Up to this point, Qi Xuansu’s gains had been quite satisfactory. Setting aside the Shebishi Venom, the Xuan Jade, and the sarira, the progress he had made in investigating the Longevity Stone Heart alone was worth the trip.0

Qi Xuansu did not wish to reach the pinnacle relying on the Longevity Stone Heart only to later fall into ruin because of it.0

This journey to Lingshan was, in essence, Qi Xuansu leveraging one force against another—using the Heavenly Preceptor’s influence to counter the Earthly Preceptor’s power.0

Though this also involved sidelining the Grand Master’s authority, the current situation differed greatly from the past. When the sixth-generation Grand Master ascended, the Three Deputy Grand Masters had just experienced the authoritarian era of the fifth-generation Grand Master. Thus, they shared significant consensus born from lingering caution. They cooperated closely, leaving the sixth-generation Grand Master with little opportunity to manipulate opposing forces against each other. But after decades of working together, many contradictions accumulated among the three Deputy Grand Masters. Cracks had formed on their...0