My Heavenly Dao Sect Will Not Join the Immortal Alliance

Immortal Alliance elder!

Across the entire continent, among all those who had set foot on the path of immortality, who had not heard of them?

They were peerless powerhouses standing at the very pinnacle of the entire cultivation world!

What was an Immortal Alliance elder?

Each of the Immortal Alliance's top thirty-two factions sent one representative to form the Immortal Alliance Council of Elders, which governed the Alliance's tens of thousands of factions.

In other words, an Immortal Alliance elder was at the very least an elder-level figure from one of the Immortal Alliance's top thirty-two factions!

Even for a powerhouse like the Lingxiao Sect, one of the Immortal Alliance's top five hundred factions, such an existence would be difficult to encounter. They stood at the summit of the entire continent!

"Grandpa, I can't go any higher."

The young girl descended from the tenth step of the heavenly staircase, jogged over to the old man, and said with a pout, clearly dissatisfied.

"Haha, now you know that beyond the heavens are greater heavens, and beyond people are greater people, don't you?"

The old man laughed heartily and rubbed his granddaughter's head.

The girl huffed, turning her head aside as she muttered, "Impossible. I always come first in every assessment. I've never done this badly before!"

Then, the girl's gaze fell on Su Bai. "Um, what exactly does your Heavenly Dao Sect's entrance examination test?"

This time, she had reined in her earlier mischievous demeanor and looked at Su Bai with a serious expression instead.

Having been first place every time, she was naturally unwilling to accept being stumped here.

"It has nothing to do with talent. It tests affinity—your affinity with my Heavenly Dao Sect," Su Bai said calmly.

"Affinity? What a strange way to conduct an examination." The girl looked puzzled. She had followed her grandfather through so many sects, yet this was the first time she had seen an assessment like this.

"If someone were a genius with a Heavenly Spiritual Root but lacked sufficient affinity, would you still refuse to admit them?" the girl asked curiously.

"Correct. If they cannot reach the sixtieth step, then forget a Heavenly Spiritual Root—even if they possessed a Chaos Body, I still would not accept them," Su Bai said indifferently.

The girl blinked and looked at Su Bai. "Then what if the person who passes has no Spirit Root at all, or is even old and poor? Would you still accept them?"

"My Heavenly Dao Sect's disciples are not judged by aptitude. We value only character and affinity. Other than that, all external things may be cast aside."

"Even if you have no Spirit Root, as long as you have affinity and are upright in character, my Heavenly Dao Sect will still welcome you!" Su Bai said in the same calm tone.

"What a fine 'not judged by aptitude'!" The old man beside them spoke up. Looking at Su Bai, he praised, "So young, yet already possessing such thoughts. Your future achievements will certainly not fall below those of us old fellows. This old man admires you."

"You flatter me," Su Bai said modestly.

"No need for modesty. This old man has traveled All Under Heaven for more than a thousand years and seen sects and factions as numerous as grains of sand. Yet every faction recruits disciples based on no more than three things: talent, wealth, and background."

The old man continued, "Only your Heavenly Dao Sect recruits disciples based solely on the two words affinity and fate. Moreover, admission is free, and they may freely choose immortal arts. Such breadth of heart is truly rare across All Under Heaven."

The girl nodded as well. "It's my first time seeing this too, so I have quite a favorable impression of you."

Su Bai smiled. "You did not come here merely to tell me this, did you?"

"Haha, indeed not."

Stroking his beard, the old man smiled. "That's right. My main purpose in coming here is to invite your Heavenly Dao Sect to join the Immortal Alliance."

"Oh? The Immortal Alliance?" Su Bai frowned upon hearing this. "May I ask what benefits joining the Immortal Alliance would bring to my Heavenly Dao Sect?"

The old man smiled mysteriously. "On the continent, any Golden Core-level faction may apply to join the Immortal Alliance. However, few such factions are approved unless they have a top-five-hundred faction backing them."

"But as for Nascent Soul-level factions, looking across All Under Heaven, there are almost none that do not join the Immortal Alliance."

