Chapter 101: Cooperation Reached

"But there's one condition: any requests you make to me must not involve the other two individuals, or I'll be in a difficult position."

Xu Yang's words once again elicited a helpless laugh from the Third Prince. "Alright, alright, Your Excellency is truly considerate. Don't worry, I believe this will be a very pleasant collaboration!"

Meanwhile, Ling Qingshu and several experts from the Tianlan Sect had arrived above the Tianwu Sect.

Their robes billowed in the strong winds as everyone gazed downwards, their expressions solemn.

Over a dozen cultivation sects from across Tianwu Prefecture had dispatched their top masters here, as this presented the greatest opportunity for them from the martial arts competition.

The Tianwu Sect had operated within Tianwu Prefecture for many years, consistently holding the position of its leading sect. Their accumulated resources and foundation were immense. Now that an opportunity had arisen to openly claim a share of their wealth, everyone was eager to act.

"Kill!" Ling Qingshu's face was as cold as frost. Despite her exquisite beauty, she exuded the commanding aura of a queen, holding power over life and death. With her single command, the experts from the dozen-plus cultivation forces in Tianwu Prefecture surged forward, beginning to raze the Tianwu Sect from all directions.

After today, this foremost sect, which had dominated Tianwu Prefecture for a century, would be utterly reduced to ruins.

Terrifying battle cries and a rampant murderous aura filled the air. Countless Tianwu Sect cultivators met their demise, and splattering blood nearly stained every corner of the sect grounds.

It's worth noting that many Grotto-Heaven Realm experts from the Tianwu Sect had defected to the Tianlan Sect, becoming Ling Qingshu's subordinates. Under their guidance, the Tianlan Sect was the first to reach the Tianwu Sect's legacy treasury.

"My heavens! This Zhao Tianxun was truly no simple figure. In just a century, he built the Tianwu Sect into such a formidable power! The sheer volume of inherited treasures and cultivation manuals here is enough to significantly elevate the Tianlan Sect's foundation!"

Many veteran disciples of the Tianlan Sect were utterly stunned, genuinely marveling at the immense wealth of this lineage.

Consequently, an unbridled and frantic looting spree officially commenced. After hundreds of Tianlan Sect cultivators had sated their own desires, they then, under Ling Qingshu's guidance, transferred vast amounts of resources into spirit ships and various storage dimensions. It's fair to say they seized over seventy percent of the sect's total accumulated wealth.

By the time the other dozen factions discovered what was happening, the treasures in the vaults were largely what the Tianlan Sect had already picked through.

Yet, even so, the various factions were still quite excited. Even the resources the Tianlan Sect had discarded were considered a significant haul for them.

Furthermore, merely being allowed to share in the spoils was considered the greatest favor the Tianlan Sect had bestowed upon them.

"Ahahaha! From today onwards, we no longer have to live under the shadow of the Tianwu Sect. This is truly marvelous!"

"This is all thanks to Ancestor Xu Yang's divine display of power; only then could we enjoy such good fortune. Now, we are the foremost power in Tianwu Prefecture, and we've even forged ties with the imperial family of the Great Xia Dynasty. No other sect would dare to challenge us now!"

On their return journey to the sect, all the Tianlan Sect warriors wore expressions of excitement, but only Sect Master Ling Qingshu remained calm.

"Don't celebrate too soon; you must always be prepared for danger even in times of peace! Do you truly believe it's so easy to align with the Great Xia Dynasty? Setting aside other issues, you've witnessed the spectacle of the three princes vying for power. Supporting any one of them is not the optimal choice for our Tianlan Sect. How we navigate relations with them will entirely depend on Ancestor Xu Yang! In essence, the challenges we face from now on will only become more severe!"

Ling Qingshu's words were not intended as scaremongering.

As the saying goes, the grander the stage, the greater the foundation and power required. If their strength proves insufficient and opponents of the same caliber as the Great Xia Dynasty emerge, the Tianlan Sect will only face greater perils.

Ling Qingshu had always understood one crucial fact: the Tianlan Sect absolutely could not rely on Xu Yang for everything. That ancestor was clearly no ordinary being; one day, he would ascend to the peak of the Nine Heavens, ushering in a truly grand era. A mere Tianlan Sect was simply not a place for him to remain permanently.

The only way to truly protect the Tianlan Sect was by continuously improving their own strength.

***

After bidding farewell to the three princes, Xu Yang returned to the Tianlan Sect with Huang Tian.

He took a moment to reflect.

First, he arranged for the Grotto-Heaven Realm elders who had surrendered from the Tianwu Sect, granting them the same status they previously held, to ensure they harbored no ill will.

Simultaneously, as a precaution, Xu Yang secretly planted soul shackles on each of them, ensuring control both internally and externally.

A soul shackle was a technique akin to a curse seal. Once successfully implanted, it granted Xu Yang complete control over the lives and deaths of those individuals.

Should any of these individuals ever harbor malicious intentions or attempt to act against him in the future, Xu Yang would merely need to subtly move a finger. Regardless of the distance, even across different realms, the target bound by the soul shackle would experience their soul origin shattering, leading to complete annihilation.

This technique was specifically devised and applied by Xu Yang for them.

In essence, the fate of these individuals rested entirely in his hands.

If he wished them dead, they would perish.

After settling the internal affairs of the sect, Xu Yang dedicated his full attention to the resurrection of Bai Lianxue.

He first instructed Huang Tian to search the entire territory of Great Qi for the most optimal land of extreme yin and cold. During this time, he also awaited word from the Third Prince. Once the two vital resurrection mediums, Lotus Spring and Profound Ice, were ready, Xu Yang would possess the fundamental requirements to resurrect Bai Lianxue.

Five days later, Huang Tian suddenly appeared before Xu Yang. "Boss, I've found the place that meets your requirements!"

***

At the bottom of Hanying Valley, near the border of the Qi Kingdom, flowed a magnificent waterfall named the Cloud Sky Flying Waterfall, which had surged for millennia.

Beneath this waterfall lay a hidden stalactite cave, a place rarely trodden by human feet throughout the year.

Huang Tian had brought Xu Yang to this very location.

"Heh heh, how about it, Boss? Does it meet your requirements?"

Xu Yang gazed at Huang Tian, somewhat dazed. "It's incredible that you managed to find a place like this. You truly are remarkable."

"Naturally! Tell me, how do you plan to reward me?" Huang Tian asked, grinning mischievously at Xu Yang.

"Don't worry, I'll give you an enormous surprise once I've resurrected Bai Lianxue."

Huang Tian scratched his nose sheepishly, feeling as though Xu Yang, that shrewd old fox, had somehow outmaneuvered him. However, since his boss had spoken, he had no room to argue and could only shrug with a resigned expression.

The two stepped inside. This cave beneath the waterfall, resembling a Water Curtain Cave, was remarkably tidy, complete with stone tables and stools, suggesting that a master had visited this place long ago.

"Huh! Boss, look at these cave walls—they seem to have traces of sword qi!"