminate based on race or origin, so why are they so ruthless in slaughtering the Otherworlders Spirit Race?"

The Sect Leader nodded. "These grudges from back then are complicated. To put it simply, in order to accumulate strength to contend with the Central Plains, the God Lord and the successive Sect Leader took the initiative to contact the strange people and demons in the wild lands west of Kunlun, to help them enlighten their cultivation and guide them into the Dao."

Unfortunately, my sect later suffered a great calamity. The Demonic Sword Ancestor slaughtered my sect and destroyed my sacred altar. Various alien Human Race also rebelled, killing my followers and seizing my sect's property. For thousands of years, they have been searching for and killing my disciples Fourth Department, forging a deep-seated blood feud between the two sides.

Now that fortunes have turned and our religion has been revived, we must repay evil with justice and retaliate in kind.

Li Fan frowned for a moment.

The Sect Leader, however, remained unperturbed, sitting on the couch with his hands on his knees.

"Qingyang Altar Master need not worry about your demonic form. Our Divine Sect is different from the Demonic Sect and the Demonic Palace. As long as you do your best to serve the brothers in the sect, the Divine Sect will not forget your contributions."

Similarly, a gentleman's enmity can be forgiven even after nine generations, but if someone ruins my foundation or kills my brothers, my divine sect will never forget the name of the enemy, and will settle the score and avenge them sooner or later."

Li Fan swallowed.

The Sect Leader smiled and asked, "Any other questions?"

"... Why do you want me to guard Sarilang? Why is it considered helping you?" Li Fan thought for a moment, "She said she's never even seen you. Could it be that Sarilang is your illegitimate daughter or something?"

For a moment, Sect Leader Zhang was speechless. "... No, it's only because she is the Saintess of the Divine Cult."

"But isn't it only natural for the Divine Cult's protectors to protect the Saintess of the Divine Cult? Shouldn't they be rewarding her according to her merits? Why give me an extra reward? And why did you have to come and give me these instructions before you went into seclusion? Is she that important to you?"

Sect Leader Zhang fell silent for a moment.

Li Fan pressed further, "Why do Sect Leader want to be the Sect Leader? Do you have a grudge against the Xuanmen? Do you have a grudge against the Immortal Palace? Where do you intend to lead the Divine Sect?"

Sect Leader Zhang raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Li Fan decided to go all out and asked all the questions, "And why did the Sect Leader join the Divine Cult? Don't you have anything else to do?"

"..."

The smile on Sect Leader's face gradually faded, but it didn't convey any danger or pressure. Instead, it gave off a melancholic, reminiscent silence, and the atmosphere of wanting to eat pineapple grew stronger until, at a certain moment, he broke the silence with a soft laugh.

"You wretched child, why are you asking me these private matters?"

Li Fan spread his hands. "Didn't you want to talk to me, Sect Leader? I don't know anything about Sect Leader private affairs, so how can we talk? How about I start? Should I teach you how to hunt? Or how to survive the winter?"

Sect Leader Zhang, "... Winter?"

Li Fan nodded, "Yes, yes, when it's freezing cold and there's no prey at all, the feeling of being hungry is awful. So when there's food, you have to eat your fill no matter what it is, try to store up fat, and it's best to be as fat as a ball. Then find a hole to sleep in, and you also have to make sure the nest is well-ventilated and dry, because eating too much can cause indigestion and sometimes you'll fart..."

The Sect Leader rubbed his temples, his melancholy growing even more pronounced. "Alright, alright, no need to say anymore. Sigh... okay, why did you join the cult... I remember..."

My father was a disciple of Xieluo Mountain of the Xuanmen sect, and my mother was a concubine of a certain nobleman in the Immortal Palace. They fell into a love tribulation and eloped to escape the world, not wanting to get involved in the feuds and killings of the Three Great Sects. Unfortunately, even after hiding for many years, my enemies still managed to find me when I was born. They came to my door and forced my parents to their deaths. They even struck me with a palm, destroying all my meridians and leaving me as a cripple.

Fortunately, my master arrived in time and took me back to Xieluo Mountain for treatment, saving my life. My master even accepted me as Outer Sect Disciple and used Heavenly Treasure to heal my injuries, but this aroused the resentment of my fellow disciples. Later, my master died in the calamity, Xieluo Mountain naturally stopped wasting resources on a useless person like me. I was usually just used as a servant. I couldn't stand their daily humiliation and only thought about how to escape from the mountain.

Later, by chance, Xieluo Mountain captured a girl from the foot of the mountain and imprisoned her in the Demon- Demon-Locking Tower. I delivered her food every day, and that's how I got to know her. Indeed, she was the candidate for Saintess of the Divine Sect at the time. Later, I heard that the sect wanted to sever her soul-binding ability, and I guess... I acted on impulse and rescued her. The two of us ran away together."

The Sect Leader remained silent for a moment.

"Then they caught up with her and killed her. I was spared again, rescued by a guardian who arrived at the scene, and that's how I joined the cult."

Li Fan also fell silent. The two sat together for a while without speaking.

"Sarilang looks a lot like her, doesn't she?"

The Sect Leader smiled sadly.

"You'll understand once you spend more time with them. Although some are smarter and some are a little naive, their personalities are actually quite similar."

Li Fan sighed, "Want me to open a Pineapple Canned Food for you?"

Sect Leader, "Huh?"

"I mean... do you want to destroy Xieluo Mountain?"

The Sect Leader paused for a moment, then shook his head again. "Grandmaster will be heartbroken."