Meng Zhang possessed a soul book, and as long as a cultivator willingly left their name on it, their life and death would be entirely within Meng Zhang's control. However, the new disciples who recently joined the sect were hesitant. It was unlikely that they would voluntarily leave their names on the soul book. Forcing them might lead to unforeseen consequences.
The willingness to leave one's name in the soul book had various interpretations. If a cultivator was willing at the time, even if they regretted it later, it would be too late. Conversely, if they were unwilling at the time, there was no way to leave their name.
To make someone willingly leave their name in the book, there were many ways, with coercion and inducements being the most common.
Meng Zhang was currently busy and had no time to deal with this matter. Besides, many of the disciples recruited were temporary members of Taiyi Sect. To become true members of Taiyi Sect, they would need to go through layers of selections and eliminations. Meng Zhang didn't want to waste his efforts on them.
After securing Fuzhao Valley, Meng Zhang sent out disciples to occupy the other four oases that originally belonged to the Zhao Family.
As soon as the disciples were dispatched, two flying boats arrived from the distant horizon, heading towards Fuzhao Valley. Based on the emblem on the flying boats, they belonged to Flying Eagle Sect.
Flying Eagle Sect and Zhao Family were of similar strength, but Flying Eagle Sect was slightly weaker. For many years, they had maintained a good relationship, and the current Flying Eagle Sect's Sect Master, Chen Zhentian, was sworn brothers with Zhao Yanbei, the former head of the Zhao Family.
On the night of Zhao Family's extermination, Chen Zhentian and his experts had raided Fuzhao Valley. However, when Twin Success Valley's cultivators arrived, Chen Zhentian fled, not knowing if he had gained anything.
Now that news of Twin Success Valley's destruction had spread, Chen Zhentian once again brought his experts to Fuzhao Valley. His purpose was self-evident.
Since Meng Zhang achieved Foundation Building, he hadn't experienced a real battle yet. Now, the perfect opportunity to establish his prestige had presented itself with Flying Eagle Sect sending experts to challenge him.
Flying Eagle Sect probably wasn't aware that Taiyi Sect had already occupied this place. When Chen Zhentian and his experts disembarked from the flying boat and faced Meng Zhang, a Foundation Building period expert, their panic could be imagined.
The outcome of the battle was unsurprising—Meng Zhang killed all the Flying Eagle Sect experts, including their Sect Master, Chen Zhentian.
To establish his prestige, there was no room for mercy.
Seeing the expert from Taiyi Sect, the Twin Success Valley disciples who had just joined immediately became more obedient.
The Endless Sea of Sand was vast, and the oases were widely scattered. To effectively control various strongholds in their domain, having enough flying boats was essential. Now, with two First Rank flying boats delivered after seizing the Second Rank flying boat from Fuzhao Valley, Meng Zhang had enough mobility to protect their territories.
After achieving Foundation Building, Meng Zhang lacked a Second Rank spiritual vein to cultivate himself, so he had to temporarily stay in the Leaf Falling Seclusion. Now, with Fuzhao Valley's Second Rank spiritual vein, this issue was resolved.
Meng Zhang considered that Flying Eagle Sect might also have a Second Rank spiritual vein. Since having more Second Rank spiritual veins was always beneficial, Meng Zhang decided to completely exterminate Flying Eagle Sect and seize their spiritual vein.
After arranging matters in Fuzhao Valley, Meng Zhang called several disciples and, on a First Rank flying boat, rushed towards Flying Eagle Sect's entrance.
Flying Eagle Sect's entrance was not far from Fuzhao Valley, probably only more than 500 li away.
Before long, they arrived at their destination.
However, Meng Zhang was a step too late.
Outside Flying Eagle Sect's entrance, many cultivators were attacking their sect-protecting formation. After the recent loss of their Sect Master and numerous elite members at the hands of Meng Zhang, even their Second Rank formation lacked enough experts to fully activate its power.
Under constant attacks, Flying Eagle Sect's sect-protecting formation was on the verge of collapse.
These cultivators were wearing the standard uniforms of Qiaoshou Sect and Golden Blade Sect disciples.
Meng Zhang left the flying boat and carefully assessed the situation in front of him.
Unexpectedly, Qiaoshou Sect and Golden Blade Sect were acting so quickly. It seemed that they had also made the same decision as Meng Zhang—to fully occupy Twin Success Valley's domain and annex weaker sects.
When Twin Success Valley was still around, though it was somewhat overbearing, it had some merit. Under Twin Success Valley's rule, the region maintained peace and order. All sects and factions could not openly launch attacks or commit mass killings, let alone initiate extermination wars or engage in annexations.
During Taiyi Sect's weaker days, they relied on Twin Success Valley's rules to preserve the sect from annexation or destruction. Later, when Meng Zhang led Taiyi Sect to rise, he took advantage of these rules and gained many benefits.
Now, after Twin Success Valley's demise, the region had quickly descended into chaos. The lawless era of wars and annexations had arrived, with larger fish devouring smaller fish.
If Meng Zhang hadn't succeeded in Foundation Building, Taiyi Sect would have been among the small fish to be swallowed. But now that Meng Zhang had become a Foundation Building cultivator, it was Taiyi Sect's turn to annex others.
It seemed that Meng Zhang had lingered here for a bit too long, attracting the attention of a cultivator he had some acquaintance with.
It was Ruan Dadao, the Foundation Building cultivator and former gate lord of Golden Blade Sect. He looked at Meng Zhang, who was floating in the air on the other side, with a somewhat surprised and uncertain expression.
At the Foundation Building dharma meeting of Forest Mountain School's Lin Shenpo, Meng Zhang had seen Ruan Dadao from a distance.
At that time, as a high and mighty Foundation Building cultivator, Ruan Dadao would not have paid attention to Meng Zhang, a mere Qi Refining period cultivator.
Later, as Meng Zhang's reputation grew, Ruan Dadao must have heard about him, the Sect Master of Taiyi Sect.
"Taiyi Sect's Meng Zhang, I have seen Brother Ruan," greeted Meng Zhang before leaving on his own initiative.
The assets left behind by Twin Success Valley were abundant, and there were plenty of other forces in the surroundings worth annexing. It was unnecessary for him to clash with Ruan Dadao here.
Apparently, Qiaoshou Sect and Golden Blade Sect had joined forces. The weak Taiyi Sect should have already made preparations.
As Meng Zhang departed, Ruan Dadao's expression remained unchanged. He hadn't expected that young Meng Zhang would achieve Foundation Building so quickly. Originally, Taiyi Sect would have been the next target for annexation. However, with the presence of Meng Zhang, a Foundation Building cultivator, Taiyi Sect was now untouchable.
There were plenty of tempting opportunities around. Why bother with the hard nut that was Taiyi Sect?
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