Five True Persons
Several days later, deep within the Ten Thousand Caves Mountain, inside a newly built palace.
The palace sits atop a misty mountain peak, constructed primarily of elegant white jade and bluestone. Its simple yet grand structure exudes a serene and natural Daoist charm, with its flying eaves and brackets.
The palace has few furnishings, but each piece is exquisite.
A wisp of fragrant incense creates a tranquil and serene atmosphere in the space.
At this moment, inside the main hall of the palace, Qi Yun sat in the main seat, with a large cloud bed beneath him. His aura was calm, and his dark blue Daoist robe added to his majesty.
Below, five Foundation Establishment True Person with profound auras sat respectively.
On the left, first is the resolute-faced and scorching-breathing True Person Chiyang; below him is the slightly complicated-looking True Person Qingli; and below that is the middle-aged Daoist Yang Cuan.
The first one on the right is the only female True Person True Person Mingyu. She is dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe, with a beautiful face and a gentle yet insightful gaze.
Below him was the slightly plump True Person Xuancheng, whose smiling face occasionally flashed with a sharp glint in his eyes.
These five are all influential figures within the Holy Sect, and while they are not particularly close to the Black Mountain faction, they are powerful individuals who could potentially be won over.
The five Foundation Establishment True Person were sitting in the palace at this moment.
They all glanced, almost imperceptibly, at the figure high above them.
They personally witnessed this person enter the realm of enlightenment and gradually achieve the level of True Person.
It's hard to believe that only a few decades have passed.
Their power and authority already surpassed theirs.
It's truly heartbreaking.
After the servant boy served the spiritual tea and withdrew, Qi Yun's gaze swept over the five True Person present, a peaceful smile appearing on his face. He spoke first, "Thank Qi Yun all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come."
The reason I invited you all here today is something you've probably already guessed.
He gently rubbed his fingers, speaking in a calm and unhurried tone, "The construction of the [Northern Defense Grand Formation] is the most important matter at present, concerning the lifeline of the Northwest."
However, the project is massive and involves countless details. Even with three heads and six arms, my nephew alone would inevitably be unable to handle it, and I fear that it might delay the project and fail to live up to the trust placed in him by the four Great True Person and the sect.
He paused, observed the expressions of the crowd, and seeing that they were all listening intently, he continued, "Therefore, my junior brother has a request."
I would like to ask all my senior uncles and elder brothers to lend a hand and assist me in supervising the construction of this great formation.
Each of you may be responsible for a specific task, such as overseeing the construction of a certain array base or coordinating the allocation of certain resources.
My nephews and nieces will be given corresponding rights and responsibilities, and will hold my [Four Extremes Great Expansion Token] duplicate seal.
The resources required for Formation Deployment can also be allocated as appropriate.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the several True Person below subtly changed.
They naturally understood Qi Yun's implied meaning.
The so-called "assistance and supervision" and "discretionary allocation" leave a lot of room for manipulation.
They were practically handed a golden opportunity to reap the benefits!
True Person Chiyang frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
True Person Qingli's eyes flickered, as if she was weighing her options.
Yang Cuan remained silent, but his breathing quickened slightly.
True Person Mingyu's eyes flickered, as if deep in thought.
True Person Xuancheng's smile deepened even further.
Qi Yun took in their reactions and knew the time was right. "Of course, all of you senior uncles and elders have worked hard, so we can't let it all go to waste."
In this process, the resources and benefits that you save or rationally allocate will be split between you and me on a 30/70 basis.
My fellow disciples and elders may occupy 30%.
The hall fell silent instantly, with only the sound of wisps of smoke rising from the incense burner.
A 30/70 split!
I heard very little about it.
In reality, they only need to step forward and use the authority granted by Qi Yun to easily obtain massive amounts of resources that would have previously required a great deal of effort.
This is like a windfall!
Regarding risks----
Qi Yun held the [Four Extremes Great Expansion Token] and was in charge of the official position.
As long as the four bottom lines are not violated excessively, the risks are completely controllable.
The benefits, however, are real, tangible, and visible.
True Person Xuancheng was the first to clap his hands and laugh, "Nephew Qi, your thinking is thorough and you understand the greater good!"
For the sake of the sect, for the sake of the Northwest, this humble Daoist has no choice but to do so!
True Person Qingli took a deep breath and slowly nodded. "Junior Nephew Qi's actions have indeed solved our immediate crisis. Qingli is willing to do her part."
Yang Cuan his folding fan, and although he did not speak, he nodded with a smile.
True Person Mingyu smiled faintly, her voice melodious. "Mingyu also finds this method reliable."
