The Elder Council Meeting of Twin Success Valley started with intense debates. Many conservative elders were initially opposed to fully cultivating a Gold Core Daoist Master from among their ranks. They were content with the current status and didn't want to risk offending the Flying Swan Sect by putting all their efforts into nurturing a Gold Core Daoist Master. They believed it wouldn't be worth it.
Leaking even a little information could invite retaliation from the Flying Swan Sect. If this continued, no one knew how the Flying Swan Sect would react. If the Flying Swan Sect truly attacked, the foundation that Twin Success Valley had built over hundreds of years would be in jeopardy, and everything they had worked for would be lost.
On the other hand, some ambitious elders believed that Twin Success Valley had accumulated enough power over the years and was now just one Gold Core Daoist Master away from elevating their sect's position. They couldn't afford to give up at this critical moment and risk losing all their previous efforts.
The two factions of elders began arguing and quarreling vehemently.
Sitting at the top, Sect Master Xiao Haisheng observed the elders below, feeling a sense of annoyance. He had met the Flying Swan Sect's Sect Master, Fei Hongzi, several times. While Fei Hongzi and he both had a Cultivation Base at the Foundation Building late stage, Xiao Haisheng considered himself more skilled and capable than Fei Hongzi. Yet, every time he encountered Fei Hongzi, he had to lower his head and show respect, even if it went against his will.
As the Sect Master of Twin Success Valley, he was a subordinate of the Flying Swan Sect, and Twin Success Valley was merely a Foundation Building sect, while Flying Swan Sect was a Gold Core sect. This inequality and submission bothered Xiao Haisheng greatly.
He had thought this dissatisfaction would persist for a lifetime. However, unexpectedly, Twin Success Valley produced a genius disciple like Shan Feiyu, bringing new hope not only to Xiao Haisheng but to the entire Twin Success Valley.
Shan Feiyu possessed a top-grade lower-tier spiritual root and had received the full support of the sect since he was young. Throughout his cultivation journey, he had enjoyed smooth sailing, never lacking in resources, excellent teachings, and outstanding legacies.
At the age of twenty-five, Shan Feiyu had completed the Refining Qi stage and successfully reached the Foundation Building stage without consuming any auxiliary elixirs, achieving impressive progress. After reaching the Foundation Building stage, his Cultivation Base continued to soar. At the age of only one hundred thirty-five, he had already completed the Foundation Building stage and was qualified to attempt the Gold Core stage breakthrough.
Over the years, Xiao Haisheng had invested numerous accumulated resources of Twin Success Valley to help Shan Feiyu lay a solid foundation and increase his chances of successfully reaching the Gold Core stage.
Xiao Haisheng had forced some opposing elders to submit and traded with Ghost Path cultivators, offering valuable resources to have them refine Jade Soul Fluid. Although the formation created by the Zhao Family had damaged the Yin-Yang Reversal Formation built by the Ghost Path cultivators, causing them to fail in producing the Jade Soul Fluid, Xiao Haisheng had provided alternative spiritual materials and, combined with Shan Feiyu's talent and hard work, eventually completed the Soul refinement.
Now, Shan Feiyu's true qi, Soul, and physical body were all in a state of completion, meeting the requirements for attempting the Gold Core stage breakthrough. They only needed a suitable opportunity to make the breakthrough.
They had already walked ninety-nine steps of the path; there was only one step left. As the mastermind behind the entire plan, Xiao Haisheng couldn't possibly give up now.
As the one directly involved in the Gold Core breakthrough, Shan Feiyu was even more determined to see it through.
Seeing some elders still opposing, Shan Feiyu's gaze became sharp as he swept his eyes over them. One sensitive elder trembled, suddenly recalling something.
Shan Feiyu, who had completed the Foundation Building stage long ago, was the number one expert in the sect, aside from the False Core cultivator, Xiao Fengyan. Even Sect Master Xiao Haisheng himself was inferior to Shan Feiyu in comparison. However, Shan Feiyu was low-key and seldom interacted with others, leading people to overlook this fact.
Moreover, once Shan Feiyu succeeded in forming his Gold Core, he would become the only Gold Core Patriarch of Twin Success Valley. If they incurred the enmity of a Gold Core Patriarch, even though he wouldn't directly take action due to sect rules, he might secretly make moves that the Foundation Building elders couldn't withstand. They might suffer, and it could even affect future generations, causing unrest for their descendants.
The opposing voices suddenly diminished significantly as the clever ones shut their mouths.
Xiao Haisheng noticed all of this. He was also dissatisfied with those elders who still hesitated at this moment, but now was the time to unite everyone and ensure the plan's success.
As Xiao Haisheng's gaze fell on him, Xiao Fengyan understood his intentions. With a light cough, he silenced the people below.
Xiao Fengyan was far superior to the others in age and Cultivation Base. As the only False Core cultivator in the sect, he possessed unparalleled strength and was the biggest hidden card of Twin Success Valley.
"Things have come this far, and there's no turning back. We can no longer retreat," Xiao Fengyan declared.
"Although the Flying Swan Sect seems to be pressuring us step by step, they haven't taken real action. It shows that they are unaware of our plans and merely reacted instinctively based on some unreliable information."
"If the Flying Swan Sect truly knew what we were planning, they would have already attacked us and wiped out our sect entirely."
"Since we started planning this major move, we have been at odds with the Flying Swan Sect. Now, we have no room to back down."
"I implore all of you to put aside your differences and work together to ensure the smooth progress of our plan."
"If the plan succeeds, Twin Success Valley will break free from its shackles and soar to new heights. All of you will be contributors to our success."
"But if the plan fails, we will have no place to bury our bodies, and Twin Success Valley will face annihilation."
With each word spoken by Xiao Fengyan, the faces of the people below became increasingly solemn, and some already showed a sense of realization.
Xiao Fengyan's decisive words settled the dispute within the sect and dispelled any unrealistic fantasies some had.
The entire Twin Success Valley began operating secretly, preparing for the final moment.
Outside, the Flying Swan Sect continued to pressure Twin Success Valley, but they had yet to take further action. Although Twin Success Valley's situation was becoming more difficult, they had a deep heritage accumulated over hundreds of years. As the dominant sect in the surrounding region, they had various means to keep the sect afloat.
As time passed, Meng Zhang had also turned thirty. During that year, he completed the Refining Qi stage and obtained the qualification to attempt the Foundation Building stage breakthrough.
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