On the Azure Cloud Sect's Offense and Defense

Zhang Yang once again came before the plaza of the Azure Cloud Great Hall. Another seven-day deadline had arrived, and he distributed food to the Foundation Establishment Disciples.

Throughout the entire Azure Cloud Sect, he was basically the only one handling affairs.

After Situ Mingyue arrived, she did not concern herself with matters either. Fortunately, she had brought her maid, Chunxiao, who could help with some tasks.

Chunxiao knew she was not an official disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect, so she took the initiative in doing work around the sect.

She was also at the Foundation Establishment Realm, but her talent was far inferior to those geniuses.

After all, she was not a bodyguard; she was responsible for handling Situ Mingyue's daily needs.

"Young Master Zhang, you can leave these matters to me from now on," Chunxiao said with a smile. "You can use that time to cultivate properly."

Zhang Yang shook his head. "It's fine. I'm not in a hurry to cultivate."

His cultivation required resources piled up like a mountain. Besides, distributing food to these Foundation Establishment Disciples was not merely about handing out rations—it also involved "ideological education."

That was something only he could handle.

Today was another session of ideological education.

Zhang Yang looked over the crowd in the plaza. Half a month had passed since the Flying Dragon Army attacked the Azure Cloud Sect. The excited group had calmed down, while those who had been depressed had also recovered from their low spirits.

Today, it was time to give these people another round of ideological education.

"Half a month ago, the Azure Cloud Sect encountered a grave danger." Zhang Yang looked at everyone. "We had a conflict with the Cloud Mountain Empire because of certain misunderstandings.

"Although the conflict was ultimately resolved through negotiations between both sides, what should we do if we encounter such danger again?"

When Zhang Yang mentioned the conflict with the Cloud Mountain Empire, those who had infiltrated the sect secretly could not help but feel their hearts tighten.

Meanwhile, those who had already pledged themselves to the Azure Cloud Sect grew excited once more.

Zhang Yang deliberately paused before slowly continuing, "The Azure Cloud Sect has endured for five thousand years. It must have experienced no small number of conflicts like the last one. In fact, many situations were surely far more dangerous than that.

"Yet our Azure Cloud Sect still stands today because generation after generation of its people worked tirelessly to achieve this result.

"Now, the task of revitalizing the Azure Cloud Sect has fallen upon our shoulders.

"Likewise, the dangers that the Azure Cloud Sect may face have fallen upon our shoulders.

"This time, our elders helped us weather the danger.

"But can we rely on our elders forever?

"When trouble comes, will we step forward and bravely shoulder responsibility? Or will we flee from danger and choose to be spectators—or even surrender? Worse still, will we secretly defect to the enemy and betray the Azure Cloud Sect?"

Many people fell silent.

The faces of those secretly lurking among them changed. They lowered their heads, not daring to look at Zhang Yang at all.

"Eldest Senior Brother, if we encounter enemies again, we'll fight them to the death!" Wang Baole shouted.

"Yes, fight them to the death!"

Zhang Yang shook his head. "What use is mere reckless courage without a suitable method? Take you, Wang Baole. You are now at the Foundation Establishment Realm. If you encountered someone in the Nascent Soul Realm, would risking your life make any difference? So we need to find ways. We need to use our brains!

"This time, I'm leaving everyone with an assignment. The assignment is this: if the Azure Cloud Sect encounters enemies like last time, what can we do for the Azure Cloud Sect? What methods can we use to resist such enemies?

"Please think seriously about it, and complete the assignment for me by the next gathering.

"Every assignment will count toward task points. Those points may seem useless now, but they will be of great use in the future.

"Half a year from now, the Azure Cloud Sect will open its secret realm and permit a group of people to enter. You will also have a chance to enter. If everyone has successfully reached Sea Opening by then, those with higher points will be chosen to enter. Therefore, you must complete every assignment properly."

The crowd reacted differently. Some people had no idea what a secret realm was or what use it had, and they were utterly bewildered. Still, they understood that if everyone had to complete the assignment, then they had to complete it too.

Others, however, were beside themselves with joy.

The expressions of that group had already fallen into Zhang Yang's eyes.

After the gathering ended, everyone carried their food back to their own courtyards and hurried to complete the assignment.