True Person Chiyang looked at everyone and said in a deep voice, "Since it is for the sake of the Holy Sect, Chiyang has no choice but to take on this responsibility."
Qi Yun looked at the five True Person below who had reached a consensus, and a sincere smile appeared on his face, "That's excellent!"
With the strong support of all my senior uncles and elders, how can I worry about the formation failing?
He picked up his teacup.
"So, fellow martial uncles, do you understand what Qi Yun just said?"
"Understood!" the five True Person replied in unison.
Inside the palace, before the aroma of tea had fully dissipated, the five True Person had already received their orders and departed, ready to unleash their full potential.
Only Qi Yun, Ding Tai, and Ning Feng, who had been transferred to his side to serve as his right-hand men, remained in the hall.
Ding Tai, who was relatively straightforward, looked in the direction where the five True Person had left and finally couldn't help but ask in a doubtful voice, "True Person, this disciple is foolish."
Why would you share the profits with them when it's such a lucrative job involving resource mobilization and personal gain?
We can take it slowly ourselves, can't we—"
Before he could finish speaking, Ning Feng chuckled, interrupting him with a knowing and shrewd look on his face.
"Senior Brother Ding, you don't understand, do you?"
Eating alone can cause diarrhea.
Moreover, True Person is eating now is a private feast reserved for all four sects!
As he spoke, he looked at Qi Yun, and seeing that Qi Yun was not displeased, but rather had a smile on his lips, he continued to explain, "Do you really think that the True Person person is simply unable to manage such a huge project by himself?"
No, no.
The True Person's actions have three profound implications.
Ning Feng held up three fingers and spoke eloquently, "First, we're using someone else's name to intimidate others and raise a big flag."
The True Person now holds the [Four Extremes Great Expansion Token], which is a great power, but he is ultimately isolated and alone.
If one does everything personally, True Person is likely to find oneself isolated and helpless if a fierce conflict arises with the other three sects or if someone within the sect sabotages one's progress.
Now that we've brought our five senior uncles and elder brothers onto the ship, it's as if we've raised the banner of our Wuji Sacred Sect.
The four high-ranking officials should also think twice!
Secondly, it silences public opinion and demonstrates the ability to govern effectively.
The construction of the [Northern Defense Grand Formation] has a long construction period, but if there are no results in the early stages, and people only see us reaping resources, it is inevitable that some people will be envious and slander us in front of the four Great True Person or even True Lord, questioning the ability of the True Person, and possibly even replacing True Person.
Now that five senior uncles and their subordinates have joined, with more people and more strength, the initial project will surely be able to proceed quickly and achieve results.
With concrete progress, we have more room to operate covertly, and it's also safer for us.
Thirdly, the benefits are shared by all, and the network is formed naturally.
The five True Person may not seem like many, but behind each of them are disciples, followers, affiliated forces, and a complex network of personal relationships.
Their every move is like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples that draw in more power for our use.
The larger and denser this network is woven, the more stable the foundation of the True Person will be, and the more resources they can mobilize and control.
By giving away 30% of the profits, they gained a network of relationships and execution capabilities that covered the entire project and could even influence the power of the four factions.
This deal is a great bargain!
Ning Feng's analysis was so logical and clear that Ding Tai suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly.
Qi Yun chuckled and gave Ning Feng an approving look, "You're quite the smart kid, you see things clearly."
He changed the subject, though his tone remained calm. "However, self-interest can be a powerful motivator."
While it may be convenient for those under the Holy Sect to use, precautions must be taken to prevent potential problems.
They were given incentives and empowered, but they cannot be completely left to their own devices.
He turned his gaze to Ding Tai and Ning Feng, and instructed them, "Ding Tai, Ning Feng, you two, secretly organize a group of absolutely reliable people for me."
You must meticulously record all the actions and deeds of the five True Person, including all resource allocations and personnel arrangements they handle, and secretly report back to me every ten days.
He tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest of the cloud bed, his eyes deep. "I need to know how much they ate, how much they vomited up, and whether they overstepped their bounds—"
Has anyone outwardly complied while inwardly defying orders, enriching themselves at the expense of the public, and crossed the line? Do you understand?
Ding Tai and Ning Feng's expressions tightened, and they immediately bowed and replied, "Disciples understand!"
"True Person assured, Your Excellency, I will handle this matter perfectly!"
Both of them knew it.
Qi Yun is willing to share the profits, but he will never allow anyone to escape his control, become greedy, or affect his fundamental plans and overall situation.
A balanced approach, proceeding gradually.
Only then can we ensure that this large ship sails steadily forward.