"Once you join the Immortal Alliance, whether you wish to purchase immortal arts, pills, or spirit artifacts, gather spiritual herbs, or sell resources, you may use the Immortal Alliance's channels."

"Most importantly, once you join the Immortal Alliance, it means you have received its recognition. In the future, when your Heavenly Dao Sect expands its territory, you will face no restrictions."

After saying this, the old man looked at Su Bai and waited for his decision.

He believed that no one in this world would refuse to join the Immortal Alliance.

Yet, to his disappointment, Su Bai's expression remained calm.

This cultivation world was one where the weak were meat and the strong ate. With so many benefits to joining the Immortal Alliance, why did it sound somewhat contrary to common sense?

"Since joining the Immortal Alliance offers so many benefits, then I would like to know: do sects that join it not need to give anything in return?" Su Bai asked.

The old man paused slightly, then nodded. "Joining the Immortal Alliance naturally comes at a price. It is determined according to the sect's rank, and a certain amount of Spirit Stones and resources must be paid each year."

"For example, Golden Core-level factions must pay fifty percent of their total annual income every year."

"Nascent Soul-level factions need only pay forty percent of their annual income."

"Spirit Transformation-level factions need only pay thirty percent of their annual income."

"And if one rises even higher and enters the Immortal Alliance's top thirty-two, then only ten percent is required."

Upon hearing this, Su Bai nearly laughed in anger.

Forty or fifty percent—and it was of total income?

Even harvesting leeks was not done this ruthlessly, was it?

How was this joining the Immortal Alliance? It was plainly becoming a dog to be exploited!

Seeing Su Bai's displeased expression, the old man added, "Do not focus only on the fact that you must pay so many resources every year. The benefits are considerable as well."

"For instance, if you have enemies, you may spend money to call upon stronger sects to act on your behalf."

"For instance, if you need a spirit artifact, you may go directly to powerful sects to purchase one at a discounted price."

"For instance, you may attach yourself to a powerful sect to preserve your sect's foundation, and so on."

"For instance, you may send disciples of exceptional talent from your sect to better sects for secluded cultivation."

"In short, once you join the Immortal Alliance, you can be said to have secured a foothold in the cultivation world. What this money buys is not a position, but a life-saving talisman."

Su Bai fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly raised his eyes. "What if I refuse?"

"Refuse?" The old man was slightly stunned, as though he had not expected Su Bai to refuse.

Across All Under Heaven, factions great and small all took pride in joining the Immortal Alliance. They could even display their Immortal Alliance seats on the signs used to recruit disciples, attracting more people to participate in their assessments.

Joining the Immortal Alliance had already become the symbol of a powerful sect!

"If you refuse to join the Immortal Alliance while your sect is still weak or insignificant, no one will bother with you."

"But in this old man's view, your Heavenly Dao Sect will sooner or later grow larger and stronger. When that time comes, many powerful factions will have a legitimate excuse to swallow your sect whole in the name of purging outsiders."

"That is why this old man suggested that your Heavenly Dao Sect join the Immortal Alliance. Though your gains may be somewhat reduced, preserving your foundation will be more than manageable!" the old man said slowly.

Su Bai smiled faintly. "Thank you for your guidance, but my mind is made up."

"My Heavenly Dao Sect will not join the Immortal Alliance!"

His words were full of force, his tone resolute, each syllable striking the ground like iron.

The old man sighed softly, clearly not knowing how else to persuade him.

However, the girl beside him gave Su Bai a thumbs-up. "You've got spirit. I hope we can meet again someday. Hehe, actually, I don't really like the Immortal Alliance's atmosphere either..."

"Yan'er, do not speak nonsense!"

Before the girl could finish, the old man immediately cut her off. He looked around vigilantly and scolded in a low voice, "Walls have ears. Do not spout such nonsense again in the future!"

"Alright, alright, I know!" The girl stuck out her tongue and replied playfully.

"You... you're already so grown up, yet you're still the same as when you were little." The old man smiled bitterly in helplessness.

Su Bai stood to one side, watching the two of them with interest.

Then he spoke. "If one day you wish to come to my Heavenly Dao Sect, its gates will always be open to you."