205: Chapter 81 Ping’an Persuades the Artifact Refining Immortal 205: Chapter 81 Ping’an Persuades the Artifact Refining Immortal The Yuan Sect’s main hall was devoid of the Yuan Sect’s immortals.
These immortals had been summoned by the ancestral master of the Yuan Sect, Xu Sheng, to the back of the hall to activate several layers of immortal power barriers and discuss something there.
This made Li Ping’an feel quite pleased.
— Xu Sheng, the senior, had not decided the future path of the sect on his own; instead, he let the other immortals within the sect discuss it together.
Regardless of the outcome of their discussion, being able to hear everyone’s thoughts was also good.
“Senior Brother,” Ningning Mu sent a telepathic message, “Could it be that the Yuan Sect is planning to break their promise and abandon us?”
Li Ping’an smiled without answering.
He actually wasn’t worried about the Yuan Sect switching allegiance to the Forge-Heaven Gate today.
The aim of the Forge-Heaven Gate was completely different from that of the Wanyun Sect.
The Wanyun Sect wanted to collaborate with the Yuan Sect to make a profit, where the Yuan Sect could gain a guaranteed income of five hundred thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones every year.
Wanyun Sect, on the other hand, could establish a high-end brand and enhance its own artifact refining foundation.
This was purely a cooperative relationship.
Forge-Heaven Gate, however, wanted to absorb the entire Yuan Sect, integrating all of its artifact refiner resources as well as the golden signboard that is Elder Xu Sheng into their Forge-Heaven Gate.
The conditions offered by Mo Yunshen seemed generous, but in reality, they were predicated on the precondition that the Yuan Sect would cease to exist.
This Mo Yunshen was also quite skilled in the art of rhetoric.
The terms spoken by Mo Yunshen seemed attractive, essentially saying that Forge-Heaven Gate would support the Yuan Sect’s large family;
but hidden within those terms were the words “establish their own lineage” and “have their own mountain gate.”
The subtext of these eight words was actually that the Yuan Sect would have to discard its name and become Yuan Hall within Forge-Heaven Gate, similar to Caiyun Peak and Swordcloud Peak of the Wanyun Sect.
The original residence of the Yuan Sect’s disciples would be near the mountain gate of Forge-Heaven Gate, but they would not enjoy the protection of the Mountain Protection Array.
It was all just wordplay.
On the other hand, the terms provided by the Wanyun Sect were all beneficial to the Yuan Sect.
For one, no matter whom Wanyun Sect collaborated with, it was always a partnership.
Castcloud Hall’s first branch could also be offered to friendly sects like the Sea Watch Sect, which was not much of an influence on Wanyun Sect, and important artifact refining sects were not limited to the Yuan Sect alone.
Secondly, since the elder immortal Xu Sheng’s visit to the Wanyun Sect, the establishment of Castcloud Hall’s first branch has been progressing rapidly behind the scenes, and now everything was ready, just waiting for Wanyun Sect to move the production line over.
In fact, Li Ping’an knew that this time, his father and the others had brought along thirty of the latest upgraded production lines.
As long as the Forge-Heaven Gate and the Sea Watch Sect were sent away today, the Yuan Sect could close its doors and count money.
The so-called mutual benefit was, in essence, the Wanyun Sect showing old feelings, supporting their old ally of many years.
“Now there’s just one thing to worry about.”
Li Ping’an sighed as he sent a telepathic message to the owner of the gentle palm in his hand:
“The strategies of Forge-Heaven Gate are layered upon each other; they must have set their sights on Yuan Sect for a long time.
They also knew that Yuan Sect was about to grasp the opportunity of Castcloud Hall, so they found an opportunity to come along with us.
“This is one of the top three sects, after all; surely, there are some old cunning foxes who are good at calculating and scheming.
“At this point, it can be asserted that Forge-Heaven Gate’s dissatisfaction with Loose Cultivators comparing them to our Wanyun Sect was just an excuse.
What they truly want is this Yuan Sect.
The previous act of deceiving us about the production line was merely incidental.”
Ningning Mu blinked and asked, “What should we do then?”
“It depends on whether Elder Xu Sheng can control the situation.”
Li Ping’an slightly squinted his eyes, looked towards the back of the hall, and gently pinched Ningning Mu’s palm as he continued telepathically:
“I suspect there are many inside men from Forge-Heaven Gate within the Yuan Sect.
“Perhaps, it’s not that Forge-Heaven Gate was the first to entertain the thought of absorbing the Yuan Sect.
Instead, there might be someone inside the Yuan Sect who had the idea of defecting to Forge-Heaven Gate but couldn’t openly betray their sect, hence acting as a go-between.
“Junior Sister, think about it; were there not a few elders from the Yuan Sect who seemed particularly attentive to Forge-Heaven Gate just now?”
Ningning Mu was somewhat embarrassed, “Um…
I wasn’t paying attention.”
“That’s alright, we’re just here to watch the show.”
Li Ping’an said with a laugh:
“If things don’t work out this time, Father will be a bit sad.
I will need to think of a way to coax him later.”
“Should I make some delicious treats?
I’ve learned to make a few new snacks!”
“Then I’ll leave this matter to you.”
“Mhm,” Ningning Mu glanced down, then sent a telepathic message, “If you want to eat them, I’ll make them for you every day.”
All of a sudden, Li Ping’an said, “There’s movement.”
Ningning Mu also forgot she was still feeling shy and stood on tiptoe to look towards the back of the hall.
The immortal power barriers behind the hall disappeared and reappeared again.
Most of the Yuan Sect’s immortals quickly returned to the main hall, taking their original places standing or seated, with most expressions quite normal.
Two Yuan Immortals quickly rushed to the Wanyun Sect’s side, grabbed onto the armrests of Li Dazhi’s chair, and whispered a few words.
Li Dazhi slightly raised an eyebrow, mused for a few moments, and nodded to the Yuan Immortal before standing up and bellowing:
Elder Xu is calling for you!
You and Ningning go in for a visit!
“If there’s anything, you two figure it out by yourselves.
If you can’t make sense of it, come and ask me!
“Consider it a part of your cultivation.”
The immortals of the Forge-Heaven Gate frowned upon hearing this.
Why would Xu Sheng want to discuss with a Merge True realm disciple individually?
The Wanyun Sect’s immortals, on the other hand, had smiles growing on their faces.
They also did not understand why, but it seemed like whatever their great ancestor Dazhi did, it always made them feel honored.
Being in front of over a thousand immortals, Li Ping’an of course could not defy his father and accepted the charge with a bow:
“Yes, your child will now enter the formation.”
He did not like calling himself “your child,” always feeling that it seemed like deliberately acting young;
but there was no helping it; when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Here, children addressed their parents this way in public.