Chapter 582

The Jin Dan forces, excluding repeated counts, number no more than thirty-one.

The highest combat power of other sects or families barely reaches the Foundation Establishment stage.

If these forces had no connections, they would not be able to rank within the Bai Xian Alliance... They could only rely on one of the sects within the alliance.

This is merely a division based on the number of forces.

Eighty percent of the wealth in the territory of the Bai Xian Alliance likely resides in the hands of less than one-fiftieth of the sects or families.

The third aspect is the structure of the cultivators, which made Xie Qingxue furrow her brows even more.

Within the Bai Xian Alliance, aside from the Chong Xuan Sect, and counting the Jiu Shan Sect, there are currently thirty-two cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage.

The total number of Jin Dan cultivators is two hundred eighty-six.

As for the total number of cultivators, the estimate given by the Grandmaster Pang is around eighty thousand.

In other words, if we divide wealth by individuals, there are just over three hundred cultivators above the Jin Dan stage, accounting for less than one two-hundredth of the total number of cultivators.

Yet, the resources they occupy likely far exceed eighty percent...

It’s important to note that other smaller forces also depend on them for survival.

As for the fourth aspect regarding the income and expenditure of cultivators, Xie Qingxue read through it carefully.

It stated that fifty percent of the income of each Foundation Establishment cultivator must be paid to their sect or to more powerful cultivators.

For Qi Refinement cultivators, the percentage is even higher.

She had only skimmed through it, but it confirmed a thought in her mind:

Any high-level cultivator occupies resources that others can hardly reach, and the more they cultivate, the more resources they require, leading to increasingly harsh exploitation of lower-level cultivators.

What unsettled her was...

This was just regarding cultivators.

Cultivators are already the individuals in the Xuan Wei realm who can best control their own destinies.

As for mortals...

She didn’t even need to look at the investigation report to understand that the plundering mortals endure is a hundred times worse than that of cultivators.

Every cultivator either understands this or doesn’t, but they have grown accustomed to living above the heads of mortals.

In such an extremely opposing situation, who would willingly entrust their lives to mortals...

Who would dare?

Thus, when the ancestor forged the Four Swords of Zhi Xian, it’s no wonder... even his direct disciples betrayed him.

Thinking of this, Xie Qingxue felt a tumult in her heart.

The question her master had posed earlier echoed in her ears—

How would you choose?

She didn’t know the answer, or rather, she knew it but didn’t want to think deeply.

...

Zheng Fa seemed to sense the conflict in her expression and curiously asked, “Is the matter with the Xian Trap Sword really that troublesome?”

Xie Qingxue shook her head, “I still don’t understand why the Xian Trap Sword is in the Chong Xuan Sect…”

She recounted what Master Yan had told her to Zheng Fa.

After listening, Zheng Fa furrowed his brows.

“No wonder the Fei Yun Sword I forged can trigger the Xian Trap Sword’s reaction…”

Zheng Fa had suspected this before, and now that it was confirmed that the black sword was indeed the Xian Trap Sword, he naturally affirmed his thoughts—

It was probably because he had used some techniques from the Tian He Sect in forging, which allowed the Xian Trap Sword to resonate.

Xie Qingxue reminded him, “My master said that although the Hao Ri Mountain seems unable to control the Xian Trap Sword now, its power should not be underestimated... They must have some ulterior motive for placing this sword in the Chong Xuan Sect.”

“Don’t let your guard down.”

Zheng Fa certainly understood this point.

The Xian Trap Sword had changed the situation in the Xuan Wei realm, causing even the Tian He Venerable to stumble, which speaks volumes about its power.

Not to mention, for an entire era, Hao Ri Mountain has had little success dealing with this sword.

It was not something he could take lightly.

“Then we need to figure out what Hao Ri Mountain is planning…”

On another note, a treasure like the Xian Trap Sword would never be carelessly discarded by Hao Ri Mountain.

Leaving it in the Chong Xuan Sect must have a purpose.

Even...

Could it be that Shi Nandan and those seven Huashen cultivators could refine it?

Zheng Fa found it hard to believe.

Thus, the Chong Xuan Sect likely had some special characteristics.

As Zheng Fa pondered various possibilities, he noticed Xie Qingxue seemed lost in thought, as if grappling with something difficult to resolve.

“Xie Fairy?”

Xie Qingxue slowly came back to her senses, glancing at the Qing Ping Sword at her waist, her gaze darting away as if shocked, then she forced a smile and said, “I just realized today... If I were the ancestor of the Four Veins, I would…”

Zheng Fa nodded knowingly and replied, “Out of a hundred cultivators, perhaps ninety-nine would feel the same way…”

“Hmm?”

