The Arms Race Begins

The third issue of the Azure Cloud Gazette was once again disseminated at breakneck speed.

When this newspaper fell into the hands of the higher-ups of the major sects, they all scoffed at the content of Azure Cloud Master's interview.

Demon Suppression?

It's just a joke.

Besides, they knew very well about the affairs of the Azure Cloud Sect and were quite disdainful of Azure Cloud Master's "showy" behavior.

In their eyes, it was utterly shameless for Azure Cloud Master, a dignified cultivator at the Tribulation Realm, to resort to such methods!

In fact, Azure Cloud Master himself believed this.

Therefore, he felt ashamed when he first saw that interview.

However, Zhang Yang didn't produce this interview for the high-ranking members of those major sects at all.

This interview was intended for the vast majority of people in the lower and middle classes.

He's creating a heroic figure to Demon Suppression!

The Azure Cloud Sect went from prosperity to decline, compounded by the calamity of the Azure Cloud Sect's Demon Lord. Then, Azure Cloud Master turned the tide and revived the Azure Cloud Sect... What a heroic and moving story!

The people needed heroes, and so, heroes emerged!

Besides, how many of those lower- and middle-level disciples truly know the truth about the Azure Cloud Sect?

Therefore, this is actually a piece of "ideological education" for low- to mid-level Immortal Cultivation.

The content actually shown to the higher-ups of each sect was just the photo on the cover.

At the Myriad Spirits Sect, Zhou Xuansheng stared at the photograph; it was glaringly unbearable to look at.

The Azure Cloud Sect, with ten thousand disciples, each wielding special Law Artifact, was remarkably well-coordinated?

The fighting power of these ten thousand people has already been proven by the lives of those at the Primordial Spirit Realm.

How many disciples like this does the Azure Cloud Sect actually have?

This is a problem that every sect must consider.

Zhou Xuansheng pondered for a long time before saying to the others, "We must observe the Azure Cloud Sect's military exercises. Even if they don't invite us, we must find a way to observe them!"

We must find out exactly how much fighting power the Azure Cloud Sect has.

In addition, we also need to consider recruiting a large number of disciples.

Otherwise, how will we fight the Azure Cloud Sect in the future?"

Zhou Junchen hurriedly said, "Sect Master, is that necessary?"

What use is a bunch of ordinary disciples? One strike of my magic can destroy 100,000 people!

Zhou Xuansheng asked in a deep voice, "You can certainly destroy 100,000 Foundation Establishment Disciple, but what about 100,000 Primordial Spirit disciples?"

And what about the Law Treasure they possess...? Ten thousand Foundation Establishment Realm wielding these Primordial Spirit Realm, and one hundred Primordial Spirit Realm wielding even more powerful special magical Law Treasure!"

Zhou Junchen thought about it carefully and felt a chill run down his spine.

In fact, other Dao Integration Realm and the Primordial Spirit Realm are also considering this issue.

Ten thousand Foundation Establishment Realm can kill Primordial Spirit Realm; all of them in the Primordial Spirit Realm are in grave danger!

How will they live in the future?!

The others nodded in agreement, and one of the Dao Integration Realm said, "Sect Master, I will immediately order the sect to open its gates wide and recruit 100,000 disciples!"

"Hurry up!" Zhou Xuansheng nodded and said, "Azure Cloud Sect, they actually want to outnumber us?"

If 100,000 isn't enough, I'll recruit 200,000.

"Then I'll see what they have to offer compared to us."

On the Langya Sacred Land side, the people were also staring intently at the cover of the third issue of the Azure Cloud Gazette.

This united will and determination is astonishing!

Tu Shan sighed and said, "Our Langya Sacred Land also needs to start recruiting!"

Because how can we compete with the Azure Cloud Sect if we don't recruit people?

What if we clash with the Azure Cloud Sect in the future, and they send tens of thousands of cultivators to attack? How will we fight them?

The Sage Master frowned and remained silent for a long time.

He had personally witnessed how Zhang Yang had caused his son so much trouble, so he had done some research on Zhang Yang's behavior during this time.

His assessment of Zhang Yang was that he was as cunning as a fox, and his plans were wildly imaginative and unpredictable.

Acting like a gazelle hanging its horns, by the time you realize you've been tricked, it's too late.

For example, when his son, Kong Xiuping, was visiting the Azure Cloud Sect, did he realize he was being tricked?

So, could this military exercise also be a trap?

However, even the Sage Master could not see where the trap was.

However, he had a feeling that things absolutely couldn't go according to plan.

"Sage Master, should I go and issue a notice now, opening the mountain gates to recruit disciples?" Jia Sheng asked. "Or, does the Sage Master have any other plans?"

The Sage Master smiled and said, "I always felt that things shouldn't be rushed!"

"It's too late if we don't hurry!" Tu Shan said hastily. "The Azure Cloud Sect has already recruited tens of thousands of people and trained them like ordinary people. If we don't do it now, it will be too late!"

"Then you can decide for yourselves!" The Sage Master said helplessly, because he didn't have a sufficiently good reason to object!

Therefore, the Langya Sacred Land also opened its gates wide and began recruiting disciples.

With the prestige of several top sects, recruiting disciples is far too easy!

As soon as the mountain gates opened, disciples gathered for the assessment!

The initial target for the Langya Sacred Land is 50,000 people!

Soon, One-Guard Monastery also began recruiting disciples, with a target of 100,000!

Return to Origin Temple is opening its gates wide, aiming to attract 100,000 visitors!

The Sacred Spirit Church is opening its doors wide, aiming for 100,000 members!

An arms race among the major sects has already begun, albeit imperceptibly.

However, Zhang Yang had already conducted "ideological education" for several years before recruiting tens of thousands of people.

Therefore, after these tens of thousands of people joined the sect, they greatly admired the Azure Cloud Sect. As ideological education continued, this group became increasingly loyal.

As for the disciples recruited by other sects... their sects were already quite loosely organized, and now with a large influx of ordinary disciples, the sects have instantly become chaotic.

Moreover, these 100,000 people need to be supported with Cultivation Resources after they enter the sect!

Even if each person consumes one Spirit Stone per month, that's still 100,000 Spirit Stone.

The sect incurs enormous, unseen costs in managing 100,000 people!

What's more troublesome is that the loyalty of these 100,000 people to the sect is not absolute, and disputes and wrangling often occur...

Each sect recruits disciples with the aim of training them into a large army like the Azure Cloud Sect.

They hired many ordinary generals to train the troops, causing the sect cultivators to complain bitterly. Many were thinking, "I came here to Immortal Cultivation, and you're telling me I need to be trained?"

Go to hell!

Countless sects are in a state of utter chaos!

In just two months, countless sects have suffered greatly.

At the Langya Sacred Land, the Sage Master looked at the chaotic scene and gained some insight.

Is this the purpose of Zhang Yang?

It's a bit messy, but it's not that harmful!

What should Zhang Yang do next?

As a dignified cultivator at the Tribulation Realm, he personally deduced Zhang Yang's plan.

After analyzing for a long time, I still have no direction.

"Sigh, let's see how things go after the military exercises!" Even the Sage Master couldn't help but smile bitterly.

He's one of the most prominent figures in the world, yet he went to the trouble of imitating a Nascent Soul Realm and even went to great lengths to deduce his abilities...

How did the world become like this?

How did a perfectly good Immortal Cultivation turn into this?

The Eldest Senior Brother said that the best business is to have what others don't, and to be better at what others have, always staying ahead of the competition.

--The Elder Brother's Sayings.

Transcribed by Situ Mingyue.