"You brat, what are you always stirring them up for?"

Hualingzi appeared beside Zhang Yang and asked with a smile.

Zhang Yang froze for a moment, then hurriedly asked, "Fifth Uncle, have you reached the Primordial Spirit Realm?"

Several of his uncles had gone into seclusion. Unless they had broken through to the Primordial Spirit Realm, they should not have emerged.

Hualingzi chuckled and asked in return, "I've been in the Nascent Soul Realm for decades. Shouldn't I break through to the Primordial Spirit Realm? Didn't you bring back some spirit herbs? Third Senior Brother refined some Pills for us, and with the support of Spirit Stones, breaking through came naturally."

There was another reason he did not mention. Recently, everyone in the Azure Cloud Sect had been living comfortably. Some of the problems weighing upon their hearts had been resolved, and they had seen the future of the Azure Cloud Sect in Zhang Yang. With the help of the Pills, a breakthrough had naturally followed as water flowed into a channel.

"Good, good!" Zhang Yang was overjoyed.

With several more experts in the Azure Cloud Sect, they would have even less to fear from others in the future.

"Fifth Uncle, come, come, come. Sit at my place." Zhang Yang warmly invited Hualingzi. "Before you went into seclusion, there were still some talisman patterns you had not finished drawing. You can make them up for me now. Since you are now in the Primordial Spirit Realm, the talisman patterns you draw will definitely be more powerful and more effective."

Hualingzi laughed and cursed, "This old man has broken through, and not only are you brat not giving me a congratulatory gift, you're even making me draw talismans for you!"

Though he said that, he did not refuse. He really did go draw talismans for Zhang Yang.

"As for defending the Azure Cloud Sect, we will handle it. Ordinary people would not dare offend the Azure Cloud Sect." While drawing talismans, Hualingzi said to Zhang Yang, "So having those little fellows think of ways to defend the Azure Cloud Sect is completely useless."

Zhang Yang smiled. "Fifth Uncle, having them think of ways to defend the Azure Cloud Sect is, on one hand, to stir up their sense of belonging toward the Azure Cloud Sect. On the other hand, it is to probe their thoughts.

"They are all teenagers in their teens. Do I not know that the defensive methods they come up with will be impractical?

"But while they are devising methods, the things in their hearts will surface."

At that point, Zhang Yang paused and said calmly, "Through their ideas, we can roughly uncover some of their purposes for coming to the Azure Cloud Sect. At the very least, we can get a clear sense of their direction."

"Oh?" Hualingzi looked at Zhang Yang in surprise. "Where did you learn so many twists and turns?"

He was a scholar and usually interacted with Zhang Yang quite often. Though they were uncle and nephew in name, their relationship was as close as brothers.

That was also why, after leaving seclusion, he had immediately come to find Zhang Yang.

But he truly had not expected Zhang Yang to think so far ahead.

Zhang Yang said helplessly, "None of you handle affairs, so of course I have to think more! Before we completely turn them around, we must guard against them carefully. What happened with those two senior brothers in the Past must never happen again. I worked myself to the bone cultivating these people. If anyone takes them away from me, I'll be angry."

Hualingzi sighed. "Do you think we aren't angry? But some matters are not that simple. Forget it. Since Eldest Senior Brother intends for you to become the next generation's School Leader, just keep worrying about it! These talisman patterns are finished. What type should I draw next?"

Tilting his head, Zhang Yang suddenly asked, "Uncle, do you know any talisman patterns that can preserve images? The kind that can record things as they happen... similar to the images normally conjured, but capable of recording continuously, and even playing the images back later."

Hualingzi was stunned. A moment later, he jumped to his feet. "Are you playing with me? How could that possibly be achieved? If I could draw such talisman patterns, I might as well become an Immortal directly!"

He could imagine that if he could draw such talisman patterns, would he not be creating an entire "world"?

Never mind whether it could be achieved—the mere thought of such a talisman pattern was already unimaginably vast.

"If it were used to assist other magical treasures, could it be achieved?" Zhang Yang hurriedly asked.

"Go ask Old Six about that!"

Zhang Yang frowned. "Once Sixth Uncle leaves seclusion, we'll discuss it and see whether we can make it."

He was preparing to develop an Immortal Cultivation version of household appliances!