“The Tian He Venerable might not be wrong, but... he’s too hasty…”

Zheng Fa sighed lightly and said to Xie Qingxue:

“His circle is filled with traditional Xuan Wei cultivators... They’ve never been on the same wavelength.”

“The choices they can make are predictable.”

Xie Qingxue paused, keenly catching a new concept in Zheng Fa’s words: “Traditional... Xuan Wei cultivators?”

“Oh, take a look at this report that Senior Sister Zhang gave me.”

Curiously, Xie Qingxue took the ledger from Zheng Fa’s hands.

“After the establishment of the textile factory... the variety of goods in the clothing market has increased tenfold, and the average price has dropped by thirty percent, with export income…”

“Food processing factories... the daily food share in the Twelve States has increased fourfold.”

“The newborn population in the Jiu Shan realm has doubled this month, with a mortality rate less than ninety percent of last month.”

“The average family wealth has increased by fifty percent, with every household storing half a year’s worth of food…”

This was the change in the mortal realm of the Jiu Shan after the initial trade of the Bai Xian Alliance began.

Zheng Fa had felt invigorated reading it before— the rough combination of cultivation techniques and modern technology might not be overwhelmingly powerful, but it was incredibly effective in changing the fate of mortals.

When mixed with the Bai Xian Alliance’s investigation report sent by Uncle Pang, the disparity became even more apparent.

The simplest change was what cultivators had truly brought to this world.

“We must admit that the great power of cultivators belongs to themselves; what they pursue is their own strength, and that is an unchangeable fact.” Zheng Fa looked at the report in her hands and said softly, “The Tian He Venerable’s idea is actually quite good... to establish a mutually restraining Xuan Wei realm.”

“The problem is, perhaps he truly has the ability to eradicate the immortals, but he cannot change human hearts…”

“I don’t have the ambition of a venerable…”

Zheng Fa chuckled self-deprecatingly; a coward like him truly lacked the confidence to stand against all cultivators.

“So you chose to... change the relationship between cultivators and mortals?”

“Xie Fairy, the wealth of this world has historically been distributed based on power... I was thinking, could it be distributed based on contribution in the future?”

Xie Qingxue stared blankly at Zheng Fa.

Compared to the ancestor, she naturally understood Zheng Fa’s meaning— the fact that cultivators possess great power is unchangeable, and what Zheng Fa envisioned was to find a way to benefit all beings within that immense power.

What if cultivators and mortals were no longer in opposition...

What if mortals became prosperous because of cultivators, and cultivators grew even stronger because of mortals?

Zheng Fa tilted his head, looking at Xie Qingxue, and smiled:

“Xie Fairy, this path may not be any simpler than that of the Tian He Ancestor…”

In her ears, another question echoed: “Would you... like to join me?”

...Master, I may have found the answer to your question.

(End of this chapter)

**Chapter 428: A Natural Teacher, I Can Also Turn the Tables**

The Jiu Shan Military Academy welcomed a new teacher.

On the playground of the Cheng Xian Island, about a hundred disciples sat in a circle, with Zheng Fa and Elder Han at the front, watching Xie Qingxue, who stood in the center.

Xie Qingxue looked a bit uneasy, her gaze occasionally searching for Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa knew that although she was talkative, her habit of being taciturn in front of others was deeply ingrained. It was perfectly normal for her to feel a bit awkward during her first lecture to such a large group.

He gave Xie Qingxue a gentle nod, his smile carrying a hint of reassurance.

After all, Xie Qingxue was the foremost disciple of the Tian He Sect, a true inheritor, and a powerful individual. It wouldn’t take long for her to gather her thoughts. She steadied herself, nodded at Zheng Fa, and began:

“I have no other talents in this life, but my swordsmanship is worth noting. Therefore, your sect leader and I have jointly devised a course called ‘Introduction to Sword Cultivation’…”

“Today is the first lesson.”

“I’ll start with a self-introduction…”

She had long prepared for this, even attending Zheng Fa’s lectures before. Now, casting aside distractions, her teaching flowed much more smoothly.

Of course, what made the class even more effective was the attitude of the listening disciples!

Zheng Shan sat behind her brother, ears perked up, listening intently to Teacher Xie’s sword cultivation lesson, not wanting to miss a single word.

Not just her; every disciple present was focused, their faces filled with fascination.

Not to mention the reputation of sword cultivators in the Xuan Wei realm after the Tian He Venerable...

Just consider Xie Qingxue’s identity...

Tian He Sect, true disciple, senior sister!

Table of Contents